Montego Bay, Jamaica — Thirteen summers after his last appearance, dancehall virtuoso Laden stormed the Reggae Sumfest main stage on Friday night and made it unmistakably clear that his sabbatical is over.
Striding out in a jet-black outfit accented with streaks of silver, the deejay—born O’Keefe Aarons—launched straight into “Time to Shine,” the 2009 anthem that cemented his early acclaim. The opening hook doubled as mission statement: this performance was less nostalgia trip and more reboot.
Over a compact, high-energy set, Laden delivered a curated medley that spanned the reflective “We Remember,” the motivational “Greatness,” and the crowd-pleaser “Come Mek Me Touch.” Each transition was razor-clean, underscoring a professionalism honed during his years away from the spotlight.
That hiatus was anything but voluntary. Arrested in 2020 for illegal firearm and ammunition possession, Laden served nearly 30 months at Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre before his April 2023 release. Rather than dampen his artistry, the experience seems to have sharpened it. Onstage, he addressed the chapter only obliquely—“Setbacks refine steel,” he quipped—then pivoted back to the music, refusing to let his past eclipse his present.
Since ringing in 2025, Laden has quietly stacked an arsenal of fresh singles—“Party Sauce,” “Uno Dos Tres,” “Money & Gyal,” and “Rich”—all of which landed warmly with the Sumfest audience. The new material signals a strategic sonic expansion: breezier hooks, crisper production, and lyrical themes that balance street realism with aspirational flair.
Sumfest’s notoriously discerning crowd rewarded the comeback with sustained roars, lighters aloft, and a social-media surge that had “#LadenReturns” trending island-wide before his final note faded. Industry insiders milling backstage spoke of renewed label interest; fans spoke of redemption.
In a festival renowned for king-making moments, Laden’s return felt less like a footnote and more like a chapter opener. The road ahead is uncharted, but one thing is certain: the time he once proclaimed to shine has arrived again—this time, burnished by resilience and hard-won perspective.
