Boomshots

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  • WATCH THIS: Yami Bolo “True Love” Pon Radio Lily

    The Roots Reggae Legend Nices Up Miss Lily’s Variety
    Yami Bolo has been singing classic reggae cuts since his days at Sugar Minott’s Youth Promotions. You already know his tunes like “When A Man’s in Love” on the Stalag riddim, which Mad Lion sampled for his 90s hip-hop banger “Take It Easy.” What you may not know is that he also wrote and recorded the song “True Love” before his bredren White Mice made it a big hit in the dance. This week Mr. Bolo passed through the Strictly Boomshots show for an in-depth interview and blessed the place with some selections off his album Crucial Duets Vol. 1—and he even did a crucial duet with yours truly. Ka-Boom. Video by the man called Gizmo after the jump…
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  • WATCH THIS: Rick Ross In Jamaica

    The Maybach Music Bawse Blazes It Up In Jamrock

    Ricky Rozay flashed down to Jamaica last weekend to blaze some trees, put on a show, and holla at de gyal dem. “I see so many beautiful ladies in the crowd,” Ross said between tunes. “Y’all know how to take care of the big-belly rudeboy.” Check the video after the jump. (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Reggae Gold 2012

    The 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Reggae Gold Is In Stores Now. Stream The Full Double CD Here.

    For the past 20 years, VP’s Reggae Gold series has been the 24-karat standard for dancehall and reggae compilations. To celebrate the anthology’s anniversary, VP has pulled out all the stops with a deluxe double disc combining this year’s hottest hits with a selection of the biggest boomshots of the past 20 years. Check the selections after the jump. (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Mr. Vegas Voices A Dub For Stone Love

    Vegas Takes Us From Dub Studio To Dancehall

    You already know Mr. Vegas’ Sweet Jamaica is one of the best albums of the year. The double CD is a musical celebration of the past, present, and future of reggae and dancehall culture. In this exclusive video, Vegas hits the dub studio to voice a special of his album cut “Gimme A Light”—based on Desmond Dekker’s classic “Israelites”—for the mighty Stone Love sound. Then later that night he tests it out in the dance. (more…)

  • Mr. Vegas Not Feeling “On A Mission”

    Singjay Says His Own Tune Would Be A Better Choice; Blames “Bias and Favoritism”

    Never one to hold his tongue, Mr. Vegas has made his feelings known about “On A Mission,” the song Shaggy produced to celebrate Jamaica’s 50th Anniversary of Independence. “No disrespect to the producers or artists on this 50th anniversary song,” the singer wrote in an online message board, “but if this is the music that best represent our 50 years of independence, then I need to fall back to sleep & don’t wake up.” (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Jimmy Cliff “One More”

    Download The First Single From The New Album Rebirth

    With all due respect to the Gully Gaad, Jimmy Cliff is the original Starbwoy. We’re talking about the man who auditioned Bob Marley, starred in Perry Henzel’s seminal flick The Harder They Come, and was rightfully inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Now he’s back with a brand new album at age 64, produced by  Tim Armstrong, the same punk rocker who was responsible for Cliff’s outstanding Sacred Fire EP. The first single off Rebirth is a hard-driving ska number called “One More.” Cliff sings it like it’s the last tune on earth.

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  • Flinging Down Father’s Day Selections

    Big Request To All The Daddies Round The World

    Reggae music has no shortage of tunes bigging up the mothers of creation. So whappen to the fathers? No love for Papa? With Father’s Day right around the corner, we did some digging and the results were mixed. Most of these sound like they’re really more about God than dear old Dad, but work with it father… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Chipmunk ft. Mavado “More Money More Gyal”

    Brand New Combination From The London Boy and the Starbwoy

    First they teamed up for “Every Gal,” now Chip & Mavado are after “More Gyal.” Their strategy to get them is a simple matter of supply & demand. Supply more money and you’re sure to be very much in demand. (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Freddie McGregor “You Won’t See Me”

    First Single From The New Big Ship Album “The Captain”

    These days the name “Big Ship” brings to mind the cutting-edge dancehall productions of Stephen and Chino McGregor, but make no mistake, father Freddie is the captain of the ship. In case you didn’t know, the studio was named for one of Freddie’s best loved hits—”Big ship sailing on the ocean / We don’t need no commotion.” Just in time for Father’s Day, Freddie has come back with a nice new reggae-matic cover of a classic Beatles selection. Check it out after the jump. (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Shaggy & Friends “On A Mission”

    Shaggy, Assassin, Beres Hammond, Tarrus Riley, Damian Marley, Romain Virgo, Chevelle Franklyn, Wayne Marshall, Tifa & Tessanne Chin Join Forces To Sing Jamaica’s Praises

    A new song celebrating Jamaica’s 50th Anniversary of Independence just dropped. Shaggy brought together an all-star lineup for the tune, which joins Mikey Bennett’s “Find a Flag” as the second “official” song of the golden anniversary. Audio after the jump. (more…)

  • Interview: Reasoning With Clive Chin

     Remembering Randy’s Records, Bob Marley, And Playing Rhythms On A Cheese Grater

    Tonight in Brooklyn NYC, legendary reggae producer Clive Chin will premiere some exclusive scorchers from deep inside the vaults of Randy’s Records that have scarcely been heard since they were first laid down inside the studio at 17 North Parade in Kingston, Jamaica. “I unraveled around pretty close to 600 odd tapes that were buried in the studio during the exodus coming to New York back in 1977—So hold tight, whole heap of good tunes. When I say good tunes, solid tunes, authentic tunes. Some of them have never been released. Tunes from Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Max Romeo. A couple Wailers too. Just to let you know that there is plenty arsenal in the Randy’s vaults—Ha-ha-ha-ha!” (more…)

  • Reggae Sumfest Dancehall Night Lineup

    Rumor Has It That Some Very Big Names Are Still To Be Added

    Reggae Sumfest, a.k.a. “The Greatest Reggae Show on Earth,” will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this July. Year in and year out, Sumfest has showcased the best of Jamaican music and brought some of the world’s best known international artists to rock out alongside reggae’s biggest stars. But don’t get it twisted—while folks like Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, and Lil Wayne tend to get most of the media hype, the fact is that Thursday’s Dancehall Night always draws the biggest crowds each and every year. The lineup for this year’s Dancehall Night has just been announced, so click through to find out who will be blazing up the stage this year.

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