Mega Soca Stars Head To Toronto For ‘Jab Jab J’Ouvert’

The annual Toronto Carnival officially kicks off this Thursday, the 3rd of August, and will be in full swing until Monday, the 7th. As is the case every year, several top-tier soca artists will flock to the city for public appearances, performances, or just to party.

The big show for 2023 is Jab Jab J’Ouvert set for Friday, August 4th at Markham Meadows – 8100 Steeles Avenue East – in Markham, Ont. Tallpree, Problem Child, Wuss Wayz, Motto, Mr. Legz, Skinny Banton, Jaxx, and Marlo are just some of the confirmed performers.

Ragga Lox’s Long Awaited Album “Climbing” Is Out Now (@Raggaloxx)

Manchester recording artist Ragga Lox, who’s been living in the United States since the late 80s, has just delivered his long awaited thirteen-track studio album. Released on Sunday, July 23rd, the LP is called Climbing, and it features collaborations with Revelashan and Rob Symeon

The inspiration for the record came from the devastating impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Ragga Lox. As a matter of fact, the lead single – Spliff & Beer – was penned after he lost some close friends and family members to the virus. Once the first track was shared – in January 2022 – and based on the positive feedback it got, Lox immediately began working on the full album with the hopes of releasing it last summer. However, after several delays and setbacks, he and his team opted to push it forward to now. 

Climbing has a perfect mix of reggae (Reach For The Stars, They Shall Never, Reggae Island, Mama Said Families); dancehall (Spliff & Beer, Tough Times & Touch); and even world music fused with hip-hop (Climbing, Reggae Memory Lane, Try & Royalty). All songs were done with the highest standards. The songwriting and vocal performances are flawless, and the overall production quality is beyond reproach.

That said, the thing that stands out the most on this LP is Ragga Lox‘s story. He brags about his skills as a lyricist while putting those very skills on display. He narrates the tale of losing his father, mother and mentors. His Rastafarian beliefs and way of life are artfully painted throughout this record. In short, Climbing is a five-star album, and if nothing else it shows that Ragga Lox has climbed his way to the top of the musical mountain.

CLICK HERE TO STREAM / DOWNLOAD “CLIMBING”

Louie Culture To Host 80s/90s Dance In Atlanta

Veteran dancehall artist Louie Culture will host Memory Lane – a 80s, 90s, and early 2000s dance – at a location to-be-announced in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, August 19th.

The dancehall legend will be supported by Renaissance Disco, Supa Twitch, Navis BomB and DJ Bread. Passes and additional information can be obtained at memorylaneatl-dot-com.

Mortimer, Nesbeth & Others For The ‘Garvey One Destiny Concert’

On Sunday, August 20th, Marcus Garvey In Schools (MGIS) and Jamaica National Group (JN) will present the Garvey One Destiny Concert at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, Jamaica.

It will star Mortimer, Nesbeth, Sizzla Kalonji, Julian Marley, Fab 5, Gem Myers, Bongo Herman and Queen Ifrica. Comedian Owen ‘Blakka’ Ellis will join media personality Debbie Bissoon as hosts.

Starting time is 5pm and there is $6,000 JMD general entrance fee. VIP is $8,000.

Jamaica’s Emancipation Day Train Excursion

The Jamaica Railway Corporation will be having a roundtrip train excursion on Emancipation Day, August 1, 2023, from the Spanish Town Train Station to the Linstead Train Station departing at 10:00 am.

Tickets are now available at the following locations:

– Jamaica Railway Corporation’s Head Office at 142 Barry Street, Downtown Kingston
– Spanish Town Train Station
– Genus Pharmacy in Portmore

A tour guide will walk guests through the history of different sites on the journey. There will be live entertainment at the stop in Linstead, where dancehall recording artist General Degree will put on a show.

Attendees will also get the opportunity to support the Linstead community as they will have Jamaican treats on sale. There will be secured parking at the Spanish Town Train Station.

Source: Jamaica Government

The ‘Summer Block Party Tour’ Kicks Off This Friday

The highly anticipated Summer Block Party Tour, which features all four members of Jodeci (DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci, and JoJo), SWV, and Dru Hill, will commence this Friday, July 28th at PNC Music Pavilion in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This is a six-week tour that will wrap up in early September in Concord, California. In addition to the aforementioned cities, it will also stop in Baltimore, Brooklyn, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta etc. See full schedule below.

7/28 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
7/29 Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
7/30 Greensboro, NC – White Oak Amphitheater at Greensboro Coliseum Complex
8/4 Brooklyn, NY – Coney Island Amphitheater
8/5 Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
8/6 Philadelphia, PA – The Mann Center
8/10 Detroit, MI – Aretha Franklin Amphitheater
8/11 Chicago, IL – Arie Crown Theater
8/13 Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
8/15 St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
8/18 Atlanta, GA – Cadence Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
8/19 Birmingham, AL – Oak Mountain Amphitheater
8/20 Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater
8/24 Baton Rouge, LA – Raising Cane’s River Center
8/26 Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
8/27 Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
8/31 Denver, CO – Bellco Theatre
9/2 Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheater
9/3 San Diego, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheater
9/7 Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater
9/8 Concord, CA – Concord Pavilion

Wolf Trap On Schedule For ‘Masters of the Mic: Hip-Hop 50 Tour’

After previewing at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans last month, the Masters of the Mic: Hip-Hop 50 Tour is now in full swing. It officially launched on July 20th in Cincinnati, Ohio, and will be stopping at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia on Thursday, August 17th.

Masters of the Mic: Hip-Hop 50 Tour is the ultimate party bringing together the best and most respected MC’s of all time for one unforgettable night. Attendees will be treated to innovative wordsmith Big Daddy Kane, the original human beatbox Doug E. Fresh, conscious hip-hop pioneer KRS-One, legendary lyricist and MC Rakim, plus the storyteller Slick Rick. Special guests Roxanne Shante, hip-hop’s first female solo rap artist, and the great DJ Spinderella are also on the line-up.