Boomshots

Tag: Shabba Ranks

  • WTJRC 2022 Heavy Rotation Playlist

    WTJRC 2022 Heavy Rotation Playlist

    All in the Same Boat, Rockin’ on the Same Rock

    Once again it’s on. The last time we were on board the Jamrock Cruise was December 2019, before most people had ever heard the words “Covid-19.” Three years later the big ship is ready to rock with artists like Burning Spear, Shabba Ranks, Damian Marley, Bounty Killer, Sizzla, and more. Check out this Boomshots playlist featuring the latest sounds from all the artists performing on this year’s Jamrock Cruise.
    Heavy Rotation Playlist After The Jump…  (more…)

  • Damian Marley, Shabba Ranks, and Burning Spear Speak on the Return of the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise

    Damian Marley, Shabba Ranks, and Burning Spear Speak on the Return of the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise

    All In The Same Boat, Rockin’ On The Same Rock


    “All in the same boat, rockin’ on the same rock,” Bob Marley sang on the Wailers’ 1971 classic “    Don’t Rock My Boat.” Produced by the late great Lee “Scratch” Perry, the song is a plea for unity in keeping with the time-honored values of reggae music. “Got to get together,” Bob sang, “loving each other.” Some forty years after its release “Don’t Rock My Boat” became a sort of unofficial theme song for the Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise, an yearly musical excursion created by Bob’s youngest son Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and his longtime manager Dan Dalton. Of course the official cruise anthem would be Jr. Gong’s Grammy-winning smash hit “Welcome to Jamrock.”

    “How blessed we are to have the opportunity to be doing this,” Jr. Gong said back in 2014 when the first Jamrock cruise set off from Miami to Jamaica, with an all-star lineup of the greatest Jamaican reggae and dancehall stars on board, as well as many of the world’s top reggae sound systems. “All of us who are on the cruise are part of a historic moment,” Jr. Gong predicted. “Both for ourselves and on behalf of the genre of reggae music.” Or as the world-famous recording artist and selector Shinehead put it that first year, “I only fantasized about shit like this. It’s like Rub-A-Dub Disneyland!”


    Over the next six years, the Jamrock Cruise emerged as one of reggae’s premier annual events, hosting historic performances year after year and selling out so quickly the organizers expanded to a larger vessel. As the sixth cruise wrapped up in 2019 with powerful performances by the likes of Koffee, Popcaan, Buju Banton, and Skip Marley, the Jamrock team was looking forward to smooth sailing ahead. But then as the new decade began, the whole world changed. 

    A worldwide viral outbreak shut down the cruise industry and many other aspects of life as we once knew it. Since then two Jamrock Cruises had to be postponed, and cruisers were invited to refund their deposit. “But many of our loyal supporters have held on to their reservations,” says Dalton. “I think people have been yearning for Jamrock more than ever. The community vibe on the ship has always been love and unity and diversity, celebrated under the umbrella of reggae music and Jamaican culture. This cruise is more than a festival to be honest. It’s not just a good time. Jamrock is more like a food for the soul kinda thing. Jamrock brings people together. That’s what reggae music always did.” 

    Today VIBE and Boomshots are announcing the official lineup for the seventh Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise, which includes two legendary first-time performers: Burning Spear and Shabba Ranks. 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…)

  • Reasoning With The Ranks: “Every day, another star is born from the ghetto. A star isn’t born from the hills and society either. It’s from the ghetts that the youth dem ah push up.”

    Reasoning With The Ranks:
    “Every day, another star is born from the ghetto. A star isn’t born from the hills and society either. It’s from the ghetts that the youth dem ah push up.”

    In Honor of Shabba’s Order of Distinction, We Present An In-Depth Interview with the Dancehall Emperor

