Category Archives: Pop Music

DJ Kash on Reggae Lover

DJ Kash Credits Jamaican Sound System Culture with Shaping his Sound

by Hip Hop, History, Interviews, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Soca • Tags: , , , , , , ,

Special guest DJ Kash shares his perspective as a DJ/producer who has worked with various artists in the diaspora. 

DJ Kash just released a new single called All Night Long featuring Tifa and is working on his debut EP. We get his take on the industry, artists, culture, and how his contributions propel the music.

During this conversation we uncovered:

  • How did the song with Tifa, “All Night Long,” come about?
  • How was DJ Kash able to champion Caribbean music on ATL commercial radio?
  • How did Kash get popular on the ATL club scene and start touring?
  • How does the Jamaican sound system culture influence his style of DJing and MCing?
  • How did he get into music production?

“The best DJs in the world are Caribbean DJs …because we are the king of genres.”

DJ Kash
DJ Kash ATL on the Reggae Lover Podcast 2020.

Buzzworthy, Tastemaker, and Sound Clash Update

[Documentary] Chasing the Sound: Major Lazer – Travel with Major Lazer to Ghana and Nigeria to make the world smaller by making the party bigger.

[Single] All Night Long by DJ Kash and Tifa.

[Soundclash News] The No Jing Bang clash tournament Grand Final was Saturday, October 10th. Sponsored by the world’s #1 DJ software platform Serato, the final featured Tek 9 from Brooklyn versus Kanabis from Antigua.

[Podcast Interview] Sean Paul responds to criticisms for labeling dancehall clash culture as “slavery mentality.” – Watch Now via The Fix

[Sound Clash Audio] Eagle Force vs Love People vs Super Gold vs Inferno 10/20 (45 Shop Lock) JA ( Finals) – Listen

Shenseea and Tarrus Riley

Vanity Metrics in Reggae

by Hip Hop, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast • Tags: , , , , , , , ,

We discuss the reggae industry’s focus on vanity metrics such as social media likes and YouTube views versus actionable metrics such as engagement and sales.

Reggae/dancehall fans find ways to get new music for free (YouTube, mixtapes, sound system audio, email blasts, SoundCloud, etc). The reggae media primarily reports on vanity metrics. Fans form opinions based on the opinions of others if they have to. They also find reasons to justify why they did not buy the new album(s).

Conversely, fans of other genres are known for taking action by collecting (buying) albums, whether digital or hard copy. They collect the new albums of the artists they like and then form their own opinions about the music. We break down the reasons for this disparity.

Are Vanity Metrics Running Dancehall Reggae?

Buzzworthy

  • Kahlil Wonda reviews Tarrus Riley’s new album, “Healing.”
  • Reactions to the passing of celebrated Reggae icon and trailblazer, Toots Hibbert.

The Tastemaker

Babylon Warfare by Tarrus Riley ft. Teejay and Dean Fraser.

An in-depth conversation with Steve “Urchin” Wilson, a part of Sean Paul’s management for the past 18 + years.

by Interviews, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Soca • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We discussed how Steve has been pushing the culture in nightlife and through his work in the recording industry. He shares how he got started in the business, and his thoughts on Jamaica getting more hardcore about honoring reggae icons. We touched on strategies for harnessing the economic potential of reggae, the Sean Paul success formula, and much more.

An in-depth conversation with Steve "Urchin" Wilson, a part of Sean Paul's management for the past 18 + years.

Steve “Urchin” Wilson Bio

After getting his start at Bob Marley’s legendary Tuff Gong record label as a marketing exec, Steve spent 10 years cross-training in every imaginable area in the entertainment industry including a stint as studio manager for the GeeJam Studios where he oversaw studio sessions for The Roots, Common, The Gorillaz, No Doubt & The Jungle Brothers amongst others.
In 2001 this Jamaican trailblazer signed on to help pilot the dizzying career of multi-platinum Grammy winner Sean Paul.

He spent the last 15 years traveling to over 100 countries and presiding over logistics, booking, touring, promotion & recording for the Dancehall superstar.

While honing his role as a reggae ambassador Wilson simultaneously plotted to bring EDM & house music to his Homebase of Kingston via his Brand New Machine party series that saw super DJs like Diplo, Bob Sinclar, CongoRock & Toddla T spin in Jamaica for the first time. He has gone on to export the BNM party concept to Montego Bay, Cayman, London & New York City.

