Alliance builds Billboard empire

While the rest of Dancehall seems to be focusing on lyrical confrontation, Alliance members Serani and Mavado are scaling international heights.

With the hotshot debut (highest new entry) on the Billboard Hot 100 Hip Hop and R'n'B chart this week, Serani's "No Games" continues to show the promise of being Dancehall's next big crossover hit.

Mavado's anthemic "I'm So Special" has also re-entered the same chart, even higher, at # 53 and looks to be set on the same course as "No Games."

"This is what we've been working for," said Serani. "The song is locking the NE and the plan is to impact the song across the US and then the rest of the world." Having formed a new partnership with Phase One Communications, Serani and his manager Julian Jones-Griffith are confident that this is just the beginning. Julian has been in New York speaking to several major labels and a deal seems imminent.

Serani, in New York on a promotional run, appeared as a special guest in Manhattan at a Funkmaster Flex party alongside Akon last night, after appearing live on Angie Martinez's show on HOT 97 in the afternoon.

Mavado's sophomore album is slated for a February release, with the So Special video premiering in January.

"Right now a just crazy work," said the Gangsta for Life. "Next year we will be focusing overseas and really crossing over into new markets. Dancehall is very powerful and needs to be taken seriously by the mainstream and we will be working towards making that happen in '09."