Video Drop 5.5: New Shelly G!

Shelly G - Text Me [Directed by Delroy Dash - Dtshaka Productions]

Okay so, I get an email out of the blue from AchisReggae favourite Shelly G (!) saying that she had a new video, for a straight Reggae song, asking me what I thought about it yeah. If you pay any attention at all to Shelly G (and if you frequent this blog, you do), then you know that she rather continuously releases new videos. In fact, in her genre, which is typically Soca, she probably has more videos than most of her peers, so it isn't a surprise, but whenever she has a new one, I'm definitely interested. This tune, 'Text Me', although Reggae, is fairly typical for Shelly G and the video is very nice. I love the colours and just the scenes, it's very well done and of course, Shelly G finds a way to interject quite a bit of her one of a kind personality into the piece (and is it just me, but does she kind of seem to have a very 'curious' smirk on her face at many points here?) so you can probably see the ending coming. The result is a very nice video and definitely always love to hear Shelly G doing Reggae (or anything for that matter).

Video Rated - 4.5/5

Video/Song Link - 4.5/5

{For more of Shelly G, including an explanation as to why she walked away from an all but guaranteed repeat as GT Soca Monarch, check out her excellent website at Shelly G Online}

Word of The Week: Brave & Bold by Lutan Fyah

Brave & Bold

Dem waan fi di Middle East oil pit

Hail Marcus Garvey di Pan-Afrikan teacher

Wi nah laughingstock you know that

Wi come from the land of the free

The vanguard of the Black redemption

Mi tell you seh Rasta children persecution no come easy

Alright!

Oh

Oh yes

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

Hey we trodding from the days of old

Alright yes

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

We be coming from far, tell babylon leave us alone

I’ll be standing on the ocean edge

Still holding firm to repatriation pledge

All Black man are my kindred

With a robe upon wi back and and turban upon di head

Hey you wanna feel the freshest seas wind

Keen but neva satisfied, I’m so determined

To wipeout and burn

Ithiopia still reigning. It’s just the blessing of The King yes

Now the world gone mad with them money gaze

Dem leave the poor man inna gloomy haze

Hey dem still inna dem island slave trade

Wi city fulla buccaneer and pirate

Now, now, now

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

We be trodding it from the days of old

Oh now now

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

We been coming from far

Babylon leave us alone

Illuminati full of distortion to seal there crime

Freemasons fighting for voting seats so dem go sign

Ethiopian potency got no right

I see boasy slave wanna work it out for light

Dem hunting for Black man DNA for sale, taking what’s rightfully mine

A machine staying on to see false documents arrive

Dem a mek phone call in secret which must come to light

Cold situation at night

Offshore banking, paper Geneva decoy

They keep on telling us a lie

They neva hear the Black man cry

Hey! Alright! Alright!

Oh yes!

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

Hey man trodding it from the days of old

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

Man coming from far

Tell babylon fi leave us alone

Lying and robbing is babylon game

For the rights of Jah, no man, they got no shame

We were free before they came

Now they roam from place to place, hey

Civilization they would have known

We got a life, a life of our own yes

The man with the melanin smiles with the sun

That mean a straight fyah bun!

Hey the system dem full up of hypocrisy

Now mi hear dem a cry fi democracy

And mi si seh dem a some money capitalists

Dem really waan fi bomb di Middle East oil pits yeah

Di bitter dark become a bitter oasis

CNN, CBS, BBC fulla tricks whoa

Tell di youths dem nah fi watch it

A judgment Rasta ready fi go gash it

Alright whoa

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

We been yadding it from the days of old

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

We been coming from far

Tell babylon fi leave us alone

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

We been yadding it from far, hey from the days of old, alright

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul

We been coming from far

Babylon leave I alone

Blackness made us brave and bold

Afrikan life and Afrikan soul [“”]

Taken from Lutan Fyah's album Rising Up

Lutan Fyah @ Myspace

Check It Vol. 8

Assassin & I-Wayne - Fire Song [Boardhouse Records]

Okay, most attention grabbing this week (and I say that despite the fact that I haven’t finished putting this thing together totally just yet) is this SHATTERING tune, ‘Fire Song’ from Assassin’s Boardhouse and featuring I-Wayne alongside the star. I’ve definitely been quite critical of I-Wayne over the last year or so, but he’s so far having a pretty strong year so far and this tune, for me, becomes the highlight (despite the fact that he also has a tune with Lutan Fyah). This song is just STRONG and a very interesting combination between the two and, of course, Assassin is A+ lyrically while I-Wayne provides a more hyped version of his typical fire and brimstone (but highly highly COY) condemnation and all wicked people and actions everywhere. Definitely pick up this single and we’re hoping for albums from both in 2010.

