Boomshots

Category: Jamaica

  • WATCH THIS: John Brown’s Body ft. Karim Israel “Hard Man Fe Dead” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    WATCH THIS: John Brown’s Body ft. Karim Israel “Hard Man Fe Dead” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    JBB Inna Prince Buster Stylee

    After 20-odd years mashing up stages all over the planet, John Brown’s Body is releasing their first official music video. Boomshots is proud to premiere the clip for “Hard Man Fe Dead,”a track off the band’s Fireflies album on Easy Star Records, featuring some tasty toasting courtesy of Karim Israel of Arise Roots. “‘Hard Man Fe Dead’ is a tribute to the late Prince Buster,” says lead singer Elliot Martin, “dedicated to the extended family of musicians that we are a part of. How good and pleasant it is to play some hard Reggae music with all these talented people!” In case this clip gets you in a similar mood, take note of the band’s tour dates below. This music caan dead. Video After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Micah Shemaiah x Giark “Rude Bwoy Jamaica”

    HEAR THIS: Micah Shemaiah x Giark “Rude Bwoy Jamaica”

    Rough and Tough, Vibes Nuff Nuff

    “This song in no way shape or form promotes gangsterism,” states Micah Shemaiah on his Soundcloud page. Over a raw rub-a-dub riddim season seasoned with live horns and percussion, Shemaiah and Craig “Giark” Dixon (son of legendary producer Bobby Digital, and an accomplished producer in his own right) address the realities of life in “a rude boy town.” By way of clarification, the singer points out that the song is “about positive change” despite its title. “The term goes from our foundation in the Ghettos of Jamaica where ones had to grow up very rough. It’s not about wrong doings its about being tough and not standing for what the system has to offer us. Original rude bwoys of Jamaica were not always violent gun-toting gangsters but breddrens and even sistrens who were not part of the status quo, who did not subscribe to certain things the “society” called norms.” The song says it all. Audio After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Protoje “Blood Money”

    HEAR THIS: Protoje “Blood Money”

    Real Talk Without Any Apology

    From “Kingston Be Wise” to “Sudden Flight,” Protoje has made a habit of speaking unspoken truths without apology. His latest release “Blood Money” takes that fearless outspoken-ness to new heights. “Police cancel operation, cause no real badman go a station,” states (who changed his Twitter handle to BLXXDCLXT), dropping lyrical truth bombs over Winta James’ stark rub-a-dub riddim, which has been bubbling on Jamaican radio for the past several weeks. “Blood money run the nation,” he chants on the chorus. “This song is so socially relevant, people connect to it on first listen,” he told the FADER who premiered the video.” It’s speaking about things that are collectively on all of our minds, that we all want to talk about, and I’m using my voice to bring these topics to the forefront of conversation… With all that is happening in Jamaica, criticism is often one-sided and directed to the have-nots—the people who have less are made to seem like the problem in society. This is unfair, hypocritical, and widely inaccurate. This song seeks to bring about certain conversations, to talk about what is really happening in our society.” Check the red-hot visuals courtesy of Taj Francis. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • 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: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley “Roar Fi A Cause” PREMIERE

    HEAR THIS: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley “Roar Fi A Cause” PREMIERE

    When The Lion Roars, The Whole Jungle Trembles

    Gongzilla claps a lyrical gun salute in this hardcore reality tune about the rules & laws & codes of conduct that govern life pon di ends—and the lionheart street soldiers who enforce them. “All who perpetrate hafi pack up and run,” Damian spits with an ill rapid-fire flow on this high energy dancehall track produced by Sean “Pow” Diedrick and featuring what sounds like a Buju sample on the chorus. Like the song says, “No shot nah buss when a man a keep treat.” One more wicked piece of tune from the Stony Hill files. Wickedness increase! Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Kassiano “Room In My Father’s House” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Kassiano “Room In My Father’s House” Official Music Video

    While Trump Spreads Fear And Division, Reggae Music Offers A Different Message

    The whole world is feeling shaky today as the U.S.A.’s 45th President takes the oath of office amidst protests as cries of “Not my President” clash with “America first.” The impulse to resist what’s happening is strong, but what’s the best way? The Jamaican-born Mexico-based reggae singer Kassiano has a unique perspective on things—since he is both black and lives in the first country that candidate Trump vilified in his campaign of hate and fear. “There is room in my father’s house for everyone,” Kassiano sings in this roots reggae anthem recorded in Jamaican in 2014 at Mikey Bennett’s studio featuring the talents of Dean Fraser on saxophone. The song’s lyrics envision a world of abundance as God intended rather than the zero sum game posited by fearmongering politicians. “We are spiritual beings having a human experience,” says Kassiano, who is also a noted spiritual healer. “Be still and connect to the source of God within you.” Spreading unity and resisting the urge to fight—what a concept! Kassiano’s message is right on time. Turn this up loud. Audio After The Jump…
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  • Charly Black Rocks New York City

