Boomshots

Category: Reggae

  • HEAR THIS: Super Cat “Ever Ready”

    HEAR THIS: Super Cat “Ever Ready”

    In Comes A Classical Wild Apache Selection Produced By Jah Thomas

    A few years ago the Boomshots massive bucked up Jah Thomas chilling backstage at Reggae Sumfest 2012. The foundation reggae DJ and pioneering producer said he was the “happiest man on the planet” because his production, “Dance in New York” by Super Cat, had recently been sampled by Salaam Remi for the hit Nas tune “The Don.” [Check the full story behind the making of that song HERE.] During the interview Jah Thomas casually mentioned that he still had some unreleased Super Cat joints on tape. This came as a revelation to Wild Apache fans who haven’t a new Cat tune since 19-how-long… Well, good news: one of those 1984 Midnight Rock masterworks has now surfaced on the Internet. Give thanks & praise. Audio & Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Album Review: Iba Mahr’s “Diamond Sox” LP Inspires Hope For Reggae’s Future

    Album Review: Iba Mahr’s “Diamond Sox” LP Inspires Hope For Reggae’s Future

    Sighting the Greatness of Iba Mahr From Afar

    I consider myself spoiled by the reggae age in which I was raised. Bob Marley & The Wailers LPs, Peter Tosh LPs, 45s on the Volcano and Joe Gibbs labels set a pretty high bar with the way their music perfected the reggae sound. The excellence of Junjo’s and Joe Gibbs’ productions—and the way they served as a bridge between the reggae and  dancehall age that was to come—cannot be overstated. Their musical foresight was nothing short of miraculous. But in this season of reggae music’s evolution, the standard that I’m accustomed to is an increasingly hard thing to find. Full Review and Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Download the House of Marley x Boomshots Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise Zeen

    Download the House of Marley x Boomshots
    Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise Zeen

    Our 2015 Zeen Is The Next Best Thing To Being On Board

    “All in the Same Boat,” Bob Marley sang on The Wailers’ 1971 Boomshot “Don’t Rock My Boat,” produced by Lee “Scratch” Perry, “Rockin’ on the same rock / Got to get together, loving each other.” This lyric isnpired the title for the 2015 Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise Zeen, the official guide to who’s who and what’s happening on our second annual seafaring excursion. The limited edition Zeen contains origjnal interviews and full-color photos of all 23 acts on board—Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Stephen Marley, Julian Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, Third World, Sly & Robbie, Maxi Priest, Super Cat, Bounty Killer, Popcaan, Elephant Man, Cham, Tarrus Riley, Morgan Heritage, Protoje, Tanya Stephens, and many more—plus all 10 champion sound systems. It also contains QR code links to exclusive Boomshots content—interviews and live performances direct from the cruise.  If you didn’t make it on this year’s cruise, the Zeen is the next best thing to being there. There’s even a discount code for House of Marley audio gear. Download Link After The Jump…
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  • Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise 2: Twice As Nice

    Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise 2: Twice As Nice

    They Said “What Happens On The Cruise Stays On The Cruise”—But They Were Wrong!

    Having successfully completed its second annual mission, Damian Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise goes down in history as another amazing experience for lovers of reggae and dancehall music. This year featured not one but two back-to-back cruises loaded with no fewer than 23 different acts—not including guest artists—plus another 10 “sound systems,” three of whom engaged in an epic battle dubbed the first ever “sound clash on the sea.” Not a single detail was overlooked: from the movies showing in the ship’s theater to the music playing in the hallways when you step out of your cabin—even the buckets of Guiness sold hot or cold—everything was chosen to appeal to lovers of Jamaican culture. Roughly half the passengers hailed from the United States, with twenty or so other nationalities representing the UK, Europe, Asia, South America, the Pacific Islands, and of course the Caribbean. Rumor has it that there was even an early morning Niyabinghi session on the uppermost deck of the ship at dawn. For the second year in a row, the Boomshots team was on board to catch all the action. Check out the photo gallery above and watch this space for highlights of performances by Super Cat, Ragga Marley, King Jammy’$ Super Power and much much more. Video After The Jump…
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  • Full Moon Playlist II

