Boomshots

Tag: Dennis Brown

  • Jah Cure Talks Grammy Nomination, Freedom for Buju & The Life He Lives

    Jah Cure Talks Grammy Nomination, Freedom for Buju & The Life He Lives

    Reshma B Reasons With Iyacure Pon Di Cruise

    Nobody had more fun on this year’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise than Jah Cure. The World Singer is always appreciative when he gets the chance to reach an international audience, particularly since visa issues have prevented fans in the UK and the USA  fr0m seeing him perform in their part of the world. If he stepped onto the ship with an extra spring in his step this year, maybe it was due to the fact that his latest album The Cure, spent several weeks on top of Billboard’s Reggae chart this year. And although he didn’t yet know that it was about to be nominated for a Grammy—the singer’s first—he had a good feeling about it. His performance was nothing short of electrifying. He sang about “the wicked people and badmind, lurking in the dark” but onstage his spirit soared. He took a moment to livicate his performance to incarcerated reggae star Buju Banton, and spoke of how the artist checked for him when he was behind bars. After the performance, Jah Cure sat down with the Reggae Girl About Town for an in-depth conversation. He discussed his strategy in putting his latest album together, how sought to incorporate diverse sounds and styles in a pleasing blend, similar to a fruit cocktail. What comes through in the final analysis is a man who has come through many a struggle without ever seeming “struggled,” and one who feels deeply satisfied with a job well done. “My bad days prepared me for my good days,” he told RGAT. “And I’m so blessed…. I’m living like a King.” Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Special Livication: Dennis Brown “Things In Life”

    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…)

  • HEAR THIS: Tessanne Chin “If You Love Me”

    HEAR THIS: Tessanne Chin “If You Love Me”

    Tessanne Lays Down The Law On the Fight This Feeling Juggling

    Now that the Shaggy and Beres selection “Fight This Feeling” is a certified modern classic, the good folks at Ranch Entertainment had the good sense to release a full juggling pon the Sly & Robbie riddim, first deployed on Dennis Brown’s “Sitting and Watching.” There are some nice cuts on here, but the one we’ve got stuck on repeat is by Tessanne Chin, who’s currently tearing shit up on NBC’s The Voice even though reggae lovers have known about her voice for years. Singing like the grown woman she is Tessanne calls out a trifling man who’s showing signs that he’s taking her for granted, or even worse, playing her for a fool. Listen up fellas.  Audio After The Jump…

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  • Grand Theft Auto V Reggae Selections

    Grand Theft Auto V Reggae Selections

    Lee “Scratch” Perry Programs GTA V’s Blue Ark Radio Playlist

    The biggest selling video game in the world has always had the baddest tunes. Grand Theft Auto V hits stores today and the reggae playlist tun up. Just jack any passing car, turn your radio dial to The Blue Ark and check out these roots and ragga selections courtesy of mixmaster Lee “Scratch” Perry. As you can imagine, there are plenty of Upsetter cuts—he may act like a madman, but don’t sleep… Scratch is about his paper. Happily there’s also some Konshens and Chronixx and Kartel too. Click through the photos above to get in tune. Wheel Out…  (more…)

  • Sean Kingston Gets Back to His Jamaican Roots

    Sean Kingston Gets Back to His Jamaican Roots

    Sean Kingston’s 10 Favorite Reggae Songs—PLUS  His New Tune w Busta Rhymes 

    Ever since Sean Kingston first burst on the music scene as a teenage pop sensation with a runaway debut hit “Beautiful Girls,” we’ve been hearing how he grew up in Jamaica and his music was influenced by reggae. As hard as we listened we never really heard much evidence of that influence beyond song titles like “Fire Burning.” But that seems to be changing with his new album, Back 2 Life, SK’s first full-length project since he sustained serious insuries in a jet-ski accident. The first indication was the lead-off single “Shotta Luv” feautring 2 Chainz. And then we stopped by his record-listening in NYC and heard a straight-up dancehall track featuring Busta Rhymes. Sean seemed to like it so much he played it like three times in a row. The next day we asked him to run down his ten favorite reggae and dancehall tracks—and we are not mad at the selections. He even says he wants to work with Shabba Ranks! So hit the jump to learn the half that’s never been told about Mr. Kingston. Videos After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Shaggy ft. Beres Hammond “Fight This Feeling” Official Music Video

