Dub and Reggae» etana

Elephant Man, Etana, and Reggae Love songs sale at VP Records

dubman — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:00:34 +0000

VP Records has announced 3 sales on their albums, for Etana‘s Free Expressions, Elephant Man‘s Dance & Sweep, and Songs for Reggae Lovers 4, a compilation album created specially for Valentine’s Day.

Free Expressions from Etana

Etana‘s Free Expressions is a 14-track album that display the artist’s unique brand of pop reggae, soulful vocals, and personal lyrics. Etana’s powerful voice and perfectly complements the progressive one drop riddims and rock-flavored instrumentation on this album through the variety of musical moods that appear on these tracks. Etana’s debut The Strong One garnered multiple hits and established Etana as a fresh new female voice on the international scene. Her sophomore effort will elevate her to an even broader audience with infectious hooks of I Know You Love Me, My Name Is (a remake of the hit by Japanese artist Pushim), Free and the first single, Heart Broken.

The Free Expressions album is on sale for only $10.99. You can get the album here.

Danve & Sweep from Elephant Man

Elephant Man‘s Dance & Sweep is 13 tracks of pure dancehall party music to turn up the heat. Dancehall’s #1 entertainer is back in action; bringing the fun back to dancehall and living up to his moniker the “Energy God”. Elephant Man is the ultimate party starter, whose spirit and humor on the mic have made him a staple of Jamaican media and an icon of dancehall reggae. Loved and revered by friends and fans, Elephant Man is defending dancehall, single-handedly battling blah parties and bad vibes with the songs to get the party started and keep it going. Elephant is bringing the heat in 2011 with the #1 hits Nuh Linga,Dance And Sweep plus the new hit Wine & Dip.

Dance & Sweep is currently available for $9.99. You can get the album here.

Songs for Reggae Lovers 4
Songs for Reggae Lovers 4 is 30 (yes, 30) top reggae love songs, including both old and new favorites. Songs for Reggae Lovers 4 aims straight for the heart; presenting 30 top hits from reggae’s brightest stars, all singing about love. This Valentine’s Day collection showcases old and new favorites including the latest hit (and exclusive track) Just the Two of Us from rising UK vocalist Gappy Ranks. Designed with collectors in mind, this disc gets better with each listen! Other feature tracks include the #1 reggae classics Everything I Own by Ken Boothe, Delroy Wilson‘s I’m Still Waiting, John Holt‘s Love I Can Feel and tracks from the Mighty Diamonds and Marcia Aitken.

Songs for Reggae Lovers 4 is available at a total price of $12.99 — that’s about 43 cents per track! You can get the album here.

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RaggaMuffins Festival 2011 at Long Beach, CA

dubman — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 05:02:34 +0000

The 30th Annual RaggaMuffins Festival has announced their lineup for the shows on Saturday, February 19th and Sunday, February 20th, at 3PM at the Long Beach Arena in California. Formerly known as the Bob Marley Day Festival, the 2011 RaggaMuffins Music Festival is being billed as a tribute to Bob Marley.

The 30th Annual RaggaMuffins Festival promises a return of smooth reggae beats that have characterized past RaggaMuffins events. The RaggaMuffins Festival lineup includes many reggae music stars, including these artists on Saturday, February 19:

Bunny Wailer
Rebelution
Gyptian
Half Pint
Horace Andy
Leroy Sibble featuring The Lions
Romain Virgo
Etana
The Green
Quinto Sol

And on Sunday, Feburary 20, attendees can enjoy the music of:

Freddie McGregor
Israel Vibration
Marcia Griffiths
Gentleman
Richie Spice
Don Carlos
Cornel Campbell
I-Octane
Kevin Isaacs
Tosh 1

The RaggaMuffin Festival MCs are Amlak Tafari and Richie B, and the outdoor patio DJ’ing will be provided by Quantegy Sound.

Keep in mind that the lineup may change in the future and a final list of reggae artists and the order in which they will perform will be announced some time in February.

