Octane Jumps On One Of Those Crazy Club Bangers 
“Body Operator” is one of those songs that was designed to destroy a club filled with strobe lights and sweaty bodies in motion. Nice to see Octane jump on the track and do his thing for a totally different audience. The DJ SpinKing remix has been out for a minute, so consider this new Cipha Sounds version featuring I-Octane a remix of the remix. Audio After The Jump… (more…)
Category: Outernational
Crossover and outside of core
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HEAR THIS: DJ SpinKing ft. I-Octane, French Montana & Jeremih “Body Operator” Cipha Sounds Remix
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Blondie On The Making of “The Tide Is High”
Chris Stein and Debbie Harry Chat Reggae on the RBMA Couch
Our peoples at the Red Bull Music Academy just posted the video of Blondie’s lecture at RBMA 2013 in New York City. Chris Stein and Debbie Harry, founding members of the legendary NYC punk/rock/rap/reggae fusion band, dropped science about how the innovative band came together in the 1970s. Reshma B got on mic to ask about the making of Blondie’s No. 1 smash hit, “The Tide Is High,” a cover of the The Paragons’ rock steady classic. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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Assassin Talks About His Feature On Kanye West’s Yeezus
Agent Sasco Says His Phone Started Burning Up on Leak Day
If you aren’t living under a rock, then you know that today Kanye West’s album Yeezus hit stores. And if you read this blog, you know that Yeezus is Kanye’s most dancehall-flavored project yet, with four of ten tracks including vocals by dancehall artists—not to mention the occasional “Dutty Wine” mention. Where most of the tracks are sampled vocals, one Jamaican dancehall star actually spit a new verse on Yeezus. His name is Assassin aka Agent Sasco, and we had a chance to reason with him earlier today. Audio & Interview After The Jump… (more…) -
Red Bull Music Academy Takes Over NYC
Some of music’s greatest minds in one of the world’s greatest cities
The Red Bull Music Academy pitched up to NYC this year for their annual musical extravaganza. If you’re not familiar with the RBMA then it’s one event to note for the diary. Practically each year since 2002 they have set up shop all over the world for one month to provide a handful of fortunate students who applied for the program to learn the ins and outs of the music biz. Cities so far have ranged from Capetown-South Africa to Spain’s Madrid.
Trust and believe that the energy drink giants (who in 2011 sold 4.6 billion cans of Red Bull) nah cut corners at all! Everyone in NYC knew the team had arrived. Taking over coolest spots in NYC for their events, advertising their entire 31-day schedule in the New York subway (and on giant walls in Williamsburg), not to mention supplying a stand of in-house newspapers filled with quality stories by some of the best journo’s in town, printed fresh to pick up every morning.
So of course we went down to see wha gwan… Full Report Plus Videos After The Jump… (more…)
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Rihanna Blesses Fan With A Lap Dance
But Was It For Real Though RiRi?
