Reggae festival fails to live up to its name Given the number of headline-making controversial artists on the bill, what was surprising about Sunday’s Best of the Best reggae concert at Miami’s Bicentennial Park were the artists who didn’t cross lines of decency and hate speech. Akon, the Senegalese singer whose salacious on-stage antics with [...]
A Star Is Buddz When you think of dancehall music, it’s safe to assume that the island of Bermuda isn’t the first locale that leaps to mind. In fact, though Bermuda is often mistaken as a Caribbean island, its closest neighbor is actually North Carolina. Other Bermuda oddities include the Bermuda Triangle, Bermuda shorts, and [...]
Miami’s music scene vibes on Inner Circle Straddling a quiet residential street in North Miami Beach lie two houses that are musical portals. From the mixing board in the guest cottage of one, you can look out on a curvy pool and see hitmakers — maybe Beyoncé, 50 Cent or No Doubt — taking a [...]
Magical! – Excalibur was as sharp as it gets The Kingston leg of the Fame Road Party, ‘Excalibur’, came to an abrupt end early Sunday morning after the police drew the musical sword out of the Mas Camp rock, New Kingston. Earlier that morning at 1:30 a.m., hundreds of patrons were still streaming into the [...]
Walking Out For a woman, life inna di dancehall isn’t always easy. At times, reggae culture is rough, male DJs are often aggressive, and trying to earn respect working sound systems as a female MC is one heck of a challenge. That’s especially the case in a subgenre with as many machismo issues as dancehall [...]
Reggae Drifter Growing up as the son of Bob Marley has its perks. When your dad is a sage, it’s inevitable that you’ll inherit a few extra nuggets of wisdom that most kids won’t get. Bob’s oldest son, David “Ziggy” Marley, seems to carry that inherited wisdom deep inside his spirit. When he talks, he [...]
Tessanne Chin For Music Festival Tessanne Chin will be performing on the 11th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival on the Friday night along with Sean Paul and more. Her voice comes from deep within. It pulls at your heart and gives you chills. The girl’s got some serious soul. Tessa is best known as the [...]
Marley legacy still jammin’ The first family of reggae still has the rhythm. But these days, there’s a new Marley in the forefront: Stephen Marley, the second son of the late Bob Marley. As a child, Stephen hung out in the studio and on stage with his famous father. Later, he joined older brother Ziggy [...]
Singers bring out soft side at ‘The Occasion III’ Saturday night’s ‘The Occasion III’, held at the Eastern Peace Centre, 121 Windward Road, St. Andrew, was an unreservedly hardcore affair, with fiery declarations by Rastafarians and graphic lyrics from ‘baldheads’. However, the audience, spread over the expansive grounds of the skating rink and business centre, [...]
Music is what Chaka Demus and Pliers wrote The paradox of rough-voiced deejaying and sweet, soulful singing is what has made Chaka Demus and Pliers the most successful duo in Jamaican music history. With appeal that has crossed international borders, Chaka Demus and Pliers is the first Jamaican act to place three consecutive top five [...]