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Kranium, born Kemar Donaldson, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer and songwriter best known for his 2013 breakout single "Nobody Has to Know," which brought him international recognition and a deal with Atlantic Records. Raised between Jamaica and New York, he became one of the leading dancehall artists to emerge from New York City's Caribbean music scene, blending reggae with R&B and hip-hop influences.
Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Donaldson moved to Florida as a boy, where he was mentored by his uncle, dancehall artist Screwdriver, who taught him breath control and instruments including piano, guitar, saxophone, and flute. He later relocated to Queens, New York, immersing himself in the borough's reggae and dancehall scene. He began recording in New York around 2008, earning the nickname Kranium for his ability to record songs "straight off the head" without writing them down first, and built a local following by supplying DJs with new material and performing at house parties and clubs around Queens. He also opened shows for artists such as Gyptian, Serani, I-Octane, and Tarrus Riley.
His single "Nobody Has to Know," produced by LMR Productions, gained traction on New York ethnic radio, including Hot 97, and sold more than 39,000 copies in 2015, reaching number 32 on the Reggae Digital Songs chart. The song's success led Atlantic Records to sign him in 2015, making him one of a small number of reggae artists on a major label alongside Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder. That year he released his debut album, Rumors, featuring singles including "Stamina" and "Can't Give A...," along with a Ty Dolla $ign-assisted version of "Nobody Has to Know." Further singles followed, including "We Can" (2016) with Tory Lanez and "Can't Believe" (2017) with Ty Dolla $ign and Wizkid.
Kranium released his second album, Midnight Sparks, in 2019, followed by the EPs Toxic (2021) and In Too Deep (2022), both under Atlantic Records. In 2020 he was named a Spotify RADAR artist alongside Fahda Romie and Shenseea. His 2020 single "Gal Policy" and singles such as "Wi Deh Yah" and "Section" continued to draw wide streaming attention. In March 2023, Kranium announced that he had parted ways with Atlantic Records.
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