On Saturday, May 18th, established reggae artist Duane Stephenson and emerging singer Jah-Lil will perform at the Rote Fabrik Musikbüro (Seestrasse 395, 8038) in Zürich, Switzerland.
The event, which is called Enter The Dancehall, will commence at 9 PM UTC. Click here for tickets.
On Saturday, May 25th and Sunday, May 26th, West Fest Prom. will be hosting the Mannings Food Festival at The Ranch (Llandilo Main Road) in Savannah La Mar, Westmoreland. This is a family event that will have bounce-a-bout, face paintings, clowns, games and more. There will also be live performances by several artists, with Mr. Lexx as the main headlining act.
Admission is $600 JMD for children and $1,000 JMD for adults. For additional information, persons are being asked to call 876-393-3643.
Lady G, who was one of the dominant female dancehall artist from the late eighties, early nineties, is back!
The artist, who is a proud mother, seems to have stepped away from the business to dedicate time to her family. However, over the past year or so, Lady G has been appearing on some of the biggest platforms for reggae and dancehall. Initially it seemed as though she was just doing the rounds as a veteran artist, but her latest move has many thinking that she is definitely back and ready to work. That move is the release of ‘Nah Sell Out Me Soul‘; a song featured on GT Taylor’s new rhythm compilation (Staga Riddim).
In a day and age where most women in dancehall seem to be little more than prostitutes with microphones, it is so refreshing to hear a clean, conscious song from a female dancehall artist. Ironically, Lady G touched on exactly what a lot of these other women are doing, selling out their souls. Welcome back Lady G, you were missed.
An observation by Maria Jackson
Over the last few years dancehall music has become a global phenomenon, though not as big as reggae, it is now seen as a popular artform (pop) capable of competing with rock, hip-hop and the likes. What this means is that another musical genre, born and raised on the island of Jamaica, is now highly sought after the world over.
Both genres have gotten so big that many countries are now honing their own set of reggae / dancehall stars for the world stage. However, the general consensus among musical insiders is that in order for any reggae or dancehall artist, from countries other than Jamaica, to be recognized as such, they need to collaborate with an established (known) Jamaican artist. It is believed that such a collaboration authenticates the non-Jamaican talent.
This is where the question of selling out comes in. More often than not, the non-Jamaican talents are artists with a lot of financial support who are eager for fame, fortune and all that comes with being a music star in the twenty-first century. However, and this is based entirely on observation, a lot of them don’t seem to have high moral standings. In other words, they seem to desire fame and fortune at any cost. Surprisingly, our own Jamaican artists, most of whom talk a lot about ‘God (Jah) over everything,’ have no problems collaborating with them, even if they appear to be entirely amoral. Please understand that I am not insinuating that our Jamaican artists are righteous leaders; but I am referring to the ones who give the impression that they are. Hence my title; are Jamaican artists selling out for money and fame?
An observation by Maria Jackson
Go Vegan Radio (501(c)3) presents the 1st ever San Diego Reggae Vegan Fest on Sunday, July 21, 2019 at Liberty Station / NTC Park – Prebble Field from 12 noon to 9pm.
The headliner, Third World, celebrates 45 years as one of reggae’s most iconic legendary bands. Third World is one of Jamaica’s most consistently popular crossover acts among international audiences. Mixing in elements of R&B, funk, pop, and rock and, later on, dancehall and rap, Third World’s style has been described as “reggae-fusion.”
With 10 Grammy nominations and a catalogue of charted smash hits, including (“Now That We Found Love”, ”96 Degrees in the Shade” and “Try Jah Love”), spanning over four decades, sold-out tours, a vibrant and loyal fan base and inspirational messages make this band a festival favorite.
Tickets for the San Diego Reggae Vegan Fest are $25 in advance and $40 at the gate. Advance tickets are available at reggaeVeganFest.com and on the Eventbrite ticketing platform. Kids 12 & under are free.
With their new lead singer wooing fans and dominating stages, Jamaica’s reggae ambassadors, Raging Fyah, are ready for the road! The band will be touring the United States of America this summer. See below the dates already confirmed and contact the group’s management team for additional information.
July 10th – Cincinnati, OH – Fountain Square Concert Series
July 11th – Carbondale, IL – Shyrock Auditorium Steps At SIUC
July 13th – Snowshoe, WV – 4848 Festival
July 14th – Richmond, VA – The Camel
July 16th – Virginia Beach, VA – The Bunker Brewhall
July 18th – S Kingstown, RI – Ocean Mist
July 19th – Washington, DC – Union Stage
July 20th – Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes
July 21st – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl
July 22nd – Ocean City, MD – Secrets
On Sunday July 7th, Buju Banton and a host of top-tier Jamaican entertainers will be performing at Afas Live (located at ArenA Boulevard 590) in Amsterdam. This is a part of the ‘Long Walk to Freedom Tour‘ that initially started in Jamaica in March. On this leg of the tour Buju will be supported by Protoje, Anthony B, Agent Saco and Richie Spice. The organizers are also promising a major surprise act.
Buju Banton has been a staple in reggae and dancehall music since the early 90s so this will be a treat for his fans in Europe. Click here for tickets.
