Afrobeats Has Better Artists Than Reggae-Dancehall Says Music Exec Murray Elias

 “Idiot talk,” that’s the word from music executive Murray Elias, the producer of “I’m Still In Love With You,” by Sean Paul featuring Sasha regarding fellow international producer Rvssian‘s statement that Afrobeats is in trouble if dancehall acts should unite.

Elias who worked with Super Cat and Cutty Ranks sound off in the comments section on a WMV‘s Instagram post on Saturday, saying the dancehall acts just do not have the goods to compete. “First, Dancehall and Unity are oxymorons. It will never happen. Secondly, even if it were to happen, the Afrobeats artists are better songwriters, better singers, better artists than anything coming out of Jamaica. And by better, I mean more commercial on an international crossover level. Also, the Afrobeats Music Industry is well-funded and well-run, and the major labels see where it makes money,” he said.

He did not stop there as he blasted several dancehall artists who signed deals recently and are yet to turn a profit for record labels or see any major chart success, calling all of them flops.

“All the dancehall signings have been flops or the jury is still out,” he said. Ellis did not spare words as he included reggae acts in the group of nonstarters saying, “Protoje and Lila Ike flopped and were just dropped.”

Protoje told WMV that he has left RCA with his masters intact, however Lila Ike is set to drop her debut album this year on RCA Records.

MURRAY ELIAS, Sean Paul

Elias contends that a lot of money is being spent on artists from Jamaica but they are not delivering on the hits, singling out Shenseea as one example.

“And despite all the hype and all the money spent (and a sh*tload of money has been spent), Shense​ea has yet to have a bonafide hit record on her own. She has had a lot of high-profile features on other people’s records, but her records have all been flops,” the Mill Rock Music Publishing Group founder said.

Rvssian confirmed that Shenseea is still singed to his label in partnership with Interscope Records during the Let’s Be Honest” podcast episode and said Shenseea is not making the music that the audience wants and as a result they are rejecting her creative output.

Over the last five years, several reggae and dancehall acts have signed to major record labels and released one or two albums. Buju Banton’s “Upside Down 2020” sold 2,900 combined streaming and sales units in its first week, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae albums chart. The album has sold 53,000 album sales equivalent units according to Luminate up to January 2024. Of that amount, 11,000 units were pure album sales and 62 million on-demand streams (audio + video). His Island Records follow-up, “Born For Greatness,” sold 2,600 units in its first week according to data provided to WMV by Luminate. That album, released on September 8, 2023, just in time for Banton to make an appearance at a PNP political conference, is yet to make the US Billboard Reggae Chart as of January 2024.

Koffee‘s “Gifted” and Shenseea’s “Alpha ” are the two most successful albums released over the last two years by Jamaicans. “Gifted,” a Colombia/RCA recording release debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard Reggae albums chart on the week of April 5, 2022 selling 3500 equivalent units. The album peaked at No. 5 on the UK physical albums chart making Koffee the first Jamaican woman to make the UK albums chart top ten.

“Gifted” released March 25, 2023 has sold more than 250,000 units in the US, while Shenseea Interscope released  “Alpha” sold 60,000 units in streams and sales during its first year of release.

Other acts with lukewarm first week sales recently include Masicka’s Def Jam debut, “Generation Of Kings,” released December 8, 2023 and sold 3,500 units in its first week to debut at No. 2 on the US Billboard Reggae Albums chart. The album has been on the chart for 5 weeks, moving to No. 7 last week. Skillibeng, signed to RCA Records, clocked 627 total units in his first week for the Crocodile Teeth album.

Sean Paul, Murray Elias, DJ Red Alert

In spite of his previous success, Even Elias’ former artist Sean Paul with whom he A&Red the 3x Platinum “Dutty Rock” album has had a hard time selling 2000 albums in the first week of release over the past two years. Sean’s 7th and 8th studio albums “Live N Livin” which featured 15 Jamaican reggae-dancehall and “Scorcha” debuted at No. 9 and No. 6 respectively on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart with the latter selling 1700 album equivalent units.

Byron Messia’s “No Love” was the most successful dancehall album released in 2023 driven by his breakout single “Talibans,” but Murray says Byron along with Teejay are poised to be one-hit wonders.

“And right now, both TeeJay and Byron Messia each have one hit record. My money is that they are both one-hit wonders,” he commented.

Tems, Rema, Burna Boy

Among the major accomplishments for Afrobeats artists in the last 5 years include Burna Boy’s global Arena tours, which included two sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden. Wizkid’s collaboration with Drake “One Dance” sold 11 million equivalent units in streams and sales and is certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association Of America.

Rema’s “Calm Down” spent an entire year in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and entered the year at No. 1 on the US Billboard Afrobeats chart.

Interestingly Tems won the NAACP Image Award for her cover of Jamaican reggae superstar Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry”.