    Full Moon Playlist II

    Ten Multi-Genre Selections for Your Halloween Party Playlist

       This year, Halloween was preceded by a Supermoon, making this holiday extra spooky. On September 27, 2015, a total lunar eclipse occurred and the moon passed into the Earth’s shadow. The moon appeared  close to the earth with a bright red illuminance. The last time this happened was 1982. Many believe that this type of moon brings about badness in people. The Full Moon Playlist II highlights songs that unleash the dark side of human nature in reggae, pop, dancehall, hip hop and soca. The playlist contains ten tunes focusing on an intrinsic baddness theme, while others go beyond the theme and comment on social issues, and a few are highlighted for a wicked production. Playlist After The Jump…

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  • WATCH THIS: Christopher Martin “Hideaway” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Christopher Martin “Hideaway” Official Music Video

    Martin Channels Jimmy Cliff In New Music From The Motion Picture Destiny

    Christopher Martin has always has been propelled by talent rather than hype. Since making his name on Digicel Rising Stars in 2005, the singer has amassed a considerable catalog of quality original tracks, from “Vibes Is Right” to “Cheaters Prayer” and his recent EP Stepping Razor. Earlier this year he made his big-screen debut as the romatic lead in the outstanding new film Destiny, a cinematic showcase for the island Jamaica in all its beauty. Produced and directed by Toronto-based Jeremy Whittaker, Destiny tells the tale of Lisa Pullen, played by the gorgeous Karian Sang, who journeys to Jamaica to sell inherited land acquired through inheritance leads to much more, as Lisa not only uncovers truths about her family’s past, but also finds herself falling in love in the process. The soundtrack to the film is blockbuster in its own right, released last month on Tuff Gong Records and produced by legendary reggae music producer Clive Hunt with Dwain ‘Wiya’ Campbell for Grasshopper Music Entertainment. Busy Signal, Tifa, and Spice appear on the album as well Garnet Silk Jr and Parisian reggae artist Bazil. But our favorite cut is this rub-a-dub lovers’ selection from Mr. Martin himself, who sounds uncannily like another legendary Jamaican actor/singer, Mr. Harder They Come himself, Jimmy Cliff. Don’t believe it? Just watch for yourself. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Nah Pop No Style—I’m Strictly Lit

    Nah Pop No Style—I’m Strictly Lit

    ReshmaB Chains’ Brand New Collection Isn’t Just For The Herbalists

    As the new collection rolls out for ReshmaB Chains you already know the Reggae Girl About Town has something in store for all the ganja girls. But her unisex street style accessories are more than just chronic. The exciting new designs include four-finger rings and layered colors. Since the launch of the brand in 2014 the pieces have expanded from chains to ear rings and body chains. This summer, following a successful show at Caribbean Fashion Week, British Designer Reshma B announced that she was working on something completely different.  Photos After The Jump…
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  • Flashback Friday: Shirley Stewart “Walk Away From Love”

    Flashback Friday: Shirley Stewart “Walk Away From Love”

    A Timeless Classic Still Melting Hearts in 2015

    Spouge, a hybrid of latin, jazz, ska and calypso music, became popular in Barbados in the 1960s. Jackie Opel was the first to take this music to the rest of the Caribbean. With his untimely passing, Spouge lost its momentum. However, a few songs have stood the test of time. Among these timeless classics, “Walk Away From Love” written by Shirley Stewart and Richard Walters, stands out for its poignant lyrics. Interview After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Daniel Bambaata Marley “Waiting for the War” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Daniel Bambaata Marley “Waiting for the War” Official Music Video

    “We’re The Last of the Mohicans, Last of a Dying Breed”

