Boomshots

Category: Fresh Cut

New Releases

  • Murda She Wrote October 2020

    Murda She Wrote October 2020

    Unruly Boss Covers Reshma B’s Column on Tidal

    At the end of each month, the Reggae Girl About Town rounds up the top tunes for her “Murda She Wrote” column on Tidal. If you’re looking for October’s wickedest selections, you’ve come to the right place. This month’s lineup features certified Boomshots by Popcaan, Chronixx, Spragga Benz & Konshens, and Skillibeng. It’s Murda!

    Jamaica is a small island with an outsized impact on the world. “We likkle but we tallawah” is the local phrase that sums it up best. “Likkle” means “little,” of course, while “tallawah” is a patois term describing someone who’s “strong-willed, fearless and not to be taken lightly.” All of which is a good description for Popcaan, the 5-foot-6 musical giant who looms larger than ever over the global dancehall scene.  Music After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Mojo Morgan ft. Gramps Morgan & Stephen “Ragga” Marley “Be Free” Lyric Video

    WATCH THIS: Mojo Morgan ft. Gramps Morgan & Stephen “Ragga” Marley “Be Free” Lyric Video

    And Now For Something Completely Different
    “Hit me from the top,” sings Stephen “Ragga” Marley at the start of “Be Free,” a three-the-hard-way posse cut featuring hard bars from Mojo and smooth vocals from his brother Gramps of Grammy-winning reggae band Morgan Heritage. Bob Marley’s second son has become a reggae legend in his own write, producing top talent in the worlds of reggae, rap and R&B and rocking stages all over the world as he breaks down the walls of musical apartheid. “Let me lead the rebellion,” Mojo states over a madd track built around a vintage Wailers sample. When Mojo speaks of “One billion sons that’s full of conviction / Determination to rock the nation,” this  song sounds hard enough to do just that—and the visual featuring Trump dancing in a jail cell (which premiered today via Mass Appeal) will make your day. Free up yourself and plug in to some different vibes. Video After The Jump…

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  • PREMIERE: Raging Fyah “REBEL”

    PREMIERE: Raging Fyah “REBEL”

    Ah No If Nor Because

    Raging Fyah, one of the fastest rising roots reggae bands from Kingston, Jamaica, are moving from strength to strength. The Grammy-nominated ensemble just leaked a new single produced by Llamar “Riff Raff” Brown for Nebilus Records. The riddim is warm and easy, the melodies bright and the mesaage is righteous. “The road of life get rocky,” sing Kumar “Kumz” Bent. “You know you’ve got to trod.” This is real roots rock reggae straight out of Jamaica. Listen up. Audio After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Nesbeth “New Gangster”

    HEAR THIS: Nesbeth “New Gangster”

    Redefining The Concept

    A versatile artist with a strong singing voice, Nesbeth took his career to new heights last year with his inspirational tune called “My Dream.” His latest release, on DJ Frass’ percolating “Street Light” Riddim, seeks to redefine the concept of “gangster” for a new generation. “Gone is the days when we used to glorify py py,” he sings to kick things off. “Every youth wise up now this a civilized time.” Envisioning economic upliftment without firing shots, Nesbeth sketches out a vision of what could be possible if people made up their mind to bring about change: “Buy mama house ah de new gangsta, take care of your youth ah de new gangster.” With a cover image showing a trash can filled to the brim with discarded firearms, the new single is powerful enough to stir up hope in the hardest of hearts. “Life too sweet fi deh inna prison lock,” Nebeth sings. “Look on your favorite hero, who no lockup play zero.” Some have interpreted his lyrics as a swipe at incarcerated “Dancehall Hero” Vybz Kartel, but his message of aspiring to be “rich and up” sounds more positive than provocative. With Jamaican experiencing elevated crime rates at the start of the new year, this tune is right on time. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Nadine Sutherland “Never In Love” PREMIERE

    HEAR THIS: Nadine Sutherland “Never In Love” PREMIERE

    “Action” Star Is Taking It EZZ

    “It’s a woman’s empowerment song,” explains Nadine Sutherland of her latest release. “Basically, it’s saying Watch, listen and learn before you give your all.” Giving her all to reggae music since an early age, Sutherland signed with Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong label at a tender age and exploded to worldwide fame with her Dave Kelly–produced 1993 smash “Action.” Since that time she’s maintained her standing as one of Jamaica’s finest vocalists and also grown as a person. “I think as a grown woman I am hesitant to ‘fall in love’ or to give of myself as easily in  comparison to when I was younger,” she says of the song she cowrote, and whhose lyrics share the blessings of hard-learned life lessons. Today Boomshots proudly premieres the tune, produced by College Boyz and distributed by Zojak. “I guess I have become wiser because of having experiences with people who have ulterior agendas. So I’m an experienced lover whey know me ABC’s, me no run Inna nobody, me tek it EZZ’s.”Audio After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Jah Cure “Telephone Love”

    HEAR THIS: Jah Cure “Telephone Love”

