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SEAN PAUL DEBUTS "Watch Them Roll" VIDEO
This time last year Sean Paul had just been nominated for an American Music Award in the category “Favorite Male Pop/Rock.” The Jamaican dancehall artist would go on to win that award, beating out the likes of Kanye West and Nick Lachez. Sean Paul was riding high, fresh off his two-million-plus-selling third album The Trinity (Atlantic 2005), powered by his number-one pop single “Temperature” and his hit duet with Keyshia Cole “Give It Up To Me.” But nothing quite prepared him for taking home the coveted AMA trophy. “The first thing I did was wash my face and look inna the mirror good,” Sean Paul recalls. “Me say Wah dis, my youth? I couldn’t believe that happened. A Reggae artist gets a Grammy every year, but a reggae artist don’t get an American Music Award.”
After collecting a trailer-load of accolades for The Trinity, Sean Paul wasted no time heading right back into the studio. First he teamed up with Rihanna to record the hit duet “Break It Off” and then joined forces with Eve for “Give It To You Girl.” The artist hints that he is now sitting on several still-unreleased bangers recorded with certain A-list names in rap and R&B. But as usual, Sean Paul prefers to focus most of his energy on working with Jamaican talent, particularly seventeen-year-old production prodigy Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor, the son of roots reggae legend Freddie McGregor. The recent graduate of Kingston’s Ardenne High School produced numerous dancehall hits over the past year, including DaVille’s slow-burning love song “Always On My Mind.” Sean Paul jumped on the remix for the song, which became the title track for DaVille’s debut album on V.P.
CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO…But Sean Paul was just getting warmed up. “I got busy this year,” he says, no pun intended. “Since January I wrote so many songs. Songs like ‘Gal Dem Roll’ for Stephen McGregor ‘Pick Up And Drop It’ with Birch from Big Yard. Songs like ‘Ticky Fe Yuh Body’ with Lefside. ”
Although these songs were not recorded as “official” singles for the international market, this is exactly how hits from “Gimme The Light” to “Like Glue” were first created. “I did them just keep my ears, you know,” Sean Paul explains, “to keep my audience out there hearing me.”
The latest Sean Paul selection to bubble up on the Jamaican scene is “Watch Them Roll” a high-energy dancefloor banger in the tradition of “Get Busy.” A home-made YouTube clip of the song had already clocked 100,000 views by the time Sean Paul’s actual video was uploaded. Rich Newey of Uncle Productions directed the black and white clip, sprinkled with a few strategic splashes of color for emphasis.
Speaking from 2Hard Studios in Kingston Jamaica, where he has been finishing up his highly anticipated fourth album for Atlantic Records, Sean Paul took a moment to look back at the trail he’s blazed since his classic 1999 debut Stage One (V.P. Records). “Before ‘Gimme The Light’ bust, people would say ‘Tell us about this dancehall music,’” Sean Paul says with a laugh. “I’d say it’s the most underground music in the world and our artists are the most misrepresented. But we’re gonna do it, star. We’re gonna show the world. So here we come.”
So is this the song that’s gonna take Sean Paul back to the top of the charts? Check out the video, leave your feedback here, and let 'em know.
For years without tears and fears. www.boomshots.comPosted on November 5, 2007 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0).
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ELEPHANT MAN DENIES DIDDY BEATDOWN
DANCEHALL'S ENERGY GOD DID NOT “GET PHYSICAL” WITH RAP MOGUL
Just weeks before the November 6 release of his Bad Boy / V.P. Records debut Let’s Get Physical, controversy swirled around Elephant Man, a veteran of the Jamaican dancehalls who burst into the international market three years ago with high-energy hits like "Pon Di River Pon Di Bank" and "Signal The Plane" and "Jook Gal."A September 15 report on the gossip website Mediatakeout.com boasted a huge screaming headline: REGGAE STAR ELEPHANT MAN ATTACKS DIDDY!!! Based only on anonymous sources, the story opened with the suggestive lead “Mogul Sean ‘P-Diddy’ Combs has a reputation for ripping off Bad Boy artists. But it looks like he may have tried to rip off the wrong artist.”
