Joseph Mersa Marley In Memoriam
Memories of a Young Lion “I don’t really walk around bragging about what I can and can’t do,” Jo Mersa said the first time Boomshots interviewed him, during the summer of 2013. Just the night before he had shared the stage with his father Stephen “Ragga” Marley and his uncle Damian “Junior Gong” Marley, spitting […]
WTJRC 2022 Heavy Rotation Playlist
All in the Same Boat, Rockin’ on the Same Rock Once again it’s on. The last time we were on board the Jamrock Cruise was December 2019, before most people had ever heard the words “Covid-19.” Three years later the big ship is ready to rock with artists like Burning Spear, Shabba Ranks, Damian Marley, […]
Damian Marley, Shabba Ranks, and Burning Spear Speak on the Return of the Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise
All In The Same Boat, Rockin’ On The Same Rock “All in the same boat, rockin’ on the same rock,” Bob Marley sang on the Wailers’ 1971 classic “Don’t Rock My Boat.” Produced by the late great Lee “Scratch” Perry, the song is a plea for unity in keeping with the time-honored values of reggae […]
WATCH THIS: Busy Signal “Cruising” Official Music Video PREMIERE
The Turf President Takes A Smokey Robinson Classic To The Dancehall Busy Signal is dancehall’s most versatile hitmaker. Ready for some roughneck reality? Cue up “Stay So” and watch every badman in the place buss a blank. When it’s party time, drop “Watch Out For This (Bumaye),” his outernational Major Lazer collab, and watch the […]
WATCH THIS: Morgan Heritage ft. Rytikal, Jahshii & I-Octane “Headline Fi Frontpage” Lyric Video PREMIERE
The Truth Must Reveal It’s been a long time since we’ve heard new music from Morgan Heritage, but today the Grammy-winning brothers Peetah, Gramps and Mr. Mojo came through with a hard-hitting new track featuring guest verses from some of the freshest young voices in the dancehall. Rising stars Rytikal aka Puryti—fresh off his victory […]
WATCH THIS: Jo Mersa Marley “Eternal” Visual Mixtape PREMIERE
A Day in the Life of a Young Lion “I don’t really walk around bragging about what I can and can’t do,” Jo Mersa told us the first time Boomshots interviewed him, during a London studio session in 2013. “I don’t talk about it,” he said. “When you hear, you hear it — and you get weh […]
Rygin King and U Roy Collab on “Stop That Train”
New Generation Meets Foundation “Me get a dream last night,” Rygin King sang, flashing across the stage at Reggae Sumfest 2018, “and the dream tell me things ah go change.” At that precise moment, three years ago this July, the young reggae star’s life changed forever. Rygin was chosen as one of three Montego Bay […]
WATCH THIS: Skip Marley “Let’s Take It Higher” A Boomshots Documentary
Awards Are Nice, But This Two-Time Grammy Nominee Answers To A Higher Calling “Live if you wanna live,” Bob Marley declared at the outset of his landmark album Rastaman Vibration, released almost 45 years ago, in April 1976. In the years before Legend, Bob Marley & the Wailers’ 1984 greatest hits collection, which remains the […]
WATCH THIS: Yaadcore “Tension” Official Music Video PREMIERE
Ask Nuh Question, Nuh Badda Mention Did you ever notice something about this journey called life? Funny how sometimes your moment of elevation is the same moment people around you start to feel you gone past your place. When things come to bump, you may be surprised to know who might end up praying for your downfall. […]
Watch The Documentary ‘Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes’
New Doc Tells the Truth About Jamaica’s Recording Industry Lee “Scratch” Perry has seen it all. The notoriously eccentric reggae producer, vocalist, and visionary has created classics with artists ranging from Bob Marley & The Wailers to The Clash and The Beastie Boys. A literal living legend, he may be the only person on earth […]
Buju Banton’s ‘Til Shiloh’ Marks 25 Year Milestone
Reasoning With The Gargamel On The Making of a Classic Before Buju’s landmark album Til Shiloh was released in 1995, he stopped by the VIBE offices to give me a preview. We shut the door of my office, popped a cassette in the stereo, and burned a spliff in the middle of the day while […]
“Dreams To Remember” Happy Birthday Toots
Memories of A Legend On His Earthstrong “Ready?” asked the drummer. “Yes sir!” Toots Hibbert replied. The year was 1968, and Toots and the Maytals were about to make history at Federal recording studio in Kingston, Jamaica. The drummer, Winston Grennan of Beverley’s All-Stars, counted off “1, 2…” and the band began to play […]