Chaka Demus launches Jealous, lead single from upcoming One Family Umbrella album

Chaka Demus has kicked off his next solo chapter with Jealous, a new release that arrives as the lead single from One Family Umbrella and puts longtime reggae and dancehall fans on notice that his catalog still has fresh ground to cover. Issued on May 15, 2026, the track is credited to Chaka Demus & Pliers with Tanto Metro & Devonte, a pairing that turns the single into a reunion-style statement rather than a lone comeback tune.

The roll-out carries serious weight inside the Jamaican music lane. Jealous was issued via Bright Star Production and distributed through Virgin Music Group, while the official credits also name Brian Gold and Tony Gold on harmony vocals. Behind the console, Marvin Taylor handled recording, Lynford Marshall mixed the record, and Jemoi Monteith mastered it. The writing credits stretch across John Christopher Taylor, Paul Yebuah, Marlon Hanchard, Mark Wolfe, Everton Bonner, Wayne Passley and Tawona Passley, giving the single the feel of a properly assembled project rather than a quick nostalgia play.

That matters because Chaka Demus is not coming from nowhere. Born in West Kingston and raised on Kingston sound system culture, he built his reputation in the early 1980s before recording Increase Your Knowledge for King Jammy in 1985. His early breakthrough followed in 1986 with One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer alongside Admiral Bailey, and that same instinct for sharp combinations is what gives Jealous its pull now. Chaka Demus has described the upcoming album as “a mix of reggae and dancehall and a little bit more,” and said the project is meant as “a direct reflection” of his life and experiences over the years.

The collaborators around him sharpen that message. Tanto Metro and Devonte brought crossover credibility through Everyone Falls In Love in 1997, while Brian and Tony Gold have long been trusted for close harmonies in Jamaican music. Put together, Jealous feels built to reach two audiences at once: the fans who grew up on Chaka Demus’s sound-system fire and the younger listeners who know the names but not the full story. As the first taste of One Family Umbrella, it frames this comeback as more than a single release. It is a reminder that veteran voices can still set the pace when the chemistry is right.