Boomshots

Tag: Damian Marley

  • WATCH THIS: Stephen and Damian Marley Talk Traffic Jam Tour & Brotherly Love

    WATCH THIS: Stephen and Damian Marley Talk Traffic Jam Tour & Brotherly Love

    “Real Reggae Yuh A Look For, Yuh Know Where Fi Find Us”

    Raggamuffin and Jr. Gong have been performing together for a long while, but this year’s Traffic Jam Tour is the first time they’ve officially touched the road as co-headliners. Boomshots visited their Miami rehearsal studio for an exclusive behind the scene video, where the brothers got ready with their band and explained the origins of “The Traffic Jam,” the song that started as a freestyle dubplate, evolved into an interlude on the Mind Control album, and has now inspired the tour’s name. “The bond between Stephen and Damian runs deeper than music, although they grew up in different households,” writes Reshma B in a new feature for Rolling Stone. “Steve is a big brother who really check on you when you’re little,” says Damian, who is Bob Marley’s youngest child. Stephen used to pick him up from school. “We come from tie shoelace,” Damian remembers, “how fi play football and ride bicycle, up to music too.” Check out the full story over at Rolling Stone, and check out Boomshots behind-the-scenes video below. Video After The Jump…  

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  • Kabaka Pyramid and Damian Marley Speak On ‘The Kalling’ Grammy

    Kabaka Pyramid and Damian Marley Speak On ‘The Kalling’ Grammy

    Tears of Joy, and Nuff Inspiration

    “Rastafari Live.” On his track “Grateful,” Kabaka said “First all of me giving thanks to the highest creator,” and when the big moment came that’s exactly what he did. Walking to the Grammy Awards stage with his mother at his side and surrounded by his Bebble Rock crew, Kabaka’s expression of faith in Jah followed an expressiong of sheer disbelief that this moment was real. But it was! Kabaka’s album The Kalling had just won Best Reggae Album, rising to the top of an outstanding field of all-Jamaican nominees that included Koffee, Sean Paul, Shaggy, and Protoje. “We’re just some kids from Kingston, Jamaica,” Kabaka said during an emotional acceptance speech, bigging up his team, the album’s producer Damian “Jr Gong” Marley—who also features on the album, along with Stephen Marley, Buju Banton, Tifa, Black Am I, Jemere Morgan, and Protoje—and sending a special livication. “This one is for Jo Mersa Marley who we lost in December.” The significance of the award—bestowed one day before Bob Marley’s 78th birthday—was not lost on the album’s producer. “Kabaka is the first younger, up and coming artist we’ve worked with to help reach that place,” said Damian Marley who also produced Kabaka’s previous album Kontraband. This was Jr. Gong’s second nomination as a producer, as he also helmed Third World’s nominated album More Work To Be Done. “It’s kinda historical in that way where it’s the first album within the family circle that is not a family member who has really reached that status,” Jr. Gong added. “It’s somewhat a continuation of Gong’s vision—having a label that is a force to be reckoned with in the genre that’s not just about him individually but moreso a collective.” Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • 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.
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  • 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…)

  • WATCH THIS: Skip Marley “Let’s Take It Higher” A Boomshots Documentary

    WATCH THIS: Skip Marley “Let’s Take It Higher” A Boomshots Documentary

    Awards Are Nice, But This Two-Time Grammy Nominee Answers To A Higher Calling

    “Live if you wanna live,” Bob Marley declared at the outset of his landmark album Rastaman Vibration, released almost 45 years ago, in April 1976. In the years before Legend, Bob Marley & the Wailers’ 1984 greatest hits collection, which remains the best-selling reggae album of all time, Rastaman Vibration was the record that broke Marley to American audiences, becoming the first Marley LP to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

    On the second track, “Roots Rock Reggae,” Marley took new listeners by the hand and introduced them to a new sound from the faraway island of Jamaica. “Play I some music,” Bob sang, and the I Threes—Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, and Judy Mowatt—replied in unison, “This is reggae music.”

