Dub & Reggae

Reggae Grammy campaign underway amongst reggae music producers

Cristy Barber, VP Records‘ Vice President of Marketing and Promotions, has finally taken action to end the uneven representation of reggae acts at the Grammy awards. As an example, Barber notes that Tarrus Riley wasn’t nominated for Contagious, this year’s wildly popular lovers’ rock reggae album, nor was Queen Ifrica nominated for Montego Bay.
Billboard [...]

Buju Banton cocaine defense lawyer claims entrapment

Grammy-nominated dancehall superstar Buju Banton, recently arrested in a cocaine bust, has a new defense lined up: his lawyer is arguing that the US government entrapped him.
They say a good offense is the best defense, and apparently David Oscar Markus, Buju Banton’s lawyer, agrees. He turned up the heat on a anti-Banton conspiracy theory when [...]

Buju Banton drug arrest: dancehall reggae star buys cocaine from undercover cops

Jamaican dancehall reggae star Buju Banton has been arrested for attempting to purchase 20Kg of cocaine (about 44 pounds) from an undercover officer in Florida. If found guilty, Banton faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The United States Drug Enforcement Agency was acting on a confidential tip from an informant who wore a [...]

Buju Banton Grammy protest by gay rights activists

Buju Banton may not be one of the nominees for the best reggae album 2009 Grammy award for much longer. Banton, whose 2009 roots reggae album Rasta Got Soul (his 9th release), is nominated in the 52nd annual Grammy awards, is the subject of protest campaign.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the United [...]

Reggae Grammy Nominees

The 52nd Annual Grammy nominees for Best Reggae Album (Vocal or Instrumental)
have been announced.
One of these nominees will win the best reggae Grammy at the 52nd annual Grammy awards:

Rasta Got Soul by Buju Banton on Gargamel Music, Inc.
Brand New Me by Gregory Isaacs on Tad’s Record
Awake by Julian Marley on Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic
Mind Control [...]

Shockout Radio’s exclusive interview with Buju Banton

Check the Shockout blog for Justine Ketola’s exclusive and in-depth interview with Buju Banton about his recent roots reggae release, Rasta Got Soul.

Sean Kingston’s free Fire Burning on the Dancefloor free MP3 downloads

Sean Kingston’s sophomore release, Tomorrow, is being announced with its first single, Fire Burning on the Dancefloor. RedOne produced the track, following on his work on Lady GaGa’s Poker Face and Kat DeLuna’s Whine Up. Tomorrow blends reggae, dancehall, and pop into a breezy summer tune. Some have compared it to RedOne’s production of Kat [...]

Discussion Panel: Do radio deejays contribute to the state of popular Jamaican music?

[ April 16, 2009; 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm. ] On April 16th, in the Bronx, New York, The People of Black Heritage, the Coalition to Preserve Reggae, and ZYNC TV NEW YORK LINKZ will host a community forum to discuss the question “Do radio deejays contribute to the state of popular Jamaican music?” The Coalition to Preserve Reggae conducts educational forums and presents music [...]

Buju Banton releases roots reggae album Rasta Got Soul

Jamaican dancehall and ragga superstar Buju Banton is returning to roots reggae with his long-awaited album, Rasta Got Soul, scheduled to be released in the US and Canada on April 21st, 2009. The album will be released by Buju’s Gargamel Music label in digital and disc formats after 7 years in the making.
Rasta Got Soul’s [...]