In 1997, Paul recorded in combination with Spanner Banner on the Jamaican chart-topper, "Ladies Man", through the singer's Sweet Angel Productions. The hit resulted in him embarking on sessions with Jeremy Harding, a little known producer who burst on the scene with his production of Beenie Man's crossover hit, "Who Am I". The producer released the dancehall favourite "Baby Girl", which was followed by the more successful, "Infiltrate". The latter single joined the singer's combination hit in the Jamaican chart.
Sean Paul's style is reminiscent of the established DJ Spragga Benz, although he has also been compared to Junior Cat. Aware of the comparisons, he nurtured his own unique style widely considered as "uptown". A series of hits ensued including the enlightening "Deport Them", and the intriguing "Strategy". In 1998 multiple hits emerged, most notably "Work With It", "Hot Gal Today", "Woman Yuh Hot", "Report To Me" and "Faded", all of which maintained the DJ's profile.
The furore of the dancehall crew in Jamaica led to most principal DJs joining forces with emerging vocalists as a team. Paul was no exception. The DJ joined the Dutty Cup Crew alongside Don Yute, Mossy Kid and Luger Man. In combination the team released the popular "Groove Me" and "Jamone", which were particularly successful in New York. Paul continued to release dancehall favourites as a soloist and in combination with the Dutty Cup Crew. In the winter of 1998, he recorded a version of the "Unda Wata" rhythm as "Ladies Man". The chant was a braggadocio rapport that related to a girl whom he felt necessary to conceal from the rest of the crew. The Unda Wata video featured a megamix of the tune with Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Buccaneer, Machel and General Degree alongside the singer. Security was tense when the all-star line-up filmed the phenomenally successful promo at the Asylum Club in Kingston.
In 1999, Paul's career was firmly established when he embarked on a hectic touring schedule taking in Europe, Japan and the USA. He collaborated with Mr. Vegas and US rapper DMX on a contribution to the soundtrack of Hype Williams' Belly. He cemented his popularity in the USA with a hit remix of "Hot Gal Today" and the album release, Stage One.
In 2002, Paul enjoyed a mainstream US Top 10 hit with "Gimme The Light". He was even more successful the following year when "Get Busy" rose steadily up the charts before reaching the number 1 position in May. The attendant Dutty Rock reached the US Top 10 and racked up sales of one million plus.
Paul dominated the airwaves during the summer, appearing on massive hit singles by Blu Cantrell ("Breathe") and Beyoncé Knowles("Baby Boy").