Boomshots

Author: Boomshots

  • HEAR THIS: Bim Sherman & Dub Syndicate “Haunting Ground Dub”

    HEAR THIS: Bim Sherman & Dub Syndicate “Haunting Ground Dub”

    Previously Unreleased Music From Adrian Sherwood, Style Scott & Bim

    Last year’s Sherwood at the Controls Vol. 1 compilation served as a timely re-introduction to the UK dub genius and electronic music visionary Adrian Sherwood. The even wickeder second edition, focusing on works from 1985 to 1990, arrives later this month. Having worked as a live mix engineer for The Clash and The Slits, Sherwood went on to found no fewer than four record labels—Carib Gems (established in 1975 when he was 17 years of age), Hit Run, 4D, and the legendary On-U Sound. His mind-blowingly mic’d, mixed and mastered recordings with in-house groups like Singers and Players, Dub Syndicate, African Head Charge, New Age Steppers, Creation Rebel, and Lee “Scratch” Perry and many more are the stuff of legend. This previously unreleased dub version of “Haunting Ground,” the title track off Bim’s 1986 album produced with Dub Syndicate, which—like many of Sherwood’s finest productions—was anchored by steady rockin’ Lincoln Valentine “Style” Scott, the late great drummer who co-founded Jamaica’s legendary Roots Radics band. “I originally recorded this for On-U Sound but gave [Bim] the vocal to use on his album,” recalls Adrian of the “Haunting Ground” sessions at London’s Southern Studios. “That’s Style Scott on drums, and I’m fairly sure it’s Crucial Tony on guitar.” The earth-shaking dub mix with sabre-sharp high-hats of death and billowing clouds of echo could only be Sherwood. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Stephen “Ragga” Marley ft. Waka Flocka “Scars on my Feet”

    HEAR THIS: Stephen “Ragga” Marley
    ft. Waka Flocka “Scars on my Feet”

    Ragga x Flocka Connect and Reflect

    If you’re paying attention you already know that the long-awaited final chapter of Ragga Marley’s two-album epic is set to arrive July 22nd. Today team Ragga revealed the full track listing of Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life and offered these thoughts about the overall project: “The Fruit is about the different branches; there are many pages within my mind, many colors and ideas” says Marley. “We come from a versatile generation that can’t be put in a box.” As if to underscore that versatility, Marley also teased a new track from the album, featuring ATL trap star Waka Flocka Flame, bringing out the Brick Squad rapper’s revolutionary side. Stephen’s duet with dreadlocked turn-up king is available now with a pre-order of the album pon iTunes.  Audio and Track Listing After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Jahmiel “Different Eyes” PREMIERE

    HEAR THIS: Jahmiel “Different Eyes” PREMIERE

    The Powerful Title Cut From Pure Music’s “Different Eyes” Juggling

    Hailing from Portmore, Jahmiel Foster found his musical calling from early out, and has since carved out a niche as one of modern reggae’s most exciting new  voices. Building on the success of his 2015 breakthrough “Gain The World,” Jahmiel and the Quantanium camp are setting a standard for conscious songwriting in Jamaica’s current dancehall scene. On his latest release, the title track of a slow-burning riddim from Pure Music Productions—and distributed by the mighty 21st Hapilos Digital—Jahmiel wastes no time getting straight to the point: “Povery, still nuff. Life road, still rough. When the bills dem, build up. You maybe get your grill cut.” The song’s title refers to one’s point of view, seeing things as they truly are rather than as you wish they would be. Open your eyes and your ears—for who can’t hear must feel. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Falcons & Juelz “Gyal Dem Move”

    HEAR THIS: Falcons & Juelz “Gyal Dem Move”

    Something For The Bike Back

    Hot on the heels of the Terra EP—cosigned by the likes of Q-Tip and Virgil Abloh—Fool’s Gold signee Falcons teams up with young Canadian producer Juelz on the scorching hot “Gyal Dem Move.” Arriving the first day of Summer-like weather in New York, the hazed-out beat, strewn with hyperventilated Sean Paul samples, hits the spot. Audio After The Jump…
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  • Super Cat Remembers “Dolly My Baby” Collab With Biggie Smalls, Sends a Message To Puffy

    Super Cat Remembers “Dolly My Baby” Collab With Biggie Smalls, Sends a Message To Puffy

