Dancehall star IWaata has a song for the friends who switched up, the producers he felt passed him over and the people who only came around when he had something to give. It’s called ‘Cold’, and when the dancehall artiste gets to talking about why he cut ties, he reaches for Psalm 27.

“All of we get left in the cold at some point in our life and we have to figure it out by ourselves,” said the deejay, whose given name is Jason Bailey.

“Cold is a reflection of my life my whole career, how the business treat yu and the people who you thought would be there for you, not there for you, you nah look people fi sorry for you still. But it still causes pain and makes you feel some type of way.”

Produced by Redboom Supamix Productions, ‘Cold’ dropped on October 12, with the video following on October 30. By early November, the two uploads had pulled in more than 267,000 combined YouTube views, with the video alone passing 177,000 in its first week. The single also logged more than 10,700 Audiomack plays and earned a ‘Blazing Track’ spot on the Hapilos Digital Charts.

IWaata says some producers he recorded for put money behind their friends’ music while his songs got less attention. He has his own theory about where that has left him.

“I always try to be Iwaata,” he said. “Maybe that’s why me no reach further than where mi fi reach.”

He and fellow deejay Intence parted ways with Andrew ‘Boysie’ Campbell’s Boysie Records in the summer of 2020. The label claimed at the time that the artistes had broken a five-year contract before three years had elapsed. In March 2026, IWaata signed with Reynolds Entertainment Agency, which took over all aspects of his management as he looks to grow his brand in Jamaica and overseas.

Some of the deepest cuts, he says, came from people he grew up with. He recalls feeding, clothing and supporting people who later tried to damage his reputation. He keeps some of those stories to himself. On ‘Cold’, he gives listeners enough to understand why he walked away.

“You dun know, you have people who alter your soul with all kinds of demon things so you have to cut and clear dem tings de with Psalm 27,” he said.

Fatherhood has changed what he brings to the booth. His son is six, and IWaata says raising him has changed how he sees himself and taught him who he can count on.

“The songs sound different,” he said. “Mi image, everything change.”

Since breaking through in 2019, IWaata has had time to reckon with where he is and where he feels he should be. He’s grateful he’s still making dancehall. As for what comes next, the deejay put it plain.

“In 2027, we have to kick off the door fully.”