Boomshots

Author: Boomshots

  • Reasoning with ZJ Liquid: “Resent Is Part of the Game”

    Reasoning with ZJ Liquid: “Resent Is Part of the Game”

    Reshma B Chats With The Zip Jock Whose Fix Up Riddim Has Got The Dance on Lock

    ZJ Liquid does it all—he’s a seletor, producer, and microphone chanter whose “Good Book” riddim was one of the biggest for 2014. Earlier this week he dropped a new juggling called “Fix Up” and it’s got the dancehall on fire. Reshma B caught up with Liquid at 21st Hapilos Digital HQ in Kingston, Jamaica for an in-depth reasoning on how the H2O Records CEO stays ahead of the game—and how he deals with haters. He even blessed us with a freestyle and the story behind the making of one of this biggest tunes. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise Doubles Up for 2015

    Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise Doubles Up for 2015

    Cabins Going Fast As Barrington, Maxi , Elly, Popcaan, Capleton Confirmed

    Due to overwhelming demand, the second annual Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise will offer two back-to-back cruises in 2015, from November 30th to December 10th. According to the cruise’s official Facebook page, the newly confirmed talent for 2015 includes Ky-Mani Marley, Protoje, Barrington Levy, Capleton, Elephant Man, Popcaan,  and Maxi Priest. They will perform Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Stephen “Ragga” Marley, Julian “JuJu Royal” Marley, Bounty Killer, Busy Signal and other returning members of the Ghetto Youths International family. Representing the best of sound system culture, the Welcome to Jamrock Cruise 2015 proudly present the original Saxon Studio posse from London including Philip “Papa” Levi of “Mi God Mi King” fame. They will join King Jammy’s Super Power, whose performance on last October’s cruise was legendary. Stay tuned for more breaking news about sound system action the cruise. All aboard! Full Lineup and Videos After The Jump… (more…)

  • Free Up The Herbs: 40 of Reggae’s Highest-Grade Ganja Anthems

    Free Up The Herbs: 40 of Reggae’s Highest-Grade Ganja Anthems

    Marijuana Laws May Be Changing, But These Rebel Music Selections Will Keep Playing Forever

    Every day brings new headlines about voters in the U.S.A. passing medical marijuana laws and American states decriminalizing reefer—even as the Federal government reserves the right to swoop in and prosecute whoever however whenever. Meanwhile venture capitalists continue to align themselves with the Bob Marley estate in order to build a global ganja brand. It feels like a bright new day in the long-running batttle to legalize Jamaica’s national herb. But don’t sleep: the Governor General has yet to sign the proposal that would allow Rastas to cultivate for personal use and corporations to cultivate for profit. And Jamaica’s Governor General still answers to the Queen of England, so there’s no telling what will happen. Meanwhile youths all over the world are still getting locked up for illegal possession of the wisdom weed. So the binghi drums have to beat and songs like these have to play, words sounds and power. These are not just “weed tunes” but songs about the real-life struggles surrounding ganja prohibition. say are they just one-line shout-outs, like the tune where Bounty and Cham said “tell the government free up the weed policy,” as wicked as that was. These are the rabble-rousing songs dedicated to defending marijuana growers and sellers and smokers from all forms of downpression. Some relate to the nitty-gritty details of the hustler’s life, others focus on police efforts to fight against the weed, while others make the case for legalization. Any topic that could inspire so much great music has to be important. Just like Josey Wales said on track #20, “It Haffi Bun.” And these songs have to play. Audio After The Jump; Countdown Continues Above (more…)

  • PREMIERE: John Brown’s Body “Pulsing Dub”

    PREMIERE: John Brown’s Body “Pulsing Dub”

