Boomshots

Category: Dancehall

  • Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise 2: Twice As Nice

    Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise 2: Twice As Nice

    They Said “What Happens On The Cruise Stays On The Cruise”—But They Were Wrong!

    Having successfully completed its second annual mission, Damian Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise goes down in history as another amazing experience for lovers of reggae and dancehall music. This year featured not one but two back-to-back cruises loaded with no fewer than 23 different acts—not including guest artists—plus another 10 “sound systems,” three of whom engaged in an epic battle dubbed the first ever “sound clash on the sea.” Not a single detail was overlooked: from the movies showing in the ship’s theater to the music playing in the hallways when you step out of your cabin—even the buckets of Guiness sold hot or cold—everything was chosen to appeal to lovers of Jamaican culture. Roughly half the passengers hailed from the United States, with twenty or so other nationalities representing the UK, Europe, Asia, South America, the Pacific Islands, and of course the Caribbean. Rumor has it that there was even an early morning Niyabinghi session on the uppermost deck of the ship at dawn. For the second year in a row, the Boomshots team was on board to catch all the action. Check out the photo gallery above and watch this space for highlights of performances by Super Cat, Ragga Marley, King Jammy’$ Super Power and much much more. Video After The Jump…
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  • Remembering J Capri

    Remembering J Capri

    The untimely death of a rising dancehall artist 

    The most difficult news to grasp is the untimely death of a young, ambitious, big thinker. These are words friends of Jordan Phillips aka J Capri use to describe her. She reminded most of a young Patra, she definitely had “crossover potential”. Her musical sound was a fusion of dancehall and rhythm and blues. It looked like the stars were aligned for this fairly new artist. Her music ignited on the  dancehall scene with collaborations with Sean Paul, Vybz Kartel, Konshens, Charly Black and other international artists. In these collaborations and her solo songs, J Capri held her own and captivated audiences with sultry vocals and vivacious live performances.

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  • HEAR THIS: Tifa “Stay Away” Mixtape

    HEAR THIS: Tifa “Stay Away” Mixtape

    Tificles Sprays Them Haters With Lyrical Aerosol

    “Guess that’s why they mad when Tifa win.” If there’s anyone who has never been afraid of addressing her haters then you gotta give the title to the princess of dancehall. Over the course of her career, Boomshots have had many reasoning sessions with Tifa, and she always keeps it real as far as what’s going on. Whether you refer to haters as “enemies,” “frenemies,” “badmind,” or “grazmites,” there are numerous ways to describe those individuals who impose their jealousy, envy, and greed on those around them. There is a reason why Jah Cure sings about “Wicked people and badmind lurking in the dark.” What makes people embrace these deadliest sins? Some may say that others can’t stand to see you flourish or can’t wait to swoop in and take credit for your hard work. If you can relate to this concept just realize that you are not the first person to feel this way—nor will you be the last. If you’re a firm believer in God you may believe that you will be just fine if you can only stay strong because fake people always fall by the wayside in the end.  In her latest mixtape Tifa appears on the cover spraying aerosol poison on an assortment of roaches. Press play to hear her call out the people who have “robbed” her and pretended to be her “friends.” She even sends out a special warning to watch out for anyone  calling themself your “family.” ZJ Chrome keeps the beats fresh—including recent joints from Drake and Rihanna—to provide a canvas for Tifa’s real talk about sex, dating, overcoming haters, handicaps, and industry politricks. At the end of the day she sets the record straight she can still create hits and make money—so  don’t bother playing with her. If you are a hater, unless you are a “dunce,” then the message in the title is crystal clear—you have been warned! After you give the tape a good listen, check out some of our classic Tifa interviews for context. Audio & Video After The Jump…

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  • Full Moon Playlist II

    Full Moon Playlist II

    Ten Multi-Genre Selections for Your Halloween Party Playlist

       This year, Halloween was preceded by a Supermoon, making this holiday extra spooky. On September 27, 2015, a total lunar eclipse occurred and the moon passed into the Earth’s shadow. The moon appeared  close to the earth with a bright red illuminance. The last time this happened was 1982. Many believe that this type of moon brings about badness in people. The Full Moon Playlist II highlights songs that unleash the dark side of human nature in reggae, pop, dancehall, hip hop and soca. The playlist contains ten tunes focusing on an intrinsic baddness theme, while others go beyond the theme and comment on social issues, and a few are highlighted for a wicked production. Playlist After The Jump…

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  • WATCH THIS: Spice “Needle Eye” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Spice “Needle Eye” Official Music Video

