The latest dancehall news, pop culture and stories.
Former Island Records boss Chris Blackwell has pinpointed Millie Small’s Ska single My Boy Lollipop, which she recorded as a teenager, as “the most important song in his life”.
The public responses, including that of the Education Minister Fayval Williams, to a video of a 56-year-old female teacher at the Tivoli Gardens High School in Kingston, engaging a 16-year-old male student in combat, has drawn the indignation of Reggae/Dancehall superstar, Tanya Stephens.
Well-known show promoter Stepper of S.M.B. Promotions LLC—who was one of the organisers of the ‘Skillibeng Live Whap Whap’ Dancehall event held at the West Indian Social Club in Hartford, Connecticut on Sunday, June 5—has admitted that he was the one who roughed up Skillibeng and his road manager Larry.
Sean Paul‘s Scorcha has opened on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart at No. 6, while Shaggy’s Sinatra tribute Come Fly Wid Mi did not make the Top 10—after both albums received some paltry first-week numbers.
If you happen to be in Toronto, Canada you will notice the Queen Of Dancehall Spice on a huge billboard atop the Toronto Eaton Centre as the face of Spotify’s “EQUAL Women at Full Volume”.
Sean Paul has rained praises on No Doubt lead singer Gwen Stefani, whom he says, regularly visits Jamaica and shows great appreciation to the island and its music, unlike many non-Jamaicans who do Reggae recordings, yet steer clear of the island.
Sean Paul says he was “really hurt” and “disappointed” when Shenseea declared that the five years she had given herself in Dancehall had come to an end, and that she was going to pursue Pop music, which is her first love.
After advantageously incorporating Skeng’s Gvnman Shift into their social media anti-crime initiative in March, the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Corporate Communications Unit have now turned to Trap artist Malie Don’s Bank, to issue what seemed like a veiled threat, to braggadocious miscreants currently under the security forces’ radar.
Ten-year-old dancehall singjay Tajourn ‘KAI KAI’ Irving believes that the world can be a better place for its most vulnerable citizens – children, and that’s why he is adding his fierce voice to the call for adults to stamp out child abuse and violence against children.
Dancehall star Masicka and his compatriot Bounty Killer have come up with some choice words to describe persons who engage in the use of the potentially destructive party drug, “Molly”, among the descriptions: “crackhead” and “duppy dolly”.
Linval “Shabba” Thompson Jr., popularly known as Shab Don, has been taken into custody by the Joint Anti-Gang Task Force (JAGTF) in connection with a triple murder.
Dancehall superstar Sean Paul says Dave Kelly’s Showtime, which spawned hits such as Bounty Killer’s Eagle and the Hawk, Cham’s Gallang Yah Gal and Wayne Wonder’s Searching Dem Searching, is the one juggling riddim on which he really wishes he had been given the opportunity to voice.
Dancehall star Popcaan is mourning the death of his Run These Streets collaborator Hypo, an East London-born rapper and producer, who was partly raised in Jamaica.
US-based dancehall artist Jay-5Flow is pumped up about his latest album, DNA. “The album is entitled DNA because it signifies the belief that music is in my blood and also because of my lifestyle, everything about the album is the truth, and it is my best work yet,” he said.
Reggae star Sanchez says Jamaica hasn’t given him the recognition and respect he deserves. “I know that the people of Jamaica love my music because everywhere I go they show me a lot of love and support.
The Toots Hibbert estate has lost a major copyright battle in the Supreme Court against producer-manager Cabel Stephenson regarding an album that the late ska and reggae singer had worked on, in the capacity of producer-musician, with Reggae artist Droop Lion before his death.
Mere weeks after Bounty Killer said that artists who strut about with huge entourages appeared unprofessional and paranoid, iconic American rapper Fat Joe has revealed how the actions of his own unnecessary posse caused him to miss a $2 million endorsement deal with Red Stripe, “The Great Jamaican Beer”.
Pass the Dutchie, a 1982 hit by Grammy-nominated British-Jamaican band Musical Youth, is the latest Reggae song to be featured in an American TV series.
Attorney-at-law Maxine Stowe has taken issue with some of the content from Chris Blackwell’s upcoming memoir, maintaining that what the Islands Records co-founder described as an ‘unfounded perception of favoritism towards Bob Marley’, was real, and was, according to her, “pre-meditated false marketing” aimed at ‘black erasure’ of Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer.
West Indies cricketer turned artist Chris ‘Universe Boss’ Gayle is enthusiastic about being a featured act on The Tropical House Cruises to Jamaica: The Asian Edition album, set for release on June 24.