Rihanna’s got the Internet going nuts again. At a recent concert, she treated a lucky fan to a lapdance—live on stage. But we’ve got a few questions about the Bajan stunner’s latest sexy stunt. Video After The Jump… (more…) -
HEAR THIS: Mavado ft. Jadakiss “Just Like Magic”
Gullyside And D-Block Link Up With Musical Masquerade
Musical Masquerade likes his privacy. A mysterious figure who wears a creepy mask to conceal his identity in photos, MM says he’s worked as a songwriter and producer for years. For reasons that remain unclear he recently decided to start anew, pushing out his polished pop-leaning dancehall productions under a different identity. “There are red tape and yellow tape and politics that affect music,” the enigmatic producer stated in a recent interview. “So I decided to take on a new challenge and create something new without using my past successes and projects as the spear head. Snort of like Snoop Dogg versus Snoop Lion. Just a new path.” His forthcoming project, Elements of Reggae, has already given us the hit single “No Other Like You” by Rayvon and Red Fox. Now comes another collaboration that brings together dancehall and hip-hop artists of the highest ranks with a next-level sound. On “Just Like Magic” Mavado sings a melodic refrain for the ladies then Kiss steps in to spit a hot 16. “It’s always a great pleasure working with people who are professional and who aim to make the best music,” said Musical Masquerade. “The collaboration came about from an idea to blend the powerful, unique and unmistakable voices from reggae and hip hop and put them together on a reggae track. From there we reached out to the respective camps, so much respect to Skeng and Gullyside Mansion, We The Best Family and to Gusto and D Block for seeing the vision.” Audio After The Jump… (more…) -
Chronixx Postpones All U.S. Tour Dates
Management Blames “Circumstances Beyond Our Control”
Chronixx fans have been patiently waiting for the rising reggae start Chronixx to bring his Start a Fyah tour to the U.S.A. for the first time. The show was already postponed once—and now it looks like they’ll be waiting for a good while longer. Details After The Jump… (more…) -
Reasoning with Stylo G, Part 3: “It’s Good To Be A Risk-Taker”
How Stylo Created His Own Sound, And Where He’s Taking His Movement Next
Reshma B and Stylo G conclude their epic 3-part interview at the offices of 3Beat Records in West London with a discussion of what it takes to make it as a UK dancehall artist. “When it’s not made in Jamaica you don’t get the love fully,” Stylo admits. Still he found a way to turn the challenge to his advantage by tapping into the UK underground and sticking to his own unique sound. (Purchase his latest release, “Soundbwoy” here.) “You can’t be shy,” Stylo explains. “It’s good to be a risk-taker.” Although some of his forward-thinking movements have been ahead of the curve, Style has always been a leader rather than a follower. He’s always had the utmost confidence in his vision, and in the team around him. He speaks on the importance of linking with like-minded producers like Adde Instrumentals—who produced his hit “Summer Is Back“—So Shifty—the beatmakers who supplied the riddim for “Press Up,” Stylo’s tribute to his father Poison Chang—and Dre Skull—the Brooklyn-based producer who checked him during the last Notting Hill Carnival to create a banger that will soon be setting the streets on fire. With Stylo it’s all about next-level movements—find out what territories he’ll be conquering next. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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HEAR THIS: Eric Clapton “Every Little Thing” (One Drop Mix)
Stephen & Damian Marley Remix Slowhand
Thirty nine years after Eric Clapton covered Bob Marley’s “I Shot The Sheriff,” he’s enlisted two of Bob’s sons to remix a single from his latest album, Old Sock. “Every Little Thing” is a song about loving someone so much they can do no wrong in your eyes. It sounds like Clapton got his own kids to sing on this one too. Nice tune for a sunny Friday afternoon. Audio After The Jump… (more…) -
HEAR THIS: Konshens “Gal a Bubble” Major Lazer Remix
The Sojah Links With The Lazer To Get De Gals Dem Bubblin
The Major Lazer posse has worked with most of the top talents in the dancehall so it’s about time they linked up with Konshens. And what better tune for them to remix than his certified banger “Gal a Bubble?” So here comes the big bad Major Lazer refix, courtesy of Bro Safari and the good folks who brought you “Bubble Butt.” Audio & Download Link After The Jump… (more…) -
Lianne La Havas Jazzes It Up In Tobago
UK Singer Songwriter Reconnects With Her Caribbean Roots
Though her mother’s side of the family is Jamaican, London-born Lianne La Havas had never been to the Caribbean before she performed at this year’s Tobago Jazz Experience. Although the tropical weather forced a rain delay, the 24-year-old folk and soul singer rallied back on the final night of the festival with a solo set that filled the Tobago evening with intoxicatingly sweet sounds. (If you’re not yet up on the self-described “shinger, shongwriter and guitarisht” go ahead and check her debut Is Your Love Big Enough, which was voted last year’s iTunes Album of the Year.) Shortly after stepping off the stage at Pigeon Point, Lianne told Reshma B that she wants to be play strictly Caribbean dates from now on. And can you really blame her? Video After The Jump… (more…)
