Boomshots

Tag: Popcaan

  • Reasoning with Popcaan: “We Godly, But we Unruly Same Way”

    Reasoning with Popcaan:
    “We Godly, But we Unruly Same Way”

    EXCLUSIVE: The Unruly Boss Kicks It With Boomshots

    Long before Andrae Sutherland was known as Popcaan, back in primary school—the Jamaican equivalent of elementary—he wrote a letter to God. He asked the Lord to “open my brain in school” and to let him prosper in life. Moreover he asked God to allow his parents and grandparents and his brother and sister live to inherit whatever he received. While cleaning house recently, his grandmother found the piece of folded notebook paper amongst some books and gave it to him. He posted it on Instagram with a message to his 444,000 followers: “God is real and he did answer that prayer I pray to him a long time ago🙏🏼 #givethanks.” That #GiveThanks hashtag comes straight out of Poppy’s song “Unruly Prayer,” released last May. “Look how much youth deh a jail house,” he sings on the record. “Me never haffi deh a road/Look how much youth deh a grave yard/Me never haffi deh yah don’t… So me haffi give thanks yeah… Tell the devil keep him distance yeah.” Late last month Popcaan posted a 10-minute video to his Vevo channel, the first part of a documentary called “Abundant Life.” Nursing a fat spliff before a roaring bonfire, his intricate braids unbound, allowing his hair to burst forth as an unruly bush, the artist formerly known as the “Raving King” read from Psalms 40 and 59 above the sound of a crackling fire and the throbbing beat of Niyabinghi drums: “I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined to me and heard my cry. He also brought me out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay. He set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song into my mouth…” Just as we were about to post this interview, the Internet put a new song from Drake and Popcaan into our ears. Read on to find out why this surprise release was really no surprise at all. Kick Ouuuut! Interview After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Popcaan “Weed Is My Best Friend” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Popcaan “Weed Is My Best Friend” Official Music Video

    Poppy Goes Farrrrr Out In His New Visuals

    You know the tune—it’s the biggest hit off Justus JA’s “Life Support” Riddim, the one where Popcaan says he doesn’t trust friends, because “Mankind nuh trustable.” The Unruly Boss is normally a pretty sociable guy, but as he explained in an exclusive phone interview, life experience has taught him to be cautious. “There’s so much people weh sometime you would take out your heart and give them it,” he says, “and those are the same people who will turn ‘pon you.” But when people let him down, he adds with a laugh, “my weed is around.” And really that’s no joking matter. “Certain of my problems, ah just me and me weed go through them,” he adds. “Me just smoke weed and overcome obstacle.” In the video, which premiered today on Complex, Popcaan can be seen communing with nature in a field full of sticky icky. You know what they say, a friend with weed is a friend indeed. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Healthy Heart Playlist: Popcaan, Jesse Royal, Gaza Slim and More!

    Healthy Heart Playlist: Popcaan, Jesse Royal, Gaza Slim and More!

    The Lyrics We Listen To Affect The Beat of Our Hearts

    The music of the body is the heart beat. A healthy heart depends on good nutrition and exercise. However, in terms of overall homeostasis, emotional and spiritual factors also affect the heart. If one is scared, the sympathetic nervous system reacts in a “flight or fight” reaction to increase cardiac output by increasing the heart rate. Research shows that prayer and meditation can synchronize the vital signs (breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure and temperature) of the body. Based on these observations, one can hypothesize that the music we listen to affects the heart rate. Even more so than the loudness of the bassline, the lyrics evoke feelings and thoughts. This is a positive playlist of songs that refer to God and Love for a peaceful mediation.

    Healthy Heart Playlist After The Jump (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Sizzla, Popcaan & Teflon “Way Out”

    HEAR THIS: Sizzla, Popcaan & Teflon “Way Out”

    The Song May Sound Sweet, But The Judgment Will Not Be Nice

    Not Nice established his name building tracks for Vybz Kartel and the Portmore Empire. He went on to produce major hits for artists like Alkaline and Spice—whose “So Mi Like It” was voiced on his “Boom Box” riddim. While he’s best know for hard-hitting jump-up tunes, his latest release is built around a gentle piano melody that leaves plenty of space for three of dancehall’s most powerful voices to “deal with Babylon case.” Popcaan has come a long way since the days when he was relegated to “Raving King” status, as tunes like this one—and new documentary Abundant Life—make clear. With Poppi, Kalonji, and Teflon all in rare form, “Way Out” sounds like it could become a sufferer’s anthem. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • 2016 Kickoff Playlist

    2016 Kickoff Playlist

        Multi-genre Playlist of Songs That Are Already Moving the Massive Internationally in 2016

    The start of the New Year could not be any better.  This playlist highlights ten notable releases between the end of last year and the beginning of this year, that are stirring up the musical anticipation for the rest of 2016.

