Boomshots

Tag: Mavado

  • PREMIERE: Mavado “Mama” Official Music Video

    PREMIERE: Mavado “Mama” Official Music Video

    The Gully Gaad Shows Love For Mama Africa

    Mavado’s track on JA Productions’ Lighthouse riddim shows a side of the Gully Gad that he doesn’t usually choose to reveal. “Mi never left you in the board house on the Gully, me take you out,” he sings to his mother, recalling the humble beginnings he overcame when he became a Starbwoy. But the song’s official music video—which BOOMSHOTS proudly premieres today—reveals another level to the song. “It was just the right thing to do, filming in Africa for a song called ‘Mama,’” says Mavado, “since Mama Africa is mother to us all.” During a recent tour of the motherland, Mavado’s team captured these powerful visuals. “For me the riddim is close to my heart because it is dedicated to my son,” says producer Justus of JA Productions. “The video is very special as well as it was my first trip to mama Africa and we shot it on my 30th birthday, which also happened to fall on Mother’s Day.” Plenty of reggae artists makes songs bigging up their mother, but this song and video take the concept to another level. “We don’t care who no like me,” he sings. “Them is not God almighty.” Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Mavado, Alkaline and Jahmiel are Dancehall’s MVPs

    Mavado, Alkaline and Jahmiel are Dancehall’s MVPs

    Three Stars Align to Change the Game

    Toronto’s Woodbine Shopping Centre and Fantasy Fair has never seen anything quite like this. Thousands upon thousands of Rexdale yutes—hood-fresh guys in their best kicks, chains, and jackets; bashment girls sporting multicolored hairstyles and dressed in garments ranging from skin-tight to see-through—flood the massive mall’s parking lot on Saturday, August 19 for Fresh Fest.

    Only a few minutes’ drive from Pearson International Airport, this venue sits in the working class Scarborough district of Ontario. Nearby neighborhoods like Rexdale have their fair share of government housing projects and experience more crime and violence than most of this relatively peaceful city. Putting on a dancehall show here means a lot to this community. Especially an outdoor concert featuring three of dancehall’s biggest stars—Mavado, Alkaline, and Jahmiel. Story, Photo & Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • The Worst of the ‘Best Of The Best’ Instagram Comments After Epic Mavado Fail

    The Worst of the ‘Best Of The Best’ Instagram Comments After Epic Mavado Fail

    How Them Fi Deal With The Gully Gad So?

    This past Memorial Day Weekend the Best Of The Best music festival put on their 11th annual stage show at Miami’s Bayfront Park. Just like every year the show kicked of in the early afternoon and went on until midnight presenting many of “the best of the best” acts in the reggae and dancehall fraternity. Over they years BOTB has brought some amazing musical moments. However this year’s show ended on a rather sour note. When midnight rolled around without Mavado—the show’s headliner—setting foot on stage to perform. Acts billed for this year’s show included the likes of Jahmiel, Spice, Konshens, Aidonia and Christopher Martin—not to mention veteran acts like Barrington Levy, Mad Cobra, Josey Wales and Brigadier Jerry. However the Gully Gad’s non-performance was a major disappointment to say the least. During the final hour of the show, MC and promoter Jabba paced the stage as Mavado’s band tried to set up as the final moments ticked down. Then at just a few minutes to midnight he called Mavado to the stage, then after a few moments returned to the stage to announce that due to Miami Police and  curfew regulations Mavado would be unable to perform. Confused?! Most of the thousands of patrons in the park were definitely unhappy. (One eyewitness spotted a heated argument going down backstage after the unpopular announcement.) Everybody including artists, promoters, and fans and patrons (who paid as much as $170 for VIP tickets) wasted no time taking to social media to vent their frustrations. Team Boomshots was in the park too. Here’s how the drama unfolded. More After The Jump… (more…)

