Opinion, reviews, interviews, staff lists, rankings, and other long talking about Reggae and Dancehall music and culture.
The year 2021 will mark the 40th anniversary of Bob Marley’s death on May 11, 1981, a date which gains even more significance this year because it marks the first time that all of the original Wailers are dead, given that Bunny Wailer passed away earlier this year.
Reggae singer Judy Mowatt, a member of the original I Threes alongside Marcia Griffiths and Rita Marley, said that her most enduring memory of Bob Marley was that he was a man who possessed the courage of his convictions.
⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5. A slender I-Octane appears on the cover dressed in a black pants, gold tie and a green blazer.
The last year has been an eventful one for break-out dancehall artist Skillibeng. Not only is he dominating the charts and YouTube trending lists, but he is also playing the game differently from those who played it before him.
Dancehall star Rygin King has defied incredible odds. First, he overcame poverty to rise as one of Dancehall’s most meteoric acts, maintained his composure as his fame grew, and then cheated death during a horrific gun attack that claimed one life last year.
When Reggae star Gyptian recorded his breakout single, Serious Times in 2004, Jamaica teetered on the brink of total anarchy as blazing guns obliterated 1400 lives that year.
In recent times, the Jamaican Government, specifically the Prime Minister has voiced concerns that Dancehall music is the cause of the country’s surge in violent crimes.
One of Dancehall music’s most distinct sound patterns is that of the Punaany Riddim. That memorable and very recognizable beat architecture can be attributed to the innovations of second city-born record producer Lloyd ‘King Jammy’ James, who honed his craft under the stewardship of late music industry deity and dub premier Osbourne ‘King Tubby’ Ruddock.
The number one Reggae album in the world on iTunes is Fire & Stone (Prince Fatty Presents) by Stick Figures.
Spice’s debut album TEN drops this summer, and if her new song and video Go Down Deh is any indication, her fanbase can look forward to an insane production.
Bounty Killer is undeniably one of the biggest names to emerge from Dancehall music. His pivotal moments in the early ’90s unveiled the rough-neck rude boy that still armors his persona today, some three decades later.
Dancehall veteran Beenie Man owes his four decades of success to incredible work ethic and a penchant for causing controversy every now and then.
Constantin “Costi” Ioniță is the producer of Spice’s latest Dancehall hit with Shaggy and Sean Paul, Go Down Deh, which was released on April 30 ahead of her upcoming debut album, TEN.
This weekend was a solid one for new Dancehall and Reggae releases. Whether you were keeping an ear out for the next big summer scorcher, or just browsing for new jams to add to your drive-time playlist, you would have found something to match your vibe.
Stage shows and parties are integral to Reggae and Dancehall in Jamaica. So, whether you are a local or someone just visiting the island, you have probably heard about weekly sessions—some of the street dances—like Uptown Mondays, Boasy Tuesdays, and Weddy Weddy Wednesdays.
For a long time, artist discovery in Jamaica was limited to traditional studio culture and the “quality control” involved in vetting before recording said artists.
Beenie Man has been at the top of Dancehall music since the 1990s. The 47-year-old’s stage performance and musical abilities have given him a Grammy award and several Mobo awards.
DJ Khaled has been promoting Khaled Khaled since his last album dropped in 2019. No one really knows why and how Khaled is able to have more guest appearances than an Obama All Black White House party.
Spice’s latest single, the long awaited ladies anthem Go Down Deh is a slick and sexy “historic” collaboration all set to burn up the airwaves.
Walshy Fire’s 14 favorite Reggae and Dancehall songs, which he hand-picked for VP Record’s Riddimentary Selection, were sparked from a place of nostalgia as well as the Toast co-producer’s sentimental side.