    If you ain’t up on Daniel Bambaata Marley yet, time to play catch-up. His first release, “My Girl,” a combination with his cousin Jo Mersa, touched the road in 2010. He sang the rootsy love song “Treat You Right” on Ghetto Youths International’s first Set Up Shop compilation. More recently, his track “Free It Up” was a standout on Inner Circle’s “Tenement Yard” juggling. Boomshots now presents the video for his latest release, “Waiting for the War.” like his name itself, this tune reflects two mighty musical legacies. Rooted in the reggae his grandfather Bob first spread around the world, the song explodes (tick-tick-boom) into a fusillade of bars that bounce between dancehall and hip hop cadences that would bring a smile to the face of the Universal Zulu Nation founder. As the eldest son of Ziggy Marley, Daniel is wary not to be pigeon-holed as some sort of carbon copy. No danger of that—he’s inherited his father’s taste for restless musical experimentation, and for a second-generation Jamaican youth raised in Miami it’s only fitting that Daniel embodies a complex of cultural influences. “False prophets are prophesying on some shit they’ll never see / While watching television wondering who’s watching me,” Daniel rhymes on the gritty track, which presents a surprisingly bleak world view for a 25-year-old. “My aim is to love,” he asserts in the same verse before noting that “We’re the last of the Mohicans, the last of a dying breed.” Welcome to the new age. Video After the Jump… (more…)

  • Super Cat Confirmed for Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise

    Super Cat Confirmed for Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise

    The Wild Apache Will Be On Board—Nah Tek Back No Chat

    Not content to be merely awesome, the second annual Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise continues to up the artistic ante. Yesterday Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s official cruise Facebook page made a late-breaking announcement: dancehall reggae legend Super Cat has just been confirmed for both of the five-night cruises from Miami to Jamaica and back. (Cat joins an already excpetional lineup, ranging from Jr. Gong to Barrington Levy to Capleton and Popcaan and many many more.) After a lengthy hiatus from the music business, the Wild Apache rallied forward in 2013, taking the music scene by storm with a surprise appearance alongside Shaggy in NYC. Since then Cat made a historic return to Jamaica for Sting 2013 and has continued to perform select spot dates for various groups of fans fortunate enough to witness history in the making every time the Don Dada steps on the stage. With the all-star sound system lineup on board this year’s cruises (including Jammy’s, Saxon, Metro Media, and Black Scorpio to name a few) some truly legendary musical moments are likely to unfold on the high seas. Video & Booking Details After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: New Kingston ft. Wailing Souls “Protect Me” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    WATCH THIS: New Kingston ft. Wailing Souls “Protect Me” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    Three Brothers Making Real Reggae Music Straight Outta BK

    Growing up as the sons of renowned drummer, producer, and studio owner Courtney Panton, the members of New Kingston—Tahir, Steve and Courtney Panton, Jr.—were immersed in all aspects of reggae music creation and the livity that goes with it for as long as they remember. So it should be no surprise that the Brooklyn-based trio have quickly distinguished themselves as one of reggae’s freshest new bands on the international scene. Boomshots is proud to premiere their latest music video off the album Kingston City, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard reggae chart. The song is called “Protect Me,” featuring The Wailing Souls on a wicked re-lick of their classic “Firehouse Rock,” updated inna 2015 BK stylee. Be sure to check the tour dates below for a chance to experience New Kingston live and direct. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Collie Buddz Talks “Blue Dreamz” EP and Herbal Inspiration

    Collie Buddz Talks “Blue Dreamz” EP and Herbal Inspiration

    “When I’m home I really don’t smoke,” says Bermuda’s Biggest Dancehall Star

    Collie Buddz rolled through NYC this Labor Day weekend to celebrate the release of his new EP Blue Dreamz. The Bermuda-born DJ said he recorded most of the new EP during a recent trip to Jamaica. The title track, produced by Johnny Wonder on his brand new “Ice Cold” riddim, refers to a popular strain of high-grade ganja that Collie discovered during a tour stop in Northern California. Although herb laws are reforming all over the world, Collie says that in his native Bermuda the wisdom weed is still far from legal. “When I’m home I really don’t smoke,” says the artist who first blew up off the ganja tune “Come Around.” The final track of the album is called “Prescription” and refers to a day when the healing of the nation will be available to all. Check out Collie Buddz reasoning with Reshma B about the new EP as well as some real talk about reggae and race and the inspiration behind his classic cut “Blind to You” (Haters).  Video After The Jump… (more…)