Saïk - M-10 Strict (Street Album) [G-zup Concept]

I’ve been sitting on this one going on a year by now I suppose and it’s definitely time that I’ve told you about it (it’s actually featured on the big Frenchie site Antilles-Mizik.comtoday, jogged my memory). Of course you know Gwada star Saïk is one of the maddest artists on the planet, crazy lyrics, crazier flows and just a dynamic and winning personality and presentation and, in my opinion, may just be the artist to take the lead for French and Creole Reggae music in the future (along with Mrs. Nasso of course). M-10 Strict was Saïk’s ‘street album’ for 2009 and it was definitely something nice to get us by until the next studio project. Although it wasn’t as ‘tight’ as Face à La Réalité, with a whopping TWENTY-THREE tracks here, it was still damn interesting and impressive to say the least. Featuring spots from the likes of Young Chang MC, Reyel Ay, impressive up and comer Jao Kynx and even Stone J (biggup Stone J every time) add to the shine of this release from one of the most talented artists on the planet and Mortenol District’s finest.

{note: There’s also a digital version of the album available now, in EP form, but if you want the full lot, check Antilles-Mizik.com}

Yeahman’C - Trop Forte EP [Everweed]

Staying with the Frenchies for just a second - Veteran Yeahman’C from out of Nina is set to drop his debut album (I thought he already had an album, but apparently that release too was a ‘street album’) Le Bon in a couple of weeks (this cover is also the album’s cover apparently) and in preparation he’s released an EP for the album, featuring three of the reported nineteen tracks on the album, Trop Forte. On the EP is the title track (for the EP), ‘Ma New Era’ and most interestingly ‘Les Enfants Du Soleil’ which features Tiwony and sounds EXCELLENT. I’ve honestly been pretty high on Yeahman’C for awhile now, although very quietly, and I’m definitely looking forward to getting my hands on it and I’m hoping that the label pursues similar situations when the full album releases (meaning I hope that they release it digitally right away).

Scrappy - The Caribbean Dream [Faluma]

While artists like Krosfyah and El-A-Kru can’t seem to get anything through at this point, Scrappy must be the happiest human being in the entire ever fattening Faluma roster because he, seemingly, has an album released from the label about every half-hour or so. Thankfully everyone’s favourite Soca artist from out of Montserrat (although definitely biggup I Cultural), is well talented, so even though you’ll find many tunes shared between the releases, his is always a welcomed name. Highlighting his latest, Caribbean Dream is the nearly MASSIVE ‘Show Me A Flag’ which probably should’ve earned him another Montserrat Monarch last year (again, biggup Cultural) and is VERY strong, probably one of the strongest lyrical efforts I’ve EVER heard from him thus far. There’re also familiar selections such as ‘Taking Over De Road’, ‘Start To Bounce’ and ‘Carnival SOS’ rounding things out on this very impressive set and I’m sure he’ll have another album in a minute or two (and now here would be the point where I would say something about the Rocket Launcher, but I’m not going to. . . Oh wait. . . ).

Ziggi Recado - Same Difference EP [Rock ‘N Vibes]

Apparently they just couldn’t wait and I can’t blame them honestly with a talent like this. I was definitely hoping that 2010 might bring the world a followup to Ziggi’s EPIC 2008 sophomore release In Transit and while it may just do that still, while we wait Ziggi is bring us an EP, Same Difference which features six tunes. Since the release of his last album, Ziggi has been absolutely on fire and flaming so with some of the material present on this release such as ‘Ganja Smoke In The Air [aka ‘Joka Smoka‘]’ and ‘Pretender’. There’re also new (at least to me) tunes present, with the most eye catching being ‘You’ which is a duet style tune with the legendary Marcia Griffiths of all people. Of course I’m still hoping 2010 will be an album year for Ziggi, but even if it isn’t, Same Difference is sure to do damage. Also doing damage in your search for this piece is the fact that Ziggi recently changed his name to Ziggi Recado, why that and not Ziggi Regatta, the world may never know.

