Billboard Names Producers Responsible for Bringing Dancehall Back to the Charts
Billboard Music has noted that the dancehall sound has been absent from the music charts in recent years, but now it has been brought back by several producers who got the attention of American listeners. 1. Sean “Sevn” Thomas Sean “Sevn” Thomas, 25, of Toronto, had his breakthrough with Drake’s “10 Bands” in 2015 and […]
Jamaican Producer Moves Usher into Dancehall Genre on “Hamilton” Tune
Popstar Usher has joined in on the popularity of dancehall music in his “Wait for It,” which is produced by Jamaica’s Dwayne “Supa Dups” Chin-Quee. The track is from “The Hamilton Mixtape” from Atlantic Records, which hit the top of the Billboard 200 Album Chart on the opening week. This was the first compilation to […]
Poco vs Dembow: Reggae Dancehall’s mislabeled roots
In wake of the ongoing gentrification of Reggae music and even more so, It’s popular sub-genre dancehall, I continue to find articles from non-Jamaican or of no Jamaican descent music commentators describing a “Poco” beat as “dembow”. This is a mistake and when put into contexts, a pretty silly one. Here’s where keeping it real […]
Billboard Picks 2016’s Ten Best Reggae Albums
Reggae music fans had an exceptional year in 2016, with an increase in dancehall popularity and the music tagged with labels like “tropical house” and “Caribbean bass,” which bothered reggae aficionados. That said, Billboard selected the following as the ten best reggae albums of the year. 1. Vybz Kartel with “King of the Dancehall.” At […]
5 Things You Did Not Know About Konshens
Dancehall reggae singer Konshens burst onto the scene in 2005 and has been making hit songs since then. His hits include “Winner”, “Rasta Impostor”, “This Means Money”, “Good Girl Gone Bad”, “Gal Dem A Talk”, “Realest Song”, “Represent”, “Do Sumn” and “Forward”. Born Garfield Spence, he has stated his primary musical influence is Beres Hammond. We […]
Top 2016 Reggae & Dancehall Highlights
January: Billboard’ choice of Joss Stone, for 2015 as Reggae Artiste of the Year, for her album, “Water for Your Soul.” This ignited an instant firestorm of criticism/pushback from critics of cultural appropriation Winston Blake, renown musicologist of the world famous “Merritone” sound system a rock steady pioneer died Shaggy and Friends Show Based Jamaican […]
Buju Banton May Get Early Release from Federal Prison
Reggae singer Buju Banton, who is currently serving a ten-year sentence for a 2009 drug trafficking charge at McRae Correctional Facility in Georgia, could have a new release date. Originally scheduled for release in 2019, Banton’s new date is December 8, 2018. The United States Justice Department announced in 2015 that it planned to release […]
Watch & Vote For Your Favorite VP Records Video for a Chance to Win
Vote Below For Your Favorite VP Records Video Release for 2017 for a chance to win a free download. Watch the top 10 videos below and vote on your favorite video at the end of the page. The poll ends 1/8/2017. #1 Shenseea ft. Vybz Kartel- Loodi #2 Estelle – Love Like Ours ft. Tarrus […]
Photo Highlights: Tarrus Riley & Friends 2016
The annual Tarrus Riley and Friends Concert was held on December 20th at what has become its usual venue, Emancipation Park. The theme for this year was an aptly selected theme; ‘A Crime Free Christmas’ . The annual concert concept was developed by guitarist Lamont ‘Monty’ Savory and Tarrus Riley. According to Monty, the idea was […]
Red Fox Live at Dunns River
Dunns River was the place to be on Friday night, as not only did the water flow… as in liquor, but the animal magnetism was let loose as the Fox…that is Mr. Red Fox pounced upon the audience with his catalogue of hits. Patrons traveled to Dunns River Lounge in Long Island, where they […]