    More After The Jump…

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  • 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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  • HEAR THIS: R. City ft. Adam Levine, Agent Sasco, Popcaan, Kardinal Offishall & Bunji Garlin “Locked Away” Dancehall Remix

    HEAR THIS: R. City ft. Adam Levine, Agent Sasco, Popcaan, Kardinal Offishall & Bunji Garlin “Locked Away” Dancehall Remix

    USVI x JA x TNT x TDot Link Up On This Mega Refix

    Over New Year’s weekend, Shaggy & Friends annual fundraiser went down in Kingston, Jamaica with the usual star-studded guest list—hailing from yard and abroad—all to raise funds for Jamaica’s Bustamante Hospital for Children. (That “one ticket = one life” slogan is no joke.) Amongst the headliners was R. City (formerly Rock City), the songwriting duo responsible for smash hits by the likes of Rihanna, Usher, and Chris Brown who now have some pretty big tunes of their own since dropping their debut album What Dreams Are Made Of last August. Although they’ve always been known as stars in their U.S. Virgin Islands homeland, Timothy and Theron Thomas only recently stepped in the international spotlight as performers and recording artists. Their Adam Levine–featuring single “Locked Away” had the pop charts on lock last year, and just in case you didn’t notice the tune’s dancehall drum pattern, they’ve dropped a remix featuring Assassin, Popcaan, Kardi and Bunji. The Thomas brothers stay repping the Caribbean all day long. Legal shot! Salute! Audio & Download Link After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Popcaan “Where We Come From” Heatwave Remix

    HEAR THIS: Popcaan “Where We Come From” Heatwave Remix

    Unruly UK Refix Pon The Golden Hen Riddim

    It’s been a minute since we heard from our peoples across the pond, but the Heatwave just popped three new refixes into our inbox. As usual, we’re sharing the best bits straightaway. If you’re like us, you’ve kept the title track to Popcaan’s Where We Come From album in heavy rotation for the last couple years TR8. Now that Poppy’s sophomore album release date is drawing near, it’s only right to have a fresh take on the Anju Blaxx–produced original to hold you down. In comes a Mad Mad Heatwave refix to hot up any wintry shubeen. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Lucas DiPasquale ft. Popcaan “No Talking” Video Shoot Behind-The-Scenes

    WATCH THIS: Lucas DiPasquale ft. Popcaan “No Talking” Video Shoot Behind-The-Scenes

    Video After The Jump…

    Growing up in Markham, Ontario, which lies within the greater Toronto metropolitan area Lucas DiPasquale was exposed to a certain amount of Caribbean culture and Jamaica patois without even trying. But when he posted his “Popcaan mashup” on YouTube back in April 2014, few understood how a skinny white kid could perfectly master the Unruly Boss’s slippery slang, and sing it back with such sensitivity while accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. Fast forward one year and the yute has gotten himself a major label record deal. Like Omi, he’s careful to point out that he’s “not a reggae artist,” even though “Do It Like,” the first single from his Post-Secondary EP, featured Konshens, Stylo G & Kardinal Offishall. “When Popcaan invited me to perform with him in Jamaica it was just unreal,” he told Reshma B when the Boomshots crew caught up with him in NYC earlier this year. “But I have my own style and my own singing voice that I want to show the world.” Lucas links up with the Bad Chargie once more on his single “No Talking” and Boomshots has the exclusive behind-the-scenes footage. No long talking—run it! Video After The Jump…
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  • Download the House of Marley x Boomshots Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise Zeen

    Download the House of Marley x Boomshots
    Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise Zeen

    Our 2015 Zeen Is The Next Best Thing To Being On Board

    “All in the Same Boat,” Bob Marley sang on The Wailers’ 1971 Boomshot “Don’t Rock My Boat,” produced by Lee “Scratch” Perry, “Rockin’ on the same rock / Got to get together, loving each other.” This lyric isnpired the title for the 2015 Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise Zeen, the official guide to who’s who and what’s happening on our second annual seafaring excursion. The limited edition Zeen contains origjnal interviews and full-color photos of all 23 acts on board—Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Stephen Marley, Julian Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, Third World, Sly & Robbie, Maxi Priest, Super Cat, Bounty Killer, Popcaan, Elephant Man, Cham, Tarrus Riley, Morgan Heritage, Protoje, Tanya Stephens, and many more—plus all 10 champion sound systems. It also contains QR code links to exclusive Boomshots content—interviews and live performances direct from the cruise.  If you didn’t make it on this year’s cruise, the Zeen is the next best thing to being there. There’s even a discount code for House of Marley audio gear. Download Link After The Jump…
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  • WATCH THIS: Jamie xx ft. Young Thug & Popcaan “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Jamie xx ft. Young Thug & Popcaan “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)” Official Music Video

    Unruly Boss Kick Ooout Far Ooout

    You know a dancehall artist’s career is starting to bubble when he or she starts getting those outernatinoal looks. Last year Popcaan had the “Kisses For Breakfast” collab with Melissa Steel that was all over pop radio in the UK. This year he’s featured on Jamie XX’s “Good Times” single alongside Young Thug. The video for the song just dropped today, and although Jamie, Thugger, and Papi never appear in the same shot, all appear to be enjoying themselves in their own unique way (who knew Popcaan was into pre-dawn roottop hoverboarding?) Plus the girls floating in a pool are always a nice addition. Mass Appeal says this joint is the song of the summer—I just hope we haven’t seen the last of Popcaan’s Hoverboard, which doesn’t get near enough screentime. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Krept & Konan ft. Jeremih, Beenie Man & Popcaan “Freak of the Week” Remix

    HEAR THIS: Krept & Konan ft. Jeremih, Beenie Man & Popcaan “Freak of the Week” Remix

    Di Playground Riddim Ah No Play Play Ting

    South London grimesters K&K serve up hip hop and grime on their new mixtape The Long Way Home. The breakout single, featuring DJ Mustard on the beats and Chi-town singer Jeremih on the hook, has a definite dancehall flavor—inspired by the mighty Playground Riddim—which inspired Beenie and Papi to give it a refix. Check the levels. Audio After The Jump… (more…)