Jamaican dancehall artist Dexta Daps has landed his first entry on the Billboard US Afrobeats Song Chart at No. 22 with his collaboration with Nigerian superstar Davido, entitled Bop. The track forms part of Davido's fourth studio album Timeless, which was released on March 31, and also features collaborations with artists such as Skepta, Angelique Kidjo, and The Cavemen.
All 17 tracks from the album debuted on the US Afrobeats chart dated April 15, including Unavailable at No. 8, Over Them at No. 10, and Feel at No. 11. The Afrobeats Chart was introduced a year ago and ranks the 50 most popular Afrobeats songs in the United States each week, based on a weighted formula that incorporates official streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of leading audio and video music services, as well as download sales from top music retailers.
Timeless has also debuted at No. 37 on the Billboard 200 chart, after reportedly selling and streaming 17,000 units in the US during its first week of release. In the United Kingdom, the album has debuted at No. 10 on the UK Albums chart, marking a significant achievement for Davido and his collaborators.
Dexta Daps is best known for his hit songs, including No Underwear, Leader with Masicka, Weak To You, 7Eleven, and Shabba Madda Pot. He previously had a Billboard debut of his own, when his 2020 album Vent hit No. 10 on the Reggae Albums chart. One of the tracks on the album, Call Me If, was one of the biggest Dancehall songs in 2020, spilling over into 2021, and was also among 19 songs that featured on Montego Bay music producer Zum’s Liquid Sunshine juggling riddim.
In addition to his recent collaboration with Davido, Dexta Daps is set to be featured on Stonebwoy’s forthcoming album 5th Dimension, which is due for release on April 28. The track is titled Secret Lover.
Dexta Daps' entry on the Billboard US Afrobeats Song Chart marks a significant achievement for the artist, as well as for the wider dancehall and Afrobeats genres. The success of Timeless demonstrates the growing popularity of Afrobeats music in the United States and beyond, and highlights the potential for cross-cultural collaborations between artists from different regions and genres. With the continued growth of the Afrobeats Chart and the increasing success of artists like Davido and Dexta Daps, it seems likely that the genre will continue to thrive and evolve in the years to come.