Randy Valentine Is “Still Pushing”
The UK Singer Won’t Let You Pass Him By “We still a push, we still a try,” Randy Valentine wails on the title track to his EP Still Pushing. “The gideon train is coming and mi cyan let it pass mi by/And when my well is running dry I don’t sit down and cry/We still […]
Kartel Busts The Billboard Charts
The Unstoppable WorldBoss Just Keeps On Winning Controversial Deejay Vybz Kartel‘s latest album Viking (Vybz Is King) made a grand debut at #3 on the Billboard‘s Reggae Album Chart and currently sits comfortably at #6. At the moment, he is the only dancehall artist to have an album in this chart’s Top Ten. This milestone marks the highest debut […]
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 […]
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 Alborosie: “Everybody Receive The Music Nice”
Albo’s Got a New Album Featuring All-Star Duets When the Italian-born reggae singer Alborosie is not touring the world, he makes his home in Jamaica, where he spends most of his time in his studio. The latest product of his labors is the album Specialist Presents: Alborosie & Friends, a collection of his duets with […]
WATCH THIS: Masicka “Born Killa” Official Music Video
The “Sicka Than Them” DJ Discusses His Issues With Aidonia That dude holding the baby crocodile? That’s Masicka. If you’re not up on dancehall’s next to bust, time to get familiar. As his name would suggest, he’s a born killa. Also his style is “sicka than then,” Hailing from a place called “Sin City” in […]
HEAR THIS: Wayne Wonder “It’s Legendary” Mixtape
Wayne Wonder Drops A Blazing New Mixtape Grammy nominated reggae superstar Wayne Wonder returned to Jamaica to promote the release of his brand new mixtape entitled “Its Legendary.” On why he decided to head home to promote the mixtape Wonder said: “Right now I’m in the island to turn up the promotion on a number […]
Wyclef Jean “The Truth Is The Truth, And We Gonna Speak It”
“I was born in Haiti,” said Wyclef Jean shortly after rocking a tough Jamaican crowd at Sting. “I was born in a hut. I used to eat dirt off the floor if you read my book All we had was the music.” Although Clef was raised in New Jersey amidst a streetwise soundscape of hip-hop, […]
WATCH THIS: Ding Dong “Syvah” Official Music Video
Ricky Blaze x Ravers Clavers Buss The New Dance Worldwide—Oh My Daaaays Ding Dong is known for always bringing the big new dance anthems that get the whole world bouncing. But his brand new illectro boomshot—produced by the man called Ricky Blaze—he also separates the thugs from the bait. What else do you expect from […]
“Tessanne A Roots” Says Colin Channer
“Tessanne Represents Something Deeply Emotional,” Writes The Celebrated Novelist “To us, Tessanne is more than her talent, more than an exemplar of range, timing, and vocal control,” the noted Jamaican novelist Colin Channer wrote in a piece for the Wall Street Journal‘s website just before Tessanne Chin was announced as the winner of Season 5 of NBC’s […]
Samantha J Reveals Crush On “Bad Bwoy Bieber”
“Tight Skirt” Teen Star Tells All In Her Complex Individuals Interview Seventeen-year-old Jamaican pop sensation Samantha J is making big moves since her single “Tight Skirt” blew up worldwide. Her spicy video was rated “most shared” on MTV.com and BET recently tapped her to kick off 106 & Park’s “Young Starz” week. And speaking of […]
WATCH THIS: Wayne Wonder “Reset It” Official Music Video
Things Were Such Simpler Back Then We all have that one person who occupies our mind. The one we, in odd hours of the day, gaze and wonder about what could have been or in some cases should have been, “the one that got away” as they say. There’s also another saying that goes “if […]