Turf Prez Style Magnificent Magnificent Magnificent Magnificent
Busy’s newest tune to touch the road is a standout cut off Seanizzle’s new “90s Don Dada” Riddim. The Turf Prez tears up this vintage-feel juggling—the style is magnificent and the damage is perdamanent. “Hotted”! Audio After The Jump… (more…)
The Song That Set Busy On A Next Level Back in 2008
The Turf Prez keeps the streets supplied with new music at such a frenetic pace that sometimes we fail to check the catalog deeply. From the moment Busy Signal “Stepped out” in the dancehall biz it was clear he was a talent to be reckoned with who was “not going down” any time soon. With his 2008 sophomore album Loaded he unleashed a lyrical fusillade entitled “These Are The Days” that made clear this was a youth who was operating on a much higher level than most of his peers in the music industry. Eight years later his fans have gained a greater insight into the angst that fueled these bitter bars, and our appreciation of Busy’s artistry has only grown over time. Lick it back from the top the very last drop. Video After The Jump… (more…)
Turf Prez In The Drivers Seat—KUFF!
Today is Busy Signal’s birthday so we’re repping hard for one of our favorite artistes, the Turf Prez. In case you missed his most recent video, check out Sheik Busy stunting in outrageous whips while ripping up a classic dancehall riddim—Jammy’s “Magic Moment” riddim—inna style made famous by the great Shelly Thunder. The Jamaican national motto is “out of many one people” but this new selection from the Turf Prez feels more like an “out of many artistes I am the one” vibe. Judge for yourself (and let us know in the comments which of these cars you’d prefer to drive). Video After The Jump… (more…)
From Trenchtown, A Next Star Arise
Released last month, “My Dream” features the veteran reggae singer reflecting on the struggles he’s faced in Jamaica and focusing on not giving up. A superb track from start to finish, it’s a progressive take on roots reggae with a dash of picked pop guitar and a catchy bounce. The video release, directed by RD Studios, is a fitting complement to the unique sound of “My Dream” and captivates immediately. Opening with wide-angle montages of Jamaica’s breathtaking coast, Nesbeth appears draped in the flag singing “Mek wi start dah one yah, like how Martin Luther King would ah start it.” The song goes on to tell the story of a young boy who’s driven to success against all odds. The Jamaica-based artist finished 2015 on a high, thanks to “My Dream,” and the video certainly reflects the success of his aptly titled new album, Victory. From Trenchtown a next star arise. Video After the Jump…
Anticipation Builds For The Now I Rise Project
A graduate of Kingston’s Calabar high school—alma mater of both Jr. Gong and Vybz Kartel—reggae/dancehall producer turned performer Andre Johnson aka Dre Island is emerging as a living link between the vaunted “roots revival” movement and the sound of the Jamaican streets. “The revival is really within the people. Reggae music never stop. Reggae artists always been touring. So it’s just the people’s awareness.” On the strength of his growing body of work, Dre has been named one of Mass Appeal’s “16 Artists To Watch in 2016.” More After The Jump… (more…)
New Year New Style New Dance A Lick—Out And Bad
The Mass Appeal massive already knows the deal. You’ve heard it straight from Migos: Dabbin’ is a way of fashion. But as you’ve no doubt noticed, this Dab thing is catching on in a big way—from Dabbin Santa to corny-ass college football coaches. Given Jamaica’s love for new dance moves, it was only a matter of time until somebody busted out a yardstyle take on the dab dance. As if on cue, here comes dancehall star Mr. Vegas—the same dude who gave us dance anthems like “Hot Wuk” and “Bruk It Down”—with a fresh new video shot in T-Dot and directed by Ty Black. In short, the ting tun up again. Video After the Jump… (more…)
Chronixx Hails His Empress
The Bad Boys of Reggae Link With J Boog
Fresh off a successful tour with SOJA, California-born and Hawaii-based reggae artist J Boog, releases a track with reggae’s “Bad Boys” Inner Circle and their late great vocalist Jacob Miller. Having topped the reggae charts for consecutive years with his 2011 full length release Backyard Boogie, J Boog has since graced the world stage with some of reggae’s most popular talent. In this track he updates a classic Heptones selection alongside the voice of the “Killer” Miller. Audio After the Jump…
Straight Outta Ghana to St. Andrew Park
What’s fun to you? Kicking a soccer ball? Playing with kids in the park? Listening to some tunes? Fulfilling your lifetime dream of traveling from Africa to Jamaica and recording a full album with some of the greatest reggae musicians who ever lived? All those things converge with Allinor, a young singer from Ghana who took a leap of faith and caught a flight to Kingston in hopes of working with the legendary guitarist Chinna Smith, who played with everybody from Amy Winehouse to Ras Michael & The Sons of Negus to Robert Nesta Marley. His is the yard in St. Andrew Park mentioned in Jah9’s “Steamers a Bubble”—a place where serious reggae jam sessions go down on the regular. Allinor made the link with Chinna, sang him some songs, one thing lead to another, and before he knew it, the young African vocalist was standing in Harry J Studios laying down his debut album. The first video from said album dropped yesterday, and it’s filled with words of wisdom about how you can enjoy your life a whole lot more. How fun is that? Video After The Jump… (more…)
New Year, New Style, New Dance A Lick
It’s straaange how the dances are changing, as Barrington Levy observed many years ago. Just the other day our peoples at Mass Appeal made a flex down to ATL where the Migos explained the origins of the dab—the dance that looks sorta like you’re sneezing into your elbow. Trust me, it mash up the whole world. Given Jamaica’s propensity for dance tunes, it seemed only a matter of time until some savvy dancehall star stepped up with a yard-style dab. Now here comes Vegas, fresh from foreign, ready to buss the new dance in Jamaica. Gwan MV Music—Style them with the dab! Audio After The Jump… (more…)
RDX Gets The Whole World Dancing
RDX is an abbreviation for Research Department Formula X, a high explosive developed by the U.S. military that’s more powerful than TNT. But today we’re talking about RDX the Jamaican dancehall duo, aka Renegade and Delomar, whose explosive catalog of high-energy tunes has made them a favorite of the island’s street dance scene. Their latest release, produced by Juss Kool, is a worldwide dancing anthem with visuals gathered from around the planet. The song is called “Foot A Talk” and Mass Appeal just premiered the music video. Run it! Video After The Jump… (more…)
Ten Years After Daseca’s Breakthrough Riddim, Serani Reflects
Multi-instrumentalist and producer Serani (former one-third of Jamaican producers Daseca) reminisced on the creation, influence and legacy of Anger Management riddim on its 10th anniversary. Though officially released towards the end of 2004, it buss (a.k.a. impacted) in 2005. Made on a PC via a Triton keyboard in not much time (approximately 15mins), it went on to become one of the most memorable, gun finger-raising (critically-acclaimed) riddims of the noughties. The era-defining riddim spawned hits by legends Bounty Killer (“Gun Heaven”) and Sizzla (“No Way”), an establishing star in Vybz Kartel (“War Nah Talk Over”) and kick -tarted the career of a young talent from Cassava Piece by the name of David Brooks, better known as Mavado (“Real McKoy”). Everything was light prior to Anger Management. And things in the dancehall became a helluva lot darker after it ruled the airwaves and the streets. Audio After The Jump…
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