RaggaMuffins Festival 2011 details

Saturday, February 19th and Sunday, February 20th, 2011
Doors open at 12 Noon, Show Starts at 1 PM.
Location: Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, California. (directions here)
Tickets: $38 and $55 in advance; $45 and $65 on the day of the show.
Children 12 and under are FREE with a paid adult.
Childrens Activity Space provided by R & C Productions.
The International Ragga Muffins Food & Craft Fair will be available for food, beverages and crafts.
Official website

RaggaMuffins 2011 tickets

Ticket prices are $38 and $55 in advance, $45 and $65 on the day of the show. You can get 2011 RaggaMuffins Festival tickets at all TicketMaster locations and the Long Beach Performing Arts Center Main Box Office. The Box Office is located at 300 East Ocean Boulevard and is open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm and Saturday from noon to 4pm.

ABOUT LONG BEACH CONVENTION & ENTERTAINMENT CENTER/SMG

One of the few ocean front arena and convention facilities in the country, the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center attracts approximately 2 million people each year for conventions, trade shows, theater and sporting events. Managed by SMG, the Center offers state-of-the-art facilities including unique entertainment venues at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, which includes the Terrace and Center Theaters, as well as the Long Beach Arena. For further information on the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, please call (562) 436-3636 or visit www.longbeachcc.com.

Headquartered in West Conshohocken, PA, SMG provides facility services to over 200 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, performing arts theaters and convention and trade centers. With facilities across America, and in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, Europe and the Middle East, SMG controls over 1.5 million entertainment seats worldwide and manages more than ten million feet of exhibition space.

Long Beach Arena rules

No check-in area for any prohibited item.
No smoking of any kind inside Venue.
No illegal substances Weapons of any kind or any item that can be construed as a weapon.
No outside food or beverages. (The only exceptions are for medical reasons or baby food.)
No tailgate gatherings in the parking lots.
All persons entering the facility are subject to search of their persons and belongings at the discretion of the Long Beach Arena.
All jackets, pockets and bags will be searched upon entry. Purses, diaper bags and other small personal bags areallowed, but will be inspected at all entrances.
No large bags, backpacks or boxes are allowed in the building.
Items confiscated at entry will not be returned to the owner at anytime during or after the event has concluded.
No cans, bottles, coolers or other similar containers. No video or audio recorders.
No laser pens or laser products.
Long Beach Arena / SMG reserves the right to make the final determination on prohibited items. In the event that prohibited items are revealed in a search, guests will be asked to dispose of the items or return them to their cars before re-entering the building.

Exiting and re-entering the building with the same ticket is not permitted. Exceptions are only made in the case of medical situations and emergencies.
Guests with medical emergencies or other emergencies who want to leave and then return to the building should be directed to the Security Personnel at each entry point. The ticket for the event must be produced and then scanned out for exit.

Failure to obey or follow Long Beach Arena smoking policies.
Use of illegal substances or drugs. Possession of illegal or unauthorized items inside the Arena.
Use of profanity or unacceptable language of any type.
Unacceptable or indecent dress.
Damaging or the intent to damage property of the Long Beach Arena.
Entering or attempting to enter any “off limits” areas such as backstage, dressing room area, or restroom of the opposite sex.
Participating in a fight.
Verbally abusing, threatening or intimidating other guests or Arena employees.
The throwing of any objects or projectiles in seating areas, on stage, on the ice surface or any other areas.

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Shaggy, Sean Paul, Sean Kingston raise Haiti relief funds with Digicel

dubman — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:00:36 +0000

Reggae star Shaggy has teamed up with producer Christopher Birch to create a song, Rise Again to raise money for the Digicel Haiti Relief Fund. The project is sponsored by Digicel and aims to use Caribbean art and artists to assist the Haitian people.

