Beres Hammond OJ (born Hugh Beresford Hammond; 28 August 1955, in Annotto Bay, Saint Mary, Jamaica)[2][3] is a Jamaican reggaesinger known in particular for his lovers rock music. While his career began in the 1970s, he reached his greatest success in the 1990s.

Born the ninth of ten children, Hammond grew up listening to his father's collection of American souland jazz music including Sam Cookeand Otis Redding.[3] He was further influenced by the native music of skaand rocksteady, in particular Alton Ellis.[3]

Hammond began participating in local talent contests from 1972 to 1973,[2] which led to his first recording, of Ellis' "Wanderer".[3] In 1975 he joined the band, Zap Pow, as lead singer,[4] leading to the hit 1978 single, "The System" under the Aquarius Records label. However, he simultaneously sought a solo career, releasing his debut album, Soul Reggae, in 1976.[3] His solo ballads "One Step Ahead" (1976) and Joe Gibbs produced "I'm in Love" (1978), were both hits in Jamaica.[3] He left Zap Pow in 1979 to pursue his solo career, and recorded two more albums Let's Make A Song in 1980 and Red Light 1981. He formed Tuesday's Children, a harmony group that toured but never recorded.[3]

Hammond formed his own record label, Harmony House Records, in 1985 for the release of his Make a Song album,[2] which had two Jamaican chart-toppers that were influenced by the emerging dancehall style: "Groovy Little Thing" and "What One Dance Can Do".[3] The latter, produced by Willie Lindo,[4] began to break Hammond into the international market. He scored another hit in 1986 with "Settling Down" on his eponymous release. He left his fame in Jamaica for New York City in 1987,[2] after being tied up as thieves ransacked his house during a home invasion.[3] There he recorded the Have a Nice Weekend album and the duet single "How Can We Ease the Pain" with Maxi Priest.[4]

Hammond returned briefly to Jamaica to record Putting Up Resistance, which was significantly harder than his typical ballads, produced by Tappa Zukie, which spawned the hits "Putting Up Resistance" and "Strange".[3] He signed with Penthouse Records in 1990 and returned to Jamaica permanently to record the dancehall smash "Tempted to Touch", with producer Donovan Germain.[4] This is perhaps his best known song in the United States and United Kingdom, and set the foundation for the hits "Is This a Sign" and "Respect to You Baby" on the 1992 A Love Affair album.[3] Also in 1992, Beres released the single "Fire". The song received critical acclaim within the Reggae music industry and it was an extremely sought after 7" single. Now garnering interest from major studios such as Elektra Records, Hammond recorded five more albums in the 1990s as well as several compilations, establishing himself as one of the top lovers rock artists. His first album of the new millennium was 2001's Music Is Life, which featured an appearance by Wyclef Jean, and contributions from Earl "Chinna" Smith and Flourgon. The album spawned several hits, including "They Gonna Talk", "Rockaway" and "Ain't It Good To Know".[2][3] The 2004 release Love Has No Boundaries, had guest spots by Buju Banton and Big Youth.[3]

Bring the Noise > Explore

It originated on a small Carribean island and grew to become a global phenomenon recognised as a cultural institution by UNESCO, the story of reggae's success is closely entwined with the history of Jamaica.

Reggae's roots, springing from the social upheaval in post-war Jamaica, are a fusion of different musical eras and styles, coupled with a message of unity and hope.

How did this musical genre, with a uniquely Jamaican twist, become a worldwide brand influencing artists like Rihanna and Sean Paul?

Mento is the name given to Jamaican folk music that emerged in the 1940s and 1950s.

Similar to Calypso, which originated in Trinidad, the sound of Mento can be traced back to the convergent society of Jamaica.

Jamaica was colonised by Spain, mainly in the 1500s, and then Britain in 1655.

Enslaved people were transported from Africa to work on the country’s sugar plantations.

The resulting mix of cultures contributed to the growth of an identifiable Jamaican sound.

Characterised by the fusion of European and African traits, with origins in enslaved work songs – created with guitar, rumba box, bongo and banjo, Mento mixed this with satirical lyrics of everyday life and verse repetition, creating a foundation from which reggae would blossom.

In the 1960s the popularity of Mento began to decline as people were influenced by R&B music from the USA, played on radio stations.

Across Jamaica musicians and singers began to cover these songs and imitate their styles.

At the same time electricity was becoming widely accessible and sound systems – mobile discos on the streets – became the new craze.

Dances were a big part of the Jamaican working class community and became a place of business with people selling food and drinks, spreading money to the wider community.

Competition was rife with sound men competing to put on the best set, even sometimes resorting to violence.

It was all about the exclusivity, getting songs from overseas no one had heard of. Music became a national obsession particularly among the young.

One school in particular, Alpha Boys School, run by nuns, encouraged music playing and helped develop some of Jamaica’s greatest musicians including Yellowman, Edward Thornton and Dizzy Reece.

Meanwhile Jamaica’s professional recording industry was also starting to take shape.

