Uganda’s Monitor reports that “The King of Dancehall stuck a sword of words into gay people through singing and talking,” quoting the performer as stating “in my family, we don’t have any gay person but if you’re gay, my brother that’s not my fault.” The statement was made while Beenie Man performed Mi Nah Wallah, a dancehall song that advocates cutting gay men’s throats.

Beenie Man‘s performance led to protests from gay rights activists who were outraged at his words. The event was particularly embarrassing for concert sponsor and food and beverage giant PepsiCo given the corporation’s support of the LGBT community in the past. Officials from PepsiCo responded by denouncing the artiste. This latest turn in Beenie Man‘s gay bashing saga may have negative implications for other artists, as PepsiCo officials have promised to be more careful when choosing events and artists to sponsor in the future.

Change.org reports that PepsiCo responded to an email campaign protesting the concert by sending an email stating that:

We are appalled by the performer’s lyrics and find them repugnant. Our bottling partner in Uganda was not aware of the performer’s views and never would have sponsored the concert with this knowledge. Moving forward, we will work closely with our bottling partners to be more vigilant about the events associated with our brands.

The King of the Dancehall‘s woes continue after Beenie Man was removed from New Zealand’s Big Day Out festival lineup by the event planners last month. Despite these recent events, Beenie Man is the third most popular dancehall artist amongst young Jamaicans, following only Mavado and Vybz Kartel.

Related posts:

1. Buju Banton Grammy protest by gay rights activists Buju Banton may not be one of the nominees for...
2. Beenie Man dropped from Big Day Out lineup in Australia and New Zealand King of the Dancehall Beenie Man has been removed from...
3. Best dancehall artistes 2009 A UWI study of 300 young Jamaicans answers the question...

22Tracks is a digital jukebox of playlists created by premier DJs in 22 different genres, including dubstep, reggae, and dancehall.

Related posts:

1. Da’Ville dancehall at Rock the Runway NYC fashion show [ January 25, 2010; 7:00 pm to 11:59 pm. ]...
2. Buju Banton drug arrest: dancehall reggae star buys cocaine from undercover cops Jamaican dancehall reggae star Buju Banton has been arrested for...
3. Best dancehall artistes 2009 A UWI study of 300 young Jamaicans answers the question...

International dancehall deejay Sean Paul recently released his 4th dancehall album, Imperial Blaze, in August 2009. Imperial Blaze includes the dancehall single So Fine (download Sean Paul So Fine and buy Imperial Blaze here). Although it hasn’t performed as well domestically as his previous releases, Imperial Blaze is tracking to be his best international seller, having sold almost a quarter million albums outside the US so far. He’s broken reggae and dancehall album sales in Japan, has gone gold in France, and is hitting top 10 charts around the world.

The 2009 MOBO (Music of Black Origin) Awards were held in Glasgow’s Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC). The MOBO awards began in 1996, founded by Kanya King as the first urban music awards show in Europe.

Sean Paul was born in Kingston, Jamaica and won a Grammy award for Best Reggae Album for his second album, Dutty Rock, in 2002. His other albums include Dutty Rock and The Trinity, which went platinum. His hit singles include Temperature, Get Busy, and Baby Boy.

Related posts:

1. Shaggy, Sean Paul, Sean Kingston raise Haiti relief funds with Digicel Reggae star Shaggy has teamed up with producer Christopher Birch...
2. Reggae Grammy Nominees The 52nd Annual Grammy nominees for Best Reggae Album (Vocal...
3. Sean Paul So Fine free MP3 download So Fine is the first single from Sean Paul‘s new...

The study, funded by UWI, researched opinions about dancehall culture among 300 15-to-24 year old Jamaicans’in the Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine, and Clarendon parishes. Doctor Donna Hope-Marquis, a UWI, Mona reggae studies lecturer, led the study from June through August 2009 and covers topics of modern dancehall and associated violence.

The study sought to represent a broad cross section of incomes and education levels. Respondents were roughly evenly split between young men and women within an age group that is extremely valuable to artistes, performers, and music labels due to the amount of money they spend on entertainment and music.

Favorite dancehall artiste

When the researchers asked young Jamaicans “Who is your favourite dancehall artiste?” the answers broke down as:

1. Vybz Kartel: 35.2
2. Mavado: 25.8%
3. Beenie Man: 23.7%
4. Bounty Killer: 2.1%
5. Aidonia: 2.1%
6. Busy Signal: 1.7%
7. Shaggy: 1.3%
8. Assassin: 1.3%
9. Elephant Man: 0.8%

Other artistes mentioned by respondens included Lady Saw, Sanchez, Laden, Queen Ifrica, D’Angel, Javinci, Sizzla, RDX, Black Ryno, Serani, Wayne Marshall, and Munga Honourable, each of whom received less than 0.5% of the votes. (With 300 respondents, that means they each got 1 vote.)

Most popular dancehall artiste now

Similarly, when the researchers asked the same audience “Who do you think is the most popular dancehall artiste now?” the answers were:

1. Vybz Kartel: 47.4
2. Mavado: 34.4%
3. Beenie Man: 14.2%
4. Busy Signal: 1.2%
5. Bounty Killer: 0.8%

The remaining answers included Lady Saw, Ninja Man, Javinci, Aidonia, and Sizzla, each with less than 0.5% of the votes.

Vybz Kartel and Mavado, dancehall kings

Hope-Marquis characterized Mavado and Vybz Kartel as “brothers musically,” explaining that although Vybz Kartel preceded Mavado AKA Gully God on the dancehall scene, “the rise of Mavado has expanded Kartel‘s career considerably” by providing matching talent to fuel an exciting and entertaining rivalry.

Nowadays, she says, younger listeners are attracted to Kartel‘s “carelessness” because it matches their own attitudes. “They like the idea of rebelling against what is right to their parents,” she explained. “Because they are young and rebellious, they like Kartel.”

At the same time, this doesn’t mean that Mavado is necessarily any less popular than Vybz Kartel across the full population. Hope-Marquis clarified that “Mavado is more popular among older people. He sings songs that have more depth.” She also suggested that Mavado‘s melodic style is more appealing to older listeners than Vybz Kartel‘s rapid fire delivery.

Bounty Killer’s legacy vs. Beenie Man’s rivalry

Beenie Man and Bounty Killer dominated the dancehall reggae scene since the early 90s. While Bounty Killer‘s popularity is on a marked decline, Beenie Man remains relevant alongside this new breed of dancehall artistes. Perhaps this is due in part to Bounty Killer‘s confidence in his legacy: Dr. Hope-Marquis explained that “when I look at it, I say Bounty Killer has borne a lot of fruit.” Indeed, Vybz Kartel and Mavado are Bounty Killer’s proteges, along with Elephant Man and RDX. Beenie Man, however, has not had the same influence on any other named dancehall artistes.

Doctor Hope-Marquis went on to explain that “there will be many invalid arguments that Bounty Killer ‘done’. I wish to state categorically that this is not so. What is clear is that Bounty Killer has made way, consciously or unconsciously, for the continued movement and renewal of one dominant aspect of dancehall culture, through the rise of his musical protégés and cultural sons, the siblings and arch-rivals, Vybz Kartel and Mavado.”

Hope-Marquis even mentioned that both Busy Signal and Aidonia “also claim musical mentorship through Bounty Killer‘s camp.”

If this is true, Beenie Man‘s career may suffer as his rival Bounty Killer steps aside for his descendents, making statements like his Reggae Sumfest 2009 declaration of “Gully or Gaza, ah me build di plaza.” Just as Ninja Man and Shabba Ranks benefitted from a rivalry before them, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer fans found additional appeal in the 2 artistes’ ongoing fued. Nevertheless Beenie Man keeps on producing music and changing his sound, holding his own against these young upstarts for now.

Thanks to The Jamaica Star and The Jamaica Gleaner for breaking this story.

Related posts:

1. Embarrassed Pepsi denounces Beenie Man’s gay bashing in Uganda Dancehall star Beenie Man is again under fire for his...
2. Sean Paul wins 2009 reggae MOBO Sean Paul won the Best Reggae Gong at the 2009...
3. Beenie Man and Bounty Killer free concert [ September 5, 2009; 10:00 pm; ] We just received...

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.”

Related posts:

1. Damian Jr. Gong Marley biography Damian “Junior Gong” Marley is one of Bob Marley’s children...
2. Reggae Sumfest 2009 dedicated to Michael Jackson It’s official: Reggae Sumfest 2009 will be dedicated to the...
3. Reggae Sumfest launch party announces Toni Braxton and Neyo Officials and sponsors at the 2009 Reggae Sumfest launch in...

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.

Related posts:

1. Win a free copy of Genesis by Maikal X Rock’N Vibes & United Reggae are running a contest until...
2. Reggae Sumfest video website and online community Can’t get enough of Reggae Sumfest 2009? Good news –...
3. Reggae Sumfest 2009 dedicated to Michael Jackson It’s official: Reggae Sumfest 2009 will be dedicated to the...

Dancehall music first became popular in the late 1970s, a decade after dub music had already demonstrated the rich possibilities for reggae subgenres. Dancehall began in the Jamaican dancehalls as when people wanted something different from the roots rock that dominated the Jamaican music scene at that time. Local soundsystems began experimenting with new songs that were simpler, more pop, less political, and less Rastafarian.

Some people link this transition to Jamaican political changes as a new right wing government replaced the nation’s socialist government. (If you’ve ever wanted to experience fascism in action, just stop by your local dance club and try arguing with a bouncer.)

Ironically, dancehall’s sound came from the past rather than new directions as Sugar Minott, Don Mais, and their contemporaries began recording new vocals over 1960s riddims. Early dancehall luminaries were singers including Junior Reid, Barrington Levy, Frankie Paul, Don Carlos, Ali Campbell, and Triston Palmer. Some older reggae musicians such as Gregory Isaacs and Bunny Wailer also evolved their sound into the new dancehall phenomenon.

Dancehall also experienced a surge in the popularity of deejays who toasted and rapped in a U-Roy style instead of singing, with artistes such as Captain Sinbad, Ranking Joe, General Echo, and Yellowman capturing listeners ears and dancers’ bodies. During the early 1980s these deejays became more popular than the more traditional singjays, often receiving first access to new riddims.

As dancehall’s sound became less harmonious and more macho, so did it’s content, with a new format – sound clash – evolving to feature deejays and soundsystems competing on albums, mix tapes, and at live shows. There was some variation within this aggressive trend though, as Yellowman and Eek-a-Mouse rose to fame with distinctly humorous lyrics and female deejays including Lady Saw and Sister Nancy also rising to fame.

Ragga Music

Ragga (also known as “Raggamuffin”) is a rap-influenced form of dancehall reggae that mixes hip hop-style lyrics and electronic instrumentation. The term raggamuffin comes from the description of impoverished Kingston youth who in turn applied the word to their music. Ragga describes the purely digital dancehall sound that emerged in the mid-1980s. Though it is a descendant of reggae, ragga bears little resemblance to the roots rock of the previous decade due to it’s digital riddims and synthesized deejay vocals. Some reggae purists debate whether ragga is really a genre of reggae music.

The dancehall sound continued to change in the 1980s, becoming more digitized. In 1985 King Jammy released the hit single (Under Me) Sleng Teng by Wayne Smith. While it may not have been the first purely digital reggae riddim, it was the first that became widely popular, ushering in the ragga sound.

Wayne Smith – (Under Me) Sleng Teng video

Ragga deejays included rough-voiced deejays such as Capleton and Shabba Ranks as well as more melodic singjays such as Pinchers, Cocoa Tea, Frankie Paul, Half Pint, Carl Meeks, and Barrington Levy. At home in Jamaica, many deejays such as Bounty Killer, Ninjaman, and Buju Banton adopted a violent aesthetic similar to American gangsta rappers. Internationally, dancehall music began to appear on the hit charts in the US and other countries, including Shabba Ranks‘ Mr. Loverman and Chaka Demus and Pliers‘ Murder She Wrote.

Modern Dancehall music: controversy and new directions

In the 21st century dancehall music’s popularity was challenged by critics of it’s frequent homophobic content, the most notorious song being Buju Banton’s 1988 hit Boom Bye Bye, which advocates shooting and burning gay men. In addition to journalists and music critics, civil rights activists began the Stop Murder Music campaign and openly campaigned against homophobic dancehall artists and concerts featuring those artists. As a result, some concerts were cancelled, police opened investigations of some artists, and international governments blocked some artists’ travel. The artists countered by arguing that their lyrics were permissible free speech and in some cases compromising by changing their lyrics for American and European shows.

At the same time that the homophobic backlash and other violence amongst popular dancehall artists spiraled out of control, some prominent dancehall deejays “found religion” (Rastafarian, of course) and began the conscious dancehall (aka conscious ragga) movement, which replaced violent content with the kinds of conscious, ital, and cultural messages that dancehall had originally left behind in the 1970s. Artists such as Garnet Silk, Tony Rebel, Sanchez, Luciano, Anthony B, and Sizzla built purely conscious careers, whereas other previously-violent deejays such as Buju Banton and Capleton transitioned over to a conscious direction (often bouncing back and forth between conscious albums and more pop/dancehall content).

More recent dancehall stars include Mavado, Bounty Killer, Lady Saw, Shaggy, Diana King, Spragga Benz, Beenie Man, Elephant Man, and Sean Paul, who has released several Billboard hits in the United States.

(For everyone who is writing research papers, this article was written by a guy named Chris Keane (me) on June 4, 2009. I’ve updated it a few times in the intervening months. If you do finish your paper and would like to share it on the site or contribute any other articles, please leave a comment!)

Related posts:

1. Introducing Keera Rootz – Music From The Heart “Sweet Rub-A-Dub”! (Kingston – Jamaica 18th, January 2011) “When music is a...
2. 2009 IRAWMA winners announced, everyone goes home happy? The 2009 International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) winners...
3. 15 Obama reggae tracks pay tribute to his first 100 days As Barack Obama‘s presidency reaches the 100 days mark today,...

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

Related posts:

1. Top Caribbean entertainers named for IRAWMA weekend in Trinidad and Tobago As plans unfold for the staging of the 30th anniversary...
2. 2010 International Reggae & World Music Awards (IRAWMA) [ May 2, 2010; ] Tony Rebel, Alison Hinds, and...
3. Beres Hammond Beres Hammond perhaps the greatest reggae balladeer to record an...

1. Get Ready by Ziggy Marley

Ziggy Marley kicks off the list with his redux of the Bob Marley classic, People Get Ready, which includes lyrics that mimic Obama’s speeches about faith, hope, and change across the nation:

People get ready
Train to Jordan
Picking up passengers from coast to coast
Faith is key
Open the doors and board them
There’s hope for all among the love the most

Here’s a video of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers performing Get Ready at David Letterman’s television show in 1997 with his siblings Cedella Marley and Stephen Marley:

You can download Ziggy’s People Get Ready MP3 from Amazon.com.

