Jersey’s Kiff started making waves last year with a style he had coined Jersey soca; a unique blend of Jersey club and the island sounds he grew up on. The pairing picked up on similar traits between the two, specifically Barbados’ style of crop over. The remix culture that such a big part of both soca and Jersey club led to his expansion into broader, less definable, but more deeply Caribbean styles that make up Mix N Ting. From dancehall, to soca, to just straight vibes, Kiff has the cure for your post-Memorial Day tabanca right here.
Category: Remix
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HEAR THIS: Vanessa Bling “Worst” + Instagram Video
Gaza Slim Takes “Work” Remix To The Next Level With Instagram Video
Rumor has it that Rihanna’s chart-topping dancehall smash “Work” was inspired by a certain ex boyfriend who “took the heart on her sleeve for decoration.” In her new yardstyle refix (produced by Markus) the artist formerly known as Gaza Slim takes Rihanna’s “Work” to the next level. Just a few of the choice quotables: “Me have another man him like it / Him have a bigger better joystick.” “Every minute gal a breed / When me waan fi wuk you ah sleep.” “Money me need me nuh need no sufferation / Gimme the keys fi mi car you a wasteman / Yuh mussi wan’ fi go sleep up ah the station.” “Pack your clothes them please / I want you to leave / Me ah go dash them out on the street.” “I know AIDS will get to you” Audio After The Jump… (more…)
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HEAR THIS: Beniton “Work” InstaMix
The Man Called Jack Frostt Nah Ramp With Lazy People
Since its release in January, Rihanna’s “Work” off her eighth studio album “Anti,” has seen a fair share of underground street mixes from the likes of A$AP Ferg and Dave East. However, neither rapper was successful in making a lasting impression on the final product. This isn’t because the aforementioned recording artists’ lack talent, but moreso because “Work” is a dancehall record and out of their lane. Much like the original version of “Work,” the spinoffs that circulate the net lack authenticity—that is until Jamaican deejay Beniton aka Jack Frostt stepped inside the booth to add some real island flavor to the mix, a necessary ingredient that could only be provided by someone who is of the culture, rather than a fan who simply enjoys the music. Audio After The Jump… (more…)
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WATCH THIS: Chronixx x Eesah “Perfect Tree” Official Music Video
Chronixx x Eesah Engage in a Melodic Steam Session
Chronixx opens with horns blazing, as he rides effortlessly over the beat from Black Star’s “Respiration” exhaling words of righteousness: “High grade never hurt nobody. Let herb be free on earth nuh daddy.” You’ve guessed it: it’s another ganja anthem, but this one requires a higher meditation to fully comprehend the meaning behind the “Perfect Tree.” Let’s begin with origins of Rastafari and the Legalize It movement. Bob Marley and the Wailers advocated for the legalization of herbs for the masses. Peter Tosh was a vocal proponent of green living throughout the ’70s. Before the Wailers, a man by the name of Leonard Howell built the Pinnacle as a sustainable community in colonial Jamaica with an economic base of agriculture and yup, marijuana. Video After The Jump…
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WATCH THIS: Rihanna ft. Drake “Work” Official Music Video
Girl I’ll Tropical House You
After all the teasers, snippets, and Snapchats the video for Rihanna’s most unabashedly dancehall track ever drops today, same time the tune touch the No. 1 spot. Our bredren Paul Parris called Riri and Aubrey the Queen and King of Dancehall, which might be overstating the case, but we feel the fire of his argument. Point being that Tropical House shit is dead. Please have the decency to call it what it is: dancehall. By now we all know the song was co-produced by Drake’s very own Boi-1da, Sevn Thomas and Partynextdoo—three youths from T-Dot who looped up Pot of Gold’s “Sail Away” riddim and took the track behind “Badman Nuh Flee” to the top of the pops. The video is appropriately twerktastic and bangs even harder with DJ Autograph’s remix underneath. Pree this. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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HEAR THIS: Jully Black ft. Tanya Stephens “Bom Bom” Remix
Two Dancehall Divas Tackle The Track Sister Nancy Made “Famous”
This weekend the Internet is buzzing about Kanye West dissing Taylor Swift on a track called “Famous.” The song, which apparently features Rihanna and Swizz Beatz, is part of his new album, The Life of Pablo, and isn’t released yet. If you were one of the people who tuned in to last week’s big Yeezy Season 3 fashion show / album premiere, live-streamed around the world from Madison Square Garden, then you know the most-talked-about track on the most-talked-about album right now is built around Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam”—a dancehall classic on the immortal Stalag Riddim. Since it’s not much fun reading about songs you can’t hear, let’s turn our attention to another hot song that interpolates “Bam Bam.” This one was created by Toronto’s own Julky Black, who reached out to a real live Jamaican reggae star to spit some fire on the remix, riding a rough and rugged remake of the Stalag with drums that go extra hard. No more long talking. Audio After The Jump… (more…)
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WATCH THIS: Gyptian ft. Lady Leshurr “All On Me” (Diztortion Remix) Official Music Video
Gyppy Links The UK Queen—Zeen?