Eric Blowtorch & The Welders [Bopaganda!]

HEAVY! It may very well take me a very long time to get used to some of the vocals from the US based Eric Blowtorch & The Welders, but the music here is OUTSTANDING! The actual craft and the compositions as well, clearly these people (whoever they are), know what they’re doing and it’s to no surprise at all that they’ve also attracted the attentions of the legendary Trombone Man himself, Rico Rodriguez, as well Prince Jazzbo. Between the tunes available on these two releases (apparently there’s also an album and you can also get much of this work digitally, but I’ve found that Ernie B and JUNO both have the physical (and you know if Juno has it, that means that you can basically listen to the entire thing because they’re ’clips’ are pretty much the entire songs, all of the time) releases) I’m absolutely in love with the vibes of ’Vision Of Alpha’ which features Rodriguez. The version for ’Salt Water’ is also very impressive, exemplifying that old and adorably ’dusty’ type of Roots/Dub sound and there’s also ‘Most Dangerous Man’ (which shares a foundation riddim with the aforementioned ’Vision Of Alpha’), 10% of the proceeds of which will reportedly go to Human Rights Watch, which is an organization for protecting and defending human rights, worldwide. Do a good deed today and pick up some big vibes in the process.

Bloodshot Riddim EP [Xconvict Records/Zojak Worldwide]

With only four tunes, ostensibly there isn’t much to mention here, but with two of the four being from Jah Mason and I-Octane and the third, being from the 'up and coming' Little Joe, surprisingly probably being the best of the vocal tracks (the fourth is the clean riddim track). The Bloodshot Riddim itself is a very ‘different’ sounding vibes, sounding like The Godfather theme with the spiraling sound, mixed with hardcore modern Roots Reggae, very interesting to say the least.

Maxi Priest - Too Busy With My Own Problems [Bass Inna Yu Face/Zojak Worldwide]

Maxi Priest apparently is a very busy man and doesn’t have time for much else these days, or at lest that’s the type of person he’d like to tell you about with his new single ‘Too Busy With My Own Problems’ for Bass Inna Yu Face. That same label is apparently the label belonging to Priest’s bassist, Taddy P, from out of Mobay. Taddy has his own single out as well (which you can also get in this digital bundle), ‘Leave The Crumbs Alone’ with veteran Mackie Conscious on vocals. Both selections are very impressive and both artists made an excellent performance at Regatta earlier this month as well.

420 Mix [Zojak Worldwide]

Okay, I mentioned this one last week, but now that it’s been released and I’ve had a bit of time to deal with it more, I thought that I’d bring it back. Perhaps because this “mix” is hardly mixed at all and features a great deal of the tunes on the piece (many of which I love), it’s grown on me greatly where other mixtapes barely even see my players even semi-consistently. I will say that this one is great for newer fans and older ones maybe looking for a bit of nostalgia (call me a nerd, but when ‘Ganja Farmer’ dropped in, I STILL paused) because that’s exactly what I was feeling from it. Just an all around solid idea and some HUGE tunes on this one of varying popularity ranging from Black Uhuru’s ‘Sensimilla’ all the way to the up and coming Baijie with ‘Spliff Long’ (and biggup Ce’Cile getting in on the act as well). Very solid representing nicely for Stonerville.

Anthony B - Rolling The La La La [Bornfire Music/Zojak Worldwide]

And lastly (thankfully because I’m getting tired) (as hell) is a new single from Anthony B, ‘Rolling The La La La’. This one is way too Hip-Hoppish for my tastes, but you may just enjoy it. The tune features an unnamed Rapper also and it isn’t horrible so definitely if you like your vibes half and half, mixed with Hip-Hop, check the tune out, it’s available now.