    Charly Black Rocks New York City

     Dancehall Artist With A Certified Diamond Tune Gives Electrifying Performance at Stage 48

    Recently obtaining his “wings to fly” (VISA to the U.S.A.), Charly Black took flight to  New York City for a quick press run ahead of next month’s U.S. promotional tour in support of his certified diamond song, “Party Animal.” First stop was Hot 97’s “Ebro In the Morning” Show on January 11 with Ebro, Laura Stylez and DJ Kastone. Later that evening he linked with the Boomshots crew for an in-depth reasoning.  A few days later “the international sensation” (as Ebro described him) flew out to Jazzy T ‘s (Renaissance Sound) Earthstrong Party at Luxy in Toronto. The Trelawny General returned to NYC the following Sunday, drawing in a capacity crowd for his first live performance in New York at Stage 48. More After The Jump…

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  • Real Dancehall Crossover Hit of the Year: Charly Black “Party Animal”

    Real Dancehall Crossover Hit of the Year: Charly Black “Party Animal”

    In The Year Of Tropical House, One Actual Jamaican Tune Did Break Through

    Dancehall style ruled 2016, but dancehall artists? Not so much. Sure, Sean Paul had a great year thanks to his chart-topping “Cheap Thrills” collab—plus standout tracks with Major Lazer and Tory Lanez. Popcaan continued to reap the rewards of the Unruly/OVO alliance while making noise in Jamrock and the hardcore dancehall diaspora—along with heavy hitters Alkaline and Kartel. But all year long there was really just one Jamaican hit that managed to break all the way from the streets of Kingston to heavy rotation on the worldwide airwaves. The song that elbowed those Rihanna and Justin Bieber joints out of the way to make a space for real dancehall was “Party Animal” by the Top Trelawney General himself, former Bass Odyssey selector Charly Black. It’s been more than two years since Charly voiced the big tune on Kurt Riley’s “Jambe-an Riddim,” and it still has the girls flipping like a Flip-a-Gram all over the world. (Despite the fact that the video on Charly Black’s VEVO channel gets the best line of the lyrics wrong!) The track’s fusion of dancehall, Latin, and soca vibes caught on big in South American markets like Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, allowing Riley to license “Party Animal” to a French company, P2S Records. From there he struck a distribution deal with Universal Music’s Latin division, which led to a  Daddy Yankee remix and, we can only hiope, mucho dinero. As Mr. Black himself might say, “Whoah!” Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Boss of the Year: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

    Boss of the Year: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

    Junior Gong Is Changing The Game In More Ways Than One

    On “The Struggle Discontinues,” a track from Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s  forthcoming album Stony Hill, Gongzilla offers a thought-provoking critique of reggae’s long history as “sufferer’s music.” As the tune puts it: “I don’t wanna sing a song that says ‘the struggle live on’… when will we overcome?” It really should come as no surprise that the artist who gave us hits like “Set Up Shop” and “Hard Work” is all about self-determination and economic advancement. “What we need in reggae music is business visionaries,” he says. “We have a lot of creative, artistic visionaries.” With that in mind, 2016 was a massively successful year for Bob Marley’s youngest youth. His Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise completed its third annual outing, selling out an even bigger vessel than ever before. While the cruise has inspired a few imitators—the sincerest form of flattery—WTJRC has been hailed by Billboard as “the genre’s premiere event.” With the 2017 lineup already announced, cabins are filling up fast. Meanwhile, Damian Marley also announced a foray into the booming herb industry—partnering with Ocean Grown Extracts, which recently acquired an abandoned prison in California which is being converted into a ganja grower—a potent symbol of poetic justice. The company has also entered a “joint venture” with Tru Cannabis to open a medical and recreational dispensary across the street from the NFL stadium in Denver—offering a new way to help keep Bronco tailgaters a “Mile High.” Don’t get it twisted—Jr. Gong’s main focus remains music, as evidenced by the anticipation for Stony Hill , the follow-up to his classic, certified Gold, double-Grammy-winning album Welcome To Jamrock. But it’s also true that rather than playing along, Zilla’s determined to change the game. “I’m working toward killing the struggle,” says Marley. “Not killing people’s ambition to better themselves, but killing the feeling that you have to be a struggler.” In recognition of his transformative power moves in 2016, Boomshots names Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley the Boss of the Year. Photos And Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • R.I.P. Sting: The End of an Era in Dancehall

