Tilibop and Sizzla strike early momentum with ‘Dem Nuh Ready’

Reggae artiste Tilibop is pleased that die-hard reggae fans were, apparently, 'ready' for his new collaboration single, Dem Nuh Ready, featuring Sizzla Kalonji. The hard-hitting chart-burner has already racked up thousands of streams on Spotify only hours after its release, alongside a stunning new video. The track attracted more than 15,000 Spotify streams within hours of its Friday release, according to figures supplied by Tilibop’s team. The accompanying video also premiered Friday. “The fans are really loving the song, they’ve been sharing it with their own posts on TikTok and Instagram, and it's a worldwide reaction, fans from almost every continent,” an enthusiastic Tilibop said. For the singer, that response reaches beyond the numbers. He sees listeners embracing a collaboration built around shared purpose—and a fresh contribution to reggae’s enduring sound. The song is also finding an audience on radio. Tilibop said stations in Jamaica, Brazil, Costa Rica, Uganda, Mexico and the United Kingdom have been playing the track. Earlier this week, he promoted the release with interviews on Jamaica’s Suncity Radio and SoundChat Radio in the United States. Recording alongside Sizzla represents a personal milestone. “I’ve long admired the conviction in his music,” he said. “To bring our voices together on one record meant a great deal. We came with different perspectives, but the message and the energy met naturally.” On Dem Nuh Ready, that shared energy fuels a message about holding your ground when others doubt your vision. It also introduces Tilibop’s forthcoming 11-song project, shaped by his Jamaican upbringing and the life he has built in New York. Born in St Mary and raised in August Town, Tilibop found an unexpected route into recording after moving to the United States: a stranger overheard him singing and invited him to a studio. “That journey runs through the music,” he said. “It carries the roots I grew up with and the experiences that shaped me in New York. Across eleven songs, I wanted the live musicianship and the stories to show different sides of who I am.” His ambitions are clear, but he makes room for the artists already pushing the genre forward. “There are artistes making meaningful reggae music every day,” he said. “I want to add my voice to that tradition with songs that speak plainly about life, move people and still make them tunup.” Contributors to Dem Nuh Ready include Eric Toussaint, Derrick Bourne, Kenneth “Gypsy” Simpson, Tco Mark Bacchus, Shane Brown and Chris Scott. Tilibop is also working on music with Capleton, Richie Spice and Bling Dawg. He describes his artistic mission as “The Light of Reggae,” drawing on the music’s capacity to offer guidance, courage and hope. “Reggae hasn’t lost its revolutionary spirit,” he said. “You hear it whenever artists speak truth and stand up for their communities.” His earlier releases include All That, Pirate, Psalm, Promise Myself and Stay. Through Freeworll Ent Inc, he continues to build around a belief that connects personal freedom with creative purpose: “Whatever is your passion, that is your free world.” And while Dem Nuh Ready makes a confident statement, Tilibop knows one release cannot settle the question of who will lead reggae’s next generation. “Leadership is something you earn through consistency, the quality of your work and the way you treat people,” he said.