debtThe king of dancehall, Andrae Sutherland, aka Popcaan, has been in his career for over a year and feels he is on top of the world. On his fifth album, Great Is He, he expresses his appreciation for his rise with plenty of classic dancehall bragadocio. From his international collaborations with Gorillaz, Jamie xx and Pusha T, to his sold-out Wembley SSE his arena in 2018, his distinctive singing Jaying has left an indelible mark on culture.
The opening track, Defeat the Struggle, is a moving ode to ambition and upward mobility. Then it’s tossed into the steel drums of Freshness, where he boasts “millions in a week.” The chorus of “Prada mi Prada, Gucci mi Gucci” is powerful and catchy, and the whole album is vividly evocative. A reference to luxury goods that evokes images of violent drips. His mentor Vybz Kartel showed off his Clarks. Popcaan showed off “Fresh Louis V, Fresh Nike Air.”
But this shabby tale quickly feels corny, and the album itself proves bloated. Popcaan’s vocals are consistently smooth, but when you get to New Benz, it leaves you wondering what kind of role such a track plays on the album, rather than just informing you about “New Benz, new yard.” Origins spun in St. Thomas Native His story feels more lead than inspiring. And by the time his penultimate track, Past Life, and the “cracker and water” diet it mentions, the message loses its impact. The closing track, “Great Is He,” with gospel backing his vocals and a eulogy to “The Greatest,” is similarly dull and leaves you feeling like you’ve fallen asleep at midnight mass. Indulgence and gratitude are great motifs, but if there isn’t enough sonic difference between the tracks, you’ll get bored quickly.
