Dancehall artiste Skippa is taking his fast-rising career to another level after being named Billboard’s 2026 Caribbean Rising Star, adding major international recognition to a breakout year that has already earned him three nominations at the upcoming Caribbean Music Awards. The Kingston-born entertainer accepted the honour in New York City during Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players festivities, marking another significant milestone in his emergence as one of dancehall’s most promising new-generation talents.
The Billboard recognition caps an impressive run for Skippa, born Tahjay Clarke, whose blend of melodic delivery, hard-hitting trap production and dancehall influences has helped him build a growing audience in Jamaica and beyond. Billboard previously included him among its artists to watch in 2026, highlighting his ability to bridge classic dancehall sensibilities with a modern, trap-inflected sound. His catalogue had also generated 29.3 million official on-demand streams in the United States in 2026 through August 2, despite the artiste not yet breaking onto a Billboard chart.
Meanwhile, Skippa is heading into the 2026 Caribbean Music Awards with three nominations, including Dancehall Song of the Year for WYFL, as well as nods for Best New Artist and the Dancehall Impact Award. The nominations further underline the growing industry recognition surrounding the young artiste, whose WYFL release has been among the records helping to define his breakout period.
The New York honour also places Skippa on a wider international stage during Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Week, where he is scheduled to perform at Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Live at Brooklyn Steel alongside artistes including Lucky Daye, Yung Miami, Destin Conrad and Samara Cyn. For Skippa, the journey from Caribbean Music Awards nominee to Billboard honouree signals that his momentum is no longer confined to Jamaica. With major award recognition, growing international streams and a global platform now in view, one of dancehall’s fastest-rising stars appears to be entering an even bigger chapter.
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