Tag: King Tubby

Dubbin’ with Bulby: Exclusive ‘Master Blaster’ Mixdown

Legendary Producer and Engineer Dubs Beres, Busy & Kartel Live in the Studio

A graduate of King Tubby’s Dub University, Colin “Bulby” Yorke has done his teacher proud. Over the course of nearly 30 years in the music industry, Bulby has produced, mixed, and engineered a plethora of certified boomshots—recordings by most of the top artists in dancehall and reggae pantheon—both as part of the Fat Eyes camp and under his own banner. Having worked with the likes of No Doubt and Rihanna as well, it was only right for Bulby to begin releasing albums himself. His solo debut, Epic & Ting, was so well received that he recently dropped a follow-up entitled Master Blaster. During a recent promo run through NYC, Bulby invited Boomshots up to Grey Noise recording studio in Times Square for a very special musical treat. Sitting down next to Reshma B at the mixing board, Bulby ran through an exclusive dub mixdown of three crucial tracks from Master Blaster: “Freedom” featuring Beres Hammond, Marcia Griffiths, J Boog & Lutah Fyah, “Cherry Oh Baby” featuring Busy Signal and Patrice Roberts, and “Cyan Dween Like We” featuring Vybz Kartel alongside Lola Monroe and Candy Gloster. In between tracks, Bulby dropped knowledge about the art of Dub while RGAT witnessed a master at work. Video After The Jump… (more…)

November 24, 2018
Macka Diamond: Diamonds Are Forever

Macka Diamond Keeps Getting Better With Time

Dancehall artist Macka Diamond plans to take her career to the next level in 2017. With the release of a new single, “25 inches,” her signature high-pitched, breathy vocals sound more fierce than ever. The dancehall arena is for the survival of the fittest and Macka shows that she is fully equipped with promotional photographs in full body paint. Collaborating with the best producers, she aspires to drop a one drop album and embark on a U.S. Tour. This diamond shows clearly shows that she is cut by a cloth of longevity. We spoke to Macka Diamond about how she became an empowered woman in dancehall. Interview After The Jump

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April 21, 2017
HEAR THIS: Bosco & Speakerfoxxx “9mm” PREMIERE

ATL Bad Gyals Mash Up King Tubby x BDP—Buk! Buk! Buk!

DJ Speakerfoxxx is known for dominating the wheels of steel with addictive Southern rap blends, but in her downtime she likes to chill out with some Junior Reid. “I love reggae music,” says the certified A-Town mixmaster. She and her homegirl Bosco, who made waves with last year’s Boy EP on Fool’s Gold Records, recently linked up at Atlanta’s legendary Stankonia studio to bust out a nine-shot mixtape that targets the sweet spot between Santigold, Missy Elliott, and Black Box. Don’t get it twisted: Girls In The Yard is not a reggae mixtape but the first single, “Beemer” (produced by Mr. 2-17) reworks the hook from Beenie Man’s “Sim Simma.” A few tracks later Speakerfoxxx flips an ill King Tubby loop as Bosco gets her Blastmaster on, resulting in a musical thing called “9mm”—which we proudly premiere today pon Boomshots. Can she sing her song? Audio After The Jump… (more…)

April 7, 2016
Full Moon Playlist II

Ten Multi-Genre Selections for Your Halloween Party Playlist

This year, Halloween was preceded by a Supermoon, making this holiday extra spooky. On September 27, 2015, a total lunar eclipse occurred and the moon passed into the Earth’s shadow. The moon appeared close to the earth with a bright red illuminance. The last time this happened was 1982. Many believe that this type of moon brings about badness in people. The Full Moon Playlist II highlights songs that unleash the dark side of human nature in reggae, pop, dancehall, hip hop and soca. The playlist contains ten tunes focusing on an intrinsic baddness theme, while others go beyond the theme and comment on social issues, and a few are highlighted for a wicked production. Playlist After The Jump…

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October 31, 2015
HEAR THIS: Suns of Dub Meets Mighty Crown “The Far East Mixtape” FREE DOWNLOAD

