Clement “Coxsone†Dodd’s Studio One genius When people think reggae, the first name that comes to mind is Bob Marley. Far fewer know the name of the man who not only gave Marley and the Wailers their start but who was perhaps more instrumental in laying reggae’s solid foundation than any other individual: Clement “Coxsone†[...]
Montego Bay became soca city Montego Bay was transformed into a dancing city for just over five and a half hours on Sunday night, when thousands of revellers made the western city’s leg of the Supreme Ventures of Jamaica Carnival a memorable soca blast. The crowd, which swelled to Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest proportions as [...]
Dancing Against the Beat The girl in the flounced white micro-mini and green glitter tube top writhes to the dancehall beat throbbing through the Q-West nightclub. She drunkenly gyrates in a motion that sends her skirt riding up high enough to show her panties, if she were wearing any. Grenadian elders have condemned Passa Passa, [...]
A critical look at dancehall culture The launch of Donna Hope’s book, Inna di Dancehall: Popular Culture and the Politics of Identity in Jamaica, took place on Friday afternoon at The Old Dramatic Theatre, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. The formal introduction to this latest body of research exploring the sociopolitical meanings of [...]
Mad about Matisyahu Call it the Matisyahu effect. Roger Steffens saw it up close and personal. The Los Angeles-based author/photographer/archivist has been documenting reggae music for 30 years, from the back roads of its Jamaican birthplace to the major stages of Europe and the U.S. But Steffens was surprised by what happened when he got [...]
Mad Cobra slithers almost alone The cobra is not by nature a chummy creature; keeping its belly close to the ground. And snipers are famed for going it alone, waiting and waiting  and waiting in the right place for the right shot at the right time. It is no surprise, then, that deejay Mad [...]
Dubbin’ It Live MVD and Funky Gemini are pleased to announce the home viewing release of Black Uhuru with Sly & Robbie – Dubbin’ It Live for North American distribution on DVD. Through the late 80′s and 90′s, Sly & Robbie focused on studio work and revolutionized Jamaican music by turning Reggae into Dancehall. They [...]
Morgan Heritage – The path Morgan Heritage are more than just a legendary reggae band. They’re a revolution, a family, a force of nature, and a crew of five independent artistes on a musical mission. With Full Circle, their seventh album for VP Records, Morgan Heritage connects with reggae’s past while blazing an uncharted path [...]
Prophecy: Today Jamaica, tomorrow the world When last we caught up with St Thomas-based singer Prophecy, he was chilling at Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest, enjoying the proceedings having proven his own worth as winner of the Red Stripe Big Break competition. Since then, the conscious crooner has been working hard – as he always has [...]
Paul heats up with high-energy dancehall A patois “spitting,” corn-rowed singer waved a cane and towel as he sailed the Good Ship Popular Music through high temperature waters of Jamaican dancehall Saturday at the Eagles Ballroom. Festooned in a green camouflage with glittering gold coat of arms, platinum medallion bouncing, Sean Paul convincingly answered detractors [...]