Music : Sean Paul Claims Chance Encounter Led To Classic Beyonce Collab

2003 was a breakthrough year for both Sean Paul and Beyonce. Both artists landed their first number one singles, and then they linked up for the joint number one, "Baby Boy." It was an inspired blend of pop and dancehall, but the origins of the sang actually date back several years. Sean Paul talked about the hit single during a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter. He revealed that his friendship with Queen Bey started during her days in Destiny's Child.

Sean Paul told THR that hip-hop artists were always interested in dancehall, but was impressed that a pop star like Beyonce would take a chance on such a different sound. "At the time, people were hollering at me to do collabs," the reggae artist noted. "I was working with Busta Rhymes, I was doing stuff with Clipse and Blu Cantrell—and all of those things were very dope but they were more Hip-Hop oriented. This was such a big artist, and she was stepping out on her own." Beyonce's instincts proved dead on. "Baby Boy" was a smash hit that topped the Billboard Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks. It would be Beyonce's biggest hit until 2007, and Paul's biggest hit ever.

Eclecticism is part of Beyonce's image in 2024. She's dabbled in dance, country, and just about every genre you can name. Still, she holds a special place in her heart for dancehall. She based much of her classic 2018 performance at Coachella on dancehall and Jamaican culture. She covered the standard "Still in Love with You Boy" by Marcia Aiken, and performed "Baby Boy" before a screaming audience. Paul is still extremely proud of the song. "It made sense to me," he concluded. "And it made history for both of us."