Three paragraphs, and I recognize exactly two names: Rihanna and Drake.

It’s not you; it’s me.

‘Murder She Wrote’: The Story Behind Chaka Demus & Pliers’ Anthem
Udiscovermusic | April 16, 2026 | Bianca Gracie

In 1992, the Jamaican duo recorded one of dancehall’s most enduring anthems with Sly & Robbie. This is the story of how it got made.

Dancehall music has undergone multiple waves of popularity in the US since its birth in the late 70s; from the early 00s takeover with Sean Paul, Elephant Man, and Shaggy, to Rihanna, Drake, and Daddy Yankee putting their own spin on the genre in the 2010s. Back in the early 90s, however, roots-reggae traditionalists were still trying to wrap their head around the brash new sound.

Artists like Shabba Ranks, Beenie Man, and Buju Banton encapsulated dancehall’s rowdy nature with their explicit lyricism, but a singular duo helped catapult the genre past Caribbean shores. Chaka Demus & Pliers, a duo composed of deejay Chaka Demus (born John Taylor) and singer Pliers (born Everton Bonner), officially emerged in 1991 after separate solo careers.

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