Quoting an un-named “insider” at “Bad Boy headquarters” the report described an argument about money leading to Elephant and his entourage running up in Puffy’s office and the Bad Boy Entertainment CEO getting his sunglasses bent and his lip busted. Elephant Man’s publicist soon issued a brief statement dismissing the allegations, but of course Boomshots had to speak with the Energy God directly.
“Don’t follow everything you read on the internet,” says Elephant Man, who reached out by cell phone to vehemently deny the charges reported on the website.
“Okay, the real deal is that’s a rumor,” said Elephant as he stepped off a flight to Toronto in the midst of his North American tour. “That’s just some people player hating, putting up crap on the internet, but they can’t stop what’s about to happen because Elephant Man is straight Bad Boy for life.”
Let’s Get Physical boasts a star-studded lineup with guest appearances by Rihanna (on “Throw Your Hands Up”) Wyclef (on “Five Oh,” which also has a remix featuring Young Joc, Assassin, and Swizz Beatz), Busta Rhymes & Shaggy (on “The Way We Roll”), Mya (on “This Is My Life”) not to mention “Jump” a Swizz Beatz banger that Elephant predicts is “gonna cause chaos in the club” and, last but not least, the album’s sultry title track “Let’s Get Physical” featuring Kat De Luna and Dipset diva Jah Jah. But the latest addition to the long-awaited CD is teen R&B superstar and current VIBE cover boy, Chris Brown.
“We just finished the track with me and Chris,” Elephant revealed exclusively to Boomshots. “It’s called “Feel The Steam”—me and Chris Brown on a dancehall riddim, he’s singing about how he’s gonna make the girls’ body wet. It’s something crazy, like you never heard Chris Brown before. We’re planning to use that one for the second single." The teen sensation known to fans as "C Breez" wants to direct the video himself. "It’s gonna be crazy, trust me," says Elephant. "We got all the girls right now. This is the tighest dancehall album in a long while," Ele adds. "Dancehall needs this right now, trust me. Who else gonna keep up the Billboard status?”
A veteran of rap and R&B collabos with artists ranging from Janet Jackson, Rihanna, and Missy to the Youngbloodz and Twista, Elephant insists that nothing has changed since he became the first dancehall artist to sign with Bad Boy. “To me it’s not different,” he says. “It’s all about what you do and how you do it. I try to marry the hip hop attitude with the dancehall energy.”
Elephant speculates that his success is what inspires the irresponsible intenet propaganda. “You got player haters out there,” he says. “But if they are gonna get up and say something like that, it should be at least nearly like the truth.” First of all, Elephant says he was not even in America when the alleged incident took place. “I was in Jamaica celebrating my birthday,” he states for the record. But even if he were in town, he denies the underlying premise of the story.
“Why is Elephant gonna be having a fight with Puffy when Elephant and Puffy don’t need to be in no money argument?” he asks. “When you’re going through deals, that goes through your lawyer and their lawyer. So it’s just haters man. Trust me. They’re dunce. They’re illiterate. They get up, got nothing to do, so they go on the net and they lie and mix people up and put your fans on the wrong channel all the time. So I’m just clearing the air and letting the fans know it’s just a rumor. Nuttin like that. Never went down. Not gonna go down. Never. Elephant Man and Diddy is very good.”
“What I like about Bad Boy,” he says, “they gave me a big studio at Daddy’s House for myself. If I want to work with any artist I can get them. Promotionally Puffy got it locked. I’ve never had a van with my picture on it before. Plus Puffy knows music. On some tracks you have some likkle melodic thing a gwan, but he let me keep it dancehall.”
