Boomshots

Tag: Reggae Sumfest

  • WATCH THIS: Baby Cham x Bounty Killer “BLOOD CLXXT” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    WATCH THIS: Baby Cham x Bounty Killer “BLOOD CLXXT” Official Music Video PREMIERE

    Nobody Nah Talk, So Madhouse Haffi Cuss BLOOD CLXXT 

    The term “BLOOD CLXXT” has a rich and complex history in the Jamaican vernacular. “You can’t get more authentic Jamaican than blood claat,” says dancehall star Baby Cham. “Blood claat is the only word we use for joy, frustrations, stress, happiness.” Officially considered a profanity on the island, the word can get an artist in a whole heap of trouble if they utter it onstage. But given the mood of the times all over the world, there was no other word to sum of the vibes of moment. And so of course the dancehall super-producer Dave Kelly chose the word as the title of the first single from Baby Cham and Bounty Killer’s highly anticipated collaborative EP Time Bomb on the legendary Madhouse Records imprint. Boomshots is proud to premiere the official video for the tune today, along with “Buss The Dance,” a video recap of the big Madhouse tribute which took place last week at Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay. Video After The Jump…  (more…)

  • Flexing with Mad Cobra at Reggae Sumfest 2017

    Flexing with Mad Cobra at Reggae Sumfest 2017

    Ewart Brown Nuh Press People Button

    During the early 1990s Mad Cobra was one of the hottest new stars on Kingston’s dancehall circuit. And then his 1992 hit single “Flex,” recorded for Shang Productions and distributed worldwide by Columbia Records, made him an international star. Suddenly the voice of the youth born Ewart Brown was heard round the world on mainstream radio, becoming part of global pop culture, and yet he never lost his hardcore appea thanks to lyrics like “Press trigger we nuh press people button.” It’s been a long time since the Snake  touched the stage at Reggae Sumfest, so Mad Cobra returned to Montego Bay for the 25th anniversary edition, delivered a jolt of that hardcore 90s dancehall energy. After blazing the Catherine Hall stage Cobra took time out to kick it with the Reggae Girl About Town. They remarked on Sumfest’s renewed energy, and on the enduring power of his song “Flex.” Then Cobra explained why he used his time on stage to take a stand against domestic violence and child abuse. Real people, real talk, real things. Video After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Jahmiel “U Me Luv”

    HEAR THIS: Jahmiel “U Me Luv”

    Jahmiel Releases Sexy Summer Song

    Jahmiel received rave reviews for his Reggae Sumfest 2017 performance, described by Billboard Magazine writer, Pat Maschino as a “well paced, focused and razor sharp performance.” This artist continues to supersede our expectations and his new love song shows us a softer side of this “Great Man.” In the spring, Jahmiel collaborated with Shensea for a Troyton Music produced song about challenges of relationships, in “Tell Me.” This summer the versatile artist surely knows where his heart resides, in a love ballad entitled “U Me Luv.”  Jahmiel delivers poignant lyrics over a sensational beat produced by Dunwell Productions. More After The Jump…

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  • WATCH THIS: Jahmiel “Years To Come” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Jahmiel “Years To Come” Official Music Video

    Another Conscious Head Banger from Jahmiel

    Performing since the age of seven, Jahmiel catapulted his career to stardom with hard work and perseverance. Now he expresses the challenges along the way in his new song, entitled “Years To Come.” In this song, the artist born Jamiel Foster discusses the unwarranted truth of people who didn’t want to see him overcome the hurdles in his path. Relying on his spiritual faith and talent in order to prosper, the crafty lyricist cites Psalm 118 in the Bible.   More After The Jump…

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  • Super Cat Confirmed for Reggae Sumfest 2016