Recording studios, which had concentrated on American influenced R&B, began hiring out their facilities to local musicians who recorded original songs which were picked up by sound systems, still looking for that exclusivity.

Jamaica became independent in 1962 and Ska’s upbeat rhythm reflected the mood in the newly autonomous country.

Adopting America R&B style but adding Mento elements, the new music kept a 4/4 timing with guitar or piano used to increase emphasis on the off-beat and along with a dynamic brass section and a creeping bass line, a distinct new Jamaican sound, of local singers, was created.

Ska was also growing in popularity overseas, Millie Smalls had a top five hit in the UK chart with My Boy Lollipop in 1964.

This seeping of Jamaican music in to popular culture would continue with cult 1972 film The Harder They Come, the title track of which was performed by Jimmy Cliff, with other contributors including Desmond Dekker.

Ska was a fast paced chaotic musical genre but from the mid 1960’s the climate in Jamaica that had spawned it was beginning to change.

Streets in downtown Kingston become lawless with ‘Rude Boys’ gangsters terrorising locals.

Music mirrored this and Rocksteady, a slower paced sound, grew in popularity.

Musicians would turn to old-fashioned love songs, and singers replaced instrumentals.

Rhythms became more relaxed and songs easier to dance to.

This also gave the bass line more of an emphasis as the slower pace allowed it to be more defined.

Artists such as Alton Ellis and The Techniques thrived in this era. Some artists such as Hopeton Lewis found Ska too fast to follow and so adapted to a gentler pace.

Rocksteady, however, would prove to be a brief affair, lasting around two years.

In 1966 Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia visited Jamaica – an important moment for the religious movement Rastafari which saw him as the messiah - 100,000 Jamaicans turned out to see him.

This link with Rastafarian culture would become a vital strand of reggae.

During the late 1960’s, Jamaica was on the brink of civil war, with political unrest, poverty and volatile streets.

Reggae with the bass taking charge, and drums as part of the melody, reflected this new Jamaica.

Lyrics became more conscious and words of protest and revolution changed the vibe and identity of the sound.

Roots reggae concerned itself with the everyday life and hopes of Africans, led by the Rastafarian belief and it was this genre that Bob Marley and the Wailers took global.

Marley sang of the past oppressions of slavery and the future hopes of unity.

Sub genres such as dub also formed, consisting of recycled and remixed rocksteady and ska tunes, incorporating a toaster, essentially an MC, who spoke over the song with Rastafarian messages.

The dancehall genre also emerged using digital reggae influenced rhythms.

By 1978 a failing economy and political unease was at its peak and political issues along with the musical tradition all came together in reggae to form strong lyrics with an uplifting sound to empower.

Reggae’s presence can still be felt today, influencing genres such as punk, hip hop and rock through artists such as Eric Clapton, Sean Paul, Rihanna, Protoje and Chronixx.

Through time, Jamaicans have constantly mirrored their environment through music, creating an authentic reflection of the nation.

The power of reggae, built on a foundation of history with the spirit of the Jamaican people and messages of a better future, became a notion with universal appreciation.

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>>> Bring the Noise index

Get started with Play It!

Bring the Noise > Explore

It originated on a small Carribean island and grew to become a global phenomenon recognised as a cultural institution by UNESCO, the story of reggae's success is closely entwined with the history of Jamaica.

Reggae's roots, springing from the social upheaval in post-war Jamaica, are a fusion of different musical eras and styles, coupled with a message of unity and hope.

How did this musical genre, with a uniquely Jamaican twist, become a worldwide brand influencing artists like Rihanna and Sean Paul?

Mento is the name given to Jamaican folk music that emerged in the 1940s and 1950s.

Similar to Calypso, which originated in Trinidad, the sound of Mento can be traced back to the convergent society of Jamaica.

Jamaica was colonised by Spain, mainly in the 1500s, and then Britain in 1655.

Enslaved people were transported from Africa to work on the country’s sugar plantations.

The resulting mix of cultures contributed to the growth of an identifiable Jamaican sound.

Characterised by the fusion of European and African traits, with origins in enslaved work songs – created with guitar, rumba box, bongo and banjo, Mento mixed this with satirical lyrics of everyday life and verse repetition, creating a foundation from which reggae would blossom.

In the 1960s the popularity of Mento began to decline as people were influenced by R&B music from the USA, played on radio stations.

Across Jamaica musicians and singers began to cover these songs and imitate their styles.

At the same time electricity was becoming widely accessible and sound systems – mobile discos on the streets – became the new craze.

Dances were a big part of the Jamaican working class community and became a place of business with people selling food and drinks, spreading money to the wider community.

Competition was rife with sound men competing to put on the best set, even sometimes resorting to violence.

It was all about the exclusivity, getting songs from overseas no one had heard of. Music became a national obsession particularly among the young.

One school in particular, Alpha Boys School, run by nuns, encouraged music playing and helped develop some of Jamaica’s greatest musicians including Yellowman, Edward Thornton and Dizzy Reece.

Meanwhile Jamaica’s professional recording industry was also starting to take shape.

