'Jr. Gong' Marley #1 in Canada & New York - Confirmed for Irie Jamboree 2k5

By Jamboree 2k5 press release Posted: Aug 20, 2005 15:32 UTC

NEW YORK, NY - Reggae sensation Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley is not just doing well on the charts in the US but he is making stride in Toronto and England as well.

Marley’s controversial single “Welcome to Jamrock,” is the top single on the Reggae Mania Top 10 charts, compiled weekly by Ron Nelson of CKLN 88.1fm in Toronto. The song is ahead of ‘Telephone Ting’ by Kip Rich, ‘Ride This’ by Buju Banton, ‘Footprints’ by TOK and ‘Good Over Evil’ by Sizzla.

In the US, Marley continues to create mayhem with ‘Welcome To Jamroc’ which is #1 on the Weekly Star Top Ten Chart for the past 10 weeks. On the NY Reggae Top 30 chart, “Welcome To Jamroc” has spent over 15 weeks at the top spot. On the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Chart, ‘Welcome To Jamroc’ debuted at #70 and is currently listed at the number #23 position.

Read on

Review Star Jam 2K5

Review: Star Jam 2K5 - Unfinished Business

Megastars and local stars graced the grounds and stage of Pier 1, Montego Bay, on Saturday, August 12 to finish business that had been left unfinished at the Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest 2005.

Headline act Rodney Price, popularly known as the Bounty Killer “the ghetto gladiator” took the stage at shortly after 6 am dressed in his business suit and ended business but only after long bout local acts and proper address from his “Alliance,” characters such as Vybz Kartel, Wayne Marshall and Bling Dawg, who all worked apparently unrehearsed with the Anger Management Band.

Bounty Killer and a host of artistes, took the liberty of lyrically whipping the Sumfest sponsors as well as promoters, particularly Johnny Gourzong, who the ghetto gladiator emphatically told, “Johnny Gourzong me naah keep nuh b---man money inna mi bosom.” He went on to explain that he amongst other artistes had helped to put Sumfest where it is, long before the Red Stripe had taken title sponsor role.

Missing from the line up however was the Gargamel, Buju Banton, who Bounty explained was stuck in Pittsburgh.

Prior to the onslaught of big acts, the crowd was privy to up and comers such as Merritol (whose performance was cut early), Warface whose set was plagued with CD mix ups, Lady Champagne, New Kids, Military and Mobado. After the being warmed up by some of western Jamaica’s finest, the heavy hitters took the concerts helm. We then saw the likes of Pickney, Jagwa, Busy Signal and Angel Dulas.

Pickney whiney voice gave the crowd much to laugh at and be entertained with. Busy Signal with a string of current hits got full crowd support with songs like “Step Out.”

The show started racing to its peak when megastars like Fantan Mojah and Norris Man commandeered the microphones. Bling Dawg got good response with songs like “Nicky-Ann,” while Vybz Kartel decked in white issued hit after hit, like “I Never,” “School Bus,” and his cell phone songs “…can you hear me now.”

Wayne Marshall treated the crowd to his romantic ode to Juana, the song known as “Marry Juana,” the crowd was then surprised by the presence of the Twin of Twins who slipped their song, which was a response to Macka Diamonds counteraction of their hit single.

The morning however belonged to Bounty Killer who gave the crowd a great cross-section of his catalogue; he belted his early songs, war songs and love songs. The crowd “Lodge,” “War,” “Look Into Ma Eyes,” “Fitness,” “It Ok,” and “Heard that you’re Leaving.”

By Yannick Nesta Pessoa

Bob Marley Coming of Age Story May Stir It Up on Broadway in Near Future

By Ernio Hernandez
16 Aug 2005

Legendary musician Bob Marley may be the next popular artist to be venerated on Broadway, according to The Jamaica Observer.

Neville Garrick, the reggae artist's former collaborator, told the publication "A Broadway play on Bob Marley is supposed to be the next big project I'll be working on with the (Marley) family."

The play, which would focus on Marley's early years in music, is among a number of projects that are in the works in this, the observance of the 60th anniversary of the his birth.

Read on

I-WAYNE :: LAVAGRPUND ALBUM REVIEW

By The Associated Press Tue Aug 23, 4:34 PM ET

Selected music reviews:

I Wayne, "Lava Ground" (VP Records)

Many reggae artists are content to just make us dance and groove to their carefree music.