    Super Cat Confirmed for Reggae Sumfest 2016

    The Don Dada Will Headline Reggae Night

    Super Cat will make his Reggae Sumfest debut on July 23, 2016, headlining the festival’s Reggae Night in Montego Bay, Jamaica. “Our headline act on Saturday night—which is Reggae Night—will be none other than the Don Dada himself,” said Josef Bogdanovich, CEO of Downsound Records, which took over the well-known annual festival this year. “We just signed him today. I have a feeling this show is going to be really magical” Cat’s live performances have been few and far between, going back to Sting 2013, last year’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise, and earlier this month in New York at Irie Jam’s Oracabesssa Festival. A living legend of reggae music and dancehall culture whose career built bridges into the international music industry, Cat has collaborated with artists like Heavy D, Puff Daddy, Biggie Smalls, Kriss Kross, Sugar Ray and Pharrell, to name a few, but he has remained a cornerstone of reggae music. It seems like poetic justice for Cat to make Sumfest debut on the festival’s first Reggae Night in recent memory. “Don’t let them trick the youth and keep talking about dancehall—that is a miseducation we have to straighten out that,” said Cat during an exclusive Boomshots interview in 2013. “Only thing we were playing in dancehall was reggae music. What dancehall is are venues.” Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Reggae Sumfest Announces Newly Re-Focused 2016 Lineup: Strictly Reggae Night and Dancehall Night

    Reggae Sumfest Announces Newly Re-Focused 2016 Lineup: Strictly Reggae Night and Dancehall Night

    Message Sent In True Downsound Fashion: By Wrapping an 18-Wheeler Semi Truck

    After announcing earlier this spring that Jamaica’s leading music festival, Reggae Sumfest, was under new management, Josef Bogdanovich, CEO of Downsound Productions, has now revealed the newly re-focused two-night lineup for Sumfest 2016, rolling out with the slogan “our music, our festival.” This catchphrase holds a vital clue to the spirit of the newly re-imagined festival—with the whole world rocking to Jamaican sounds recorded by “foreign” artists, Reggae Sumfest is now focusing on 100% Jamaican lineup, letting go of the whole “International Night” mindset. Moving forward from its long-standing Thursday night slot, Dancehall Night 2016 will kick off the festival on Friday, July 22nd with a lineup boasting Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Popcaan, I-Octane, Agent Sasco and I-Shawna among many others. Saturday, July 23rd is the festival’s inaugural Reggae Night 2016 with strictly world-class singers like Barrington Levy, Luciano, Sanchez, Tarrus Riley, Busy Signal, as well as Downsound’s own up-and-coming artist Nature. The message was delivered in fittingly over-the-top fashion, via wrapped 18-wheeler semi-truck. (Make sure to be on the lookout for them in traffic near you!) And just in case you would like to trick out your own 18-wheeler, the official artwork is pasted below. Semi Truck Wrappers After The Jump…
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  • WATCH THIS: Reasoning with No-Maddz: “Breadfruit is the new Bread, Baby!”

    WATCH THIS: Reasoning with No-Maddz:
    “Breadfruit is the new Bread, Baby!”

    The Puku-Poo Posse Bugs Out With The Reggae Girl About Town

    Last year No-Maddz burst on the international scene with a debut album, Sly & Robbie Presents: No-Maddz, that Billboard magazine (with an assist from Boomshots) ranked as one of the Top 10 Reggae albums of 2015. In fact we’ve been rocking with No-Maddz from long time—ever since we first bucked up Sheldon, Heavy, Birdie, and O’Neil on the set of Better Mus’ Come it was clear that these Bongo youths were destined for greatness. So when we caught their first performance on the big stage at Reggae Sumfest—shortly after the release of their 2012 EP NBO (New Bread Order)—their reasoning with the Reggae Girl About Town was something special. Check out the vibes for yourself.  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • IShawna Onstage Offstage & Backstage at Reggae Sumfest

    IShawna Onstage Offstage & Backstage at Reggae Sumfest

    Ooh La La! Ms Legendary Makes Her Dancehall Night Debut & RGAT Is There

    Ever since her highly publicized split with selector/producer Foota Hype, IShawna has been on a roll, stepping up her lyrical game and riding the wave of publicity to raise her career to new heights. Last month she made her Reggae Sumfest debut at Ladies Dancehall Night 2015 and the Reggae Girl About Town was there, rolling with Ms. Legendary onstage, offstage, and backstage to shoot an exclusive video special. This year the ladies were the talk of Sumfest, raising the possibility that Downsound’s dancehall diva might just be the future of dancehall. If you don’t believe it, watch IShawna take things to another level as she rips off her bridal gown and shows off some strategically placed Sirovsky crystals, and find out what she’ll do next in RGAT’s all-access report. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Sumfest 2015 Dancehall Night Preview: Will Thursday Be Ladies Night?

    Sumfest 2015 Dancehall Night Preview: Will Thursday Be Ladies Night?

    Do The Ladies Run This M@th@f@CK@?

