“When Beyoncé sampled Pon De Floor it was already in the clubs two years earlier and I told her that,” Diplo admits. “She said to me ‘No, but do people know this s***?’ So I was like ‘fine go ahead’. I don’t care, I’m in my own world.” Diplo’s musical world is a collision of [...]
Havana in the 1950s was Las Vegas with beaches. Affluent North Americans escaped to Cuba to indulge in cigars, sex, rum, and affordable luxury. Leading hotels and casinos boasted of dance halls and large orchestras. Modeled after popular New York orchestral combos, these tourism-generated bands infused popular music from the United States with the instruments [...]
Dancehall music has had its fair share of highs and lows since the 1990s. The most notable of those ‘highs’ are perhaps Shabba’s double Grammy Award wins and Shaggy’s diamond-selling record, despite many other gains by several artistes. As far as low moments are concerned, there appears to be stiff competition between Shabba’s fall from [...]
Based on New Times’ reporting, a federal judge in Tampa last week tossed out one of two convictions that sent reggae giant Buju Banton to prison in 2011. The decision — which hinged on juror misconduct dug up by the newspaper — is just the latest plot twist since the Grammy Award winner was rounded [...]
The combined lyrical prowess of dancehall’s biggest divas will pique ideas of girl power in dancehall at Reggae Sumfest’s Dancehall Night, July 25. As the premier reggae festival readies for the staging of its 21st show, audiences are in for a female-powered line-up with the panache to please and tease its fans. Dancehall Night 2013 [...]
The impact of reggae on the world has been massive and the music form has been adopted and performed successfully to world acclaim by others not from Jamaica such as UK acts Steel Pulse, Aswad and UB40 and African artistes like Alpha Blondy and Lucky Dube. Jamaica also invented another music form called DanceHall also [...]
More than 30 years after he sat in on his first recording session with Bob Marley and the Wailers, Ziggy Marley hasn’t lost his drive to succeed.The eldest son of reggae icon Bob Marley continues to forge ahead, touring and recording in hopes that his music will inspire audiences. “I let it unfold naturally,” Marley, [...]
One of the most popular dancehall artists of his time — Shabba Ranks — is to make his return to the Bermuda stage and will be accompanied by the ‘Queen of Soca’ Alison Hinds. Two-time Grammy-Award winning Shabba is known for hits such as Mr Loverman, Respect and Ting A Ling. Formerly with the band [...]
Street dancing has long been an informal profession taken on by inner-city youth. Using the dancehall stage as their training and promotional ground as well as performance platform, several dancers have managed to cement themselves as international celebrities in their own right. However, videos from street dances which brought many dancers to fame, are back [...]
Seminal reggae act The Melodians will headline the second-annual Punky Reggae Party benefit show Friday, April 19, at Tricky Falls. The night, a benefit for several local nonprofits, will also feature Radio La Chusma, Mexklan, Steady Shakedown and DJ System A. “The message of reggae is love, support, struggle and fight for the people,” said [...]