New Chezidek Album: Judgement Time

Apparently there's a new Chezidek album coming soon, Judgement Time from JahSolidRock, the same label that gave us Benaissa's album, Tables Turn from last year. Have no idea when it's reaching, don't have a tracklist (which is what I really want, but definitely the cover looks promising and I can't wait to get my hands on it. So besides all of that stuff I just told you about in the Classic Review, and Natty King coming in about a week and a half, there's a new Chezidek also yeah!

BIG!

p.s. almost certainly this tune will be on the album yeah

"History In The Making": A Review of Riddim Driven - Classic by Various Artists

I was remarking just last week to a fellow blogger, Dale Cooper, regarding just how wonderful of a time it was that we both found ourselves on this planet at a time where being a fan of Reggae music is proving increasingly fruitful and incredibly entertaining. And in that conversation, while I was speaking mostly about a certain developing trend (more on that later), I’m definitely under the impression that what we are currently experiencing HAS TO be regarded as one of the strongest eras of Reggae music, as a whole, that there has ever been. Of course I’ve placed myself up as a vocal defender of all things Reggae modern, but I even suspect that, particularly given the globality the music currently enjoys, that even the most steadfast of old school heads would have to agree to some degree (although they’d probably credit such popularity to an era gone by). Getting into specifics more and more, of course I’m drawn to the greats in terms of artists and because I’ve covered them endlessly and you know who I’m about to mention, I won’t go there too in-depth and instead what I’m going to do is focus on the producers (obviously). With producers it’s interesting because you’ll RARELY if ever experience or get into the same type of heated discussions that you’ll have when speaking of artists. The ‘debate’ for ‘the best’ artists is ridiculous. They generally quickly escalate into something very negative and wholly unnecessary (and still I have them quite frequently) and you’ll hardly ever sway someone’s opinion that your favourite artist is wickeder than theirs. With producers, however, even if they’re only remotely noteworthy, the conversation will be built upon this kind of respectful type of foundation upon which the notion of ‘agreeing to disagree’ is almost always useless because the ‘disagreements’ are so miniscule. So unlike the discussion of artists, what you end up with is - Yes you may think that producer is the wickedest, BUT you can surely see how someone would think this other is just as accomplished. I say that all of that to go back to my original point of enjoying the moment because, seriously speaking when you look at just how producers are ’measured’ and the very high esteem in which they are held, then in my opinion, Kemar ‘Flava’ McGregor may just be EASILY the clearest choice of being a future all time great (right now) over ANYONE in Reggae music currently whose career has hit the top flight within the past decade or so. Definitely that’s a very big declaration, but to be simple about it, there probably isn’t a single individual MAKING MUSIC who has as much ‘command’ as to the music’s ultimate direction as McGregor as Roots Reggae music from this generation (like every other) will be categorized by the dominant Roots producer from this generation and you already know who that is now.