    At the start of the second verse, the Tuff Gong pleaded with industry gatekeepers and radio programmers. “Play I on the R&B,” he sang. “I want all my people to see. We’re bubbling on the Top 100 just like a mighty dread.” Bob’s prophecy was fulfilled when the song reached No. 51 on Billboard’s Top 100, but R&B radio would prove harder to penetrate. The top R&B song of 1976 was “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder, who had performed with Marley at Jamaica’s National Stadium the year before. But even white groups like The Steve Miller Band, The Bee Gees, and Hall & Oates were getting more love on American R&B radio than Bob Marley at the time. By 1980 Bob was booked as an opening act for The Commodores at Madison Square Garden, and famously upstaged the headliners but Marley’s earthly mission was soon cut short, to be continued.

    In May 2020, Bob’s grandson Skip Marley reached the top of Billboard’s Top Adult R&B Songs airplay chart with a gorgeous duet called “Slow Down” featuring R&B superstar H.E.R. The artists’ creative chemistry and song’s video made the track a fan favorite. “Slow Down” is nominated for Best R&B Song at the 2021 Grammy Awards this weekend. Skip’s debut project Higher Place is also nominated for the Best Reggae Album Grammy, a milestone in the 24-year-old singer/songwriter/musician/producer’s career.

    In “Let’s Take It Higher,” a new Boomshots documentary premiering today on VIBE.com, Skip reflects on the honor of being nominated for the prestigious awards and of carrying on a mighty legacy in his own unique style. Video After The Jump…
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  • Junior Gong Pon Di Strong

    Junior Gong Pon Di Strong

    Reasoning With Zilla 25 Years Ago

    Damian Marley was never intimidated by great expectations. Born  on this day in 1978, the youngest son of Robert Nest Marley did not hesitate to follow in some very large footsteps, entering the music industry at an early age. He started out singing in a group called The Shepherds, along with the children of reggae stars Freddie McGregor, Judy Mowatt, and “Cat” Coore of Third World. Former Shepherd Shiah Coore still plays bass in Damian’s band to this day.

    During the mid 1990s Damian stepped out as a solo performer under the name Jr. Gong. On January 23 1995 he passed through New York City to promote the album Positively Reggae, a compilation of conscious tracks by dancehall artists like Shabba Ranks, Mad Cobra, Bounty Killer, and Patra with proceeds going to benefit Leaf of Life, a Jamaican organization for HIV-positive children.

    This photo, shot by Brian Jahn during the same press run, gives you an idea of what his hair looked like back then. Today his dreadlocks are so long he has to tuck them into a backpack when he plays soccer. I had a chance to reason with Damian that day for my Boomshots column in VIBE. He seemed like a cool youth at the time, but I had no idea this convo would be the start of such a long-lasting friendship. After all he’s accomplished since then, D remains remarkably chill. The interview has never been published in its entirely. 25 years later seems like as good a time as any. Big Up Jr. Gong. Blessings pon di strong. Interview After The Jump…
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  • Kakaba Pyramid Torched the SOB’s Stage with Blazing Lyrics

    Kakaba Pyramid Torched the SOB’s Stage with Blazing Lyrics

    Kabaka Pyramid Kontraband Tour Hit New York City

    On Friday, November 23, New York City fans endured the frigid weather for the highly anticipated, Kabaka Pyramid, Kontraband Tour at SOB’s. New York City renowned selector DJ Gringo of Stateside Revolution and Host of Sirius XM, “The Joint,” warmed up the crowd awaiting the revolutionary artist. Next up, the Bebble Rockers excited the crowd with an electrifying, symphonic rendition of “Make Way” (the song features Pressure Buss Pipe on the Kontraband album), as Kabaka Pyramid joined the stage. More Concert Highlights After The Jump…

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  • Kabaka Pyramid to Perform at SOBs for US Kontraband Tour

    Kabaka Pyramid to Perform at SOBs for US Kontraband Tour

    Kabaka Pyramid Prepares to Perform at Legendary Venue 

    From the onset of his career, Kabaka Pyramid made it clear, that he would not only make his mark as a lyricist, but also set the stage for conversations of social change. He has perfectly planned every step of his career, to show his evolution as an artist. This Thanksgiving season, specifically “Black Friday,” he will perform live with the “Bebble Rockers” band at the legendary Sounds of Brazil (Sobs) for his US Kontraband Tour. Kontraband is Kabaka Pyramid’s debut album, executively produced by Damian Marley, winner of the 2018 Grammy Award for the Best Reggae Album. More After The Jump…