    A Dialog With The Don Dada

    Today we celebrate what would have been the 44th birthday of hip hop’s G.O.A.T., Christopher George Latore Wallace, better known as The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls. (The day is now an official holiday in Brooklyn.) One of the first big looks for the fledgling rapper came in 1993 when he got the chance to drop lyrics on Puff Daddy’s remix of “Dolly My Baby,” a single off Super Cat’s classic Don Dada album. As a youth of Jamaican descent, Biggie fully overstood what a special opportunity this was to rhyme on a record with a living legend of Jamaican dancehall culture. Sadly Biggie’s career would end four years later, but Super Cat lives on—he will perform May 30 at the Oracabessa Festival in Queens, NY. In honor of two lyrical heavyweights, we pulled this interview from the Boomshots archives. Respect in all aspect. Interview After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Adahzeh “Island Girl” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Adahzeh “Island Girl” Official Music Video

    Rocking With Jamaica’s First All-Female Reggae Ensemble

    From the Maroon heroine Nanny to Louise Bennett and Grace Jones, Jamaican history is filled with powerful women. Still, the reggae music industry has remained a largely male-dominated field—which may explain why keyboardist and vocalist Karissa Palmer always wanted to be part of a reggae band made up solely of women. As far back as 2013 she had the vision for the group that would become Adahzeh—a name that means ‘The King’s daughters” in one of Africa’s hundreds of languages. Enlisting bassist Chevanese Palmer, lead vocalist Kadian Hamilton, drummer Tashana Barnett and guitarist Tara-Dean Williamson, the group, under the guidance of D’Empire management, made a splash last year with “Girls Like We” featuring Tifa. Now they’re back with a new video called “Island Girl,” a proud statement of  self-respect that doubles as a long-distance love story. He lives in NYC; she lives in Jamaica and “the embassy no wan’ fi leggo the visa.” Tune in for some sweet rub-a-dub music plus a happy resolution to the lovers’ dilemma.  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Jus D “Give It To Me” Crop Over Video

    WATCH THIS: Jus D “Give It To Me” Crop Over Video

    Free Up Yourself For The Crop Over

    Although Trinidad’s carnival is renowned as one of the wickedest parties throughout the Caribbean, Crop Over in Barbados is no joke. Just ask Rihanna, who rarely misses the bacchanal in her home island. The Mega Cavalcade is going down tonight, with a crazy lineup of soca acts ready to set it off. If you can’t make it there to witness the action live, the least you can do is peep this new video of 2015 Crop Over highlights, all set to one of the hottest tunes for Crop Over 2016, Jus D’s cutting-edge soca fusion selection “Give It To Me,” produced by Livity Movements’ Dev Kutta and Guyana’s DRWTHVN. The ting tun up now. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Tune For Tune: Battle of the UK “Panda” Refixes

    Tune For Tune: Battle of the UK “Panda” Refixes

    Who Flipped The “Panda” Beat Better: Gappy Ranks or Lady Leshur?

    All this week we’ve been deluged with a Desiigner media blitz since the 19-year-old Barbados-by-way-of-Brooklyn eccentric dropped the Tidal-exclusive video for his chart-topping smash “Panda.” Though he spends most of the tune talking about Atlanta—and sounding a whole lot like Future sippin’ on some sort of new double-cup concoction—Desiigner goes down in history as first New York rapper to top the pop charts since Jay Z dropped “Empire State of Mind.” Where Jigga did it with an assist from Alicia Keys, Desiigner of course got a huge boost from Kanye West, who discovered his tune on Soundcloud and incorporated it into “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2” the third cut on The Life of Pablo. Since that time a bunch of American rappers—from Fabolous to Lupe Fiasco to Jadakiss, and Meek Mill—have all hopped on the beat, which was built by UK-based producer Menace (who reportedly sold the beat to Desiigner for $200). Two of the more interesting flips have come from British microphone controllers, both with Caribbean roots: dancehall deejay Gappy Ranks aka Pelpa and Lady Leshurr of “Queen’s Speech” fame. No more long talking—let’s get to the tunes. Audio After The Jump…
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  • WATCH THIS: Vybz Kartel “I’ll Take You There” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Vybz Kartel “I’ll Take You There” Official Music Video

    What’s Your Favorite Way To Cure Pain?

