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  • WATCH THIS: Charly Black “Hustler’s Paradise (Henny Situation)” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Charly Black “Hustler’s Paradise (Henny Situation)” Official Music Video

    When The Top Trelawney General’s Under His Henny, Please Don’t Violate

    “Whoooah!” Hailing from Jamaican parish of Trelawney, Charly Black first rose to prominence as a selector for Bass Odyssey sound system. He recorded his debut single “Woman It’s You” under the name Tony Mentol in 2004 and went on to change his name as he began working with Coppershot Productions (their tune “High Grade” is a certified Boomshot ganja anthem). His 2014 track “Gyal You a Party Animal,” voiced on Kurt Riley’s Jambe-An riddim, became an international hit, particularly in South America which led to a major label distribution deal. Charly Black’s latest release was produced by Thirty Six Degrees and distributed by the mighty 21st Hapilos with a video by Xtreme Arts that demonstrates the power of a bottle of Henny and some pretty girls. Video After The Jump…
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  • Peter Tosh Unchained: “I’m Not A Politician, But I Suffer The Consequences”

    Peter Tosh Unchained: “I’m Not A Politician, But I Suffer The Consequences”

    Don’t Sleep—The Stepping Razor Is Still Dangerous

    “If you wanna live,” sang PETER TOSH beneath a full moon at Kingston, Jamaica’s National Stadium, “treat me good.” Standing firm as lightning flashed over the stage, the man called Stepping Razor spat bitter truths and ganja smoke in the faces of Prime Minister Michael Manley, opposition leader Edward Seaga, a gathering of their ghetto henchmen, and a large contingent of well-armed police—while thousands of Kingstonians bore witness. Tribal war between gangs loyal to Manley’s socialist PNP and Seaga’s right-wing JLP had claimed too many lives since the 1976 general elections, so on April 22, 1978, a big reggae show was held with the explicit aim of easing the tension. That same night, Tosh’s former bandmate Bob Marley managed to bring Manley and Seaga onstage for a symbolic joining of hands that did not exactly bring an end to the violence. It did, however, become an iconic tableau within Marley mythology, thanks in part to the documentary, Heartland Reggae. Tosh, on the other hand, refused to allow any American “pirates” to film his hour-long set. Thankfully an audio recording survives, preserving the songs and speeches that nearly cost him his life. Story Continues After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Skinny Banton “Jab Behavior”

    HEAR THIS: Skinny Banton “Jab Behavior”

    New Single Causing A Soca Frenzy

    The song, “Jab Behavior” is creating a hysteria well in advance of the upcoming Carnivals in Trinidad and Tobago and Carriacou.  The song contains a tantalizing riddim produced by Hector “Legz” Thomas and  Skinny Banton signature vocals.  In the song, he uses his native tongue with deep vocals to describe  jab culture.  In 2011, Skinny Banton won his first People’s Choice title and then consecutively in 2012 and 2013. He won the 2012 Soca Monarch Competition in the Tri-state of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique, and in 2013 he was crowned the Road March King. The sky is the limit as this artist continues to distinguish himself on a international level with his songs. Audio After The Jump…

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  • Clive Hunt Pays Tribute to Bobby Ellis

    Clive Hunt Pays Tribute to Bobby Ellis

    Legendary Producer Remembers Jamaica’s Late Great Hornsman

    One of Jamaica’s most accomplished musicians, trumpet master Bobby Ellis, died on Tuesday at the University Hospital of the West Indies. The Jamaica Observer reports that he was admitted in late September suffering from pneumonia. During his 84 years on earth, Bobby Ellis and his trusty horn made a mighty legacy. A graduate of the famed Alpha Boys School, he often played alongside fellow alumni Tommy McCook, “Deadly” Headley Bennett, and the immortal tromphonist Don Drummond, and was awarded the Order of Distinction in 2014 for his outstanding contributions to Jamaican culture. His session works are too numerous to mention, from Boby Andy’s “I’ve Got To Go Back Home”  to Burning Spear’s classic Marcus Garvey album. Mr. Ellis arranged the horns for Jack Ruby’s stellar Black Disciples band and toured extensively with Spear over the years. He also collaborated with the noted jazz artist Herbie Mann. As news of Ellis’s passing has spread, numerous tributes have appeared on social media, but few more moving than that of legendary producer Clive “Uglyman” Hunt. Story Continues After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Lutan Fyah “Sweet Trichomes” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Lutan Fyah “Sweet Trichomes” Official Music Video

    Brand New Visuals Fi Di Ganja Man Dem

    Born in Spanish Town, Jamaica Lutan Fyah studied architecture and played professional football before launching into a music career in 1999. Cutting early records for Buju Banton’s Gargamel label, he would go on to collab with such culturally inclined artists as Lucinano and Turbulence. On his latest release, produced by Tim Dub, Fyah goes beyond the usual ganja tune cliches, giving a botanical lesson on the definition of “trichomes” and how these small glandular hairs growing from the epidermis of herb buds relate to the cultivation of the cannabis plant. Video After The Jump…
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  • 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: Courtney John “Strangers”

