Spice & Vybz Kartel “Conjugal Visit” Official Music Video
Prepare Yourself For Romping Shop Part Few It’s been quite a while since Spice and Vybz Kartel hooked up. So much has changed in the six years since their smash hit “Romping Shop.” That sexy selection became one of the biggest international hits for both artists, even as it created a furor in Jamaica leading […]
Damian Marley & Friends Rock The Boat on the Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise
As Bob Marley Once Sang, We Were “All In The Same Boat, Rockin on The Same Rock” When The Wailers linked with Lee “Scratch” Perry to record their classic African Herbsman selection “Don’t Rock My Boat” back in 1973, chances are Bob Marley had no idea that 40-plus years in the future his family would […]
His Imperial Majesty
On November 2, 1930, the official crowning of a monarch occurred in Ethiopia Peoples of African descent, come from a lineage of kings and queens, as referenced in the bible. On this day, November 2, in 1930, Emperor Haile Selassie I and his wife, Empress Menen Asfaw were formally crowned with regalia, together in Ethiopia. […]
A Love We Can Feel: Respect To John Holt
Early Sunday morning, Reggae Legend, John Kenneth Holt, died at the age of 67 in London. Even after collapsing onstage during a performance at this summer’s One Love Festival in the UK, he insisted that his health was fine and said “I’ll be back.” Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1947, he entered talent competitions at […]
Top Ten At-Sea Selections
A Boomshots Playlist Inspired By The Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise “Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean sea,” Super Cat once observed. “In case you never know, it fulla mic MCs.” The Land of Wood and Water is also full of boats and fishermen and as such it’s inspired countless reggae songs about the […]
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 […]
WATCH THIS: I-Octane “What a Way We Shattin'” Official Music Video
The Shot Heard Round The Globe As mentioned in the latest Mass Appeal cover story, “Gunman World,” Jamaican music has a long tradition of songs in which a metaphorical gun salute is the highest form of praise. The title of I-Octane’s latest track, “What a Way We Shattin,” voiced on DJ Sunshine’s “Wul Dem” riddim, […]
HEAR THIS: Black-Am-I “In The Ghetto”
Life Rough Rough Rough Rough Rough But The Music Sweet Striaght out of Nine Mile, birthplace of the King of Reggae, comes a new recruit to the Ghetto Youths Intl’ crew, Black-Am-I. You may remember his standout cuts “Modern Day Freedom” and “Samson Strength,”‘ but the rootical Rasta singer is just getting started. His latest […]
HEAR THIS: Cham “Buss Face”
Yuh Mad? Nuh Care How Dem Bad… Wow-wow…. The kid is back with a brand new bad-man tune off the forthcoming album #Lawless. You already know Cham is the girls dem pet. But anytime him ready, he can turn on the badness. So don’t perplex the youth tranquility when him hold a meds pon base. […]
HEAR THIS: Alaine “Make it Home Again” PREMIERE
Alaine Brings Something Sweet and Strong to DJ Frass New “7venth Heaven” Riddim Alaine Laughton is one of those firmly established talents who’s blessed us with so many great songs over the years that we tend to take her for granted. Even though we don’t know what we’d do without her delicate but powerful voice […]
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 […]
WATCH THIS: Jah Cure “Life We Live” Official Music Video
Much has been said about a “roots revival” going on in Jamaican music at the moment. Artists like Chronixx and Protoje and Jesse Royal have created much excitement with their fresh take on reggae music, but let’s not forget that these talents have built upon the efforts of elder artists who have been putting in […]