    U.S. Reggae OGs Link w Yesking To Dub It Inna Dry & Heavy Stylee

    Two years after the release of their album Kings And Queens, NorthEast reggae rulers John Brown’s Body are back with KINGS AND QUEENS IN DUB on Easy Star Records. Inspired by classic dub discs like Burning Spear’s Garvey’s Ghost and Aswad’s New Chapter of Dub, the new release reprises the entire sequence from Kings And Queens mixed by a who’s who of dub champions including Ticklah, Dubmatix, Dubfader (of 10 Ft. Ganja Plant), UK legend Dennis Bovell, Yesking, Michael G (of Easy Star All-Stars), Lord Echo (of The Black Seeds), and more. Boomshots is proud to premiere the first track today.   Audio After The Jump…

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  • HEAR THIS: Protoje “Answer to Your Name”

    HEAR THIS: Protoje “Answer to Your Name”

    Diggy Dips Back to UK 1971 On This Ska-Style Skorcha

    A breath of fresh air on the reggae scene, Protoje blends classic Jamaican sounds with up-to-the-minute energy—plus a winning sense of humor but not one drop of the posing and posturing that can turn cool into cliche. “Like to tell you a story about a girl I know,” he says at the top of this ska-tempo rave-up, “or should I say a girl I used to know.” Set in England circa 1971 (around the time ska was killing it in the UK) the tale concerns one of those beautiful British girls who can turn ice-cold at the drop of a hat. Taken from Diggy’s highly anticipated album Ancient Future with frequent collaborators Winta James and Lewis Planter on the track. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • Jahdan Blakkamoore “Order of Distinction” Album Art and Tracklist

    Jahdan Blakkamoore “Order of Distinction” Album Art and Tracklist

    BK Field Marshall Reveals Details On His Third Studio Album
    The Guyanese-born, Brooklyn-bred, Grammy-nominated songwriter Jahdan Blakkamoore has just revealed all the details about his third studio album. Order of Distinction is set to be released on the Lustre Kings Productions label on March 25th. The album features guest spots by Lutan Fyah, Pressure Busspipe, Kabaka Pyramid, and Illuminati Congo, to name a few.  Following the high-energy track “Ting Tun Up,” the official first single will be a lovers rock selection, “Smooth Black Skin.” The follow-up to Mr. Blakkamoore’s 2010 Lustre Kings release, Babylon Nightmare, Distinction features mainly production by Paper Stars, the production and writing duo forged between Jahdan Blakkamoore and Andrew Moon Bain (Lustre Kings) after years of prolific practice in the studio and receiving a Grammy nod in 2013 for Major’s Lazer’s & Snoop Dogg’s, Snoop Lion Reincarnated. Dre Skull also steps in to produce “Sky’s the Limit”. Details After The Jump… (more…)
  • HEAR THIS: Cutty Ranks “Nah Hitch”

    HEAR THIS: Cutty Ranks “Nah Hitch”

    The Lyrical Rocket Launcher Still Uses Dibby Dibby DJs For Target Practice

    Wait deh man—Mr. Six Million Ways to Die, the lyrical rocket launcher, the original Cutter is back to put all dibby dibby DJs in check. Just bucked up Cutty Ranks at a dance in Kingston the other day and he blessed us with some crazy new war tunes—and this is only the first of many. The Ranks talks reckless about Gage, Alkaline, I-Shawna, even Ninjaman and some other big-time DJs. Sounds like this could get nasty. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Munga “Stainless”

    HEAR THIS: Munga “Stainless”

    Ricky Blaze And The Gangsta Ras Connect

    When Munga Honorable first stampeded through the dancehall circuit, some people had a hard time with his “Gangsta Ras” persona. “Buss it make the earth shake,” he bragged on one early tune, “it’s like an earthquake.” Oddly enough, boasting about the size of one’s gun through gold fronts was not the behavior folks expected from Rasta youth. Luckily Flatbush Brooklyn has plenty of experience with the whole gangsta ras phenomenon. So Munga dropped by Ricky Blaze’s basement studio and they made another one of those out-the-box records that changes everything. Now Munga’s free to extol the shininess of his own hardware to his heart’s content. What a wonderful world. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Shaggy “I Need Your Love” Remix

