Boomshots

Category: Outernational

Crossover and outside of core

  • WATCH THIS: Snoop Lion “Reincarnated” Extended Trailer

    Check The Brand New Trailer For The Film That Tells How The Dogg Became A Lion

    Earlier this week, the Snoop Lion documentary Reincarnated was screened for a small group of media at the Sony headquarters in midtown Manhattan. After seeing the movie in full, an old Wailers lyric came to mind: “Half the story has never been told.” It may seem strange to see a gangsta rap icon from the LBC saying Jah Rastafari and singing over reggae beats. Some have even called it a gimmick. (And when Snoop released his “Hot Pockets” video with showers of pepperoni raining from the sky, it was hard to argue with them—unless there’s an ital version of Hot Pockets on the way.) But despite the apparent contradictions, don’t make up your mind until you see this film, which will hit theaters in 2013. Snoop’s visit to Alpha Boys School in Kingston, freestyling over a live version of “Rockfort Rock,” or his impromptu session with Cutty Corn in a hole-in-the-wall studio near Tivoli Gardens (not to mention his Mind Gardens project) puts this whole Snoop Lion thing in a new light. And as for his baptism as Berhane in a Niyabinghi temple (seen above), well you’ll have to judge for yourself. Who says you can’t teach an old Dogg new tricks? Video After The Jump…

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  • Reggae Grammy Nominees Announced

    Old School Legends Dominate The Best Reggae Album Category

    In a year when Jamaica celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence, legends of roots rock reggae took four of five nomination for the Best Reggae Album Grammy Award—reaffirming the powerful legacy of Jamaica’s musical legacy even as it left its future clouded in relative obscurity. Despite outstanding releases by Busy Signal (Reggae Music Again), Mr. Vegas (Sweet Jamaica), Vybz Kartel (Kingston Story), Konshens (Mental Maintenance) and Romain Virgo (The System)—to name a few glaring oversights—the only reggae artist under the age of 50 to make the cut this year was Sean Paul, whose album Tomahawk Technique stands as the sole nominee representing the dancehall genre. Full List of Nominees After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Pusha T “Blocka” ft. Popcaan & Travis Scott

    Pusha Meets Hotskull Inna Raggamuffin Style

    You’ve seen flicks from the video shoot, now check the tune. Pusha T, Popcaan, and Travis Scott. Young Chop on the beat. Early heat from The Wrath of Cain mixtape. This type of shit happens every day? If only… Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • Pusha T Shoots Video In Kingston

    Behind The Scenes Flicks From The “Blocka” Video Shoot


    Long before “Mercy,” we knew Pusha T loved that dancehall sound. Remember his verse on the “Half On a Baby” remix with Vybz Kartel? Last week, Pusha and his crew took a trip to Kingston, Jamaica for the video shoot of “Blocka,” the Young Chop–produced single of his upcoming Wrath of Cain mixtape. We hear there’s another big dancehall star Popcaan featured on the track, which debuts soon is hard as f**k. While you let your imagination run wild, check out some exclusive behind-the-scene photos of the shoot. Photographs After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Snoop Lion “Here Comes The King” ft. Angela Hunte

    The Lion’s Latest Reincarnation With A Positive Vibration
    Berhane’s brand new musical biscuit blends distressed dubstep bass tones with a steppers drumbeat and royal melodies from the empress Angela Hunte—all courtesy of the Major Lazer posse. When the Lion roars the whole jungle trembles. UPDATE: Snoop Lion has inked a deal with RCA Sony to release the album Reincarnated in Spring 2013. “Major Lazer and I had a special opportunity to focus on recording REINCARNATED from top-to-bottom with no interruptions in Jamaica. From my time spent with the people and in the streets, these songs are based on peace, love, and the struggle.” said Snoop Lion. “‘Here Comes The King’ is a taste of what’s to come off that REINCARNATED album and movie. It’s going to be an exciting 2013. Bless up.” Audio After The Jump…

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  • WATCH THIS: Congorock & Stereo Massive Ft. Sean Paul “Bless Di Nation” Video

    Congorock + Stereo Massive + Sean Paul = Vibes

    Italian DJ/Producer Congorock teams up with Stereo Massive and Mr. Dutty Rock himself Sean Paul on his new single “Bless Di Nation.” A hypnotic mix of pulsating synths and thumping bass kicks paired with Paul’s signature vocals will have you bobbing your head in no time. “Turn up the bass an bless up di nation” after the jump. (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Rihanna “Diamonds” Reggae Remix

    J Vibe Gives RiRi a New Riddim To Ride


    You already heard Rihanna’s reggae-flavored track “No Love Allowed” from her seventh album, Unapologetic. Now J Vibe provides a tasty one-drop remix of the album’s lead single, “Diamonds,” that sounds flawless and lets Rihanna shine even brighter. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • Diplo Does Dancehall In Vanity Fair

    Wes Takes The VF Massive To Jamaica and Introduces Them to Popcaan, Busy, and Passa Passa