    Yes, it’s that time again. The Summer blockbuster, the Greatest Reggae Show on Earth, Reggae Sumfest is about to go down in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Although international headliner Rick Ross was unavoidably detained due to a little pistol-whipping incident at his multimillion-dollar estate, word is that T.I. will be stepping in to fill his shoes. Meanwhile there’s no danger of Common or Jennifer Hudson pistol-whipping anybody between now and this weekend. But the reality is that people visit Jamaica to hear Jamaican music. As Morgan Heritage has pointed out, there isn’t even a reggae night at Reggae Sumfest, but the final two nights—previously known as International Nights 1 & 2, and this year renamed Show Time and Star Time—feature a blend of overseas rap, R&B, and pop stars mixed with legendary Jamaican acts like Beenie Man and Cocoa Tea, as well as artists like Jesse Royal and Kabaka Pyramid, representing Jamaica’s “Roots Revival” movement that’s been gaining momentum at home and abroad.  But if you ask us, Reggae Sumfest is all about Dancehall Night—which always seems to draw the biggest crowd. This years should be no excpetion, with stars like Capleton, Popcaan, and Dexta Daps on the bill. But this year, for the first time, Lady Saw will be headlining the biggest night of the festival. She is the first woman to close Dancehall Night, and it’s only fitting since she was officially crowned Queen of the Dancehall on this stage. But Saw is not the only dancehall diva who will be rocking the mic at Catherine Hall this year.  Details After The Jump… (more…)

  • Reasoning with Wiz Khalifa: “I Get it Grown For Me”

    Reasoning with Wiz Khalifa: “I Get it Grown For Me”

    Taylor Gang Boss Rocks Reggae Sumfest In Montego Bay, Readies Blacc Hollywood Album

    This past weekend Wiz Khalifa made his first trip to Jamaica to rock Reggae Sumfest 2014. Before the big show he sat down poolside with RGAT to talk about his love for Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. Listen as Wiz weighs in on whether yard weed stacks up to Khalifa Kush, plus he reveals which reggae artist he’d like to collaborate with. Then watch him shell down International Night 1 in the same black and yellow shorts he was chilling in by the pool! Videos After The Jump… (more…)

  • Johnny Gourzong’s Reggae Sumfest Preview

    Johnny Gourzong’s Reggae Sumfest Preview

    Sumfest Boss Shares His Personal Highlights—And Says Octane vs Vegas Was “Blown Out of Proportion”

    It’s that time of year again. As most reggae lovers around the world know by now, during the third week of July all roads lead to Montego Bay for Reggae Sumfest. And with just one more day to go before the 22nd staging of “The Greatest Reggae Show on Earth,” anticipation is reaching a fever pitch. Between Sean Paul returning to the Sumfest stage for the first time in a decade, international pop star Jason DeRulo tweeting pictures from the emergency room, and I-Octane and Mr. Vegas trading barbs like Beenie and Bounty in the ’90s, this year’s festival promises to be entertaining in more ways than one. To get the inside scoop we reached out to the big man himself, Mr. Johnny Gourzong, executive Director of Summerfest Productions, who shared his personal thoughts on which acts he’s most looking forward to—and let us in on a few possible surprises. If you can’t make it down to MoBay tomorrow night, don’t worry—you can still purchase a live stream of all the Dancehall Night action. Full Story After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Tifa “Bak It Up” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Tifa “Bak It Up” Official Music Video

    She Wine Sweet Like Moscato, Bubble Bubble Like a Champagne

    The last time we caught up with Tifa back in January she warned us that 2014 was going to be a crazy year. You think she was jokin’? In the past six months the dancehall diva has signed a deal with Island King records, launched a fly official website, announced a brand-new line of signature headphones, and just yesterday she rolled through Hot 97 FM  in New York City where her latest single “Bak It Up” is getting nuff spins. You can catch her  interview with Ebro, the station’s PD, this morning. There’s even talk about booking her for Hot 97’s annual “On Da Reggae Tip” show this September. That’s a long ways away though. Next week it’s all about Reggae Sumfest. Yes, Tifa will be performing on the big stage on Dancehall Night (that’s this coming Thursday!) And you already know we’re gonna make sure to catch up with her down in MoBay. But right now let’s get into the official video for her latest banger. Apparently it’s all about the wine—and that’s why some man get tie like goat. Video After The Jump… (more…)