Who can forget the most provocative performance of 2014? Rodney Le Blanc aka Benjai at the 2014 International Soca Monarch Semi Finals on Sunday, February 9, 2014. Benjai came out in his Joe Boxers and gave an electrifying and memorable performance. The performance went viral and made women around the world smile with full joy. More After The Jump…
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HEAR THIS: Gully Bop “Drop Mi”
Everybody has love for Robert Lee Malcolm aka Gully Bop! In 2014, Gully Bop saw an exponential rise in his music career (a career that dates back to the 1980’s under the moniker Country Man), after recently becoming an instant, internet sensation. His newly found fame, arose from the viral replication of an amateur video of him freestyling. The “Body Specialist” even headlined at STING, in December 2014, with a performance that received rave reviews. The Jamaica Gleaner dubbed him “the fastest rising artist in the island’s history.” However, in recent music news, fans learned the devastating news that he was dropped from Claim Records for being “disrespectful and hype.” More After The Jump…
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WATCH THIS! I-Octane “Call Me Over” Official Music Video
At the top of the New Year , I-Octane summons our attention to the newly released video for “Call Me Over.” With sultry signature vocals and R.Kelly “Your Body’s Calling” -like-lyrics, I-Octane turns up the volume with this song: “Touch You Baby, Serve You Right, Like No One Before Me.” Anju Blax delivers a contemporary, easy listening production with sexy guitar interludes. Sensual moves and pole dancing, visually complement the lyrics, in the video directed by Kevin Allen with creative direction by The Parris Agency. Video After The Jump…
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WATCH THIS: Vybz Kartel Birthday Bash 2002
Witness the Birth of a Dancehall Legend
Thirteen years ago today, Vybz Kartel (or as the videographer spelled it Vibes Cartel) celebrated his 25th birthday with an action-packed session at Club La Roose on Port Henderson Road in Portmore. Judging by the massive turnout of artists on the stage and the reaction of the ram-jam crowd inside the venue—not to mention the ridiculously futuristic flows emanating from his microphone—it’s clear that Kartel is a young champion on the rise. Having graduated from street mixtapes to writing hits for the likes of Bounty Killer, Kartel now had a major hit on Don Corleon’s Mad Ants riddim, “New Millennim” featuring Wayne Marshall. His debut album for Greensleeves Records, Up 2 Di Time, was still a year away, but anybody in La Roose that night knew something big was happening. Much has changed since that time: for one thing, when’s the last time you saw Kartel rocking a Nets jersey and a durag? Moreover, Kartel’s name is now known all around the planet, although much of the world is more familiar with his controversial exploits than his cutting-edge music. But one thing has stayed the same from that time until this : even as Kartel marks his third consecutive birthday behind bars, the Werlboss still has the streets on lock, and despite his predicament Kartel remains the most influential dancehall artist in the game, period. In honor of Adidja Azim Palmer’s earthstrong, let’s take it back to 2002, and bear witness to the birth of a legend. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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WATCH THIS: Vybz Kartel & Rvssian “New Jordans” Official Music Video
Does This Mean Clarks Are Over?
The unstoppable Worldboss (aka Adi Innocent) links with Head Concussion for a tribute to fly kicks—and we don’t mean Clarks. The latest video production to meet the challenge of shooting visuals without the star of the song comes up with a creative solution: part Rvssian flossfest, part hot girls, and part lyric video with Kartel Karikatures. Does it work? You be the judge. Log on and lace up your new Jordans. It Adi Hypest Ting! Video After The Jump…
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HEAR THIS: Inner Circle ft. Chronixx & Jacob Miller “Tenement Yard (News Carryin’ Dread)”
Jacob “Killer” Miller was one of reggae’s greatest performers. His merry, manic brilliance shines through clearly in the crucial 1980 concert doc Heartland Reggae, particularly the performance of “Tired Fe Lick Weed In A Bush” during which he puffs a huge spliff on stage while using his microphone to taunt the cops at the venue before somebody hands him a police cap and he starts chanting “Babylon, Babylon falling down.” Audio After The Jump… (more…)
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I-Shawna Sting Interview: “Which Can You Do Better, Cook Or Quint?”