Recording studios, which had concentrated on American influenced R&B, began hiring out their facilities to local musicians who recorded original songs which were picked up by sound systems, still looking for that exclusivity.

Jamaica became independent in 1962 and Ska’s upbeat rhythm reflected the mood in the newly autonomous country.

Adopting America R&B style but adding Mento elements, the new music kept a 4/4 timing with guitar or piano used to increase emphasis on the off-beat and along with a dynamic brass section and a creeping bass line, a distinct new Jamaican sound, of local singers, was created.

Ska was also growing in popularity overseas, Millie Smalls had a top five hit in the UK chart with My Boy Lollipop in 1964.

This seeping of Jamaican music in to popular culture would continue with cult 1972 film The Harder They Come, the title track of which was performed by Jimmy Cliff, with other contributors including Desmond Dekker.

Ska was a fast paced chaotic musical genre but from the mid 1960’s the climate in Jamaica that had spawned it was beginning to change.

Streets in downtown Kingston become lawless with ‘Rude Boys’ gangsters terrorising locals.

Music mirrored this and Rocksteady, a slower paced sound, grew in popularity.

Musicians would turn to old-fashioned love songs, and singers replaced instrumentals.

Rhythms became more relaxed and songs easier to dance to.

This also gave the bass line more of an emphasis as the slower pace allowed it to be more defined.

Artists such as Alton Ellis and The Techniques thrived in this era. Some artists such as Hopeton Lewis found Ska too fast to follow and so adapted to a gentler pace.

Rocksteady, however, would prove to be a brief affair, lasting around two years.

In 1966 Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia visited Jamaica – an important moment for the religious movement Rastafari which saw him as the messiah - 100,000 Jamaicans turned out to see him.

This link with Rastafarian culture would become a vital strand of reggae.

During the late 1960’s, Jamaica was on the brink of civil war, with political unrest, poverty and volatile streets.

Reggae with the bass taking charge, and drums as part of the melody, reflected this new Jamaica.

Lyrics became more conscious and words of protest and revolution changed the vibe and identity of the sound.

Roots reggae concerned itself with the everyday life and hopes of Africans, led by the Rastafarian belief and it was this genre that Bob Marley and the Wailers took global.

Marley sang of the past oppressions of slavery and the future hopes of unity.

Sub genres such as dub also formed, consisting of recycled and remixed rocksteady and ska tunes, incorporating a toaster, essentially an MC, who spoke over the song with Rastafarian messages.

The dancehall genre also emerged using digital reggae influenced rhythms.

By 1978 a failing economy and political unease was at its peak and political issues along with the musical tradition all came together in reggae to form strong lyrics with an uplifting sound to empower.

Reggae’s presence can still be felt today, influencing genres such as punk, hip hop and rock through artists such as Eric Clapton, Sean Paul, Rihanna, Protoje and Chronixx.

Through time, Jamaicans have constantly mirrored their environment through music, creating an authentic reflection of the nation.

The power of reggae, built on a foundation of history with the spirit of the Jamaican people and messages of a better future, became a notion with universal appreciation.

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Best FriendSong by Richie Campbell ‧ 2015OverviewListenLyricsArtists4:03YouTube • Richie CampbellRichie Campbell - Best Friend3:13YouTube • JussbussTVRichie Campbell | Best Friend | Jussbuss Acoustic | Season 2 ...Watch Richie Campbell perform "Best Friend" in this exclusive session of Jussbuss Acoustic's series LIVE from Jack's Hill in Kingston, ...24 May 2015AlbumIn the 876Released2015GeniusRichie Campbell – Best Friend Lyrics - Genius18 Feb 2015Videos3:13Richie Campbell | Best Friend | Jussbuss Acoustic | Season 2 ...YouTube · JussbussTV24 May 20153:43Mega Hits - Richie Campbell | Best FriendYouTube · Mega Hits 14 May 2015View all

Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com › trackListen to Best Friend on Spotify. Song · Richie Campbell · 2015.

SHAGGY & STING CONTINUES 

To Be Released February 27 on Ranch Entertainment/VP Records
 

Best Friends and Iconic Duo to Co-Headline the Reggae Rise Up Festival

Following the Grammy Award for their collaborative album, 44/876, music icons Sting and Shaggy are back with “Til A Mawnin” - a new single and music video that celebrate one of the pillars of reggae culture: Sound-System. The pair’s latest release, out February 27 via a partnership between Shaggy’s Ranch Entertainment and the seminal reggae/dancehall label, VP Records, takes listeners through the rich roots of reggae, blending Sting’s signature melodic style with Shaggy’s unmistakable dynamic flow to create a fusion of old-school reggae vibrations and contemporary flair. Click here to pre-save. 

With this track, the duo, both managed by Martin Kierszenbaum at the Cherrytree Music Company, pay homage to the Sound System culture that contributed to fueling reggae’s global influence, while the accompanying music video – directed by Jay Will - brings this tribute to life, offering a visual celebration of reggae’s enduring legacy.