    Cure Again

    Ever since returning from a successful Summer tour of Europe and dropping that “Rasta is passing through” video, Jah Cure has been hitting the studio hard. His Instagram feed shows off his work ethic, sipping lemon water and ginger juice in the morning, shuttling to and from the soundlab to build with “The Grammy team,” reasoning in the studio with ace producer Clive “Uglyman” Hunt. Today we enjoy the first fruit of his labors: a crucial lovers’ rock selection about the ins an outs of a long-distance relationship. “Good morning,” Cure sings as sweet as you please. “I see you missed my last calling.” (And don’t miss the extended dub mix soundbwoy!)  Sounds like Cure’s new album, which he’s been referring to as “Royal Soldiers,” is off to a strong start. Audio After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Popcaan “Usain Bolt / World Cup Dubplate”

    HEAR THIS: Popcaan “Usain Bolt / World Cup Dubplate”

    Weh Dem Ah Go Do Now?

    Usain Bolt has never hidden the fact that he’s a major dancehall fan. Back in Beijing, he celebrated his first Olympic win by busting a Gully Creeper dance. (His 2009 welcome home dance in Trelawney was legendary.) This year in Rio Bolt celebrated his first win by posting an Instagram video of himself singing along to Popcaan’s big tune “World Cup (We Still A Win).” The Unruly Boss wasted no time reposting the video and hit the studio sometime soon after. No sooner did Bolt cross the finish line in Rio, collecting his second gold medal, than Poppy’s Bolt dubplate start shell the worldwide web up. Audio & Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Gary Nesta Pine “Thanks and Praise” PREMIERE

    HEAR THIS: Gary Nesta Pine “Thanks and Praise” PREMIERE

    New Music from the Revelations Album

    “I’m a messenger from Jah,” says Gary Nesta Pine. “My dad was a postman; I feel like I am the postman of music.” The long-time leader of NYC’s notorious City Heat band, Pine was blessed to serve as lead vocalist for the legendary reggae band The Wailers for many years, and he’s also collabed with French hitmaker Bob Sinclair. The singer is now preparing to release a new album titled Revelations on August 26th. Today Boomshots proudly premieres one of the album’s 13 tracks, a musical thing called “Thanks and Praise.” On maybe the most personal cut on the album, Gary says he’s “just giving thanks and praise to the almighty Rastafari, for the mountains, the birds, the world, the people who influenced my life, the love of my family, his guidance. It’s a prayer from me to God.” Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Stylez “Whine Fi Me (Don’t Stop)” PREMIERE

    HEAR THIS: Stylez “Whine Fi Me (Don’t Stop)” PREMIERE

    The Yawdie Aubrey Mashes Up The 86 Riddim

    In comes a fresh cut from Juss Kool Productions brand news “86 Riddim” a timeless hardcore dancehall riddim that just dropped today as a timely reminder of what the game’s been missing. Many years in the making, the riddim’s title is something of an homage to Dave Kelly’s immortal “85 Riddim” (of “Ghetto Story” fame) and really to the hard-edged digital sound pioneered by the Madhouse maestro. Having honed his craft working alongside the likes of Philip Smart and Bobby Konders, Juss Kool took his time to perfect this bone-cracking track, which the Jamaica-born Drake of Dancehall aka “Yawdy Aubry” (formally known as I Am Stylez Music) tears to shreds. This Stylez selection “Whine Fi Me (Don’t Stop)” has the Instagram dancehall queens going wild—and that can’t be a bad thing. Audio & Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Protoje “Can’t Feel No Way” DOWNLOAD

    HEAR THIS: Protoje “Can’t Feel No Way” DOWNLOAD

    New Music From Diggy British!

    First things first: Protoje’s debut album Ancient Future was a masterpiece. The fact that it did not receive a Grammy nomination was a grievous oversight, but then again the Grammys have a long history of fuckry. Ancient Future joins a distinguished group of reggae albums that were slept on by the Recording Academy. Diggy speaks on these and other matters on a dynamic new song—the first taste of a soon-to-drop album, Royalty Free—which is currently downloadable for free on his Soundcloud. Produced by Hartford’s own Tracker John MD, the track—built around a ghostly Horace Andy sample—is str8 fiyah. (Shout out to Taj Francis on the ill single illustration; attention to detail we say!) The song’s title notwithstanding, we can’t help but feel like the DJ feels some type of way. Listen and draw your own conclusions.  Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • 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: Sizzla & Popcaan “Wish Bad”

    HEAR THIS: Sizzla & Popcaan “Wish Bad”

    Unruly x Kalonji = Wickedness Increase

    Ever since that epic Ghetto Splash a few Christmases back when Sizzla Kalonji and the whole Judgment Yard joined the Unruly Boss and Aidonia on stage, the Kalonji x Unruly link has only gotten stronger. We loved that Not Nice production they did with Teflon, and now comes a banger from Yard Vybz Ent and Young Pow Production focusing on those badmind people who let their negative feeligns flow on the down-low. Between the disappointment of Views and that likkle situation in Antigua, Popcaan’s had a tough time the last few weeks. But if you know Hotskull you know he’s not letting anything drag down his vibes. Here at Boomshots we don’t run down bad news in reggae music because when it comes to our favorite artists we never wish them bad. Audio After The Jump… (more…)