Local industry players enjoyed unparalleled success in 2025 as dancehall experienced an epic international resurgence. From the crowning of one of the industry’s most influential figures to the breakthrough of several fresh faces, the year solidified Jamaica as a global music powerhouse.

But while the industry experienced incredible highs, it was also marked by extreme lows as the fraternity mourned the loss of veteran entertainers who helped shape the local music landscape. The industry was also hard hit by a devastating hurricane, which left players reeling from immense economic losses.

Still, the spirit of the Jamaican people shone brightest as industry players rallied around their fellow Jamaicans, leading the charge on hurricane relief efforts with sold-out shows in massive international arenas and heart-warming philanthropic initiatives post-Melissa.

Here, Jamaica Observer’s Splash offers a list of some of the stories that made headlines across the entertainment industry in 2025, in no particular order:

1) Jamaicans usher in 2025 with Vybz Kartel at Freedom Street

Thousands of ‘Gaza’ fans flooded the National Stadium at the start of the year to celebrate Vybz Kartel’s first live performance in 13 years. The entertainer, who was released from prison in August 2024, marked the momentous occasion with a star-studded musical showcase which reunited several of his protégés, including Gaza Hindu, Gaza Slim, Popcaan, Jahvinci, and Lisa Hyper. The concert also saw appearances from Bounty Killer, Spice ,and Busta Rhymes.

Vybz Kartel on the Freedom Street stage.

2) The coronation of the ‘King of Dancehall’

Following up on back-to-back sold-out shows at the Barclays Centre in New York in April, Vybz Kartel was officially crowned King of the Dancehall at Reggae Sumfest in July. In his first appearance at the event since 2011, Vybz Kartel pulled record-breaking crowds as thousands of fans flocked to Catherine Hall in Montego Bay to witness the historic moment. The turnout was so massive that it triggered a brief stampede, which resulted in several patrons experiencing minor injuries.

Spice crowns Vybz Kartel King of the Dancehall on the Sumfest stage.(Photo: Karl Mclarty)

3) Mavado’s homecoming

As the local and international industries witnessed Vybz Kartel’s renaissance, another dancehall stalwart was ushering in a new beginning of his own. After almost a decade, Mavado returned to Jamaica in early October. His return followed the resolution of a long-standing legal matter stemming from an arrest warrant which had been issued for him back in 2018. In a moment that went viral on social media, Mavado was seen enjoying jelly coconuts at a popular roadside stall on the Palisadoes strip. The entertainer was set to mark his homecoming with a massive concert at Plantation Cove in St Ann on December 27, but the event was postponed following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. A new date has not yet been announced.

Mavado

4) Sizzla celebrates three-decade music anniversary

In what was undoubtedly one of the positives of 2025, veteran entertainer Sizzla Kalonji marked his 30-year run in music. With a tribute concert to celebrate a journey which began in 1995, the festivities climaxed at Sabina Park on Heroes’ Weekend. The event, dubbed Rise to the Occasion, saw performances from the likes of Etana, Spragga Benz, Jesse Royal, I Wayne, Turbulence, and Christopher Martin. In a pivotal first for a live dancehall event, the concert featured sign language interpreters to cater to the deaf community. Sizzla was lauded by several of his peers, as well as Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who cited Sizzla’s music as a personal inspiration for his political walk. Other entertainers who celebrated milestone anniversaries in 2025 included Aidonia (20 years), Spragga Benz (30 years), D’Angel (20 years), and Elephant Man (30 years).

Sizzla in his element as he delivered hit after hit at Rise to the Occasion concert at Sabina Park. The singer is celebrating three decades of musical prowess.(Photo: Karl Mclarty)

5) Miss Jamaica takes a tumble in Thailand

While representing Jamaica in the evening gown preliminaries at the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand in November, Dr Gabrielle Henry fell off the stage. Footage after the fall showed Henry being carried away on a stretcher following the incident. The moment which garnered international attention resulted in Henry sustaining severe injuries as she suffered a fracture, facial lacerations, and a temporary loss of consciousness. She was treated at a hospital in Bangkok before returning to the island in December to continue recovery efforts.

