HEAR THIS: Strictly the Best Vol. 50 The Mixtape
Rico Vibes of Natural Vibes and Da Flava Radio Pon The Megamix Over the past 35 years, VP Records has established themslves as the dominant distributor of Jamaican music, and the 50th and 51st installments of their Strictly the Best compilation series drops today. As per usual, the first volume focuses more on roots and […]
Lee “Scratch” Perry Wants You To Stop Smoking Ganja
The Reggae Pioneer Tells The Fader About New Music, Old Studios, and Negative Influence Lee “Scratch” Perry, who crafted sounds for Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and countless others while releasing genre-formative albums of his own, is relaxing in a grand old English guest house in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. He has just gotten through performing at the […]
HEAR THIS: Kabaka Pyramid “The Lyricist” Mixtape PREMIERE
Word, Sound and Power—Plus It’s Accurate Whenever Kabaka Pyramid grips the mic, the first word heard tends to be “accurate.” Known for dropping immaculately crafted rhymes addressing topics with real relevance to real people living real lives, Kabaka has distinguished himself as a powerful voice for the voiceless. Much like his namesake, the lyrical architect […]
WATCH THIS: Live Pon The Reggae Cruise 2015
They Said “What Happens On The Cruise Stays On The Cruise”—But They Were Wrong! Having successfully completed its second annual mission, Damian Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise goes down in history as another amazing experience for lovers of reggae and dancehall music. This year featured not one but two back-to-back cruises loaded with no […]
HEAR THIS: Kabaka Pyramid ft. Chronixx “Ghetto Blues” PREMIERE
Let Them Sing A Sweet Song For You Livity Movements titled their new Kabaka mixtape “The Lyricist” for a reason. His rapid-fire flow is jam-packed with gems of wisdom, knowledge, and over standing on this crucial compilation, spearheaded by the Parris Agency and Destine Media. Here he joins forces with long-time sparring partner Chronixx on […]
WATCH THIS: Ini Kamoze “Hill & Gully Ride (Remix)” Official Music Video
The Lyrical Gangster Rides Again You don’t have to be a reggae fanatic to know Ini Kamoze’s voice. He’s the one who sings the hook—”Out in the streets they call it murder“—on Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s 2005 banger “Welcome To Jamrock.” And back in 1994, the “lyrical gangster” was responsible for the worldwide smash hit […]
HEAR THIS: Alkaline “Anywhere We Go” & “In This World”
Plug Into Both Sides Of The Alkaline Battery An Alkaline battery has two sides, one positive and one negative. The same goes for the controversial dancehall star of the same name. When I sat down to chat with him last December at 21st Hapilos headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, he was already emerging as one of […]
WATCH THIS: Black-Am-I “In The Ghetto” Live Pon The WTJ Cruise
I and I Tour Currently Cruising Through The United States When the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise set sail last month, the first artist to touch the main deck stage was none other than Black-Am-I. The culturally inclined singjay rocked the big boat, closing out an energetic set with his latest song “In The Ghetto,” […]
WATCH THIS: Black Lion & The Wizard ft. Kat Dahlia, Nyanda & Kemist “Mash It Up” Official Music Video
What could be more fun than rolling through Kingston street dances with Kat Dahlia, Nyanda (of Brick & Lace), and The Wizard? How about adding Black Lion and Kemist to the mix—and shooting a music video for their posse cut “Mash It Up” while you’re at it? Like the song says, “they do what they do and and […]
WATCH THIS: Timberlee “Shmurda Freestyle” Video
The Man Dem Say She Body Well Shampoo Squeaky Remember Timberlee, the dancehall chica who made you “Bubble Like Soup” in a pot? She’s the latest to jump on the beat to Bobby Shmurda’s “Hot Nigga” with a fiery freestyle. Although the dancehall artist confirms that she’s “definitely not changing my musical style,” she does […]
WATCH THIS: Ini Kamoze “Hill & Gully Ride (Remix)” Music Video Teaser
You Better Hold On Good The original Hot Stepper (aka the “Lyrical Gangsta”—Murdera!) links up with Jamaican producer Kareem Burrell of XTM Nation (son of the late great Fatis Burrell, founder of the legendary Xterminator label) for this 2014 update of a classic Fatis production, first released 30 years ago. Today we get the first […]
Who is Shifta?
Born In Jamaica, Based In Miami, Ready For The World Dancehall is undergoing a changing of the guard right now with new talent bubbling up from the underground to the top of the game faster than ever. One of the new names to catch our eye and our ear is a youth called Shifta, whose […]