Popcaan Drops Surprise 'FIXTAPE' Featuring Drake and PARTYNEXTDOOR

Jamaican singer-songwriter Popcaan has been one of the biggest names in the dancehall scene for the better part of the past decade and when he teamed up with Drake and OVO Sound, that influence on the genre increased tenfold. It’s been a symbiotic relationship that has allowed Drake to experiment with dancehall’s sound while showing love to his favorite artists like Popcaan, helping to increase their exposure on the global stage — the two even traded tattoos of their respective label logos before an official partnership was inked.

Late last night Popcaan delivered a gift that should make everyone’s summer invariably better: his new FIXTAPE project consisting of 19 new songs with features from Drake, PARTYNEXTDOOR, French Montana and more. The vibrant soundtrack pairs Drizzy and Party on “Twist & Turn” and finds Drake at his best on “All I Need” with an emotionally distant and paranoid verse that takes you back to the days of Take Care. French Montana teams up with rising Toronto emcee Preme on “Murda.” Other appearances by dancehall’s Tommy Lee (no, not that Tommy Lee), Jada Kingdom, Masicka, Stylo G and Dane Ray help amplify the tape, but Popcaan is still the star of the show. His ear for melodies, strong vocals even when through the filter of heavy autotune and ability to set the mood are all bittersweet here. FIXTAPE is an offering that begs to be played outdoors, whether on a rooftop, at a club or amongst friends. In an alternate universe you could do all three. In the meantime, turn your speakers up and save some of these tracks for next summer.

Stream Popcaan’s latest release below. In more music news, Tame Impala dropped a technicolor “Is It True” video late last night.