Shaggy and Birch rounded up a who’s who of Caribbean artists to appear on Rise Again, including:

Sean Paul
Sean Kingston
Tessanne Chin
Etana
Haitian artiste Belo
Barbadian artists Alison Hinds, Shontelle Layne, and Edwin Yearwood
Trinidadian soca artists David Rudder, Kees Dieffenthaller, and Destra Garcia

After being approached by Digicel to write the song, Shaggy went straight into the studio with Christopher Birch, producer of his diamond-selling album Hot Shots. The song was written in less than a day and the riddim produced in 5 days. An international cast of reggae, pop, dancehall, soca, and other musical artists such as Sean Paul and Sean Kingston quickly joined the lineup to lend their talent and support. Rise Again is being released worldwide and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Digicel Haiti Relief Fund.

Speaking about the launch of the song, Shaggy said:

Rise Again is for the people of Haiti. It is to show them that we are here for them and that we will support them each step of the way as they begin rebuilding their lives which were shattered by the earthquake. I am very proud of this song and the collaboration with Digicel. With today’s launch of Rise Again, we can raise much needed funds to support the relief efforts in Haiti.

Digicel Group CEO Colm Delves said

As part of the Digicel Haiti Relief Fund, we wanted to collaborate with international artists to produce a song that would support the people of Haiti who lost so much as a result of the earthquake. People across the world can purchase Rise Again and all proceeds will go directly to the relief efforts in Haiti.

Rise Again is already making waves in the US with E! News carrying a preview of the song on the E!TV Entertainment News.

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Tarrus Riley’s Contagious reggae album

dubman — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:00:05 +0000

Tarrus Riley released Contagious, his 3rd crooning conscious reggae album today. The 18-track album was originally announced last Friday in Montego Bay (after Reggae Sumfest 2009) and was released today on VP Records to the anticipation of reggae music fans around the world.

Contagious is truly a modern album, bolstered by guest appearances of today’s hottest reggae and dancehall talent including Vybz Kartel, Etana, Konshens, Demarco, and Duane Stephenson. Underpinning it all is a repeat collaboration with producer Dean “Cannon” Fraser, who was instrumental in the success of Riley‘s 2007 Parables release.

Living the Life of a Gun and Let Peace Reign (featuring Etana and Duane Stephenson) call for an end to the violence that afflicts modern Jamaica. It Will Come is an uplifting reminder that creative success isn’t always an easy path. Good Girl Gone Bad moves in a dancehall direction with additional vocals from Konshens. Additional tracks include a cover of Michael Jackson‘s Human Nature. Additional tracks include Start A New, an entreaty to women to end domestic abuse, the soulful Superman, and the uplifting, conscious Rastafari I Sight.

In an interview with the Jamaica Gleaner Tarrus Riley stated that he named his latest reggae album “Contagious because I want it to spread all over, because the vibes is positive and so many negative things are spreading and secondly, with the support of the people, my music is becoming Contagious.” He went on to refer to the online spread of reggae music by explaining that “everyone is logging on and I really love that.”

Tarus Riley, a New York native, kicked off the Contagious reggae album release with a special appearance at J&R Music and Computer World in Manhattan, followed by a short live reggae performance and autograph signings. He followed with a live VIP performance at the Providence NYC club alongside multi-platinum R&B performer Lyfe Jennings.

You can buy Contagious now for less than $11 USD on Amazon.com.

About Tarrus Riley

The child of a nurse named Lavern and reggae singer Jimmy Riley, Taurus Riley is often referred to as one of the greatest living Jamaican roots reggae and lovers rock singers. His tenor vocals and Rastafarian lyrics make him a wildly popular performer.

Tarrus describes his reggae sound as “healing music” and his passion is evident not only in his conscious lyrics but in the rapid pace and success of his releases.

Tarrus Riley is a self-taught musician who is also a talented keyboardist and percussionist. Riley debuted in 2004 with his Challenges reggae album, which featured the singles Larger than Life and Barber Chair. Challenges was released on the Yaman label but he was soon scooped up by reggae and dancehall powerhouse VP Records.

Riley released his breakout sophomore album, Parables, in 2007 on VP. The album’s success was due in part to Dean Fraser‘s masterful production work. The album included She’s Royal, the most popular roots reggae song of the year, along with 13 other original reggae songs out of the 15 total tracks. The title track, Parables, is a cover of John Legend‘s Stay With You and uses the Three Blind Mice rhythm originally created by Max Romeo. She’s Royal is one of the 30 reggae love songs profiled on Dub & Reggae.Contagious is again being released by VP Records.