Written by Shaggy, Sting & Henry “Junjo” Lawes, “Til A Mawnin” is a re-lick of the “I’m Not Getting Crazy” riddim, originally produced by Lawes with backing by the legendary Roots Radics Band. The riddim has been the foundation for several classic reggae tracks, including Don Carlos’ “I’m Not Getting Crazy,” Frankie Paul’s “Worries in the Dance,” and Yellowman’s “Getting Married.” Shaggy, alongside Shane Hoosong, produced this updated version, bringing new energy while preserving the essence of its dancehall roots.

The new track was mixed by 4-time Grammy Award winner, Robert Orton and mastered by Gene Grimaldi at Oasis Mastering. 

On March 13, Sting and Shaggy will co-headline the Reggae Rise Up Festival – one of the largest and most anticipated reggae festivals in the country - in St. Petersburg, FL.

Welcome to the Reggae Charts (Top 10) – your opportunity to get up to date with massive reggae tunes that are hitting all over the world.  The chart is updated monthly so please check back regularly for updates.  On each listing, you have opportunity to either listen or watch the videos.  If you like any of the songs, please follow the links to take you to checkout.

This chart was assembled by Richie B courtesy of the Reggae Vibes Online Magazine www.reggae-vibes.com

Skyline Radio, keeping you upto date with the Reggae scene across the World! Please bookmark – Reggae Charts (Top 10)

Please also check out the Dancehall Charts and the R’n’B Charts exclusively together on Skyline Radio

Lila Ike 

Bugle & Dexta Daps 

Kabaka Pyramid ft Tifa 

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Tanya Stephens 

Sevana 

thevoiceAugust 20, 2021

By: Bakary Ceesay

JAMAICAN music promoter, Stampede real name Boswell Garth Lammie has vowed to continue supporting and marketing Gambian Reggae dancehall artistes.

Stampede said he has helped several Gambian Reggae dancehall artists to get air play on international radio stations and collaborations with Jamaican artists.

He told The Voice Vibes that: “I am promoting Gambian artistes in Jamaica. Most of the Gambian Reggae dancehall artistes know about Stampede, I promote most of the African artists and I will continue doing so and having a good relationship with Gambian artists”

He urged Gambians to show more support to Gambian artistes as they are singing great songs people are enjoying it in Jamaica.

“I am very happy to see African Reggae danchall artiste artistes are making great move and I want to see more Gambian artistes making it big worldwide”

He explained that he got lots of Gambian artistes songs play on radio stations in Jamaica and wider world like Jizzle, A2, DaddyBostin and others.

He promised to visit Gambia soon to colloborate with Gambians Djs, artistes, Promoters and producers to put Gambian music in the limelight across the globe.

Whenever recording artistes want a buzz for their music in the streets, Boswell “Stampede” Lammie is the go-to man. For the past 18 years, his savvy style of promotion has reaped rewards for several entertainers.

Macka Diamond, I Wayne, Gyptian, Aidonia, RDX, Bascom X, Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Intence, Iwaata, Hot Frass, Skillibeng, I-Octane, Jahmiel and Romain Virgo are some of the artistes who have benefited from his aggressive marketing.

“It s important for any artiste to take their promotion to the streets because the street is the first place to let your name and song be known,” said Stampede. “The face of music promotion in the streets has definitely changed, but it has become a little more easy since the introduction of the Internet,” he told Jamaica Observer’s Splash.

From West Kingston, Stampede got into music as a producer. In 2002, he moved into street promotion, a popular platform since the early days of the Jamaican sound system over 60 years ago.

Stampede’s first client was dancehall artiste KC Jockey whose song Look Good Machine he promoted.

His current clients include artistes from the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa. Ugandan artiste Bobi Wine, who has performed on Rebel Salute twice, is one of them.

Stampede’s career as a producer started in the late 1980s. One of his earliest productions was Cool Down by Cutty Ranks.

 “I started out producing songs in 1989 and my first hit was Cool Down by Cutty Ranks. I also produced songs for Papa San, the late Dirtsman, Nardo Ranks, and Mad Cobra among others,” he said.

He was instrumental in promoting hit songs Done Already (Macka Diamond), Can’t Satisfy Her (I Wayne), and S erious Times (Gyptian).

He wore the hat of producer for three years before taking a break from the music business. He returned in 2002 when he and two friends, Keeble and Ilabash, formed a company called Stampede Conglomerate. Under that banner, songs were produced for a number of artistes including Khristopher, Sizzla, King David, and Frisco Kid.

For Stampede, the strategy for breaking and staying in the music industry is tried and proven.

“My advice is to keep focused on your musical career, stay humble, and always try to meet persons and let them know about your music. The more persons you meet, the more they will know about you,” he said.

By Sainabou Sanneh and Musa O Bah The Susso Kunda family on Wednesday held a press conference to brief the…

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By: Bakary Ceesay Meet the youngest Gambian female film producer and Chief Executive Officer at Maya’s productions Film . She…

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By: Bakary Ceesay Goes by the stage name Pascal also known as Da Rap Mystro, was born in Dippa Kunda,

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to navigationJump to searchDing Dong RaversBirth nameKemar Christopher Dwaine OtteyAlso known asDing DongBornKingston, JamaicaOriginNannyville, KingstonGenres

• Dancehall
• Reggae Dancehall
• World Music

Occupation(s)Singer, Songwriter, DancerYears active2005 to presentLabelsRomeich EntertainmentWebsitewww.instagram.com/dingdongravers
www.facebook.com/dingdongraversja

Kemar Christopher "Ding Dong" Dwaine Ottey (born September 29, 1980) is a dancehall reggae artist and dancer. He was a dancer before becoming a Jamaican deejay (artiste) and dancehall reggae recording artist.[1][2] His most notable songs "Bad Man Forward / Bad Man Pull Up" (2005) "Fling" and "Genna Bounce" released in 2017 has assisted in his global appeal.[3] He founded the dancing syndicate Ravers Clavers..

we are featuring :

Broadcasting great DJ Trevor Nelson has been influencing the soul, R&B and dance music scene for the past 37 years, ever since he started out as ‘Madhatter’ in 1985 on then pirate radio Kiss FM. 5 years later in 1990, the station gained a license and the rest of Nelson’s career is history.

Nelson joined Radio 1Xtra colleague Nick Bright for a two-part Radio 5 Live special on the most seminal moments of his epic career and life.

Here are five things we learned about Trevor Nelson.

Photo: Yui Mok/PA

“Personally, she’s the greatest, that album is the greatest of its generation,” Nelson says of Hill’s 1998 album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

“What she meant, what she stood for, the way she looked. Everything about her was the embodiment of what I love about music,” he continues.

Remembering the interview, Nelson says, “she did the whole album for me live on my show.”

Hill was also due to perform a live cover, but wouldn’t tell Nelson which track she had chosen.

“My favourite opening line of any song in the world is Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come…that for me is so emotive…it’s quite emotional if you’re black or from the South or descended from slavery,” shares Nelson.

The opening line reads ‘I was born by the river, in a little tent…and just like the river I've been running ever since. It's been a long, long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come.”

“Lauryn went in there and…she changed the lyrics to ‘I was born by the river, in a tenement, oh, my poor mother, she could hardly pay the rent. It's been a long, long time coming, but I know a change is gonna come.”

“I was the only one in that room and I sat there and I just went wow….that was a very special moment for me…she didn’t know that was my favourite line to any song.”

“They ended up releasing it on the B side of one of their singles - that session.”

Photo: BBC - Queen Elizabeth II during opening ceremony of BBC New Broadcasting House, June 7th 2013

Despite having over 32 legal years in the music and broadcasting industry under his belt, his MBE was surprisingly not awarded for services to broadcasting.

“When I was at Radio 1 and MTV…music magazines were big at the time. They started doing polls of the most powerful people in dance music….one year I was 4, then 5…I felt I had a responsibility to do stuff,” he explains.

“This thing came up, this initiative called Millennium Volunteers. It was about 15-24 year olds who felt slightly marginalized or excluded. It didn’t matter what colour you were, what gender or race you were…they had ten ambassadors and I was one of them,” Nelson continues.

“If you’re in a wheelchair, can you coach football?...If you're partially sighted, can you be a photographer? The feeling is no, right? So you never tried, never had the opportunity. What this was, anybody that wanted to do anything, can try it,” he says of the initiative.

Nelson says the way he was notified about receiving an MBE was ‘strange’. “I did it because I felt life was so good for me…then one day I got a call, ‘would you be opposed to being nominated for something’, and you find out when it’s in the press.”

Photo: BBC - Nelson's Rhythm Nation show on Radio 1 from club Ics Ku, Ayia Napa

Talking about the difficulties of getting started as a DJ, Nelson says it’s important to ‘put yourself out on a limb’ and ‘force the narrative’ rather than ‘waiting for bookings.’

“All we could get was venues on a Monday, Tuesday, never on a Friday” and the start of the night was filled with “that horrible feeling of waiting to see who turns up,” he says.

“My first gig, three people paid, 27 on the guest list so 30 people there, there were more bar staff…someone said to me, why don’t you try and play more commercial music. I said ‘three people paid. I’ll make that four next time’.”

It’s now a few more than four tickets that Nelson sells on his tour dates - try five figures.

Photo: BBC/Ray Burmistons

Nelson says he was familiar with being a minority from a young age. He attributes this to his school experience and his first job.

“School was an insight into what the world was going to be like, everywhere I went I was a minority. I was used to it. I didn’t have a problem with it, I expected it, I knew how to read a room, how to chat to people who weren’t like me,” he says.

“I got a job at 15, I worked for this Jewish Green Grocer called Mr Morris. I used to do his orders, I used to have to chat to people of all types, people I would never talk to…it was a completely different outlook on life for me, then I’d just go back to my mates,” he continues.

He believes this contributed to his interview skillset. “I didn’t go to broadcasting school, that was my broadcasting school…I was not nervous talking to someone not like me at a very young age.”