Puffy returns the respect: “Elephant Man has the personality, energy, star power, and veteran stage presence that we love,” he has said. “When I saw him ripping down the stage I knew he was the one.”
For years without tears and fears. www.boomshots.comPosted on September 26, 2007 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0).
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NEW ELEPHANT MAN featuring WYCLEF
The waiting is over. Here it is, the first cut from Elly's long-awaited Bad Boy Records debut LET'S GET PHYSICAL. So in comes a musical thing from the ELEPHANT MAN featuring Wyclef Jean, sounds called "Five-O." Wyclef and Jerry Wonder gave the Energy God a tasty groove... this might just be the first record Elly ever made with live instruments, much less an intro from Diddy.
No long talking. Run the track...
Posted on April 4, 2007 3:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1002) | TrackBacks (0).
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ACTION PACKED
BUJU BANTON'S NEW VIDEO FOR "DRIVER A"
Ever since I got my hands on a pre-release copy of Buju Banton's latest album TOO BAD, I've been wearing out track #11, a hustler's saga known as "Driver A." The song is a straight-up masterpiece, silencing any doubters who questioned the DJ's relevance in 2007. After 16 years on dancehall's front lines, Buju remains "Action packed while some bwoy a pure lip."
In the space of a two-minute fifty-one-second excursion on Sly & Robbie's "Unmetered Taxi" riddim, Buju lays out a cinematic scenario complete with fully realized characters and verite details that erase any trace of fantasy. Leaving no room for guesswork, the song's narrator outlines explicit instructions for his wheelman: where to go, how fast to drive, when to arrive, who is informer, even what he can and can't drink or smoke while dropping off this package of "Arizona." As the bossman explains, "All me life savings a ride pon this."
So please don't crack a smile when the big man tells his driver "A business man ah run, me no inna no 'but' nor 'because.' My gal wan' wear Victoria's Secret drawers." This is serious business, deadly serious. "No feel your brain big, no bother draw card. The last bwoy who try that dead like dog."
The same day Buju's FedEx package arrived at VIBE's offices, with "Driver" still ringing in my ears, I caught up with him for a phone interview, part of which went a little something like this:
I JUST RECEIVED YOUR ALBUM THIS MORNING SO I NEED TO VIBES IT SOME MORE, BUT I'M REALLY FEELING THAT SONG "DRIVER" WHERE YOU'RE GIVING THE MAN INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW NOT TO GET CAUGHT.Buju: [laughing] This one is a dancehall classic you know. Different from all the rest. Everybody’s putting out records and calling it dancehall while their trying to rap or trying to think like they’re Americans. I cannot do that. I am the original Buju Banton who set the pattern. I am the guy all these soundalikes pirate to big up themselves and make me look like I am not doing my job or I am not an artist of caliber. But listen to the work that I put out. This is the original dancehall vibe. If it doesn’t sound like this, it’s white-washed.
WHEN I HEAR YOU ON THE OLD "TAXI" RIDDIM I CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
Buju: Yeah, man! Riding it like a real champion do!
THAT'S IT. "DON'T EVEN HITCH," AS YOU WOULD SAY. BUT DANCEHALL HAS BECOME A VERY TRENDY THING THESE DAYS, HASN'T IT? EVERYBODY'S TRYING THEIR OWN "DANCEHALL STYLE" THING.
Buju: To me it’s so fucking monotonous. I can’t stand it. I want to hear real dancehall that I can play when I hit the I- 95 and just…you know what I mean? Just drive and hear some good music.
* * * *
Of course the tune soon took Jamaica by storm. Judging by the response in this dance, "Driver" is a true "Boomshot" in every sense of the word:
Although "Driver A" was not promoted as a single, it soon became a phenomenon of its own accord, spreading to distant shores and confounding naysayers who predicted "that tune nah have no visa." On the contrary, "Driver" proved once again that the global marketplace will embrace raw uncut dancehall when the tune is right.
