Month: May 2015

  • WATCH THIS: Stephen Marley ft. Bounty Killer & Cobra “Ghetto Boy” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Stephen Marley ft. Bounty Killer & Cobra “Ghetto Boy” Official Music Video

    Ragga, Killa & Snake Star Inna Brand New Story As Old As Babylon

    Year in, year out, the cycle continues. From Cabrini Green to Cidade de Deus to Tivoli Gardens, somebody is out there manipulating the minds of the ghetto youths and pressing their buttons on a divide-and-rule mission to spread misery and violence and disunity in the community. Like his father before him, Stephen Marley reveals the inner workings of the Babylon system with music as his only weapon and Killa and Cobra as his lyrical henchmen—because that’s what Ghetto Youths do. The visuals pick up where the tune left off. No long talking. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Kranium Talks Ty Dolla $ign Collab, Major Label Deal, and Repping JA from NYC

    Kranium Talks Ty Dolla $ign Collab, Major Label Deal, and Repping JA from NYC

    Everybody Haffi Know Bout Kranium

    The rising dancehall star responsible for the worldwide smash “Nobody Has To Know” chats with the Reggae Girl About Town shortly after his performance at the RBMA Yardcore show. They discuss his signing to major label Atlantic Records, his collab with L.A. rapper Ty Dolla $ign, what he learned from his uncle Screwdriver, and how he reps Jamaican music as a youth raised in NYC. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Popcaan “Unruly Prayer” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Popcaan “Unruly Prayer” Official Music Video

    Papi Plugs Into A Higher Power & Counts His Blessings

    Before Andrae Sutherland lays his head on the pillow at night, he has to give thanks. After all, when you consider the blessings that reach the Unruly Boss on a daily basis, it’s truly remarkable. He’s from a place where dog eat dog, and look at him now. “God make me bless inna real life,” Popcaan sings on his latest selection. “I’m protected by the Most High.” Over a few pensive chords courtesy of  UIM Productions, Papi counts his blessings like beads on a rosary string, before shouting out his thugs who pass and gone, all who inna jailhouse, and then runs down a lengthy roll call of his family, friends, and loved ones—from Squid and Squiddel to Jamie, Creep and Chi Ching Ching. He even shouts out the OVO crew, from Drizzy Drake down to Oliver. No matter how much links you have all over, Father God run bout yah for real.  “Tell the Devil keep him distance.” Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Beres Hammond “Jamaica International Dance”

    HEAR THIS: Beres Hammond “Jamaica International Dance”

    The Real Reggae Maestro Is Back

    Fresh selection from the fothatrthcoming Beres Hammond album on V.P. Records, and ain’t it good to know Jamaica’s #1 soul man hasn’t lost a drop of his infectious charm! Guess you really can’t stop a man—any more than you can stop Jamaica’s irresistible power to attract the whole world with musical magic. You’ve got to respect this brother, just like the bass man respect the drummer. “Keep the vibe flowing YES, keep the energy pumping YES.” What more can we say but let the music play? Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • Jah Cure Reveals “The Cure” Album Cover Art

    Jah Cure Reveals “The Cure” Album Cover Art

    First Album for VP Records Set For July 10, 2015 Release

    Ever since last June, when we first heard his certified Boomshot “Life We Live” the Boomshots massive has been looking forward Jah Cure’s sixth studio album The Cure. Then in February came news that the singer had signed with V.P. Records. Today we finally got a first look at the criss album art, a track listing, and best of all, a release date. Less than two months from now, the waiting will be over. Tracklist After The Jump… (more…)

  • Randy Valentine Is “Still Pushing”

    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 a push, Almighty know we have to fly.” This is a pretty apt definition of the inspiration behind RV’s latest compilation of tracks—steadfast tenacity in trying times and the upliftment of people who strive toward better days. The EP’s first single “Wake The Town” has been in heavy rotation across the world, yielding various chart positions. Video & Interview After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Stephen “Ragga” Marley ft. Bounty Killer & Mad Cobra “Ghetto Boy”

    HEAR THIS: Stephen “Ragga” Marley ft. Bounty Killer & Mad Cobra “Ghetto Boy”

    Ragga links the Warlord & Helta Skelta on this Musical Boomshot 

    Twanging guitars straight out of a Wild West cowboy movie open the latest track from musical mastermind Stephen “Ragga” Marley, which soon transforms into a hard-hitting dancehall cut featuring Ragga, Killer, and Mad Cobra kicking lyrical ballistics. “I think we need to open up the conversation more,” Stephen Marley explained in a recent Esquire interview. “Why is gun violence happening on a global scale? When, where, and what age does it start? We see the U.S. media addressing it now to a certain degree, but this is happening all over the world, with or without the cameras rolling. We need to get to the root of the problem, starting from the top down to break the cycle.” Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life coming soon!  Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • Special Request: Garnet Silk “Mama Africa” Live

    Special Request: Garnet Silk “Mama Africa” Live

    The Reggae ArchAngel’s First Number One

    Garnet Silk was just 26 years old when he died in a tragic accident in December 1994—dashing into a burning building to save his mother. At that young age he had established himself as reggae’s leading roots and culture singer. Hard at work on a new album for the U.S. based label Big Beat/ Atlantic, Garnet was perfectly poised to carry on the work of such legendary figures as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Hard to believe the rail-thin Rasta youth with the majestic voice had started his path in the music business as a DJ named Bimbo, but Garnet soon linked with Tony Rebel (seen above with Garnet in this classic Brian Jahn photograph) and found his true calling: singing cultural reggae music in an era when dancehall had become the dominant musical force on the island.  Garnet’s first number one song, topping the charts in Jamaica and the UK, was a tune called “Hello Mama Africa.” Recorded for Richard Bell’s Star Trail label, this rousing tribute to the motherland was an utterly original tune, yet reminiscent of the similarly titled Peter Tosh album. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Lenny Kravitz on Bob Marley: “He Was Hardcore With His Love”

    Lenny Kravitz on Bob Marley: “He Was Hardcore With His Love”

    The Last Living Rock Star Remembers The King of Reggae—And Reveals Why He Cut His Locks

    Kids nowadays probably know Lenny Kravitz as that dude in The Hunger Games flicks, but the fact is that he’s one of the last great rock stars walking the planet. When he first came out, shredding his Les Paul and flashing his dreadlocks, haters used to call him a Bob Marley wannabe. But the fact is Lenny had more in common with the Tuff Gong than a hairstyle. The offspring of a black mom and a Jewish dad, he grew up between a Caribbean island (Bahamas, not Jamaica) and the U.S. Although Bob spent less time in Delaware than Lenny did in NYC, the island vibe is a party of his musical identity. Kravitz will rock Webster Hall tonight as part of his Strut tour, so this seemed as good time a time as any to hold a likkle reasoning. Interview After The Jump… (more…)