Miss Universe Jamaica 2025 Dr Gabrielle Henry on her arrival in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: IG/@officialgabriellehenry)

6) Industry players lead relief efforts after Melissa

Following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa in late October, key players in the entertainment industry served up a masterclass in unity and philanthropy. Jump-starting relief efforts almost immediately, several entertainers began mobilising aid and raising funds. Entertainers were on the ground in some of the hardest-hit areas delivering essential supplies, helping with clean-up, and generally lifting the spirits of their fellow Jamaicans. Spice, Masicka, D Angel, Sean Paul, Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Shaggy, Shenseea, Buju Banton, and countless others pooled their own resources to also help with relief and rebuilding efforts.

Aside from leveraging support through their individual foundations, entertainers also rallied support for charity events such as the I Love Jamaica Telethon, Jamaica Strong Benefit concert, and For the Love of Jamaica concert.

Grammy-award winning reggae artiste Sean Paul joins the West Central Kitchen team in Jerusalem, Westmoreland, to distribute hot meals.

Through his MADE Foundation, dancehall artiste Masicka launched a major relief effort, providing relief items to victims of the hurricane in St Elizabeth.

7) Masicka/Tommy Lee clash

In a high-stakes clash that ignited the dancehall space at the start of the December ‘war season’, Masicka and Tommy Lee Sparta were locked in a lyrical clash which saw both entertainers exchanging ‘diss’ tracks that dominated social media and streaming platforms. With tensions tracing back to Reggae Sumfest, following Vybz Kartel’s crowning, the two entertainers held nothing back. Tommy Lee Sparta fiercely defended the “Worl’ Boss” as he declared Masicka a “crown clown” for publicly trying to usurp the dancehall throne, while Masicka challenged the Vybz Kartel-led hierarchy, insisting that a new ‘system’ be established within the dancehall fraternity.

Both deejays, while undoubtedly throwing painful lyrical jabs at each other, kept the exchange musical, with the clash being praised for providing the entertainment sector with a much-needed boost following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Tommy Lee Sparta.

8) Obituaries

In 2025, the local entertainment fraternity also mourned the passing of several stalwarts who helped to shape the scene in immeasurable ways. As the year ends, we also pause to remember their outstanding contributions. Their legacies will live on:

* Danny English – The veteran dancehall artiste, known for his 2002 hit single Party Time, died on January 23 after a long-standing struggle with diabetes. He was 54 years old.

* Determine – Born Rohan Bennett, Determine was best known for the 1995 dancehall anthem Kette Drum with Beenie Man. He died in the United States on February 13 from stomach cancer. He was 52 years old.

* Cocoa Tea – The iconic reggae singer made his transition on March 11 after a brief battle with lymphoma, followed by a stint with pneumonia. He was 65 years old. Hailed by Prime Minister Andrew Holness as a staple in the industry and a beacon of kindness, Cocoa Tea was honoured by several government officials after his passing. He was known for songs such as She Loves Me Now, Good Life, Tune In, and Lost My Sonia.

* Munair Zacca – A respected actor and producer best known for his role as Sonny T on the series Royal Palm Estate, Munair Zacca died at Nuttall Hospital in St Andrew on April 2. It is reported that he had been ailing from a lung disorder. He was 79 at the time of his passing.

* Jimmy Cliff – A pioneer who helped to popularise the reggae genre, Jimmy Cliff, born James Chambers, died on November 24. The entertainer, more popularly known for hits such as
Many Rivers To Cross, Harder They Come, and I Can See Clearly Now, was 81 years old at the time of his passing. Reports say the singer had been ailing for some time. He was honoured in an official funeral at the National Indoor Sports Centre on December 17.

Danny English (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Cocoa Tea died in March 2025.

Actor Munair Zacca.

Jimmy Cliff July 30, 1944 – November 24, 2025.

An image of the legend Jimmy Cliff on display at his official funeral. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)