2. Barack Obama – the Mission Riddim by Stephen Marley featuring Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

Following their brother Ziggy, Damian Marley and Stephen Marley’s original track, the Mission, is a tribute to Barack Obama. The Mission is available exclusively on Reggae Gold 2008 from VP Records. Although the original song focuses on social inequality in Jamaica, it’s global message and uplifting message are relevant to Obama’s rise in the American public’s awareness and his message of hope, with lyrics like:

Theres a brighta mornin star
Its shinin, wake de town
An tell de people near an far
U seek an u wi search
Wid science and research

But it’s more than just feel-good fluff – the Mission riddim, produced by Trevor “Baby G” James is a pure dancehall beat that was also used by Mavado on his I’m On the Rock track featuring Jay-Z. Here’s the video:

3. We Need Barack by Mavado & DJ Green Lantern

I hadn’t heard of this track from dancehall sensation Mavado before, but this is the video from the “Yes We Can” & “On the Rock” remix:

4. Obama we believe by Kritikalbliss

Reggae artist Kritikalbliss released Obama we believe on Dub & Reggae several months ago, and it’s still a great track from a rising musician. Listen to it now and leave a comment for Kritikalbliss to he keeps giving us more music!

5. Black Man in the White House by Sizzla

Sizzla Kalonji released Black Man in the White House on his recently-released Ghetto Youth-Ology album.

Download Black Man in the White House for free here. Thanks to Jamworld 876 for the link. Another free download link, with a so-so review, is available from this blog.

Here’s an Obama-themed video of Sizzla’s Black Man in the White House track:

6. Barack Obama by Osezua

Osezua is a true roots reggae musician, sticking with a classic, conscious reggae sound when so many other musicians turn to more-popular dancehall beats. His political endorsement of Barack Obama is further strengthened by the fact that he lives in Chicago, Illinois (Obama was an Illinois senator prior to his presidency) where he is also a baker and father.

You can see a video of Osezua’s Barack Obama song here.

7. Rise and Shine for Obama by Glen Adams

Glen Adams was the original keyboardist and composer for the Upsetters, who famously collaborated with Lee “Scratch” Perry in the early days of dub music. Rise and Shine was originally released on The Upsetters a Go Go album, and has been rereleased as an Obama tribute song.

Here’s his video of Rise and Shine for Obama:

8. Barack Obama by Cocoa Tea

I don’t know anything about Cocoa Tea‘s reggae music, so here’s the video:

9. Barack Obama by Papa Michigan

10. Obama Be Thy Name by Makadem

11. Barack Obama by Blakk Rasta

12. Obama for History by Prince Thompson

13 and 14. Obama Row the Boat Ashore and Obama Beat Them in a Dancehall by Barack Reggae

15. Barack Obama by Sarah Lufungula

This track has been critically panned, but yes, it’s Obama-themed reggae.

Cocoa Tea, Damian Marley, Stephen Marley, Ziggy Marley, and Glen Adams have each been nominated for a 2009 International Reggae and World Music Award for their Obama tribute reggae songs. Soca legend Mighty Sparrow has also been nominated for his calypso song Barack the Magnificent, and Rootsman‘s Calypso for Obama is also worth a listen if you’re interested in Caribbean music.

The “100 days” presidential review originated with the first 3 months of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal leadership, a series of government reforms and programs frequently credited with ending the Great Depression in the United States. Since then, every new American presidency is compared to the incredible progress of FDR’s first term at the hundred day mark. Although it would be difficult for Obama to achieve FDR’s level of legislative progress, the 100 day point is used by political pundits to assess new executives’ leadership styles.

With progress in torture reform, improved relationships with Cuba, talk of finally ending the invasion of Iraq, and strenuous efforts at economic reform, Obama’s 100 days show definite progress on his campaign promises. He has been particularly succesful in the environmental arena, as Huffinton Post reporters Dan Becker and James Gerstenzang write:

“He has put a new and proper reliance on science. He has named dedicated environmentalists to key positions within the White House, at the Environmental Protection Agency and at the Energy Department. And he has unveiled substantial measures to directly tackle climate change.”

Related posts:

1. Best Bob Marley Quotes Bob Marley surprised the world when he rose from his...
2. Damian Jr. Gong Marley biography Damian “Junior Gong” Marley is one of Bob Marley’s children...
3. Win a free trip to Reggae Sumfest… if you’re Jamaican Reggae Sumfest organizers announced the 2009 Royal Reggae Giveaway sweepstakes...

Nominees for IRAWMA awards include dancehall deejay Mavado, nods in eight categories, Beres Hammond and Elephant Man with seven nominations each, Etana and Queen Ifrica each grabbing five nods, and Mr. Vegas with four nominations. Other nominees include Shaggy, Machel Montano, Morgan Heritage, Duane Stephenson, Damian Marley, Stephen Marley, Ziggy Marley, Wyclef Jean, Serani, Jazmine Sullivan, Luciano, Tony Rebel, Tarrus Riley and Stitchie, among others.

The full list of International Reggae and World Music Awards nominees and categories includes:

The event will include live musical performances by nominees Etana and Queen Ifrica, joined by Beenie Man, Cocoa Tea, Mighty Sparrow, Alison Hinds, Tarrus Riley, Dean Fraser, Calypso Rose, Tony Rebel, Gramps Morgan, Lt. Stitchie, Awilo-Soukous Band, Barbee, Mutabaruka, D’Angel, Duane Stephenson, Machel Mantano, Mutabaruka, Allison Hinds, and poet Malachi.

“We are very pleased with the response we are now receiving from the Caribbean and the rest of the world, and the respect that IRAWMA has been getting,” states Ephraim Martin, President of Martin’s International and Associates. “When we think back 28 years ago, there was no form of recognition for reggae or world music entertainers. Today, from all corners of the globe, world beat
music entertainers now have their special awards to look forward to each year.”

The 28th IRAWMA is now the talk of the town in and around New York and the Caribbean, as media, entertainers and fans from far and near are making preparations to be a part of the glamour and excitement, and to walk the red carpet on Sunday May 3rd at York College Performing Arts Center, in Jamaica, Queens, New York.

Visit www.irawma.com for more inforamtion.

American Airlines, which has served the Caribbean region for 38 years, is again the official airline sponsor of the prestigious made for television 28th Annual International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA), which is produced by Martin’s International & Associates, LLC.

Tickets for this grand gala celebration of world and reggae music are now on sale at all Ticketmaster locations, www.ticketmaster.com or 800/745-3000; also from IRAWMA 877/9-REGGAE and the York College Performing Arts Center box office 718/262-2840. Advance VIP tickets are $150 and general admission tickets $75 (more at the door). Tickets are also available at selected sponsors’ locations.

The official hotels are the JFK-Hampton Inn Hotel and JFK-RAMADA Plaza Hotel. You must mention “Reggae Awards” to get the special rate. Of course, American Airlines has returned as the official carrier. Please contact American Airlines at 800/433-7300 or visit www.aa.com.

The sponsors for this coveted event include: American Airlines- Official Airline Sponsor, American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), Coca Cola, Western Union, Carib News, Irie Jam Media, Inc, LinkUp Media, Inc, JAMROCK Magazine, Inc, Carib News, TriFold Graphics and Printing, LLC, Sam’s Caribbean Market Place/Sams24-7.com, Dennis Shipping, Transcontinental Shippers, CVM TV, Keeling Records, DJ Steve’s Tax Services, Street Hype Newspaper, AVAGROW.COM, ONE CARIBBEAN RADIO 740 AM WNYH & ONECARIBBEANRADIO.COM, Blue Print The Magazine/Metric Bar & Grill, Dalhouse Production, Uptown Juice Bar, Drive Time Radio, Bennett Limousine/Bridal and Wiltshire Limousine.

Related posts:

1. Top Caribbean entertainers named for IRAWMA weekend in Trinidad and Tobago As plans unfold for the staging of the 30th anniversary...
2. 2010 International Reggae & World Music Awards (IRAWMA) [ May 2, 2010; ] Tony Rebel, Alison Hinds, and...
3. Reggaeton Reggaeton is a hybrid music form with roots in Caribbean,...