YTM Recordz drops its new soca compilation Sweet Guitar Riddim, now available worldwide from all major digital retailers. Based in Brooklyn, New York, YTM Recordz is captained by Hector “Mr. Legz” Thomas, who has been churning out hits both as a producer and performer, for years now.

The Sweet Guitar Riddim was released for the 2016 Spicemas season, Grenada’s annual carnival celebration and features local Grenadian stars on the eight-track album, including Tallpree, Randy Isaac and Mr. Legz, who pulls double-duty as artist and producer. The album also scored a coveted feature on the iTunes U.S. Reggae New Music section, during its first week of release.

TRACK LIST

1. Tallpree – Every Day
2. Randy Isaac – Application
3. Mr Legz – Rent Ah Space
4. Sheldon Douglas – What You Did Last Night
5. Lady Cinty – Action Featuring Luni Spark & Electrify
6. Peter Humphrey – Drinkers Prayer
7. 4 Brass – Lying
8. YTM Recordz – Sweet Guitar Riddim (Instrumental)

click on image to stream/purchase via iTunes

Barbadian production house BASSink Productions injects carnival fervor with its new hit compilation Zika Riddim: 2K16 Soca, now available worldwide from all major digital retailers (released June 24, 2016), from Fox Fuse. Composed by producer Dwain “Dwaingerous” Antrobus, the electrifying riddim was released for the 2016 Crop Over season, Barbados’ annual carnival celebrations, where it continues to receive heavy fanfare. It also received a coveted feature on the iTunes U.S. Reggae New Music chart and debuted in the top 100 on the iTunes U.S. Reggae Top Albums chart, during its first week of release.

The up-tempo, high-energy Zika Riddim: 2K16 Soca boasts seven new Crop Over anthems from soca stars, including Lil Rick with “Brek Down De Fence,” King Bubba FM with “What A Rush,” Flipo with “Doctor” and Verseewild with“Roll It.” The riddim continues to be the soundtrack for Crop Over and fans are now enjoying its pulsating sounds across the world.

BASSink Productions, lead by Dwaingerous, has been on the forefront of the Barbadian soca movement and has been integral in making the island nation a serious contender in releasing quality soca music, for years now. Dwaingerous earned his stripes as the lead keyboardist in soca star Machel Montano’s HD Band, and now brings sweet soca sounds to the global masses in a bigger way, with productions like the Zika Riddim.

TRACK LIST

1. Lil Rick – Brek Down De Fence
2. King Bubba FM – What A Rush
3. Verseewild – Roll It
4. Flipo – Doctor
5. Stiffy – Whip It Real Good
6. Hypa Kids – Bubble-Ish
7. Supa Hype (Barbados) – Outside Man

Soca star Olatunji Yearwood makes a global splash on Billboard with his electrifying debut album Awakening. Awakening debuts at #9 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, for week of July 23, 2016.

Awakening also peaked at #8 on the iTunes U.S. Reggae Top Albums chart, at #4 on the iTunes Trinidad and Tobago Reggae Top Albums chart, and garnered coveted features on the iTunes U.S. homepage, iTunes Trinidad and Tobago Reggae Section, as well as the the iTunes U.S. Reggae section, where it also scored a top banner, placing Olatunji and soca music in the mainstream spotlight.

Soca stars Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons, two of the headline acts billed to perform on the Main Stage at the 6th annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival slated to take place at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens, New York on Sunday, July 17th will not perform, instead, Rupee will join Reggae Ambassadors Third World Band who will rock Roy Wilkins Park with their string of popular hits and reggae classics. Dancehall sensation Dexta Daps will excite the ladies in his first major New York area appearance. More thrills are in store for the females when Gyptian takes the stage performing his latest hits All On Me and Jiggle Jggle. Powerhouse vocals from reggae singer Ikaya and UK singer/songwriter Mark-Anthony Abel will bring lots of heat to the main stage as well as humour from comedian Pretty Boy Floyd.

This year’s festival will also showcase an exciting assortment of jerk delights served by some of New York’s top Caribbean restaurants and chefs, popular cooking competitions and demonstrations as well as informative and entertaining cultural presentations on the Western Union Cultural Stage. Advanced tickets to the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival NY are available online at http://www.jerkfestivalNY.com or at selected retail outlets in the tri-state area.

