Kemar Flava McGregor’s Kiss Of Judas riddim surges to iTunes top spot

Kiss Of Judas Riddim has become the kind of reggae release that forces people to stop scrolling and start talking. Kemar “Flava” McGregor’s latest riddim, released on May 8, 2026 through Billboard King Records, moved fast enough to hit No. 1 on the iTunes Reggae Albums chart and the overall iTunes All Genres chart, while also clearing more than 500,000 Spotify streams within days.

That crossover is what gives the project its heat. This is not just a roots lane victory or a dancehall niche win. It is a producer-led package that proved it could travel well beyond the usual reggae audience, and that kind of broad traction still matters in a scene where a strong riddim can build community debate as quickly as it builds numbers.

Part of the pull is the cast. Reggaeville lists Kiss Of Judas Riddim as a 22-track digital release, and the tracklist brings together Rick Ross and Etana, Beenie Man, Elephant Man, I-Octane, Turbulence, Honorebel, Ginjah, Prodigal Son, Zed Regal and Delly Ranx, among others. A YouTube Music playlist for the project also shows 22 tracks, including two instrumentals at the end, which makes the release feel like a full riddim statement rather than a loose collection of singles.

The theme is doing real work too. McGregor built the package around betrayal, loyalty, survival, envy and spiritual warfare, drawing from the story of Judas Iscariot. That gives Kiss Of Judas Riddim a heavier frame than a standard party compilation, and it helps explain why the release has been able to spark conversation about the direction of Jamaican music rather than just rack up plays. McGregor has said the success shows listeners still crave music with substance.

There is also a clear line running through McGregor’s recent work. Jamaica Observer reported in June 2025 that Etana and Billboard King Records, led by McGregor, had joined forces on a Kiss of Judas single and a charitable initiative, while an October 2024 report said Etana’s Mirror was produced by McGregor. Reggaeville also lists a Sept. 12, 2025 release for Rick Ross x Etana - Kiss Of Judas, which suggests the title has been building in layers before the full riddim package arrived.

McGregor has played this multi-artist format before. Reggaeville’s Recoup Riddim entry shows a 14-track release in 2024 with names like Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Etana, I-Octane, Elephant Man, Tifa and Khago. Kiss Of Judas Riddim feels like the bigger, louder version of that idea, and its fast climb to the top of iTunes shows that when the lineup is strong and the concept lands, a riddim can still cut through the noise.