Archive for August, 2015

Jah Cure: ‘I only want the best because I’ve seen the worst’

Monday, August 10th, 2015

MUCH HAS been written in recent years about the state of reggae music. A combination of poor sales, the closure of specialist record shops, and young producers shifting away from traditional reggae sounds has led many writers (myself included) to question whether the beloved genre has suffered a decline. If indeed reggae is dying, Jah [...]

Reggae on a high at Geel

Monday, August 10th, 2015

Last Saturday, the 37th Reggae Geel festival closed in Belgium. True to form, it showcased a diverse package of acts including the Uprising Roots Band, Super Cat, Shaggy and Etana. Promoter Dee Prater estimates that over 66,000 fans attended the two-day event which she described as “more than successful”. “This year, I brought Super Cat [...]

Shaggy: ‘I never had budgets. I’m the reggae guy’

Sunday, August 2nd, 2015

THERE AREN’T an abundance of Jamaican music artists who can claim to be both pop stars and reggae stars. Generally speaking, you’re either one or the other. But somehow, Shaggy has enjoyed a 22-year career, in which he has successfully straddled both markets time and time again. His 1993 debut album, Pure Pleasure, featured the [...]