The 6th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival New York is presented by Jamaican Jerk Festival NY, LLC, in association with VP Records. Sponsors are Grace Foods, Western Union, Continental Bakery, Vitamalt, Power 106, Fly Jamaica, Reggae King Radio, Street Hype and Tower Isle Patties.

Vincentian soca star Skinny Fabulous teams with Grenadian sensation Laura Lisa for the new Spicemas hit “The Movement,” now available worldwide from all major digital retailers. The high-energy, power soca tune was penned by Laura “Laura Lisa” Richardson and Gamal “Skinny Fabulous” Doyle, and the song was released for the 2016 Spicemas season, Grenada’s annual carnival.

“The Movement” is executive-produced by Grenada-based Spice Concoction, headed by Angus Steele. Produced by Grenadian production house Rubato Studios, “The Movement” was organically created after Skinny Fabulous journeyed to Grenada to work with Laura Lisa, and this successful collaboration signifies a major step in her musical career. Listen song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfhQ7JcDvRE

Trinidad and Tobago’s shining star Olatunji Yearwood sees the international release of his highly-anticipated debut album Awakening, available worldwide from all major digital retailers on July 1, 2016, with pre-order available now, from Fox Fuse. Olatunji is famous for delivering pulsating performances and versatile vocals, and his slew of hits from the recent Trinidad Carnival seasons have catapulted him to fame locally and internationally, crossing him beyond Caribbean borders. He exploded globally in 2015 with his AfroSoca hybrid smash “Ola,” after winning the 2015 International Groovy Soca Monarch Competition -Trinidad and Tobago’s premier annual musical competition, with the blockbuster fusion tune. In fact, Olatunji is the very last International Groovy Soca Monarch champion, as the competition has since changed its format. He launched his prolific career in music back in 2002, and won Trinidad’s Junior Calypso Monarch title in 2003, at the age of 17.

Since gaining widespread popularity from Africa to America, Olatunji has become the face of the emerging and popular genre-bending sound known as AfroSoca, which as its name suggests, marries traditional African beats with contemporary soca rhythms. He delivered another AfroSoca earworm for the 2016 Trinidad Carnival season with “Oh Yay,” which is the most popular soca track of 2016 – on radio, at fetes and festivals. It is also the most-viewed soca video on YouTube for the 2016 season, racking up over three million views and counting (even as an audio-only video), since its release on the global platform.

Boasting 17 sizzlers that include long-time favorites and new hits, this collection of classics epitomizes the rebirth and awakening of Olatunji’s musical journey.

Spanning the soca prism, this definitive collection pulsates with rich fusions of groovy soca rhythms and African drum beats, spiced with melodic R&B, dancehall, dance and EDM influences – making for the ultimate Caribbean crossover album. Blending native African flair with Caribbean mastery is second nature for the acclaimed singer and prolific songwriter, who recently won big at the Copyright Music Organization of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT) Music Awards, garnering the Song of the Year and Groovy Soca of the Yearawards, in November 2015. His musical talent is in his genes, as he was born into an artistic family – with renowned Trinidadian composerEdward Yearwood as his father and famed Trinidian actressMairoon Ali as his mother. His name Olatunji is a Yoruba word of Nigerian heritage that means “awake again,” which birthed the title of his first major album, Awakening. Olatunji aptly teams with the world’s largest soca label FOX FUSE, for his premier global studio effort.

 Awakening cements Olatunji as an international Caribbean music ambassador, and this arsenal of hits is bound to ignite playlists worldwide, guaranteeing Olatunji his rightful place in the global spotlight.

For 22 years strong, the VP Records Soca Gold compilation series has become the staple release to the genre, rounding up the most in-demand songs from this Caribbean carnival season. Highlights for Soca Gold 2016 include Teddyson John’s “Allez” (1M YouTube views),Hypasounds’ “How She Like It” (1M YT views) and Ricardo Drue’s “Professional” (500k YT views). The 16-track release-like its annual predecessors-maintains soca’s signature uptempo sound that is a continued influence on contemporary pop and electronic dance music.