The video for Vybz Kartel - “My Scheme” on the Darker Shadow Riddim by Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor:

I’m startin to think that a few high-profile rappers tallied up bar tabs they can’t handle! All of a sudden, everybody is affiliating their star-style with a liquor brand. Well, everyone except 50 Cent who is a renowned health nut, hence the Vitamin Water deal. (Rumour has it 50 was buying cases of the elixirs before getting involved). Now, Sean “Diddy” Combs has signed on to a multi-year deal to develop the Ciroc vodka brand. This news follows recent news that Vybz Kartel will be the face of a new rum (called Vybz Rum and distributed by Pimp Juice) and Pharrell’s addition to the Hennessy whiskey team for the Flaunt Your Taste campaign. I guess high-grade liquor is the new Land Rover in the hip hop scene…. (So why is Jay-Z on Budweiser’s wagon?) ([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 →])