Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys says she wanted to be on the remix of the hit Ghetto Story because she liked the song and she could relate to what Cham was saying in the song.
“It’s kinda interesting how the collaboration happened. The label didn’t come to us, neither did Cham. Actually, we (the artiste and her management) went to them…”
This week, producers of an AIDS benefit canceled their July 18 show after LGBT activists protested the performances of two Jamaican stars viewed as homophobic. For anyone keeping score in the Beenie Man reggae shutdown,
the two sides have now released competing statments. We’ll run them in
full, but let’s start with excerpts (and a photo of Beenie “Hang
Chi-Chi Gal Wid a Long Piece of Rope” Man himself).
Bob Marley’s old friend Roger Steffens resurrects the gospel according to Bob
“After Bob died, the biggest star in reggae was this salacious, foulmouthed, homophobic, misogynistic rapper called Yellowman, and it changed the whole tone of the music,” Steffens explains. “The music turned so foul, so debauched, I decided I didn’t want to be around it any more.”
In the two decades between the disco days of Tony Manero and the hipster colonization of Williamsburg, no music made itself more at home in Brooklyn than reggae/dancehall. Sure, WKTU-style freestyle fueled portions of the borough during the ’80s and early ’90s but, ever since a wave of Jamaican immigrants began settling in Flatbush during the late 1970s, the rumbling low-end of reggae “riddims†and the sound of rapid-fire patois have given Central Brooklyn its colorful vibe.
Tessanne Chin headlines Miss Ja World elimination and sashing show
Sultry rock / reggae songstress, Tessanne Chin will be performing at the Miss Jamaica World elimination and sashing show at 7 pm on Sunday, July 16, at the Jamaica Pegasus.
Chin’s fusion of dancehall and reggae with rock creates an exceptional sound driven by powerful vocals.
Controversy Sourrounds Summer Jam End
New tensions and a case of who-dun-it arose out of the disruption of Bling Dawg Summer Jam on Saturday.
The Star reported yesterday that the crowd which turned up for the event rioted after what was reported to be a verbal attack by Twin of Twins on Beenie Man. However, the parties involved in the melee each have a different story to tell.
Jamaican Music Shakes Things Up At The Oregon Zoo
Everyone will be yelling “¡Ay Caramba!” when Ska Cubano takes the stage at the Oregon Zoo on Aug. 2 as part Wells Fargo Summer Concert Series presented by Fred Meyer. ” The band will be having fun,” said Krista Swan, event coordinator. “And if the band is having fun, you can bet the audience will be too.”
Dem Franchize Boys and top local acts billed for Absolute Temptation Live
When Absolute Temptation Isle gets going over the Emancipation weekend (July 28-31), party fans will be treated to over 30 parties during that period. However, the main live performance feature, Absolute Temptation Live, which will take place on Sunday, July 30, will see some of the hottest local chart-topping acts as well as the high-riding US rap outfit, Dem Franchize Boys in action.
The Sun Online – Something For The Weekend: Lily: I’m a gobby bitch
Lily has made the soundtrack of the summer. Ska, reggae and hip-hop-based pop with witty lyrics that have earned her the female Mike Skinner tag.
Lily has made the soundtrack of the summer. Ska, reggae and hip-hop-based pop with witty lyrics that have earned her the female Mike Skinner tag.
Barrington Levy, an Inventor of Dancehall Reggae, Can Still Squeeze a Syllable and Wring It Dry
“Brooklyn, are you sleee-py?” Over and over again during Friday’s concert in Prospect Park, the dancehall reggae pioneer Barrington Levy asked this singsong question. His voice is so sweet that the question almost sounded like the beginning of a lullaby. In fact, it was the opposite of one: the answer was always a resounding no.