 EASY STAR ALL-STARS IN EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST & BEYOND
The Easy Star All-Stars kick off the European Summer Tour this Saturday in Istanbul, Turkey. The band is excited to hit the road again, this time with some new songs, as well. Check the Easy Star website for the latest updates and go see them if they are anywhere near you! To celebrate, we are offering a few specials in the Easy Star Store. Buy any CD or LP and get 15% off your entire order. Spend $30 or more and get a free EASY STAR VOL. 1 poster from the vaults.
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June 27, 2007
Easy Star All-Stars European Tour
June 25, 2007
BOOM SHOTS #85 features SEANIZZLE this Wednesday!
 This week mega producer Sean Reid aka SEANIZZLE drops by BOOM SHOTS to chop it up with DJ BOOM. This very talented producer is responisible for many of the hottest tracks and riddims in the dancehall world today. Seanizzle has worked with top artists like Beenie Man, Ninja Man, Devonte, Delly Ranx, Busy Signal and many more. He’s put out the hot riddims “Reverse,” “Stepfather,” “Impact,” “Fast Lane” and the “Klamputae.” Stay tuned for this exclusive interview and feature with theon this weeks BOOM SHOTS!
About SEANIZZLE: What started out as a hobby has somewhat become a career for this enterprising young man. Based in the Kingston 20 area, Reid explained that creating rhythms can be profitable, especially if the beats are hot and garner mainstream acceptance. ‘My interest developed while I was attending Pembroke Hall High. For you to survive doing this, your rhythm has to really hit and you get a percentage from it’, said Reid. Some of his creations include the Stepfather, the Klamputae, Impact and Fast Lane rhythms. Find out more: here Subscribe to the BOOM SHOTS Podcast on: |
June 23, 2007
Cung Le enters winning match to reggae artist Skull’s “Boom Di Boom Di”
 Last night Cung Le knocked out Tony Fryklind in a masterful display of Martial skill. The HP Pavillion blazed with excitement as Cung Le who entered the cage to “Boom Di Boom Di” by S. Korean Reggae artist Skull, systematically dismantled his opponent with a dazzling exhibition of picture perfect spin kicks, boxing acumen and defensive skill many have likened to watching Enter The Dragon.
The Strikeforce event, which was broadcast on Showtime PPV last night, will begin airing on Showtime next week and will certainly garner the Vietnamese American Superstar millions of new fans. Rashmi Shastri |
June 21, 2007
ALLSPICE REGGAE #72 with QUEEN IFRICA on Bigupradio.com
 Her royal majesty Queen Ifrica stops by the ALLSPICE REGGAE show for an interview with DJ COMMON SENSI this Friday on Bigupradio.com. Queen Ifrica has been mashing up the dancehall and roots airwaves since the 90’s. Some of her many hits include “Rude Boy,” “Burn Some Herbs,” “Sensimillia,” “What A Life” and “Breaking Up.” Spend some time with royalty this Friday! The AllSpice Reggae shows airs every Friday on Bigupradio.com Slamming Dancehall station.
About QUEEN IFRICA Queen Ifrica, royal empress, also known as Fyah Muma, took the music world by surprise, when in 1995 she turned on a scorcher of a performance in a talent contest at the aptly named Club Inferno in Montego Bay. The Queen beat all other contestants to win by a landslide. Her baptism in the business included a performance on Reggae Sumfest’s Singer’s Nite; coming onstage after a blazing set by Buju Banton, Queen Ifrica was not overawed by the occasion, but succeeded in commanding a good reception to her message. Find out more: here Subscribe to the ALLSPICE REGGAE Podcast: STICK AROUND CUZ RIGHT AFTER ALLSPICE REGGAE COMES…. THE DEADLY MIX RADIO EVERY FRIDAY ON BIGUPRADIO.COM |
June 20, 2007
Da’ville Teams Up With Sean Paul On New “Always On My Mind” Video
 Last week in Jamaica, Da’Ville in collaboration with Sean Paul shot the video for “Always on My Mind,” the official remix of Daville’s #1 hit “On My Mind”. This new single off Da’Ville’s critically album “On My Mind,” is causing quite a frenzy. The electrifying union between Da’Ville, “the most notable reggae singer of the moment,” according to the The Voice, and the multi-platinum star Sean Paul has created an international buzz for Da’Ville and his newly released album off VP Records.
