The year’s most dominant dancehall riddims often emerge during the winter, and that much is true for “WYFL,” a DJ Mac and CrashDummy production that has taken the Caribbean and its diaspora by storm. Released on the precipice of holiday season last year (Nov. 25), “WYFL” is a slinky, sensual number that’s anchored by a sticky, alluring flow, courtesy of rising Jamaican dancehall star Skippa.
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“Bad b—h a suck e tool fi Brazilian hair/ Say she love di crime, dah gyal have no care/ And plus her man a gi’ her fight, di mount a ting him a hear,” he rhymes in that magnetic first verse, his vocal performance sitting somewhere between menacing and seductive.
That tonal combination has helped “WYFL” quickly dominate virtually every corner of the dancehall arena. Women can find something to latch onto in Skippa’s whispery sweet nothings, while men can appreciate the steely trap elements that give the riddim its groove. And that much has been reflected through the litany of “WYFL” remixes that have emerged over the past few weeks.
A brief overview of the “WYFL” riddim unveils catchy, frequently viral versions from Vybz Kartel (“SYM”), Spice (“Clean and Fresh”), Ding Dong (“Bun Bun”), Mavado (“Bad & BBC Rich”), Shatta Wale (“Danger”), Kabaka Pyramid (“Toxic”), Bugle (“Rasta Stulla”), I-Octane (“Top Gyalis”), Tina (“Watch Bracelet Ring Chain”), Charly Black (“Slim Dolly”) and even NLE Choppa (“Watch Me Now!”). Even content creator Lady Lykez scored a viral moment by spitting a curry chicken recipe over the riddim.
And that’s not an exhaustive list. A new take on the “WYFL” riddim hits social media almost daily, and it’s that kind of cross-generational and cross-cultural reach that makes it such a unique track — and a potential commercial powerhouse. According to Luminate, Skippa’s “WYFL” has earned over 2.9 million official on-demand streams in the U.S. — a figure that is almost sure to increase as the song continues its crossover into Caribbean diaspora cities, collecting more remixes along the way.
“I had the riddim from last October,” DJ Mac, who’s helmed past hits like Ayetian and Machel Montano’s “Truth & Balance,” tells Billboard. “Normally, we try to go for drum-and-bass-type riddims, stuff that’ll play well in the parties. We don’t really go for traditional dancehall, but there’s still some trap in there with the drums and the snare. It’s the perfect match.”
By the beginning of November, Ding Dong, the creator of the iconic “Badman Forward, Badman Pull Up” dance, was the first artist to record over the riddim, and the same night he laid down his vocals, Mac brought the track to Skippa, who turned it into “WYFL.” The following day, Valiant hopped on the song, transforming it into a full-blown riddim, which came as something of a surprise to the 26-year-old producer.
“It was actually between this riddim and another one,” he explains. “I wasn’t even thinking about “WYFL” as the one. I was juggling five different songs; the intention was never to focus on this one. But God works in some very magical ways, and it grew into this. Skippa and Valiant convinced me to [focus on this one].”
The riddim’s catchy vocal loop and trap-infused drums quickly won over listeners as “di place was getting back up there with the energy after [Hurricane] Melissa,” says DJ Mac. “Me and Skippa been working a while now, and our chemistry is unmatched. We’re a dance and party culture; we live for the drum and how hard it hits.”
Though “WYFL” made a near-instant impact locally, the magnitude of its potential didn’t truly register with Mac until Chronic Law hopped on the riddim. “I was like, ‘This is going to definitely be the riddim of the year,’” he reflects after hearing “Badness Upgrade 2.0”. “Especially because we post-produced his in a different way from Skippa’s. [Each artist] has a different version of the rhythm for themselves. Chronic’s starts with a deep bass, and Skippa’s begins right away with the kick drum.”
That technique of slightly altering the riddim for each artist — which CrashDummy pushed to employ — is a nod to classic past dancehall riddims like “Punany.” Small sonic variations ensure the riddim avoids redundancy as more artists join the party. Naturally, this approach helped “WYFL” win over older dancehall superstars like Mavado and Buju Banton.
“I swear mi run up and down inna di house, bro; I had to call my mother,” Mac says, remembering when he first saw Buju’s “X-Rated” freestyle on Instagram. “I couldn’t believe it — because the craziest thing is, I was actually talking with a friend about trying to get Buju on the riddim, and next thing I know, he drops a freestyle. Manifestation is real; it’s exciting, man.”
DJ Mac released his star-studded Ups & Downs debut album last year, so don’t expect a new studio LP anytime soon. In the meantime, he’s putting the finishing touches on Valiant’s upcoming album and readying a two-part WYFL Riddim album. One side will compile the dancehall remixes, and the other will host all the international takes, including a few yet-to-be-unveiled Latin artists. Next month (April 19), he’ll kick off his WYFL Tour at the Village Underground in London, with North American and European dates to be announced soon.
“Sometimes I feel a pressure to top myself — because naturally, as a human, you want more,” Mac says. “Ambition is a very stressful thing, but I still have fun in creating. It’s a formula, bro. I’ve done it before, so I can do it again and again and again. Just bigger this time.”
