Two critical moments stamped Skeng as otherworldly in 2022.

While on a UK tour with deejay Govana in April of this year, Skeng sat on stage barefoot and shirtless with his legs folded, channeling a sage whose cult following pledged his lyrics verbatim. The scene was something dancehall live performance had never before witnessed, like him diving into a pool during a June performance in Trinidad to the soundtrack of his “Protocol” hit with Tommy Lee Sparta. Even earlier still, his Ratty Gang collective would have “Brrrp” revolutionizing songwriting in modern dancehall, charging whole generations to sing a chorus mimicking the sound of a gunshot.

It was concretized this year and for all the years to come: Skeng is dancehall’s rock star, the Beast of the Era.

Born Kevon Douglas, Skeng is the leading face of what is being dubbed the “Spanish Town era of dancehall.” Recent years have been dominated by trap dancehall which emanated from St. James, and Kingston has had long periods of being the Mecca of popular sounds coming from Jamaica. Now, Spanish Town is behind the rise and reign of grime in dancehall music, and for the first time, the culture at large is witnessing several acts blow up simultaneously from the old capital.

Skeng entered the scene in 2019 with a “cool and deadly” deejay style and affinity for film samples as evidenced in tracks like “Blade” and “Burna.” Two years later, his vocals had deepened, his lyrics were grimier, and he was finally receiving mainstream attention for the Chemist Records and Raheef Music Group-produced track “Gvnman Shift.” The ear-perker signaled the 21-year-old’s ability to not just interpret a rhythm, but color its personality with multiple flows, witty punchlines, and infectious ad-libs (cues everyone’s favorite: aye boii!).

Perhaps Skeng’s biggest point of difference is his unpredictability. He dodged the expected hardcore sonic of a “badman” song for Latin influences on “Gvnman Spaniard” with Govana. His rhythmic spontaneity manifests with other beats, like the unusual yet hypnotizing baseline and percussion loop of Melio Sounds’ “Likkle Miss” production.

His meteoric magnetism has accompanied run-ins with the law, criticism for his lyrical molly glorification, and a countrywide ban. Still, Skeng chronicles the hellish lows and druggy highs of stardom on his debut six-track EP Beast of the Era, released by his RG Music and Geejam Recordings. These songs bear a more vulnerable Skeng, one who is aware of his influence over the next generation, and one that fully supports Nicki Minaj’s bullish prediction that he may very well be “the future.”

Skeng Is the Artist of the Year

Watch Skeng Spit an Exclusive Freestyle for ‘Bless The Yaad’