The concept of the video, directed by Jamaica’s own Ras Kassa, tells the tale of a classic love, but depicts how sometimes the relationship is not always picture perfect. The setting is midday on the rainy busy streets of Kingston, Jamaica. Amidst all the trials and tribulations that occur, the video reflects how Da’Ville is always thinking about his love and how she is “always on his mind”. Sean Paul cameos alongside Da’Ville and expresses similar sentiments about his loved one throughout the video. Da’Ville is an up and coming singer whose his unique mix of sound and talent allows him receive international recognition and stand out amongst some of the top selling artists. The New York Times profiled him as a “Big Bad Singer.” In 2007, he won the International Reggae and World Music Award for Most Improved Artist. Also in 2006, from Stone Love and Cooyah, he received the Singer of the Year Award. His carefully orchestrated album ‘On My Mind,’ released by VP Records on May 15th, 2007 features four #1 hits, such as, “Cant Get Over You,” “This Time I Promise,” “On My Mind” & “Always On My Mind” ft. Sean Paul and combines sounds of Lover’s Rock, Dancehall and R&B. Tiffany Mea |
June 18, 2007
REGGAE MAKOSSA #48 double feature with Turbulence and Queen Ifrica
 A double feature with reggae stars Turbulence and Queen Ifrica are on this weeks REGGAE MAKOSSA hosted by the world famous Makeda Dread. The show airs Thursday, June 21st on the Bigupradio.com Steady Rockin’ Roots station. Don’t miss this show that includes live interviews with dancehall sensation Turbulence and root reggae empress Queen Ifrica. Tune in this and every Thursday for the Reggae Makossa show! ONE LOVE
About TURBULENCE: Turbulence is taking the reggae world like a storm, Sheldon Campbell, aka Turbulence, is fast becoming one of Jamaicas leading conscious dancehall acts. Having garnered a great deal of interest while on a recent tour with Sizzla, this active member of the Xterminator family has left quite an impression on reggae fans. Find out more: here View Turbulence reggae music video: About QUEEN IFRICA Queen Ifrica, royal empress, also known as Fyah Muma, took the music world by surprise, when in 1995 she turned on a scorcher of a performance in a talent contest at the aptly named Club Inferno in Montego Bay. The Queen beat all other contestants to win by a landslide. Her baptism in the business included a performance on Reggae Sumfest’s Singer’s Nite; coming onstage after a blazing set by Buju Banton, Queen Ifrica was not overawed by the occasion, but succeeded in commanding a good reception to her message. Find out more: here Subscribe to the REGGAE MAKOSSA Podcast on http://www.reggaemakossa.com |
June 15, 2007
Morgan Heritage Preps For Their New Album
 The members of Morgan Heritage couldn’t have chosen a more fitting title for their latest album. Taken from one of the album’s songs, “Mission in Progress” couldn’t better encapsulate where the famed sibling group is at the moment: in transition.
Mission in Progress captures the band as it tries to bottle the power of its live stage performance on disc; as it tries to fuse its older and younger audiences with an album that appeals to both; as it infuses its songs with a heavier dose of hip-hop; and it continues to bolster love for reggae music through romantic, street-wise and conscious songs built on slabs of spirituality. If anything, the groups seemed to have many missions in progress. Produced by Morgan Heritage (with a few songs helmed by Shane Brown and longtime friend and supporter Bobby Digital), Mission in Progress is, more than any of the band’s previous discs, the realization of its “ROCKAZ” concept: reggae music with an edge. It arrives after the band’s second stint on the Vans Warped Tour, the most consistently successful festival in the States over the past 10 years, and a haven for harder-edge bands, especially punk acts. The give-and-take, tension-and-release moments the band has experienced on the Warped Tour comes across on Mission in Progress: the band made sure of it, replicating tricks they use onstage, like doubling a horn line with an electric guitar—thus giving a particular track a beefier sound. “I think this record is the most aggressive one that we’ve ever done,” says vocalist/keyboardist Una Morgan. “A lot of our inner feelings are on this record, on songs such as ‘The Fight,’ and ‘12 Shots.’” “What we have worked on for the past three albums is to mainly bring the stage to record,” adds vocalist Peter “Jahpetes” Morgan. “A lot of people come to our shows and they’re like, ‘Wow, you sound so much better than your record, it’s unbelievable.’ And we’re like, ‘Wow, what is this difference that they’re noticing that’s not on the record?’ They say they love the records, but when they come to the concerts, they fall in love with the group all over again. “A lot of those punk bands we’ve toured with on the Warped tour,” he continues, “when you put their record on, it’s the same energy that you get. We generate such a vibration at our concerts that it’s unreal, so we’ve learned that you can get that on record.” But the record isn’t only aggressive. It veers from the hard-hitting and gritty to the straight-up romantic on songs like “Love You Right.” Says Una, “I love that song, it’s just a song between a man and a woman, and it just talks about how I’m loving what you did to me.” Meanwhile, the title track sums up where the band is at the moment, says Peter: “We know there’s a higher mission in progress,” he says. “There’s a mission in progress. What’s the mission? Jah mission, led by the most high. We know there is a god, and there is a purpose to life, and we know your riches are stored in Zion.” Elsewhere, the disc features reimagined, renamed covers of songs by Steel Pulse (“Blues Dance Raid”) Comprised of five offspring of reggae veteran Denroy Morgan, Morgan Heritage is comprised of vocalist/keyboardist Una, vocalist Peter (“Jahpetes”), keyboardist/vocalist Roy (“Gramps”), rhythm guitarist Nakhamyah (“Lukes”) and vocalist/MC/percussionist Memmalatel (“Mr. Mojo”). Born in Brooklyn’s tough Bushwick neighborhood, the band’s five members were raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, and spent their summer vacations back in New York’s hippest outer borough, where they returned after high school. “Brooklyn and Jamaica,” the first single from Mission in Progress, is the first song to represent both the old neighborhood and their home for the past 11 years: Jamaica. “We’ve never written a song about where we come from and what we know about what we come from. Finally, it’s time to write a song about where we come from,” says Peter, who sings on the track “We don’t know nothing about Beverly Hills/We don’t know about working for the system/We don’t know about life on Miami Beach/But we can tell you about the streets/Just ask me about Brooklyn.” The brothers and sisters came together for the first time professionally in 1982, when they recorded their first songs. “When people first heard the combination of Una, Peter and Gramps’ vocals, how they blended together, it was like magic,” says Mr. Mojo. “Everybody in our dad’s band was blown away that these guys could sound so good at such an early age.” The band signed to MCA Records in 1992 (following a much-talked about performance at Jamaica’s Reggae Sunsplash festival), issuing its debut album, Miracles, in 1994, triggering one of the most impressive streaks in modern-day reggae since. In a dozen years, the band has racked up several hits in Jamaica and abroad, thanks in part to collaborations with such lauded Jamaican producers as Lloyd “King Jammy” James and Bobby Digital. Through such singles as “Let’s Make Up,” “Don’t Haffi Dread,” “Down by the River” and “What We Need Is Love,” as well as such discs as 2001’s More Teachings and 2005’s Full Circle (both of which enjoyed extended stays in the Top 10 on Billboard’s reggae albums chart), the band has emerged as a bridge between reggae’s rich history and its promising future. Raised with intensive vocal and instrumental training, the Morgan children were exposed to everything from the godfathers of roots reggae to top 40 American radio: everything from Duran Duran and Tears for Fear to Metallica and Van Halen. “Morgan Heritage is a roots-reggae band,” says Gramps. “There’s a lot of rock and roll influence, but also a lot of R&B influence, and a lot of gospel influence. Vocally, it’s more like an R&B influence: James Ingram, Sam Cooke, Charlie Wilson, Stevie Wonder, New Edition, Sade, whatever was Top 40 in the ‘80s. That whole pack, that whole bundle is in Morgan Heritage.” “The main point in Mission in Progress,” says Gramps, “is that we’re on a musical mission, trying to take reggae to the next level, and put our stamp, and mark our history in reggae. Yeah, a lot of reggae bands have been here, and have come and gone. And there’s a lot coming, a lot here: There’s reggae bands from all over the world. You got German reggae bands, Italian reggae bands, Canadian reggae bands, Brazilian reggae bands. So what does Morgan Heritage bring to the table? We bring reggae music that rocks.” Tiffany Mea |
June 14, 2007
REALITY TIME #61 with TONY REBEL on Bigupradio.com
 Reggae megastar TONY REBEL has a guest appearance on REALITY TIME this Sunday inside the “Champion Sound” Bigupradio.com. Join your hosts DJ Kurious and MC Taiyefoon for an interview and special feature with Tony Rebel. Tony Rebel’s smash hits include “I Shot The Sherrif,” “Fresh Vegetable,” “If Jah,” “Tribal War,” “Chatty Chatty” and many more.. Don’t miss this show on Sunday! ONE LOVE
About TONY REBEL: Tony Rebel sings a peaceful, roots-oriented form of dancehall music designed to inspire his audience to take a more positive approach to life and social change. Born Patrick Barrett, Rebel is a Rastafarian, but rather than simply creating serious, philosophical tunes, he infuses his music with a lighthearted, liberal-leaning dose of humor. Prior to becoming a recording artist in the 1990s, he spent 14 years playing the local dancehall circuit. Examples of his uplifting approach to dancehall can be heard on his 1993 album Vibes of Time; other releases include 1998’s If Jah. Find out more here. Subscribe to the REALITY TIME Podcast on: GET FREE REGGAE PODCASTS ON YAHOO
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