Stuff: "Scary

Yow!

This will be my last post in just about two weeks or so probably because myself, my Wife, the little one and soon my Wife's Brother, Bredz, are off to St. Vincent for Vincy Mas 2010. Biggup The Lion for sorting everything for us because it's been awhile and definitely appreciate the link up my friend. If you need to reach me, you can email me. I have a little computer trick that didn't work the last time that we were in SVG, but I'll be essentially stealing my Wife's incredibly cool phone the entire time, so you can email me. I probably won't respond, but I will get it. And that's just for the first week, after that, Bredz (the orchestrator of said "computer trick" which he claims works anywhere on the planet") will be with us so if it's going to work at all, it'll be that second week and I'm just not trying to do much anyway (I could if I REALLY wanted to) computer related, so PLEASE PLEASE don't do anything extraordinary for the next two weeks, like release a Jah Mason album. Thank you! If you do need to send me something digitally, Bredz can grab it up the first week (as he does anyway) and after that, just make sure your link lasts longer than a week or so. THANK YOU.

SO! There's a bit of business to settle around here and I'm going to do it, don't care if I'm wrong, but hope I'm right, so here're my 'official' predictions for Vincy Mas 2010.

Soca Monarch

1. Skinny Fabulous
2. Fireman Hooper
3. Problem Child

Big shock right??? The same damn three everyone expects and the same three in the same position from last year. WOW! (And, I'm going to go ahead and predict the same outcome for 2011 right now). The bit of discussion I've heard is that they won't give the crown to Skinny 3x consecutively and they might not, but I'm predicting it anyway. Skinny has two songs he's choosing from, I heard, and he may've decided, but I heard it was between 'Scary' (see end of this post) and 'Duracell'. Everyone is apparently responding more to the latter, but I believe the former has been built for the competition, and 'Scary' (which is absolutely RIDICULOUS in every way) is my favourite song right now, so if he jumps on stage and kills 'Scary' . . . It's a wrap!

Road March
Problem Child

I have absolutely no idea in this case, but if neither 'Head Bad' nor 'Leggo De Beast' took the road then I can't see whichever tune Skinny has in contention doing it either (truly the Bunji Garlin of Vincy) and in that case I'm going with his brother because he always wins. Contention may come from Luta, Maddzart (big tune name 'The King Road' which I'm currently LOVING) and even maybe even Zoelah. And they also have a 'Ragga Soca' competition (which is basically Groovy Soca) and I'm going with Maddzart to take that crown.

And Now - General "Stuff"

Okay so, biggup reader Tony from out of Macon, Georgia in the States via Road Town, Tortola (biggup Jalena), who sent us a package I just received from Bredz and in it was 3 FULL BLOWN ALBUMS that he himself made (they have 14, 12, and 16 songs on them, respectively) in a studio in his Uncle's house. He says he's 19 years old he just graduate highschool last year and decided to take a year to work on his music and now he's done it, he's about to go to college and he wanted to see if I liked his stuff. Tony, I'm taking everything with me and I'll do exactly what you told me to do, but I wanted to big you up 'publically' because that was big.

ALSO in the same package was this magazine which features Trina . . . I used to have the biggest fucking crush on Trina (anall of that ass). I've never really actually listened to her music very much but apparently she has a new album out this year, "Amazing" and it features a tune with Lady Saw and Nicki Minaj (who I keep 'running into' these days) and here's that song which is hilarious and the riddim (the "beat"), "the beat is HOT". Here it is:

Maybe I missed it, but unfortunately Saw has nary a verse on the tune and is relegated to the chorus (it actually seems like they just threw her on the tune) later on, but she does well (it's Lady Saw, duh) and Nicki Minaj . . . Yep. Nothing wrong with that there. So go and pick up that album if you're interested (and you probably aren't) and that magazine is very impressive, it's almost porn, but very impressive nonetheless.

As far as things around here, two fairly significant things I've gotten a lot of reaction on. The first is, of course, the background change. I've now taken in about TWENTY pro emails in regards to it and no one who didn't like it (probably because it's infinitely better than what was up there) so there you go. And the other thing I've gotten a lot of response from is the Romain Virgo Review from last week and it's had the effect that I hope it would with a lot of heavy Reggae heads saying that they've already or they're going to take a nice listen to it in the future. And definitely if you're holding out, you should do the same. Join us, we of working ears and brains. Thank you. And biggup all of my new readers got two of you who linked me last week, definitely appreciate it and you shouldn't have a damn thing to complain about while I'm gone because the archives around here are ridiculous!

While I'm Out!