    R.I.P. Sting: The End of an Era in Dancehall

    Remembering The Greatest One Night Reggae and Dancehall Show on Earth

    When the history of dancehall music is written, 2016 will go down as the year when mainstream stars took over the worldwide pop charts using Jamaican styles and sounds. It will also be remembered as the first Boxing Day in over three decades that went down with a staging of Sting. Sad to say the legendary stage show that has seen some of the most talked about performances—and lyrical clashes—in dancehall history is no more. Just three years after celebrating Sting’s 30th anniversary with a star-studded lineup that included the return of the Don Dada Super Cat, American artists 2 Chainz and Wyclef Jean, and an epic clash between Lady Saw and Macka Diamond, Sting founder Isaiah Laing has called it quits. Despite pledging in years past that “if I am alive there will be Sting,”  Laing made it official on Jamaican television’s popular show OnStage, saying that Sting has not made money in several years—despite significant investment from the likes of Josef Bogdanovich, who has since moved on to revamp another great Jamaican festival, Reggae Sumfest. Laing and his longtime partner Heavy D further noted that the artists who are big enough to draw a crowd are not willing to perform on the show. The clashes that made Sting a sort of musical heavyweight bout eventually came to be its undoing. Who can forget the time when Popcaan had to shove Blak Ryno off the stage because the other artist was “somehow” given a live microphone and allowed to rush the stage during Popcaan’s solo set back in 2012? These types of antics eventually take their toll on artist loyalty. Whether Sting will ever come back is anybody’s guess. Talk of a gospel festival sounds like a major departure from the hardcore format we have come to know and love. For the sake of those who don’t know—and the pleasure of those who do—Boomshots takes a moment to remember the best Sting had to offer. Memories After The Jump… (more…)

  • Artist of the Year: Popcaan “Nah Idle”

    Artist of the Year: Popcaan “Nah Idle”

    2016 Was The Unruly Boss’s Biggest Year, As Papi Showed The World How To Over Dweet

    Earlier this week Popcaan dropped the official music video for “Nah Idle,” a tune produced by Mini for UK-based E5 Records that pretty much sums up the Unruly Boss’s amazing year. “We nuh beg people, so no bwoy can style me,” Andrae Hugh Sutherland sings in the video as a focused schoolboy does his best to concentrate inside the unruliest classroom imaginable. Way back in February Popcaan posted to his IG a prayer that he wrote when he himself was a schoolboy. “God is real and he did answer that prayer I pray to him a long time ago🙏🏼 #givethanks.” Around that same time Popcaan also released a web documentary called “Abundant Life,” which revealed a whole new side of the artist once known as the “Raving King” as he read from Psalms 40 and 59 above the sound of a crackling fire and the beat of Niyabinghi drums: “I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined to me and heard my cry. He also brought me out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay. He set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song into my mouth…” Since that time what a year Popcaan has had: high-profile collabs, soundtracking Nike advertising campaigns, watching Bolt celebrate his Olympic gold with Popcaan’s tune “World Cup,” celebrating his second consecutive MoBO win for Best Reggae Act with a live performance in Scotland, rocking OVO Fest in Toronto, starring alongside Drake in a short film, winning the Red Bull Culture Clash with a custom dubplate of “One Dance.” While it’s true that Popcaan’s vastly superior version of “Controlla” was omitted from Drake’s album Views, so was Jay Z and Kanye West’s version of “Pop Style.” While Kanye ranted about the decision, Popcaan held his peace. Of course Unruly fans were disappointed on the morning the Drake album finally dropped, but while they were busy filling @ChampagnePapi‘s IG with 🍿🍿🍿 emojis, Popcaan was filling their ears with a brand new banger called “Over Dweet.” Although Popcaan’s Instagram seems to depict a mostly carefree life, none of the blessings he enjoys came easy.  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Breakthrough Artist of The Year: Jahmiel

    Breakthrough Artist of The Year: Jahmiel

    When A Great Man Rise… Recognize

    Ever since the days when Sugar Minott strung up his Youth Promotion sound system, reggae music has been about who’s got next. This year the answer was clear, as we witnessed the emergence of a fresh voice that had been crying out for a few years now, but which suddenly became indispensible, as if it had been, and would be, around forever. A voice for the ages. Jahmiel rose to prominence on the strength of a record released in late 2015 entitled “Gain The World,” Showing no signs of losing his soul, the youth Jahmiel dropped gems like “Where Were U” and “Great Man,” investing dancehall music with wisdom beyond his years as he blended the rock-solid reasoning of roots reggae with the freshest digital rhythm tracks. Somehow he accomplished all this without sounding preachy or cliché. Citing Sizzla and Buju Banton as early inspirations, Jahmiel’s sound is utterly his own and his future is wherever he wants to take it. Sing out youth—we’re all listening. Audio After The Jump…
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