Tarrus Riley was most recently seen on the final night of the Reggae Sumfest 2009 Festival, where he has performed every year since Sumfest promoter Johnny Gouzong first heard his music in 2004. When Gouzong first heard the track, he was “frantic” to sign the young artiste to the Sumfest lineup. Gouzong has since described Tarrus Riley as the Prince of Reggae.

More Tarrus Riley information

Tarrus Riley on MySpace
Tarrus Riley official website
Tarrus Riley on Facebook

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Reggae Sumfest 2009

dubman — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:15:52 +0000

Reggae Sumfest 2009, widely regarded as one of the best reggae music festivals in the world, will be held from July 19-25 at Catherine Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Mo’Bay’s sunny skies, picturesque mountains, white sand beaches, and turquoise waters – the perfect destination for an idyllic vacation – are the perfect backdrop to this summer’s dancehall and reggae blowout.

Reggae Sumfest was originally founded to promote reggae music and has grown to include dancehall as well, generally using a 3-day formula that involves 1 night of dancehall music performances and 2 nights of reggae performances. Every year, Reggae Sumfest attracts more than 30,000 international reggae fans and local Jamaicans. This “Mecca of reggae music festivals” showcases the best reggae, dancehall, R&B, and hip hop artists in a festive Jamaican atmosphere where attendees enjoy local Jamaican cuisine, arts, and crafts.

Reggae Sumfest 2009 is organized by IRAWMA-award-winning Summerfest Productions, who are promising this year’s event will be another “one to remember.” The event kicks off with a reggae party on the beach on July 19, followed by 3 additional days of live reggae music. Reggae Sumfest has also amassed some of the best 2009 dancehall acts for a special Dancehall Night on Thursday, July 23.

Reggae Sumfest 2009 dates

Summerfest Productions has scheduled Reggae Sumfest 2009 for 4 evenings of reggae spanning the 4th week of July in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Sumfest 09 is the 17th staging of “the greatest reggae show on earth,” with performance dates including:

Sunday July 19, 2009 – Reggae Beach Party
Thursday July 23, 2009 – Dancehall Night
Friday July 24, 2009 – Sumfest International Night
Saturday July 25, 2009 – Sumfest International Night 2

Reggae Sumfest 2009 lineup

The Reggae Sumfest organizers have confirmed some of the best 2009 reggae singers for their lineup, including Tarrus Riley, Etana, Coco Tea, and Morgan Heritage. The 2009 Sumfest organizers have expanded into dancehall music performers in recent years, and this year’s festival boasts some of the best 2009 dancehall acts, including Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Busy Signal, and Elephant Man. This powerhouse combination of roots reggae, lovers rock, and dancehall is “truly shaping up to be an entertainment explosion,” according to the organizers.

Reggae Sumfest Beach Party

Reggae Sumfest kicks off on Sunday July 19 with the Beach Party, where gates will open at 2pm on Cornwall Beach. The Beach Party will be Emcee’d by Allen Ranks. Sumfest Beach Party reggae acts include:

Errol Lee & the Bare Essentials
Cameal Davis
Khalil
Timeka Marshall
ZJ Ice
DJ Mix Master Marvin
Crazy Neil
Danger Zone sound system
Super Strong sound system

Reggae Sumfest Jagra Dancehall Night

The Jagra Dancehall Night on Thursday July 23rd is the most hotly-anticipated night of the Sumfest event. GT Taylor from IRIE FM and Richie B from Hot 102 will MC the evening’s performances from established dancehall legends, such as Beenie Man and Mavado, as well as new acts.

