CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Bigs Up Soul Train Awards Best Reggae Artist for 2010 
“I come all the way from a place called Jamaica,” said Gyptian during his acceptance speech at this Wednesday’s taping of the Soul Train Awards in Atlanta. “From a far distance, very very far…” (more…)
Category: Reasoning
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And The Winner Is… Gyptian
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WATCH THIS: Denyque “Hooked On Me”
And Who Could Resist When She Gives You Like This?
When Denyque Dontré calls herself a “Supergirl,” please don’t think she’s conceited. (more…)
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Edward Seaga Speaks On Jamaica’s Crisis
Half the story has never been told…
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HEAR THIS: Gyptian & Nicki Minaj “Hold Yuh” REMIX
Barbi Gives Gyppy The Tightest Hold He Ever Get Inna His Life
Latest artist to jump on Ricky Blaze’s big bad riddim is Miss Young Money Minaj who rides the riddim alongside Gyptian on the Billboard tune “Hold Yuh.” (more…)
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Unforgettable: Reasoning With Sanchez, Part 2
From The Church To The Dancehall, Sanchez D Hits All The Right Notes
The Conclusion of Our Xclusive Interview… Continued From Part 1
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Unforgettable: Reasoning With Sanchez, Part 1
From The Church To The Dancehall, Sanchez D Hits All The Right Notes.
Sanchez is one of those year-to-year singers who’s too often forgotten. So consistently stellar are his crystalline vocals, so unwavering is his standard of excellence, that we sometimes take him for granted. In such cases the best thing to do is walk away for a few years and make them miss you. After all, the man has been singing his heart out since the late ’80s, investing improbable pop songs with so much drama and passion that you forget all about the originals. Then he drops an album like the all-original 1995 masterpiece Praise Him, and the reggae world goes into a frenzy. But apart from being sampled all over the “Dipset Anthem,” mainstream success has eluded this supremely gifted vocalist. Not that he’s hurting in the least.
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Steel Pulse: Tribute To The Martyrs, 1979
From Handsworth to Haiti—The Song Remains The Same
On this MLK Day, let us pause to reflect on the words of the man who sacrificed his life to the struggle for equal rights and justice:
“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.“
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Jimmy Cliff Up For The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
15 Years After Bob Marley, A Second Reggae Artist Is In The Running
“Very few single albums can be said to have changed music forever,” reads the official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ballot entry for Jimmy Cliff, who’s in the running to be inducted in 2009, the 25th year of the Hall’s existence. “Jimmy Cliff’s The Harder They Come is one. The album—and the movie that spawned it—introduced reggae to a worldwide audience and changed the image of the genre from a cruise ship soundtrack to music of inspiration and rebellion.” (more…)
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Reasoning With Di Teacha: Part Few
Vybz Kartel Speaks On Mavado, Mad Max, And Those Masonic Rumors
In last week’s episode, Kartel broke down his roots of the Gaza/Gully conflict, and insisted that his lyrics were strictly entertainment, even as he called himself “the realest thing.” But what is the truth about his interest in Freemasonry? And is there any lyric that even he would consider too much? (more…)
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Reasoning With Di Teacha: Part 1 of 2
As New Album Drops, Kartel Speaks On Music, War, and Life Pon Di Gaza
Adidja Palmer is a study in contradictions. According to a recent survey commissioned by the University of the West Indies, the DJ known as Vybz Kartel is dancehall’s most popular artist. On the other hand, his one-time mentor Bounty Killer recently said the biggest regret of his career was helping to “buss” the young lyricial prodigy from Portmore. “Kartel is the worst thing to happen to dancehall music,” Killer said of the artist who inspired his recent tune “Ungrateful Hell Bwoy” (a response to his former protege’s scathing “Bownty’s Killer”). After Kartel and Mavado’s epic confrontation at Sting 2008, anticipation is building for this year’s lyrical contest between di Teacha and the Warlord. But Kartel’s complexities don’t stop there. When we spoke last week by telelphone, the man behind controversial tunes like “Rampin’ Shop” and “Virginity” had just completed a back-to-school book giveaway, and was organizing a new juggling called the Schoolyard riddim, encouraging students to stay in school and out of trouble. Yet even as the Gaza vs Gully rivalry continues to simmer in the streets, the prolific, provocative lyricist insists on absolute artistic freedom, no matter the consequences. So who is the real Vybz Kartel? And what is di Teacha really teaching? Tune in and decide for yourself…
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Vivian Blake Sets The Record Straight
Trying To Live Peacefully But… “They keep mixing me up in politics.”
The former Shower Posse boss as he appeared on BET’s American Gangster.
This past week, rumors that Vivian Blake had been killed in Kingston were running wild. Ever since the former Shower Posse leader returned to Jamaica this past January after serving time in U.S. Federal prison, he has kept a low profile and focused on writing and taking care of his health and his family. When reports of his death began circulating on the evening of September 21, U.S.-based film producer Curtis Scoon reached out to Blake, who granted this exclusive interview in hopes of separating fact from fiction. (more…)
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Shower Posse: The Big Picture
Producer Curtis Scoon Speaks On Bringing Shower Posse To The Screen
In Buju Banton’s classic “Untold Stories,” the DJ sings “I could go on and on the full has never been told.” The tale of Jamaica’s notorious Shower Posse is one such story. A recent BET American Gangster episode did scratch the surface, but the segment’s producer, Curtis Scoon, believes there is much more to be told. He’s not alone in that belief, but what sets him apart may be that he’s not scared to go in where others fear to tread. (more…)
