Elephant active again It’s two hours after the agreed meeting time and O’Neil Bryan is not yet at the Q45 Studio; nobody knows exactly where to find him. Who would have thought an ‘elephant’ could be this elusive! The phone rings. Bryan’s alter ego Elephant Man (Ele) is having hair woes, and asks Splash to [...]
Dancehall — the good, the great and the not-so-good Dancehall has been taking a beating from all quarters – the pulpit, the media and persons within dancehall who actually make a living off the music- for its romance with violent and sexually explicit lyrics, and while we can say that just as sure as there [...]
The changing face of dancehall fashion Ever stopped to think how the style of dressing in the dancehall has changed over the last 30 or 40 years? Well, I certainly have. Gone are the bell-bottomed pants, big-heeled shoes and Afro hairstyles worn by both sexes. The hairstyle was no doubt influenced by the Black Power [...]
Is Reggae Dead? Reggae fans needn’t get outraged. This isn’t your run of the mill article, which hopes to bury reggae six feet under and merrily dance on its grave. We’re all too familiar with the battering that the genre has received in recent years from numerous media outlets who, for the most part, spared [...]
‘Magnum Follow Di Arrow’ was – Straight sexy One of the many ways in which sexual ‘straightness’ is declared in dancehall is by way of comparison to six o’clock on an analogue timepiece, where the hands form a vertical line. It was appropriate, then, that the 2008 Magnum Follow Di Arrow at James Bond Beach, [...]
Cherine Anderson takes ‘piece’ of Spears remix There has been much talk about the collaborative effort between Cherine Anderson and Britney Spears on the remix of one of Spears’ latest singles, Piece of Me. Although it is one of six remixes, Anderson says hers in particular has “been getting a lot of positive feedback, especially [...]
On the Marley trod Down Under with Ras RoJah In England, there’s a saying: “Bob’s your uncle.” But in New Zealand, it’s a fact. “Uncle Bob” Marley is how the Maori and other Kiwis refer to the Reggae King, and each year on February 6, everyone gets the day off. That’s because the anniversary of [...]
Great vibes at Twelve Tribes Tribute to Dennis and Bob The annual Twelve Tribes Tribute to Dennis Brown and Bob Marley held on Saturday night at Skill Craft on Skibo Avenue, run by Rupert Hoilett (a KC alumnus) should have been highlighted as one of the must-attend sessions for Reggae Month. For the entire night [...]
Pure magic at School of Music Reggae Month tribute When you team really great Jamaican musicians with a really appreciative audience, the result is nothing but pure magic. And pure magic was indeed palpable at the recent School of Music lunch hour spin held at the Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts [...]
My time is not up Not being on the hottest rhythm or getting constant airplay is no reason to believe that an artiste needs to quit the entertainment business, as some artistes have been active in other areas. Veteran deejay General Trees says he knows when to quit but that time is yet to come. [...]