5 Rema Songs That Carry Dancehall Style and Vibes

Yemi Alade’s collaborations with Dancehall artists highlight the Afro-Caribbean dialogue in global pop. Tracks like Bubble It with Spice, My Man with Kranium, and remixes with Jamaican voices showcase her Dancehall partnerships and cross-market strategy.

---

Introduction

Known as “Mama Africa,” Yemi Alade has built her reputation on cultural versatility, performing across languages, genres, and regions. While her foundation lies in Afropop, she actively incorporates external influences to expand her global presence. One of the most consistent sources of collaboration in her career is Dancehall.

By working with Jamaican artists like Spice and Kranium, Yemi Alade not only borrows stylistic cues but also creates transatlantic partnerships that amplify Afrobeats’ global reach. These collaborations matter because they link Lagos and Kingston through female-led artistry and diasporic solidarity (Gilroy, 1993).

---

Which Yemi Alade songs include Dancehall artists?

1) Bubble It ft. Spice (2022)

Perhaps Yemi’s most high-profile Dancehall collaboration, Bubble It features Jamaican Dancehall queen Spice. The track uses a classic Dancehall riddim structure, with syncopated percussion, bass-driven minimalism, and lyrical emphasis on body movement (Manuel & Marshall, 2006). Yemi adapts seamlessly, using patois-coded phrasing (“bubble”) alongside Afropop cadences, while Spice brings unmistakable Jamaican energy.

This collaboration was significant because it united two of the most prominent women in Afrobeats and Dancehall, subverting the male-dominated norm of both genres (Hope, 2006).

2) My Man ft. Kranium (2022)

On My Man, Yemi collaborates with Kranium, known for hits like Nobody Has to Know. The track blends Afrobeats’ melodic sweep with Dancehall’s singjay delivery (Barrow & Dalton, 2004). Kranium’s verse uses patois cadence, while Yemi balances him with smooth Afropop phrasing.

Lyrically, the song echoes Dancehall’s romantic themes — desire, loyalty, and possession — while couching them in Afrobeats instrumentation.

3) Bubble It (Remix Performances)

In several live renditions and playlist remixes, Bubble It has been paired with other Jamaican features. These reinforce Yemi’s openness to sound system culture — remixability and performance flexibility, traits central to Dancehall (Stolzoff, 2000).

---

Why these collaborations matter

Afro-Caribbean female solidarity

Yemi’s work with Spice is particularly groundbreaking. As Hope (2006) documents, Dancehall often places women in contested positions, negotiating respectability and empowerment. By partnering with Spice, Yemi underscores female agency across diasporic music, presenting a model of solidarity rather than competition.

Market expansion

Working with Kranium and Spice allows Yemi to expand into Caribbean diasporic hubs like London, Toronto, and New York, where Afrobeats and Dancehall already intermingle (Osumare, 2019). These collaborations serve both cultural and commercial purposes, situating Yemi in playlists that blend genres seamlessly.

Cultural resonance

As Gilroy (1993) argues, diasporic music circulates through The Black Atlantic, mutating and hybridizing as it travels. Yemi’s collaborations show Afrobeats not as an isolated form but as part of an ongoing dialogue with Caribbean sound systems, riddims, and performance traditions.

---

A short, precise list you can publish

• Spice (Jamaica): Bubble It (2022) — Dancehall riddim, patois phrasing, female solidarity.
• Kranium (Jamaica): My Man (2022) — romantic Dancehall themes, singjay cadence.

---

Conclusion

Yemi Alade’s songs Bubble It (with Spice) and My Man (with Kranium) exemplify her Dancehall collaborations. These tracks highlight not only stylistic borrowing but also the cultural and symbolic power of Afro-Caribbean partnerships.

By collaborating with Dancehall artists, Yemi strengthens Afrobeats’ diasporic resonance, amplifies female representation in global Black music, and reaffirms the transatlantic ties between Lagos and Kingston. Her collaborations demonstrate that Afrobeats’ expansion is not only about sound but also about solidarity and shared cultural memory.

---

References

• Barrow, S., & Dalton, P. (2004). The Rough Guide to Reggae. Rough Guides.
• Gilroy, P. (1993). The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness. Harvard University Press.
• Hope, D. P. (2006). Inna di Dancehall: Popular Culture and the Politics of Identity in Jamaica. University of the West Indies Press.
• Manuel, P., & Marshall, W. (2006). The riddim method: Aesthetics, practice, and ownership in Jamaican Dancehall. Popular Music, 25(3), 447–470.
• Osumare, H. (2019). Diasporic flows in Afrobeats and Caribbean music. Journal of Popular Culture, 52(4), 892–915.
• Stolzoff, N. C. (2000). Wake the Town and Tell the People: Dancehall Culture in Jamaica. Duke University Press.