    The Vybz Kartel Vevo channel sure is poppin’ these days. With Kartel’s highly anticipated King of the Dancehall album set to drop next week, the  “Fever” video has been burning up the place, approaching the million-view mark after just two weeks. And then, early this morning, another set of visuals dropped for the World Boss’s track on Good Good Productions’ Cure Pain Riddim, distributed by the mighty 21st Hapilos. This one is called “I’ll Take You There” and we’ve got it for you bright and early. A sexy beach video—what better way to get you in the weekend mood?  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Fadda Fox ft. Runtown “All Day All Night”

    HEAR THIS: Fadda Fox ft. Runtown “All Day All Night”

    From Lagos to Bridgetown Comes A Cross-Cultural Collab For Cropover

    These are exciting times for open-minded music lovers, as genre distinctions break down and the unifying forces of tempo and technology work their magic around the globe. No matter what name you choose to call them, certain songs have the power to move the crowd. Whether you’re in Africa, the Caribbean, or someplace else, the elements of a big tune remain consistent: combine a lively drumbeat, a supple bass line, spicy lyrics and a sweet melody and watch the people react. “My team and I are on a musical mission,” says soca artist Nicholas “Fadda Fox” Sealy. “It is our aim to showcase Bajan talent internationally, collaborating with other artists being one of many strategies to execute our goals.” During a recent tour of Canada, the man known for running the streets of Bridgetown, Barbados with tunes like “Ducking” was sharing breakfast with Nigerian-born Afrobeat star Douglas “Runtown” Jack Agu. The conversation turned to collaboration, and within days they’d come up with a soca-meets-Afrobeat anthem for Crop Over 2016. With writing by Jovan James, Runtown and Fadda Fox, and production by Darien Bailey and Hector Cesar for Decibel Productions. You may call it what you wish, we simply call it a Certified Boomshot. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Kimié Miner “Trouble” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    WATCH THIS: Kimié Miner “Trouble” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    “We’ve All Been In Trouble Before”

    Born in Hawaii, Kimié Miner fell in love with music at an early age. Inspired by the likes of Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and India Arie, she learned to play guitar and wound up on tour with Barrington Levy at the age of 19. After the tour ended she lived in Jamaica for a few months, building with Mr. Levy in the studio before returning to Hawaii and then on to Hong Kong. “As Hawaiians,” she says, “we have our roots and our routes. We know who we are, and we use that to navigate and explore.” Today Boomshots proudly premieres her video for a new song about the internal struggle within us all. “We want to do well but we all fall off the wagon at some point,” says the artist. “It’s about the realization that we’re not perfect and learning how to deal with that. The only person who can save you is you.” The desolate video was shot as far from the lush island of Hawaii as you can get—amidst the parched sands of California—and features a powerful performance by Archimedes aka Bert the owl, who obviously has a lot on his mind. “This video was something different than anything I’ve done before,” says Kimié (pronounced Kimi-yay). “Shot in the desert at the Bagdad cafe it was a collaborative effort with designer Oday Shakar and Joel Layogan… We’ve all been in trouble before. This song is just about embracing the regret and learning how to move past it.” Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Stephen “Ragga” Marley Reveals “Fruit of Life” Album Art, Release Date, and Tour Schedule

    Stephen “Ragga” Marley Reveals “Fruit of Life” Album Art, Release Date, and Tour Schedule

    The Second Chapter of Revolation Is Upon Us

    Never one to rush perfection, Stephen “Ragga” Marley announced one of the most anticipated release dates in all of reggae music. The long-awaited second installment of his two-part Revelation set will arrive July 22—the final day of a 44-stop U.S tour, which kicks off later this month in Humboldt County, CA. Following in the footsteps of Revelation Part I: The Root of Life (2012), which earned the 2012 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album on the strength of classic singles like “Jah Army” featuring Damian Marley & Buju Banton and “No Cigarette Smoking” featuring Melanie Fiona as well as “Selassie is the Chapel” featuring Ziggy Marley, Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life already boasts powerful tracks like “Rockstone” featuring Capleton & Sizzla and “Ghetto Boy” featuring Bounty Killer & Mad Cobra. Whereas The Root of Life is more a traditional roots reggae album, The Fruit of Life will utilize a diversified sonic palette to express the far-reaching impact Jamaican music has had on various genres, especially hip hop.  Produced by Marley, Fruit of Life contains 18 new tracks featuring a variety of  collaborations with the likes of Rick Ross, Pit Bull, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Iggy Azalea, Waka Flocka, Dead Prez, Rakim, DJ Khaled, Busta Rhymes, Wyclef Jean, Shaggy, Black Thought (of The Roots), Bounty Killer, Sizzla, Capleton, Ky-Mani Marley, Jo Mersa and more. Tour Dates After The Jump… (more…)