Beenie Man, the King of the Dancehall, AKA The Doctor has returned from Reggae Sumfest 2008, when he closed out the previous Dancehall Night with an incredible performance in his usual exhuberant style. Bounty Killer will be joining Beenie Man along with Mavado. The Gully Gadd‘s eerie dancehall vocals will float off his latest release, Mr Brooks… A Better Tomorrow, and onto the Sumfest stage where he will be joined by Alliance dancehall artiste Busy Signal. Expect Busy Signal to perform his international dancehall hits Pon Di Edge, Stamma, Trading Places, and Tic Toc. Charley Black will join the lineup with his hilariously horny dancehall lyricism.

Beenie Man
Bounty Killer
Vybz Kartel & the Portmore Empire
Mavado
Elephant Man
Busy Signal
Assassin
Spice
Kip Rich
Flippa Mafia
Macka Diamond
Lady Saw
D’Angel
Demarco
I-Octane
Voice Mail
Stacious
Bugle
Spryng I
Nature
Prodigal Son
Charly Black
Poor & Boasy

Reggae Sumfest International Night

Following an evening of dancehall madness, conscious reggae vibes take the stage on Friday as reggae supergroup Morgan Heritage will recollect after a year of solo projects such as Mojo Morgan‘s Got Mojo release. Still riding high on his release of The Universal Cure (featuring Junior Reid, Flo-Rida, and Mavado), Jah Cure is a welcome addition to any Jamaican reggae performance. Veteran reggae singer Coco Tea rounds out a rich reggae lineup sure to move the hearts and feet of any reggae music fan.

I Bust The Windows Out your Car R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan has also recently joined the Friday lineup. Summerfest Productions Executive Director Johnny Gourzong has stated that he is “really pleased that we’ve been able to confirm Jazmine for the show. We have been poring over a list of possible international acts, and she was one of those artistes that really jumped out at us. We are gearing up to present an exciting show, a real entertainment explosion starting from the Beach Party on Sunday, and ending with International Night II on Saturday.” Jazmine Sullivan’s second single was another chart topper that struck gold: Need You Bad and Lions, Tigers and Bears.

Reggae Sumfest International Night lineup on Friday July 24 focus on conscious reggae music, with MCs Elise Kelly and Ron Muschette from Irie FM and featured acts including:

Morgan Heritage
Jah Cure
Coco Tea
Queen Ifrica
Ne-Yo
Dub Tonic Kru
Keri Hilson
Hezron
Jazmine Sullivan
Anthony Able
Stream
Super Strong sound system

Reggae Sumfest International Night 2

Tarrus Riley and Etana, today’s leading reggae singers, will close out the 2009 Reggae Sumfest with performances on the fourth evening of live performances. They will be joined by recently-announced international R&B star Toni Braxton.

Saturday July 25′s 2009 Sumfest International Night 2 lineup is a straight list of blockbusters, hosted by MCs Francois St. Juste from Fame and Paula-Ann Porter from RJR 94 FM:

Toni Braxton
Nas
Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley
Nas
Inner Circle
Tarrus Riley
Etana
Da’ville
Rhaatid
Lutan Fyah
Mackie Conscious
Sophia Squire
Super Strong sound system

Gates open at 7pm for the Jagra Dancehall Night and the 2 International Nights. Show times for all shows are 8:30 p.m. nightly.

Reggae Sumfest tickets

You can buy Reggae Sumfest 2009 tickets at www.reggaesumfest.com. You can also win a free VIP pass to Reggae Sumfest.

Reggae Sumfest ticket prices, in USD:

Beach Party on Sunday, July 19 – $15
Dancehall Night on Thursday, July 23 – $29
International Night 1 on Friday, July 24 – $43
International Night 2 on Saturday, July25 – $43

Special Reggae Sumfest VIP armband offers are also available (prices are also in USD):

Red Green Gold – access on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday – $106
VIP Red Green Gold – access to all events – $150
Weekend – Friday and Saturday – $82
VIP Weekend – Friday and Saturday – $110

Reggae Sumfest travel and accommodations

The 2009 Reggae Sumfest festival will be held at Catherine Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica. You can access the festival venue from Howard Cook Boulevard. Some parking is available on site for designated ticket holders while additional parking is available in off-venue parking lots located in close proximity to the venue. The festival also provides shuttle services from Kingston and Ocho Rios.

