A brand new documentary on reggae culture will reveal what really gwaan behind the scenes, on the road, backstage and inna di yard. The 90-minute flick is called “Reggae Uncensored” and features personal interviews with Buju Banton, Ninjaman, Sean Paul, Mavado, Beenie Man, Damien Marley, Macka Diamond, Sizzla, Junior Reid and many many more. The story is helped along by the doc’s host Chyna and English subtitles for the patois-challenged. ([More →])

Wyclef Jean dropped his new album Wyclef Jean’s Carnival II: Memoirs Of An Immigrant last month and it sounds pretty good, what I’ve heard so far. A wide range of artists guest on Carnival II, from Lil Wayne and Sizzla to Paul Simon and Shakira. Watch the videos and listen to a few tunes right here. ([More →])

Digging through the ([HearingTest]) audio archive for the Top Rankin Tunes of 2007, I discovered that most of my favorites could be summed up as shotta anthems. So, I pulled out 10 tunes for Top Rankin Shotta Anthems of 2007. These selections are from the archive of tunes featured on ([HT]) over the last year: ([More →])

A few of ragga and dancehall’s most prolific powerhouses have teamed up with the urban dub/hip hop/electronic music label Metatronix to create a bumpin album of hybrid remixes. Dominated by the vocal talents of Anthony B, Sizzla and Capleton over furious music production by The Bug, High Priest, DMX Krew, Eliot Lip and more, this album is going to be bumpin trunks in urban neighborhoods worldwide. ([More →])

There’s a lot of information on these Curefest flyers and a whole lot of big names! Click on either flyer to see a bigger version… ([More →])

Greensleeves is 30! A record store and label that has done so much for reggae music, from roots to jungle, is celebrating 3 decades in business with a double disc compilation release. The album contains 30 songs, each representing a different year in the history of the legendary label and it’s available on CD as well as digital download. Both versions include artwork, sleevenotes and an interview with the founders of Greensleeves.

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I have been absolutely giddy over the recent release of Shaggy’s “Church Heathen” with Ninjaman spittin brimstone over the riddim! The music is so powerful, so chilling. The message is strong too: condemning corruption in the church, from crooked preachers to Saturday night sinners who act like saints on Sunday morning. Shaggy’s voice and style commands attention, but when Don Gorgon shows up - POW! Ninjaman may dress all in white now, as a reformed gunman turned preacher, but his mouth still shoots pure fire! I LOVE the look on Ninjaman’s face when he is chanting the Babylon system down at the end of the video! ([More →])

Not sure how I missed this, looks like there’s another Ninjaman show in the US. I reported earlier that his NYC date would be the first in 15 years, well, it looks like he’s going to make the rounds while he is in the US! Oh PLEASE come to Cali Don Gorgon!!
Well, the shizzle goes down in Miami on Sunday night at the AT&T Amphitheatre. ([More →])

There have been legends about NASA (North America South America) bringing together a stellar cast for an upcoming album. NASA consists of Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon at the helm and their exploration team consists of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Karen O & Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), David Byrne (Talking Heads), Rza, George Clinton, Method Man, Cee-Lo, Tom Waits, M.I.A., E40, KRS-One, Lovefoxxx (C.S.S.), Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Fatlip (Pharcyde), and Slim Kid Tre (Pharcyde), Money Mark, Chali 2na (Jurassic 5), John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers), De La Soul, Gift of Gab (Blackalicious), Spank Rock, Sean Lennon, Seu Jorge, DJ Relm, Kool Keith, Kool Kojak, Dj Swamp, and more! Hot damn that’s a galaxy of blindingly hot stars! Well, those are the band members listed on their musicSPACE page anyway. Well, the team is ready to launch the party onto wax and the upcoming album includes many of these peeps paired with each other in the interest of discovering new worlds. ([More →])

Displaying his versatility and enthusiasm for good music, Paul McCartney is excited about the new remix of “Nod Your Head” from his new album, Memory Almost Full. The remix was produced by Sly and Robbie, infamous for their collaborations as the Taxi Gang and with Sinead O’Connor on her “reggae album.” ([More →])

BIG BIG News! Fans of dancehall and reggae have often discussed the elements of homophobia, racism, sexism, and other nasties in Jamaican music. The music industry goes through cycles of acceptance and rejection of these messages in music. ([More →])

Have you ever wanted a hipsters’ education in chart-topping dancehall music like Sean Paul, Shaggy, and Macka Diamond? Well, for this week only, Vice Magazine’s online music channel has just that. Interviews, music videos, fashion do’s and dont’s, etc. You probably won’t find M.I.A. or Ninjaman, but you will definitely hear from Lutan Fiyah, Sizzla, and see lots of gorgeous Jamaican countryside. If that doesn’t sound sexy enough, you can fill your eyes with the serpentine dance moves of the dancehall queens.

Just head over to VBS.com for your selection. You can find more like this from their video affiliate (or maybe parent company?) Brightcove… Brightcove also produces cable tele straight from Kingston Jamaica, such as RETV which has even more dancehall tv for your viewing pleasure.
Enjoy!

Sizzla Kalonji spent last Friday filming the video for his single, “Show More Love To The Youths” with its director, Allan “Endless” Tennent. The video’s theme promotes finding an end to violence and crime, taking care of the world’s youth, and supporting community. The song features Sizzla singing over Sly and Robbie’s Africa riddim, and is getting ample radio play in Jamaica.

This song is one of 16 that will be included on the Feed The Children Africa compilation that is due out on Energy Beat Records by the end of May. The album also includes Anthony B, Spanner Banner, Turbulance, Paul Elliot, Morgan Heritage, Richie Spice, Norris Man, Gyptian, and Juice.

There isn’t much more info available currently, but you might glean something from Yard Flex.

In honour of Mother’s Day, here is the video for Thank U Mama by Sizzla:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/UXK0PU2ba9A]

If you would like to know more about Sizzla, there is a good documentary - the visual is not good, but the audio is excellent:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1VPTRtrIYU

Technorati Tags: Sizzla, reggae, dancehall, culture