    “Triumphant,” said Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon, better known to music lovers as Shabba Ranks. “Dat a my feeling right now because, as my mother used to tell me from I was little, hard work does pay off.” The dancehall emperor, who now resides in the United States, returned to Kingston, Jamaica this week to receive one of his homeland’s highest honors, the Order of Distinction. According to the Jamaica Observer, the crowd cheered wildly as the impeccably attired Ranks appeared on the great lawn at King’s House, the opulent residence of the island’s Governor General. Sir Patrick Allen personally bestowed the honor on this ghetto youth who took dancehall music around the world, earning the genre’s first gold record and two consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Album. “So we can see dat de validation for hard work is jus’ greatness — good really begets good,” said Shabba. “For my island to look at me as one of those proteges and bestow the Order of Distinction pon me, when I first hear, it’s just delight, joy. It cause me to think about how, for so many years, me a work with the strength of my forefathers who did their work and still could not achieve dis in their lifetime… So mi jus’ proud.” The 50-year-old artist joins a distinguished group of  Jamaicans in the fields of music, art, sports, politics, medicine, and journalism. Fellow honorees include Usain Bolt, Sir Coxsone Dodd, and Lee “Scratch” Perry.  Interview After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Chronixx “Out Deh”

    HEAR THIS: Chronixx “Out Deh”

    Straight Outta Spaintown

    Teased on the masterful Roots & Chalice mixtape released earlier this year, the official full length version of the latest Chronixx single to touch the road is here. “Out Deh” showcases Di Steam Ministah hitching a ride upon the Shiah Records’ rugged “Lion Paw” riddim with a true king of the jungle flex. Chronixx does what he does best, displaying his knack for paying subtle if not outright homages to the reggae/dancehall days of old, wrapped in the cloak of swag that defines today’s younger generation. Stepping up with a nod to Shabba’s classic King Jammy’s selection “Get Up Stand Up and Rock,” Chronixx tips his hat to the Rankin as if to say I, Chronixx, am the reggae future as well as the reggae now—because I & I never forget I roots—and yes those roots reach all the way into the street. (Folks keep filing his music under “roots revival” although Chronixx has always maintained that “me’s a dancehall man.”) The riddim—produced by Shiah Coore, son of Third World’s guitarist/cellist Cat Coore, and musical director for Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley—is fierce. Chronixx’s vocals are crisp and laced with grit, his lyrics both “wise and street smart” as the tune specifies. The stage is being set for a full-scale Chronixx uprising. Our  job is to make sure we stay tuned and don’t miss the opportunity to witnesses what’s next. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • Takashi Productions Presents Yami Bolo Tell Me You Love Me On The Slay Riddim

    Takashi Productions Presents Yami Bolo Tell Me You Love Me On The Slay Riddim

    Brooklyn Producer Takashi Suehiro Debuts New riddim with Veteran Reggae Artist Yami Bolo

    When two different worlds collide, sometimes you realize that the differences are quite subtle and may never matter at all. When this happens in music, it is a magical fusion. The artist and producer can unite in a studio and create an ecletic sound. In 2016,  Brooklyn producer, Takashi Suehiro, who mostly works with undergound local artists, is seeing an exponential rise in the number of international artists interested in his riddims. His latest riddim, the Slay riddim, caught the attention of Isasha and Yami Bolo. Yami Bolo flew to New York to lay down a track on this riddim, and the result was a lover’s rock tune, “Tell Me You Love Me, ” with a unique and invigorating sound. Audio & Interview After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Spice “Needle Eye” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Spice “Needle Eye” Official Music Video

    The Mad Gyal’s Fairy Godmother Hooks Her Up To Bruk Out

    Spice’s latest visuals are a dancehall Cinderella story, with one major difference: in the traditional fairy tale, Cinderalla uses a needle and thread to stitch herself a dress. In Spice’s version the needle eye has a whole different meaning. (Word to Shabba Ranks.) Just like in the Disney movie, those wicked stepsisters head out to the dance, leaving Spice at home with no bashment gear. But never fear—her fairy godmother hooks her up and Spice heads straight to the session to flop those stepsisters and take the man they’ve got their eyes on. (The man in question is played by Spice’s real-life man, Nicholas Lall). Shot entirely in Paris, France, the “Needle Eye” video delivers a powerful dose of eye candy. All the classic dancehall themes are there—the speaker boxes, flaming torches, multicolored wigs, and headtop wining—but with a fresh, playful twist that keeps things extra-Spicey.  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Shabba Ranks to Headline Best of the Best 2015

