Alkaline

Updating dancehall riddims with Auto-Tune and other digital cues from the rap world, Alkaline has become emblematic of the genre’s steady evolution. Born Earlan Bartley in 1993 in Kingston, Jamaica, he emerged in the early 2010s and made his first lasting impact with the sing-song 2015 track “On Fleek (Love Yuh Everything).” Soon he was getting co-signs from Sean Paul and providing guest spots for Shaggy, WSTRN, and A Boogie wit da Hoodie. Alkaline’s aptly titled 2016 album New Level Unlocked topped the US reggae chart while showcasing his charismatic balance of slinky romance and clubby carnality. The 2021 follow-up Top Prize revealed his softer side with tracks like the dreamy “Ocean Wave,” before 2024’s “Dangerous Youth” blossomed into a proper ballad.