Photo: BBC

When first starting out as a solo DJ, having a good sound system is essential for successful club nights and events. They’re not cheap and storage and transportation can be difficult.

Speaking about his own initial set up Nelson says, “the speakers were at Charlie’s house, decks at my house, mixer at Kevin’s house…we borrowed money from a bank…we had a van we hired.”

“I took a bank loan out for a car but I bought turntables,” Nelson admits.

Speaking on the sound system dominance of DJ collective Soul II Soul founder Jazzie B, Nelson said “he had a set up, I remember him telling me, I’ve never forgotten, I said ‘what’s going on there,’ he said, ‘Princes Trust Initiative. Start a business’.”

“I’d heard of it but that was the first time I'd seen it in action…Prince Charles has got a hell of a lot to do with Soul II Soul,” Nelson laughs.

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Zemroy Thomas (13th September 1980), better known by his stage name Da Fuchaman is a Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter and member of the Rastafari movement.

Da Fuchaman grew up in rural Middle Buxton on the north coast of St Ann Jamaica. His family is from a deeply religious background, so it was no surprise that he started singing in churches and school. Although Da Fuchaman doesn’t view himself as religious, he has deep rooted beliefs in spirituality which is evident in his music.

As a teenager Da Fuchaman was singing in local sound systems and entering competitions, where he began to gain credibility in the local community of Middle Buxton and surrounding areas. His main influences were the likes of Bob Marley, Buju Banton, Capleton, Sizzla, Anthony B, Bounty Killa and Beenie Man but to name a few.

Da Fuchaman migrated to the UK in the summer of 2002 and it didn’t take long before he started getting integrated into the UK music scene. Da Fuchaman initially began working with renowned DJ Gee and started performing with David Zowie, Edixion, Roadz and Grammy nominated Tippa Irie.

In 2016 he formed his live band now known as Da Fuchaman and his Fire Blaze Band which has taken him to new heights. Da Fuchaman and his ten piece collective have been taking the UK festival scene by storm even performing at more than 20 festivals during the summer of 2022 including Boomtown Fair, Secret Garden Party, Camper Calling, Kendal Calling, Greenman, Moovin Festival, Cider Rum and Reggae, and many others.

One of his biggest music achievements was winning the Best Reggae Artist in the South West in 2018. This was a significant moment for Da Fuchaman as it was a good recognition for his music, and it was the same year his single “So Much Love” topped the itunes chart.

Da Fuchaman is known as one of the most hardworking artist in the business amassing 8 studio albums, 8 EPs and multiple singles. He has collaborated with some well renowned artists such as Anthony B, Turbulence The Future, Lutan Fyah, Perfect Giddimani and Queen Omega to name a few and his latest album titled ‘Buxton Boy’ was released in July 2022.

Da Fuchaman is known for his high energy stage performances throughout the UK and Europe and prides himself on spreading love and positive vibrations to the massive everywhere he goes. In summary, if you too are a sucker for love and positivity whether you are a reggae fan or not then you don’t need look much further than Da Fuchaman and his Fire Blaze Band as this is guaranteed.

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“Be strong,” sang Buju Banton the last time he set foot onstage before a live audience. “Hold a firm meditation. One day things must get better.”

The date was January 16, 2011. The occasion was a concert in Miami’s Bayfront Park called ‘Before the Dawn.’ After eleven months in captivity, the legendary reggae artist had been granted the opportunity to perform for one night to help fund his legal defense against an extremely problematic case which had already resulted in one mistrial and allegations of juror misconduct.

Buju was joined by a star-studded lineup of fellow musicians and staunch supporters, from DJ Khaled and Sean Paul to Stephen “Ragga” Marley and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley—to name a few. Buju opened his emotional set with “Close One Yesterday,” a song about surviving against all odds. “Don’t you go down,” he sang. “Keep your head above the water. One day things must get better.” His final selection of the night was a prayerful rendition of “Psalms 23” alongside Gramps Morgan: “Goodness and mercy all my life shall surely follow me / And in Jah’s house forevermore my dwelling place must be.”

A few weeks later, Buju’s album ‘Before the Dawn’ won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album—the artist’s first win after four previous nominations. But it would prove to be a bittersweet victory. As his fans are well aware, Buju Banton has been incarcerated ever since that 2011 show in Miami. His voice, however, could not be silenced.

Selections from the artist’s 25-year-deep catalog—including classic albums like Mr. Mention and Til Shiloh and Inna Heights—have stayed in heavy rotation throughout Buju’s time away. Yet his physical presence has been sorely missed. During the past nine years the music that Buju represented on stages all over the world has become even more influential on global pop music, as international pop stars have sought inspiration from Jamaican sounds and styles. Yet while dancehall reggae rhythms have spread far and wide, the spiritual and social consciousness that inspired Buju to become a voice for the voiceless has lagged behind or fallen by the wayside.

