Unlocked Riddim Brings Vybz Kartel, Popcaan and Dancehall’s New Generation Together

Dancehall’s riddim culture gets a fresh-generation showcase with Unlocked Riddim, a six-track project produced by teenage producer Joel Engineer.

Released on August 19, 2026, the project brings together Vybz Kartel, Popcaan, Likkle Vybz, RajahWild, Najeeriii and Natebadz across one instrumental foundation. 

The project also represents a significant early milestone for Joel Engineer, who is Popcaan’s nephew. Before the riddim’s release, Joel spoke about the significance of securing both Vybz Kartel and Popcaan for the same project.

“It’s even better to have Popcaan and Vybz Kartel on the same riddim,” Joel said in an interview with Our Today. 

A young producer with major connections

Joel Engineer is entering the dancehall production space with an unusual level of access to established artists.

His connection to Popcaan gives him a direct link to one of dancehall’s biggest international acts. Joel has also spoken about growing up around the Unruly Camp and learning from the musical figures around him.

He previously revealed that he attended the same prep school as Vybz Kartel’s children while Kartel was incarcerated. He also teased a future collaboration with one of Kartel’s sons. 

That background gives Unlocked Riddim an interesting layer. The project isn’t simply a young producer assembling a collection of artists. It places Joel inside a musical network that connects some of dancehall’s most established names with its emerging generation.

Vybz Kartel and Popcaan share the same riddim

The presence of Vybz Kartel and Popcaan carries historical significance because of their own history.

Popcaan emerged under Kartel’s mentorship during the early stages of his career. Years later, both artists appear on a riddim produced by Popcaan’s nephew.

Kartel contributes “The Night Just Begin,” while Popcaan delivers the title track, “Unlocked.” Joel previously described Kartel’s contribution as bringing a vibrant summer-party energy, while Popcaan’s record takes a harder, more aggressive direction. 

That contrast helps give the riddim different lanes instead of making every song sound interchangeable.

The next generation gets its turn

The project does not rely entirely on established stars.

RajahWild appears with “Beholder,” while Najeeriii contributes “21 Bynes” and Natebadz delivers “Draco.” Likkle Vybz joins Popcaan on “Clean.” 

That lineup makes the project a snapshot of several sides of contemporary dancehall. Kartel and Popcaan bring established star power, while RajahWild, Najeeriii, Natebadz and Likkle Vybz represent a younger generation continuing to shape the genre.

“Clean” adds another layer

The Popcaan and Likkle Vybz collaboration is particularly notable because it connects two artists from different generations of dancehall’s Gaza and Unruly worlds.

Rather than making the collaboration the entire selling point, the record sits naturally within the six-track juggling and gives the project another generational link.

Keeping the riddim tradition alive

At its core, Unlocked Riddim follows one of dancehall’s oldest formats: multiple artists voicing the same instrumental while bringing their own personality and subject matter to it.

That format remains important because it allows producers to showcase an instrumental from several perspectives.

Joel Engineer’s project updates that tradition for a younger audience without abandoning its basic structure.

The result is a project built around one young producer, two heavyweight dancehall figures and several artists representing the genre’s next wave.

For Joel Engineer, however, the bigger story may only be beginning. Unlocked Riddim gives him an early production credit with Vybz Kartel and places his name alongside artists with very different positions in modern dancehall.

For a teenage producer, that’s a serious introduction.

Listen to the full riddim

The complete Unlocked Riddim is also available to hear on the DJ Kilo Frass YouTube channel, featuring all six tracks from Joel Engineer’s project.

Listen to the full Unlocked Riddim on YouTube⁠