  • R.I.P. Sting: The End of an Era in Dancehall

    R.I.P. Sting: The End of an Era in Dancehall

    Remembering The Greatest One Night Reggae and Dancehall Show on Earth

    When the history of dancehall music is written, 2016 will go down as the year when mainstream stars took over the worldwide pop charts using Jamaican styles and sounds. It will also be remembered as the first Boxing Day in over three decades that went down with a staging of Sting. Sad to say the legendary stage show that has seen some of the most talked about performances—and lyrical clashes—in dancehall history is no more. Just three years after celebrating Sting’s 30th anniversary with a star-studded lineup that included the return of the Don Dada Super Cat, American artists 2 Chainz and Wyclef Jean, and an epic clash between Lady Saw and Macka Diamond, Sting founder Isaiah Laing has called it quits. Despite pledging in years past that “if I am alive there will be Sting,”  Laing made it official on Jamaican television’s popular show OnStage, saying that Sting has not made money in several years—despite significant investment from the likes of Josef Bogdanovich, who has since moved on to revamp another great Jamaican festival, Reggae Sumfest. Laing and his longtime partner Heavy D further noted that the artists who are big enough to draw a crowd are not willing to perform on the show. The clashes that made Sting a sort of musical heavyweight bout eventually came to be its undoing. Who can forget the time when Popcaan had to shove Blak Ryno off the stage because the other artist was “somehow” given a live microphone and allowed to rush the stage during Popcaan’s solo set back in 2012? These types of antics eventually take their toll on artist loyalty. Whether Sting will ever come back is anybody’s guess. Talk of a gospel festival sounds like a major departure from the hardcore format we have come to know and love. For the sake of those who don’t know—and the pleasure of those who do—Boomshots takes a moment to remember the best Sting had to offer. Memories After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Mavado “Get Up”

    HEAR THIS: Mavado “Get Up”

    Brand New Serial From Marvoni Records

    Recently we’ve been hearing a lot of war tunes flying back and forth. Folks getting all excited about a next lyrical skirmish from two battle-tested veterans. While there’s a time and a place for war, life during wartime ain’t no party—and it ain’t no fooling around (word to David Byrne). So when we hear David Brooks singing a crucial message of inspiration for all the hard-working ghetto youths who hang on his every word, we’ve got to give that a big forward. Whether it’s controversial or not. Whether it sells or not. Because it’s only right. That’s what Gully Gaad does. That’s what the music is for—so listen up!  Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • NO LONG TALK: Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor on the Red Bull & Guinness Decade

    NO LONG TALK: Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor on the Red Bull & Guinness Decade

    Dancehall’s First Podcast Hits #10 In Fine Style

    To commemorate the series tenth episode, Man Like Marvin Sparks drew for the decade’s defining producer, Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor. 2016 marks ten years on from his classic breakthrough riddim, Red Bull & Guinness. The riddim boasted voicings from Vybz Kartel, Wayne Marshall and Sizzla to a then-emerging singjay called Mavado. “Weh Dem A Do” went on to become an immovable anthem which still draws gun fingers and pull-ups as it did all those years ago. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • That Time Drake Almost Got Arrested With “Mava-Dado” & Other Exciting Tales

    That Time Drake Almost Got Arrested With “Mava-Dado” & Other Exciting Tales

    40 And The 6 God Regale Nardwuar With Dancehall War Stories

    Earlier this week Drizzy linked with fellow Canadian phenom Nardwuar aka the Human Serviette for a typically epic interview/gift-giving-b/show-and-tell session. Amongst many highlights gleaned by the good folks at Billboard were several dancehall-related anecdotes—including a massive big up for the World Boss Vybz Kartel. But not until we watched the video did we come to fully appreciate certain gems like Nardwuar’s question about “Mava-Dado.” (Must be seen to be believed.)  To be fair Nardwuar seems to be more of an old-school cat, as he presents Drizzy with a King Tubby’s Dance Hall Style Dub album on vinyl. Nuff respect. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Mavado “In God We Trust”

    HEAR THIS: Mavado “In God We Trust”

    The Gully Gaad In David Brooks Mode “I Was Born To Overcome”

    Mavado rang in the new year on a Godly note with this DJ Frass–produced banger. There’s an old saying that goes “In God We Trust—All Others Pay Cash,” which pretty much sums up the artist’s approach to the game this year. It’s been a minute since Mavado was back on the rock, and the Florida resident’s first stage show in Jamaica was Rebel Salute. His dress code made it clear Mr. Brooks is getting money, and when he drops lyrics like “Them Nuh Inna My League” it’s got to hurt. Out of respect for the show’s traditional all-conscious-no-slackness approach, The Gully Gaad performed as David Brooks, selecting his tunes with care. Still he was more than able to turn the place up till it buck. Fresh off the stage, David Constantine Brooks sat down with the Reggae Girl About Town to discuss his return to Jamaica, dealing with haters, and how he’s celebrating the new ganja law. Audio & Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Reasoning with Jahmiel: “Me Nuh Frighten Fe Benz and Beamer”

    Reasoning with Jahmiel: “Me Nuh Frighten Fe Benz and Beamer”

    A Fresh DJ Is Coming… Watch Yah!