The artist whom A$AP Rocky called his “favorite reggae rapper” will finally experience his first taste of freedom on December 8th. Visitors report that Buju is in good spirits, keeping physically and mentally fit and looking forward to returning to the stage and the studio. Anticipation for his return is building as the official music industry publication Billboard recently reporting that “Buju Banton’s Long-Awaited Return is Near.”

“Give a shout out to the fans for me,” Buju told the U.S-based media outlet Boomshots. “Tell them I send my love and I tell them: Do not be distracted by all the things that are taking place around them because it is designed to throw them off kilter and plunge people into a state of darkness… The people are suffering. Sadness and gloom is prevailing. It’s widespread. But be patient. Because suffering may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

Buju Banton came into the game like a champion. His voice was a lionesque roar that instantly electrified listeners, sounding impossibly powerful coming from a youth with such a skinny frame.

He was born Mark Myrie, the youngest of 15 children living in the poorest house on Salt Lane, a desolate stretch of road in the slums of Western Kingston. Though financially “downpressed,” the Myrie family were proud descendants of the Maroons, African warriors who escaped slavery and fought for their freedom, establishing their own promised land in the mountainous areas of Jamaica. His father, an aspiring singer, provided for his family through manual labor while his mother sold fresh produce in nearby Coronation Market. It was she who gave him the affectionate nickname “Buju” which means breadfruit, a staple food in many Caribbean households.

Even after Buju managed to elevate himself to become an internationally renowned recording artist, Buju never forgot the poverty of his childhood years. He has used his music to serve as a voice for the voiceless, and he recently established the Lend a Hand Foundation to make a difference in the lives of at-risk children, both in Jamaica and all around the world.

“I wouldn’t say I was a nice boy,” Buju says, reflecting on his childhood. “I was a little bit troulblesome.” Most of all he loved to go to the dancehall. “My love develop by hearing other acts, such as Flourgon, Daddy Lizard, Burro Banton, Nicodemus, Jim Kelly, Early B, just to name a few,” he recalls. “The inspiration start because they used to run the business, and I was just a youth. To hear the style and what they was really puttin’ out inspired Buju Banton—alongside almighty Father God.”

As he entered his teen years, Buju would occasionally get the chance to hold the microphone around local sound systems—mobile DJ sets which were popular throughout Jamaica, and eventually spread to America, giving birth to hip hop culture. Buju cut his first record “The Ruler” at the age of 14 for producer Robert Ffrench. A few years later he recorded his breakout hit “Stamina Daddy” for Winston Riley’s Techniques label. By the age of 19 the prolific recording artist had broken a Jamaican record for the most #1 singles in one year—a mark set by none other than Bob Marley, the King of Reggae.

The Banton—a term of respect within dancehall culture—was just getting started.

The sound of Buju’s breakthrough 1992 album Mr. Mention was primarily dancehall style—hard-edged digital rhythms programmed by production mastermind Dave Kelly for Donovan Germaine’s Penthouse Records. As one of those rare artists whose work defined the cutting edge of his chosen genre, Buju set trends with each new release. His music was already internationally known when he signed a recording contract with Mercury Records in New York City and released his major label debut, Voice of Jamaica in 1993.

Ever true to his roots, Buju presented the best his island had to offer: production by the Penthouse posse as well as Sly Dunbar, Bobby Digital, and Mikey Bennett, vocals by Beres Hammond, Wayne Wonder, Tony Rebel and Terry Ganzie. The only “crossover move” on the album was a track called “Wicked Act,” a reggae-boom bap mashup featuring a young Busta Rhymes tapping into his own Jamaican roots. Buju would also collaborate with the American rap star Heavy D during the early ’90s but the Banton never strayed, always compelling the foreign artists he worked with to adapt to his style rather than the other way around.

In 1994 the Jamaican music community was shaken by a series of tragedies. Rising dancehall stars Panhead and Dirtsman both fell victim to gun violence, cutting short two promising careers just as they were taking off. Soon thereafter a powerful roots singer named Garnet Silk lost his life in a tragic and suspicious house fire while trying to save his mother from the blaze. Buju expressed the sadness and discontent with a song called “Murderer” which literally changed the course of dancehall music as we know it. The song offered a critique of the “gun lyrics” that had once held sway, appealing to a sense of decency and respect for human life. Recorded over a Penthouse version of the classic “Far East” rhythm, the song would become an anthem—inspiring multiple “answer” songs by other artists and shifting the cultural mood almost overnight. Buju had become more than a superstar, he was now becoming a leader.

It is strange this feeling I’m feeling
But Jah love we will always believe in
Though you may think my faith is in vain
Til Shiloh we chant Rastafari name

The opening lines from Buju’s 1995 album Til Shiloh marked the dawning of a new era in music. Universal songs like “Untold Stories,” “Not An Easy Road” and “Till I’m Laid To Rest” revealed a whole new dimension to the artist’s talent, as he expanded his sound beyond the barriers of genre. “I see this as a total compilation of my concept of the music and how I feel about this music in depth,” Buju said at the time. “This whole thing is reggae, you know, despite whatever fusion. Too much fusion bring about too much confusion and everyone want to carry the music into a different channel. Hence people will either determine that this is dancehall or reggae or calypso or whatever. But as far as I am concern, this is reggae music. Don’t abuse it.”