So who better than such an individual to release a Classic? You know I consider myself fortunate because I get to write these things about four or five times a year or so now. “These things” are of course reviews for Flava produced riddims and lo and behold it’s that time of year again. The Classic Riddim offers quite a bit of firsts for the producer, besides the typical cases of new artists he’s voicing, it’s also (as I mentioned his first of the year), and more significantly, the very first to be released through his new label, Flava McGregor Records. For the last few years I’ve grown quite accustomed to mentioning ‘No Doubt Records’ every chance I got, which was his previous home (and still appears on this album cover), but I do have to admit that the newly christened label is probably going to roll easier off the tongue and fingers and again, it takes THE name in terms of Roots Reggae music from the current era and makes it even more identifiable. So, with the new label locked up and a riddim in hand, of course one would know that Flava’s newest piece (whatever it may be), is now going to come through industry leader, VP Records’, famed Riddim Driven series as thankfully they have caught on and done so seemingly into perpetuity, so here forward I’m assuming that all of Flava’s riddims will receive (fittingly) the greatest light that can be shone on them in the international sense, Riddim Driven. This particular riddim, while not a great deviation is kind of what I’ve been referring to as a ‘Concept Riddim’. Of course the term ‘concept album’ is one which is quite familiar and floated around, but in this case, what you have is a riddim in the Classic, which was either developed with a certain vibes in mind or was named because it, rather easily, has a kind of wonderfully exaggerated old school and classic feel to it. In either case, this thing is I LOVELY! It is absolutely enchanting! And strictly from a sonic standpoint, the Classic becomes one of the strongest of Flava’s career to date and probably one of the strongest as of late from anyone. It doesn’t have the kind of ‘gimmicky’ or ‘strange’ melody that you’ll hear on some riddims (which I have absolutely no problem with at all), but it just has a prevailing sweet vibes and as I say that, I kind of take that as an encompassing trend for the vast majority of McGregor’s compositions - They aren’t the flashiest and they won’t have the most flare to them, but when you take them as a whole, they are gorgeous and they’re currently (and in the process of creating quite a history as I said) the finest in the game, period! His riddims also serve wonderfully as backdrops for some of the finest vocal talents in the game and it’s becoming more and more interesting to see just who McGregor decides to voice. Pretty much anyone who’s anyone within the scope of Jamaican Roots Reggae has voiced his riddims (and he’s started to branch out to Europe with names like Ziggi and Alborosie) and that continues to be the case on the Classic Riddim as my early favourite for Riddim of The Year 2010 produces an EXCELLENT album.

As I alluded to, this album comes in the midst of what is lining up to be a MASSIVE 2010 from VP/Greensleeves with releases from some of the biggest names in the business (including four who appear here) already appearing and many more forthcoming. I’m sure in the lineup, for heavy Reggae fans, this release will be a highlight still. Why? Because of material like the very first tune on the album for Kemar ‘Flava’ McGregor’s Classic Riddim, ‘No Apology’ from the great Beres Hammond. This is probably the best tune on the album and you can call me an idiot for not ‘formally’ declaring it so if you like, because this is absolute MAGIC! Hammond was born to do stuff like this, making just SWEET vibes and really showing what a riddim like this can do in the proper hands with the very inspirational vibes. HUGE opening. Flava favourite (and Achis favourite) (and YOU favourite), Etana, comes through next with ‘I Know You Love Me’. Etana is really becoming quite the ace with these love songs and I’m sure when her own album is released (on VP sometime later this year) that this tune will be a highlight on it, just as it is here, as being amongst so many strong lovers pieces, ‘I Know You Love Me’ (and doesn’t EVERYONE love Etana, I mean SERIOUSLY!) manages to stick out. It doesn’t stick out more, however, than the tune which follows it, the WICKED ‘Like An Angel’ from UK Reggae superstar and poster boy Maxi Priest. The Priest is in an excellent form on the tune and it stands as probably the finest recent effort I’ve heard from him. It’s a very catchy tune and although you could call it sappy at times, I’m not. I’m going to call it a very good because that’s exactly what it is and it’s also a cap on an EXCELLENT start to the Classic Riddim album.

Speaking of sappy and corny, those are words which could also apply to ‘Special Love’ from Singing Melody, but I think a more appropriate adjective for the finest tune on this riddim is AMAZING! Like I said, Beres Hammond essentially hit’s the biggest homerun on the Classic Riddim, but if that’s the case, then consider Singing Melody’s shot an inside the park homerun (and thus more impressive). EASILY the greatest vocal display on the set comes here and you just have to give credit when someone absolutely SINGS THE HELL out of a tune and that’s what Melody does here on this most bonafide of hits. HUGE TUNE! Thriller U is nowhere to be found on the riddim, but Singing Melody’s two other group mates from L.U.S.T., Tony Curtis and Lukie D are present. Lukie D does very good (and I don’t know if I’m starting to warm up to his music in general or if he’s just been doing better, but I’m finding myself more and more complimentary to Lukie D as of late) with his tune ‘Girl I Surrender’ (and we’ll forgive him for the autotune). Curtis, for his part, also doesn’t disappoint with ‘Golden Eyes’. This one isn’t amongst my favourites, but not being the biggest fan of Tony Curtis’ I probably vibe his music with more of a critical ear and honestly this tune is pretty good so if you DO enjoy his music you just may love ‘Golden Eyes’. Playing fill in for an absent Thriller U (thankfully), essentially, is superstar Wayne Wonder who also is paying close attention to the oculars with ‘In Your Eyes’. This one took a minute or two to grow on me, but it’s very very impressive and you shouldn’t expect anything less from such an established and venerable veteran as Mr. Wonder.

