Worl’Boss Speaks Out About His Triumph In Court
Following this morning’s Not Guilty verdict, imprisoned dancehall star Vybz Kartel had an ear-to-ear grin, but said little in court. Now he has released the following statement. Text After The Jump…
Author: Boomshots
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Vybz Kartel Issues Statement on Verdict
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WATCH THIS: Wayne Marshall “I Know” Official Music Video
Ghetto Youths Intl & Game Over Films Present A Wicked New Piece of Visuals
Wayne Marshall’s rub-a-dub scorcher “I Know” has been on heavy rotation since we premiered it right here on Boommshots. And now director Jay Will has released a video that’s just as wicked as we wanted it to be. Think zinc fences. A dancehall session. Hot gals with smartphones. Bad bwoys with heavy waists. And one bag ah screwface. But just remember he who gets the girl in the end wins. Get the picture?
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Sizzla Kalonji Speaks on Selassie’s Birthday
Just Before Blazing The Niyabinghi Fire, Sizzla Checked in With The Strictly Boomshots Show
Today marks the 121st anniversary of the birth of Tafari Makonnen Woldemikael, who would go on to become Haile Selassie I, emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Selassie holds a special place for the Rastafarian faithful, and his birthday is celebrated by the blazing of the Niyabinghi fire and days of drumming and chanting. During last night’s Strictly Boomshots show, we were blessed with an exclusive telephone call from Sizzla Kalonji, who was on his way to the Niyabinghi. He took some time to speak on his new album The Messiah, broke down the importance of Haile Selassie, the meaning of Niyabinghi, and even chanted a few lines over the phone line. All those who have ears, let them hear. Interview Audio After The Jump… (more…) -
A$AP Ferg Speaks on Shabba
A Rare Interview with the Trap Lord
A$AP Ferg’s summer scorcher “Shabba” has set the streets of NYC on fire—and the mad music video featuring the whole A$AP Mob and Shabba Ranks himself has everybody wondering why a youth from Harlem decided to pay homage to Shabba. The A$AP Mob is known for their ’90s nostalgia, and who was a bigger dancehall star in the early 90s than Shabba Ranks? And of course if you listen to A$AP Rocky’s hit “Pe$o” you can hear the dancehall influence runs deep amongst the mob. But still Ferg’s connection to Shabba runs even deeper. Born into a Trinidadian family, Ferg used to visit Jamaica as a youth. Boomshots’ own Reshma B sat down with Ferg for an in-depth discussion of “Shabba” and a preview of Ferg’s debut album, Trap Lord. Video After The Jump… (more…) -
WATCH THIS: Cornell Campbell “Queen of the Minstrel” & “Stars” Live
Roots Reggae Master Rocks Brixton
Cornell Campbell in fine voice at the Lambeth Country Show at Brockwell Park, Brixton, London, UK on Sunday 21 July 2013 performing two of his greatest Studio One tunes ‘Queen Of The Minstrel’ & ‘Stars’ with backing by the Soothsayers Band. Photograph & Video by David Corio Video After The Jump… (more…) -
HEAR THIS: Selena Gomez “Like A Champion”
Disney Diva Dabbles in Dancehall
Buju Banton may be languishing behind bars, but his music cannot be contained. Sometimes that’s a good thing and sometimes, not so much. Case in point: Justin Bieber’s on-again-off-again lady love Selena Gomez has just covered his 1995 dancehall classic “Champion” inna island-pop stylee. Insert ear plugs and press play. Audio After The Jump… (more…) -
Freddie McGregor & Chino Pon Radio Lily
The Big Ship Family Sails Through The Strictly Boomshots Show
Last week’s show was an epic two-parter. No sooner had Mr. Easy vacated RadioLily on his way to a Brooklyn studio session than we got word that the Big Ship crew was in town. Of course Di Captain and Chino had many moves to make, but they found time to drop anchor at Houston and Sullivan for some late night reasoning and a couple of freestyles too. Listen to Chino spitting hot fire over the Duck riddim, and listen to Freddie McGregor talking about the construction of Big Ship studio and what he learned from Bob Marley at Studio One. Audio & Video After The Jump… (more…) -
Mr. Easy Pon Radio Lily
Crucial Dancehall Singer Nices Up Strictly Boomshots
Last week on the Strictly Boomshots show we were blessed by the presence of a true veteran in the dancehall business. Talking about the man called Mr. Easy aka Easy like Sunday morning. You know his tunes like “She Drives Me Crazy” on the big bad Buyout riddim. And you heard his latest release, the summer banger “Fly Away” Ft. Beenie Man right here on Boomshots. But did you know that he used to kick it with Christopher Wallace back in Jamaica before he grew up to become Biggie Smalls? Or that he won Showtime at the Apollo? Or that he was featured on a Big Daddy Kane album? Half the story has never been told.