Steve is also partners in FSOR Music (Future Sound Of Reggae) a boutique label that has featured releases from Mink Jo, Transdub Massiv, Naomi Cowan, Jesse Royal & Craigy T amongst others.

Most recently he was one of the local partners of the initial staging of the critically acclaimed Tmrwtday Culture Festival in Negril, Jamaica.

The Tastemaker

Soundclash Update

  • Tek 9 defeats the Polish sound system, Splendid in the first round of the No Jing-Bang Online Clash Tournament.
  • Irish and Chin announced the new date for World Clash 21 will be May 2, 2021.

Changes We’ve Been Going Through

by Hip Hop, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Reviews, Soul/R&B • Tags: , ,

Popular reggae artists have pushed the sonic envelope recently. The reception by reggae lovers has varied.

There are different perspectives on why this is, and if its the right direction for the music. We analyze perspectives and presumed motives in the context of the current revolution and in general terms.


Listen to this episode to hear:

  • Reactions to Chronixx saying there is no match for Sizzla in a clash.
  • Reactions to Chronixx’s song “Cool As The Breeze/Friday.”
  • “Who would be the next best Jamaican versus battle?
  • A Taste of Sumfest: Who were the best performers?
  • Should artists give a different performance online versus in-person?
  • Is the reggae revival over?
    

Tastemaker Segment:

  • Jada Kingdom – Win (Single and Video).
  • Buju Baton – Blessed (Official Music Video).
  • Poison Dart @ Sound Man Link Up.
  • Team Torment “Locked and Loaded.”

Interview with Lila Ike

by Hip Hop, Interviews, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Soul/R&B • Tags: , , , , ,

Lila Ike was one of our best interviews from last year.  Check out this replay and make sure to grab her new EP, The ExPerience, if you haven’t already.  It’s a classic!

 

Lila Ike @ Reggae Lover podcast

Click to hear this very important interview.

Major Label Love

by Hip Hop, History, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Last week Protoje announced that his Indiggnation Collective (including Lila Ike and Sevana) has inked a multi-album deal with RCA Records.  We discuss this historic singing and the recent trend of major label A&R’s paying attention to Jamaican talent.

 

Tastemaker:

  • Alicia Keys – Underdog (Remix) ft. Chronixx and Protoje.
  • Lila Ike – I Spy
  • Stalk Ashley – Young

Soundclash Update:

  • Walshy Fire’s Quarantine Clash 3 – Heavy Hammer (Italy) vs. Poison Dart (Florida).
  • Major Hype’s Clash Series – Jazzy T from Renaissance vs. Steelie Bashment.
  • DJ Premier vs. The Rza
  • Irish and Chin’s “Put In On The Table”

 

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Going Live

by Hip Hop, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Soul/R&B • Tags: , , , , , , , ,

This episode explores the current trend of celebrity producers and song-writers going live and competing in pseudo-soundclash fashion.

 

Selectors are juggling live and clashing on social media channels like never before.  The music industry must continue to thrive using the technology that’s available whether through live content, on-demand, or both.  The lock-down situation will no doubt push the limits of what’s possible.

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…

Entertainer of the Year

by Hip Hop, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Soul/R&B • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

A hilarious conversation about the winners from the 38th annual IRAWMA and the accuracy of our predictions. We also have lots of updates from the reggae world in this 2nd quarantine episode.

 

Intro:

0:43 – AGARD Quarantine mixes.
 

Buzzworthy Segment:

3:13 – “Toast” in Life Water commercial. Koffee featured in Newsweek Magazine.
5:26 – DJs spinning live on social media: D-Nice, DJ Mars, Stereo 5, Unity Sound, Tony Matterhorn, Stone Love, DJ Jazzy Jeff, etc.
11:04 – Alicia Keys “Underdog” remix ft. Chronixx and Protoje with production by Izzy Beats and Swiss Beats.
 

The Tastemaker Segment:

15:09 – Champion Squad Remix Catalog.
16:00 – Blakkamoore and Snoop Dogg – Get Down Tonight video.
19:48 – Buju Banton performing live on BBC 1Xtra.
22:13 – Lila Ike “Where I’m Coming From” live on 1Xtra.
 