    HEAR THIS: Shaggy “I Need Your Love” Remix

    Shaggy’s Outernational hit Gets a Dreamy Valentine’s Day Refix

    Ever since 1993, when he and Sting International transformed an ancient reggae song by the Folkes Brothers into a global hit called “Oh Carolina,” Shaggy has demonstrated an uncanny ability to come up with Boomshots heard round the world. His latest guilty pleasure was made in collaboration with Swedish Afro-pop singer Mohombi,Australian singer Fayde, and Romanian co-writer Costi Ionita. “I did a song with Costi, ‘Fired Up’ with Pitbull, and I wanted to get together again. I heard this track and thought it was wonderful. So I did some lyrics and we got a song people really like.” Shaggy recently remarked. You’ve probably seen the video showing the Shagsman cavorting on a yacht somewhere on a twinkling sea of blue. Now, just in time for Valentine’s Day, here comes a dancefloor-ready remix of the tune courtesy of the GameBoyz. Shaggy he will surely perform this one at his V-Day shows—along with Maxi Priest and Sanchez—in New Jersey and New York this weekend. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Jahdan Blakkamoore ft. Lady Leshurr & Melodic Yoza “Ting Tun Up”

    HEAR THIS: Jahdan Blakkamoore ft. Lady Leshurr & Melodic Yoza “Ting Tun Up”

    BK General Links w one UK Bad Gyal and one Canadian Soul Rebel and EveryTING Tun Up—Loud

    It’s  been a long, slow climg for Guyana-born Brooklyn-raised Jahdan Blakkamoore, but at last he finds himself perfectly positioned between authenticity of voice and freshness of perspective. Here Mr. B blesses us with the first joint off his forthcoming album Order of Distinction, featuring a guest appearances from Birmingham’s own Lady Leshurr. Toronto’s Melodic Yoza collabs on this relentlessly rocking club banger. Produced by Paper Stars, the production and writing duo Blakkamoore built with Andrew Moon Bain (of Lustre Kings fame). Morphing between traditional roots reggae bass, rub-a-dubstep distortion and a whole heap ah sonic sintingz, the track tun up till it buck while Blakkamoore, Yoza, and hyperspeed Leshurr take turns blacking out. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Kendrick Lamar ft. Assassin “The Blacker The Berry”

    HEAR THIS: Kendrick Lamar ft. Assassin “The Blacker The Berry”

    K Dot Links Sasco On A Revolutionary Record

    Assassin aka Agent Sasco is your favorite rapper’s favorite dancehall star. First Kanye West enlisted him to drop bars on the standout Yeezus track, “I’m In It.” Yesterday the consensus pick for best rapper alive dropped a new track from the forthcoming (and highly anticipated) follow-up to his classic 2012 album good kid, m.A.A.d city. The song’s a lyrical tour-de-force of course, touching on racism, mental slavery, violence and hypocrisy. It’s thrilling to hear two of the world’s greatest doing what they do best, coming together across cultural and geographical lines through the art of riding riddims. Of course, it would have been even more thrilling if Assassin were credited for the feature, but Boomshots went ahead and gave him that on the strength cause it’s only right. Audio After The Jump…

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  • Ziggy Marley Wins Sixth Grammy, But Nobody Gets To See It

    Ziggy Marley Wins Sixth Grammy, But Nobody Gets To See It

    Three Decades Later, The Reggae Award Is Still NOT Televised

    Congratulations Ziggy Marley on your latest win at the Grammys. Fly Rasta Up Up Up… Way Up/. And just to make sure the ting STAY up, it’s time to revisit an important question. Why is the Best Reggae Album category STILL not being broadcast anywhere? It’s not like the world doesn’t love Reggae music. So what’s the problem? When will the reggae massive show some Unity and command respect like the hip-hop massive did back in 1989 before the music was a billion-dollar industry. U-N-I-T-Y is strength. Time to get up stand up for the good of the music. Uzeet. This year marks not only Bob Marley’s 70th birthday but also the 30th anniversary of the Best Reggae Album category. Details After The Jump… (more…)