Jamaican reggae singer, Orthodox Issachar, records song in English and Amharic
Orthodox Issachar, a roots reggae singer, has recorded his latest single “Kuch Bel” in a mix of English and the native language of Ethiopia, known as Amharic. The song shows Issachar’s love for Ethiopia, where he is currently an official resident although he lives in Montreal. “Kuch Bel” means “sit down” in Amharic, and it […]
Jamaica Reggae Industry Association Honor Awards 2016 – Review & Photos
Reggae Month’s marquee event, the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) Honor Awards was held on February 28th at the Courtleigh Auditorium in Kingston. The annual event seeks to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the music industry. This year, over twenty four (24) persons where honored in various categories. Some of the awardees […]
Album Review – Assassin: Theory of Reggaetivity
In the absence of artists like Buju Banton and Terror Fabulous, Reggae music has been left with a vacuum in regards to the rough voiced sound of the streets backed by culturally conscious lyrics and the distinct drum and bass heavy, low temple rumble that only real reggae provides. In recent years, Busy Signal touched […]
7 Ways Ricky Is Blessing The Nation
27- Year- Old Ricardo Lorenza Gordon (stage name Ricky Blessing) of Kitson Town, St. Catherine got saved when he was only seven years old, primarily influenced by his Christian upbringing. Being a Christian at that age proved to be challenging because he didn’t really understand the true meaning of living for Christ. However, as he grew […]
VIDEO: Online Music Blogger Says “Work,” “Sorry” Tracks Are Dancehall
Nerd Writer, a U.S.-based online music blogger, believes that Rolling Stone magazine is wrong when it classifies “Work,” the recent single from Rihanna, as in the tropical house genre instead of dancehall. He points to the fact that the single liberally samples “Sail Away,” a classic dancehall rhythm released in 1998 by Richie Stephens. The […]
VIDEO: Richie Stephens & Lisa Hanna Take Issue with Rolling Stone’s View of “Work”
Jamaica’s Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna criticized Rolling Stone magazine on social media for not giving the dancehall music genre the credit it deserves. Stemming from an article that discussed Rihanna’s popular track “Work,” Hanna called on the magazine to “check your facts,” noting that the singer had sampled a 1998 classic Jamaican […]
Rihanna’s Latest Single Pays Homage to Richie Stephens’ 1998 Dancehall Riddim
The official lead single (“Work”) on Rihanna’s latest studio album “Anti” features Drake and honors the 1998 dancehall tune by Richie Stephens “Sail Away.” Stephens described his reaction to Rihanna’s interest in his melody as being “overjoyed.” Stephens took action at the request of Rihanna’s management to help in clearing the rights to the sample […]
VIDEO: Morgan Heritage Wins 2016 Grammy For Best Reggae Album
Today Morgan Heritage won the 2016 Grammy For Best Reggae Album with the album “Strictly Roots”. See their acceptance speech below. The list of nominees For Best Reggae Album included Barrington Levy, Jah Cure, Rocky Dawuni & Luciano. Morgan Heritage’s posted these 2 Instagram messages in response to their first Grammy : “Words are not […]
Top 11 Best Romantic Songs by Beres Hammond
Beres Hammond is known worldwide for his romantic lovers rock reggae music. His soulful voice and romantic lyrics has produced some of the best reggae songs for lovers. Here are my Top 11 Best Romantic Songs by Beres Hammond. 1. I’m In Love With You 2. Groovy Little Thing 3. There For You 4. In […]
American Music Critics Mistake Jamaican Patois for “Gibberish” on Rihanna’s New Single
Some American music critics inadvertently exposed their ignorance of Jamaican culture by referring to Rihanna’s latest single “Work” as devolving into “gibberish.” In fact, Rihanna is speaking Jamaican patois, which is a language based on English that includes West African influences. Originating in the 17th century when slaves imported from West and Central Africa heard, […]