Much has been said about a “roots revival” going on in Jamaican music at the moment. Artists like Chronixx and Protoje and Jesse Royal have created much excitement with their fresh take on reggae music, but let’s not forget that these talents have built upon the efforts of elder artists who have been putting in work for a longer time to make sure that the roots would never fade away. Jah Cure is one such steadfast soldier on behalf of classic reggae music. Groomed by the master music maker Beres Hammond, Cure has grown into a major talent whose live shows are second to none. The first single from his forthcoming album, The Cure—a dubby, dreamy take on the immortal “Heaveneless” riddim, produced by ‘Sketch’ Carey for Iyacure Productions—became an instant hit on the sound system circuit. Cure mentions Bob Marley’s name in his lyrics, which might be ill-advised for the average reggae singer. But Cure is anything but average, and he’s in rare form on “Life We Live.” Today we proudly premiere the music video, most of which Cure spends riding in the back of a pickup truck while life unfolds everywhere around him. There’s nothing flashy about this video, but it might just be the most inspiring three and a half minutes you spend today. So let it play and live your life. Video After The Jump… (more…)
Tag: Bob Marley
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Reasoning with Monty Alexander: “The Party Don’t Stop”
The Jamaican-Born World-Renowned Jazz Pianist Celebrates His Reggae Roots
In the jazz world, Monty Alexander is recognized as a master pianist. In the reggae world, he is respected as a pioneer of Jamaican music, having played keys on countless crucial selections alongside such masters as Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, and Ernest Ranglin. Whenever he takes the stage, Monty loves to blend the best of all his musical traditions into a sublime blend of sounds and styles—and always staying open to working with new upcoming talents and what’s happening now. Just before opening “Jazz Around the West Indies,” his five-night stand at Dizzy’s Place inside Jazz at Lincoln Center NYC, Monty Alexander took time out to reason with the Reggae Grl About Town, reminiscing about his formative years as a session musician for the pioneers of Jamaican music, and explains why he considers Bob Marley to be a jazz man. Videos After The Jump… (more…)
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HEAR THIS: Damian Marley “Hard Work”
When Gongzilla Puts His Shoulder To The Wheel You Can’t Knock The Hustle
Damian Marley’s first selection off the Set Up Shop Vol. 2 compilation lets you know right off top he’s got his mind on his money and his money on his mind: “Rastaman a hustler so every dollar haffi flip.” But this song is not about flossing (although he makes sure his galfriend definitely gets her choice of beverages, from vintage bubbly to Viva’s roots). Really it’s all about influencing the youths to know anything is possible, bunning out all badmind, and serving notice that “all lazy bwoy fi get dismissed.” Putting in the hard work has always come naturally to the Tuff Gong’s youngest son. And he’s been on that Marcus Garvey since the first “Set Up Shop” days. The lively-up track builds to a wicked acapella breakdown at the 1:33 mark seasoned with a tasty acoustic guitar strum. This tune feels like a timely counteraction to any and all crab-in-a-barrell elements. “Nuff a dem will sell out their best friend’s purse, Zilla only sell out concerts.” Audio After The Jump… (more…)
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Reasoning with SOJA’s Jacob Hemphill: “If I die tomorrow, at least I got to do this tonight”
Lead Singer of America’s Top Reggae Band Chats About His Ambition To Follow Bob Marley’s Footsteps
Tonight in D.C. SOJA will celebrate the release of their latest album, Amid the Noise and Haste. The band has developed a massive international following since being founded in Arlington, Virginia 1997. During a recent pass through NYC, SOJA lead vocalist Jacob Hemphill chatted with Rob Kenner about how he and his friends fell in love with reggae and decided to start what’s become one of the biggest reggae bands in the world. “When I was a kid I grew up in Africa,” he says. Based on his observations there, he says, “I thought black people are happier than white people.” Eventually he came to a larger realization: “Life is not about accumulating crap.” Instead of doing “the reggae move” (“girl song, weed song, etc”) he decided to “do the Bob Marley” and try to change the world. “If I squander this opportunity,” he says, “that’ll be the biggest mistake of my life.” The new album—whose thought-provoking title is taken from Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata—was produced in conjunction with dancehall selector turned pop hit maker Supa Dups, and includes features from Damian Marley, J Boog, and Michael Franti among others. Hemphill says he sees SOJA as distinct from the “California Roots” movement, and speaks of an ambition to be bigger than the genre of reggae, not unlike Bob Marley. Speaking about the group’s perception in Jamaica and the rest of the world, Hemphill said “We haven’t been [to Jamaica yet],” he says, “but those guys have so much love for us.” He also speaks on his sense of mission. “If they shoot me, it’s gonna be 20 times bigger than it ever was before they shot me… If I was to die tomorrow, at least I got to do this tonight.” Video After The Jump… (more…)
