Dancehall legend Beenie Man has jumped on a track with Young Jeezy that's fittingly titled “Link Up.” While Beenie has been one of the biggest stars in Jamaica since the mid ‘90s, Jeezy has been a dominant figure in the Atlanta rap scene for the past decade. "Link Up" also features production from DJ Mustard, perhaps the hottest producer in hip-hop today (try turning on your local hip-hop station without hearing his trademark yell of “Mustard on the beat!”) and a hook from murky crooner Ty Dolla $ign.
Of course, dancehall and American hip-hop have always had close ties, and Beenie Man is no stranger to international collaboration. As far back as ‘97, he appeared on Pete Rock’s “Massive” with the Jamaican-born rapper Heavy D. And though Beenie hasn’t put out an album of his own since 2006, he's maintained relevance for the younger dancehall generation--just a few months ago he made an appearance on up-and-comer Xyclone's excellent “Almost There” mix.
So, though it might not be as surprising as it seems at first, it’s undeniably fun to hear the distinctive styles of Jeezy, Beenie and Mustard coming together on this “rude boy link up”: Mustard’s unmistakable synth and 808 production style, Jeezy’s gruff delivery and Beenie Man’s sing-song patois. The result is Jeezy and Beenie at their hyped best. Check it out below:
