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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Reggae royalty Damian “Junior Gong” Marley and hip hop star Nas are teaming up again for their summer 2010 Distant Relatives tour, supporting their co-created album of the same name.

Distant Relatives is the hotly-anticipated reggae / hip hop crossover album that is the result of a long collaboration between Marley and Nas. Although Nas and Damian Marley have toured together in the past (most recently in their 2009 Distant Relatives pre-release tour and again in a Distant Relatives promo show and interview in Washington DC in December), this is their first album together.

The Distant Relatives tour doesn’t official begin until May 21 with the Distant Relatives kickoff show in Arcata, California, but fans can get a sneak peek of the duo’s performance on May 2 in West Palm Beach, Florida, at Sunfest. The Distant Relatives tour runs throughout the summer, ending on August 1 in Bridgeport, Connecticut at the Gathering of the Vibes festival. Additional venues of note during Damian Marley and Nas’s tour include May 28 and May 31 performances at The Wiltern and UCLA’s Jazz Reggae Festival in Los Angeles, a June 9 show at Waller Creek Amphitheatre in Austin, Texas, a June 11 performance at the wildly popular Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee, and a July 31 gig at Williamsburg Waterfront in my hometown of Brooklyn.

Many of the US shows (in May and June) will be opened by Nneka, a rising Nigerian hip hop artist. Nneka just released her US debut album, Concrete Jungle.

In late June and through most of July, Nas and Damian Marley are planning to take the tour international in a 4-week blitz of several European music festivals, including the Paris Hip Hop Festival and Germany’s Summerjam and Splash! Festival.

Ticket prices range from show to show, depending on the venue, but most shows are cost between $30 and $50 to see the duo.

Damian “Junior Gong” Marley & Nas Distant Relatives tour dates

Below are dates and venues for the Distant Relatives tour. All events are subject to change, so check when you purchase tickets.

• May 2 – West Palm Beach, FL – SunFest
• May 21 – Arcata, CA – Arcata Community Center
• May 22 – Eugene, OR – Cuthbert Amphitheater
• May 23 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
• May 25 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
• May 26 – Santa Barbara, CA – University of California
• May 28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
• May 29 – Las Vegas, NV – The Joint
• May 30 – Valley Center, CA – Open Sky Theater
• May 31 – Los Angeles, CA – UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival
• June 2 – Santa Fe, NM – Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre
• June 8 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
• June 9 – Austin, TX – Waller Creek Amphitheater
• June 11 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music Festival
• June 12 – Atlanta, GA – The Tabernacle
• June 13 – Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues
• June 27 – Brussels, BEL – Couleur Café Festival
• June 28 – Paris, FRA – Paris Hip Hop Festival
• July 1 – Ardenal, NOR – Hovefestival
• July 3 – Cologne, GER – Summerjam
• July 4 – Gdynia, POL – Heineken Open’er Festival
• July 6 – Copenhagen, DEN – Vega House of Music
• July 7 – Hultsfred, SWE – Hultsfred Festival
• July 9 – Frauenfeld, SWI – Openair Frauenfeld
• July 10 – Montreux, SWI – Montreux Jazz Festival
• July 11 – Rotterdam, NET – North Sea Jazz Festival
• July 13 – Hamburg, GER – Stadtpark Open Air
• July 14 – Munich, GER – Tollwood Festival
• July 16 – Manchester, ENG – Manchester Academy
• July 17 – Dublin, IRE – Tripod
• July 20 – London, ENG – Hammersmith Apollo
• July 23 – Grafenhainichen, GER – Splash! Festival
• July 31 – Brooklyn, NY – Williamsburg Waterfront
• August 1 – Bridgeport, CT – Gathering of the Vibes Festival

Nas and Damian Marley – Distant Relatives video trailer

Here’s a video trailer of the 2 artists, hyping the upcoming release:

Distant Relatives, reggae hip hop cultural opus

The Distant Relatives album has been in production since 2008 and after an initial release expected in the summer of 2009 is finally scheduled to see the light of day on May 18, 2010. Damian, Bob Marley’s youngest son, will join his instrumentals and distinct vocals with Nas‘s distinct lyrical stylings and beats. Marley told Rolling Stone magazine that the artists are “trying to have a sound that’s reminiscent of both of us, but not exactly like either.”

This will be Damian Marley‘s first studio reggae release in 5 years, and Nas‘s latest since 2008.

Buy Distant Relatives today.

Nas first leaked news of the Distant Relatives production at the 2009 Grammys, telling MTV that “I’m working on an album with Damian Marley. We tryin’ to build some schools in Africa with this one, and trying to build empowerment. We’re tryin’ to show love and stuff with this album. So, the record’s … all about really the ‘hood and Africa also as well.”

Distant Relatives began life as a compilation of tracks that were discarded from both artists’ previous releases, but over time they took a more ambitious approach and redesigned the work as a completely new cultural piece. In its current incarnation, Distant Relatives is a concept album that traces the roots of hip hop and reggae music and culture to a single, unified whole. The album takes a hard look at issues around the daily struggle of many Africans with tracks like Count Your Blessings. Bringing subjects of empowerment and African heritage to the fore, the album’s live recordings are dubbed with samples from African music as well. Additional tracks on the album include similarly-themed songs Only The Strong and Africa Must Wake Up.

Distant Relatives‘ 1st single, As We Enter, was released on iTunes on February 23, 2010. At the time of this writing, it sold 33,000 units, peaked at number 10 on the iTunes Hip Hop/Rap charts and went to number 41 on the iTunes Music charts. It also peaked at number 18 on Billboard’s Rap Digital Songs chart and number 23 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs.

Check out this sample from Nas and Damian Marley singing their hit As We Enter:

The album’s 2nd single, Strong Will Continue debuted on February 5 on BET’s Help for Haiti telethon. It’s a darker sound and hit download stores April 13 but wasn’t pushed for radio airtime. Here’s Damian Marley and Nas singing Strong Will Continue:

Damian Jr. Gong Marley and Nas – Distant Relatives track list

The full track list includes:

1. As We Enter
2. Tribal War (featuring K’naan)
3. Strong Will Continue
4. Leaders (featuring Stephen Marley)
5. Friends
6. Count Your Blessings
7. Dispear
8. The Promised Land (featuring Dennis Brown)
9. In His Own Words (featuring Stephen Marley)
10. Nah Mean
11. Patience
12. My Generation (featuring Joss Stone & Lil Wayne)
13. Africa Must Wake Up (featuring K’naan)
14. Ancient People (bonus track featuring Junior Reid)

Yes, a free Distant Relatives download

The album’s 3rd single is Land of Promise. It’s a recreation of the original Promised Land, which was performed by Dennis Brown. (Brown’s original singing was dubbed into this new version as well.) To get a free download of this track, enter your email address into the form below – you’ll probably also be signed up to hear more news about the album.

Damian produced most of the tracks with his older brother Stephen Marley. There are also rumors of additional production coming from Large Professor, The Alchemist, J. R. Rotem (who produced Sean Kingston once upon a time), and DJ Khalil. The album will include guest appearances by and rappers Lil Wayne and K’Naan.

Learn more about Distant Relatives

Past live Distant Relatives concerts have been well-attended and fans have raved about the performances. Nas and Damian Marley also recently spoke about the social vision of the distant relatives album, exploring the diaspora of humanity across space and music.

Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Nas met in 1996 but didn’t build a collaborative voice until their 2005 release Road to Zion, which was a single from Marley’s Welcome to Jamrock album. Welcome to Jamrock peaked at number 7 on the Billboard 200 and has sold 764,000 albums, while Nas’s 2008 release, Untitled, took the number 1 spot on the Billboard charts and sold 463,000 albums.

You can learn more on the Distant Relatives MySpace page, which includes clips of songs from the album such as As We Enter, the first single. To visit Nas on MySpace, visit www.myspace.com/nas. To visit Damian Marley on MySpace, visit www.myspace.com/damianmarley. You can also visit the official Distant Relatives website.

The proceeds from Distant Relatives will be donated to a project in Africa, with the possibility of building a school frequently mentioned.

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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 — Acoustic by Stephen Marley on Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic
• Imperial Blaze by Sean Paul on VP/Atlantic

Sean Paul‘s Imperial Blaze won the 2009 MOBO award and includes the single So Fine.

Last year’s Grammy Award was won by Burning Spear. (Even though the awards are provided in 2010, this isn’t the 2010 Reggae Grammy – that will be next year.)

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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 official website
• The Reggae Sumfest Facebook page

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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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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History of ska music

Ska originated in Jamaica in the very late 1950s, blending traditional Caribbean music forms such as mento and calypso with the jazz, big band, and R&B music that was broadcast across the water from American radio stations. Ska music tends towards instrumentals, like American jazz, and frequently features brass instruments such as the trombone, saxophone, and trumpet driving the song’s melody alongside bass and drum beats.

In the late 50s and early 60s as American broadcasts of blues and R&B music began to wane, Jamaican performers developed their own sound to fill the gap. Ska took off from this sound, most famously with The Skatalites. Ska’s modern, exuberant sound took hold of the Jamaican music scene in the early 1960s at the same time that Jamaica declared independence from the United Kingdom. In later years ska music followed West Indian immigrants to the United Kingdom to capture the ears of the British mod scene in the 1970s.

In the 1970s ska evolved into 2 tone music with a faster tempo and the harder-edged addition of punk rock guitars and lyrics in the Coventry, England area. In the late 1970s Jerry Dammers of The Specials began releasing new 2 tone albums in the UK with his 2 Tone Records label, which also led to a revived interest in original ska recordings throughout the UK.

2 tone music was politically notable for it’s racial unity, a trend that continues through modern ska and reggae today. 2 tone bands including The Beat, The Specials, and The Selecter all featured multiracial lineups at a time when the UK was suffering from deep racial tensions.

Ska continued to remain close to punk music and spread to become a worldwide phenomenon in the 1980s as American ska bands such as The Uptones, Fishbone, The Untouchables, Hepcat, The Toasters, and Mighty Mighty Bosstones became popular. These ska and ska punk bands often focused more heavily on brass instrumentation and faster tempos. The premier American ska record label, Moon Ska Records was founded in 1981 by Toasters’ frontman Robert “Bucket” Hingley.

Ska remains popular in the west coast US with the 1990s commercial success of The Hippos and Save Ferris and later appearance of ska-inspired punk and pop bands including Sublime, No Doubt, and Reel Big Fish, all of whom released Billboard hits during this time.

Ska bands and musicians

The Wailing Wailers (of Bob Marley fame) were originally a ska band as well, and some people describe the reggae anthem One Love as a ska song. Desmond Dekker, Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, and The Melodians were other popular ska bands. Today, The Heptones are a popular ska band based in Los Angeles.

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Stephen Marley

Hey Baby, which features hip hop star (and actor) Mos Def is widely regarded as another excellent track on the same album. In addition to the collaboration with Mos Def, Mind Control includes tracks with American rocker Ben Harper.

Stephen Marley has come a long way since starting out with his brothers as a kid with The Melody Makers, having won 5 Grammys as a reggae performer and songwriter. Stephen produced both of Damian Marley‘s Grammy-winning albums and has also produced tracks and albums for Buju Banton, Spearhead, Capleton, Mr. Cheeks, and his brothers brothers Julian and Ziggy Marley.

You can hear Stephen Marley‘s Hey Baby featuring Mos Def for free on imeem or download it from these locations:

• http://web.stephenmarleymusic.com/media/mp3/02_hey_baby_featuring_mos_def.mp3
• http://www.jusflow.com/mysongs/32%20Stephen%20Marley%20%20Hey%20Baby%20-Hey%20Baby%20Riddim.mp3

Stephen Marley’s latest album, Mind Control Acoustic, is now available online at Amazon.com.

More Stephen Marley music is available on his MySpace page. His official website is StephenMarleyMusic.com.

Stephen Marley and Damian Marley Hey Baby video

In addition to releasing the track on the Mind Control album, Stephen Marley also performed it live with brother Damian Marley, as seen in this music video:

“I don’t want to be just another artist. I want to make a statement, and to continue this legacy, this musical legacy, with my family. Just like my brothers… I aspire to be a reckoning force, when you hear my name, you know quality comes with that: good music, good message, good vibe.”

Stephen Marley and Mos Def Hey Baby lyrics

Hey baby don’t you worry
Even though the road is rocky
I’ll be coming home to you again
Cuz if you thought that I was lost
I had to bear my cross
Now I’m free from all these chains

I’ll be gone awhile away from you
And I hope you overstand
That I’ve got to do what I must do
To be a better man

Cuz if I was just to act a fool
Do nothing with myself
Then all my blessings would be cursed
My world would crumble in

It’s a joy when I sit down and think
Of the good times that we have
And what we do to make it through
When the good turns to the bad

Well I hope you find it in your heart and know these words are true
And please don’t fuss because I must go do what I must do

Hey baby don’t you worry
Even though the road is rocky
I’ll be coming home to you again
Cuz if you thought that I was lost
I had to bear my cross
Now I’m free from all these chains

A time, a space
A different place
How perfect we might be
I would be the wind that blows
You’d be that willow tree
And I could never bear the thought
Of you not by my side
So I would be the warmth of day
You’d be the cool of night
And everyday I pray to Jah
That one day you will see
And overstand the fact I must
Fulfill my destiny
I hope you find it in your heart
And know these words are true
And please don’t cry
You know that I must do what I must do

Hey baby don’t you worry
Even though the road is rocky
I’ll be coming home to you again
Cuz if you thought that I was lost
I had to bear my cross
Now I’m free from all these chains

Well, and it’s not easy
Jah knows how I try, I try
So don’t you get weary
Jah knows how I try, I try

Mos Def Lyrics:

God knows,
Life is one big road
with a lot of signs and turns and twists and curves
Even though the road is rocky
My main thing’s to rock and keep on rockin
From city to city, backyard to yard
And we be seeing the sights
Standing under the lights
And the spot is hot, its cold and lonely at night
And I’m ‘feenin’ and I’m dreaming and I’m holding you tight
But hold on, Every single road I roll on
Comes to an end and I’m back home again
So baby please don’t cry
There’s no valley low, and there’s no mountain high
And our love don’t die with the passage of time
It just grows more
And just keep strong
And even though I’m gone, I am never too far
You’re the light thru the dark shining right thru my heart
So my journey must start

Hey baby don’t you worry
Even though the road is rocky
I’ll be coming home to you again
Cuz if you thought that I was lost
I had to bear my cross
Now I’m free from all these chains

Cuz if you thought that I was lost
I had to bear my cross
Now I’m free from all these chains

Stephen Marley on the Blazed and Confused Tour

Stephen is back on that rocky road, joining the Blazed and Confused Tour with Slightly Stoopid and Snoop Doog (who is rumored to be working on his own reggae album). Hopefully he will stay “free from all these chains” and not end up back in a Florida jail, as he did in 2002 for a few hours when he was accused of marijuana possession (the incident was the inspiration for the Iron Bars track on Mind Control).

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Word on the street is that Snoop Dogg’s record label is not interested in the new production, which is bad news: Winehouse’s planned reggae release was canceled by her disinterested label. On the flip side, Snoop has far more personal production power and Winehouse may have dealt with other issues, as demonstrated by her recent St. Lucia performance.

This is not an entirely new direction for Snoop Dogg. Born Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr., the west coast hip hop superstar is known for his love of ganja and is performing alongside Slightly Stoopid and Stephen Marley for this summer’s national Blazed and Confused tour.

Billboard.com quotes Stephen Marley saying that “Snoop has always had respect for our culture and our father and the family. And likewise, in those days when it was mostly gangster rap, he was all about the chronic, which to us was a good way of taking it away from shooting guns. Snoop was one of the rappers that we would listen to because he was promoting herb.”

So it’s a short step from a 420-themed summer tour with several top modern reggae acts to recording an album – perhaps we can expect guest appearances by some of his tour buddies?

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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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