On March 23rd at 8:30 p.m., Jamaica will join Asia, Europe, Africa, North and South America for Earth Hour. For sixty minutes homes across the world will switch off their lights in an attempt to highlight the dangerous decline in nature, climate change, and the need to work together to secure a brighter future for the planet.

Earth Hour JA, a Jamaica-based organization focused on monitoring climate change and providing information about about it, will be hosting a concert on the previously mentioned date to further accentuate the issue. The event will start at 4 p.m. at Hope Gardens in Kingston, and will feature performances by Etana, Alaine, Warrior King, Iotosh, and Alexx A-Game.

Free tickets are available on their website: earthhourja-dot-com. Anyone who shows up without a pass will have to pay $1,000 JMD to get in.

As a result of a near-death experience, Jay Shephard, one of the most celebrated reggae-dancehall artists from Nassau, Bahamas, is now singing a different tune (pun intended). On the recently released Natural Vibes Riddim, the sing-jay contributed Higher, an absolutely beautiful lovers-rock record that is arguably one of the strongest songs on the compilation. 

Because Higher stands in stark contrast to the previously released, sexually explicit, gunman tunes in Shephard‘s catalogue, he was asked about the change, and responded as follows:

“I’m a survivor of a gunshot to the face and as a result of it Yah/Jah I started to seek the Most High and in return he blessed me with the voice you are hearing now. Before the headshot I couldn’t sing and didn’t have that voice. I was visited by the Holy Spirit one night in my room and got blessed with the voice in one night and Jay Shephard was born.”

Regarding Higher, he said: “the song Higher was inspired by the woman I’m with now. She inspires me to take her Higher and to be the highest version of myself. She is definitely a blessing to me. My hope is that listeners hear a different side of Jay Shephard & that they themselves take the person they are with Higher. Emotionally, Spiritually & Mentally.”

The Natural Vibes Riddim, which also features Busy Signal, Jah Cure, Turbulence, Pressure Busspipe, Powerman, Lutan Fyah, Kurtiouss, Rufftop Rock I, and Ginjah, is now available on all streaming platforms. It comes to us courtesy of Reggae Vibes Music.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE “NATURAL VIBES RIDDIM”

At the end of March, famed bass player and record producer Taddy P will release a new song performed by veteran vocalist Richie Stephens. The track, titled She Loves Me, is a reggae remake of James Ingram‘s She Loves Me (The Best That I Can Be), which was first shared on his 1983 album, It’s Your Night. 

This single is Taddy P‘s follow up to Blessings, a tune he did with Red Fox that was made public at the beginning of December in 2023. Both songs are on Taddy P‘s Bass Inna Yuh Face Records label, an imprint he has owned and operated for years. 

Taddy P‘s versatility as a bass player, recording artist, and producer makes him highly sought after by both emerging and established acts. Over the years he has worked with Maxi Priest, Freddie McGregor, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Rita Marley, Tanya Stephens, Diana King, Shabba Ranks, Yellow Man, Sanchez, Monifah, and others. 

From a production standpoint, he has done four albums: Bass Inna Yu Face (2005), Gimmie Di Bass (2011), Singing Bass (2020), and Bass-a-Cally Vocals Volume 1 (2020). These are in addition to several EPs and singles, the next being the aforementioned She Loves Me with Richie Stephens, which should be live on streaming platforms on March 29th.