As a matter of fact, just last Thursday, I heard DJ Cipha Sounds rinsing a "Driver A" dubplate (over Rich Boy's "Throw Some Ds" beat) on NYC's Hot 97FM during the rush hour mix show. In other words, the rawer the better.
After all, you can always clean up your act when it's time to shoot the video. Case in point, check these exclusive stills from Buju's new video:
That's Buju Banton as "The Boss" (If you can't tell by the suit, tie, and the red Ferrari). New York radio pioneer Jeff Sarge plays the starring role, "Driver A" (note the fuzzy dice on his vintage red Checker Marathon).
"I wan' you carry this round the road fi me… And don't take no talk from nobody. Just do weh me tell you fi do, seen star? And make sure say everything work according to how man set the ting fi work, seen? Take back yourself and bring back yourself inna one piece. Make sure say you reach. Hear me! Lord a' mercy... DRIVER. Don't stop at all. Drop this Arizona round a Alba Mall. Driver. Don't even hitch. Collect dat little food deh and come back quick. Driver. Just remember the damn speed limit cause if you run in the Feds, my friend that is it." (TRANSLATION FOR THE PATOIS IMPAIRED: "Driver, please avoid unnecessary stoppages as you deliver this package of marijuana at Alba Mall. I cannot sufficiently emphasize the importance of your not stopping along the way. Collect the funds and make a hasty retreat. Driver be very wary of the Constabulary Force as they have set up quite a few speed traps along the path you have to travel.")
Now that we've straightened that out. Check out the official music video for Buju Banton's "Driver A," directed by Troy Antonio and brought to you by the good folks at Gargamel productions. CLICK RIGHT HERE TO VIEW
For years without tears and fears. www.boomshots.com
Posted on April 2, 2007 7:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (244) | TrackBacks (0).
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THE ANGRY LION
STEPHEN MARLEY PREPARES HIS DEBUT ALBUM MIND CONTROL
Stepping out from behind the boards and into the spotlight, producer, performer, and songwriter Stephen Marley will soon release his long-awaited solo debut, MIND CONTROL on the Tuff Gong / Ghetto Youths / Universal label. The album is a rich and varied musical banquet—strictly ital of course—lovingly prepared by a master chef.
The production mastermind behind Damian “Junior Gong” Marley’s double-Grammy-winning WELCOME TO JAMROCK has appeared as a guest vocalist on all three of his youngest brother’s albums dating back to 1996. Junior Gong returns the favor on the boisterous beat-box-driven hit single, “Traffic Jam.” Said tune, which has been bubbling all over radio waves this winter, must be the most cheerful song ever recorded about a ganja bust.
[CLICK RIGHT HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO]This playful mood is balanced by the preceding track, “Iron Bars,” through which Stephen channels the outrage of an innocent man incarcerated for partaking of a sacramental herb. “Let me out,” he roars, “I’m an angry lion.” That track’s only flaw is that Spragga Benz’s ferocious guest verse is so powerful that it proves impossible to follow (leaving one listener fiending for a full Benz album, but I digress). Elsewhere, Mos Def contributes a tasty verse to the tender “Hey Baby” but such a personal song doesn’t really require another point of view; the cameo feels tacked on rather than organic. Ultimately, the strength of this record is not in the guest spots, but the main attraction.
So much has been made of his production skills that it’s a revelation to focus on Stephen’s vocals for a change. Much like his father, he’s a man of many voices. On the blazing title track and cuts like “Chase Dem” Stephen sounds like he’s got a belly full of fire. Modern roots reggae gets no rougher. His deejay flow on “Traffic Jam” recalls the days when he used to bust two rhymes as the raggamuffin little brother in the Melody Makers. But on the magisterial album closer “Inna De Red,” Stephen’s voice bleeds all over a backdrop of Niyabinghi drums, Ben Harper’s bristling guitar, and children chanting the name of Jah. It’s a fitting conclusion for this impressive debut, serving as a reminder that at the end of the day, Stephen Marley’s musical mission is about much more than entertainment.