You don’t need to be a reggae fan to be familiar with Gyptian’s mega-smash “Hold Yuh,” and if you ain’t up on Lady Leshurr’s Queen’s Speech freestyles, well, you probably need to “Brush Your Teeth.” The two stars joined forces on The Diztortion’s nasty remix of Gyppy’s latest boom tune “All On Me,” and Lady L was more than happy to jet from from chilly Great Britain to sunny Port Antonio for this fun-loving video shoot. As her parents hail from St. Kitts, and she grew up surrounded by the sounds of Bob Marley and Sister Nancy, it’s no surprise how well she and Gyptian jelled on this track. The chemistry is undeniable. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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HEAR THIS: R. City ft. Adam Levine, Agent Sasco, Popcaan, Kardinal Offishall & Bunji Garlin “Locked Away” Dancehall Remix
USVI x JA x TNT x TDot Link Up On This Mega Refix
Over New Year’s weekend, Shaggy & Friends annual fundraiser went down in Kingston, Jamaica with the usual star-studded guest list—hailing from yard and abroad—all to raise funds for Jamaica’s Bustamante Hospital for Children. (That “one ticket = one life” slogan is no joke.) Amongst the headliners was R. City (formerly Rock City), the songwriting duo responsible for smash hits by the likes of Rihanna, Usher, and Chris Brown who now have some pretty big tunes of their own since dropping their debut album What Dreams Are Made Of last August. Although they’ve always been known as stars in their U.S. Virgin Islands homeland, Timothy and Theron Thomas only recently stepped in the international spotlight as performers and recording artists. Their Adam Levine–featuring single “Locked Away” had the pop charts on lock last year, and just in case you didn’t notice the tune’s dancehall drum pattern, they’ve dropped a remix featuring Assassin, Popcaan, Kardi and Bunji. The Thomas brothers stay repping the Caribbean all day long. Legal shot! Salute! Audio & Download Link After The Jump… (more…)
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“Sorry,” Not Sorry: A Justin Bieber Remix Rewind
Biebz x Skrillex Have The Dance On Lock
Ever since the “Tropical House” track “Sorry” dropped last October, it’s been going HAM in the dancehall. If the ragga drum patterns didn’t tip you off, then those New Zealand bashment girls in the official video—Ladies of ReQuest joining forces with the Royal Dance Crew—must have driven the point home. Skrillex has always been a big reggae fan and he’s been spending nuff time in Jamaica lately. It seems the local sounds are definitely rubbing off. But they rub both ways of course. What dancehall artist doesn’t enjoy a good remix? This holiday season the club was flooded with “Sorry” versions. Here are a few of our favorites, without any apology. Audio After The Jump… (more…)
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HEAR THIS: Popcaan “Where We Come From” Heatwave Remix
Unruly UK Refix Pon The Golden Hen Riddim
It’s been a minute since we heard from our peoples across the pond, but the Heatwave just popped three new refixes into our inbox. As usual, we’re sharing the best bits straightaway. If you’re like us, you’ve kept the title track to Popcaan’s Where We Come From album in heavy rotation for the last couple years TR8. Now that Poppy’s sophomore album release date is drawing near, it’s only right to have a fresh take on the Anju Blaxx–produced original to hold you down. In comes a Mad Mad Heatwave refix to hot up any wintry shubeen. Audio After The Jump… (more…)
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HEAR THIS: Krept & Konan ft. Jeremih, Beenie Man & Popcaan “Freak of the Week” Remix
Di Playground Riddim Ah No Play Play Ting
South London grimesters K&K serve up hip hop and grime on their new mixtape The Long Way Home. The breakout single, featuring DJ Mustard on the beats and Chi-town singer Jeremih on the hook, has a definite dancehall flavor—inspired by the mighty Playground Riddim—which inspired Beenie and Papi to give it a refix. Check the levels. Audio After The Jump… (more…)
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HEAR THIS: Shaggy “I Need Your Love” Remix
Shaggy’s Outernational hit Gets a Dreamy Valentine’s Day Refix
Ever since 1993, when he and Sting International transformed an ancient reggae song by the Folkes Brothers into a global hit called “Oh Carolina,” Shaggy has demonstrated an uncanny ability to come up with Boomshots heard round the world. His latest guilty pleasure was made in collaboration with Swedish Afro-pop singer Mohombi,Australian singer Fayde, and Romanian co-writer Costi Ionita. “I did a song with Costi, ‘Fired Up’ with Pitbull, and I wanted to get together again. I heard this track and thought it was wonderful. So I did some lyrics and we got a song people really like.” Shaggy recently remarked. You’ve probably seen the video showing the Shagsman cavorting on a yacht somewhere on a twinkling sea of blue. Now, just in time for Valentine’s Day, here comes a dancefloor-ready remix of the tune courtesy of the GameBoyz. Shaggy he will surely perform this one at his V-Day shows—along with Maxi Priest and Sanchez—in New Jersey and New York this weekend. Audio After The Jump… (more…)