Emal ‘Blessed One’ Henry By Curtis Campbell— Many reggae artists aim to travel to the United States (US) in an effort to promote their music and perform at events. Some of those reggae artists see Jamaica as a difficult market for reggae; however, Emal ‘Blessed One’ Henry is doing the reverse. The artist, who has been a US citizen since age 10, says he wants his talent to be validated in Jamaica. According to Blessed One, the American market is not looking for … Read entire article »

Dancehall’s brash braggadocio isn’t the only sound coming out of Kingston, something that Diplo has been quick to cotton on to By Lanre Bakare Chronixx–. Long before Snoop Lion was an unripe bud-dream in Snoop Dogg’s bizong, Rastafarians were influencing and shaping Jamaica’s notoriously prolific musical output. Count Ossie teamed up with the Mystic Revelation Of Rastafari (a Rastafarian drumming group), who provided the percussion for his 1962 ska prototype Oh Carolina (the same one that Shaggy sexed up in 1993). Meanwhile, acts … Read entire article »

EEK-A-MOUSE, the lanky en­ter­tainer who in­spired the sing­jay style, is the lat­est artist fea­tured in VP Records’ reis­sue se­ries, 17 North Pa­rade. Ti­tled Eek-Ol­ogy: Reg­gae An­thol­ogy, the dou­ble com­pact disc/DVD pack­age will be re­leased on No­vem­ber 5. Eek-A-Mouse in­spired the sing­jay style. (PHOTO: IREGGAENATION.​COM It in­cludes hit songs like 1980′s Vir­gin Girl, and Ganja Smug­gling. The lat­ter is a sig­na­ture for weed lovers in Eu­rope and the United States west coast. Both songs were pro­duced by Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes … Read entire article »

(Photo: Julian Love, courtesy Jamaica Tourist Board) There are so many dry land diversions in Ocho Rios that it’s easy to forget it’s a beach destination. The premier beach in Ocho Rios is the quarter-mile strand known as Reggae Beach. While its length may not rival other blockbuster beaches in Jamaica, it makes up for its relatively small size in extra helpings of scenic beauty. Jagged cliffs festooned with sea grape trees frame the beach on each … Read entire article »

  By Jerry DeMarco— EXCLUSIVE: A YouTube video presented by lawyers for the youngest son of reggae great Peter Tosh failed to convince a judge in Hackensack to lower their client’s bail in connection with 65½ pounds of pot that Mahwah police said they found in the trunk of his car on Father’s Day weekend. The defense argued to Superior Court Judge Judge John A. Conte that a “family bond” would hold Jawara G. McIntosh just as securely as … Read entire article »

By Cecelia Campbell-Livingston— FOR decades, many Jamaicans have associated Pakistan with great cricketers like Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, and Wasim Akram. Now, reggae music is reportedly gaining popularity in the Muslim country. KHALID… Pakistanis love music with a strong beat and drums and reggae appeals to them Pakistani singer Annie Khalid, who recently worked with dancehall star Beenie Man on the song Boom Boom Daze, is part of the cultural change in her homeland. “Pakistanis love music with a strong … Read entire article »

DEEJAY Super Cat, who figured in an infamous 1991 Sting clash with Ninja Man, is one of the headliners for the Boxing Day event which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Sting founder and promoter Isaiah Laing told Splash that American rapper 2 Chains has also been confirmed for the show. Super Cat Super Cat and Ninja Man squared off in one of Sting’s most dramatic moments at the National Stadium. After a few ‘missiles’ were hurled at … Read entire article »

Iconic reggae superstar Luciano drops a new 14 track studio album on November 29, 2013. The Qabalah Man is yet another spiritual and rootsy set from a singer that has to date released more than 40 studio albums and over 20 compilations. Luciano’s new album The Qabalah Man follows the popular Rub-A-Dub Market, a set released two years ago. “The name Qabalah Man is a name that I have called myself as a result of my studies in … Read entire article »

  Kwame Kilpatrick was sentenced to 28 years in prison Thursday, seven months after he was convicted of public corruption in federal court. It marks the end to another chapter in the saga of Kilpatrick, who was elected mayor of Detroit at the young age of 31. Once mentioned as a possible candidate for president later in life, Detroit’s “hip-hop mayor,” now 43, is generally credited as one of America’s worst mayoral leaders of the past decade. The former Detroit mayor’s … Read entire article »

Since its first staging in 1984 STING has grown to become one of the most prestigious Dancehall/Reggae concerts in the English Speaking Caribbean. The event which was created by popular music industry personality/promoter Isiah Laing CEO of Supreme Promotions has overcome a number of challenges over the last two decades and has earned quite a reputation amongst Dancehall music fans worldwide. Known as “The Greatest One Night Reggae/Dancehall Show On Earth” STING has consistently provided music lovers … Read entire article »