Official soundtrack for the G8 protests

A must-have is this compilation against the G8 meeting in Heiligendamm/Germany. Many popular pop, rock and reggae artists outa Germany are collected on "Move against G8": Die Toten Hosen, Nosliw, Kettcar, Sillywalks Movement, Tocotronic, Gentlemen and more.All money from this charity project goes to the Rostocker Aktionskonferenz "Rostock I"

listen and buy it here

[via Zero G]

Mixes of the day

Cut Chemist - Spat (Video)

Nice cartoon video by turntablist and dj Cut Chemist. On the video you can see a conversation between two turntables.



[via One Take Tapes]

Buju Banton @ The Theatre at Madison Square Garden

Review of the sold-out Buju Banton show at Madison Square Garden last week on AllHipHop.com.
A few pictures of the show can be found here.

Reggaeton boom burning out?

Read an interesting article on the problems in reggaeton music:

n 2005, Daddy Yankee's Gasolina was burning up the airwaves, normally cautious radio stations were falling over themselves to play reggaeton, record labels were leaping to sign every act who could sling the right Puerto Rican slang and the booty-shaking genre seemed poised for domination. [..]
Now, just two years later, the reggaeton flame is sputtering. Radio stations that had adopted an all-reggaeton/hip-hop format have switched to a broader range of music after seeing ratings drop. A stream of copycat releases from new artists has helped solidify the style's reputation for having a repetitive sound. And a second wave of acts hasn't aroused the same excitement as the genre's original stars: Yankee, Don Omar and Tego Calderón. At last month's Billboard Latin Music Conference, the annual Miami gathering of Latin music industry leaders, there were rumblings that reggaeton was over.


[Miami Herald]

Winners at the 26th International Reggae & World Music Awards

01) Bob Marley Award for Entertainer of the Year: Sean Paul
02) Recording Artist(s)/Group of the Year: Sean Paul
03) Best Male Vocalist: Luciano
04) Best Female Vocalist: Tanya Stephens
05) Best Song: “Temperature” by Sean Paul
06) Best Album/CD: “Too Bad” by Buju Banton
07) Best Crossover Song: “Temperature” by Sean Paul
08) Best Gospel-Oriented Song: “King Jesus” by Chevelle Franklyn
09) Best Male DJ/Rapper: Buju Banton
10) Best Female DJ/Rapper: Macka Diamond
11) Best New Entertainer: Tony Matterhorn
12) Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer: Machel Montano
13) Best Reggaeton Entertainer: Daddy Yankee
14) Best Latin-Oriented Entertainer: Shakira
15) Best Compas/Racine Entertainer: Sweet Mickey
16) Best African Entertainer: Angelique Kidjo
17) Best Soukous Entertainer: Koffi Olomide
18) Most Popular Hip Hop Entertainer: Sean Paul
19) Award for Outstanding Contribution to World Music: Ziggy Marley
20) Most Outstanding Stage Personality: Capleton
21) Best Music Video: “Ghetto Story” by Baby Cham
22) Best Poet: Mutabaruka
23) Most Cultural/Educational Entertainer: Luciano
24) Most Outstanding Show Band/Group: Morgan Heritage
25) Most Consistent Entertainer: Byron Lee & the Dragonaires
26) Most Promising Entertainer: Tarrus Riley
27) Most Improved Entertainer: Da’Ville
28) Best Instrumentalist: Dean Fraser
29) Best Backing Band: Live Wyya
30) Most Popular Sound System/Selector: Tony Matterhorn
31) Concert of the Year: Irie Jamboree
32) Promoter of the Year: LinkUp Media
33) Producer of the Year: Don Corleon
34) Songwriter of the Year: Sean Paul
35) Selassie I Award for “Spiritual Service Through Music”: Damian Marley
36) Community Service Award: Moodies Records & Butterfli Wings Foundation

SPECIAL AWARDS…

37) Marcus Garvey Humanitarian Award: Bono, Oprah Winfrey

38) International Reggae & World Music Hall of Fame/Lifetime Inductees: B.B. Seaton & the Gaylads, Boris Gardner