    The Mad Gyal’s Fairy Godmother Hooks Her Up To Bruk Out

    Spice’s latest visuals are a dancehall Cinderella story, with one major difference: in the traditional fairy tale, Cinderalla uses a needle and thread to stitch herself a dress. In Spice’s version the needle eye has a whole different meaning. (Word to Shabba Ranks.) Just like in the Disney movie, those wicked stepsisters head out to the dance, leaving Spice at home with no bashment gear. But never fear—her fairy godmother hooks her up and Spice heads straight to the session to flop those stepsisters and take the man they’ve got their eyes on. (The man in question is played by Spice’s real-life man, Nicholas Lall). Shot entirely in Paris, France, the “Needle Eye” video delivers a powerful dose of eye candy. All the classic dancehall themes are there—the speaker boxes, flaming torches, multicolored wigs, and headtop wining—but with a fresh, playful twist that keeps things extra-Spicey.  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Dexta Daps “Slavery” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Dexta Daps “Slavery” Official Music Video

    The Dappa Slappa Is Missing That Glue Sincerely

    Dexta Daps is a youth who sings for girls and gallis—full stop. And when he deals with the matter, he doesn’t go sideways or screech around corners—he addresses it straight and plain. Sure, this gifted singer/songwriter serves up some sweet and tender melodies—and this sticky-sweet slow jam, produced by the masterminds at Daseca, ranks up there as one of his sweetest. But let’s not beat about the bush. When he says he missed this girl, he’s not just thinking of long walks on the beach or evenings at home to “Netflix and chill.” He misses her f*ck. As with his breakout hit “7Eleven,” Daps keeps it 100 on this tune, a winning formula for his fervent female fanbase. “Me friends ah laugh and say me pussy-whip,” Daps sings. “Pussy whip me like slavery!”  Check him profiling in a Rolls Royce with his honey dip in this criss new video. Video After the Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Bunji Garlin & Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley “The Message”

    HEAR THIS: Bunji Garlin & Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley “The Message”

    Zilla & The Viking Join Forces Because Music Gonna Teach Them One Lesson

    In 1982—the year MJ dropped Thriller—Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five released “The Message,” a record that forced hip-hop to evolve from throw-your-hands-in-the-air escapism to what Chuck D would eventually describe as “the black CNN.” Thirty-three years later two giants of their respective Caribbean islands and genres—Bunji Garlin and Damian Marley—join forces to release a record of the same title, a song capable of redirecting soca and dancehall reggae (and Trinidad and Jamaica) in a more constructive direction. “I look to the sky and ask Almighty when will it finish? Is this a sign of the last days? The last few minutes?” The answer lies in our hands. But while there is life there must be hope. As the song says, “There is music in your soul, minerals in your soil, children full of beauty worth way much more than oil. While history unfolds, don’t let the good things spoil.” Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Daniel Bambaata Marley “Waiting for the War” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Daniel Bambaata Marley “Waiting for the War” Official Music Video

    “We’re The Last of the Mohicans, Last of a Dying Breed”

    If you ain’t up on Daniel Bambaata Marley yet, time to play catch-up. His first release, “My Girl,” a combination with his cousin Jo Mersa, touched the road in 2010. He sang the rootsy love song “Treat You Right” on Ghetto Youths International’s first Set Up Shop compilation. More recently, his track “Free It Up” was a standout on Inner Circle’s “Tenement Yard” juggling. Boomshots now presents the video for his latest release, “Waiting for the War.” like his name itself, this tune reflects two mighty musical legacies. Rooted in the reggae his grandfather Bob first spread around the world, the song explodes (tick-tick-boom) into a fusillade of bars that bounce between dancehall and hip hop cadences that would bring a smile to the face of the Universal Zulu Nation founder. As the eldest son of Ziggy Marley, Daniel is wary not to be pigeon-holed as some sort of carbon copy. No danger of that—he’s inherited his father’s taste for restless musical experimentation, and for a second-generation Jamaican youth raised in Miami it’s only fitting that Daniel embodies a complex of cultural influences. “False prophets are prophesying on some shit they’ll never see / While watching television wondering who’s watching me,” Daniel rhymes on the gritty track, which presents a surprisingly bleak world view for a 25-year-old. “My aim is to love,” he asserts in the same verse before noting that “We’re the last of the Mohicans, the last of a dying breed.” Welcome to the new age. Video After the Jump… (more…)

  • Super Cat Confirmed for Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise

