Today The DJ Was Sentenced To Six Months—He Will Go Free November 21st
Busy Signal’s sentencing hearing took place today in Minnesota Federal Court, and it was a good day. Boomshots caught up with his manager Shane Brown who gave us the full scoop. (more…)
A Dub Legend Speaks on King Tubby, The Roots of Dub, & The Vampire-Killing Power of Drum & Bass
History will be made tonight at B.B. King’s in New York City when the Dub Champions Festival presents Scientist and the Roots Radics band performing their legendary 1981 album Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires live in its entirety for the first time ever. The Radics’s sessions for Henry “Junjo” Lawes at Channel One Studio became the stuff of legend, largely because the brilliant young engineer Scientist was at the controls. Born Overton Brown in Kingston, Jamaica, Scientist was just a teenager when he first began working with King Tubby’s, the originator of dub music. He managed to win Tubby’s confidence and the student soon became a master, the most in-demand studio engineer in Jamaica. With a big assist from Emch of Subatomic Sounds we caught up with Scientist for this rare in-depth interview and he had so much things to say. Suffice it to say that half the story has never been told. Q&A after the jump. (more…)
Brand New Visual From The Album My Way
The smooth singer who brought us dancehall classics like “Saddest Day of My Life” and “No Letting Go” is finally back with a new album called My Way on his own Singso Music imprint. His latest video, also featuring Triple-D and DJ Mo-A-Lee, finds Wayne in the club with champagne poppin’ and hot girls twerkin’. What’s not to like?
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“Legalize It,” An Exhibition Of Jaffe’s Tosh Photos, Is On View Now At Dem Passwords Gallery in L.A.
Lee Jaffe was born in the Bronx but always felt right at home in Jamaica. The man who played harmonica on Bob Marley’s “Three O’Clock Roadblock” was also a great photographer who shot the cover of Peter Tosh’s 1976 solo debut, Legalize It. Many of Jaffe’s images are collected in his indispensible photographic memoir One Love: Life With Bob Marley & The Wailers. But as Tosh’s lyrics said “Half the story has never been told.” Earlier this month an exhibition of remarkable photographs and video footage shot by Lee Jaffe opened at at Dem Passwords gallery in Los Angeles. The show captures images of the Bush Doctor during the Spring of 1976, just months before the release of Legalize It and 11 years before his assassination. Interview and photos after the jump. (more…)
The Past, Present & Future of Bass Music: From Scientist & Lee “Scratch” Perry to Kode9 & Appleblim
These days everybody seems to be raving about electronic dance music—or “EDM.” There are too many different subgenres to list here, and more are being invented as we speak. But the true heads know that it all started with another three-letter word: dub. Subatomic Sound’s second annual Dub Champions Festival is all about rewinding back to the reggae roots of dub and then fast-forward into the future of bass music. It all begins tonight with Deadly Dragon Sounds free Downtown Top Ranking kick-off party at Happy Endings. As always, the Downtown Top Ranking session is free. For everything else, you may want to register at www.DubChampions.com for a discount code. Full schedule of events after the jump.
Brand New Visuals From The Cookies EP
Gappy Ranks just got back from a tour of California in support of his herbalicious Cookies EP. Wondering what the UK Bad Bwoy did on his road trip? Enjoy close-up shots of freshly rolled blunts and high-grade in mason jars? Then you’ll want to check out Gappy’s brand new release “West Coast.” Video After The Jump
A Backyard Dance Turns Into A Matey Sabotage Saga
It’s been a minute since we heard from Mr. Easy, the ultra-cool singer who used to mash up Saturday night dances in Brooklyn by strolling onstage singing “Easy like Sunday morning.” Easy went on to give us hits like “Funny Man” and “She Drives Me Crazy” and now he’s back with two cuts on the hard-hitting Speak Out riddim—”Badmind Prayer” and a crazy collabo with Spragga Benz called “Nuh Response Fi Dat.” They’ve just dropped the video, which is full of hot girls carrying on at a backyard dance. Before long the jerk chicken, dominoes, and dancing turns into one bag of drama. We’re not exactly sure what all the excitement is about—something to do with who has “the Ziploc punash.” Take in the visuals and let us know your thoughts in the comments. Video after the jump.
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The Double Disc “One Love, One Life” Will Show Both Sides of Hammond’s Artistry
A new Beres Hammond release is always cause for celebration. From love songs like “What One Dance Can Do” and “Tempted To Touch” to reality tunes like “Warriors Don’t Cry” and “Putting Up Resistance” the maestro’s catalog runs the gamut of styles and sounds, and the classics never seem to stop coming. (more…)
The Archangel Testifies To The Power of Love
From “Splashing Dashing” to “Mama Africa” to the “Lion Roars,” Garnet Silk blessed us with some amazing records during his brief, brilliant time on earth. The LPs and 45s trace the outlines of a stellar career, but if you never got the chance to experience Garnet live, then you’ll never fully overstand why so many people believed his voice would lead reggae to the promised land. Just check out this classic performance on Buju & Friends stage show, as Garnet sings about a love so powerful that nothing—and no one—can stand in its way. Anyone who’s ever been kept apart from the one they love by powers beyond their control will be sure to feel Garnet’s fire when he sings: “I was born to love you. And you were born to love me too. And I can’t deny it, for I love you more each minute.” One look at the ladies in the crowd and you can plainly see the’re feeling it too. Hard to believe it’s been so long since the archangel flew away home. (more…)
Octane And The Warlord Connect To Bun Badmind
Markus Records offers up this warning to all badmindists planning to rise ‘gainst the general. Don’t make the Warlord loose the dogs of war or instigate Octane to blaze up the fire. It nah go pretty.
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Stylo Tells The ReggaeGirlAboutTown All About “Dash Out”
In the midst of all London Olympics madness, Boomshots UK Correspondent Reshma B caught up with Stylo G at the Puma Yard in London’s Brick Lane, where he and his bredren Stamma Kid were set to perform. The Jamacican-born UK artist told the ReggaeGirlAboutTown all about his future projects, including his hot new single with Chip, “Dash Out.” The sexy new “Dash Out” music video will premiere on Boomshots.com later today. In the meantime check out the reasoning with Reshma B. Video interview after the jump…
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Peep The New Visuals From Big Gongzilla x Skrillex
Skrillex just premiered the video for his collab with Junior Gong, and it’s a brilliant piece of work. Touching on the foreclosure crisis, the video—directed by Tony T. Datis—serves as a reminder that there are forces within us that are even more powerful than the economic pressures afflicting the whole world—if only we can tap into them. A Native American shaman in the suburbs beats the medicine drums and helps a young brave connect with the spirit world, striking fear into the hearts of greedy real estate developers. This video has a surreal, thought-provoking quality that ups the song’s artistic ante. Plus the special effects are sure to look really cool when you’re baked. What more could you ask for? Pass that fire.
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