It’s been almost five years since Masicka launched his debut album 438, a state-of-the-art dancehall project stacked with top-tier features—Sean Paul, Popcaan, Dexta Daps, Stefflon Don. But the real star of this independent release was Masicka’s songwriting. The raw emotion of tunes like “Pain” and “Suicide Note” made 438 an instant classic. I described it back in December 2021 as “the long-awaited culmination of an already prolific career,” adding that 438 “solidifies Masicka’s status as one of the greatest lyricists ever to emerge within the dancehall genre.”
We first met seven years before that, when the hungry young artist was promoting a project called the Sikk Tape. Even back then he seemed calm and confident, although he described his career as a series of ups and downs and sleepless nights. “If you no determined, you ah go give up,” he told me that day. “So it’s just all about determination, and you have to stay focused.” So said, so done.
Putting his principles into practice, Masicka and his close-knit 1Syde Entertainment team parlayed the success of 438 into a major label deal, signing with Def Jam and defying the sophomore jinx with his stunning 2023 follow-up, Generation of Kings. Today Masicka delivers his second major label album, Forever Reign. With features ranging from Jamaican stars Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Lila Ike to Nigerian artist Blaqbonez, this might just be his best work yet. Tomorrow night Masicka will be headlining the Barclay’s Center, the latest in a string of career milestones.
