I-Octane Takes Over The Countdown
I-Octane has made it yet another week at number 1 and he is holding on strong. “More Money,” has been hitting the airwaves and listeners are enjoying what they hear. It won’t be long till his newest single is on the countdown as well. Hopefully he won’t have to fight Tommy Lee or Mavado for the number 1 spot the next time around. But since he has already 4 singles on the countdown, I doubt he will have much of an issue. (more…)
The Werlboss Bigs Up His Gaza Affiliates
The year is 2011. Vybz Kartel is a free man at the peak of his fame and success. Shortly after ripping the stage at Reggae Sumfest Dancehall Night, he welcomes Boomshots into his backstage tent to meet the members of his Portmore Empire crew, from Popcaan “The Prefect” aka Young World to Vanessa Bling aka Gaza Slim to Sheba “the Diva” and a fresh new recruit named Tommy Lee. Within a few months Kartel would be arrested and the whole landscape of dancehall would shift. Now that Popcaan and Tommy Lee have become major stars it’s fascinating to look back, and amazing to see how things have changed in such a short space of time. Video After The Jump… (more…)
Uncle Demon Grows His Wings
I did not see this one coming. But why am I surprised? Tommy Lee is always doing something different in the biz. His fascination with the Goth world has been an exciting new image for dancehall lovers to sit back and watch unfold. Of course not everybody likes it—as he says in the song, “Some a say me bless, some a say me curse….” But then again the Gaza crew have always been down to try new and experimental things. As Kartel once told me “Vybz Kartel’s always surprising the audience—keeping them on the edge of their seats.” No surprise, then, that his protege is following in Di Teacha’s footsteps with a totally unexpected released on UIM Records called “Spartan Angels.” All the speculation about whether this is an original track is beside the point—is it super important that the tune is based on a hit by the Dutch rock band Within Temptation? Is there anyone else bringing that type of sound into the dancehall? It’s been a minute since a dancehall artist had people talking this much. “True me say demon, it is just a phase,” he growls on this track. Not sure if this is is the end of Tommy Lee’s dark side or just a manifestation of a completely new image. Maybe it’s a split personality kind of fing: Jekyll & Hyde, Norman Bates & Psycho??? God (or Satan) only knows—but one thing’s for sure: he’s got the streets (and me) locked. Audio After The Jump…
Octane Takes Over the Number 1 Spot
Right in time for the release of his newest single, I-Octane has made his way to the number 1 spot of the countdown. 16 weeks on the chart and he has swiftly bypassed the competition on his way up. Though Popcaan and Tommy Lee have held on to tight to their spots, Mavado has moved down from number 1 to number 5! But as quickly as someone moves up the list, they can move down so let’s see how long I-Octane’s fans keep him at number one!
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“Noisey Jamaica” Will Seek To Explicate “One of the Most Misunderstood Music Scenes of All Time”
Yesterday Noisey premiered a new 10-part series devoted to the culture of dancehall called NOISEY JAMAICA. The series is executive produced by Snoop Lion and will feature such artists as Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, Lady Saw, Popcaan, Tommy Lee, Tifa, Spice, Konshens, Gaza Slim, and I-Octane. The online series premieres next week but you can check out the trailer right now. Video After The Jump… (more…)
The ReggaeGirlAboutTown Chops It Up With The Hotskull
After rising through the Gaza ranks for years, Popcaan burst out big last year, coming into his own with massive hits like “Party Shot” And “Only Man She Wants.” This year has been all about next-level movements, from his first appearance in Vanity Fair magazine, to high-profile collabos with Pusha T and Snoop Lion. He also gave his first solo performance at Reggae Sumfest, which was where Reshma B caught up with him for this exclusive interview. He talked about performing without Vybz Kartel, downplays talk of any rivalry with Tommy Lee, pointing out that he brought Uncle Demon to the Gaza, and also shares the best advice his grandma ever gave him. Video After The Jump…
