‘King of the dancehall’ to perform in Johannesburg Anthony Moses Davis, better known as Beenie Man, received a warm welcome from fans at OR Tambo International airport on Wednesday, ahead of his ragga performance on Thursday. The self-styled king of the dancehall was greeted by a troop of dreadlocked fans waving Rasta flags at the [...]
Reggae radio station is ‘Irie’ for island Whether it’s Bob Marley, Richie Spice, Jah Cure or Tarrus Riley, reggae fans can now listen to their sound of choice. Bermuda’s newest radio station was launched this week to give listeners “non-stop reggae”.
The young upsetter It’s a sad indictment of the sexism that still permeates much of dancehall culture that women in reggae are usually labeled as one of two things: sexually provocative divas in the vein of Tanya Williams and Lady Saw, or God-fearing roots priestesses raised on a strict diet of socially conscious gospel.
For the Love of Reggae Hermosa Beach resident Rich Demaio wanted to bring his love of reggae music to a wide audience, so Reggae TV, which airs on PBS, was born in 2008. Reggae TV, which will begin its second season in January, features 30-minute episodes, hosted by Demaio, that present the music through the [...]
Chesterton native finds ska’s place in music history While other college kids in the ’90s were draping themselves in flannel and angst while listening to grunge, Heather Ransford Augustyn and her friends put on their Sunday finest and skanked the nights away at ska concerts. Ska — the precursor to reggae, not the other way [...]
Gyptian Breaks Out of the Dancehall With ‘Hold You’ Gyptian may rule dancehalls like the pharaohs ruled Egypt, but his sudden rise to fame has been one of the year’s more interesting viral success stories. If you don’t recognize the name, you might recognize the plinking piano riff that serves as the hook from ‘Hold [...]
Jamaican Reggae Fruit Bun Isn’t the Bob Marley of Desserts When faced with random items in the ethnic aisle of Publix, I usually fall back on the messages scrolled on the packages. Reggae Country Style Brand Fruit Bun didn’t promise much. “Ready to Eat” it exclaimed. And “Contains Real Fruit.” Beyond that, it wasn’t making [...]
Toots and the Maytals at Bayside Rocks Festival Out of ska and rocksteady, a new kind of Jamaican music sprung up during the late ’60s. It was a hypnotic, midtempo mix of simple, slightly off-balance beats and repetitive riffs. And Frederick “Toots” Hibbert, along with others such as Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, was one [...]
Jamaican State Funeral for Reggae Singer Gregory Isaacs, the ‘Cool Ruler’ Unless you’re a reggae devotee, you might have assumed that the heyday of Jamaica’s most famous music ended with the death of the legendary Bob Marley in 1981. After that, Marley’s elegance seemed to have been overtaken by the louder and often lewder strains [...]
Tribute send off to reggae star Gregory Isaacs REGGAE legend Gregory Isaacs was given a memorable send off at a Harrow Weald church yesterday as family, friends and fans paid tribute to the musical star at his memorial service. All Saints Church, in Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald, was packed to the rafters as well-wishers came [...]