Popcaan Reflects On His Rise In The Video For “Dem Wah Fi Know”

Jamaican dancehall star Popcaan has come a long way since his FADER cover in June 2014. This year, Jamie xx called on his unruly vocal skills for his "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" hit single, Rihanna is rumored to have tapped him up, and we know Drake is a fan. Now he's back with a thrillingly tense new track, "Dem Wah Fi Know," due out on YVP Records later this month. Directed by Focus Creeps and produced by The FADER, this video for it finds Popcaan rolling deep with his crew through the streets of his Jamaican hometown of Portmore and musing on the impact of his rise.

"I had always been really moved by Popcaan as a sincere and uplifting songwriter," director Focus Creeps told The FADER. "When I began thinking of [video] ideas for this track, which is more paranoid in a street sense, I started thinking about how when you make an effort to do what's good—to take risks, like Popcaan did—there's always the dark stuff that you have to leave behind. The duppy mythology seemed like a perfect metaphor for the kind of confidence it takes for a Jamaican artist to rise up against the adversity, haters, and corruption that will always be an obstacle for those who put their faith and energy into something positive. This song is about keeping one eye on the look out towards that dark stuff you conquered but can always rise up to haunt you."