Issential Knowledge

What a Gwaan,
Keeping you up on all the happenings in the Reggae world I want to give you a heads up on a new artist that should definitely be on your radar. First making a splash on the Collie Monster Riddim with his hit “Boom Draw,” Mitch has been swooped up by Sly and Robbie for his debut album “Original Yard Man.” As you know I will listen to just about anything that Sly & Robbie produce, but I really think that this project was a major success for them as they remain the most innovative production team in Reggae.  Mitch has a sound reminiscent of Akon and the Rhythm Twins laid the foundation for him to bust on the scene and infiltrate the Dancehall.  Featuring new and classic riddims as well as guests appearances from Wyclef, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Elephant Man, and rapper Scantana this will definitely be an album that every DJ is sure to have.

The record starts strong with “Want No More” over the legendary Baltimore Riddim, then moves on to a hard hitting Hip-Hop feel on “Follow Me” and “Ghetto Heaven.”  The cuts you’re sure to hear spun by your favorite Selectah are the aptly named “DJ,” “Bounce,” and “Grown” which sounds more like something coming out of Atalanta than Jamaica.  And though this is a fresh step for Reggae, Mitch also has a few tracks for us purists with “Borrowed Time,” “Come Back Baby,” and my personal favorite “Special For You.” Mitch seemingly came from nowhere but apparently he expects to be around for a while with his signature tag line “It’s Mitch Again!” Check the videos below and catch the vibe.

Jah Bless – Marley “One” Lovell

Hey there Reggae fans.  As you may or may not know, I am fortunate enough to be employed at Rhapsody.com as a “producer,” managing the content submitted by record labels and distributors.  Now that I have worked there for a few months, I have been able to fully manage all of the Reggae that we have available on the service.  I take pride in the fact that we don’t have multiple listings of guys like Gregory Isaacs and Michael Rose that have recordings released in several versions of their names.  It’s not perfect but it’s a work in progress.  I can also say that if you are a Reggae fan, a Rhapsody membership is worth it because I have been digitally crate digging for 7 months every day and still have not explored everything that we have.  Fortunately I was able to also take over the Reggae “Channels” that we have available that is essentially a commercial free music stream that is available at Rhapsody.com.  I will be constantly updating these stations with quality tracks that I find throughout our vast library and make sure that you stay up to date on new releases and rising artists.

Reggae Essentials:

This is where all the hot One Drops go down…  You know I am a huge fan of the classic one drop made famous by the Wailers and every roots band that followed them such as Steel Pulse, Black Uhuru, Dennis Brown and the list goes on.  That is the back drop with a strong representation of the new school roots movement.  I really feel passionate about the up and coming Reggae music that has evolved into hard hitting anthems from the likes of Gentleman, Richie Spice, Sizzla, Capleton, I Wayne, Warrior King, Gyptian, and of course the Marley Brothers always leading the charge.  There is over 1000 songs in rotation on this channel so there is always something new to hear.  Definitely check this out.

Dancehall:

Most people associate Dancehall with the pulsating Soca like feel, but Dancehall is so much more.  When I think of the Dancehall I think of the originators.  Guys like Barrington Levy, Cocoa Tea, and Michigan and Smiley. So I did a major overhaul of this station and added a more classic feel.  Of course there are plenty of tracks from the major stars such as Shaggy, Sean Paul, Shabba Ranks, Rihanna, Busy Signal, Buju Banton, and many others.  I have held back on the amount of tracks from artists such as Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel, and other controversial artists though they do have some tracks that I felt fit the atmosphere that I wanted to create.  I’m also considering doing an overhaul on this station and turning it into a station that also features Hip-Hop collaborations.  Please check it out and let me know what you think.

Dub Wise:
This is my baby.  I did an overhaul on the the other stations and made them my own, but Dub Wise is a One Lovell original.  I thought that it would be a good fit for people who are at work and need some instrumental music to check vibe out to.  I tried not to make it too slow and repetitive but I think that it really came together once I got enough different artists involved that fit.  Of course we have Lee “Scratch” Perry, King Tubby, Augustus Pablo, Sly and Robbie, Dean Fraser and many classic pioneers of dub but I also included selections from Thievery Corporation, Gorillaz, Zenzile, and other electronic artists to change up the feel of the playlist.  As I have grown older, my appreciation for dub has steadily increased and now is a major influence in my life.  The simplicity is calming and humbling…

I really feel blessed to be given the opportunity to share my passion for Reggae music for a living so please take full advantage of these FREE music streams.  Music is and always be for sharing and we are developing more and more ways to do that.  That is my mission.  In the spirit of sharing, I’ll be back to share some fantastic new releases soon.

Jah Bless    –   One Lovell

Blessings, The Movement is here.

Though Reggae enjoys a constant influx of new artists to discover, it is rare that a new band arrives on the scene.  Rootz Underground has emerged as a very refreshing alternative to the riddim circuit and has several tracks that deserve anthem status on their debut album “Movement.”  They hit the ground running with their single “Victims of a System” which I actually picked up on 7″ while at the Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica last year.  I originally picked it up to support my cousin, guitarist Jeffery Moss-Solomon  but after I threw on the record I knew that that would only be a very fortunate side note because they had finally delivered the sound that Reggae purists were searching for.  Hard hitting one drops and nyabinghi drums with some of the most righteous lyrics that I have heard in a while.  And finally a band!  After I picked up the album I was impressed with the consistency and sincerity of each of the track.  My personal favorite is “Herb Fields” where singer Stephen Newland pays homage to his Rastafarian upbringing chanting, “the secret the my mama used to hide from me, I man must have been born inna herb fields.”  Rastafarianism is a relatively new religion so it is is beautiful to see other youth that have been raised with consciousness.  This song is important because it reveals his upbringing and honors his parents commitment to Rasta.

Reggae is a genre that is made to be played live.  Many other genres use a lot of studio production when making an album and then have a hard time accurately depicting it in a live setting but Reggae is exactly the opposite.  Roots Reggae was born out of the live sessions of Sly and Robbie and the Roots Radics and the members of Rootz Underground have clearly been paying attention.  Their live performance is where they capture the true essence of the music and this is why they have enjoyed so much success.  The talent and dedication of the band is evident immediately as they flow seamlessly from song to song and even add samples and live mixing to remix the album versions.  They know that reggae fans will never complain of too much dub-wise.  The primary reason I chose to highlight them now is because they are offering a free download of their latest release “Alive,” which captures the unique experience that is a Rootz Underground show.  Please take this opportunity to support them and discover the next generation in Roots Reggae.  I got big up all the members of the band  and thank you for your contribution.  For those of you in the Bay Area, you can join me at the Ragga Muffins Festival where Rootz Underground will be playing along with Stephen and Julian Marley, Lee Scratch Perry, and K’Naan.

Jah Bless – One Lovell