Boomshots

Month: May 2016

  • HEAR THIS: Ape Drums ft. Major Lazer & Busy Signal “The Way We Do This”

    HEAR THIS: Ape Drums ft. Major Lazer & Busy Signal “The Way We Do This”

    H-Town Riddim Master At Work

    While Major Lazer might be the biggest names in EDM to flex dancehall riddims and vibes in their tracks, they’re far from the only ones. Houston, Texas’ Ape Drums has been at this for a bit, describing his sound as essentially taking his EDM projects and making them into bigger dancehall riddims. His experimental EDM/dancehall hybrid has been a hit, landing him on some of the hottest EDM labels out, including Skrillex’s OWSLA and Diplo’s Mad Decent imprints. For his latest, he links up with Diplo’s Major Lazer crew and the legendary Busy Signal for “The Way We Do This,” wisely flipping Tony Kelly’s Bookshelf Riddim (made famous by everyone from Sasha on “Dat Sexy Body” to Sean Paul with his classic “Deport Them”) and turning it into a banger that will light up any dance going down this summer.  Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • Beres Hammond & Cocoa Tea Headline 10th Annual Best of the Best Music Fest 2016

    Beres Hammond & Cocoa Tea Headline 10th Annual Best of the Best Music Fest 2016

    Miami’s Premiere Reggae Festival Celebrates Its 10-Year Anniversary

    For the past decade, Best of the Best has been transforming Miami’s Bayfront Park into a massive party. Although the early years were characterized by a wide-ranging blend of reggae, dancehall, soca, hip hop and R&B, in more recent years the promoters have focused on Caribbean sounds. Over the years BOTB has emerged as Miami’s premiere reggae festival, and this weekend’s 10th anniversary staging looks to be no exception. Looking for news for Best of Best 2016? Boomshots is the right place for press and information on this year’s event in Miami, Florida. As an official media partner of BOTB 2016, we’ll keep you updated with the movements. Follow boomshots on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Full Rundown After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Stephen “Ragga” Marley ft. Waka Flocka “Scars on my Feet”

    HEAR THIS: Stephen “Ragga” Marley
    ft. Waka Flocka “Scars on my Feet”

    Ragga x Flocka Connect and Reflect

    If you’re paying attention you already know that the long-awaited final chapter of Ragga Marley’s two-album epic is set to arrive July 22nd. Today team Ragga revealed the full track listing of Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life and offered these thoughts about the overall project: “The Fruit is about the different branches; there are many pages within my mind, many colors and ideas” says Marley. “We come from a versatile generation that can’t be put in a box.” As if to underscore that versatility, Marley also teased a new track from the album, featuring ATL trap star Waka Flocka Flame, bringing out the Brick Squad rapper’s revolutionary side. Stephen’s duet with dreadlocked turn-up king is available now with a pre-order of the album pon iTunes.  Audio and Track Listing After The Jump…
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  • HEAR THIS: Jahmiel “Different Eyes” PREMIERE

    HEAR THIS: Jahmiel “Different Eyes” PREMIERE

    The Powerful Title Cut From Pure Music’s “Different Eyes” Juggling

    Hailing from Portmore, Jahmiel Foster found his musical calling from early out, and has since carved out a niche as one of modern reggae’s most exciting new  voices. Building on the success of his 2015 breakthrough “Gain The World,” Jahmiel and the Quantanium camp are setting a standard for conscious songwriting in Jamaica’s current dancehall scene. On his latest release, the title track of a slow-burning riddim from Pure Music Productions—and distributed by the mighty 21st Hapilos Digital—Jahmiel wastes no time getting straight to the point: “Povery, still nuff. Life road, still rough. When the bills dem, build up. You maybe get your grill cut.” The song’s title refers to one’s point of view, seeing things as they truly are rather than as you wish they would be. Open your eyes and your ears—for who can’t hear must feel. Audio After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Falcons & Juelz “Gyal Dem Move”

    HEAR THIS: Falcons & Juelz “Gyal Dem Move”

    Something For The Bike Back

    Hot on the heels of the Terra EP—cosigned by the likes of Q-Tip and Virgil Abloh—Fool’s Gold signee Falcons teams up with young Canadian producer Juelz on the scorching hot “Gyal Dem Move.” Arriving the first day of Summer-like weather in New York, the hazed-out beat, strewn with hyperventilated Sean Paul samples, hits the spot. Audio After The Jump…
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  • WATCH THIS: Shanique Marie ft. Cali P “Coconut Jelly Man” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Shanique Marie ft. Cali P “Coconut Jelly Man” Official Music Video

    An Ode to the Coconut Jelly Man

    Shanique Marie is preparing for relaunch of her debut EP Uno in a deluxe edition this summer and is excited about the possibilities. Her incendiary single, “Coconut Jelly Man” featuring Cali P, first released in November 2015, is seeing another steep rise in popularity as the warm weather approaches and coconut cravings run amok. Video After The Jump…

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  • Super Cat Remembers “Dolly My Baby” Collab With Biggie Smalls, Sends a Message To Puffy

    Super Cat Remembers “Dolly My Baby” Collab With Biggie Smalls, Sends a Message To Puffy

    A Dialog With The Don Dada

    Today we celebrate what would have been the 44th birthday of hip hop’s G.O.A.T., Christopher George Latore Wallace, better known as The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls. (The day is now an official holiday in Brooklyn.) One of the first big looks for the fledgling rapper came in 1993 when he got the chance to drop lyrics on Puff Daddy’s remix of “Dolly My Baby,” a single off Super Cat’s classic Don Dada album. As a youth of Jamaican descent, Biggie fully overstood what a special opportunity this was to rhyme on a record with a living legend of Jamaican dancehall culture. Sadly Biggie’s career would end four years later, but Super Cat lives on—he will perform May 30 at the Oracabessa Festival in Queens, NY. In honor of two lyrical heavyweights, we pulled this interview from the Boomshots archives. Respect in all aspect. Interview After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Adahzeh “Island Girl” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Adahzeh “Island Girl” Official Music Video

