Mixpak

We’re happy to announce that Popcaan is on the cover of The Fader’s summer issue! Here’s a snippet from the story, written by Jesse Serwer:

“For any number of reasons, Popcaan appears to be the artist best suited to pick up the mantle and lead dancehall to its future. For one thing, there’s the consistent quality of the hits he’s churned out over the last four years: the hopeful “Dream,” the summer party soundtracks “Ravin’” and “Party Shot,” the astute social commentary of “The System.” But even more importantly, there’s something fresh-faced about his approach, as if he’s learned from the mistakes of his forebears. Though he’s not lacking in street cred or self-confidence, he’s got a friendly, boy-next-door quality that stands in stark contrast to the generation of badman dancehall stars before him—guys like Kartel, Mavado and Aidonia, whose lyrical aggression and personal carriage insist that you keep your distance. It’s also in contrast to Tommy Lee Sparta and Alkaline, fellow Kartel acolytes who represent Popcaan’s closest competition among young dancehall acts, but whose shock tactic-driven popularity feels more calculated and fleeting (Tommy Lee Sparta is famous for using satanic imagery in his songs; Alkaline’s celebrity has grown partly on account of him tattooing his eyeballs). Whether Popcaan is howling over his favorite new words (lately he’s taken to addressing people—friend, foe or otherwise—as cock coob, a Popcaan-ization of “hen coop” that amuses him to no end) or watching Shrek movies on the couch of his manager’s apartment, the time I spend around Popcaan feels more like hanging out with a big kid than trailing the man-of-the-moment in one of music’s most cutthroat genres.”

Read in full here.

Buy Where We Come From here.