Doechii performs at Osheaga 2025 in Montreal.
Charlotte Rainville @jailli
With the first days of spring finally gracing New York City, the summer is just a few breaths away — which means dancehall riddims and reggae grooves are about to be heard on every block from Flatbush to the Heights.
After picking up some hardware at February’s MOBO Awards, Vybz Kartel picked up two more trophies at last month’s International Reggae & World Music Awards (March 30), taking home the Peter Tosh Award for recording artist of the year and concert of the year honors for last Decemeber’s Freedom Street extravaganza. New York will experience their version of Freedom Street when Kartel graces Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on April 11 and 12. On Tuesday (April 1), Worl’ Boss dropped the official DJ Khaled-starring “God Is Greatest” music video to reflect on his whirlwind journey since his release from prison last summer. Spice, who many hope will join Kartel at his New York shows next month, picked up a major win of her own with her victory at Red Bull Culture Clash London 2025 (March 7-8).
On the reggae side, we lost a legend. Jamaican singer Cocoa Tea passed on March 11 after going into cardiac arrest shortly after a recent six-month battle with pneumonia and his 2019 lymphoma diagnosis. Known for classics like “Rikers Island” and “Young Lover,” Cocoa Tea often infused poignant sociopolitical messaging into his hits, bolstering his cross-generational impact.
Naturally, Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks column will not cover every last track, but our Spotify playlist — which is linked below — will expand on the 10 highlighted songs. So, without any further ado:
Freshest Find: Joé Dwèt Filé & Burna Boy, “4 Kampé II”
Late last year, the original version of Joé Dwèt Filé’s “4 Kampé” appeared in our weekly Trending Up column, which tracks the myriad songs and trends that are catching the industry’s attention. Just a few months later, the Haitian zouk-konpa singer has reinvigorated his global hit with an assist from Grammy-winning Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy. “Deja konnen mwen pral brile sa/ Excuse-moi, veux-tu danser konpa/ Mwen pat konn fanm ayisyen dous konsa/ Ou met mande, mwen se yon neg naija,” he croons in the intro, dipping into Haitian Creole to set the scene and introduce himself to a lady he’d like to dance konpa with. Burna Boy’s and Filé’s tones are an excellent match; their rich lower registers nicely contrast with the track’s seductive background guitars.
Ding Dong feat. Skeng & Kaka Highflames, “Street Jump”
Last month, “Badman Forward Badman Pull Up” singer Ding Dong announced his forthcoming debut album — 20 years after “Badman” became an intergenerational and international anthem. Keeping with the spirit of dance that’s grounded his entire career, Ding Dong calls on Kris Kross’ 1992 Hot 100 chart-topper “Jump.” Not only does he reimagine that song’s timeless hook into a more dancehall-flavored affair, but he also recruits dancehall superstar Skeng and rising Jamaican dance-turned-artist Kaka Highflames to bring their own delightfully manic energy to the track. When it comes to dance anthems that actually make you want to dance, few can stand shoulder to shoulder with Ding Dong.
Protoje, “Big 45”
Protoje isn’t one to inundate us with an incomprehensible amount of releases, but when he does drop music, it’s always worth the wait. He teased “Big 45” for several weeks before finally unveiling the official track, which boasts booming bass and sultry reggae groove courtesy of The Indiggnation and Winta James. Protoje’s rap-sung cadence pairs perfectly with their soundscape, effortlessly capturing the full-bodied sound of the peak sound system era.
Aidonia & Di Genius, “Agony”
“She waah agony oh she waah agony/ Early morning me a sleep and she a bother me/ She waah agony oh she waah agony/ Gyal waah wood, me give har the mahogany,” rhymes Aidonia at the onset of his new Di Genius-helmed single, “Agony.” Making the word “agony” shorthand for boning is certainly a choice, but if any deejay can make it work, it’s Aidonia with his sticky flow and devil-may-care delivery.
Yaksta, “Unconditional Love”
For his contribution to Crawba Production’s new Reggae Alive compilation, Jamaican singer Yaksta delivers a sweet, easy-rocking midtempo about the breadth of his unconditional love for his special someone. “I got this unconditional love/ And it’s only for you, baby/ No else but you,” he croons over steady classic reggae guitars and drums — a perfect soundtrack to a breezy summer evening. With an equally tender and earnest vocal performance, Yaksta infuses Crawba’s soundscape with the reverence that unconditional love often mirrors.
Mr. Vegas & Etana, “Trapped”
One of the best parts of trap dancehall is how the genre’s sparse, spooky snares allow artists the space to muse about society’s endless ills. “Trapped,” the new Rick Wizard-produced single from Mr. Vegas and Etana does just that. The two stars trade heady, heavy verses that zoom into the psyche of a child living in a fear and neglect-ridden household that only primes them for darker horrors. “Trapped, careless mumma wah mek you do your own pickney dat/ Yuh know sey di man a touch har and yuh nuh tell him fi stop/ Yuh turn yuh back pan har when di demon attack,” Mr. Vegas begins the song, immediately setting a chilling scene of child abuse and the nuanced conversations around it.