    Shabba Ranks to Headline Best of the Best 2015

    Miami Welcomes The Big Dutty Stinkin’ Dancehall Emperor

    There are few entertainers in any genre who can match the raw energy of Shabba Ranks live on stage. But when A$AP Ferg shouted out Shabba a couple of years ago many younger fans had never seen the dancehall legend do his thing live. This Memorial Day weekend May 24 in Miami, everyone will get the chance to witness the Dancehall Emperor ripping up Best of the Best alongside the likes of Capleton, Beenie Man, and Lady Saw. Shabba’s prediction: “Underpants wet, sweat man come fi sweat, money get!” Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Eddie Murphy Roots Reggae

    Eddie Murphy Roots Reggae

    Edward Regan “Eddie” Murphy ranks as the 4th highest paid actor in the United States. Making people laugh out loud, comes second nature to this comedian. The actor from Bushwick, Brooklyn, even masters the art of playing multiple roles in the same movie; including fan favorite, “Coming to America.” He’s dabbled in music for years, but Murphy gets serious with  reggae in 2015.  More After The Jump…

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  • WATCH THIS: Shabba Ranks Rules On Da Reggae Tip 2014

    WATCH THIS: Shabba Ranks Rules On Da Reggae Tip 2014

    Beenie, Shaggy, Sanchez, and Spice Help the Hot 97 Crew Kick off Labor Day Weekend 2014

    This past Friday, just like every other Friday before a Labor Day Weekend in recent memory, a galaxy of reggae and dancehall stars descended on Hot 97’s annual showcase On Da Reggae Tip. Just as in years past, the event was hosted by Bobby Konders and Jabba, whose Sunday-night reggae show has been a fixture on New York’s No. 1 hip-hop station since 1992. And as like in year’s past, there were a few surprise guests from the worlds of R&B, hip-hop, and classic dancehall waiting in the wings. But some things this year were very different, starting with the venue. Instead of the ornate but overcrowded Hammerstein Ballroom, where the perennially sold-out show has always been held, ODRT2014 took place at a much larger outdoor venue, JBL Live at Pier 97 on the edge of Manhattan’s Hudson River. As the sun set on a perfect late-summer evening, the show kicked off with blossoming pop stars like teenage sensation Samantha J, and Tessanne Chin, the Jamaican-born crooner who won the last season of NBC’s The Voice, as well as dancehall acts like Tifa, currently riding high off her single “Bak It Up” and Kranium, the Brooklyn-based DJ whose keep-it-on-the-downlow single “Nobody Has To Know” has made him a name to know. < Full Review And Videos After the Jump… (more…)

  • Maxi Priest Leaves It All On Stage

    Maxi Priest Leaves It All On Stage

    The UK Reggae Superstar’s Birthday Show at BB King’s Was vEasy To Love

    When Maxi Priest stepped onstage at BB King’s in New York City on June 11th, he had two reasons to celebrate. First and foremost, the UK reggae superstar had turned 53 just a day earlier. Running a close second was the arrival of his first album in seven years, a lovers-rock-leaning collection of straight-up reggae cuts called ‘Easy To Love’. After many successful years with Virgin Records, Maxi went the indie route, releasing his 2007 album ‘Refused’ on Peppermint Jam Records, and his latest with long-reigning reggae imprint V.P. Records.  Full Review & Video After The Jump…
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  • Busy Signal Revives “Gal Yuh Good”

    Busy Signal Revives “Gal Yuh Good”

     In 2013, rapper A$AP Ferg made the song, “Shabba” which featured a cameo in the video, from the “Dancehall Emperor” himself  and rapper, A$AP Rocky; “8 Gold Rings Like I’m Shabba Shabba Ranks!” The admiration for the two-time Grammy Award winner in this song, was a clear indication that Shabba Ranks’ music, transcends across genres and into the ears of today’s generation of listeners.  The reggae legend has a trailer load of tunes, including roots and culture songs, but the sexy ones remain imprinted on music minds.  Mr. Loverman’s, “Wicked In A Bed” was featured on the top selling video game of all time, “Grand Theft Auto, San Andreas” for Playstation 2. To name a few more, who can forget classic Shabba smash hits:  “Telephone Love,” “Caa’n Done,” “Slow and Sexy,” “Love Punany Bad,” “Bedroom Bully”  and fan favorite, “Gal Yuh Good.” Busy Signal just revived the latter, from the 90’s, with his new video release, saluting Shabba Ranks for his original song and adding  signature vocals.  More After The Jump…

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