Addis Pablo and Ras Jammy Buck Up The Far East Rulers Inna Dubwise Extravaganja

“We’ve pretty much been working on this forever,” says Addis Pablo, son of melodica master Augustus Pablo and co-founder of Suns of Dub, along with Ras Jammy, who is (contrary to popular belief) no relation to King Jammy nor—despite a striking similarity of appearance—to the elder Pablo’s frequent sparring partner Hugh Mundell. The pair first met at Rockers International Record Shop and began dubbing live—with Addis on melodica and Jammy mixing tunes and crucial sound effects—at Jamaican hotspots like Kingston Dub Club. Inspiration for this mixtape struck when the Suns traveled to Japan (Land of the Rising Sun) last October and linked with Cojie, Mighty Crown’s roots/foundation specialist, and began plotting their brand-new 40-track hour-plus excursion pon the version. The sounds thereon includes self-produced instrumental tracks and dubplate specials seasoned with vocals by the likes of Chronixx, Jesse Royal, Sizzla, Luciano, Lauryn Hill, and Mr. Williamz. Suns of Dub begins a UK tour today (see the full schedule below) and will tour Europe this summer as an onstage dub production team onstage with an expanded lineup (including Jah Bammy on vocals, Carlo on binghi drums and additional instrumentation courtesy of Dub Assassin) plus a 16-track mixing board to allow unique and precise mixes at each and every show. “We try to keep it spontaneous,” says Addis, “the next thing we could add a rock guitar or a violin or a tuba.” Ras Jammy agrees that audiences should expect the unexpected. “Last year we were playing the chalice onstage and smoke up the place.” Addis adds, laughing, “Steamers!” Audio & Interview After The Jump… (more…)

April 1, 2015
His Imperial Majesty

On November 2, 1930, the official crowning of a monarch occurred in Ethiopia

Peoples of African descent, come from a lineage of kings and queens, as referenced in the bible. On this day, November 2, in 1930, Emperor Haile Selassie I and his wife, Empress Menen Asfaw were formally crowned with regalia, together in Ethiopia.
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November 2, 2014
Top 10 Philip Smart Selections

Click On The Image Above To Start The Countdown

Childhood friends with Augustus Pablo, teenage apprentice to King Tubbys, “Prince” Philip Smart would later move from Kington to New York and establish the most important reggae recording studio in the USA. The very first song produced at HC&F Studios was a crossover hit for the band Monyaka, who’d invested sweat equity into their recording time by helping to construct the Freeport, Long Island studio with their own hands. Over the years, numerous historic recording sessions went down at Smart’s soundlab that helped to spread reggae music into the American pop charts and around the world, as did his weekly radio show on WNYU FM, Get Smart! As friends, family and music lovers mourn the man—who passed away last week—what better time to take a deep dive into the music and reflect on all the works one man in his late 50s could accomplish on earth. Many of Philip Smart’s hardest selections, including Scion Sashay Success futuristic digi-dancehall cut “The Trainer,” are includied on the hard-to-find compilation Five Borough Fire, which is well worth the effort of hunting down on eBay. In one of many tributes that appeared following the tragic news, Clinton Lindsay quotes Sting International saying, Father Phil was “a man who gave so much and asked for nothing.” Make sure to tune into the next episode of the Strictly Boomshots show on RadioLily.com for a musical celebration of the man known affectionately by so many as “Father Phil.” Click Through The Gallery Above To Start The Countdown

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March 1, 2014
Reasoning With Philip Smart “Music Is My Life”

Exclusive Interview With the Late Great Producer Who Was The Cornerstone of NYC’s Reggae Scene

This has been a rough month for reggae music. After the untimely deaths of Bunny Rugs and Wayne Smith comes news that legendary producer Philip Smart has died after a battle with cancer. The humble, soft-spoken genius learned his trade from the great King Tubby and played a crucial role in the development of the NYC reggae scene, producing classic sides by Shaggy and Super Cat and nurturing countless other producers at his studio and on his Get Smart radio show. Last year Boomshots stopped by HC&F Studio in Long Island where Philip was keeping one of his usual late-night sessions. He didn’t feel very well that day—said he had a cold—but luckily he found the strength for a long conversation with Reshma B. To say that Father Phil will be missed is a serious understatement. Respect in all aspect. Music alone shall live. Video After The Jump… (more…)