Pamputtae, “Rum Sexy”
To make a long story short, all Pamputtae needs is some rum to buss a wine. Though “Rum Sexy” has percolated on YouTube for a few years, the Jermaine Bailey-helmed track is finally on DSPs. A well-executed soca track that would sound right at home on any pre-game playlist for the road, Pamputtae’s animated delivery and bright tone are as effective as ever on this track.
Chronic Law, “Altar”
“If yuh pray, Jah will answer/ No weh yuh own anuh weh u can sponsor/ Have nuff things fi gave thanks for/ So me pray inna eh booth like altar,” Chronic Law sings at the end of the opening chorus of his new single, “Altar.” One of the hottest acts in dancehall, Chronic slows things down for a quieter, introspective moment in which he ruminates on the throughlines of prayer and his connection to God that have coursed through his life. Hungry Lion Records grants him the space to do so with an almost-morose mixture of trap snares and synths that invites listeners to focus on his soul-baring lyrics.
Najeeriii & Franc White, “Uptown”
Najeeriii doesn’t necessarily rewrite the trap-dancehall template — in fact, he explicitly leans on its most frequently used tropes here — but he does put his own stamp on it. Expected to appear on his forthcoming debut album, Book of Bob, “Uptown” finds Najeerii delivering a club anthem that sources its idiosyncracies from the way his youthful tone and nimble flows accentuate different pockets of Zini Record’s pristine beat.
Skeete, “Dem Dead”
Nottingham-hailing Afro-dancehall and R&B artist Skeete dropped his new 10-track mixtape Excuse My Language last month (March 20), and the saucy genre-melding set is every bit as global and unapologetic as its title suggests. Among the standouts is the tape’s penultimate track, “Dem Dead,” a fast-paced track that fuses the energy of ’90s dancehall with the melodic flourishes and warm electronic synths of ’10s R&B-informed hip-hop. He dexterously weaves in and out of different flows and dialects, never wavering in how comfortable he sounds playing the role of a dangerous uptown lothario.
Osheaga has a knack for booking budding superstars right as they blow up. Last year, it was Chappell Roan. This year, it was Doechii.
The Grammy-winning, Florida-born rapper took the stage on the first night of the Montreal music festival on Friday (Aug. 1), and it felt like a star-making performance. The Killers headlined the mainstage, but unlike Chappell Roan, who played for 40,000 people at 3:30 in the afternoon last year, Doechii did have the honor of closing out the festival on the secondary Forest Stage.
Her set was pushed back slightly to start at 10:10 p.m., meaning she was the final performer of the night before the noise curfew at 11 p.m. And for those who wanted to catch both acts, The Killers made it easy by playing their belt-along favorite “Mr. Brightside” as their first song and packing the first hour of their two-hour, 9:10 p.m. set with hits.
Doechii’s stage set was decked out to fit her Swamp Princess persona, covered in greenery and a large, elevated swampy platform for her to stand on. The crowd was packed in, so the fans stuck at the back still had a visual feast. “I look good from the nosebleeds,” she rapped from her 2025 hit “Nosebleeds,” and this show proved it.
Doechii performs at Osheaga 2025 in Montreal.
Charlotte Rainville @jailli
For a full hour, Doechii kept the energy up. She rapped a mile a minute, all live with almost no reliance on a backing track. She showed off her full skill set, from pure hip-hop to sung R&B/pop hooks, and comedic banter to thought-out stagecraft. She brought unbridled charisma, taking time to dance and twerk and show off some vogue moves as well. She showed off a reverence for classic hip-hop, rapping over Wu-Tang’s “C.R.E.A.M.,” and later screaming over a distorted guitar sample — almost veering towards nu-metal. She showed she can do it all.
The audience stayed captivated, rapping along and matching her energy throughout. It was Doechii’s first time in Canada, and you could tell she was impressed by the reaction. “As an artist, you can get so much hate and negativity,” she said. “Then you go out in real life and see your real fans.”
She took some time to thank her gay fans, her female fans, and the fans who brought their boyfriends. “If your boyfriend hates female rappers, then leave him immediately,” she said.
Seeing all the phones out, she seized her moment. “Ya’ll can’t be scared to stand up for what you believe in, you can’t be scared to say what matters,” she said. “Free Palestine.”
Doechii performs at Osheaga 2025 in Montreal.
