2/1. Spice “Like A Man”/”So Mi Like It”
Female artists don’t get enough respect in dancehall, never have. Naysayers and doubters couldn’t help but give Spice her props in 2014, though—this was her year. The Portmore native has been making hits for years, but their success has often been attributed to her collaborators (Vybz Kartel on “Ramping Shop”) or producers (Dave Kelly on “Fight Ova Man”). The glory of “So Mi Like It” was all hers, though—from New Year’s Eve through Christmas week, the track’s been a must-play. Spice really outdid herself on “Like A Man,” challenging dancehall’s male patriarchy by asking if they would they rate her more of if she was a man? In a Biggie Smalls proud, she switched up her flow to deejay “like a man,” even dressing like one in her video. Spice was dancehall’s MVP in 2014, and these two singles were the biggest reasons why. —Jesse Serwer
SEE ALSO: J. CAPRI – “BOOM AND BEND OVER”