Real Dancehall Crossover Hit of the Year: Charly Black “Party Animal”
In The Year Of Tropical House, One Actual Jamaican Tune Did Break Through Dancehall style ruled 2016, but dancehall artists? Not so much. Sure, Sean Paul had a great year thanks to his chart-topping “Cheap Thrills” collab—plus standout tracks with Major Lazer and Tory Lanez. Popcaan continued to reap the rewards of the Unruly/OVO alliance […]
Boss of the Year: Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
Junior Gong Is Changing The Game In More Ways Than One On “The Struggle Discontinues,” a track from Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley’s forthcoming album Stony Hill, Gongzilla offers a thought-provoking critique of reggae’s long history as “sufferer’s music.” As the tune puts it: “I don’t wanna sing a song that says ‘the struggle live on’… […]
Artist of the Year: Popcaan “Nah Idle”
2016 Was The Unruly Boss’s Biggest Year, As Papi Showed The World How To Over Dweet Earlier this week Popcaan dropped the official music video for “Nah Idle,” a tune produced by Mini for UK-based E5 Records that pretty much sums up the Unruly Boss’s amazing year. “We nuh beg people, so no bwoy can style […]
Breakthrough Artist of The Year: Jahmiel
When A Great Man Rise… Recognize Ever since the days when Sugar Minott strung up his Youth Promotion sound system, reggae music has been about who’s got next. This year the answer was clear, as we witnessed the emergence of a fresh voice that had been crying out for a few years now, but which […]
Unsung Hero of the Year: Sister Nancy
What a Bam Bam! Boomshots sends a special year-end shout out to Dancehall’s Original Muma, Sister Nancy. Alongside featured artists Rihanna and Swizz Beatz, Nancy is the unsung hero of “Famous” by Kanye West, one of the year’s biggest tunes, nominated for two Grammy Awards. For well over a minute of the 3:16 track, Nancy’s […]
Reasoning with Garfield “Chin” Bourne:
“Authentic Sound Clash Culture is in Jeopardy”
Keeping Sound System Safe From The Culture Vultures As co-founder of Irish & Chin, one of the most respected reggae promotion companies in the world, Garfield “Chin” Bourne has left his mark on the music industry and popular culture as a whole. He is the founder of SoundChat Radio and a range of media ventures, […]
Soundbwoy Burial of the Year: Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise’s Soundclash at Sea
Keeping Soundclash Culture Afloat There are many reasons to love the Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise—the performances, the fans, the total immersion in what the one and only Shinehead has likened to a “Rub-a-dub Disneyland”—but WTJRC’s unfailing support of sound system culture may be the best reason of all. A plethora of legendary sounds—from King […]
This Year’s Best Dancehall Christmas Songs
Reshma B Selects The Sounds To Get Your Holiday Party Poppin’ The Reggae Girl About Town’s new Murda She Wrote column just dropped on Pigeons & Planes, and it’s right on time to help your Christmas jam tun up: “There’s nothing better than Christmas in Jamaica—not just because the balmy Caribbean weather beats a polar […]
The Biggest Dancehall Riddims of 2016
Who Run The Place? Johnny Wonder, CEO of 21st Hapilos, Counts Down The Year’s Top Juggling With Rihanna’s “Work” dominating mainstream airwaves all year, you might think Richie Stephens’ “Sail Away” riddim would take the top spot. Yes that was hot in the streets ten years ago, and shout out to OVO for bringing it […]