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Dancehall superstar Sean Paul is continuing his Asian sojourn, which began in Singapore earlier this year and now takes him to exotic destinations such as Malaysia, Bali, and Thailand this month. However, as he traverses the globe, Sean Paul, who is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his groundbreaking Grammy-nominated album, The Trinity, told The Sunday Gleaner that wherever he goes, Jamaica is always on his mind.
“It really feels awesome to be the someone who is carrying the music in a certain way to a crowd of people for the first time. I’ve been blessed with having that honour for a long time in my career, and so mi just give thanks fi it. In turn, I’m learning more about the world and more about myself and more about how I can help Jamaica and help uplift the country while showing people our culture,” a serious Sean Paul said in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner from Malaysia last week.
He continued, “It’s a full-circle thing ... I’m way over here, but I’m still thinking about my home and how I can better it because when I see things on this side of the Earth, or anywhere I go outside of Jamaica, there’s always something to learn, always something to see that makes me see Jamaica in a different light. Whatever we have that’s great, I am thinking [about] how we could do it better. And whatever we have that’s bad, how can we do it better? It’s great to see others’ lifestyles and reflect on yourself.”
‘Carried my roots’
The Grammy Award-winning, platinum-selling, billion-streaming dancehall artiste, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Technology in 2024, also gave an insight into what he wants his legacy to be.
“I hope my legacy shows somebody who carried my roots with me, but was not afraid to learn new things and help others to see life in that light as well. Also, somebody who helps people to enjoy themselves and party and kick off dem shoes and break it down ... yuh nuh? Yeah ... much love,” the Temperature singer said.
Actually, fun and enjoyment were just what Sean Paul brought to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. An October 12 article written by Thasha Jayamanogaran for the Malay Mail described exactly how he charmed Kuala Lumpur with music.
“ It was a night of nostalgia and rhythm for millennials reliving their party-era glory days, belting out lyrics that once ruled club playlists and college nights. Social media lit up with clips and comments calling for an encore, with many hailing the concert as ‘the best throwback show of the year’. The atmosphere was electric – a sea of waving hands and camera flashes as Sean Paul’s infectious beats bridged generations on the dance floor,” Jayamanogaran wrote in an article titled ‘Millennials ‘Get Busy’ again as Sean Paul brings dancehall heat to KL concert, proving he’s still high-voltage’.
The sold-out event was organised by a team that comprised Epic Elation, Sound Innovations, Spike Productions, and LFG Entertainment. Sean Paul told The Sunday Gleaner that it “felt good” standing on stage and witnessing and absorbing the energy from 6,000 Malaysian fans two Fridays ago, on October 3.
“Malaysian fans really came out, and they came to party man ... it was good,” a grateful Sean Paul said. “Dem come fi jump up and feel good. It’s been years that I’ve been to this side to perform ... most places I’ve been in Asia [are] Japan, been to Korea once, been to Indonesia before. From Singapore earlier this year, now we doing Malaysia and Bali and Thailand. Feels good to know that the fan base has pushed so far around the globe and that I am bringing more and more people close to the genre. Each of we haffi do our part.”
Sean Paul last performed in Malaysia in 2018, and according to the Malay Mail, this 2025 concert “was nothing short of explosive”. It quoted organiser Epic Elation, who said that “the turnout reflected Sean Paul’s enduring pull”.
“ Seeing 6,000 fans singing along to every word was incredible. Sean Paul brought a world-class performance that reminded everyone why he’s one of the most iconic voices in global music.”
Quizzed about how he felt about his music connecting so deeply with the people of Malaysia, Sean Paul emphasised the importance of the beat of the music.
“Dancehall music on a whole is very infectious, and just the beat itself is very addictive to people. It makes them want to get up and dance ... it makes them feel free, so I have that on my side. Malaysian people on a whole love my music, which is dancehall music, and mi always proud fi seh dat,” Sean Paul said.
“Big up dancehall, big up everybody inna Jamaica and di whole culture cause a dat put me yaso.”
Perhaps everyone should just clock that and put it on the timer.
English (US) ·