For Masicka, staying power has never been something to take for granted.

The dancehall star has spent years carving out his own space in a genre in which competition is fierce and staying relevant can be just as difficult as breaking through.

From the hunger of his early years to international stages, major collaborations, and a record deal with Def Jam Recordings, the journey has taken him further than he once could have imagined.

Now, as he prepares to release his third studio album, Forever Reign, on August 14, Masicka appears increasingly interested not just in how far he can go, but in how long he can stay.

The 17-track project finds the artiste reflecting on many of the experiences that have shaped him — faith, survival, ambition, loyalty, success, and the sacrifices that often remain hidden behind the glamour of an artiste’s rise.

Even the title is deliberate.

“Forever Reign means I’m here to stay. Yes, there’s room for everyone, but my lane is carved out, and we’re going to soak up the space,” Masicka said. “The most important thing is to stay humble and focused.”

That balance between ambition and humility runs throughout the album.

Masicka has never been shy about his desire to reach the highest levels of dancehall, but Forever Reign suggests that the journey has also given him a greater appreciation for the things that cannot be measured by streams, charts, or sold-out venues.

That is evident from the album’s opening track, 1 Psalm, featuring Damian “Jr Gong” Marley.

Rather than opening with a declaration of dominance, Masicka begins with prayer.

The collaboration sets a reflective tone as the two Jamaican voices come together on a record centred on faith, protection, forgiveness, and perseverance.

For Masicka, the message is simple.

“One prayer a day, if we can pray and ask God to forgive us for our sins and protect us, then we’re good,” he said.

From there, Forever Reign moves through the different sides of the artiste’s personality and experiences.

Tracks including Oak Tree, Pointless, Shakazulu, Spend, Good, Slip and Slide, Boasty, Cross the Waters, Wicked Spell, It’s Not Too Late, AK Fire, Time and Palace, Breaking Chains, and Parables exploring the album’s varying moods, with collaborations with Nigerian rapper Blaqbonez, KraffGad, and reggae singer Lila Iké.

One of the more personal collaborations comes on Honor Roll, where Masicka links with KraffGad. The younger artiste’s hunger reminds Masicka of an earlier version of himself — the young lyricist trying to establish his name.

“His style is different, and he reminds me of myself when I was coming up and hungry,” Masicka said. “All of the young youths are ‘bad’, and I respect anybody brave enough to embark on this journey. I never had any doubt he was going to shell down this record.”

It is perhaps one of the clearest signs of Masicka’s own evolution, helping to push his music to an even wider international audience.

Just one day after the album drops, Masicka will headline a major performance at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday, August 15.

It is the kind of back-to-back moment that makes the title Forever Reign feel less like a boast and more like a statement of intent.

But if the journey so far has taught him anything, it is that longevity is built project after project.