Buju Banton celebrated 30 years of “Murderer” and his classic ‘Til Shiloh album last year, and the iconic song is making headlines for a whole different reason in 2026.
This month, Gargamel and “No Letting Go” singer-songwriter Wayne Wonder dominated social media with a fiery back-and-forth over matters related to the creation of the 1995 single. Following an interview with Dollar Van’s Queenz Flip, in which Buju discussed their contentious, years-long relationship, Wonder took to his social media pages to share a flurry of statements denying Buju’s characterization of events, even calling him a “demon.”
Tensions rose to a fever pitch when the conversation shifted to “Murder,” which Wonder’s team says was written in 1992 by both artists alongside Frankie Sly. Buzzier allegations included the claim that Sly was never credited for his music contributions, and that Wayne’s credit was removed upon the song’s release in 1995, preventing both artists from enjoying the full benefit of those royalties. Last week (March 23), Buju’s team demanded a full retraction and public apology from Wonder and the immediate removal of content relating to those songwriting disputes, which extended to other tracks like “Not an Easy Road” and “Departee,” via a statement that read: “These allegations are entirely untrue, without factual basis, and have caused significant reputational harm to our client both in Jamaica and internationally.”
In less combative news, dancehall and reggae reigned at a pair of international awards shows this month. At last week’s MOBO Awards (March 26), Vybz Kartel won best Caribbean act, beating out Ayetian, Lila Iké, Masicka, Shenseea and Yung Bredda. Notably, the “Fever” singer was the only West Indian artist nominated for best international act, which went to Nigerian Afropop star Ayra Starr.
On Sunday (March 29), the JUNO Awards graced Ontario’s TD Coliseum. Naomi Cowan won reggae recording of the year for her 12-track debut album, Welcome to Paradise. The daughter of reggae titans Tommy Cowan and Carlene Davis is now the first woman this decade to win this category with a solo recording, and the first to do so unaccompanied since Elaine Lil’Bit Shepherd in 2011 (“Likkle But Mi Tallawah”).
Naturally, Billboard’s monthly Caribbean 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:
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Freshest Find: Skinny Fabulous, “My Head Very Bad”
Expect to hear “My head very bad; my head very lash” chanted all summer. Frequent soca monarch champion, Skinny Fabulous, rings in Vincy Mas with “My Head Very Bad,” a deeply percussive OG Park-produced banger that’s tailor-made for the most raucous revelers on the road. “Have no shame, forget mi reputation/ I come to handle di ting,” he declares in the horn-accented bridge, delivering a motto to live by all Carnival season.
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Sharon Marley, “Our Day Will Come”
For her take on “Our Day Will Come,” which R&B group Ruby & the Romantics turned into a 1963 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper, Sharon Marley leaned into the track’s bossa nova roots. Blending those elements with a subtle tenor sax and delicate backing vocals from Three Kings, Marley delivers a reimagining of “Our Day” that emphasizes its defiant, dreamy-eyed optimism. Tied together with the throughline of jazzy, entrancing voice, Rita Marley’s daughter steps into her own with this standout from her debut album, Firebird.
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Adam O, “Strut”
The takeover of DJ Mac and CrashDummy’s “WYFL” riddim is still going strong, and Virgin Islands artist Adam O has delivered one of the more inventive reinterpretations with “Strut.” Assisted by producer D’Mitri, Adam flips the steely trap-dancehall riddim into a raucous soca affair, complete with rapid-fire bouyon drums. “WYFL” has set a high bar when it comes to how far a riddim can travel in 2026, and Adam O is showing just how far the track can be transformed into a new party-rocking anthem.
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Jah9, “S.E.X. (Sacred Energy Xchange)”
It’s always nice to have different depictions of sex in popular music, and Jamaican singer Jah9 offers a particularly reverent perspective with “S.E.X. (Sacred Energy Xchange).” Infusing a classic reggae groove with notes of slow jam R&B and pronounced nyabinghi drums, “S.E.X.” arrives as the finale of her four-part Open Heart Project, which follows the arc of self-discovery that can come out of a powerful relationship. In a world where language around sex can be phonetically and aesthetically abrasive, Jah9’s musical approach reemphasizes humanity at the center of those conversations.
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Teejay, “Perfect Body”
Teejay made a name for himself with dance-centric hits like “Drift,” which helped him land a Billboard digital cover a few years ago, but he understands the true key to dancehall longevity is an ever-expanding catalog of gyal tunes. For his latest one, the Jamaican star teamed up with producer YowLevite for a slinky riddim anchored by a swaggering electric guitar riff. Between the infectious beat and his “no fi twerk for nobody” refrain, “Perfect Body” sounds like another hit for Teejay.
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Protoje feat. Shenseea, “Goddess”
Protoje’s new Art of Acceptance album drops next month (April 17), and he’s already shared another taste of the project. The contemporary reggae artist tapped pop-dancehall star Shenseea for “Goddess,” an uplifting anthem dedicated to women that doubles as their first collaboration. The lilting reggae bounce plays well against both artists’ seductive timbres, which only underscores how intense their vocal chemistry feels. “You a Goddess, some woulda say you a the baddest/ I woulda say ya the best, yeah it real so me say it with me chest,” Proto croons, with Shenseea sultrily replying, “Yes, I’ma Goddess better know yuh haffi try your hardest/ Want something real inna times like these.”
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Shemmy J, “Everything”
Saint Lucia’s Shemmy J has delivered a sweet soca tune for the season with the Teamfoxx-produced “Everything.” Leaning more into the genre’s groovy side, Shemmy croons the age-old story of a “fire” young lady who sets his heart ablaze with her incomparable dance moves. “Woi, di gyal a roll up she bumpa/ Whole night, she a wine on me/ Woi, di gyal a roll up she bumpa/ she a wine, gimme everything,” he croons over laid-back guitars and drums.
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Problem Child, “Rum Calling”
It seems like Problem Child can drop hits without even trying! Written by the Vincy Bad Boy (born Shertz James) and produced by DJ Ky Walcott, “Rum Calling” turns a simple concept — the unignorable and sometimes welcome allure of alcohol — into a road-ready banger that understands the importance of a robust live brass section. “Leave me alone/ Stop ringing dung my phone/ Cause I does only answer when rum calling/ So I’m unavailable,” he belts in the chorus, over a joyous mélange of trumpet and trombone.
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Masicka, “Boasty”
Between his back-and-forth with Tommy Lee Sparta and December’s Her Name Is Love EP, Masicka has kept up a steady stream of music over the past few months, which he recently extended with “Boasty.” “President, it’s not Trump, it’s not Bush/ Pon di the resident, we got guns, we got kush/ So mi press a Benz wid comfort mi gone sush/ Like Messi dem wid di ball, mi cyan tush,” he spits over Slaybad Musiq’s bass-heavy riddim, drawing comparisons to some of the world’s biggest names to underscore the song’s unapologetic braggadocio.
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Hunter, Denise Belfon & Boogy Rankss, “Feter”
The Virgin Islands and Trinidad collide on this calling card for the season’s biggest revelers. Rising soca artist Hunter and genre icon Denise Belfon join forces for “Feter,” a bouncy, marimba and whistle-laden track that encourages all party people to take pride in their status and appreciate every individual element that coalesces into one unforgettable fete.
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