Soundclash Update:

23:57 – Walshy Fire Quarantine Clash.
25:15 – Antigua Quarantine History Clash 2 with Stonewall vs Exorcist on FB live.
29:22 – Brief recap from Spring Killing in NY with Super Tremor vs. Real Sound vs. Venom Xenos.
33:19 – Pantason urging artists to lower dubplate prices
36:18 – Rest in Peace to Apple Gabriel, a founding member of Israel Vibration. Reaction to his passing.
 

Main Segment:

38:16 – Due to the Coronavirus, the 38th Annual International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) was limited to a media-only broadcast. We discuss the winners and compare them with our predictions. Buju, Vybz Kartel, and Koffee were the biggest winners.
 

Outro:

45:45 – Fan mail and social distancing advice.
 
 
…

The Producers

by Hip Hop, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Soul/R&B • Tags: , , , , , , , ,

A talented group of Reggae producers has been spreading the culture worldwide without necessarily getting their due fanfare.  Many listeners may not know who is responsible for the songs and riddims they enjoy listening to. 

 

Some Jamaican hitmakers are even infiltrating other genres and collaborating with the biggest names in music.  We highlighted some producers who have shined with successful records but have remained behind the scenes.    

Buzzworthy:

  • Kool Herc appears at the Jamaica Music Conference.  Plans to open a museum in Kingston. 
  • Pharell Williams of the Neptunes in the studio working on music with Buju Banton.

Tastemaker:

Baby Come Take It – Anthony Malvo ft. Buju Banton

Soundclash Update:

  • King AP enters 1,2,3 Badda Dan clash tournament.
  • AGARD sounds off on King Addies vs. Stone Wall.

 

PLAY THIS EPISODE NOW

 

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5 Best Roots Reggae Songs from the 1990’s

by Hip Hop, History, Live Sounds, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Reviews • Tags: , , , , , , ,

Kahlil Wonda analyzing the top 5 reality tunes from reggae’s best decade.  Kahlil has pieced together his personal top-ranking 90’s culture selections. 

 

 

  • Buzzworthy – Buju Banton Drew a Massive Crowd In Kenya For First Post Prison Show In Africa.  Banton rocks mega-concert at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) ground. Does the First radio interview in years on NRG Radio in Kenya. 

 

  • Tastemaker – Keznamdi & Tory Lanez Fuse Reggae & Hip-Hop on New ‘City Lock’ Single

 

  • Soundclash Update – Addies vs Stone Wall at King of Kings #3 in Antigua.  King Addies is victorious. 

 

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Financial Success in Reggae

by Hip Hop, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast • Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Listen to Reggae Lover episode 179, Financial Empowerment, on-demand.

 

Kahlil Wonda and AGARD offer commentary and suggestions on gaining financial success in a competitive reggae industry.
This episode features the soundclash update, buzzworthy and tastemaker segments.

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The International Reggae and World Music Awards

by events, History, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast • Tags: , , ,

All the Grammy nominees in the best reggae album category are winners. That one category is not enough to represent Caribbean music.

Enter IRAWMA. The International Reggae and World Music Awards is a platform for us to honor our own. This award show hasn’t gotten the attention that it deserves and this needs to change.

 

We talked through some of the categories on the IRAWMA 2019 list and give our predictions. Visit the IRAWMA site for the chance to review and vote on each category. [https://irawma.com/vote-now/] Voting ends March 12, 2020.

The Tastemaker:

  • Elephant Man – Wap Bap prod. by Massive B • Bobby Konders.

 

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Koffee Wins Grammy for Best Reggae Album

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by News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast • Tags: , , , ,

Kahlil Wonda and AGARD react to Koffee winning Best Reggae Album for her EP, “Rapture,” at the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020, in Los Angeles, California.

 

Koffee is the youngest solo act and only female ever to win a Grammy for Best Reggae Album.

Koffee is the youngest solo act and only female ever to win a Grammy for Best Reggae Album.

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Season Finale of Reggae Lover

by News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Reviews, Soca • Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

This season finale opens a few cans of worms. 

Questions come up like:

  • Is the stereotype that Jamaicans don’t like soca dead?
  • Does the Red Bull Culture Clash clash with soundclash culture?
  • Has Afrobeat replaced Dancehall for real?
  • Do young people everywhere know who Bad Bunny and Afro B are? Do they know Chronic Law and Squash?
  • We will be back in 2020 with amazing new content and this year was a blast. 