39) Martin’s International & Associates Award of Honor: Don One (Don One Records), Ed Robinson (E2 Recordings), Edward “Bunny” Lee, King Jammy’s

40) Producer’s “Respect” Award: Doug E. Fresh, Gregory Isaacs, Half Pint

40A) International Award for Leadership: Hon. Portia Simpson Miller- Prime Minister, Jamaica

41) Awards of Appreciation for Contribution to the Music Industry: Bobby (Culture Jam WVIP 93.5FM), Dave Clark (Friends of Reggae), Jerome Hamilton (Headline Entertainment), Lorna Wainwright (Tuff Gong), Mikey Jarrett, Richie B. (HOT 102FM), Dahved Levy (WBLS 107.5FM), Winston “Niney” Holness (The Observer)

[The Jamaicans]

Mavado - Dying (Video)

Mavado - Dying:

Vybz Kartell - Wine Pan U (Video)

New Jamaican Top30 Number 1:
Vybz Kartell - Wine Pan U

Chuck Fenda "The living fire"

Reggae artiste Chuck Fenda, also known as the "poor people's defender", has just released his new album called "The living fire". It is out now on Greensleeves Records.
Chuck Fenda dominated 2006 with his powerful and thought provoking single 'GASH DEM' caused controversy in Jamaica and was immediately banned from radio airplay after release. That of course did not stop the word spreading and since then it continues to get heavy airplay on radio stations around the world and will certainly go down as the BIGGEST reggae anthem of that year.

Hyphy rap is dead?

Hyphy, the latest hype in rap music from the Bay Area region, lost its power.. at least Marian Liu said that in her article on Hyphy.


Just more than a year ago, the Bay Area seemed poised to become the center of the hip-hop universe. The hyperactive party music known as "hyphy" was ubiquitous at clubs. Mainstream publications featured stories about Northern California's rap scene being on the verge of exploding nationally. But something happened - or maybe didn't happen - between then and now, leaving the hyphy movement listless, with even local popularity beginning to dissipate.



[via zentronix]

Nosliw - Mehr davon

Read a review of the new album by Nosliw from Germany. The album "Mehr Davon" was supposed to be released on a major label, but was dropped due to the lack of chart potential. This might be a quality proof for a roots reggae album.

Ramon Orlando - No Hay Nadie Mas

Watch a life video by this famous singer from Dominican Republic, Ramon Orlando.



[via Clignotant Ville]

Lady Saw walks out

The Jamaican Observer has an review about Lady Saw's new album on VP Records, "Walk Out".

Having stamped her image on '90s dancehall and been catapulted thereafter into the international pop circles (Vitamin Z, Gwen Stefani), Lady Saw has -- over the last few years -- found herself on a tightrope of sorts. This album is not the proverbial great leap without a net, but it's an interesting step forward.


Irie FM Award - Winners

Winners of this years' Irie FM Awards:

1. Comeback Artiste of the Year - Vegas
2. New Artiste of the Year - Movado
3. Singer/Singjay of the Year - Female - Tanya Stephens
4. Duo/Group/Band of the Year - VoiceMail
5. Reggae Ambassador Award - Sean Paul
6. Stage Show / Concert of the Year - Rebel Salute
7. Slang of the Year - Sell Off
8. Producer of the Year - Don Corleon
9. Rhythm of the Year ; - Red Bull & Guinness
10. Best Dressed Female - D'Angel
11. Best Dressed Male - Beenie Man
12. Female DJ of the Year - Macka Diamond
13. Dance of the Year - Dutty Wine
14. Gospel Artiste of the Year - Prodigal Son
15. Humanitarian Award - Capleton
16. Singer/Singjay of the Year - Male - Richie Spice
17. Listener's Choice Award - Beenie Man
18. Album of the Year - Rebellution-Tanya Stephens
19. Song of the Year - Driver & Dutty Wine
20. DJ of the Year - Beenie Man & Buju Banton