Over the weekend, Teejay launched a broadside attack at fellow dancehall compatriot Popcaan, accusing him of being a “gatekeeper” for the genre and recounting instances of disrespect during his formative years. Although Teejay refrained from directly naming Popcaan, instead inferring to him as “such man”, his pointed references left little doubt about the intended target.
In a candid interview on the Let’s Be Honest podcast, Teejay questioned the tendency for international stars visiting Jamaica to be consistently associated with Popcaan. He suggested that these valuable connections were not shared with other local talents, thereby branding Popcaan as a “gatekeeper.”
Taking to his official Instagram Story on Sunday afternoon, Teejay continued his stance with more subliminal shots, expressing his frustration with those tagging him and asserting his independence. He emphasized his commitment to his fans, stating, “Not a unruly unu be p***y” followed by “A unu alone fi dis people and laugh okay a utc man a mi have fans to try know dat.”
Addressing the issue of respect, Teejay stated, “Respect go weh it comes from a so mi grow,” and touched on the prevalence of jealousy, remarking, “badmine fi what after them nuh more than mi kmft.”
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Popcaan has yet to respond to Teejay’s allegations. However, Popcaan’s sister, Annalecia “Unruly Squid” Sutherland, dismissed Teejay’s comments, stating they won’t help promote his EP, and suggesting an obsession.
“We not helping u promote your ep Tejay, cut it out boo it’s giving obsessed….”
Corey Todd, Vybz Kartel’s former business partner, also entered the fray, posting an image with Popcaan on Instagram and challenging Teejay’s claims. He ridiculed those expressing jealousy, stating,
“A kill them with success fam @popcaanmusic dem mad cause superstar link with superstar it not your fault people not know dem ????? bad mind a kill the pussy dem. If them mad now wait until they see what’s on the way dem a ????”
This controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Teejay’s recent feature in Billboard Magazine, where he discussed his aspirations to explore Afrobeats and contribute to defining the global wave for dancehall.
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