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WATCH THIS: Stephen Marley ft. Capleton & Sizzla “Rockstone” Official Music Video
Ragga Marley Brandishes Some Hardcore Visuals Pon BET
Ever since Stephen “Ragga” Marley dropped the “Rockstone” single off his highly anticipated album Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life, the song has been in heavy rotation on all conscious stations. But clearly Ragga is not just “preaching to the choir” so to speak. When it came time to premiere the video for the tune, he took it to the leading music show on TV, BET’s 106 & Park. When’s the last time you saw King Shango and Kalonji getting love pon BET? And this ain’t no pop tune. These visuals are on some Burning Spear vibes, as in “Do you remember the days of slavery?” Did somebody say “Play I on the BET—want all my people to see.” OK, nuff said. We’ve got a feeling that somewhere Gong is smiling right about now. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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WATCH THIS: Reasoning with Randy Valentine “The Sound of a Young Rebel”
UK Reggae Rebel Rocks London With Tarrus Riley, Talks “Break The Chain” EP With Reshma B
Tarrus Riley’s Love Situation tour passes through the UK tonight at the Forum in Kentish Town. Always ready to support rising talent, Singy Singy’s opening acts include Jamaican songstress Alaine and a young UK rebel by the name of Randy Valentine. RV’s been making waves with his powerful voice and no-nonsense approach to the music, as first glimpsed on his 2012 mixtape Bring Back the Love, which showcased the young artist’s writing and vocal abilities against some timeless Studio One instrumentals. His Break The Chain EP dropped in May and shot straight to No. 1 in Germany, Sweden, Norway, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland’s iTunes Reggae charts. The EP also reached No2 in Italy, and No3 in both Canada and the UK. RV’s ‘Break The Chain Tour’ kicked off in May, and he’s done shows in 20 countries all over Europe, including Germany, Switzerland, France, and the UK. In the first of his chats with Reshma B, Randy talks about his musical influences and why he’s never going to sell his soul (or anything else) for radio play. Video After The Jump… (more…)
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Reasoning with Protoje: “It’s Our Time to Govern the Music”
“There Is A Rising Consciousness that’s Obviously Happening. There Is a Movement As Well.”
While passing through the concrete jungle the other day, Protoje dropped by Plex HQ to reason about life and the state of the music. We started off discussing his big tune with Chronixx “Who Knows,” and how Storm Saulter—of Better Mus Come fame—came to direct the song’s epic music video. Diggy said Winta James came up with the video’s basic concept, which he described as “You start off with everything and as the day goes on you lose stuff, and it’s either you’re gonna turn around and go home or keep pushing forward.” So it’s all about the Bounce Back, which is a fitting transition to our discussion of the shift within Jamaican music right now. “We want to change the perception of what people think reggae is,” Protoje explained. “Cause I see what people think the genre is, and the reality of what it is now—and It’s far.” Protoje made the point that he’d rather not be pigeon-holed within the category of reggae just because he is from Jamaica. “Chronixx and I make two different sounds,” he asserted. “Sonically our music sounds different, but we’re still under the same heading of reggae music.” He calls his current sound—which has amassed a huge following in Europe, where he will be touring this summer—”a real hybrid,” citing Junjo Lawes and Jimi Hendrix as infuences. Nevertheless, he goes on to state that he and Chronixx and s number of other like-minded artists and producers are all part of a cultural movement within Jamaica right now. “There is a rising consciousness that’s obviously happening. There is a movement as well… 2010 to 2020 is our time to govern them music.” Video and Summer Tour Dates After The Jump… (more…)
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The Queen of Reggae Gets Her Groove On at Groovin’ In The Park
“This is My Moment,” said Marcia Griffiths, “And I’m Gonna Live It.”
