Boomshots

Category: Interview

  • Interview: Mavado Talks We The Best Projects, “Suicidal” Video, Shuts Down Haters & Shouts Out Vybz Kartel

    The Gully Gad Reasons With Reshma B In This Boomshots Exclusive

    Last week we got our first look at Mavado’s latest video, “So Suicidal” off DJ Khaled’s new album, Kiss The Ring. Tonight at 6pm, the Gully Gad will appear with Khaled and a bunch of other hip-hop stars on BET’s 106 & Park, then he’ll jet back to Miami, where he’s been working on some collabos with Birdman—not to mention Fabolous, Busta Rhymes, French Montana, and the list goes on. Why is he grinding so hard since signing with We The Best Music Group? As one of the few dancehall artists in the game with a major label deal, Mavado feels as though he’s carrying an entire genre on his back right now. And even though he’s been away from home while he handles his biz, trust and believe that Jamaica is never far from his thoughts. The Reggae Girl About Town caught up with Mavado last night for an exclusive half-hour interview, and he had a lot on his mind. And you’ll never guess which fellow dancehall artist he keeps in his prayers.
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  • HEAR THIS: Max Glazer and Dre Skull Pon Radio Lily For The “Kingston Story Deluxe” Release Party

    A Vybz Kartel Dubplate Barrage Followed By A Strictly Boomshots Interview & A Dre Skull Megamix

    This past Tuesday at Miss Lily’s Variety NYC, VICE Records and Mixpak celebrated the launch of Kingston Story Deluxe, the record Kartel once described thusly: “I’m so excited about the album, I feel like it’s my first album.” Max Glazer set the tone with a Federation station dubplate barrage, followed by Rob Kenner’s interview with Dreskull and Max about working with Kartel. Audio after the jump. (more…)

  • Dre Skull Speaks On The Making Of Vybz Kartel’s “Kingston Story”

    The Mixpak Records Boss Talks About Recording An Album With The Werlboss

    Earlier this week VICE Records released Kingston Story Deluxe, Vybz Kartel’s first full album with a single producer. That producer is Dre Skull, the founder of Brooklyn-based Mixpak Records, which released the album digitally last year. Boomshots caught up with Dre Skull to get the lowdown on how broke into the game and his reflections on working with dancehall’s most wanted. (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Clive Chin, Carol Dodd & Screechy Dan Celebrate Jamaica 50 Pon Radio Lily

    Strictly Boomshots Marks The Jamaican Jubilee By Reasoning About Studio One and Randy’s Records

    If you can’t make it to Jamaica, what better place to mark Jamaica’s 50th Anniversary than at Miss Lily’s Variety taking in the Strictly Boomshots Show? (more…)

  • Interview: Wayne Marshall Talks “Go Hard,” Ghetto Youths Link

    Mr. “Go Hard” Steps Off Stage at London’s Indig02 & Chops It Up With Reshma B

    This past weekend, Damian Marley and the Ghetto Youths International crew set up shop in London, England to kick off the Respect Jamaica 50 shows at the Indig02. After blazing the stage, Wayne Marshall took a moment to kick it with the Reggae Girl About Town. Reshma B asks Wayne about his big new posse cut “Go Hard” and how he really got Kartel on the track. (more…)

  • Interview: Damian Marley At Reggae Sumfest

    Gong To The Zilla Blazes Sumfest On His Birthday, Then Chops It Up With The Reggae Girl About Town

    After mashing up the final night of Reggae Sumfest 2012, Junior Gong tells Reshma B all about the new Ghetto Youths movement. Video after the jump.
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  • Interview: Shabba Speaks on Sumfest, Bigs Up Kartel

    The Dancehall Emperor Speaks On Why He’s Been Away From JA, And Says “Free Up The Vybz”

