Boomshots

Tag: Jo Mersa Marley

  • WATCH THIS: Jo Mersa Marley “Eternal” Visual Mixtape PREMIERE

    WATCH THIS: Jo Mersa Marley “Eternal” Visual Mixtape PREMIERE

    A Day in the Life of a Young Lion

    “I don’t really walk around bragging about what I can and can’t do,” Jo Mersa told us the first time Boomshots interviewed him, during a London studio session in 2013. “I don’t talk about it,” he said. “When you hear, you hear it — and you get weh you get.” Since that first conversation, the young lion has demonstrated his “action speaks louder than words” approach to the game, heating up the streets with tunes like “Bad So.” The Comfortable EP would soon follow in 2014, and subsequent scorchers like “Rock and Swing” as well as standout cuts on various Set Up Shop compilations from the Ghetto Youths Camp in rapid succession. And let’s not forget those guest appearances on Stephen Marley’s Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life and Morgan Heritage’s Grammy-winning album Strictly Roots. Earlier this year, Jo Mersa stepped it up to another level with his Eternal EP.  “No more will I roam,” Jo Mersa states on the EP’s opening track, “Guess Who’s Coming Home,” meaning he’s staying close to home. Stylistically the project roams freely amongst varied sounds and styles. The first two singles from the project are the dancehall-flavored “Yo Dawg” featuring Busy Signal and “Made It” featuring rootical DJ Kabaka Pyramid. “I love dancehall just how I love reggae,” Jo told us from early. “Well, not just like — me love reggae more… But I still have a love for dancehall which I can’t ignore.” That love comes to the forefront today with as Boomshots proudly premieres the Eternal Mixtape, a collaboration with Bashment, Disco Neil, and Silent Addy, and hosted by Supa Hype. The Mixtape features songs from Jo Mersa’s critically acclaimed Eternal EP as well as exclusive freestyles and dubplates with guest appearances from Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, Kabaka Pyramid and Black Am I. Check out the world premiere of the visuals—shot and edited by Disco Neil—right here. Video After The Jump… 

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  • HEAR THIS: Jo Mersa Marley ft. Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley “Point of View” PREMIERE

    HEAR THIS: Jo Mersa Marley ft. Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley “Point of View” PREMIERE

    Zilla Links With His Nephew To Defend The Innocent Youths

    “Gotta do what I gots to,” sings Jo Mersa on his hard-hitting reggae-matic track “Point of View,” which Boomshots proudly premieres today. Tragic headlines of atrocities committed against a 14-year-old girl earlier this year inspired the new song, which happens to be Mersa’s first collab with his uncle Damian. Young Mersa sings the hook and drops some rhymes reminscent of 2Pac’s “Keep Your Head Up.” Aside from spitting fire bars, Gongzilla worked with Jo on the production—followed by a final mix by Stephen “Ragga” Marley. (Producer Rellee Hayden of A-Team also worked on the track along with D.C. Soul.) “You done know Pops is very specific like that,” says Jo Mersa with a smile. “Him and Uncle Damian are both very specific.” As a father himself, Jo Mersa was distressed to hear of the rape and murder of Yetanya Francis, also known as ‘Princess’, in Kingston’s Arnett Gardens community. “Just reading about it upset me so much,” he recalls. “I was like, ‘Bwoy if that was me I’d probably go crazy…’ Them things can drive somebody insane. You bring a life into this world, and somebody just violate them so many ways. It’s not like we’re telling people to turn to violence, but me feel like me woulda kill somebody. Being behind a mic is like being behind a gun for us.” Check the sounds. Audio After The Jump…
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  • Spragga Benz’s Bongo Bash in Jamaica

    Spragga Benz’s Bongo Bash in Jamaica

    The Dancehall Icon Celebrates A Career Without Compare

    With 22 years in the music industry, Carlton Errington Grant aka Spragga Benz, tours the world, on long journeys from his home in Dunkirk, Kingston, Jamaica. However, despite his worldwide success, the dancehall icon remains deeply rooted to his humble beginnings with LA Benz sound. This weekend,  he will return home for his Bongo Bash at “LA Benz Corner” in Duhaney Park, Lessing Avenue, Kingston 20 on Saturday, May 31, 2014.  Ricky Villa, owner of LA Benz, who has now passed on, encouraged Spragga to first enter the studio and this followed with a big break, when he voiced some dubs for Buju Banton. More After The Jump…

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