Three Jamaican acts make Rolling Stone list of 100 Best Albums of 2022
Out: Side by Runkus x Toddla T (number 94), Third Time’s the Charm by Protoje (number 90) and Gifted by Koffee (number 38) are the only albums by Jamaicans that are ranked among Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Best Albums of 2022.
The list was revealed Thursday by the respected American trade and music publication.
Out: Side, released in July via Delicious Vinyl Island, has 10 tracks including collaborations with Chronixx, Zenya, Ky-Mani Marley and Francis Nooks.
Third Time’s the Charm, released by In.Digg.Nation Collective/Six Course Records/RCA Records, peaked at number eight on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. It was nominated in the Best Reggae Album category of the 65th Grammy Awards. Among its tracks are ‘Hills’, ‘Dreamy Eyes’, ‘Family’ featuring Jesse Royal, ‘Ten Cane Row’ featuring Jorja Smith, ‘Heavy Load’ featuring Samory-I and ‘Late at Night’ featuring Lila Ike.
Gifted, released in March via Promised Land Recordings/Columbia Records, rose to number two on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. It also debuted at number nine on the UK Albums chart.
The 10 track set, which is also nominated in the Best Reggae Album category of the 65th Grammy Awards, features the songs ‘Lockdown’, ‘Pull Up’, ‘West Indies’ and ‘Lonely’.
Toddla T, a respected disc jock/broadcaster and producer from West London said the collaboration with Runkus came about after he met the singjay on a trip to Jamaica with BBC 1Xtra.
“It was amazing working with Runkus. I met him when I came to Jamaica about six or seven years ago and we decided to make a mixtape which snowballed into this record. Even though we are from different places, we aligned so much in sort of taste, sound, lyrical, message and content. We’re just bizarrely similar and it was a joy for me to kind of explore dancehall and reggae culture to a different level with this guy. It was a complete blessing,” Toddla T said in an interview with Observer Online.
Toddla T is pleased with the recognition by Rolling Stone.
“It’s a joy to be recognized, you know, because we put so much work into this. In many ways it’s a very left field album to the public. But to me and Runkus, it’s super authentic and what we wanted to achieve. I’m so proud of this record, it was sincere and authentic. So the fact that people are doing things and giving accolades, is like a nice pat on the back,” said Toddla T.
