the beat Driving As and keep his sound bubbling in the mainstream, lays the groundwork back home in

BY BIANCA GRACIE TOUR ESSENTIALS ver since his breakthrough — a what gave me the inspiration, just how RIDERS OF feature on his now incarcerated strong that girl was while she was mentor Vybz Kartel’s 2010 going through [her situation. THE STORM hit “Clarks” — Popcaan has E Hard-rock quartet Halestorm’s fourth become the torchbearer for dancehall. What are your thoughts on stars album, Vicious, drops July 27, the The Portmore, Jamaica, native born borrowing from dancehall without same day that the Pennsylvania natives Andrae Sutherland has soared from working with its artists? launch a U.S. summer headline tour of the island to countries worldwide, It doesn’t bother me. We can’t force arenas and amphitheaters. “That’s when with 304.9 million total on-demand people to do anything, and you can’t we all get to lose our minds for a couple streams since spring 2012, according stop them from being influenced by years,” says singer and guitarist to Nielsen Music, thanks to his affable dancehall. I’ve worked with many Lzzy Hale, 34, who breaks down what charm and guest spots on tracks artists who are big fans of Jamaican she needs to survive on the road. from Kanye West and Gorillaz. As music. There’s a lot of talent in Since dropping his dancehall has re-entered the American Jamaica. It’s natural people will be debut in 2014, Popcaan has worked with RECORD PLAYER mainstream in recent years — with influenced by the sound or make their Jamie XX, Pusha T and “We call it Steve the artists like Rihanna and Drake co- own version. Kanye West. D.J. — it’s a long story opting its conventions for sizable as to how we came up with the name. Every day, hits — the 30-year-old has a bigger off we go to find records platform for his second album, Forever, so we can feed Steve. arriving July 20 via Mixpak Records. As Plus, he has a whiskey it happens, he has a new, more positive drawer. He’s the life of the party.” focus — along with some eyebrow- raising views on gender relations. BAKING SODA “It’s great for when Forever shies away from gangster we’re hanging out on a themes in favor of more motivational long bus ride and all you

can smell is feet. And STOCKY PHOTO. material. Why is that? you can also use it as Well, I’m from the streets, and my deodorant or toothpaste. influence [there is very strong, so I can But every now and then when we fly, TSA is like, use it to do anything. With my album ‘What the hell is this?’ ” right now, it makes me feel good, because it doesn’t involve any gun LEATHER JACKET lyrics and it’s not telling anybody “It has five or six pockets, and I keep to kill anyone. But I still got the some makeup in there, side for the girls and the side some vitamins, a phone for the audience that doesn’t charger ... if I’m want to hear no slackness. running late, I can . SHAKE: COURTESY OF AMPLE FOODS. HEELS: PANTHER MEDIA GMBH/ALAM just grab my jacket and go. It’s like my The song “Strong Woman” get-out bag.” is a highlight — now seems like time for women to MEAL SHAKES take over. “I don’t like to eat super heavy before going No, it’s not like one is taking onstage because I don’t over. Man is the ruler, man want to be burping up is the leader, man is first. mashed potatoes. So having these small little meal drinks that are T: GETTYT: IMAGES. BAKING SODA: RICHARD HEYES/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO You think so? Many easily digestible is women are stepping up. a lifesaver.” The world was created for man to go in front, and “STRIPPER HEELS” women should respect that “They’re meant to be danced around in. — in my world. But it only And they have great works if you have a strong traction, so I don’t fall woman [by your side. I know over. When I’m wearing this girl who was locked up, them, I’m like a goat — I can literally walk on yet she pulled through. That’s any terrain.”

—RICHARD BIENSTOCK POPCAAN: WIGAN. IVAR HALESTORM: JIMMY FONTAINE. RECORDS JACKE (3),

40 BILLBOARD | JULY 21, 2018