Trilogies seem to be the thing in popular music these days. The Weeknd rode his After Hours–Dawn FM–Hurry Up Tomorrow series to a record-breaking tour, and Drake made Billboard 200 history with his recent Iceman-Habibti-Maid of Honour pseudo-surprise triple-drop. And, of course, the world is still waiting on Act III to wrap the history-illuminating trilogy Beyoncé launched with Renaissance and Cowboy Carter. For Jamaican singer Runkus, that whole approach is becoming quite passé.
From 2016-2022, Runkus (born Romario Sebastian Anthony Bennett) fired off a trio of genre-blurring projects that traced life before and after the world-changing lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic. Featuring collaborations with the likes of contemporary reggae stars Naomi Cowan, Chronixx and Ky-Mani Marley, Runkus’ first three projects helped establish him as a burgeoning force in Caribbean music who truly understands the sanctity of roots reggae. From notes of trap dancehall to more straight-up R&B-infused fare, Runkus relentlessly expanded his sonic profile while maintaining his commitment to his Rastafari principles. After dropping OUT:SIDE in 2022 — he knew it was time for a reset.
“I think I might be addicted to making music,” he tells Billboard. “I knew I was ready to move on from that trilogy, so I took a pause from making music to focus on production and delve into art. I wanted to look at music more as an art form, rather than just [something to get on the] charts. I started scoring films and going to galleries and museum exhibitions. From there, I started scoring my music instead of making it.”
