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 […]
Flashback Friday: Wayne Wonder, “No Letting Go”
In 2003, when “No Letting Go” hit MTV, Wayne Wonder’s music career went into a projectile motion that continues to reach new heights. Twelve years later, fans are still expressing their love for this song on YouTube and other social media. I caught up with Wayne Wonder this week to find out his inspiration for […]
Dancehall Nice Again: Aidonia, Busy Signal and Konshens Turn Up The Vibes In Trinidad
Jamaican artists shine bright on 96.1 WEFM and at Together As One Concert in Trinidad Last night’s, July 4th, Together As One Concert (T.A.O) in Trinidad, featured the top headliners in dancehall and soca. The line up included chart toppers from Barbados, Leadpipe & Saddis; Trinidadian popular artists Roy Cape All Stars, Squeeky Ranking, Blaxx, […]
HEAR THIS: Busy Signal “WhatsApp”
Turf Prez Inna Soca Style Back in 1984 when Byron Lee and the Dragonaires created their classic hit, “Tiny Winey,” they could not have predicted that this song about a provocative dancer could inspire another soca tune, thirty-one years later. Busy Signal explains that he particularly enjoyed the tune’s exuberant narrative—as well as its infectious […]
Reasoning with Queen Ifrica: “When You Speak You Become an Enemy of the State”
Reshma B Links The Fyah Muma at Flames Productions HQ in Kingston, JA On the last day of 2014, the Reggae Girl About Town dropped by Flames Productions HQ in Kingston, Jamaica to see wha gwan. She had a nice chat with the Fyah Muma about her new album and her hot new collaboration with […]
I-Shawna Sting Interview: “Which Can You Do Better, Cook Or Quint?”
Right After Shelling Down Sting, The Princess of the Dancehall Chats With Reshma B The Princess of the Dancehall has had one hell of year—ever since she dropped that counteraction to Chris Brown’s “Loyal” we’ve had a feeling there might be some trouble on the homefront. Now of course it’s well known that her 9-year […]
Chris Blackwell Speaks on “Countryman”
Island Records Founder Reflects on a Friend Who Had Nothing And Still Had Everything Most reggae fans know the Reggae Cult Classic film Countryman, but it’s less well known that the star of the film is real person. The 1982 film, which will be streamed online next Friday night, December 5th—following an exclusive BoomshotsTV chat […]
Gunman World: Inside Jamaica’s Shotta Culture
Exclusive Excerpt from Mass Appeal Mag Cover Story by Rob Kenner, Photography by Ruddy Roye Jesquan Spence was not quite two years old when he saw the police kill his father. “The soldiers come in and take ’way the phones and say everybody fi sit down,” says the child’s grandmother, Michelle Davis, recalling that fateful […]
Reasoning with DJ Khaled: “I’d Love to Make a Record with Bounty Killer and Mavado”
Live From We The Best Studios in Miami, Khaled Talks Mavado, Killer, and Rinses Some Dubs You already know that all DJ Khaled does is win, win, win no matter what, but did you know the founder and CEO of We The Best Music, who has produced some of the biggest anthems in the history […]
Reasoning with Lee “Scratch” Perry, The 2nd Chapter: “Too Much Weed, So I Get Crazy”
Scratch Shares His Thoughts on Sex, Ganja, and the Illuminati When we last caught up with the Upsetter, he was sharing his thoughts on music—both his latest releases, and his seminal early recordings at the Black Ark. Of course, Scratch being Scratch, the conversation also veered into related topics such as Duppies, the true racial […]
Reasoning with Lee “Scratch” Perry: “The Black Ark Preserve Life and It Kill”
“I think the devil is a goat,” and other thoughts of a living legend. Whether you prefer to call him a madman or a genius, there’s no doubt that Lee “Scratch” Perry is a living legend. The man who gave the Wailers their “Natural Mystic” and pushed the frontiers of dub music at his Black […]
Reasoning with Protoje: “It’s Our Time to Govern the Music”
“There Is A Rising Consciousness that’s Obviously Happening. There Is a Movement As Well.” While passing through the concrete jungle the other day, Protoje dropped by Plex HQ to reason about life and the state of the music. We started off discussing his big tune with Chronixx “Who Knows,” and how Storm Saulter—of Better Mus Come […]