February 26, 2014
HEAR THIS: Sean Paul ft. Damian “Jr Gong” Marley “Riot”

Dutty Paul and Gongzilla Connect to Defend The Youth Dem

Opening with a rough tough King Tubby sample straight from the dungeons of dub, “Riot” quickly progresses to a fast-chatting dancehall raveup courtesy of Sean Paul and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley—two of dancehall’s most reliable hitmakers joining forces for the first time in history. And they’re not just talking about dancing and smoking, this tune’s all about delivering a simple message to the bigger heads: “Deal with the youth them right or else a riot gwine start.” An unfinished version of this track leaked earlier this week, but we’ve got the official mastered version. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

August 16, 2013
Red Bull Music Academy Recognizes Philip Smart

How HC&F Studio Helped Lay The Foundation of NYC’S Reggae Scene

Reggae Producer Philip Smart, has produced some of the biggest Reggae hits around and those hits have helped Reggae music flourish in so many ways. Not to mention, he created HC&F, the studio that become a national landmark for Reggae artists to make music. Many well known artists made HC&F a frequent pitstop while visiting New York including Shaggy, who recorded his first single there and Shabba Ranks who recorded, “Mr. Loverman,” there.

Amongst others, Smart’s received lessons from King Tubby but he took his learnings and made them his own. Smart created his own sound and he mixed hit singles like Johnny Clarke’s, “None Shall Escape the Judgment.” 30 years later, Smart is still pushing the Reggae sounds that we all love out of HC&F. Red Bull Music Academy has recognized the great contribution that Smart has made to Reggae music and has paid tribute to him in their latest daily note issue. As Shaggy has said, “Philip Smart is the man who made the whole New York reggae scene really come alive.” Full Story and Videos AFter The Jump… (more…)

June 10, 2013
Reasoning With Scientist

A Dub Legend Speaks on King Tubby, The Roots of Dub, & The Vampire-Killing Power of Drum & Bass

History will be made tonight at B.B. King’s in New York City when the Dub Champions Festival presents Scientist and the Roots Radics band performing their legendary 1981 album Scientist Rids the World of the Evil Curse of the Vampires live in its entirety for the first time ever. The Radics’s sessions for Henry “Junjo” Lawes at Channel One Studio became the stuff of legend, largely because the brilliant young engineer Scientist was at the controls. Born Overton Brown in Kingston, Jamaica, Scientist was just a teenager when he first began working with King Tubby’s, the originator of dub music. He managed to win Tubby’s confidence and the student soon became a master, the most in-demand studio engineer in Jamaica. With a big assist from Emch of Subatomic Sounds we caught up with Scientist for this rare in-depth interview and he had so much things to say. Suffice it to say that half the story has never been told. Q&A after the jump. (more…)

September 21, 2012
Interview: Reasoning With Rodigan Part 2

The Rudeboy Gentleman’s Long & Winding Road From King Tubby’s Dub Studio To Buckingham Palace

David Rodigan is sometimes referred to as the rudeboy gentleman, a nickname that sums up the apparent contradictions that make the veteran UK selector and radio personality such a singular character. Who else can say that they have cut dubplates in King Tubby’s studio, juggled tunes in King Jammy’s yard, and received royal honors from the Prince of Wales inside Buckingham Palace? Youth like Prince Harry will have to practice long and hard before they can test Rodigan. Because Rodigan has always been more than a DJ—he’s a cultural historian and educator who elucidates the nuances of Jamaican music to a wide audience (and whose dubplate collection is a veritable musical museum.) He’s also a rigorously trained professional actor on stage and television who might have easily chosen another path in life. Last week the selector talked about how he’s reaching the dubstep generation and paid respects to the late, great King Stitt. In part 2 of our series of exclusive interviews, the legendary selector and radio presenter reveals how his girlfriend first landed him a gig on the radio, how his background in theater helps him as a reggae DJ, and why he never talks patois on the air. OK, let’s get to it. [And if you somehow missed REASONING WITH RODIGAN PART 1, fret not thyself.]

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May 18, 2012