On Tuesday, St. Kitts-based recording artist Byron Messia ignited a social media frenzy when he confidently asserted that his track “Talibans” is the biggest dancehall hit since 2005. His declaration, shared on Instagram, was accompanied by mentions of his Billboard-charting album and a strong assertion of the song’s importance.
“I got a Billboard Album by myself.“, “And biggest song in Dancehall since 2005,” he stated in a subsequent post.
However, not everyone in the music community was quick to agree, and some fans even playfully suggested that Messia might be “delusional.”
Indeed, “Talibans” has left an indelible mark, debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at position #99. This achievement marked a remarkable feat, as it was the first time in two years that a dancehall artist had cracked this prestigious chart. Furthermore, the song amassed an impressive 10.5 million streams on Spotify, and its popularity soared further with a remix featuring Burna Boy.
Despite Messia’s assertion, many fans and music industry professionals held contrasting views. They cited several other dancehall tracks that had achieved remarkable success, including Omi’s “Cheerleader,” Charly Black’s “Party Animal,” Koffee’s “Toast,” and Gyptian’s “Hold Yuh.” The discourse underscored the need to differentiate between a “big” song, a “popular” song, and a “hit” song, with the consensus being that true crossover success hinges on global appeal.
Messia later sought to clarify his statement by highlighting that “Talibans” had come close to becoming the first dancehall record to secure a spot in the UK Top 10 since 2005. Nonetheless, the debate raged on, with social media users contributing their own perspectives. Throughout the discussion, Messia remained appreciative of the global recognition his song had received, particularly from renowned artists like Drake and Cardi B.