As Stephen and Damian Marley prepare to head out on a North American tour in anticipation of MIND CONTROL's March 20th release [check boomshots.com for tour dates], we rewind back to a conversation that took place many months ago in Los Angeles while Stephen was working on the album that would become MIND CONTROL. He spoke with electric intensity that evening in the recording studio. When talking about his own work, thoughts of his father, whom he refers to by the old street name “Gong,” are never far away. With every word, the depth of Stephen’s artistic commitment was crystal clear, as was his sense of responsibility for upholding a legendary family legacy.
IT SEEMS LIKE DANCEHALL REGGAE HAS BEEN BREAKING INTO THE MAINSTREAM MORE AND MORE.Certain dancheall music is still kinda the lighter side of it. I would say is more party music than where you go to the club and you beat a Guiness and you burn a spliff you know? Well you know the more cultural side now is something weh you woulda really have to meditate. So you can’t really party and meditate at the same time. So you know… I mean, it’s natural. The way me see it is just natural. Just so it go man.
YOU HEAR REGGAE SOUNDS IN RAP AND R&B PRODUCTION RIGHT NOW… BUT SOMETIMES THE MESSAGE GETS LOST.
Well I guess that is what you call now substance. That is more purposeful. You know I mean? It’s not just for a club or not really just the lighter side of things. Well you know, this is more serious. You done know.
From ever since, is not everyone want to face reality. A lot of people would like to get away from reality. More than fi say, Bwoy, you face it. Or BLOODCLAAT—a this really a gwan? It heavy. So a whole heap of people kinda try get ’way from it. So them kinda draw to the lighter side of things. Which is natural, but... The substantial things them really cause effect pon the right people. Message in the music. Yeah mon.
HOW DO YOU THINK THE WORLD IS CHANGING AFTER 9/11—MUSICALLY AND OTHERWISE?
These guys are just implementing their plans. And it’s bigger than even your question, in terms of you know, the answer. You haffi just have knowledge of what’s going on. Caw it’s deep. If you check it, it’s deep.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT JR. GONG WINNING THE GRAMMY AWARD?
How we feel bout that? We feel good, you know, is an achievement, and is our achievement. No guy never help we. Big magazine never come interview we and dem ting. So, y’understand? Me feel good bout that. But then we don’t make music for awards, still. So—you know? We ah move. Yeah. Bless. Give thanks. But… The Mission. So we still want the numbers then. Cause that mean more people. That mean people. You understand? And the support we supposed to get. From we born we stand fi something. Yeah, and a whole heap ah guy go round that sometime and me see them. You know? I mean… Cho!
SO THERE IS A LARGER PURPOSE TO THIS TOUR?
To show what we stand for. Every time we move, every time we speak is just to show what we stand for. So I mean the tour is a part of it. We a play music from 78, 79. So we couldn’t just come now fi show… Who know, know. Who no know, nuh know. I and I steadfast—you know me ah say—with we mission, you know? So the tour is the beginning of something positive to look forward to every year. And next year still, next year we hope now, Jah willing, fi bring in our music, our people, more and more. Know weh me ah say? Yeah, this year we kinda set it and say yeah, it kinda feasible.
WHAT’S YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIP HOP AND REGGAE RIGHT NOW?
A good likkle ting’s happening still, but we haffi know weh we ah do. Caw then [snaps fingers] it will just go like that too. Becaw the world big and America’s the biggest. Done know. So we haffi know weh we ah do, and recognize what’s going on and face it the right way. You know, cause right now, just because a likkle thing is going on, you have some people kinda just sell out fi nothing. You done know. Them no hold on ’pon the value and them feel say caw it’s a fast riddim and bbbrrrrrr... [makes a machine gun sound]…
Yeah, but what happen to the creative part? The longevity? Wha’ happen the next five years from now? Ten years from now, wha? So we haffi set weself as a fraternity, as Jamaican music, fi know say Yeah, now are the time fi everyone… yeah. Don’t make them feel say it’s one ting… Make them know say the whole ah we deh-ya. Me is just one player. You have whole heap more like me weh need fi shine too. And that must be done. Caw me’s a youth me probably can count the amount of dance me go.
