Category: Jamaica

Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise Doubles Up for 2015

Cabins Going Fast As Barrington, Maxi , Elly, Popcaan, Capleton Confirmed

Due to overwhelming demand, the second annual Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise will offer two back-to-back cruises in 2015, from November 30th to December 10th. According to the cruise’s official Facebook page, the newly confirmed talent for 2015 includes Ky-Mani Marley, Protoje, Barrington Levy, Capleton, Elephant Man, Popcaan, and Maxi Priest. They will perform Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Stephen “Ragga” Marley, Julian “JuJu Royal” Marley, Bounty Killer, Busy Signal and other returning members of the Ghetto Youths International family. Representing the best of sound system culture, the Welcome to Jamrock Cruise 2015 proudly present the original Saxon Studio posse from London including Philip “Papa” Levi of “Mi God Mi King” fame. They will join King Jammy’s Super Power, whose performance on last October’s cruise was legendary. Stay tuned for more breaking news about sound system action the cruise. All aboard! Full Lineup and Videos After The Jump… (more…)

February 27, 2015
Free Up The Herbs: 40 of Reggae’s Highest-Grade Ganja Anthems

Marijuana Laws May Be Changing, But These Rebel Music Selections Will Keep Playing Forever

Every day brings new headlines about voters in the U.S.A. passing medical marijuana laws and American states decriminalizing reefer—even as the Federal government reserves the right to swoop in and prosecute whoever however whenever. Meanwhile venture capitalists continue to align themselves with the Bob Marley estate in order to build a global ganja brand. It feels like a bright new day in the long-running batttle to legalize Jamaica’s national herb. But don’t sleep: the Governor General has yet to sign the proposal that would allow Rastas to cultivate for personal use and corporations to cultivate for profit. And Jamaica’s Governor General still answers to the Queen of England, so there’s no telling what will happen. Meanwhile youths all over the world are still getting locked up for illegal possession of the wisdom weed. So the binghi drums have to beat and songs like these have to play, words sounds and power. These are not just “weed tunes” but songs about the real-life struggles surrounding ganja prohibition. say are they just one-line shout-outs, like the tune where Bounty and Cham said “tell the government free up the weed policy,” as wicked as that was. These are the rabble-rousing songs dedicated to defending marijuana growers and sellers and smokers from all forms of downpression. Some relate to the nitty-gritty details of the hustler’s life, others focus on police efforts to fight against the weed, while others make the case for legalization. Any topic that could inspire so much great music has to be important. Just like Josey Wales said on track #20, “It Haffi Bun.” And these songs have to play. Audio After The Jump; Countdown Continues Above (more…)

February 27, 2015
HEAR THIS: Protoje “Answer to Your Name”

Diggy Dips Back to UK 1971 On This Ska-Style Skorcha

A breath of fresh air on the reggae scene, Protoje blends classic Jamaican sounds with up-to-the-minute energy—plus a winning sense of humor but not one drop of the posing and posturing that can turn cool into cliche. “Like to tell you a story about a girl I know,” he says at the top of this ska-tempo rave-up, “or should I say a girl I used to know.” Set in England circa 1971 (around the time ska was killing it in the UK) the tale concerns one of those beautiful British girls who can turn ice-cold at the drop of a hat. Taken from Diggy’s highly anticipated album Ancient Future with frequent collaborators Winta James and Lewis Planter on the track. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

February 17, 2015
HEAR THIS: Cutty Ranks “Nah Hitch”

The Lyrical Rocket Launcher Still Uses Dibby Dibby DJs For Target Practice

Wait deh man—Mr. Six Million Ways to Die, the lyrical rocket launcher, the original Cutter is back to put all dibby dibby DJs in check. Just bucked up Cutty Ranks at a dance in Kingston the other day and he blessed us with some crazy new war tunes—and this is only the first of many. The Ranks talks reckless about Gage, Alkaline, I-Shawna, even Ninjaman and some other big-time DJs. Sounds like this could get nasty. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

February 11, 2015
HEAR THIS: Munga “Stainless”

Ricky Blaze And The Gangsta Ras Connect

When Munga Honorable first stampeded through the dancehall circuit, some people had a hard time with his “Gangsta Ras” persona. “Buss it make the earth shake,” he bragged on one early tune, “it’s like an earthquake.” Oddly enough, boasting about the size of one’s gun through gold fronts was not the behavior folks expected from Rasta youth. Luckily Flatbush Brooklyn has plenty of experience with the whole gangsta ras phenomenon. So Munga dropped by Ricky Blaze’s basement studio and they made another one of those out-the-box records that changes everything. Now Munga’s free to extol the shininess of his own hardware to his heart’s content. What a wonderful world. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

February 11, 2015
HEAR THIS: Kendrick Lamar ft. Assassin “The Blacker The Berry”