Marcia Griffiths, the undisputed Queen of reggae, hit Jamaica Queens NYC to celebate 50 years in the music biz at Groovin in the Park this June 29. Now in its 4th year, Groovin in the Park is an upscale affair that attracted 25,000 punters to ‘Roy Wilkins Park’ with a line-up that boasts some of the greatest names in Reggae history—many of whom have worked with Marcia at one time or another. With at least half a dozen outfit changes Ms. Griffiths was prepared for anything. She first hit the stage around 3pm—warming things up with her international pop hit ‘Electric Boogie’, which spawned a dance craze that continues till this day—and kept going strong with internmittent breaks until 9pm. Full Review and Videos after the Jump… (more…)
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Air Supply’s Lord Graham Russell On The Group’s Jamaican Fanbase: “It Really Took Us By Surprise.”
Why Are These Two ’80s Pop Stars Headlining One of New York’s Biggest Reggae Festivals This Sunday?
This Sunday June 29th, Roy Wilkins Park will feel more like Jamaica West Indies than Jamaica Queens. On that day thousands of reggae fans will converge for Groovin’ In The Park, New York’s most upscale summer music festival, which boasts a lineup that includes Beres Hammond, Marcia Griffiths, Chronixx, John Holt, Bob Andy, Judy Mowatt, and L.U.S.T.—all performing their own special brand of classical roots reggae with perhaps a sprinkling of soul (Beres Hammond) or a dash of dancehall (Chronixx). All except one, the Australian-born soft-rock duo Air Supply. Yes, you read that right. The over-the-top pop act who sprinkled the 1980s with gems like “Lost In Love” and “Every Woman in the World” will be performing alongside a full slate of reggae royalty. Shocked? Surprised? To tell the truth, so are they. Interview After The Jump… (more…)
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HEAR THIS: Jo Mersa “Sunshine” PREMIERE
New Music From The Comfortable EP
As Jo Mersa tours the USA with his father Stephen Marley and his Ghetto Youths bredren Wayne Marshall, he’s been performing cuts from his debut EP, Comfortable, which is set to drop on June 10. Some of the songs on there, like the title track and “Bad So” are well-known by now. But today he premieres a brand new cut called “Sunshine.” As the title suggests, the sound is warm and shiny, and the lyrics are strictly fi de gyal dem. The forecast for the latest Ghetto Youths recruit is looking bright. Audio After The Jump…
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Natty Dread Rides Again: Ziggy Marley’s “Fly Rasta” Tour Rocks NYC
Before the Fly Rasta Tour touched down at SOB’s, Ziggy Marley explored Miss Lily’s Variety and reloaded with a veggie punch from Melvin’s Juicebox on Houston Street. The bursting-at-the-seams SOBs crowd, geared up for his arrival with blazing musical selections of DJ Lady Fyahramma Thomas. Pat McKay from Sirus XM Radio brought more feminine fierceness into the building, showing her support in the crowd. Ziggy hit the stage fully energized and began the concert with the song, “Love is My Religion,” from his second solo album. The universal message disseminated through the crowd, as members of the audience shouted the lyrics in unison. “The main thing,” Ziggy said of this song, “its not the title where Ras Tafari fits into life or where Christianity fits or where Islam fits. Where does love fit?” Video & Review After The Jump… (more…)
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WATCH THIS: Aidonia “80s Dancehall Style” Official Music Video
Aidonia Salutes Veterans and Vinyl
Many of Jamaica’s musical legends never predicted the millions of fans, felt the weight of money or received instant gratification through social media the way today’s artists do. These musical soldiers earned their stripes the real way, with unquestionable authenticity. One must remember , as Supercat indicated in his recent interview with Rob Kenner, the days when a DJ drew the crowd into the dancehall with nothing but a big sound system combined with sheer vocal talent and lyrical ammunition. In a cultural tradition that predates Amateur Night at the Apollo, the crowd would decide whether it was worthwhile to pay admission and enter the party. There was no hiding behind good promotion, Auto-Tune or computerized production and deejaying. Born in 1981, Aidonia may not have been old enough to hang out in dancehall sessions during that time, but he represents for the newer generation, aware of their roots and culture. Aidonia (Didi) pays tribute to this era with his new video for “80’s Dance Style.” Video After The Jump…