REALLY?
Yeah, I mean, you know? But see dem man deh… Within dancehall you have man like Capleton, you know what I’m saying, you have heavy gunners still. The youth dem weh set it. The real thing. When you check it—them youth yah fi get highlight an’ ting. The man dem who go through it, who set it. Who give it the meaning weh it have. And we haffi know that. Caw weh me come from, me respect them.
IT’S GOOD TO SEE SOME OF THOSE VETERANS GETTING THEIR DUE RESPECT.
Yeah man, and Elephant and dem man deh too. Dem ghetto youth deh. Me love that. That’s good.
IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE THE PRODUCERS GET MORE CREDIT THAN THEY DO.
Well them haffi stop sell out.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO PUT THE ROOTS AGAINST THE DANCEHALL… LIKE OIL AND WATER.
No!
SO IT ALL BLENDS TOGETHER?
Yeah mon, how you mean? I man is still is of that generation also, of dancehall. Yeah, we still grew up on Dillinger same time when we ah listen Gong, Dillinger an’ Big Youth an’ dem man. Them man deh are the real… Them man deh make it name dancehall. You know I mean? So still it was always one music, you know? You have the rootical and, you know me ah say, the more streetical rebel-ous type ah ting was the dancehall. And then the more spiritual thing, the roots ting balance. Balance.
WITHIN HIP HOP YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE PORTRAYING GANGSTERISM... WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND REAL REVOLUTIONARIES?
I mean portrait is a picture, is an image of something. When you portray something is not the real ting. You know? I mean… substance is still the thing. Substance is what a rebel stands for. And what a gangsta stands for—him kinda defend a next ting. A rebel now, him defend a cause, a purpose. A gangsta kinda defend him ting or whatever. But—Rasta is the key. You done know. Nuttin no ruff like Rasta or tuff like Rasta or lovin’ like Rasta. You know? Any which way you wan’ come… RASTA.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE EVOLUTION OF DANCEHALL MUSIC FROM DILLINGER DAYS TILL NOW. DO YOU THINK TODAY’S MUSIC IS EQUALLY AS RESPECTED?
America don’t know how fi deal with one drop.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO DANCE IN THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BEATS.
Yeah is like you haffi relate to it. You haffi relate to that bloodclaat. But still, you done know, just like Gong say, “A good man still no honored in his own country.” Ah so it go you know. What I mean by that still is, if that message music was put out there, it’s got substance. Substance is the thing. I’m not saying anything wrong with party music. But the more you do this… is the less you have time for that. To stand out, it’s what you have to do. Certain things you haffi refrain from because…
WHAT IS THE NEXT LEVEL THAT YOU ARE REACHING FOR?
The next level? To see the people know. The people still no know, because them no get it like that. They get the commercial thing. They try that, and it kinda no fit. Certain things still need to be heard. But once the people get it them nah let it go. Them thing deh affect your life. Not just how you look or how you talk , like Yeah mon or What’s up dude? Once the people them really get it, that ah it. So that’s why we never stop. One of them blow yah must get in.
YOU SEE YOUR MUSIC AS MUCH MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT. IT’S PART OF A LARGER STRUGGLE.
This music is nah no joke thing. Y’understand. Even the whole militancy of the music and the whole frame of mind supposed to show back inna yourself. Remember this now. I and I grow around the Gong, the ultimate fighting machine. You understand? Him fight you with words weh liberate a nation. So you can’t get more powerful than that, in terms of raw power weh come out of a man. You understand. So we grow with that. We grow with that kind of purpose. So we know say, Yo, Certain thing light. Me nah take nuttin from nothing still. But you know heavy and you know light.