K Dot Links Sasco On A Revolutionary Record

Assassin aka Agent Sasco is your favorite rapper’s favorite dancehall star. First Kanye West enlisted him to drop bars on the standout Yeezus track, “I’m In It.” Yesterday the consensus pick for best rapper alive dropped a new track from the forthcoming (and highly anticipated) follow-up to his classic 2012 album good kid, m.A.A.d city. The song’s a lyrical tour-de-force of course, touching on racism, mental slavery, violence and hypocrisy. It’s thrilling to hear two of the world’s greatest doing what they do best, coming together across cultural and geographical lines through the art of riding riddims. Of course, it would have been even more thrilling if Assassin were credited for the feature, but Boomshots went ahead and gave him that on the strength cause it’s only right. Audio After The Jump…

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February 10, 2015
WATCH THIS: Busy Signal “What If?” Official Music Video

The Turf Prez Stirs The Pot With Some Pointed Questions

In Busy Signal’s latest song, “What If?” the Turf President puts on his philosophical hat and generates thought-provoking lyrics about the unpredictability of life. His lyrics emphasize that good and bad things happen to everyone, and we never know when adversity will swing our way, in the pendulum of life. More After The Jump…

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January 30, 2015
Reasoning with Sizzla: “You Must Recognize Rasta, Else A Lightning and Thunder”

After Closing Rebel Salute 2015, Kalonji Speaks On Truths and Rights

Say what you like about Sizzla Kalonji, but the man nah tek back no chat. After a fiery early morning performance to cap the second day of Rebel Salute 2015, the sweat-drenched dancehall legend took time out for a brief but extremely intense interview with the Reggae Girl About Town. The two spoke about Rebel Salute’s theme, the “preservation of reggae” with Sizzla asserting that countries like England and France are “trying to take reggae from black people with pen and paper and contracts.” They also spoke on the movement to legalize ganja. “Ganja free down here man,” Sizzla scoffed. “But them wan’ make money offa the ganja. And enough people them prosecute for the ganja. So the Rastaman plan to slap them some judgment. Rastaman been agitating for marijuana as a medicinal purpose and a holy sacrament and Babylon no wan’ do that. But now they want to legalize it to sell. So now the judgment is on. You must recognize Rasta, else a lightning and thunder.” The very next week Jamaica’s parliament tabled a bill to decriminalize ganja after 68 years of prohibition, with special provisions to allow Rastfarians to cultivate their own herbs in designated areas. Coincidence? The proposed law would also clear the way for a legal medical marijuana industry, so it looks like Sizzla is right on both counts. Video After The Jump… (more…)

January 24, 2015
Rebel Salute 2015 Takes It Higher

Roots Reggae stars shine at the 22nd staging of Rebel Salute

Dressed in a sky blue suit, Tony Rebel took the stage at Grizzly’s Plantation Cove in the parish of St. Ann on Jamaica’s north coast. “Love you like a fresh vegetable,” he sang on 16^th January 2015, the first night of Rebel Salute. “Tell me if you love Tony Rebel”. Although it’s been almost a quarter century since that song was released, the answer was still clear. Yes, the crowd loved the veteran dancehall entertainer who is also the promoter of the annual show that started 22 years ago as a simple birthday party and has turned into one of the most successful music festivals in Jamaica. Read More After The Jump…. (more…)

January 23, 2015
Flashback Friday: Chuck Fenda “Gash Dem and Light Dem”

Roots Reggae music did not always get a warm and friendly reception, as it is receiving today. In 2006, Leshorn Whitehead aka Chuck Fenda, was a voice for the people with his song, “Gash Dem and Light Dem.” However the fiery tune was cited by the Broadcasting Commission and consequently banned from the local radio stations in Jamaica. More After The Jump…

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January 23, 2015
The RootsMan Riddim Roars

Its hard to believe the RootsMan Riddim, mixed by Maticalise and produced by Overstand Entertainment, is two years old. In conjunction with the lion paws of artists that used it as a canvas for musical surrealism, the riddim continues to roar. In this article, Boomshots Magazine features 5 high caliber songs on the RootsMan Riddim , still trending heavily on social media in 2015. More After The Jump…

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January 22, 2015
WATCH THIS: Inner Circle ft. Chronixx & Jacob Miller “Tenement Yard (News Carryin’ Dread)” Official Music Video

In comes the official music video for the big bad certified Boomshot, Inner Circle featuring the young general Chronixx alongside Jacob Killer Miller with the musical thing called “Tenement Yard (News Carryin’ Dread).” The video was directed by produced by Inner Circle and directed by Gil Green for 305 Films. Forty years after Jakes first sang it, Chronixx message is essentially the same—but instead of watchy watchy tenement yard dwellers, it’s watchy watchy cellular phone owners. No more long talkin’ let’s get to the photos by (by Bones Vision) and peep RGAT‘s behind the scenes report. Video After The Jump…
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January 20, 2015