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Busy Speaks On His Incarceration, And Makes A Point To Burn Out Demons From Early
It seems that not a day goes by without Busy Signal dropping another heatrock in our inbox. But today’s tune stands out above for several reasons. First, it’s the most detailed account of Busy’s incarceration yet—aside from the refrain “Jailhouse no nice, bare chink and lice”—Busy speaks on his legal strategy (“Waive the rights to me extradition, caw me know me an innocent man”) as well as his decision to go straight home to Jamaica after his release rather than putting in a little work Stateside first (“Me couldn’t wait fi the damn plane land; me freedom worth more than gold and diamond.”) Apparently Busy enjoys an open rapport with Riff Raff Notice, the same producer responsible for his sexy homecoming tune “Jail Juice.” The other thing that jumps out on this song is the fourth line: “Me no mix up with no evil nor no demon.” Was that intended a warning shot at Tommy Lee? Guess we’ll have to wait until Sting to find out for sure. Audio After The Jump…
Di Teacha And His Student Join Forces
Kartel and the Gaza Demon connect for a lyrical bloodletting with Baby G on the track. If you like your tunes eerie and foreboding, then this one’s for you. Audio After The Jump…
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The Don Gorgon Drops Knowledge On The Gaza Spartan
“Me no come yah fi kill you. Me wan’ see you rise,” Ninja Man told Tommy Lee yesterday when visited the Supreme Promotions, the promoters of the annual boxing day stage show Sting. Of all the artists to work Sting over the years, Ninja has to be considered the year-to-year crowd favorite, so it was fitting that he take time out to school Tommy Lee as he prepares for his first appearance on the big stage. The Don Gorgon offer the young DJ all sorts of advice: “You have to straighten out that Demon ting yah.” Flipping into Brother Desmond mode, Ninja advised Tommy of his social responsibility: “Youth you have a responsibility to guide the young generation to the right destination.” Ninja also spoke on Tommy Lee’s lyrics: “Go back go listen listen Ninja Man dem and Papa San dem inna the years and hear how much lyrics them put in song. Ah that music short of right now.” Ninja even reminisced about his epic clashes with Super Cat (“The ting with me and Super Cat. That night is the first night my foot ever shake on the stage”) and even the infamous clash with Vybz Kartel (“That was of the past and let bygones be bygones.”) Video After The Jump…
The Warlord Blazes Lyrical Fire On The Gaza Spartan
Bounty Killer has done all sorts of songs throughout his storied career—touching on ghetto life, God, girls, ganja—but he’s always at his best when he’s in war mode. They don’t call him the Warlord for nothing. You know, Peeeeeeeeeeeople dead and all that. Think of all the great songs that came from his rivalry with Beenie Man alone. His new Jazzwad-produced single “Nyammy Lee” spits hot fire at his newest nemesis, Tommy Lee the Gaza Spartan. In other words, it’s classic Bounty Killer. Looks like Sting is gonna be real interesting this year. Let’s just hope they keep the battle lyrical. Audio After The Jump…
The Warlord Does Not Like What He’s Hearing—Sting Promoters Respond On Twitter
With the diss records flying back and forth and anticipation building about the big clash at this year’s Sting, it seems like fans of Tommy Lee and Bounty Killer are getting overexcited. Earlier today Bounty Killer took to Twitter to speak on whispers he’s hearing from Tommy Lee’s hometown of Montego Bay. It seems that Sparta loyalists are talking reckless about what will happen to the Warlord when he comes to MoBay. It doesn’t help matters that Tommy Lee went on Hype TV and talked about physically attacking Killer on the stage at Sting, just like his mentor Vybz Kartel (and his entourage) did to Ninja Man in 2003. That was an infamous moment in dancehall history that nobody wants to see happen again—least of all the promoters of Sting, who have been struggling to confirm the main attractions for this year’s show. Needless to say they are doing their best to tamp down the hostilities, while still promoting a show that’s known for epic clashes. It’s a fine line to walk. Find out who said what to who After the Jump… (more…)