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  • Kabaka Pyramid – Kaught Up (Official Video)

    Kabaka Pyramid – Kaught Up (Official Video)

    Kabaka Pyramid Shows Why He Is Accurate About Matters of the Heart

    Kabaka Pyramid carefully set the path for his musical career, by having a unique creativity combined with a command of knowledge. From onset, it was clear that this lyricist was here to make his mark, while spreading universal messages for social change and consideration. This was especially evident on his 2016 Mixtape Collaboration with Walshy Fire of Major Lazer, entitled, “Accurate.”

    Today this versatile artist released the visual for his sensual song, “Kaught Up,” which features reggae chants, rhythm and blues vocals and authentic hip hop over the Genis Trani  Nadal beat. The on camera chemistry and realism of this video directed by Alex Sandoval, meshes well with the song’s poignant lyrics. Fans went into a frenzy on social media after the video, shot in Miami, premiered on BET Jams. This created more hype in anticipation of his soon to be released debut album, “Kontraband.”  Damian Marley, winner of the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album is the executive producer for this debut album (Bebble Rock Music/ Ghetto Youths International).  Video After The Jump…

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  • WATCH THIS: Kabaka Pyramid ft. Stonebwoy “Borders” Lyric Video

    WATCH THIS: Kabaka Pyramid ft. Stonebwoy “Borders” Lyric Video

    Kabaka Connects With Ghanaian AfroBeats Ambassador On A Damian Marley Production

    Today MASS APPEAL premieres the official lyric video for “Borders,” a collaboration between Jamaica’s most accurate lyricist Kabaka Pyramid and StoneBwoy, the Ghanian artist whose style of AfroBeats shows a strong dancehall influence. Amidst ongoing battles over the expiration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the implementation of border walls, this song could not be more on time. “We are one human family and we haffi raise the awareness,” says Kabaka of the project. “When we pree the whole refugee situation and the debasement of people around the planet, especially Africa, the Middle East and thing.” The track was produced by Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, who recently won a Grammy for his latest album Stony Hill, and who is executive producing Kabaka’s forthcoming album Kontraband. Peep the visuals, and then check our full interview with Kabaka. Video After The Jump…

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  • Damian Marley Speaks on Jay-Z Collab and ‘Stony Hill’

    Damian Marley Speaks on Jay-Z Collab and ‘Stony Hill’

    Reasoning With Gongzilla

    Just before his big Stony Hill release event at the 40/40 Club in NYC, Damian Marley sat down with Reshma B for an exclusive discussion of his new album and his recent collab with Jay-Z. He reflects on the certified classic status of his song “Welcome to Jamrock,” breaks down the science behind his “Hunting Season” freestyle, explains the cause that makes rude boys “Roar,” and discusses his plans to bring “Medication” to the world. You don’t want to miss this one. Video After The Jump…
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  • WATCH THIS: Damian Marley “Medication” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Damian Marley “Medication” Official Music Video

    Zilla x Ragga Sing Praises To The Plant

    Damian Marley has just released the visuals to his 420 anthem “Medication,” a collaboration with his brother Stephen “Ragga” Marley. Produced by Scheme Engine and directed by the ardent photographer and director Nick Walker, the video was shot on location in the California prison that Jr. Gong recently converted to a growing facility. “The video showcases the night and day of what this prison used to be,” says Gongzilla. “This place used to house human beings and now is a place that houses plants—some of those humans were once upon a time locked up because of these plants. We are showing the contrast, and what has become something positive and beneficial for so many people.” The video also features several patients who have benefited from the use of cannabis for healing purposes. As Ragga puts it: “These are living testimonies of the benefits of this plant. This plant saves lives…. Wake Up! Education before Recreation.” You can watch the video now on TIDAL and get a free 3-month subscription, and check out a clip below. (In related news, Jr. Gong and a team of investors recently acquired the O.G. herb publication High Times magazine for $70 million. Big up yuh chest Mr. Gong!) We’re almost a month away from the July 21st release date of Gongzilla’s fourth studio album, Stony Hill. Video After The Jump… (more…)