Thought that I'd give you a LIST of stuff which sort of/kind of interest you to listen to while we're jumping and waving our collective asses, so a quick three things. Pay attention yeah:

Roots & Culture Mix [Emerald Records/Zojak Worldwide]

Okay, scouring the pages of Amazon or Emusic, you may’ve run into this piece and thought not much of it via the cover which is about as routine as you can possibly imagine, but you (like me when I first saw it), was pretty damn wrong for just overlooking it. Why? Anthony B, Luciano, Capleton, Sizzla, Big Youth, Chezidek, Turbulence, Natural Black . . . And that’s just rolling through the tracks in order, not even to mention what’s actually on the songs. Perhaps most interesting here is the opener, ‘Time Hard’, from Anthony B which I don’t recall hearing before, but features the chanter rhyming over the same riddim which backs Sizzla’s EPIC ‘Rat Race’. And on top of that, most of the tunes here didn’t get much publicity and there may just be something on here (there PROBABLY is) which taps you on a BIG nerve so definitely run through it and stop judging a book by its cover (and the cover certainly isn’t bad Susan, if you made it).

Cush Hunta [Corner Stone Productions/Zojak Worldwide]

Two things here. First of all is the big tune everyone knows and sang like mad when it dropped, the time delayed ‘Greens’. Of course you should already know that was a very nice vibes and, also I should probably mention the fact that it’s ‘sequel’ ‘Mawga Bwoy’ is also here. The next thing is ‘Ready Fi Buss’ which is even better in my opinion as it shows the struggle (and just how LONG) Cush Hunta has gone through to make his name in the business and how he’s still not quite where he wants to be. Big tune there and there’s also two more on board so definitely check it out and get updated and acquainted with one of the best names in the business, Cush Hunta.

New Image All-Stars [New Image Records/Zojak Worldwide]

Okay and lastly you should check this one if for no other reason than the fact that the woman who runs New Image sends me an email . . . three or four times a week and always doubled! This company handles publicity work for some of the biggest names in the business including (but not limited to) I-Octane, Fantan Mojah and Bramma De Bomba (and even Cush Hunta if I recall correctly). This release, which was most unexpected, features some of their lesser known artists like Kamouflage, Bitta and Express. Still the ‘star’ of the show (no pun intended) is WICKED Christina Starz, who appears with no less than three efforts, one of which is ‘Stranded’, which I believe is her biggest tune to date. So again, become acquainted with a few new stars of the future on this one and if the company’s output in my email boxes is any indication, you’ll have a second volume of this one like. . . Oh I don’t know maybe yesterday or so.

Biggup Zojak Worldwide, every time and see my latest edition of 'Check It' to see more new releases and, of course, always check in at UnitedReggae.com for even more yeah.

When I Get Back!

YEAH! When I come back, it's business as usual, of course I can't stop writing, I just can't so some of this stuff is going to be flowing nicely and here's what to expect yeah.

• First of all, I should be back posting on July 6, which just so happens to be the official release date of Capleton's new album "I-Ternal Fire", arguably the most anticipated album of 2010 amongst the hardcore heads and ON THAT DAY, I'm hoping to have a review. I already have the album, have had it for a minute (biggup Nate. Nate is the man!) so definitely expect that. I won't even say hello first, I'm just bringing it.
  

• In other reviews, you can also expect, FINALLY, a review of Gentleman's new album "Diversity" (Deluxe Edition) and I might just do a big week with Capleton and Gentleman on that Friday and Tuesday. Also you can look forward to a very intensive look at Franz Job's album "Babylon Is Dead". I just start working on that concept and it's one of the most interesting that I've done in quite awhile, so look forward to that 'statement making' project. I'm THINKING about doing a most interesting vault review for a MOVIE, so stay tuned on that, never reviewed a movie before. And a new Modern Classic, I have two in mind and I may just do them both sometime next week yeah. Oh and should I get my paws on either (or both) Skinny Fabulous' or Methi'S' album, expect those as well (don't actually know if Skinny's has dropped yet or is going to soon, but I'm pretty sure Methi'S' will be available the final week of the month yeah. And who knows what else I might pull out of the vault or what else new (like Ephraim Juda) (biggup Sara Lugo).
  

• Like I said yesterday, I'm hoping to do a big ass 'Beautiful Tune' feature, so definitely get in your suggestions, all of my regulars and my not so regulars as well. I'd appreciate it (because that means I won't have to write on that day, so there you go).
  

• Of course as July begins to peel away, that means that the first half of 2010 is coming to a close as well, so expect a whole heap of interesting first half of the year type of things, awards and commentary and such and it most certainly will be ridiculous. Also, if there're just tons and tons of things that drop in the next two weeks (and there may be), you can expect very obese editions of both 'Check It' and 'Coming Soon'. And I WILL be doing big lyrics from Ce'Cile, finally getting that series back up and running and as usual send any suggestions (especially for LISTS) to AchisReggae@hotmail.com. Like I said, I may not get back to you for two weeks, but I will be reading yeah.

I think that's it, I'm going to go ahead and leave before I think of something else.

Check out all of my friends over there, JC, Nico, Dale Cooper, Zalemmm @ Bass Culture, of course Flava, of course Smiley and everyone else. Always United Reggae like I said, biggup yourselves.

TUNE??? TUNE YOU SAY?


Pictured,

Skinny Fabulous

St. Vincent Soca Monarch

2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and probably 2012 too

BALANCE,
RasAchis

P.S. If it's Monday (June 21when you read this, I'm still around. Link me if you need to)