14. Vybz Kartel and Wizkid, “Wine To Di Top”

Photo by Michael Schmelling

This year, we heard pop stars and rappers (Ed Sheeran, Calvin Harris, Ty Dolla $ign, Chris Brown and French Montana, to name a few) call upon the fusion of EDM, Caribbean and Afrobeat rhythms again and again. While sometimes mistakenly cited as tropical house, this infectious sound has its roots in the work of Caribbean producers, like KickRaux, the Jamaican DJ behind “Wine To Di Top.” It felt super appropriate for the World Boss and dancehall trailblazer Vybz Kartel to team up with Nigeria’s Wizkid on this track, one of several tracks on the World Fete riddim. “Wine To Di Top” shows how universal Caribbean sounds can be, while both artists stay true to their unique styles and wordplay. KickRaux has a knack for fusing and blurring lines between genres; in this case, here’s a big tune that can be played in a bashment or fete, and still has the wider appeal of a pop record. — GabSoul