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 minor recently caused Verizon to drop its sponsorship of his current tour with Gwen Stefani, performed early in the day then quickly got out of town.

Caribbean trips surprisingly cheap

Would you ever have believed that the Caribbean would become the cheap area in which to vacation and Europe the costlier place? With European currencies surging almost daily against the U.S. dollar, hiking the price of rooms and meals, cost-conscious Americans are flocking to a handful of tropical islands costing less than life at home.

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 the alternative chick singer Heather Nova, a native.

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 dip. Pungent aromas of vegetarian cuisine waft out of the kitchen across the road, while members of the storied reggae band Inner Circle watch soccer on TV, rehearse, or tend to the business of Circle House, the top-notch, world-renowned studio they built.

Jamaican memories

Jamaica is known for great reggae singers, wonderful and hard working people, fantastic food, beautiful beaches, and an interesting bob sledding team. While boxing is not an active sport, the tiny island nation has had a hand in producing (either by birth or by parentage) a disproportionate number of very notable boxers. But you’d never know it because many fight under the flags of the countries to which they immigrated.

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 already packed venue, where the event was staged. On the inside, Fame DJs, Kurt Riley and Arif Cooper, charged ahead with Machel Mantano and XTATIK’s Toro Toro, Alison Hines’ Roll It Gal and other songs in the soca segment.

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 music — the most upbeat and competitive style of reggae on the market. Jamaica’s Lady Saw knows better than anyone the woes of coming up in the modern-day reggae industry.

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 pauses to think deeply about the question he was just asked, and when he opens his mouth, he sounds just like his father.

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 lead singer of Mile High, Jamaica’s most popular Rock band.

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 in family band the Melody Makers and eventually helped write and produce.