ST JAMES, Jamaica – There have been times, especially over the past few years, when her status in dancehall has come under question. But those questions were arguably put to rest Saturday morning when Spice was ‘officially’ crowned the ‘Queen of Dancehall’ at Reggae Sumfest.

The moment represented an official changing over of the guard as the last time a female artiste was crowned by the organisers of the ‘Greatest Reggae Show on Earth’ was back in 2012 when Lady Saw sat comfortably on the throne and was given the crown as a sign that her talent was unmatched and that her efforts to spread the dancehall culture globally did not go unnoticed.

Like they did then, Reggae Sumfest organisers on Friday night, golden tiara and all, declared Spice as the undisputed Queen.

It is an honour arguably long overdue for the entertainer who, in the eyes of her many fans, inherited the throne back in 2014 when the former Queen turned her life over to God. Since getting her break in the early 2000s, Spice born Grace Hamilton has been a force to reckon with on the local music scene.

Some two decades later, the effervescent personality has cemented herself among the best not just locally but internationally. Today, Spice with her immense catalogue of hits, is recognised as one of the most prominent dancehall artistes of this generation.

An overwhelmed Spice fought back tears as the golden crown was placed on her head by Sumfest CEO, Josef Bogdanovich who dubbed her one of the greatest entertainers of the local entertainment scene.

And she stamped her class on the stage during Night 1 of this year’s festival.

Dressed as an astronaut, intergalactic space suit and all, Spice showed that when it comes to her set, consistency is a top priority. She made her entrance to her hit single, Different Category, before delivering a slew of hits including crowd favourites, Sheet, So Me Like It and her internationally acclaimed collaboration, Go Down Deh.

Speaking with OBSERVER ONLINE afterwards, Spice said the timing of the honour is perfect as she celebrates her birthday on August 6. For her, the official crowning is a huge birthday gift.

“I am super excited and elated about this and I am also humbled because at the end of the day it is highly deserving because mi work hard. It’s been 20 years, it’s been a long time coming. I have invested a lot and I continue to give back not only to Sumfest and the performances and the stage entrances but to the entire genre of dancehall,” she said.

“It’s a great year for me because apart from my birthday, August 6 is Jamaica’s Independence, we’re celebrating 60 years of Independence and I am celebrating my own independence from my record label. I have been going back and forth with them for the past ten years so now that I am independent, I am celebrating it all.”