On paper I was immediately drawn to two tunes on the Classic Riddim for a couple of different reasons, ‘Soon As We Rise’ and ‘Thinking About You’. The former caught my eye because it’s a most unusual combination between the ‘rising’ Duane Stephenson and the ALWAYS welcomed Ras Shiloh and being one of the only two (if you count the opener and not the closer) non strictly lovers tracks on the riddim, it definitely sticks out audibly as well. I could listen Shiloh all day long and here with Stephenson he exhibits reason number 2,893,563 why his is a talent to pay a special attention to on what proves to be one of the finest outings here. ‘Thinking About You’ also features an always welcomed name, Pressure Busspipe and it didn’t let down either. Pressure just turns up the heart and the passion on the tune which finds him in a downright hopeless position of longing for his special lady and using it to deliver one of the best choruses on the Classic altogether.

The biggest two remaining names on the Classic Riddim, Gramps Morgan and Gyptian, also do well on their own, respectively. Especially Morgan on his excellent tune ‘Darling It’s You’ (despite the fact that ‘darling’ is an incredibly creepy word). This song is just HEALTHY! Definitely it’s a feel good type of a vibes and I almost struggle to call it a ‘love song’ (even though that’s exactly what it is), because it just FEELS like so much more than that. For his part, Gyptian drops the cool ‘All I Wish Is Love’. This tune is apparently missing on his recently release for Flava Revelation (and it’ll probably appear on his VP album I’m guessing), but it’s one of the strongest Gyptian tunes I’ve heard in . . . well maybe ever. Not being the biggest fan of the singer I can say such a thing, but I’m sure his fans will enjoy it very much as well (should they be able to pry themselves away from ‘Hold You‘. There’s also the siblings Lindo with Kashief and Nikiesha both doing decent work. Kashief’s fragile sounding ‘Searching’ is ultimately outdone by his sister’s very clever ‘Love On The Replay’ which is one of the better efforts here altogether. Although somewhat associated with that same group (at least in my mind there’s some kind of connection between that Joe Fraser camp at which she holds court and Heavy Beat where the Lindos do the same) is Fiona with the very familiar sounding ‘Which Side Are You On?’ I’m loving Fiona every time she reaches and this time out is no exception, she’s VERY talented and hopefully she continues to pop up on future Flava riddims because hers is such a nice and serene talent. And I also have to mention the up and comer Khago, speaking of clever, whose HALTING ‘Love Stomach’ is one of the better written tunes on the Classic to my opinion and is definitely something to spend quite a bit of time on (and speaking of up and comers, not too surprisingly not on the album is T Moore’s ‘Losing My Time’, but I’m sure you’re going to be hearing a great deal about her in very short order).

And thankfully there’s also a very nice and very clean version of the riddim on the album as well. This is a practice which is now NECESSARY in my mind, ESPECIALLY when the riddim is as good as the Classic.

Overall, I have to go back to the premise of this review to put this release into context: What you have here is material which, years from now, is probably going be regarded as a ‘classic’ riddim in some way shape or form or at the very least, part of a classic cache of riddims from Flava. That’s not to say that the Classic has suddenly become my favourite of his output (that distinction probably still belongs to the Triumphant), but it should speak to the quality of this work. And this work, in particular, is yet another master class. The Classic has a bit of a built in story to it, as I alluded to, and with that I think that there may be enough of an interest to recommend it to newer fans of Reggae music and, definitely with the roster of artists here, I’m also tempted to believe that new fans of the music will have a good opportunity to enjoy this one. For more familiar fans I think it goes without saying that this riddim has such a SWEET vibes that it’ll definitely hit you on a few levels. The Classic Riddim represents yet another mighty step forward for Kemar ’Flava’ McGregor, the best Reggae producer on the planet. Period.

Rated 4.5/5

VP Records

2010

Flava McGregor