It’s relevant at this point to ask yourself, have you ever imagined a noose around your neck? A noose put on by someone else? It’s usually a mob of folks. Have you imagined being strung up on a tree by the neck to hang and die while crowds of local women, men, and children cheer on?… Read More
Prince Fatty has a knack for showcasing the vocal prowess of the artists he works with, building a foundation of strong groove and dub for those featured performers to shine. His latest release, out to the public in its entirety on June 19, does exactly that.… ince-fatty-shniece-disco-deception/" class="read-more">Read More
About five years ago, Jayson “Agent Jay” Nugent, guitarist of the internationally adored NYC-based ska/reggae band, The Slackers, had been cycling north on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. After hitting a patch of construction that was not barricaded, Nugent badly broke and dislocated his shoulder, paralyzing his whole right arm within minutes.… Read More
Last week, Los Angeles, CA roots-reggae champions Arise Roots released “ink.to/comegetit">Come And Get It,” the lead single from their eagerly anticipated new album dropping early next year on ineffablemusic.com/label">Ineffable Music. Aside from being a killer tune in its own right (always the case regarding new music from this top-ranking group), the track has the notable and, frankly, historical distinction of being the first recording to feature two of the American Reggae scene’s best known figures: Kyle McDonald of Slightly Stoopid, and Eric Rachmany of Rebelution.… Read More
In the mid 90s, I became enamored with a compilation CD that I had stumbled upon called in-High-Vol-1-Vinyl/dp/B00008FQBJ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=groovin+high+vol.+1&qid=1571585022&s=music&sr=1-1">Groovin High, Vol. 1., which introduced me to the serene and spacey yet rhythmic sounds of trip-hop. Delving into this newfound genre which captivated me with its laid-back, funky jams, I discovered a new world of downtempo music, which included a more synth-driven version of dub, the instrumental, psychedelic subgenre of reggae music which I already had an affinity for. … Read More
NYC, 2am, 1990-something. A Ford Bronco drives through the still bustling streets with its windows down and a bunch of rowdy revelers inside singing loudly along with the blasting reggae music.
I am living while I am living to the father I will pray
Only him knows how we get through every day
With all the hike in the price
Arm and leg we have to pay
While our leaders play…
The music is Buju Banton’s ‘Til Shiloh album and the revelers are my friends and I.… Read More
With the recent passing of Bob Marley’s birthday on February 6, it’s easy to be reminded how far reggae has spread from its birthplace on the Caribbean island of Jamaica. Now, almost six decades later, this magical music has taken root in every corner of the world, from Japan to Sao Paulo, New Zealand to Vancouver.… Read More
In the early 1990s, Nirvana released what is considered one of the greatest and most pivotal albums in rock history, Nevermind. Some sources credit album sales in excess of 30 million copies, but one thing is for sure: the album catapulted the Seattle-based band to mainstream success while popularizing a new subgenre of rock n’ roll, known more generally as alternative rock, and more specifically, grunge.… ince-fatty-battle-for-seattle/" class="read-more">Read More