Popcaan’s Unruly Fest Heads to Canada for the First Time

The Unruly Boss expands his global footprint, bringing his curated festival to Canada this year after a successful debut in London last year

International dancehall superstar Popcaan is taking Unruly Fest to Canada (Photo: Stony Johnson)

The global wave propelling dancehall to the forefront, triggered by high demand for live performances, led the international dancehall superstar Popcaan to bring his signature event, Unruly Fest, to Canada for the first time.

While an official date has yet to be confirmed, Popcaan seemingly announced the upcoming event on his X account (formerly Twitter), writing: “UnrulyFest Canada, stay tuned.”

Popcaan enjoys a massive following in Canada, thanks in part to his longstanding bond with Drake. The two artists have collaborated on several tracks, and Popcaan officially signed with Drake’s OVO Sound in late 2018 before parting ways in 2023.

Despite the business split, Popcaan and Drake maintain a close friendship that extends beyond music. Just earlier this month, the deejay performed at the historic Wireless Festival in London on the final night of Drake’s three-day headlining run. Days after the event, both were spotted spending time with NBA superstar Kevin Durant as part of Drake’s NOCTA Weekend.

The St. Thomas-born deejay visits Canada regularly and was recently honored with a custom jersey from the Toronto Blue Jays, showcasing his strong connection to the local fanbase.

Since its launch in 2018, Unruly Fest, originally held in Popcaan’s hometown parish of St. Thomas, has taken place three times in Jamaica. Popcaan envisioned the festival as a way to spotlight the parish and bring opportunities and attention to his roots. The inaugural edition drew nearly 20,000 attendees from across the island and featured major acts such as Bounty Killer, I-Wayne, Bugle, Jah Vinci, and veterans like Tanya Stephens, Richie Stephens, Sanchez, and the late Cocoa Tea, with surprise appearances by Drake and Tory Lanez.

The 2019 edition became iconic when Popcaan famously entered the stage flying via a crane, drawing comparisons to a Jamaican Superman.

After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the festival returned in December 2023 but ended prematurely when police intervened and ordered the event to be shut down. That edition featured a star-studded lineup including Sean Paul, Skillibeng, and U.S. rapper Fivio Foreign.

In 2024, the festival expanded to London, drawing over 13,000 fans to Crystal Palace Bowl. The UK edition featured performances by Spice, local rap duo Krept & Konan, and Popcaan’s younger brother Natebadz.

Popcaan during his Unruly Fest in London last year (Photo: Stony Johnson)

Popcaan isn't the only Jamaican artist expanding his festival brand to Canada. Most recently, Alkaline brought his New Rules event to Toronto for the first time in June. Meanwhile, Vybz Kartel is also expected to perform in the country later this year as part of his highly anticipated Worl’ Boss Return Tour.

The 37-year-old singjay is set to perform with a live band in Kingston, Jamaica, as a headliner of Streetz Festival on August 30.