    One great thing about Rebel Salute, you can always count on seeing a different set of artists than all the other big reggae festivals and stage shows. Year in and year out, Rebel finds a way to book artists you haven’t heard from in years (if you’ve even seen then live at all) or new stars you need to pay attention to.  This year was no exception as vintage harmony groups like The Congos and The Abyssinians touched the stage as well as classic dancehall acts Pinchers and Jr. Cat. But what about the rising stars? Joining David Brooks onstage for his early Sunday morning set,  Jahmiel aka “The Missionary” made a big impression. As with most overnight successes, the artist formerly known as Culture Jahmiel has been doing his thing for several years—although the artist proudly points out that he never sold out to “buss.” Back in 2011 he caused a little stir with his song “Mi Nuh Murdera” for Young Vibes Productions. Late last year he dropped a tune called “Gain The World” and hasn’t looked back since. “Life comes with stages,” he mentions in the tune. “I’m just on the other pages.” Now moving with Quantanium Productions, Jahmiel has the momentum, the musical talent, and the consistency to make big moves in the future. After his show-stealing performance Reshma B caught up with the artist for a quick reasoning. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • No Long Talk: Serani Relives the Anger Management Riddim

    No Long Talk: Serani Relives the Anger Management Riddim

    Ten Years After Daseca’s Breakthrough Riddim, Serani Reflects

    Multi-instrumentalist and producer Serani (former one-third of Jamaican producers Daseca) reminisced on the creation, influence and legacy of Anger Management riddim on its 10th anniversary. Though officially released towards the end of 2004, it buss (a.k.a. impacted) in 2005. Made on a PC via a Triton keyboard in not much time (approximately 15mins), it went on to become one of the most memorable, gun finger-raising (critically-acclaimed) riddims of the noughties. The era-defining riddim spawned hits by legends Bounty Killer (“Gun Heaven”) and Sizzla (“No Way”), an establishing star in Vybz Kartel (“War Nah Talk Over”) and kick -tarted the career of a young talent from Cassava Piece by the name of David Brooks, better known as Mavado (“Real McKoy”). Everything was light prior to Anger Management. And things in the dancehall became a helluva lot darker after it ruled the airwaves and the streets. Audio After The Jump…
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  • PREMIERE: I-Octane “Hello” Mixtape

    PREMIERE: I-Octane “Hello” Mixtape

    Download A Musical Holiday Present From Conquer The Globe X Street Team

    “Them say we would not turn a star but we now become an icon,” sings I-Octane on his aptly titled rub-a-dub selection “Life is What You Make It.” Since setting his mission statement in the establishment of Conquer The Globe productions, the “Hot Ras” has wasted no time moving toward his stated goal. Along the way, I-Octane has proven to be one of those rare artists who are equally adept at classical reggae and straight-up dancehall, one who can keep it conscious while always maintaining his presence in the streets. (Never selling out “the linky” yet managing to stay away from “the waste man dem.”) Witness the artist’s latest mixtape, titled “Hello,” which Boomshots proudly premieres tonight. Mixed by DJ Cory of Street Team (Alkaline’s official tour DJ), this 43-track juggling comprises a succinct survey of Octane’s latest & greatest recordings to date, ranging from reality tunes like “Time Will Come” and “It’s Alright” featuring Gentleman, all the way to  hardcore tracks like “Flick Duppy” and “Straight Stinger” not to mention “Above Dem,” Octane’s big collab with the Gully Gad and Alkaline. For the diehard fans, call it a holiday present. For those who haven’t been paying such close attention, consider it a wake up call. HELLO! Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Mavado ft. Vybz Kartel, Future & Ace Hood “I Ain’t Going Back Broke” Remix

    HEAR THIS: Mavado ft. Vybz Kartel, Future & Ace Hood “I Ain’t Going Back Broke” Remix

    Unity Is Strength, And Love & Hate Can Never Be Friends

    During his 10 years in the music business David Constantine Brooks aka Singing Blacks aka Mavado has come a long way. Several years back his name was linked to the Gully vs. Gaza war but times have changed. Now a member of DJ Khaled’s We The Best Music Group, the Gully Gad recently dropped an historic remix featuring his former rival, Vybz Kartel, who is currently serving a life sentence for murder (with an appeal pending). “After a storm,” Mavado explains to Reshma B, “There must be a calm.” Audio After The Jump… (more…)