Roots manoeuvre
Dave Simpson on what happened when reggae and punk went head to head in the UK

It’s late autumn 1977, and the Stranglers are headlining a show in the Midlands. The support comes from the roots reggae band Steel Pulse. They know what to expect from a punk crowd: gobbing, cans being thrown. […]

Beenie entertained, Cham was truly brilliant

Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest’s Dancehall Night on Thursday attracted the largest audience since its 15-year inception - perhaps an indication that dancehall is not entirely dead but has merely evolved, becoming more mainstream.
Cham gets into his act. “We cannot fight dancehall,” said MC Richard ‘Richie B’ Burgess, “it’s relevant.

Going batty

Yeah, I know reggae superstar Buju Banton has recorded a lot of great songs, but one day in reggae history, when the dust settles in the current years-long debate over anti-gay lyrics in dancehall, Buju will mostly be remembered for one song, Boom Bye Bye, his 1992 hit single advocating the killing of gay […]

Cham gears up for big show
Dancehall star Cham expects his Red Stripe Reggae Sumfets performance to be one of the high points of what has already proven to be an extra hot summer. The artiste’s input on the remix of rapper Mim’s This Is Why I’m Hot (along with Junior Reid) maintianed it’s momentum from […]

Jamaican troops serenade Queen with reggae

The Army is so heavily deployed on operations that soldiers of the Jamaican Regiment have been called on to protect the Queen outside Buckingham Palace, senior officers admitted yesterday. A company of 140 Caribbean troops have been called up to relieve soldiers of the Coldstream Guards who are preparing for […]