You can make Montego Bay hotel reservations through the Reggae Sumfest website. The Reggae Sumfest Festival team has devoted a section of its website to accommodation and fans can view a list of hotels in Montego Bay, as well as read short reviews and other information on the properties. Organizers say they will continue to add more properties as the deals are finalized, including some in Negril.

Visit the Sumfest website for additional travel and event details.

Reggae Sumfest sponsors

Reggae Sumfest is presented annually by Summfest Productions. Reggae Sumfest 2009 sponsors include Digicel, Air Jamaica, Jamrock Magazine, Ocean Spray, and the Jamaica Tourist Board. Notably missing from the list of sponsors is Red Stripe beer, which pulled sponsorship in 2008 over concerns of violent and homophobic lyrics in dancehall music performed by some of the headliners.

Additional Reggae Sumfest information

Learn more about Reggae Sumfest 2009 at these websites:

Reggae Sumfest is presented annually by Summfest Productions. Summerfest Productions recently won this year’s International Reggae and World Music Award (IRAWMA) for Promoter of the Year, so we expect this to be another great event.

“This is evidence that we’re doing something right with Reggae Sumfest” said Sumfest executive director Johnny Gourzong. He also won the 2008 IRAWMA awards for promoter of the year and Concert of the Year. “I’m excited about this award, and after this year’s Sumfest, we will prove for the 17th consecutive year, that we are THE greatest reggae show on earth.”

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Win a free trip to Reggae Sumfest… if you’re Jamaican

dubman — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:04:52 +0000

Reggae Sumfest organizers announced the 2009 Royal Reggae Giveaway sweepstakes today, offering a free chance to win free travel, resort hotels, and VIP tickets to the 2009 Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The Reggae Sumfest Royal Reggae Giveaway grand prize includes:

2 Reggae Sumfest VIP passes for the winner and a guest
An all-inclusive weekend at Sandals Resorts in Montego Bay, Jamaica from July 24-25th
A limo ride from the airport to the hotel
An iPod
An exclusive invitation to Tarrus Riley‘s launch event
Access to the Ocean Spray private booth at Sumfest

Additional prizes include a runner-up prize of 2 Reggae Sumfest tickets, an all-inclusive stay at Sandals, and an iPod as weekly prize packages of 2 tickets to Sumfest International Night, an iPod, and a t-shirt. In all, Sumfest is offering 248 free Reggae Sumfest tickets 122 free iPods.

There are some catches for the free Reggae Sumfest prizes though:

Entrants must be Jamaican citizens
Entrants must be 18 years old or older
Entrants must submit an official entry form, available in the Jamaica Gleaner

Contest rules are listed at the Reggae Sumfest website.

The 2009 Reggae Sumfest festival will take place in Montego Bay, Jamaica from July 19 through July 25, including the Jagra Dancehall Night on July 23.

The Jagra Dancehall Night lineup includes a full roster of legendary dancehall artistes and rising stars:

Beenie Man
Bounty Killer
Vybz Kartel
Mavado
Elephant Man
Busy Signal
Spice
Kip Rich
Flippa Mafia
Macka Diamond
Lady Saw
D’Angel

Additional Reggae Sumfest acts range from American hip hop and R&B acts to Jamaican conscious reggae singers:

Ne-Yo
Keri Hilson
Jazmine Sullivan
Morgan Heritage
Jah Cure
Coco T
Queen Ifrica
Toni Braxton
Nas
Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley
Tarrus Riley
Etana
Da’Ville

Showtimes for Reggae Sumfest performances are 8:30 p.m. nightly.

Sponsors for the 2009 event include the Jamaica Tourist Board, Digicel, Air Jamaica, Jamrock Magazine, Ocean Spray, Jagra, Appleton, Carib Beer and Mackeson among others. Reggae Sumfest is produced annually by Summerfest Productions.