    Super Cat Confirmed for Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise

    The Wild Apache Will Be On Board—Nah Tek Back No Chat

    Not content to be merely awesome, the second annual Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise continues to up the artistic ante. Yesterday Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s official cruise Facebook page made a late-breaking announcement: dancehall reggae legend Super Cat has just been confirmed for both of the five-night cruises from Miami to Jamaica and back. (Cat joins an already excpetional lineup, ranging from Jr. Gong to Barrington Levy to Capleton and Popcaan and many many more.) After a lengthy hiatus from the music business, the Wild Apache rallied forward in 2013, taking the music scene by storm with a surprise appearance alongside Shaggy in NYC. Since then Cat made a historic return to Jamaica for Sting 2013 and has continued to perform select spot dates for various groups of fans fortunate enough to witness history in the making every time the Don Dada steps on the stage. With the all-star sound system lineup on board this year’s cruises (including Jammy’s, Saxon, Metro Media, and Black Scorpio to name a few) some truly legendary musical moments are likely to unfold on the high seas. Video & Booking Details After The Jump… (more…)

  • Collie Buddz Talks “Blue Dreamz” EP and Herbal Inspiration

    Collie Buddz Talks “Blue Dreamz” EP and Herbal Inspiration

    “When I’m home I really don’t smoke,” says Bermuda’s Biggest Dancehall Star

    Collie Buddz rolled through NYC this Labor Day weekend to celebrate the release of his new EP Blue Dreamz. The Bermuda-born DJ said he recorded most of the new EP during a recent trip to Jamaica. The title track, produced by Johnny Wonder on his brand new “Ice Cold” riddim, refers to a popular strain of high-grade ganja that Collie discovered during a tour stop in Northern California. Although herb laws are reforming all over the world, Collie says that in his native Bermuda the wisdom weed is still far from legal. “When I’m home I really don’t smoke,” says the artist who first blew up off the ganja tune “Come Around.” The final track of the album is called “Prescription” and refers to a day when the healing of the nation will be available to all. Check out Collie Buddz reasoning with Reshma B about the new EP as well as some real talk about reggae and race and the inspiration behind his classic cut “Blind to You” (Haters).  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Reasoning with Hot 97 On Da Reggae and Soca Tip: “People Expect to Hear New Reggae on Hot 97”

    Reasoning with Hot 97 On Da Reggae
    and Soca Tip: “People Expect to Hear New Reggae on Hot 97”

    This Year They Almost Called It “On Da Reggae Soca and AfroBeat Tip”

    Hot 97’s annual On Da Reggae Tip concert has become the must-see kickoff event for NYC’s Labor Day Weekend every year. But in recent years they’ve added the word “Soca” to the title, reflecting the full range of Caribbean music in NYC. “Because you have so many big Jamaican names that can’t travel that’s hurt the music on this side,” says Ebro of Hot 97. “You’ve seen a rise in soca… We were even tossing around the idea of even adding AfroBeat to the show. You’re seeing them embracing other types of music.”  The 2015 edition, set for Friday September 4th on Governor’s Island, is already Sold Out—with soca boss Machel Montano holding it down for the Trini massive. Reshma B talks to the Hot 97 morning crew: Ebro, Rosenberg & Laura Stylez, as they discuss the current state of reggae, dancehall, and Afro-beat music and look back on some of the highlights of past ODRT shows—from Supercat’s surprise appearance to Spice wining on Rosenberg—and of course look forward to this year’s performances by Machel Montano, Barrington Levy, Gyptian, Assassin, Kranium, Konshens, Collie Buddz and more. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • IShawna Onstage Offstage & Backstage at Reggae Sumfest

    IShawna Onstage Offstage & Backstage at Reggae Sumfest

    Ooh La La! Ms Legendary Makes Her Dancehall Night Debut & RGAT Is There

    Ever since her highly publicized split with selector/producer Foota Hype, IShawna has been on a roll, stepping up her lyrical game and riding the wave of publicity to raise her career to new heights. Last month she made her Reggae Sumfest debut at Ladies Dancehall Night 2015 and the Reggae Girl About Town was there, rolling with Ms. Legendary onstage, offstage, and backstage to shoot an exclusive video special. This year the ladies were the talk of Sumfest, raising the possibility that Downsound’s dancehall diva might just be the future of dancehall. If you don’t believe it, watch IShawna take things to another level as she rips off her bridal gown and shows off some strategically placed Sirovsky crystals, and find out what she’ll do next in RGAT’s all-access report. Video After The Jump… (more…)