Shaggy’s new song
Jan 27, 2010 Reggae
And speaking of singing for charity, it seems that Simon Cowell is not going to be the only one putting bonus tracks out there to raise money for charity. Reggae singer Shaggy has gathered up a select Caribbean crew in order to record a new track called “Rise Again” in order to gather up money for Haiti… and maybe a little extra on the side, as well. Shaggy is the author of the song, at least he can be given credit for that as others just chose to do covers or remakes of old songs. Not very charitable work, though. Maybe Shaggy will even fly over to Haiti and hold a concert there, after all, there are still people alive there and they too need entertainment.
Sean Paul Gets Busted
Aug 17, 2008 Concert Gig, Reggae, Sean Paul
Singer Sean Paul has been arrested on drug charges at a reggae concert in Sweden last week. Swedish cops say that the singer was brought from the huge Uppsala Reggae Festival to a local police station on suspicion of possessing narcotics. It’s being said that 200-300 people were also brought in from the fest on drug related charges. In addition to concertgoers, police say 10 artists performing at the show were also hauled in for questioning. Cops say that they have sent all evidence to a lab for testing and will have results in a month. I can’t wait to find out just who got high.
Marleys VS Weinsteins
Mar 27, 2008 Bob Marley, Reggae, Song
Two Bob Marley projects are in the works but only one will be able to use the icon’s music. The family of the reggae legend has a long-standing policy of not licensing his music to any film or TV project where an actor portrays the musician. And that included the Weinstein Co.’s planned adaptation of Rita Marley’s (Bob’s wife) ‘No Woman, No Cry’. It’s kind of ironic considering she’s an executive producer. Martin Scorsese is set to direct an as yet unnamed documentary on the legend which the Marley family supports. Bob’s son Ziggy goes to say that “We believe that this project is the best way to represent our father’s life from his perspective and any other film project pertaining to our father will be empty without his music to support it.”
Bob Marley’s family in licensing row
Mar 24, 2008 Bob Marley, Books, Hit Songs, Legends, Reggae
Bob Marley’s family are snubbing music licensing requests for a biopic on the legend because they are planning to release a competing documentary.
The adaptation of Marley’s widow Rita’s book ‘No Woman, No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley’ is currently in production by The Weinstein Company, but now the reggae hero’s family are refusing to license any material.
The family have sided with director Martin Scorsese, making a documentary together with the Marley-owned Tuff Gong Pictures, says the Hollywood Reporter.
The family members involved in the Scorsese project claim they were unaware the Weinstein biopic would be unveiled so soon and believe that its projected late-2009 release date would interfere with the documentary’s February 2010 release – timed to coincide with Marley’s birthday.
Executive producer, Ziggy Marley, says, “The Weinstein project has put our documentary into jeopardy. All our efforts and support are currently directed toward the documentary. We believe that this project is the best way to represent our father’s life from his perspective, and any other film project pertaining to our father will be empty without his music to support it.”
The Marley family’s lawyer Terri Dipalo denied that this was the latest move is a negotiating tactic to compel the Weinsteins to buy Marley music rights.
Mika Name Battle Settled
Nov 14, 2007 Mika, Music, Music Artists, News, Photography, Pop Music, Reggae
British pop star Mika has been granted permission to perform in Brussels after a woman of the same name appealed to Belgian courts to ban him from entering the country. The relatively unknown reggae singer sued the British musician – real name Mica Penniman – in a bid to stop him from further “ruining” her chance at fame. If this other lady is really that good at what she does…her work should speak for itself rather than her worrying about somebody else with the same name. People who are big enough fans know who they are listening to/going to see in concert….I doubt if people are seriously confusing the two artists! She needs to get over it! If she wants to be as famous that Mika the singer then she should try doing it the hard way, that’s working hard to earn fame and money. This guy has probably worked his ass for days and nights together not just to be stopped by some sick ass lady to use his fame.
Gov’t Mule – Mighty High
Nov 12, 2007 Album, Album Review, Blues, Music, Music Artists, Music Bands, Reggae, Remix, Rock, Singers, Song
Reggae covers and dub-wise improvising are regular features of Gov’t Mule’s marathon shows. Mighty High focuses on that heavy Jamaica in singer-guitarist Warren Haynes’ modern-Dixie redesign of classic British blues rock. Actually, there is as much Free as Lee Perry in the opening detonation of “I’m a Ram” — from Al Green’s 1971 album Gets Next to You — while drummer Matt Abts’ New Orleans backbeat under the Band’s “Shape I’m In” affirms the mix of Crescent City and funky Kingston in the original. The Rolling Stones’ “Play With Fire” is overstuffed with weed-whacked production, and the suite of dub versions in the second half of the album could use more jolting drama. But the closing remix of “I’m a Ram,” titled “Plasticine Era,” is a hip minefield of wah-wah-guitar bark, snare-drum crack and singsong bravado by Jamaican vocalist Willi Williams, whose 1978 single “Armagideon Time” is a Mule cover waiting to happen.
Sean Kingston – Album Review
Nov 7, 2007 Album Review, Dance, Music, Music Artists, MySpace, New Single, Performance, Photography, Pop Music, R&B, Reggae, Sean Kingston, Singers, Song, Tracklist
The 17-year-old MC known as Sean Kingston got put on the 21st-century way–through his myspace page. On his impressive self-titled debut full-length, Kingston blends elements of contemporary R&B, dancehall reggae, and radio-friendly pop over 14 tracks, all the while flowing with hungry, upstart energy.
The stand-out track and debut single, “Beautiful Girls,” quickly became the summer jam of 2007, with its infectious beats and clever sampling of Ben E. King’s classic “Stand By Me.” The rest of the album’s thump comes courtesy of West Coast producer J.R., and with a tracklist light on guest stars (Paula DeAnda, Vybz Kartel, and Kardinal Offishal), SEAN KINGSTON heralds the coming of an assured young artist brimming with potential.
Canada Says No to Hate Music
Oct 3, 2007 Music, Music Artists, Performance, Politics, Reggae
Two Jamaican reggae and dancehall artists, Sizzla and Elephant man, were shown the door by at least one Toronto venue after Canadian advocacy groups protested against the pair for their anti-gay slurs. Sizzla was scheduled to perform at Toronto’s Kool Haus last Friday while Elephant Man has an October 6 concert scheduled at the place. Both shows got canceled.
An alliance of give or take 20 organizations called Stop Murder Music Canada called for the artists to be banned from the country. The founder of the organization Akim Larcher told the Toronto Star “They shouldn’t have been allowed to get visas to perform in the country. It’s not about censorship or artistic freedom. That stops when hate propaganda is involved.”