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2009 IRAWMA winners announced, everyone goes home happy?

dubman — Sun, 10 May 2009 18:54:56 +0000

The 2009 International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) winners were announced on May 3 during an award ceremony at the York College Performing Arts Center. The IRAWMA awards ceremony featured live performances by nominees Etana and Queen Ifrica. The star-studded event was attended by reggae music luminaries including Beenie Man, Cocoa Tea, Alison Hinds, Tarrus Riley, Dean Fraser, Tony Rebel, Gramps Morgan, Lt. Stitchie, Barbee, D’Angel, Duane Stephenson, and Machel Mantano.

Top IRAWMA award nominees included dancehall deejay Mavado (8 nominations), reggae crooner Beres Hammond and dancehall rapper Elephant Man (7 nominations each), reggae vocalist Etana and reggae singer/deejay Queen Ifrica (5 nominations each) and Mr. Vegas (4 nominations. Given these artists’ popularity and wide range of nominees in all categories, it seemed certain that someone would go home empty-handed. But they didn’t.

The IRAWMA awards are determined by votes from fans and the music industry, but unlike other hidden-ballot music awards where standout performances tend to sweep multiple categories, the IRAWMA awards were evenly distributed, with nearly every A-list attendee taking home an award.

Longtime reggae star Beres Hammond took home the Entertainer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year Awards with his recent release of A Moment in Time, but was passed over in the Recording Artist, Male Vocalist, Best CD, and Best Song categories (the last was a particularly surprising split – the year’s best songwriter did not pen the year’s best song?). On the dancehall front, Mavado was awarded the Recording Artist of the Year and Best Song Awards, but his genre-busting hit “On the Rock” (recorded with hip hop luminary and mega-producer Jay-Z) didn’t win the Best Crossover Song category. In a final twist, Queen Ifrica and Etana were tied for the best female vocalist awards, with Etana also winning the Best CD and Queen Ifrica winning Best Female DJ/Rapper.

Decide for yourself: you can read the 2009 IRAWMA nominations list and compare it to the final awards list:

Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year – Beres Hammond
Recording Artist of the Year – Mavado
Best Male Vocalist – Tarrus Riley
Best Female Vocalist – Queen Ifrica & Etana (TIE)
Best Song – Mavado “So Special”
Best CD – Etana “Strong One”
Best Crossover Song – John Legend & Buju Banton “Can’t Be My Lover”
Best Gospel Song – Stitchie & Elephant Man “What A Mighty God”
Best Female D.J./Rapper – Queen Ifrica
Best Male D.J./Rapper – Beenie Man
Best New Entertainer – Serani
Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer – Alison Hinds
Best Reggaeton Entertainer – Daddy Yankee
Best Latin Entertainer – Shakira
Best Compas Entertainer – Nu-Look
Best African Entertainer – Alpha Blondy
Best Soukous Entertainer – Awilo Longomba
Best Hip Hop/R&B Entertainer – Lil Wayne
Outstanding Contribution to World Music – Wyclef Jean
Most Outstanding Stage Personality – Machel Mantano
Best Music Video – Stephen & Damian Marley “The Mission”
Best Poet – Mutabaruka
Most Educational Entertainer – Morgan Heritage
Most Outstanding Show Band – Machel & Xtatik Band
Most Consistent Entertainer – Calypso Rose
Most Promising Entertainer – Lutan Fyah
Most Improved Entertainer – Tanya Mullings
Best Instrumentalist – Dean Fraser
Best Backing Band – New Kingston
Most Popular Selector – Stone Love
Concert of the Year – Irie Jamboree
Promoter of the Year – Sumfest
Producer of the Year – Steven McGregor
Songwriter of the Year – Beres Hammond
Award for Spiritual Service thru Music – Lutan Fyah
Community Service Award – Ziggy Marley, U.R.G.E.
Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award – Shaggy
Best Song in Tribute to Barack Obama – Cocoa Tea – “Barack Obama”

Special awards included:

International Reggae & World Music Hall of Fame/Lifetime Inductee – Clive Hunt, King Short Shirt, Sweet Honey in the Rock
Master of the Caribbean Award – Mighty Sparrow
Martin’s International/Inter-Culture Award of Honor – Granville Straker
Award for Contributions to Music, Arts & Culture – Hon. Olivia “Babsy” Grange
Producer’s “Respect” Award – Usain Bolt
Awards of Appreciation for Contributions to Music Industry – Owen Dalhouse, Brigadier Jerry, Road Int’l, Heavy D

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2008 Reggae Academy Award nominees announced

dubman — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:21:13 +0000

The Reggae Academy has published the official list of 2008 Reggae Academy Awards nominees. Nominations are based on academy members’ votes for recordings released between December 1, 2006 and November 30, 2007.

Reggae Academy Award winners will be announced on February 24th, 2008 at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, Jamaica.

Most Popular Artist

Tarrus Riley
Queen Ifrica
Jah Cure
Beenie Man
Buju Banton
Munga
Busy Signal

Most Popular Song

She’s Royal (Tarrus Riley)
Nah Go A Jail (Busy Signal)
Sticky and Roots (Unknown)

Best Solo Male Vocalist

Tarrus Riley
Pressure
Jah Cure
I-Octane

Best Solo Female Vocalist

Queen Ifrica
Etana
Cherine Anderson
Ce’Cile

Best Vocal Group or Duo

Cherine Anderson and Chuck Fender (Coming Over Tonight)
DaVille and Sean Paul (On My Mind)
Morgan Heritage and T.O.K (Unknown)

Best Reggae Album

Mind Control (Stephen Marley )
Book Of Life (I Wayne)
True Reflection (Jah Cure)
On My Mind (DaVille)

Best Dancehall Album

Gully Sit’n (Assassin)
Intoxication (Shaggy)
Foreva (Wayne Wonder)
Walk Out (Lady Saw)

Best Music Producer

Don Corleon
Stephen McGregor
Stephen Marley
Christopher Birch

Best Reggae Compilation

Strictly The Best Vol 38
Jamdown Riddim Driven
Reggae Gold 2007
One Drop Anthems 2007

Best Reggae Video

She’s Royal (Tarrus Riley)
Faithful (Morgan Heritage)
Stab Vampire (I-Octane)
We’re Missing You (Kris Kelly)

Best Dancehall Compilation

Tremor Riddim Driven
Biggest Ragga Dancehall Anthems
Dreaming Riddim Driven
Heathen Riddim Driven

Best Dancehall Video

Nah Go A Jail (Busy Signal)
Church Heathen (Shaggy)
Back It Up (Beenie Man)
Love Is Wicked (Brick and Lace)

Best Dancehall Recording

Conscience (Cham)
Watch Dem Roll (Sean Paul)
Nah Go A Jail (Busy Signal)
One Loaf A Bread (Damian Marley)

Best Dancehall Riddim

Tremor
Gearbox
Power Cut
Sativa

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Reggae Academy Awards signs top artists

dubman — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:08:52 +0000

The first Reggae Academy Awards, scheduled for February 24, 2008 in Kingston, Jamaica are shaping up to look like an international reggae extravaganza. Reggae Academy Chairman Lloyd Stanbury has announced that several top artists have signed contracts to appear as performers and presenters, including Shaggy, Sean Paul, Morgan Heritage, Elephant Man, Diana King, Ky-Mani Marley, Ce’Cile, Etana, Assassin, and Voise Mail. The Academy is also considering some international artists such as Gentleman out of Germany, Sinead O’Conner, Sean Kingston and Collie Buddz.

Shortly after the Recording Industry Association of Jamaica (RIAJam) announced the formation of the Reggae Academy with members including music producers, vocalists, songwriters, music video producers, media representatives, artist managers and agents, they’ve already organized their star-studded 1st Reggae Academy Awards. RIAJam has been working since it’s inception 4 years ago to put together an international music awards ceremony to recognize achievement in reggae and dancehall music (what, no dub?). Clevie Browne, RIAJam chairman stated that the Reggae Academy Awards objective is to celebrate and recognize creative excellence as determined by people who are active in reggae music today.

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