That does not apply to I Wayne. He brings reggae back to its essential roots riddims via tranquil vocals on "Lava Ground." The Jamaican uses the album's lead single, "Can't Satisfy Her" to pull listeners in. Then, once he has their attention, he opens up and discusses darker subjects affecting his island, such as crime and poverty.

"Can't Satisfy Her," has I Wayne begging listeners to scratch beneath the surface. As much as the track presents a singsong catchy flow, it narrates the full circle and harsh reality of life as a prostitute. "One man can't satisfy her, she need more wood for da fire. Sex price getting higher, ah more money she require," Wayne sings on the hook.

Read on

Review of Sumfest 20

Review of Sumfest 2005

Montego Bay is host to two of Jamaica’s premiere cultural events and these are the RedStripe Reggae Sumfest and The Dancehall Queen Competition. Sumfest is undoubtedly one of Montego Bay’s premiere income earners with Robert Russell’s projected statistics proposing that it pulled to the city 5000 tourists spending a minimum of $1000 US, which equals 300 million dollars in extra revenue being pumped into our friendly city. But this year Sumfest arrived with much hullabaloo, debate and dissent. This owing to the fact dancehall giants Beenie Man and Bounty Killer had been barred from performing, and there absence carried weight that was clearly visible in the crowd on Dancehall Night.

Reggae Sumfest is platform for what is happening in and around the dancehall arena, it gives a quick zoom into the world of artistes. This year Sumfest brought to visible fore the struggle that exists between gay activists and dancehall artistes. It should be clear to everyone now, seeing the absence of Bounty Killer, Beenie Man and Vybz Kartel, which group of people is swinging more weight and packing a harder punch. It is clear to me now that foreigners whatever kind of activists they maybe are able to take strangle hold control of our culture by sheer virtue of their bank books. Welcome to “GLOBALISATION”.

The Sumfest promoters have chosen to tread a dangerously thin line by creating an event for proponents and fans of dancehall and reggae music, but yet have opted to be sponsored and dollar slaved to the music’s antagonists. I see very serious conflicts of interests here, one that threatens to make the whole event collapse. Even beyond barring Bounty and Beenie, they failed to bring acts like Buju Banton, Sean Paul, Shaggy, amongst other to bolster the line-up, for the Dancehall and International nights, the rockers night, had to miss me, due to the fact that Gregory Isaacs, Beres Hammond, UB40, Yasus Afari or Tony Rebel.

I can honestly say that the three nights I attended the event (Dancehall night and the two International nights), it was noticeably lacklustre. Dancehall night was undoubtedly rescued in sales and in terms of the level of vibes at the event by a little man from August Town by the name of Sizzla Kalonji, who the promoters thanked by axing him from Sumfest for the foreseeable future. Sizzla’s performance was an unrepentant “lyrical” assault aimed at no one else but dancehall’s strongest opponents, gay activists and outrage. Beyond that, his performance was intense and carried lots of energy; he set loose an onslaught of hits, ranging from his love songs to anti-gay songs to his gun songs, and right back to his early songs. All in all he was very energetic and his performance fantastic. However it would be unfair to mention Dancehall Night and not make note of the commendable effort of Turbulence whose song “Notorious” has been riding the airwaves and blasting from cars (which seem to me these days as ‘modern day mobile sound systems’) almost every where in downtown area.

After Sizzla on Dancehall night I swore there was little left to look forward to, however I was surprised by none other than the seed of the legend, the youngest veteran himself, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, who with surprise artillery whipped the crowd to a high, which was unprecedented for the entire Sumfest. He began his act with material from the “Halfway Tree” album, peppered with some of his even earlier songs. After that he bridge the time gap and gave audiences from every generation some of his dad’s hits. He then delved into his new material and added his brother Stephen and some of his solo career efforts to the package. At which point he seemed ready to end the show almost sending the crowd mad, a crowd that eagerly await the opening line “Welcome to Jamrock…” His performance has been the most all rounded I have ever seen.

In general however the show seems to me to be toeing a dangerous line as it pertains to pleasing audience and pleasing sponsors. I also believe had it not been for the energies and efforts of two young Rasta’s (Jr. Gong and Sizzla Kalonji) carrying the show on their backs, the “RedStripe Reggae Sumfest” may very well have been a complete flop. That’s the opinion of this humble writer and Montegonian, thanks for reading.

By Yannick Nesta Pessoa
B.A. in Philosophy
yannickpessoa@gmail.com
or yahnyk@hotmail.com

.and now, Gangsta Colony

.and now, Gangsta Colony

BY BALFORD HENRY Observer writer Monday, August 15, 2005

They are a group of young artistes and professionals determined to bring a change to the way Jamaican entertainers perform and write music.

