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, showed appreciation of the gentler side of reggae from a few singers, even as they waited through a slew of performers and three pauses to adjust the sound until the daylight end,

Reggaeton’s unrealized dream

Reggaeton, the sexy and inescapable Latin hip-hop style that many said would transform Latin music, has hit a plateau. The question is whether it’s the leveling off before it falls off the music map, or a necessary breather before it vaults to new heights. In 2005, Daddy Yankee’s Gasolina was burning up the airwaves, normally cautious radio stations were falling over themselves to play reggaeton, record labels were leaping to sign every act who could sling the right Puerto Rican slang and the booty-shaking genre seemed poised for domination.

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 singles in the British charts.

Leftside, Esco split

Though there was no drama, or as Jamaicans put it, ‘passa passa’ that caused the split, the fact is they have decided to pursue solo projects. Matthew ‘Esco’ Thompson, in likening the split to Destiny Child’s decision to explore solo careers, told THE STAR: “There is some truth to it. We don’t have any bad feelings or anything like that. Some time in the future we might get back to working on projects together; you can never tell, but for now we are solo.”

Buju Banton @ The Theatre at Madison Square Garden

“I’m not here to work for the accolades of no man…artist singing about ‘signal di plane’ when poor people suffering all over di world…what kinda f*ckrey dat” roared Buju Banton to the sold out Theatre at Madison Square Garden on Sunday May 6th 2007. The Gargamel along side legendary Dancehall King, Shabba Ranks, tore down the stage at Buju’s “Pre-Mother’s Day Driver Concert” marking the first time, two slick talking, reggae emcees ever sold out The Garden.

Reggae rapper Matisyahu seeking new fans on 311 Tour

Matisyahu admits that when his manager first suggested a summer tour opening for 311, the Brooklyn-based reggae rapper wasn`t sure it was such a good idea. “My manager said, ‘No, you don`t understand, they have 10,000 to 15,000 that they draw in every market across America,’” he tells Billboard.com. “Supposedly they have a huge draw, even bigger than mine. We don`t have a record out or a single out on the radio, so we can do a headlining tour and play in front of our same fans, or we can go out with a band that has fans that probably would dig my music that might not know of me and try to get in front of some new people.”

Chinese Jamaicans Help Reggae Music Evolve

You don’t have to understand the lyrics to like music, and you certainly don’t have to be a Jamaican to love reggae. The music is universal, and nobody knows that better than the Chin family; they are among a small group of Chinese Jamaicans who have been successfully producing and promoting reggae music to the American mainstream audience.

Roots artiste Ginjah signs with Sony BMG

Recording artiste Ginjah has just signed an international distribution deal with label Sony BMG for the distribution of his singles, including Can’t Call Ginjah Name, Love First and Rainbow Eyes, as well as a soon-to-be-released album.

Under the deal, Sony BMG will distribute and promote Ginjah’s music across the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Australia and Scandinavia.

Nicole Brown: Booking the stars and having fun doing it

She has worked alongside some of the biggest names in Jamaican music and theatre and has visited places many have only dreamed of. But Nicole Brown, 31, isn’t satisfied yet. all woman talks to this do-it-all maverick about making career moves, overcoming challenges, reaching goals and the sweet smell of success.

Don Drummond’s Mania: Myth or reality?

Don Drummond died 38 years ago on May 6, 1969, and was buried in an unmarked grave somewhere in the May Pen Cemetery days after the scheduled funeral. This resulted from conflicting stories surrounding the cause of his death in the Bellevue Mental Hospital, which led to the ‘mashing up’ of the planned interment, resulting in its secrecy.