WATCH THIS: Kabaka Pyramid “Nice Up Di Dance” Official Music Video
Nice Up Di Dance When I asked Clement S. Dodd, the founding father of the Jamaican music industry, which of his many recordings he was proudest of, the producer known as Sir Coxsone paused and stroked his white-whiskered chin. ”There is so much, getting back to ‘One Love’ and ‘Simmer Down,’ ” he said, mentioning […]
WATCH THIS: Chronixx “Majesty” Official Music Video
Chronixx Chooses Love Over Lust Inspired by the Studio One Soul Selection, “I’ll Be Around” by Otis Gayle as well as The Techniques‘ “Queen Majesty,” Chronixx song “Majesty” is a beautiful love ballad from the “Roots and Chalice” mixtape, a collaboration with Federation Sound. The lyrics emphasize developing a spiritual before physical connection which opposes the message perpetuated […]
Ten Classic Rita Marley Tunes You Need To Stop Sleeping On
Half The Story Has Never Been Told The whole world knows the Bob Marley legend, but how many overstand the fact that his wife Rita is an accomplished singer in her own right? Alpharita Constantia “Rita” Anderson was born 70 years ago in Santiago, Cuba and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. She first met Robert Nesta Marley […]
WATCH THIS: Richie Stephens “Rain From The Sky” Official Music Video
Lost Tape From Steely & Clevie’s Studio One Sessions This is a pretty good week for Richie Stephens. First came news that Rihanna’s producers had sampled his “Sail Away” riddim for her latest duet with Drake. (In other words Pot of Gold Productions must nyam some good food.) Now he’s seeing the release of a […]
Flashback Friday: Dennis Emmanuel Brown “Here I Come (Love and Hate)”
Timeless Words of Wisdom From Reggae’s Crown Prince Dennis Emmanuel Brown released his debut album, No Man Is An Island, to the world in 1969. At 12 years old, the singer saw instant success, which foreshadowed his bright career of nearly 80 albums. This Flashback Friday, we musically livicate the “Crown Prince of Reggae” on […]
Freddie McGregor & Chino Pon Radio Lily
The Big Ship Family Sails Through The Strictly Boomshots Show Last week’s show was an epic two-parter. No sooner had Mr. Easy vacated RadioLily on his way to a Brooklyn studio session than we got word that the Big Ship crew was in town. Of course Di Captain and Chino had many moves to make, […]
Reasoning With Peckings “Old School, New Blood”
Reshma B Chops It Up With The Peckings Family Reshma B dropped by the legendary Peckings Studio 1 in Shepherd’s Bush, West London to chat with Chris Peckings about carrying on his family’s musical legacy. Chris tells how his father George Price aka Peckings grew up with the founding fathers of Jamaica’s reggae industry before […]
DOWNLOAD: Al Fingers Refix Mix
Mavado Meets Wailing Souls, Cher Meets The Abyssinians & Smokey Robinson Inna Studio One Style… This dude Al Fingers is well versatile. Not only is he the author of crucial books like Clarks In Jamaica (which was recently excerpted on Boomshots) and Greensleeves: The First 100 Covers, he’s also nifty with a remix. (Guess they don’t call […]
Johnny Osbourne “We Need Love” Live
Reggae Legend Rocks Out In Harlem Backed By The Full Watts Band Photograph by Paul Holgerson Ten-thirty p.m., Saturday, May 19, in Harlem. I’m sitting at a table in Ginny’s Supper Club below the Red Rooster, 125th and Lenox. Across this art deco revival Harlem nightclub, the funky rounded edges of the window to the […]
R.I.P. King Stitt
No Matter What The People Say, King Stitt Led The Way Order of merit to the foundation of the music. Yesterday the pioneering DJ King Stitt passed away after a long battle with prostate cancer.
WATCH THIS: Gappy Ranks “Put The Stereo On”
Big Bad UK Deejay Takes It Back To The Foundation Gappy Ranks has been making waves since his song on the Soul Rebel riddim, “Heaven In Your Eyes,” made a big splash on the Peckings label.
Better Days: Reasoning With Steely & Clevie
Remembering Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson Aug. 18, 1962 – Sep. 1, 2009 Two The Hard Way: Steely & Clevie did it real big during dancehall’s digital era. Even after reading the sobering words of his musical sparring partner Cleveland “Clevie” Browne in this Sunday’s Jamaica Observer, the untimely death of ace Roots Radics keyboardist and pioneering […]