Kemar Flava McGregor replaces himself at No. 1 on reggae iTunes chart

Kemar ‘Flava’ McGregor pushed his own album out of No. 1 on the U.S. reggae iTunes chart, with Riddim 91 overtaking Kiss of Judas on July 20. That is what “replacing himself” means in this case: one McGregor release displaced another McGregor release at the top spot, a rare chart flip that was framed as reggae history.

The move matters because it shows McGregor is not just landing on the chart, he is controlling it. In a digital reggae market where independent releases, legacy titles and a loyal but relatively compact buying audience fight for visibility, a producer taking the top spot with multiple projects at once is a clear sign of current leverage. Riddim 91 did not just arrive and beat out a rival name. It beat the producer’s own Kiss of Judas and kept the No. 1 spot inside his camp.

That kind of result also says something about how reggae and dancehall still work commercially. The producer, riddim maker and label operator can be just as important as the singer fronting the track. McGregor’s chart run puts the focus on the production side of the business, where a recognizable sound and fast fan response can move albums and playlists quickly enough to dominate a storefront chart.

The timing adds weight to the achievement. McGregor’s name has stayed in the conversation for years, from Khago’s US$700,000 lawsuit win against him in 2021 to McGregor’s own copyright case against VP Records in 2023, when he sought at least US$10 million. He was also linked to his first hit after a rejection from Sizzla, a career detail that still fits the arc of a producer who kept building until the market caught up.

McGregor’s latest chart move lands in a moment when reggae digital sales still reward momentum, repeat buyers and a strong production identity. His No. 1 handoff from Kiss of Judas to Riddim 91 shows that his audience is not just checking for one release, it is following the catalog that carries his name.