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HEAR THIS: The Incomparable Shakespeare “Murderer”
BK Rapper Reps For Trayvon Over a Barrington, Beenie, Buju Mashup
The tragedy of Trayvon Martin’s murder and subsequent miscarriage of justice has inspired much outrage and more than a few good songs, the latest being this heatrock from The Incomparable Shakespeare, a young rapper from Brooklyn’s Vandevere housing projects. His use of various dancehall “murder” anthems helps drive home the point behind his lyrics of fury. Shaky baby is spitting that murder murder murder. Tun it up. Loud. Audio & Download Link After The Jump… (more…) -
HEAR THIS: Stephen Marley ft. Busy Signal “You and Me Attract”
Ragga And The HottHead Link
Stephen “Ragga” Marley has been experimenting with some fresh new styles as he prepares to release his album Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life. The latest new sound is a collabo with Busy Signal that’s all about the girls. The mid-tempo tune boasts a catchy hook seasoned with Auto-Tune effects. Ghetto Youths International is definitely going outernational with this one. Audio After The Jump…
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HEAR THIS: Steel Pulse “Put Your Hoodies On (4 Trayvon)”
Handsworth Revolutionists Still Asking: “Does Not Justice Stand For All”?
[Photograph by Dennis Morris]
When Steel Pulse first burst out of Birmingham in 1975, they were the most militant reggae group in England. Their debut album, Handsworth Revolution set a tone of uncompromising rebel music with tracks like “Ku Klux Klan.” The band would sometimes throw on Klansmen’s hoods when performing the tune live, making a dreadfully powerful statement and striking fear into the hearts of downpressors worldwide. After dabbling in lighter fare like “Rollerskates,” the Pulse is back on that hood shit, but this time in tribute to Trayvon Martin. David “Dread” Hinds describes their new song, “Put Your Hoodies On [4 Trayvon],” as “a plea for justice. Steel Pulse has been campaigning and watching this case since February 26th 2012. The fact is that an innocent teenager is dead, shot by a man who was playing vigilante—pursuing the teenager around the neighborhood despite being advised against it by the authorities. This could well end up as the day justice was killed once again in a Jim Crow. We sensed the result but despite the outcome of the trial, the truth remains the truth, and the ghost of justice will haunt this town of Sanford, Florida forever.” Audio & Download Link After The Jump… (more…) -
WATCH THIS: A$AP Ferg ft. A$AP Rocky “Shabba Ranks” Official Video
Dancehall Emperor Makes a Cameo Appearance in the new A$AP Mob Visuals
The A$AP Mob may come from Harlem, but they’ve always showed love for Jamaican flavor. A$AP Rocky’s mixtape hit “Pe$o” had a chopped-and-screwed raggamuffin-style hook. Now comes A$AP Ferg with the smash hit named after dancehall emperor Shabba Ranks. It’s clear that A$AP Ferg has nuff respect for Shabba’s swag: “Eight gold rings like I’m Shabba Ranks” / “Two bad bitches like I’m Shabba Ranks” / “One gold tooth like I’m Shabba Ranks” And Rocky chats a few lines of Shabba’s hit “Ting A Ling” on his verse. The video dropped today and yes, Mr. Loverman does make a cameo appearance. Let’s hope he hops on a remix too. It’s only right. Video After The Jump… (more…)