    Diplo and his road dog / top shotta Shane McCauley have published a photo essay in the latest issue of Vanity Fair as the producer behind Major Lazer continues to expose dancehall to a wider audience. “I was in Jamaica during this time recording with a crew for a secret project,” Diplo write in the story. “Popcaan has been brought in to give us some current vibes, and also some weed and other stuff. His favorite drink is a weird fruit flavor of vodka that he mentions in mad songs. In fact, he mentions me and the producer Dre Skull in this tune we are recording, and his friends and the studio. In Jamaica nearly every song is a document of the moment. Dre Skull will release Popcaan’s next single and has been a producer within the Vybz camp for a few years. In fact, he produced the entire Vybz album, Kingston Story, in 2011—one of the most coherent and best long-player dancehall albums in the past decades. Dre Skull produces videos for the songs he produces, too, and through his YouTube channel, these videos and the ad revenue they generate support his label on a day-to-day basis. It’s a funny economy that just sorted itself out, since the fall of the old days of record deals and CD sales—but dancehall still found a way to keep the doors open.” More Photos After The Jump…

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  • Nick Minaj Loves To Bruk It Down

    Mr. Vegas “Bruk It Down” Is The Official Barbz’ Bashment Anthem
         Last week Nicki Minaj made the rounds on New York radio promoting her latest release, Roman Reloaded: The Re-Up. While chatting with DJ Prostyle on Power 105, the Trini-born first lady of YMCMB talked about her favorite dancehall jam right now: “Bruk It Down” by Mr. Vegas. “Oh I get so crazy,” Nicki said of the tune. “Every time that song comes on you gotta turn around and look at your ass getting real crazy.” Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Rihanna “No Love Allowed”

    RiRi Reps Her Island Roots On This Reggae-Flavored Cut
    What’s your favorite cut off Unapologetic? We’re loving the reggae tune of course. From “Pon Di Replay” and “No No No” (featuring Vybz Kartel) up through “Rude Boy” and “Man Down” Rihanna has always represented for the reggae massive. And her latest album is no exception (Peep the random “chalice” shout-out on the album cover). “How could you murder us?” Rihanna asks on this dramatic song, which was written by Elijah Blake—the man responsible for Usher’s No. 1 hit “Climax”—and produced by No I.D. Audio After The Jump…

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  • WATCH THIS: M.I.A. Speaks At MoMA PS1

    Maya Opens Up Her Laptops And Talks About Her Artistic Journey From Arular to Matangi
    Just after Hurrican Sandy wreaked havoc on New York City, M.I.A. blew into town for a artist chat at the Museum of Modern Art’s PS1 Performance Dome in Queens. The event was supposed to be a discussion of her new book, but due to the storm copies were in scarce supply. Maya did offer signed prints for sale, donating a portion of the proceeds to Hurricane Sandy victims. M.I.A. spent a little bit of time speaking about her new album, Matangi, which will not be released in December but will feature green parrots and a newfound sense of spirtuality mixed with a touch of get-back at all the haters. But the bulk of her talk was a free-wheeling stroll through three laptop computers that she used to create her last three albums. Like so many UK underground musicians M.I.A. has always had a generous portion of reggaematic and spacey dubwise sounds in her audio mix. Boomshots first spoke with her back in 2005, and we’ve always had a soft spot for her roots rock rebel spirit. At MoMa she spoke about her early work as a London video artist (often making awesome clips of herself dancing), her progression to more politically charged stencil art, and why she keeps falling in and out of love with the Internet. Video After the Jump…

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  • Danny Sims’ Hit Parade

    Paying Respects To Bob Marley’s Former Manager And “Godfather” The New York Times called the late Danny Sims “one of the people most responsible for Bob Marley’s success who has gotten the least amount of notice for it.” Sims himself described his relationship with Marley thus: “I guess I was his Godfather—that is in the street sense—I looked out for him.” Of course the Tuff Gong could take care of himself, but Sims definitely helped Marley reach new audiences through his connections in the R&B world. In his Marley biography, Catch A Fire, Timothy White writes that “Sims was the man who would put Bob’s unique sound on the airwaves. Yet he was always trying to dissuade Bob from actually recording reggae—and ‘message’ reggae at that. The chief way he saw Bob Marley being a money-maker was, in his own words, ‘in a rhythm-and-blues, Top Forty style.’ As Sims himself boasted to a reporter from the Village Voice: ‘I discouraged Bob from doing the revolutionary stuff. I’m a commercial guy. I want to sell songs to thirteen-year-old girls, not to guys throwing spears.’” Whatever else you may think of him, cllearly Danny Sims was not afraid to speak his mind. Born in Mississippi and raised in Chicago, Sims’ entry into the music business came with the opening of Sapphire, the first black club in Manhattan. He formed a promotions company, Hemisphere, at the behest of Johnny Nash. The companywas responsible for all the top stars of the day – Sammy Davis, Brook Benton, Ben E. King, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding – he worked with everyone from Mohammed Ali to Malcolm X. Hemisphere later absorbed Dinah Washington’s Queens label creating one of the biggest African-American agencies of the time. In the 1960s Danny formed a label with Nash called JODA, later to become JAD, and it was to this label that both the Wailers and Bob Marley signed. The Wailers would often stay at Danny’s house in Jamaica while he was away. Fellow performers such as Gloria Gaynor, Lloyd Price, Betty Wright and English musician Rabbit (Marley, Free, the Who) also found a home on JAD. Sims died last month at the age of 75, and his contributions to music are still not fully understood. Here’s a quick overview of the man’s musical legacy. Audio After The Jump…

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