Kranium

A New York-based Jamaican dancehall singer known for his quick and clever wordplay, Kranium became a breakout success with his 2013 single “Nobody Has to Know,” which helped earn him a spot on Atlantic Records’ roster. Following the 2015 release of his first album, Rumors, he nurtured an ever-growing fan base with a prolific array of singles and collaborations, racking up big streaming numbers and touring around the globe. His second album, Midnight Sparks, landed in late 2019, followed in 2021 by the Toxic EP and high-profile singles like 2022′s “Wi Deh Yah.”
Born Kemar Donaldson in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Kranium was schooled in the ways of reggae in his teens, after a move to Miami brought him closer to his uncle/mentor, dancehall singer Screw Driver. He later moved to New York, settling — somewhat ironically — Jamaica, Queens and spent several years cutting his teeth around the city. Kranium first broke out in 2013 with the hit single “Nobody Has to Know,” an independent release that attracted major labels. Atlantic talked to the artist in 2013 and came calling again in 2014; then, in 2015, Kranium joined Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder as one of the few reggae artists signed to a major label. Atlantic re-released “Nobody Has to Know” that same year while Kranium entered the studio with producer Ricky Blaze, a frequent Gyptian collaborator, to guest on his track “Overrated.” Kranium’s debut LP, Rumors, was issued later that year, yielding singles like “Stamina,” Can’t Give A…,” and a Ty Dolla $ign and KickRaux-assisted version of his hit “Nobody Has to Know.” 2016′s “We Can,” featuring Tory Lanez, provided Kranium with another hit, as did the 2017 single “Can’t Believe,” another Dolla $ign collaboration that also featured WizKid. While continuing to expand his international touring schedule, he kept up a steady stream of singles, collaborations, and features, all leading up to the release of his second album, Midnight Sparks, which arrived at the tail-end of 2019. With hardly a pause, the prolific artist returned to the singles business in early 2020, working with Moyann on “I Got You” and releasing solo singles like “Gal Policy” and “Through the Window.” The latter two songs ended up on his 2021 EP Toxic. Over the next year, highly streamed singles “Life of the Party” featuring Young T and Bugsey, “Without You” featuring Queen Naija, and solo cuts like “Wi Deh Yah” and “Section” kept Kranium in the spotlight. ~ David Jeffries