Aside from musicological debates, the substance of Buju’s message had evolved as his knowledge increased through the passage of time. “What happen bascially is Jah have to be praised,” Buju explained shortly after Til Shiloh’s release. “Everywhere in the township in the churches in the rural parts—everywhere, And we are the soldiers and he called upon the youths because we are strong. Right now we have to clean up this business thoroughly!”

On one haunting song called “Complaint,” Buju collaborated with the late-great Garnet Silk aka “The Archangel,” chanting lyrics that still bring goosebumps to the listener: “Let Jah rise and the heathen scatter / Got to give thanks and praises no matter / Even though the flame is getting hotter and hotter / Everybody should know and don’t believe inna rumor.” Those words would prove prophetic in years to come.

In years to come, Buju Banton would elevate his stature within the world music community, collaborating with American rap stars like Fat Joe as well as the rock band Rancid, not to mention his close working relationship with the Marley family. He toured the world, spreading consciousness-raising music to the four corners of the earth. He also built up his own studio on Red Hills Road in Kingston Jamaica, establishing his own Gargamel Music imprint to release his own work and give aspiring youths a chance to be heard. He continued releasing timeless albums like Inna Heights, Unchained Spirit, and Friends for Life.

And then in December 2009 Buju was arrested at his home in Florida after getting entangled in a complex drug conspiracy which had been orchestrated by a paid government informant. The charges were completely out of character for an artist whose music had criticized drug use over the years, but after a mistrial, and a long court case marred by charges of juror misconduct, Buju elected to do his time and put the whole experience behind him. As he once stated on that record with Garnet Silk: “Don’t believe inna rumor.”

“There is a big void without Buju Banton in the music,” veteran reggae singer Cocoa Tea told Billboard. “He was always touring, always working. He started that work as a teenager, and he worked until he was decades into his career,” said Pat McKay, director of programming for reggae at Sirius XM. “In that time he built a world community fanbase. They still miss him and they still want to hear from him. His work still has value, it’s still quotable and the aspirations of that work will always ring true.”

It has been a long time coming, but the dawn Buju sang about in his Grammy-winning album is almost here. And just as the artist promised, “Joy cometh in the morning.”

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08/14/2024 CHRONIXX ANNOUNCES CHRONOLOGY - THE 7TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION 07/31/2024 ETANA @ WHA‘ GWAAN MUNCHY?!? #80 07/31/2024 VYBZ KARTEL FREE! RELEASED FROM PRISON AFTER 13 YEARS 08/16/2024 MARLON ASHER X STRESS NADA - NEVER BLIND 08/16/2024 JUNIOR KELLY - PROTECTION 08/15/2024 R ZEE JACKSON - KEEP ON PUSHING RASTAMAN 

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11/29/2023 by Press Release 

City Splash Festival returns to London's Brockwell park on May 27, 2024 to once again celebrate the impact of Caribbean and African culture in the UK and beyond. This year's line-up is another massive one with the likes of Capleton, Beenie Man, Shenseea, Busy Signal, Anthony B, Black Sherif, Ding Dong, Libianca, Lojay, Queen Omega, Busy Signal, WSTRN and many more all playing with further waves of names to come. 

The much loved cultural gathering creates a space for the community to unite, connect and create history. City Splash, The Home of Culture, are renowned and authentic purveyors and advocates for Black music, food, dance and style that has made it one of the UK's most essential festival experiences.

It is a lush rolling green space with ornamental ponds, formal flower beds and a wall garden, lakes and plenty of sloping grounds to explore and relax in. The one day escapist haven is a superbly curated mix of authentic Caribbean and African culture with 45+ Black-owned food traders delivered in partnership with Black Eats LDN, plenty of authentic rum, and a creatives market as well as a wealth of engaging talks, panels and workshops by charity partners.

The first wave of headliners is another epic one with legendary Grammy nominated Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician Capleton. He will be joined by the one and only long-time reggae hit maker and magician of stage presence Beenie Man, dancehall superstar Shenseea and fellow Jamaican dancehall reggae star Busy Signal known for recent hits like Lady In Red. Also announced is Billboard Award nominee and Cameroonian-American singer Libianca, pioneering dub sound system crew Channel One, dancehall dons Iration Steppas, and renowned UK sound system Rampage Sound.

Dancehall is ultimately a celebration of the disenfranchised selves in postcolonial Jamaica that occupy and creatively sustain that space. Structured by the urban, a space that is limited, limiting, and marginal yet central to communal, even national, identity, dancehall's identity is as contradictory and competitive as it is sacred. Some of Jamaica's significant memories of itself are inscribed in the dancehall space, and therefore dancehall can be seen as a site of collective memory that functions as ritualized memorializing, a memory bank of the old, new, and dynamic bodily movements, spaces, performers, and performance aesthetics of the New World and Jamaica in particular.[38]