For Immediate Release:
January 17, 2024
JAMAICAN DANCEHALL STAR TEEJAY
ANNOUNCES DEBUT EP I AM CHIPPY FOR FEB 2, 2024
VIA WARNER RECORDS (PRE-ORDER NOW) &
GRACES COVER OF BILLBOARD’S
LATEST DIGITAL GENRE NOW ISSUE
EP is Executive Produced by Shaggy
Guest Features Include Davido, Tommy Lee Sparta, Skillibeng, Bayka, Malie Donn, Jaydon & Quada
“…fluid, melodic and, at times, lyrically crazy…keeps dancehall’s driving groove intact while mixing in the breezy and blithe feel of Afrobeats.” —
BILLBOARD
“Teejay is one of Jamaica’s most versatile and talked-about dancehall artists worldwide.”
— BET
“Teejay has crafted a unique sound that resonates with audiences globally.”
— EBONY
“[“Drift” Remix ft. Davido] collaboration feels predestined, bridging the trans-Atlantic divide organically and with impeccable finesse”
— THE FADER
Teejay will release his anticipated forthcoming debut I Am Chippy (Warner Records) on February 2, 2024. The 9-track EP, co-executive produced by diamond-selling musical legend Shaggy along with Sharon Burke and Steve Carless, is available now for pre-order. This announcement follows his recent digital cover story with Billboard. The 29-year-old Jamaican artist holds the torch for “the future of dancehall” in the music platform’s Genre Now issue (Read HERE).
Teejay is looking to redefine what dancehall music looks like in mainstream spaces. I Am Chippy is a modern take on dancehall. Titled after a name Teejay was given as a child, the EP will invite listeners to a more personal understanding of the artist. He experiments musically while also giving fans his signature singjay style, a multiskilled mix of effortless singing and deejaying (rapping) in the same breath.
Watch I Am Chippy trailer HERE.
I Am Chippy will feature Teejay’s breakout 2023 anthem “Drift” as a bonus track and its latest remix with Nigerian afrobeats hitmaker Davido (Watch HERE). The “slick dancehall ditty” (Billboard) was one of the biggest dancehall songs of 2023 and continues to climb the U.S. Billboard‘s charts (R&B/Hip Hop Airplay, Rhythmic Top 40 Airplay, and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay). It has over xx million global streams, amassed nearly a billion TikTok views for its viral dance (originally created by Gabi Don). Usain Bolt, Burna Boy, Cardi B and Offset are just a few of the famous faces seen grooving to his track on socials.
Following “Drift” is another contagious single “Dip” by the same producer Panda and featuring dancehall favorite Tommy Lee Sparta. The song is also inspired by the popular Jamaican dance created by Pata Skeng.
He keeps up this playfulness on the EP with the upbeat “Twerk It.” The song will command movement on any dance floor, boasting suggestive lyrics and a romantic Spanish inspired guitar riff fused with a dancehall trap inspired beat by DJ Frass Records.
Like the many confidantes who helped paved the way for him, Teejay pays it forward and features a variety of Jamaican talent on the EP. In addition to Tommy Lee Sparta, Teejay invites dancehall don Skillibeng on “Never” (Slingerz Records), the gritty baritone upstart Bayka on “Fully Auto” (Panda/Sabaster Muzik), Malie Donn on “Chop Life” (Overproof Records), and Jaydon & Quada on the inspiring march-to-the-top track “Star” (Extol Music). With I Am Chippy, Teejay displays his range and quality as well as his commitment to his talents and a desire to raise dancehall’s bar.
Teejay has been a mainstay in Jamaican dancehall for almost a decade, known for his impact on the island’s vibrant musical genre and for pumping out an arsenal of anthems – “People” (2022), “Bitcoin” (2021), “Unfaithful Games” (2020), “Rags To Riches” (2020), “Moonlight” (2020), “Stimulate (Push It Een)” (2020), and “Up Top Boss” (2018). Recognized for his impeccable vocal range and lyrical dexterity, he has earned the respect from the dancehall fans and musical peers in his community – from Vybz Kartel, who has guest featured on Teejay’s tracks like “Up Top Boss” & “Pressure” to Grammy-winning legend Shaggy, who has taken Teejay under his wing as a mentor and co-executive producer on his debut EP.
From the struggle and strife, Teejay has come a long way from his humble beginnings, but still has his eye on the prize. “Me build up the board house to concrete now…but me still nuh satisfy,” he says. On his legacy and how he wants to be remembered, the artist states, “That Teejay is a multifaceted artist who [is] lyrically inclined, everything amazing, a young legend.”
