Chronic Law Held in Florida on Georgia Gun Charge as Shenseea, Kartel Score Landmark Wins

US Marshals took Jamaican dancehall act Chronic Law, also known as JR Chronic Law, back into custody after his Sunday performance in Miami. Court filings point to a gun-related charge filed in Georgia, though he is now being held in Florida.

Chronic Law has been YouTube Jamaica’s most-streamed artist for four years running and ranked as June’s top act, also leading streams in several Caribbean markets. He arrived with the 2016 debut single Inna Di Yard, broke through with Stress Free in 2017, and has ranked among Jamaica’s top streamers since 2018 as a leading name of the trap dancehall wave at home and abroad. His biggest Spotify tracks include Higher Life, Empty and NY Girls. His latest album, Ice, drew on a prior stint of 73 days in ICE custody; authorities gave no reason for that detention, and he was released on March 26 this year.

Elsewhere, Shenseea became the first Jamaican woman to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart with Echo, featuring Daddy Yankee and tied to the FIFA World Cup campaign. She joins Shaggy, Sean Paul and Rupee among Caribbean acts who have topped that list.

The long-running Steely and Clevie lawsuit alleging copyright infringement across about 1,800 reggaeton recordings — including work linked to Daddy Yankee, Drake, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber and Karol G — is headed for a jury if the judge’s plan holds. The court indicated it cannot decide the matter alone and that jurors must weigh whether the tracks copied a 1989 Steely and Clevie rhythm popularised through Shabba Ranks’ Dem Bow, produced by Bobby Digital and rooted in the Fish Market riddim. Defendants argue the pulse is a wider Caribbean folk sound. Absent a settlement, the dispute goes before an American jury.

Vybz Kartel’s Fever is now certified gold in the United Kingdom for more than 400,000 units in streams and sales, and gold in the United States above 500,000 units — roughly 900,000 combined and his first gold marks in both markets. Live Nation has also announced a Gaza versus Gully billing headlined by Kartel and Mavado at London’s O2 Arena on September 9.

Shaggy, at 57, worked a crowd of thousands at the FIFA Fan Fest at Bayfront Park in Miami, according to World Music Views. Sean Paul became the first dancehall artist with five albums past one billion Spotify streams, led by Dutty Classics on VP Records at 4.32 billion.

On YouTube Jamaica this week: Bad Gyal Jade’s Talk Truth at No. 10; Xkappie’s Cool Gyal at nine; Valiant’s Warrior at eight; Malinga’s Van Cleef at seven; Nordia Mothersille’s Wealthy and Lonely, produced by Notnice Records, at six; Bad Gyal Jade’s One Don at five and Rich and Boujee — formerly No. 1 — at four; Kalado’s She Come Boat at three; I-Octane’s Whities at two; and Treasure’s Nalena at No. 1.