    Rocking With Jamaica’s First All-Female Reggae Ensemble

    From the Maroon heroine Nanny to Louise Bennett and Grace Jones, Jamaican history is filled with powerful women. Still, the reggae music industry has remained a largely male-dominated field—which may explain why keyboardist and vocalist Karissa Palmer always wanted to be part of a reggae band made up solely of women. As far back as 2013 she had the vision for the group that would become Adahzeh—a name that means ‘The King’s daughters” in one of Africa’s hundreds of languages. Enlisting bassist Chevanese Palmer, lead vocalist Kadian Hamilton, drummer Tashana Barnett and guitarist Tara-Dean Williamson, the group, under the guidance of D’Empire management, made a splash last year with “Girls Like We” featuring Tifa. Now they’re back with a new video called “Island Girl,” a proud statement of  self-respect that doubles as a long-distance love story. He lives in NYC; she lives in Jamaica and “the embassy no wan’ fi leggo the visa.” Tune in for some sweet rub-a-dub music plus a happy resolution to the lovers’ dilemma.  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • WATCH THIS: Jus D “Give It To Me” Crop Over Video

    WATCH THIS: Jus D “Give It To Me” Crop Over Video

    Free Up Yourself For The Crop Over

    Although Trinidad’s carnival is renowned as one of the wickedest parties throughout the Caribbean, Crop Over in Barbados is no joke. Just ask Rihanna, who rarely misses the bacchanal in her home island. The Mega Cavalcade is going down tonight, with a crazy lineup of soca acts ready to set it off. If you can’t make it there to witness the action live, the least you can do is peep this new video of 2015 Crop Over highlights, all set to one of the hottest tunes for Crop Over 2016, Jus D’s cutting-edge soca fusion selection “Give It To Me,” produced by Livity Movements’ Dev Kutta and Guyana’s DRWTHVN. The ting tun up now. Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • Tune For Tune: Battle of the UK “Panda” Refixes

    Tune For Tune: Battle of the UK “Panda” Refixes

    Who Flipped The “Panda” Beat Better: Gappy Ranks or Lady Leshur?

    All this week we’ve been deluged with a Desiigner media blitz since the 19-year-old Barbados-by-way-of-Brooklyn eccentric dropped the Tidal-exclusive video for his chart-topping smash “Panda.” Though he spends most of the tune talking about Atlanta—and sounding a whole lot like Future sippin’ on some sort of new double-cup concoction—Desiigner goes down in history as first New York rapper to top the pop charts since Jay Z dropped “Empire State of Mind.” Where Jigga did it with an assist from Alicia Keys, Desiigner of course got a huge boost from Kanye West, who discovered his tune on Soundcloud and incorporated it into “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2” the third cut on The Life of Pablo. Since that time a bunch of American rappers—from Fabolous to Lupe Fiasco to Jadakiss, and Meek Mill—have all hopped on the beat, which was built by UK-based producer Menace (who reportedly sold the beat to Desiigner for $200). Two of the more interesting flips have come from British microphone controllers, both with Caribbean roots: dancehall deejay Gappy Ranks aka Pelpa and Lady Leshurr of “Queen’s Speech” fame. No more long talking—let’s get to the tunes. Audio After The Jump…
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  • WATCH THIS: Vybz Kartel “I’ll Take You There” Official Music Video

    WATCH THIS: Vybz Kartel “I’ll Take You There” Official Music Video

    What’s Your Favorite Way To Cure Pain?

    The Vybz Kartel Vevo channel sure is poppin’ these days. With Kartel’s highly anticipated King of the Dancehall album set to drop next week, the  “Fever” video has been burning up the place, approaching the million-view mark after just two weeks. And then, early this morning, another set of visuals dropped for the World Boss’s track on Good Good Productions’ Cure Pain Riddim, distributed by the mighty 21st Hapilos. This one is called “I’ll Take You There” and we’ve got it for you bright and early. A sexy beach video—what better way to get you in the weekend mood?  Video After The Jump… (more…)

  • HEAR THIS: Fadda Fox ft. Runtown “All Day All Night”

    HEAR THIS: Fadda Fox ft. Runtown “All Day All Night”

    From Lagos to Bridgetown Comes A Cross-Cultural Collab For Cropover

    These are exciting times for open-minded music lovers, as genre distinctions break down and the unifying forces of tempo and technology work their magic around the globe. No matter what name you choose to call them, certain songs have the power to move the crowd. Whether you’re in Africa, the Caribbean, or someplace else, the elements of a big tune remain consistent: combine a lively drumbeat, a supple bass line, spicy lyrics and a sweet melody and watch the people react. “My team and I are on a musical mission,” says soca artist Nicholas “Fadda Fox” Sealy. “It is our aim to showcase Bajan talent internationally, collaborating with other artists being one of many strategies to execute our goals.” During a recent tour of Canada, the man known for running the streets of Bridgetown, Barbados with tunes like “Ducking” was sharing breakfast with Nigerian-born Afrobeat star Douglas “Runtown” Jack Agu. The conversation turned to collaboration, and within days they’d come up with a soca-meets-Afrobeat anthem for Crop Over 2016. With writing by Jovan James, Runtown and Fadda Fox, and production by Darien Bailey and Hector Cesar for Decibel Productions. You may call it what you wish, we simply call it a Certified Boomshot. Audio After The Jump… (more…)