    Shaggy and Beres link to create a modern-day classic
    BeresShaggyBoomshots

    Shaggy links with Beres Hammond for a modern-day classic love song set to a timeless Sly & Robbie riddim. The first single from Shaggy’s highly anticipated album “Out of Many, One Music” with riddims by Sly & Robbie and additional production by Sting International and Lenky. The video captures Shaggy and Beres on the stage and takes us into the studio with Sly & Robbie and Sting and Lenky. You’ve got to love that hard-driving rub-a-dub sound when Taxi meets The Ranch. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Reasoning with Chronixx, Part 2: “Making Meaningful Music”

    Chronixx Says He’ll Never Resort To Gimmicks In Order To Get A “Buss” 
    chronixx-boomshots
    In his tune “Odd Ras” Rising reggae star Chronixx, pokes fun at artists who would seemingly do anything to “Buss.” In this second of five candid conversations with Boomshots, Chronixx lists the things he would never do to hype up his career. He also speaks his mind on the state of reggae music. “It’s a shame that Bob Marley and Peter Tosh and Dennis Brown are still the greatest names in reggae,” he says. “After so many years we should have more youths to stand up beside them.”  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Konshens Pays Respect To 47 Reggae Superstars Who Paved the Way

    Konshens Pays Respect To 47 Reggae Superstars Who Paved the Way

    Who And Who Rates As An Icon Inna The Business?

    Remember when Shabba Ranks dropped that tune “Respect“? “Step by step you haffi climb the ladder / The elders you haffi show respect fah.” It’s plan to see that Konshens got the message. He may be on top of the game now, but he’s not one of those “likkle entertainers” who lose sight of the fact that their opportunities came from icons before him. The Dancehall artist recent single, “Icon,” on the Bad Bounce riddim, pays tribute to a long list of certified icons, all of whom helped “put the spotlight on we island” and established the worldwide success of Jamaican music.Audio & Photo Gallery After The Jump… (more…)

  • Reasoning with Dennis Emmanuel Brown

    The Crown Prince Would Have Turned 56 Today
    DBrownBOOM

    The first of February marks the beginning of Black History Month and Reggae Month. It’s also the birthday of the late great Dennis Brown, known to reggae lovers as the Crown Prince. (If only because Bob Marley was the undisputed King, although Marley himself gave Dennis maximum respect.) The immortal voice that sang “Love and hate can never be friends…” and so many more classics was first cut on vinyl at Studio One. His first release was “No Man Is An Island,” which connected instantly and made him a child star. DBrown would go on to achieve international renown with his 1972 smash “Money In My Pocket,” which entered the UK pop charts. It was a British TV crew that shot the invaluable footage that follows, for their 1982 Channel 4 documentary Deep Roots Music—and yes this is the same interview sampled for the intro to the Damian Marley & Nas Boomshot “Land of Promise.” Check it out while you put one in the air for the Crown Prince.  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Johnny Osbourne & Tarrus Riley Rock Miss Lily’s Variety Anniversary Bash

    Last Night Come In Like A Stage Show

    Last night Miss Lily’s Variety and Melvin’s Juice Box celebrated its first anniversary in fine style with an all-day party that was broadcast live on RadioLily.com. The place was packed with reggae royalty from early out. Dean Fraser and Tarrus Riley mingled with Clive Chin and Carol Dodd, who blessed the place with some amazing never-before-heard Studio One rarities (including “In My Fathers House” and “Ungodly King” by Dennis Brown, a new version of “Gorgon” by Cornell Campbell, “Mix It Up” by J.D. Smoothe, and the original “Shank-I-Sheck” instrumental by Roy Burroughs). Noel Alphonso, son of the late great Roland Alphonso (whose birthday was also last night) was in the place along with the whole Miss Lily’s family to enjoy one-of-a-kind live performances by the one and only Johnny Osbourne and Tarrus Riley—up close and personal with DJ Max Glazer at the controls. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • 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: Live From The Turntable Club

    Dennis Brown, Delroy Wilson & Big Youth With The Soul Syndicate In 1974

    What we’re about to do right now is go back. Waaay back. The year is 1974. The place, Kingston Jamaica’s fabulous Turntable Club. Chinna Smith and the Soul Syndicate band are rocking live on the bandstand with King Tubby’s and Errol T on the mix and Niney the Observer in the building. Man like D.Brown, Delroy Wilson, and Big Youth round the microphone stand—alongside the big bad hornsman Mr. Alexander Portious doing the best Gregory Isaacs cover version ever. Are you ready for some real live reggae music? (more…)