Right After Shelling Down Sting, The Princess of the Dancehall Chats With Reshma B
The Princess of the Dancehall has had one hell of year—ever since she dropped that counteraction to Chris Brown’s “Loyal” we’ve had a feeling there might be some trouble on the homefront. Now of course it’s well known that her 9-year relationship with selector and rpoducer Foota Hype is over, and the ensuing media frenzy—complete with sordid allegations on both sides—had the Internets ablaze last year. Meanwhile The Princess of the Dancehall’s music career has thrived on the controversy, getting hotter than ever. Shortly after shelling down Sting 2014, I-Shawn told Reshma B that 2014 was “the worst year and the best year of my life.” The Princess of the Dancehall also answers the burning question: Can she quint better than she cooks? (And judging by her Sting performance, she may be able to DJ better than anything else!) And keep your eyes open for a special Bonus Cameo from Downsound Records boss Joe Bogdonovich. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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Chronixx Talks “Tenement Yard” Collab with Inner Circle’s Roger Lewis
“Re-Presentation” of Jacob Miller’s 1975 Classic Set to Debut Monday on Mass Appeal
Forty years ago, the late great Jacob “Killer” Miller released “Tenement Yard”, his first hit with the Inner Circle band. “Dreadlocks can’t live in a tenement yard,” the young Rasta rebel sang, lamenting all the “watchy watchy” people chatting his business in one of Kingston’s inner city communal housing schemes. Four decades later a new Rasta rebel steps up on the said Inner Circle riddim, and delivers his message, with what amounts to a whole new song subtitled “News Carrying Dread.” Not only are the rhythm track and the message of the new tune in tune with the original, a sample of “Jakes” voice also rings throughout. The 2015 release, which marks the first time the reggae supergroup has re-presented a song by their foundation vocalist, will premiere this Monday on Mass Appeal. Late last year Boomshots caught up with Chronixx and Inner Circle co-founder Roger Lewis at the band’s state-of-the-art Circle House Studios, where the song was made. “Me find Jacob, Red Hills Road,” Says Roger Lewis with conviction in his voice. “All my life I tell you—and I don’t say this becauxse Chronixx is here—I don’t see a youth who touch me like Jacob.” The good vibes are clearly mutual between the veteran band and the young singer. “We always have a great respect for the Inner Circle family, even before we really met up physcially,” says Chronixx. “Is a great thing. Is a very very great thing. To see say them music can still be revamped. Because we are the originators, I and I, from that time till this time.” Check the full reasoning with Rob Kenner and Reshma B. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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Special Livication: Dennis Brown “Things In Life”
Big Request To The Late Great Peter Dean Rickards aka Afflicted
And so this surreal year in which we’ve lost so many bright lights ends with the news that Peter Dean Rickards has passed away on New Year’s Eve. He battled cancer quietly, and with the same grim sense of humor that characterized all his work as a writer, film maker, photographer, cultural critic, and provocateur. Vistors to his AfflictedYard website today, who might have been searching for one of his groundbreaking pictorials—maybe something like, say, “Guns Like Dirt” perhaps—were met with the above image, even more shocking than anything else he posted—with the possible exception of those pig-slaughtering photos—and typical in its callous disregard for niceties of polite sentiment. If you couldn’t tell from his nom de guerre, Afflicted liked to keep it raw. I won’t attempt a proper obituary at this time, but I would like to send out this special request (not a dedication cause the man’s work lives) for my respected colleague turned cybercombatant and sworn nemesis. Yes there was a period of about seven years when we could not be in the same room at the same time, but thankfully we buried that particular hatchet long ago. And no matter how vexed I ever was I could not front on the man’s talent. In this post I’m sharing one of the last emails I ever received from Peter Dean. We were supposed to collab on a big project that I hope still happens but who knows?Right now all I can say is walk good bredren. Video After The Jump…. (more…)
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Soca Shakespeare: Skinny Banton
A prominent feature of Caribbean culture is carnival, a seasonal time of celebration and soca competitions. This Carnival season, rising star, Shirlan George aka “Skinny Banton,” and his incendiary hit “Soak It Good,” produced by MPS Studios, shines a spotlight of international interest on the Tri-State of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique. More After The Jump…
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WATCH THIS: Shifta ft. Che’Nelle “Do You Wanna” Official Music Video PREMIERE
If You Like, We Can Go All Night
Shifta is that youth from Jamaica making moves in Miami. (And if you don’t know now ya know.) He’s been putting in much work lately, whether hosting mixtapes with Papa Keith, collaborating with Rita Ora and Mr. Mauricio, or voicing on the latest riddim from T.J. But the song that really put Shifta on the map is a radio killer from Timeless Music called “Do You Wanna” featuring Che’Nelle. Today Boomshots proudly premieres the official music video for the track, brought to you by Gil Green’s 305 Films production company. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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Reasoning with Gully Bop: “Ninjaman Fraid of Me Bad Bad Bad”
Everybody Want a Piece Offa This Man
Three months ago nobody had ever heard of Gully Bop. Then came the viral video, then the link with Claims Records, and the Major Lazer Remix. Now the whole of Jamaica is singing “every gal want a piece offa me” and all the excitement at Sting centers around the artist formerly known as Countryman, who went through a “dark time” and is now shining very brightly. Reshma B caught up with dancehall’s man of the moment for this exclusive Christmas Eve chat. Bop! Bop! Bop!
Video After The Jump… (more…)