IQ aims to rule at yard and abroad

England-born but Jamaican to the core, IQ is blazing a trail in the dancehall world, smashing expectations and silencing doubters who said he couldn't make it from the UK.

The Bun Fi Bun singer, who is the brother of dancehall artiste QQ, is not only making waves internationally, but is also inspiring his family and fans with his unstoppable drive and infectious rhythms.

"Everyone told me, 'You have to be in Jamaica to make it in dancehall,'" IQ told THE STAR.

But determined to break the mould, IQ set out to show the world that geography is no barrier to success.

"I wanted to prove to people that I can do it from somewhere else and still be able to impact the dancehall space from where I was. So being the first young person to do that from London...it made other [artistes] start creating dancehall from the UK now," IQ said.

He credits social media for providing him with a channel where his "music can impact the world", despite his location.

"My family now believe in that dream. My mom is from Jamaica and is more like, 'Work, work, work,' and I told her that 'I'd never have a [nine-to-five] job in my life', and she said, 'That's not how it works, you have to get a job.' But I've been able to show her something different, and now she's like, 'Wow...' So I'm now able to give her a different vision, and she's now thinking of stuff she wants to do [online] for herself," he added.

The artiste, whose given name is Cairo Dawkins, attended Pembroke Hall High School in St Andrew before returning to the UK, where he pursued his passion. He returned to Jamaica in 2016 and has been travelling to and from the UK ever since.

But the journey wasn't always smooth. Growing up, IQ was inspired by his brother's success, watching QQ's music videos and dreaming of the day he'd share the stage with him. That dream came true, and now the two brothers often find themselves bumping fists in airports as they jet off on international tours. "Yow, we're really doing this," IQ said with a grin, recalling those surreal moments.

"When I was living in the UK, everyone used to tell mi about my brother and [his] music, and I used to watch him on the TV and I was like - that was my role model. So I just always wanted to be like him when I grow up," said IQ.

Despite his famous family ties - his father is a well-known producer, and his brother has already paved the way - IQ faced his fair share of challenges.

"It's like a hit and miss. It's been rough and exciting - the music scene is full of so much hard roads, and people think just because I live in foreign I live this great life, but when I just got started into music, there were people living in Jamaica who were living way better life than me," he said.

Still, the good times are rolling now, with IQ travelling the world and soaking up different cultures - a dream he always had. Despite most of his songs trending mainly on TikTok, and hitting number one spots on other social site such as YouTube, the young singjay said the reception in the streets locally has been great. He said that his single, Bun Fi Bun, resonates deeply with Jamaican audiences. He confessed that the song was written from a personal experience, admitting that"I'm what they call the 'bunna man' [but] personally I don't give bun, I help give it".

The British-based entertainer lists Bun Fi Bun and Soca Start as two of his biggest songs, which have not only helped him to travel the world, but also to make a name for himself in the dancehall arena.

With a slew of collaborations featuring top acts like Stefflon Don, Byron Messia and D'yani, IQ is cementing his place in the industry. But he's not stopping there. The artiste also hinted at an upcoming explosive EP with his brother, QQ.

"Me and my brother will be dropping more music together - more IQ and QQ - so we're making it like a combo now and start doing music together. I have a good fan base here and a good fan base in the [UK], so we're just gonna merge them together and create something crazy," he shared.

IQ is set to drop his solo EP, I Can't Wait, this month, packed with raw, real-life stories.