Reggae Lover Podcast 2019

 

We take a few minutes at the top for our favorite memories and takeaways from this season. Also, we do some shout outs and let you know how you can interact and support the show.

Thank you so much for the love over the last 47 episodes.  Don’t forget to check out our archives (talk and mixes) and please enjoy your Christmas and New Year celebrations safely.

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Maxi Priest: It All Comes Back to Love

by Hip Hop, History, Interviews, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Soul/R&B • Tags: , , , , , ,

Maxi Priest guests on Reggae Lover.

 

The superstar talks about his recently released album entitled “It All Comes Back to Love.” The project was executive produced by Shaggy.
We preview the album’s title track “It All Comes Back To Love” and “My Pillow’ which sound classic.
Listen for “It’s a Summertime Vibe” feat. Bounty Killer, and Maxi’s favorite cut, “The Bridge You Burn.”
 
Also, “Cool Nuh” with Shaggy, and “Anything You Want” with Estelle and Anthony Hamilton. Maxi takes us back to his early days in East London lifting speaker boxes. The singer walks us through an evolution forged in London’s sound system scene.
 
He was the first reggae artist to have a No. 1 hit worldwide, including the U.S. Billboard charts. There’s so much to learn from this fun conversation with the living legend, Maxi Priest.

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Stream or buy the album, here: https://maxipriest.ffm.to/love
 
For more information, please visit: http://www.maxipriest.com
 
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When Dance Was Nice

by Hip Hop, History, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast • Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

This conversation, featuring Carry On Friends podcast host Kerry-Ann Reid-Brown, centered around sound systems and dancehall.

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Topics Covered:

  • Kerry-Ann’s huge sound system cassette collection and her favorite sounds.
  • Our preferences for Jamaican and New York-based sounds.
  • Nuances of dancehall such as DJs who play a balanced mixture of dubplates and girl tunes.
  • The difference between a party and a “dance.”
  • The lost arts of the early warm and early juggling.
  • Predictable playlists and the lack of creativity that’s prevalent today.
  • Reminiscing about dancehall back in the 90s.
  • Jamaica’s apparent complacency towards its greatest cultural export.

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No Music No Vote – Reactions to the Noise Abatement Act

by Food, History, News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast • Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

The “No Music No Vote” campaign is one of the Jamaican entertainment industry’s responses to the Noise Abatement Act. The law, originally passed in 1997, recently became stricter. Now all events have to lock off by midnight on weeknights and 2 a.m. on the weekend.

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Topics Covered:
  • The far-reaching implications of the Noise Abatement Act.
  • Responses from key entertainment industry players.
  • Responses from various government officials.
  • Potential solutions and “silver linings”.

Homegrown with G Cole

by Hip Hop, History, Interviews, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast • Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

G. Cole, a fellow reggae lover, podcaster/radio personality, and singer/songwriter is the special guest on this episode.

We talk about:
  • The work he’s been doing to push reggae music.
  • Early musical influences in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
  • Meeting and getting his name from Gregory Isaacs at Jack Rudy lawn.
  • Singer/songwriting career and band, Wraps and Kush.
  • The podcast, Homegrown with G Cole: in-depth interviews with veteran artists and rising talent.
  • His reggae “Mount Rushmore” – top 4 singers.
  • Dancehall versus Reggae.
  • Broadcasting on 9 radio stations weekly.
  • Current trends in the dancehall: good and bad.

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Summer 2019 Report | Reggae Lover # 155

by News, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Reviews, Uncategorized • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On Reggae Lover podcast episode 155 we discuss the state of the culture and news from the dancehall.

Click image to access Reggae Lover 155.

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TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Our reactions to Reggae Sumfestin Jamaica and Reggae Summerjam in Germany.
  • Responses to our earlier shows from this season.
  • Revisited last week’s topic about looking back at the decade of 2009 to 2019.
  • Checked in on our “songs of the Summer” predictions.
  • An updated report on our women in Reggae leaders of the new school.
  • An updated report on Buju Banton.

Looking Back at 2009-2019 Reggae

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by Hip Hop, History, Podcasts, Pop Music, reggae, Reggae Lover Podcast, Soca • Tags: , , , , , , ,

ĀGARD and Kahlil Wonda argue their predictions about how the current period of reggae music will be viewed in the future.

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