Jamaican national elections take place this week. Early, pre-election polling shows that Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller’s ruling Peoples National Party is trailing Bruce Golding’s Jamaica Labor Party by several percentage points.
The Marley Family’s Fifty Six Hope Road Music Limited estate filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Verizon Wireless to counter an alleged, fraudulent agreement to utilize Bob Marley’s name, likeness, and image to promote ringtones.
Collie Buddz
Tony Matterhorn, Collie Buddz, Sean Kingston, Shaggy, and Stephen Marley have all been nominated in the Best Reggae Artist category for the UK’s 2007 Music of Black Origin (MOBO) awards. The MOBO Awards were launched in 1996, and over their 11-year history have become an important celebration of black music. Beenie Man and Sean Paul have both won the award three times. Other winners include Shaggy, Mr Vegas, Wayne Wonder, and Damian Marley.
Reggae singjay Anthony B drew crowds to Wildman Street in downtown Kingston to get a glimpse of his latest video for the single “Bad From Long Time” on 357 Records’ Street Vibes riddim. “It was a good shoot,” says the artist. “We did it at Wildman Street because it is a place where I always used to go to check Louie Culture and I had always wanted to do a video down there.”
Jamstar Productions’sLadies of Reggae: The Trinity Tour will feature live performances from premier female artists Marcia Griffiths, Diana King and another to be announced. The fall tour will stop in nine American cities starting in New York on October 18 and running through October 27.
The reunited Wailing Souls made their triumphant return after 23 years. All four members were at the world-famous Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California on August 12, with Burning Spear, Sly and Robbie, and a 17,000 capacity crowd. The group recently made a visit to Inner Circle’s state-of-the-art studio Circle House Studio in Miami and recorded a cover of The Police’s “One World” for an upcoming Shanachie Records tribute CD. Plans are now in the making for a new Wailing Souls album, followed by an extensive tour of North America, Europe and elsewhere.
Busy Signal
In the Jamaican charts this week: The Living Fire Chuck Fenda‘s single “Caan Cool” (Birchill) hit the number-one spot, followed by Anthony B’s “Tease Her” (Trinity 7), with deejay Busy Signal‘s “The Days” (Daseca) at three. The top-five is rounded out by long-standing hits “Back It Up” by Beenie Man (357) and RDX featuring Jigsy’s “Dance” (Apt 19). Also climbing: Mavado’s “Gully Side,” Pressure’s “Love & Affection,” and Daville’s “Give Thanks For What You’ve Got.”
Sphinx Records will release a new album by The Crown Prince of Reggae, the late-Dennis Brown, on September 4. The album, Dennis Brown With Friends, is produced by Brown’s old friend and colleague Joseph Williamson and features Luciano, Dean Fraser, Sugar Minott, Freddie McGregor, Joseph Benaiah, Screwdriver, Mark Wonder, and Benjy Myaz.
In other release news: Ras Shiloh releases his first full-length in five years, the Bobby Digital-produced Coming Home. Veteran act Israel Vibration’s new album Stamina is out now on Nocturne. On the hardcore dancehall tip: Gize Burrowes’ (a.k.a. 77Klash) Swarm riddim features Aidonia’s slick single “Ah You/Gal Bawl.”
I-Wayne
Soon come: Soprano roots singer I-Wayne releases his sophomore effort Book Of Life on VP November 2007. I-Wayne burst onto urban radio in 2005 with his fiery single “Can’t Satisfy Her” in heavy rotation at New York’s Hot 97. The new album covers domestic violence in “Jealousy and Abuse” (featuring the great Lady G); male and female intimacy in “Need Her in I Arms”; and worldwide divisions and anarchy in “Politics and Religion.”
What do great roots acts Barry Brown, Junior Reid, Wayne Jarrett, Cedric Myton & Congos, Bascom X, Gladiators, Viceroys, Triston Palma, and Midnite all have in common? You can hear them streaming 24/7 on one of the internet’s best reggae channels. 1.FM Reggae Trade with DJ SassoReggae. Based out of Brazil, the show is available in both broadband and dial-up streams, and is available on iTunes, Windows Media Guide, Real Radio Guide, SHOUTcast, and AudioRealm radio station listings. No memberships or log-ins required.
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