Kabaka Pyramid
A Kingston rapper, singer and producer who writes reggae with a hip-hop lyricist’s density. Kabaka Pyramid makes roots consciousness, dancehall attack and rap technique occupy the same verse.
Kabaka Pyramid’s musical grammar comes from reggae and hip-hop together. Early projects established a rapid, densely rhymed delivery over roots and dancehall production; Kontraband widened the international audience; The Kalling, produced by Damian Marley, won the 2023 GRAMMY for Best Reggae Album. His work is often placed inside the Reggae Revival, but the “revival” frame misses how contemporary the mechanics are. Kabaka produces, raps, chants and sings, drawing from hip-hop, soul, dancehall and 1980s roots while keeping social, spiritual and political writing at the center.