They are not only full-fledged artistes, but they have also acquired the skills of engineers and producers and have even taken on the unenviable task of managing themselves.

They're the newly emerging Gangsta Colony comprising rappers Enigma, Hype and Slyloc; DJs Sim-mity, Calico and Shackleford; singer Jahyute; and engineer/producer Xtreme.

The group was formed in 1999 by high school boys determined to make an intelligent impact on the direction of Jamaican music.

Read on

Rihanna Brings Riddims

West Indian Jay-Z protegee heats up America

"I don't even have time for boys!" says Rihanna, the seventeen-year-old Jay-Z protegee whose dancehall-tinged single "Pon De Replay" is lighting up both dance floors and pop radio. The Barbados native is currently preparing for full-fledged stardom while finishing high school, spending eight hours a day with a choreographer and fifteen hours a week with a tutor amid a globe-trotting performance schedule. Thankfully, Rihanna (full name: Robyn Rihanna Fenty) has the goods to back up the expectations: Her debut album, Music of the Sun (out August 30th), is a seductive mix of big-voiced R&B and souped-up island riddims -- what Beyonce might have sounded like if she had grown up in the West Indies and skipped the whole Destiny's Child thing.

Read on

George Nooks pays tribute to Dennis Brown

Catch the Riddim

Kevin Jackson, Observer writer Monday, August 22, 2005

George Nooks pays tribute to Dennis Brown

With the assistance of noted producer Tad A Dawkins, George Nooks has assembled an album which pays tribute to the late Crown Prince of Reggae, Dennis Brown. The album, titled George Nooks Sings Dennis Brown: The Voice Lives On, is due for release next month.

Nooks said that the album was something that he had wanted to put out for some time now. His friendship with Brown dates back to the mid-1970s when they both recorded for producer Joe Gibbs. "I met Dennis way back. We were rehearsing with Chinna Smith up at New Haven, and we just linked up from there," Nooks told the Observer. "I was always inspired by his talent and I used to sing like him. We developed a great friendship which lasted until he died. He was also the first artiste to produce me."

Read on

Roots reggae and resistance from Jamaica to Brixton

The rerelease of a range of roots reggae albums exposes the music’s hidden political history, writes Ken Olende

Once feared by the authorities and celebrated by rebels from Notting Hill to Zimbabwe, roots reggae has been sanitised. Bob Marley is presented as simply uplifting summer music. But a series 1970s reggae reissues is making it possible to see how innovative, influential and politically aware it was.

Jamaican music developed dynamically through the sixties. Brass-led ska shifted into the more vocal oriented rocksteady, which saw the introduction of overtly political lyrics. In turn this evolved into slowed down, electric bass driven reggae. Another major change was in the influence Rastafarianism.

Jamaica has an explosive history. Slave revolts had been followed by protests against colonialism. By the 1950s there was a ferment against imperialism. Jamaica gained independence in 1962, but found itself on the front line of the cold war — the island is 90 miles from Cuba.

Read on

THE TRINITY

Sean Paul Returns With 'The Trinity': First Single,

NEW YORK (Atlantic Records) - VP/Atlantic Records has revealed the first details of the eagerly anticipated new album from dancehall reggae superstar Sean Paul. Entitled "THE TRINITY," it is slated to be in stores on September 27th. The album will be heralded by the release of the single, "We Be Burnin'," which impacts at multiple radio formats on August 22nd. The track's companion video, directed by Jessy Terrero (50 Cent, Young Jeezy, Chingy), will premiere on BET's "Access Granted" on Wednesday, August 17th, followed by its online premiere on MTV.com on August 18th. On "THE TRINITY," Sean Paul delivers more of his groundbreaking, signature blend of reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop. Recorded entirely in Jamaica, the album finds Sean working with the hottest producers on the island's dancehall circuit, including Steven "Lenky" Marsden, Don Corleone, Renaissance Crew, Snowcone, and others. As for the title, Sean notes that this is his third album, which has been three years in the making, and which was "all done right here in the Third World."

Sean Paul : : : New Album

Billboard.com -- Sean Paul 'Burnin' With New Album
Dancehall star Sean Paul will release his new album, "The Trinity," Sept. 27 via VP/Atlantic. Although it has yet to be officially serviced to U.S. radio outlets, the single "We Be Burnin'" has already garnered scattered airplay this summer.