    Shabba Ranks’ headlining performance at the 20th anniversary edition of Reggae Sumfest in the early hours of Saturday morning is front page news in Jamaica today. Shortly after tearing up the stage in MoBay, the “Dancehall Emperor” blessed Boomshots.com with this exclusive interview. He tells Reshma B why he hasn’t performed in Jamaica for 11 years, how he keeps his body in shape, and shares a few words of encouragement for his fellow dancehall artists. Video after the jump… (more…)

  • Interview: Tommy Lee Mashes Up Sumfest “Like A Monster”

    The Hottest New Name In Dancehall Chops It Up With The Reggae Girl About Town

    Right after mashing up Dancehall Night at Reggae Sumfest, MoBay native Tommy Lee sat down with Reshma B for a quick interview. “How did it feel performing tonight?” she asked him. “Wonderful. Feel like a monster.” Check the video after the jump to hear how Tommy Lee keeps in touch with Vybz Kartel, and how he’s working to keep the Gaza alive. (more…)

  • Joseph Hill Speaks on “Two Sevens Clash”

    Remembering Culture’s Armagideon Theme Song

    Thirty-five years ago was July 7, 1977—a numerological cataclysm of epic proportions in a year of turmoil and great music. (Seven/seven/seventy-seven was sorta like the original 12.21.12.) But none of the the apocalyptic anthems released during that fraught year could touch Joseph Hill’s inspired ravings on the classic Culture selection “Two Sevens Clash.” Before the late great Mr Hill’s passing, we had a chance to reason with him about the tune. Here’s what he had to say… (more…)

  • Interview: Reasoning With Beenie Man

    The Doctor Speaks On Gay Listeners, Nicki Minaj, and Why He Can’t Be Compared to Mavado and Kartel

    Remember that tune where Beenie Man says “Me lose me visa but everything nice”? Well let’s just say that everything’s much nicer now that he’s got the visa (and work permit) back. Beenie’s electric performance at Grooving in the Park this past weekend was his first live show in New York since U.S. authorities revoked the his visa along with several other top dancehall acts in April 2010, effectively cutting them off from their U.S. audience. But the Doctor has stayed in the mix, collaborating with Nicki Minaj, touring Africa, and preparing to release a double album under his own MD Entertainment brand, appropriately titled The King In Control. Before the Doctor mashed up the Strictly Boomshots show at Miss Lily’s, we kicked it at the Complex offices. He spoke about working with Nicki Minaj, static with DJ Khaled, the  backlash from his famous video statement renouncing homophobic lyrics, and why he’s closer to Michael Jackson and Bob Marley than a lot of these so-called superstars. (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Yami Bolo “True Love” Pon Radio Lily

    The Roots Reggae Legend Nices Up Miss Lily’s Variety
    Yami Bolo has been singing classic reggae cuts since his days at Sugar Minott’s Youth Promotions. You already know his tunes like “When A Man’s in Love” on the Stalag riddim, which Mad Lion sampled for his 90s hip-hop banger “Take It Easy.” What you may not know is that he also wrote and recorded the song “True Love” before his bredren White Mice made it a big hit in the dance. This week Mr. Bolo passed through the Strictly Boomshots show for an in-depth interview and blessed the place with some selections off his album Crucial Duets Vol. 1—and he even did a crucial duet with yours truly. Ka-Boom. Video by the man called Gizmo after the jump…
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  • Interview: Reasoning With Clive Chin

     Remembering Randy’s Records, Bob Marley, And Playing Rhythms On A Cheese Grater

    Tonight in Brooklyn NYC, legendary reggae producer Clive Chin will premiere some exclusive scorchers from deep inside the vaults of Randy’s Records that have scarcely been heard since they were first laid down inside the studio at 17 North Parade in Kingston, Jamaica. “I unraveled around pretty close to 600 odd tapes that were buried in the studio during the exodus coming to New York back in 1977—So hold tight, whole heap of good tunes. When I say good tunes, solid tunes, authentic tunes. Some of them have never been released. Tunes from Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Max Romeo. A couple Wailers too. Just to let you know that there is plenty arsenal in the Randy’s vaults—Ha-ha-ha-ha!” (more…)