Member the Gong now. It come back again to substance. Weh you stand for. Weh you a deal with. Remember say is music make them try assass… Is music make them come fire shot.
YOU MEAN WHEN THEY TRIED TO KILL YOUR FATHER BEFORE THE PEACE CONCERT?
For music. For weh this man yah say and ah deal with, even inna Jamaica. It ah liberate the people them so… The music heavier than a magazine cover. Life. It deal with llife. And it have an affect pon we life. You done know, We know what the struggle is about.
I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO SOME PEOPLE ABOUT THE ZIMBABWE CONCERT, AND HOW MUSIC CAN BE A FORCE WITHIN A COUNTRY’S STRUGGLE FOR LIBERATION. WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THAT CONCERT?
Yo—me remember. That show was a bloodclaat show to bloodclaat. Caw me never know what teargas was. And you know, me see the people them a run and a drop. Them time you have some bloodclaat tank and them ting deh push down the fence.
TANKS?
Yeah because member say, Prince Weh Him Name did deh deh still.
PRINCE CHARLES?
Yeah, that bwoy deh. [laughs]
AND A BIG CROWD OF PEOPLE?
Yeah, so when the people them get a way now, fi him army panic. Caw fi him army come with him you know.
SO THE PRINCE WAS ACTUALLY LISTENING TO THE MUSIC TOO?
No… is like Gong break pon the stage. And the people get a way to bloodclaat. And me ah tell you, me see the tank and dem ting and ray ray. But you know, true we deh pon the stage, me deh deh ah look an ting. And Ziggy a run come and me say, How the people dem a drop? And him a say “tear gas.” So that was how we get introduced to tear gas.
DID IT BURN YOUR EYES?
Yeah man and the Gong come run with two towels and put it over we face and them carry we off.
YOU NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT IN JAMAICA?
In Jamaica we protected in terms of we nah go anywhere without we family. But yo, that did big though. That was powerful. Y’understand. That was powerful. Beca’ we go back the next day and do the show... Yeah because it haffi stop you know. And Gong get vexed and say "No! Show tomorrow." So we lick the show the next day.
AND HE GETS UP AND SINGS A SONG THAT SAYS “EVERY MAN HAVE A RIGHT TO DECIDE HIS OWN DESTINY.”
Some people become things. You have some man who become good. We born certain way. You never hear we talk bout under no gal… or no…eh-eh. You always hear one thing. If you like it or not. If it sells or not. If it plays on the radio or not. We not gonna change tomorrow. [bangs the table] YEAH… So the struggle continues.
For years without tears and fears. www.boomshots.com
Posted on February 28, 2007 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (202) | TrackBacks (0).
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DIGITAL WE DIGITAL
13 years ago I started writing a monthly column in VIBE about the toughest reggae dancehall dub rockers sounds around. Today we squeeze off the first round of the Boomshots blog, your very own digital B-side version. FIRE!
Watch this space for real reggae news, views, reviews, previews, interviews, and of course x-amount of audio and video. Can't think of a better theme song than King Kong's 1987 banger on the Black Solidarity label. Like the singer says, "Digital we digital. We a dancehall field marshall."
For years without tears and fears. www.boomshots.com
Posted on February 23, 2007 7:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (57) | TrackBacks (0).
Vibe Confidential: The Lowdown On The Downlow
Intro
Reggae, riddims & reality... computerized.
Recent Posts
Galleries
Meagan Good Mariah Carey @ Good Morning America Summer Concert Series The Dream @ the United Center in Chicago, IL Nicole Scherzinger Lloyd Video Shoot featuring Ludacris Beyonce Vibe Covers 1997 MyNetworkTV's "Under One Roof" Tanqueray Style Sessions: San Francisco Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige @ Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA