I wanted to check in with you since i haven’t touched base in a few weeks.  Here’s  wanted to keep you in the know about the Reggae news that is exciting me these days.  The first news I have is great news for the World of Reggae but does make me eat my words from my post claiming that the Damian Marley and Nas album would never manifest.  Honestly, I’ve never been happier to be wrong.  The duo will be debuting their new African themed project titled “Distant Relatives” while headlining the famed “Rock The Bells” tour this summer.  Though there is plenty to read about the project, they have yet to release any audio from the album due to drop in just a few weeks (June 23rd).  I haven’t even seen any camera videos from the exclusive listening party they had in LA.  I am very excited to hear that Damian has done the bulk of the production with help from brother Stephen of course and maybe even guests such as Alchemist.  I’m not sure how much longer I can wait.. There is no doubt that this is going to take the music world by storm.  Click here for more information on this project.

The other big new is the long awaited release of Reggae’s newest star, Alborosie with his Greensleeves debut.  His album is scheduled to drop next Monday June, 15th.  We have come to expect a few things from Alborosie since he dropped Herbalist several years ago:  1)  He is consistent and never lets you down if you are looking for the hard hitting one drop Rub a dub style 2)  There is always an Alborosie track that you have never heard.  This project is no different and doesn’t feature any of the tracks that have made him famous.

Check out the track listing:
01. America
02. No Cocaine
03. Mama She Don’t Like You Feat. I.Eye
04. Global War
05. Money
06. Irusalem
07. I Can’t Stand It Feat. Dennis Brown
08. Real Story
09. Good Woman
10. Dung A Babylon
11. One Sound Feat. Gramps Morgan
12. Humbleness
13. Promise Land
14. Mr. President
15. Operation Uppsala
16. Likkle Africa 

Jah Bless – One Lovell

I wanted to give you a n installment of new music to check out as promised in the last post.  There are several albums that have recently released that I am very excited about.  As a Reggae fan I am used to getting excited by singles or new artists and rarely get the joy of three all new albums from seasoned veterans.

The first album I want to talk about is Jah Cure’s Universal Cure.  It is his first installment of new studio music since being released from prison several years ago.  We have enjoyed songs recorded while he was incarcerated but I know that I speak for all Reggae fans when I say that this album  highly anticipated.  Over the course of his career Cure has crafted some of Lovers Rock’s sweetest melodies as well as hard hitting one drop anthems.  This album is no exception.  As always there are the tracks on popular Jamaican riddims such as Sticky, Journey, Forever, Call On Me, and Green Grass but other notable cuts on the album are a heartfelt cover of Bob Marley’s “Burnin’ and Lootin,” as well as a monumental collaboration with Mavado, Junior Ried, and rapper Flo-Rida on “Hot Long Time.”  Mavado and Flo-Rida were added to this track for the album version.  Another favorite of mine is the single Mr. Jailer where Jah Cure explains to the jail keeper that he is as much of a prisoner.  He took his time but this album was definitely worth the wait.

I know that a new Sizzla album isn’t exactly a surprise since he releases no less than 3000 albums per month but this latest installment released of the legendary Greensleeves Record Label is an instant classic. Recorded with his touring band the Fire House Crew, this album brushes off recent flops (such as “Addicted”) and returns to the roots in the best way possible.  The single released several months ago was “Black Man In the White-house” where Sizzla praises President Barack Obama as an inspiration to all black people of the world.  It helps to set the tone for the positive and uplifting release from Conscious Dancehall’s biggest star.  The album is produced particularly well and experiments rather successfully with autotune pitch correction.  Personal favorite tracks of mine are “Jah Love,” “Stop It Right Now,” “Open Up The Doors,” and the token Nyabinghi chant track “Babylon Ease Off.”  This is a refreshing offering from Sizzla who has been known to take some drastic stylistic risks.  Give thanks, this will certainly stay locked in the deck for the coming months.

The reason I save this album for last is to make sure that is is fresh on your mind.  The latest releases from Sly and Robbie’s Taxi Label is the best Reggae album of the year but I might go as far as to say that it is the best pure Reggae album to be released in the last several years.  The rhythm twins are at it again and at their best as they craft smooth flowing classic sound to match to retro Bitty McLean.  After sharing this album with my parents and some older friends of mine I realized that many of these tracks are actually covers of classic soul songs which accounts for the classic vibe of the overall project.  It is also notably different musically from the hard hitting singles “Let Them Talk,” “The Real Thing,” and “Lately.”  My favorites are “Games,” “Lost Love,” “So In Love,” and “Jahovia” featuring Johnny Osbourne but honestly this is a cover to cover installment.  Seriously, press play and sit back and appreciate the craftsmanship and experience that went into making this album.  Literally thousands of songs produced and recorded by Sly and Robbie…  all leading to this.  You can check out an entire hour long concert by Bitty Mclean and the Taxi Gang on myspace.

In other news, my favorite newcomer Alborosie has been signed to Greensleeves records and will be releasing his long awaited debut album titled “Escape from Babylon.”  It’s sure to include several of his hits that have made him one of the most highly requested Deejay and producer but this Ras always seems to have a new track up his sleeve so it’s not to be missed.  Happy listening…. Give thanks.

Jah Bless   –   One Lovell

On this site I have talked at length about the profound influence that Reggae has had on the world of Hip Hop and Pop in general but something that I have yet to talk about is Dub. Dub is the foundation of Reggae and has led its own journey through music being the basis for much of the electronic music that is produced today. Dub’s tempo was doubled which created Drum n Bass which lead way to House and Techno. You can learn all about it and its pioneers in the new feature film “Dub Echos,” which looks to be one of the coolest reggae documentaries of all time. Seriously, this is not to be missed. Check out the trailer below. If that isn’t enough Dub, Rhapsody’s newest channel “Dub Wise” programmed by your truly will soon be available for free on Rhapsody.com. I’m really excited about this and will definitely let you know as soon as it is available. 

Last but not least let me put you up on a few tracks as always. First off let me flash you back with a rediscovery of one of Reggae’s many one hit wonders. Ever heard of VC? No I didn’t think so, but I bet you remember this cut from some party in the last decade. Track by the name of “By His Deeds.” I’m not sure what happened to you VC but you will never be forgotten because this is an anthem. Big Up. The next track on our always trusted YouTube playlist is a remix of Athea and Donna’s Dancehall classic “Uptown Top Rankin,” by our favorite Reggae crossover artist Estelle. This is a crazy track featured on Joni Rewind’s album. It’s great to see her sticking to her roots. We salute you.

Alborosie is at it again… At any given time there are at least 2 or 3 new Alborosie tracks floating around the digital world. Bredren, if you’re reading this, much respect but give us a chance to support you by releasing these tracks officially. We want to let you know how much we love you and want you to continue to produce and resurrect the original rub a dub style. And PLEASE COME ON TOUR TO THE U.S.!! My favorite new tracks that I featured below are Promise, Rainy Day, Always, and Angel. Got to keep up with this hard working Ras. I also included a couple riddims you’re bound to hear at the club this summer. We got Jah Cure and Cherine Anderson on the Indiscretions Riddim and Turbulence, Mykal Rose, new comer Mitch on the Collie Monster Riddim.

Enjoy and Jah Bless – One Lovell

Since I have neglected to update in the last few months, I wanted to look back on some of my favorite Reggae projects that came out in 2008. To start off, I got to big up my boy Gentleman, who absolutely tore it down at Reggae Rising 2008. His latest release is titled, “Another Intensity,” and features the rub-a-dub/one drop sound that we have come to expect from Germany’s finest but there are several tracks that need to be given special consideration. The first is the single with Sizzla titled, “Lack of Love,” which is featured in the YouTube playlist below. This remix was done for the video and is available on the “Soulfood” EP which is an 8 track release with several remixes of, “Lack of Love,” as well as dub versions of “Tranquility” and “Evolution.” Definitely check that out. Gentleman is always known for his collaborations with just about every star in Reggae and he stayed consistent with that theme linking with new comer Alborosie. They collaborated on the track, “Celebration,” that is by far the best selection on the album. Its a certified anthem.

Alborosie was busy in 2008 and made a name for himself quickly with a huge European Tour and a half dozen chart toppers. His album titled, “Soul Pirate,” was exclusively sold at his concerts but can be found on various online outlets. He blew up with tracks such as, “Rastafari Anthem,” “Kingston Town,” and “Sound Killah,” but showed staying power releasing track after track of booming One Drops that will make the old school heads nostalgic and dem youth slap it in their trunks. Alborosie represents that next generation of Reggae musicians that have gotten a chance to watch and study the masters such as Sly & Robbie, Black Uhuru, and Sizzla and use that to create a new hard hitting sound that Reggae has been lacking. If you don’t know Alborosie then check the tracks below and you’ll wonder what took you so long. It’s alright, that’s what I’m here for.

I have always talked about the fusion of Hip-Hop and Reggae and in 2008 it took on a new life. Many Reggae artists have been catapulted into popular music with a flurry of releases from the R&B world. Reggae was highly influenced in its early days by Motown and soul classics that could be heard from Miami and New Orleans radio stations so this is a natural progression. Among releases to mash it up in 2008 was Missy Elliot’s latest protégée, Jazmine Sullivan, and her single, “Need You Bad,” off her debut album, “Fearless.” This track features a nice dub bass line and Missy doing her best deejay impersonation, as well as Sullivan’s soulful singing, reminiscent of Lauren Hill. Make sure to also track down the remix that features T.I. rocking a patios flow. Safe to say Reggae has arrived and is here to stay in popular American music. Another major release was John Legend’s latest album, “Evolver.” This latest installment from the Legend is a refreshing eclectic mix that sounds well thought out and refined. John Legend always respects the music. That’s why when he went to make his Reggae track, he went to Jamaica to record it and brought along the latest phenomenon from the UK, Estelle, to make sure he got the sound he was looking for. What he ended up with was a track called, “No Other Love.” I think they did OK… hahaha (they mashed it up) judge for yourself.

Estelle had a huge 2008. She released a fantastic album titled, “Shine,” and stumbled on a smash hit with her single, “American Boy,” with Kanye West . But little did we know that was just the bait to bring you into her Reggae based soulful style. My favorite tracks are obviously the Reggae based, “Come Over” and “Magnificent,” but the entire album a very refreshing record that showcases all of Estelle’s musical talents. Definitely check that out. It seems like she’s become the new Reggae golden child already being featured on tracks with John Legend as I mentioned, and Kardinal Offishall, and Sean Paul. Here are some videos to highlight the tracks I talked about. Enjoy.

Jah Bless – One Lovell

Unfortunately for the Artists, the most reliable way to get the newest music is from street vendors. I picked up several CD mix tapes from the Higher Heights Sound System. On theseCD’s I did not find new songs from well known artists, but brand new artists with a fresh new sound. These included I-Octane, Demarco, Mavado, Queen Ifrika, Bugle, Da’ville, and Alaine. Sprinkled amongst these selections were songs from the likes of Lutan Fyah, Sean Paul featuring Shabba Ranks, and even Gregory Isaacs. Though I am an avid fan of Roots and Culture Reggae, I did pick up a Dancehall CD called Higher Heights Gangsta War, Volume 3. Featured on this CD were Mavado, Busy Signal, Vybz Kartel, Cobra, and Blak Rhyno. I was surprised by the quality of the new dancehall that had clearly been influenced by Hip-hop since the last time that I had heard.

Make sure you check out for these artists in the coming months, as I’m sure you will be hearing more from them as we approach the summer. Give thanks, and leave a comment to let me know what you think of these artists.You can always check out my radio show to hear the latest music that I am hyped on. Jah Guide

The biggest breakthrough was finally understanding why its so difficult to get Reggae music outside of Jamaica. Any Reggae artist that is known outside of Jamaica, is already known by everyone on the the island. The radio serves as the primary source for news and entertainment, so most Jamaicans are well versed in the popular music. Artists are deemed not ready for the marketplace unless they have already achieved success in Jamaica. This is the same for other genres, yet because of geographic isolation that Jamaica faces and the relatively low level of technology, this prolongs the release of Jamaican music abroad for months.

Besides the radio, the other event that informed this revelation was my visit to Tuff Gong studios. Tuff Gong is the label that Bob Marley Started and is one of the most recognizable symbols in reggae music. Upon my arrival, I was excited to find all of the music that i couldn’t find in the U.S. in the famed “record store.” On entering the record store, I was greeted with a beautiful collage of artist posters and album covers, but only a single rack of popular American CDs. Very disappointed, I looked through the CD’s until i finally asked a person working if they had any Alborosie that I could purchase. Alborisie is a New sing-jay from Italy who remixes classic Reggae songs, and another artist that i have had a hard time finding tracks from since he has not had an official release as of yet. By asking this question, I was taken into a back room with thousands of 45’s. I knew that many artists released these as the first production, but i had no idea the volume of music that was haphazardly stacked around the room. Each box was labeled with only the name of the song, with songs from the same artist in the same general area. As you can imagine, I was extactic to gain access to this treasure chest of music, but i quickly became frustrated as I flipped through the records (being sold for 75 Jamaican Dollars, about $1.10) finding new tracks that I had never heard in addition to many artists that were also new to me. All I could think about was the reasoning for this ancient way of producing music.

I understand that this is how Reggae has always been produced, but with Damian and Stephen Marley running the label, I am surprised that it was not a more organized operation. I’m not even suggesting that they stop releasing 45, because the DJ’s have grown accustomed to them, but at least make the music avail able for sale in some other form so that street vendors are not the first people to have the newest releases.

This journey to Jamaica was a life changing experience, and one that will shape the future of this site. I know what I must do to help the community I love and respect capitalize on the international market that exists for their product. I know that Jamaica is the birthplace for the culture, and that this is the first priority of the genre, but there is nothing un-Irie about making money. I see a huge amount of money spent on a product that doesn’t make it to the people that deserve it. The artist has the power to change that by embracing technology and bringing the fan closer than ever before. If not, then Reggae will be left behind.

Check out these pictures from my visit to Tuff Gong Studios, and check back soon for more updates. One Love and Jah Guide.