There are two genres where tweens can get famous despite not being old enough to drive or drink: grime and reggae. So many of today’s hottest grime producers are between the ages of 14-19 (is it any wonder Wiley felt like it was time to retire after a decade in the scene?) and plenty of reggae artists grow up in a household with studio access and are producing hits by the time they are hittin double digits. Many reggae fans remember a toddler Stephen Marley dancing on the side of the stage during Bob Marley concerts, Stephen McGregor has been producing tunes since the age of 5 and being featured in magazines across the globe when he was 15-17 years old. So, it’s clear that genius is recognized and appreciated at any age in these musical cultures. Therefore it should not be much of a surprise when people hear about the up and coming Jamaican sensation known as Javaughn. The 14-year old is also called Javaughn Genius because of his child prodigy talents in reggae music. ([More →])

I love the Boondocks, whether it’s the comic strip or the cartoon. This episode is about snitching, particularly within the hip hop scene. Of course, it’s all purely fictitious….

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Internationally acclaimed and beloved reggae singer Lucky Dube was gunned down in Johannesburg South Africa on Thursday night. Police say the shooting resulted from a “botched carjacking” as he was dropping his teenage son and daughter off at a relative’s home. Fortunately, his youth were not physically hurt, but will surely be traumatized from watching their father get killed. Lucky Dube was one of Africa’s most successful artists, producing several platinum records among the 22 albums he released in 25 years. Dube is known and respected for his social-political lyrics about apartheid-era South African culture. He was a voice of the people whose music and life were uplifting and hopeful during times of struggle while teaching the rest of the world about life in South Africa. His death, too, is an international statement on the quality of life in this dangerous place. ([More →])

Rumours circulated the internet that Jah Cure was banned from the UK while attempting to secure a visa. With shows coming up this weekend, lots of people are getting nervous, both ticket holders and promoters. So wha gwaan? Is the Cure coming to Great Britain or no? According to New Name Music - the company who organized the tour - Cure was indeed denied entry to the UK but not banned. They are hoping to get a waiver for the singer, but it’s not looking hopeful this late in the game. Then again, the Cure may have a miracle or two up his sleeve yet. ([More →])

This is Part 2 of our series on how musicians and music fans can save the world by reducing our impact on it. This installment is all about transportation - how we get to concerts, gigs, band practice, the record store and everywhere else we go to enjoy music, plus how our music gets to us. Part 3 will focus on music products, from albums to iPods, rechargeable batteries to recycling.
There are resources at the end of this article for more information on everything described. ([More →])

Pharrell Williams sure knows how to flaunt his expensive taste! In 2005 he teamed up with Nigo of Bathing Ape to create a line of designer sunglasses that look like a million bucks. They stunner shades were inspired by the OG gangsta - Scarface! - and you may recognize them on Jay-Z’s mug on the cover of XXL Mag come December. That’s cuz Louis Vuitton has decided to reissue the designer shades for rich rappers. Check out the Louis Vuitton “Millionaires”: ([More →])

from J-Love Street Savior Pt. 5
Ghostface Killah music

Reggae riddim producer Andre “Sukku” Grey (a member of Ward 21) recently composed and recorded Dem Gal Sittin riddim. Grey says the riddim “just had this all female vibe. You rarely have a dancehall rhythm which is dominated by females.” But that’s exactly what Grey got - a riddim with only female artists on board! So far, Lady Saw, Lady G, D’Angel, Tifa, Natalie Storm, Timberlee and Stacious have all recorded vocals on Dem Gal Sittin, but not a single male has. This may even be a first for dancehall music!
Big Up The Dancehall Queen Massive!!! ([More →])

Freddie McGregor is working on his next album, while his son Stephen has been busy in the studio producing a dark series of riddims, such as “Darker Shadow” and “Dark Again.” A handful of major record companies have been vying for Stephen’s signature lately and the producer chose to go with EMI. This will gain him a lot of attention internationally and will open a lot of doors for him to bring his music to his fans. He’s been working on albums for Vybz Kartel, Sean Paul and Elephant Man this year and I hope that he will create a tune or two for his father’s next album. Vibe Magazine recently named Stephen MacGregor a “producer to look out for.” ([More →])

So far, Mavado has filmed videos for three songs off his new album Gangsta For Life, The Symphony of David Brooks. There’s “Dying,” “Dreaming,” “Squeeze Her Breast,” a short documentary and more and we’ve rounded them up for a mini Mavado marathon: ([More →])

Foxy Brown, despite all the hype, has been working on her new album titled Brooklyn’s Don Diva which is due for release in December on Koch Records. The album features collaborations with some of Jamaica’s ruffest and most controversial deejays. One song, “Mr. DJ,” contains a classic Barrington Levy sample from his hit tune “Here I Come (Broader Than Broadway).” The same Levy tune has been sampled by the Fugees in their song “Ready Or Not” and Shaggy in his song “Broadway.” The word on the street is also whispering of a track with dancehall’s rising star, Mavado! Apparently, Foxy and Mavado have been discussing the collaboration for months and she gives him shout outs in the album’s intro. She recorded the vocals for the new track before her incarceration and now that recording is in Mavado’s studio where he is building the riddim to back it. Mavado has been blazing up music charts in Jamaica and NYC with his recent debut release on VP Records, Gangsta For Life, The Symphony of David Brooks. ([More →])

Shaggy recently sat down with Silence promotions in London to film a great interview where he discusses a broad range of topics: the absurdity of homophobic lyrics in music during times of much bigger problems, breakin in the early 90’s, Supercat and Ninjaman, the success of “Church Heathen” and a lot more. Check out the whole series right here: ([More →])

The rest of this year is going to be very kind on the ears with new and “new” reggae releases from Dennis Brown, Ras Shiloh, Israel Vibration, and I-Wayne whose upcoming album features a duet with the legendary LADY G!!! BooYah! ([More →])

This is an extensive guide for musicians and music fans on how to reduce our impact on the planet. It describes a few of the most harmful activities we participate in and how to make them more eco-friendly. That way, we can indulge our passion for music while treading lightly on the earth. You don’t have to digest all of this right now. There’s so much information here, it would be a good idea to bookmark it and keep coming back to it. Implement one thing at a time into your life before trying the next one. I’d like to add even more items to the list as time goes on, so that’s another good reason to bookmark it and come back to it. This article is part of Blog Action Day which we have been promoting here on HearingTest since August, but we post articles about the environment regularly here. If you like this one, dig through our culture archives to see more about what musicians and music lovers are doing to benefit Planet Earth. ([More →])

We’re looking for video and concert reviews of Curefest in Jamaica, so if you have any to share, link up in the comments! In the meantime, we have Jah Cure himself launching the Curefest. This was recorded two weeks ago, but many of you may not have seen it yet and I have not posted it here before. ([More →])