Opinion, reviews, interviews, staff lists, rankings, and other long talking about Reggae and Dancehall music and culture.
A 1993 trip to Brazil opened Shaggy’s eyes to how big Reggae could be. Maxi Priest had invited the then-rising artist to join him onstage at Rock in Rio, a major music festival which that year featured acts like Nirvana, Aerosmith, and Simply Red on the line-up.
With the rise of artificial intelligence and its increasing and pervasive presence in the music industry, curiosity abounds about how these developments might impact dancehall music and the artists who create it.
As the enduring icon of Reggae music all over the world, Bob Marley’s legendary resume as an artist transcends the limits of general stardom and fame.
When it comes on to wit, lyricism and talent, there are only a handful of Dancehall artists – dead or alive – that can be mentioned in the same breath as Adidja Palmer, the Portmore native more popularly known as Vybz Kartel.
November was interesting for Reggae Dancehall music. It was particularly fascinating to see the younger, more freshly established artists pushing a pace in the music that many older, more established acts have not matched.
Since 2014, the multimedia artist MeLo-X has gone from uploading unofficial remixes of Beyoncé songs to becoming one of the superstar’s steady collaborators.
Up-and-coming artist Espuppy is hoping to make his mark in the music industry. The Jamaican native, who is now based in Chicago, released his latest single titled Money Heist on Saturday (November 26, 2022) and already has high hopes for the track.
Much to the alarm of its opponents, Trap Dancehall seems to be here to stay – at least until a new youth-driven sound arrives to replace it.
Twenty years ago, Sean Paul’s sophomore album Dutty Rock brought Dancehall music to the forefront of global, mainstream music.
VP Records has released Strictly The Best Vol. 62, the latest entry in the longstanding Reggae and Dancehall compilation series.
In late 2018, IzyBeats considered changing career paths. The Jamaican producer born Andron Cross began making beats in 2001, and though he established a local buzz in Miami and scored a few songs with Vybz Kartel, he still hadn’t found the hit he was chasing.
Reggae artist Blvk H3ro says it came as a huge shock to him when he learned that he was nominated for his first Grammy Award, which also puts him in contention with Nigerian singer Burna Boy’s hit song Last Last.
Canadian producers/songwriters Banx & Ranx might be thousands of miles away, but their creativity seeps through the works of many Jamaican favorites such as Shenseea and Beenie Man (Henkel Glue), Sean Paul (How We Do It, Mad Love, Bad Love, Calling On Me, Only Fanz), and most recently Demarco and Konshens on Balenciaga.
Skeng, Masicka, Squash, Chronic Law, Kraff Gad, Alkaline, Ai Milly, Bayka, Valiant and Intence are the most streamed Dancehall artists in Jamaica for the year 2022, according to data gathered by CertifiedStreams.
As we enter the fourth quarter of the year, music releases have slowed somewhat. Still, for many, the fourth quarter is the championship quarter.
Jamaican artist Blvk H3ro has shared his concerns about Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ announcement of his administration’s plans to construct a STEAM school for Reggae and Dancehall deejays, musicians, and other visual and creative artists.
Summer may have winded down but Jimmy October has still been making waves alongside Kes & the Band for the Liki Tiki tour in the US with stops in Philadelphia’s Theatre of the Living Arts and the historic House of Blues in Anaheim.
Dancehall gospel superstar Papa San is all smiles these days as his video, Love About You, has been added to the rotation of international video stations, Vh1 Soul, MTV Jams, MTV U and MTV VOD.
This article is the second in a monthly series that will revisit ‘Dancehall Riddims That Slapped.’
Dancehall artist Serani got a boost from seven-year-old Lottie Tute when she joined him on stage at the Manchester Caribbean Carnival at Alexandra Park in August, and recited his 2008 hit No Games word for word.