    HEAR THIS: Courtney John “Strangers”

    Warm & Easy Modern Vintage Groove With An Undeniable Edge of Tension

    Courtney John’s distinctive falsetto sets an enigmatic mood on this ominous dubwise selection. with uniqueness that simply radiates. The singer who brought us Made in Jamaica five years ago jetted to Paris to work on his forthcoming album, also entitled Strangers, scheduled for a January 25 release. Produced by Guillaume “Gee” Metenier—who decsribes his sound as psychedelic soul jazz funk and early reggae. The singer linked with Gee in Kingston, JA and they previously collaborated on a next banger called “All I Know.” The “Strangers” riddim track is performed by top players from Paris’ international music scene. This one is radiant, strange, and special. Audio After The Jump…
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  • WATCH THIS: Atumpan ft. Big Narstie “We Like It” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Atumpan ft. Big Narstie “We Like It” Official Music Video

    Afrobeat Meets Grime In The Streets of London, Kingston, Tokyo, Accra & NYC

    Last time we heard from Atumpan the UK-based Ghanaian artist (whose name meaning “Talking Drum” in Akan) was up in the club with Paigey Cakey talkin’ about not watching nobody. Now he’s back with another sick collab, this time with London’s own Big Narstie.  Just how irresistible is this track? It seems to have made one girl start dancing while she’s on the toilet! Video After The Jump…
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  • WATCH THIS: Kabaka Pyramid “Kabaka vs. Pyramid” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Kabaka Pyramid “Kabaka vs. Pyramid” Official Music Video

    Accurate Lyricist Drops Battle-Rap-Themed Video

    Kabaka Pyramid continues the trend of Rastafarian artists rapping over boom bap hip-hop beats. In this video, aptly titled “Kabaka vs. Pyramid,” the artist pays homage to battle rap and stages a rap battle with himself. Hip hop has a long history of alter-egos, from Tupac/Makavelli to Eminem/Slim Shady, and even T.I. vs. T.I.P. Will the Bebble Rock spitter continue the trend in dancehall? Rockin’ over Biggie’s “Gimme The Loot” riddim, one persona keeps it patois while the other is twangin’ like a youth who spent time in Miami as he was coming up. Watch the video and find out who wins. Video After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Konshens “Don’t Worry”

    HEAR THIS: Konshens “Don’t Worry”

    Da Realest Declares His Undying Love

    Fresh off a live performance with Mixpak during a recent Boiler Room session in Los Angeles, Konshens Da Realest laces a vibesy R&B-flavored riddim produced by Dre Skull. The result is a tune suitable for slow wining that still makes the case for true love. “This don’t even feel like a fuck thing,” declares the DJ who gave us “Bruk Off Me Cock Back,” “more like our soul ah connect girl.” When the love’s that good you just know you don’t have to worry. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • Damian Marley’s “Joint Venture” in the Ganja Business: “You’re not a Criminal for Smoking Herb”

    Damian Marley’s “Joint Venture” in the Ganja Business: “You’re not a Criminal for Smoking Herb”

    Gongzilla Sets Up Shop,  Forbes Takes Notice

    “It goes without saying that for marijuana the attraction is very natural,” says Damian Jr. Gong Marley in a new interview with Forbes magazine. “Damian Marley Invests in Marijuana Futures” reads the headline in the respected business publication covering the news about the reggae star’s joint venture with Ocean Grown Extracts. As part of their new start-up, Marley and Ocean Grown will be turning a vacant Coalinga, California prison into a medical marijuana manufacturing plant, which Ocean Grown will provide to dispensaries. “I want my kids to look back and be proud of me and say I didn’t sell my soul to earn a dollar, that is very important to me,” he told Forbes.  Continued After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Anthony Cruz “Where Would I Be” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Anthony Cruz “Where Would I Be” Official Music Video

    Giving Thanks For Guidance and Protection

    Anthony Cruz is one of those under-the-radar reggae singers whose understated excellence deserves more praise than it receives. We first noticed him when he was rolling with the 5th Element crew alongside Richie Spice and Chuck Fender (aka “The Poor People Defender). Although he can finesse a lover’s rock tune more sweetly than most, Cruz has always been at his best singing reality tunes. “Place Too Bloody” his combination with Buju Banton, and the Beres Hammond produced “Dem Block Di Road” on Harmony House’s “Feel Good” riddim are two outstanding examples. Yesterday Cruz released a new video on his official website revealing that his clean-cut look has been replaced with a ragga-ragga Rastafari image. In the song, produced by the legendary Bobby Digital, Cruz gives thanks for live, health, and strength—acknowledging that even when he feels he’s in “Cruz control” there is a higher power calling the shots. Dropping so soon after Jamaica’s close call with Hurricane Matthew, the message is as timely as the song is strong.  Audio After The Jump… (more…)