Charlotte Rainville @jailli
Doechii broke out her biggest hit, the Billboard Hot 100 top-10 charting “Anxiety,” and thanked all her fans for streaming it. The “Somebody That I Used To Know” sampling song is a bit of an outlier in her catalogue, but it’s a viral TikTok favourite, and she’s found a way to fit it perfectly into her set. After playing the song, she thanked Gotye for approving the sample.
The true highlight of the set was “Denial Is a River.” The song, which features Doechii rapping with her internal monologue, took on a whole new call-and-response dimension with fans chanting along to every word.
It felt like she was still just getting started when, midway through the next song, the beat cut out. “F— that, they cut me off!” she yelled. She put her thumbs down, inciting the crowd to boo, then threw her hands up. “Whatever,” she said, walking off the stage.
Unfortunately, Osheaga has a hard 11 p.m. noise curfew. It’s clear the next time she’s back, she’ll have to have a longer headliner-length set.
Doechii performs tonight (Aug. 2) at Lollapalooza in Chicago, where she’s teased a special guest. If Osheaga was anything to go by, her set will likely be all over social media soon.
This article originally appeared on Billboard Canada.
Olivia Rodrigo was joined by surprise guest Weezer during her headlining set at Lollapalooza 2025.
On Friday (Aug. 1), the 22-year-old pop superstar made her debut on the second day of the Chicago music festival at Grant Park. Toward the end of her evening set, she surprised the crowd by inviting Weezer to join her on stage.
In a fan-captured video on TikTok, Rodrigo shared with the crowd that Weezer was the first band she ever saw live.
“You always remember your first concert. It’s a very, very special moment,” the “Drivers License” singer said. “I remember my first concert. It was a very memorable night. I watched this incredible band and I am so over the moon, because that incredible band is actually here tonight to play a few songs. Will you please say hello to Weezer?”
Weezer then joined Rodrigo for performances of their classic hits “Buddy Holly” and “Say It Ain’t So,” both from the group’s 1994 self-titled album. She played guitar and harmonized alongside frontman Rivers Cuomo during the collaboration. Check out clips from the performances here and here on X.
This marked Weezer’s first Lollapalooza performance since they headlined alongside Widespread Panic in 2005.
This isn’t the first time Rodrigo has brought out surprise guests during her recent festival appearances. She recently invited David Byrne onstage at New York’s Governors Ball to perform Talking Heads’ 1983 hit “Burning Down the House,” and welcomed The Cure’s Robert Smith at this year’s Glastonbury Festival to perform “Friday I’m In Love” and “Just Like Heaven.”
During her Lolla set on Saturday, Rodrigo opened with “Obsessed” and “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl,” and also performed hits including “Driver’s License,” “Traitor,” “Bad Idea, Right?” and “Love Is Embarrassing.”
The Chicago festival continues Saturday (Aug. 2) with headliners Rüfüs Du Sol and TWICE, followed by closers Sabrina Carpenter and A$AP Rocky on Sunday.
Kelly Osbourne is paying tribute to her father, Ozzy Osbourne, just days after his funeral.
On Friday (Aug. 1), the 40-year-old TV personality shared an NSFW photo on her Instagram Story in memory of the rock legend, who passed away on July 22 at the age of 76.
The outdoor image featured a beautiful display of purple flowers arranged to spell out “Ozzy F—ing Osbourne,” set beside a serene pond surrounded by a rolling hill and trees.
In a second post, Kelly shared a heartfelt clip from The Osbournes, the MTV reality series that aired from 2002 to 2005. The snippet shows Ozzy lying in bed with his wife, Sharon Osbourne, offering words of wisdom.
“Listen, all you got to worry about is getting through today,” the Black Sabbath frontman says. “That’s all you got to worry about.”
Just days earlier, Kelly attended her father’s funeral procession in his hometown of Birmingham, England, where fans flooded the streets to pay their respects. Sharon, along with Ozzy’s other children — Aimeé and Jack — laid flowers at the Black Sabbath Bridge, which had been covered with tributes from mourners.
Shortly after Ozzy’s passing, Kelly posted another emotional tribute to her Instagram Story on July 24. “I feel unhappy I am so sad,” she wrote. “I lost the best friend I ever had,” the Fashion Police alum added, along with a heartbroken emoji. Her words echoed lyrics from Black Sabbath’s ballad “Changes,” which she and her father released as a duet in 2003.
Ozzy Osbourne died at age 76, just weeks after performing his final concert. His family confirmed the news in a joint statement. “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” they wrote. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Just a month before his death, Kelly had honored her dad on Father’s Day with an Instagram post that included a slideshow of Ozzy spending time with her young son, Sidney, whom she shares with fiancé Sid Wilson.
“Happy Father’s Day daddy,” she wrote at the time. “I love you more than anyone or anything in the world! I am so proud to be your daughter and Beyond honored to watch you be the best #Papa in the world to my son!”
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