Reggae and Dancehall music producers Mikey Bennett and Kirk “Koolface” Ford were featured in the Positive Vibrations: Country Goes Reggae (Mini Documentary), which is aimed at showcasing how “Reggae music and Country music are both rooted in culture and storytelling”.

The two Jamaicans were featured alongside country singer Ricky Valido and line dancer Allan Silverman to share stories of how country and reggae culture influence one another. 

Directed by Jay Will, the 10-minute doc was filmed at various rural locations in Jamaica and South Florida.

Offering his thoughts on the project, Will said: “growing up in Jamaica and listening to Country music, and being a huge fan of the genre, made me absolutely honored to get the opportunity to create visuals for the Country Goes Reggae album.”

IMAGE FROM “SMILE (FEAT. UNCLE KRACKER)” MUSIC VIDEO VIGNETTE

He continued, “Reggae music and Country music go hand in hand with the types of stories they tell and the feeling it gives to people when they listen. Positive Vibrations transformed these hit Country songs into what will now definitely become island classics.”

The 11-track Positive Vibrations: Country Goes Reggae album, which put a Reggae twist on well-loved Country songs and which was produced by Christian and Frank Berman (The Berman Brothers) and partner Ron Oehl, was released in July 2022.

It had re-imagined several Country classics, among them Alabama’s Pass It On Down, Rascal Flatts’ I Like The Sound of That, Toby Keith’s Red Solo Cup, Uncle Kracker’s Smile, Randy Houser’s Boots On and Jimmie Allen’s Make Me Want To and Dolly Parton’s Two Doors Down.

“Country Goes Reggae was a very brilliant idea because producers sat down and figure out which songs were good to do a cover in a reggae version,” Koolface said of the production, which drew on the musical talents of Positive Vibrations, an ensemble of Jamaican musicians and sound engineers which includes Ian “Beezy” Coleman, Devon Bradshaw, Guillaume “Stepper Sax” Briard, and Henry “Matic” Tenyue.

For his part, Koolface pointed out that while growing up in Jamaica, Country artists “were on the radio a lot” particularly on Sundays, and that “a Kenny Rogers song like I’m the Gambler song was a famous song”.

IMAGE FROM “RED SOLO CUP (FEAT. TOBY KEITH)” MUSIC VIDEO VIGNETTE

“Country music is brilliant with storytelling and that’s why I think that we are pulled towards country music so much,” Ford said.

“And one of the biggest songs that I discovered over a period of time that I didn’t realize at the time was a song called if I were A Carpenter.  So all these songs I realized that were country, but then they got covered or a rendition was done by reggae artistes,” he added.  

During the documentary, Bennett pointed out that “almost every house in Jamaica that had a record player had albums by Country singers Marty Robinson album, Patty Paige, Skeeter Davis and Jim Reeves.

“Country songs give a lot of details that you can actually script.   A lot of the lyrics in early Rock Steady we’re from country and western songs because these songs were about life,” he said in explaining why Jamaicans gravitated to that music genre.  

According to the Berman Brothers, the idea for Country Goes Reggae was conceptualised during a trip to Negril, in Western Jamaica, back in 2019.

According to them, they were “sitting at a sunset, beach bar listening to reggae classics as a car passed by blasting US country songs” and upon hearing the blend of different styles and cultures, they knew a merger of the two genres would be nothing short of perfection.   

The album was subsequently recorded at Axx Studio and the Sound of Silence in Kingston, Jamaica and at Livingston Studio in London. It was mixed by GRAMMY-winning mixing engineer Chuck Ainlay and mastered by 12-time GRAMMY winner Bob Ludwig.

The Berman Brothers are described as award-winning record producers and songwriters, whose work has been awarded with more than 90 Gold and Platinum Awards, two BMI awards, a Golden Globe nomination and a Grammy Award.

“As producers, writers and publishers they have worked with international superstars including: Coldplay, Sting, Maroon 5, Cher, Baha Men, Jason Derulo, Major Lazer (Diplo) and the legendary Buena Vista Social Club,” their website notes.

The duo was also Grammy-certified for their production and remix of the Baha Men’s Who Let The Dogs Out, a million-selling song that topped numerous music charts globally worldwide and was used as synchronization music in numerous movies and commercials.

Follow us for daily Dancehall news on Facebook, Twitter and Google News.

Tuff Gong International has announced a new Bob Marley Reggae/Afrobeats fusion album titled Africa Unite, set for release on August 4, with several collaborations featuring popular Nigerian artists.

In a release, the Kingston-based label, which Bob Marley founded in 1965, described the 10-track production as “a majestic, posthumous album celebrating the vibrant fusion of Reggae and Afrobeats.”

Bob Marley and the Wailers – Africa Unite

The new Africa Unite production is named after the sixth track from Marley’s 1979 Survival album, which contained other tracks such as Ambush in The Night, Wake Up and Live, Zimbabwe, and Ride Natty Ride.

“Africa Unite is an extraordinary album that pays homage to the Reggae icon’s greatest hits, beautifully reimagined and infused with the infectious rhythms of Afrobeats,” a Tuff Gong release said.

Here’s the tracklist:

So Much Trouble In The World ft. Nutty O and Winky D
Dem Belly Full ft. Rema and Skip Marley
Redemption Song ft. Ami Faku
Waiting In Vain ft. Tiwa Savage
Turn Your Lights Down Low ft. Afro B
Three Little Birds ft. Teni and Oxlade
Buffalo Solider ft. Davido
Stir It Up ft. Sarkodie
Jammin ft. Ayra Starr
One Love ft. Patoranking

The label also notes that each of these artists “bring their unique flair and artistry, paying tribute to Bob Marley’s enduring influence while adding their refreshing voices to his iconic compositions.”

“Bob Marley’s impact on Reggae and Afrobeats music culture is immeasurable. His ageless music transcends borders and generations. This project is no different; it invites listeners on an enchanting musical journey. From the heartwarming rendition of “Waiting In Vain” to the uplifting energy of “Stir It Up,” the album showcases the seamless fusion of two extraordinary musical worlds,” the release noted.

On Friday, Tuff Gong also announced the release of the lead single, Three Little Birds and an accompanying video, featuring Teni and Oxlade.  The track is a repurposed version of Marley’s Three Little Birds from the Gong’s 1977 album Exodus, and, according to Tuff Gong, “truly emulates the original with an afro-fusion kick.”

“With Africa Unite, Bob Marley’s influence continues to resonate, bridging the gap between the past and present. The album not only showcases the global reach of Bob Marley’s music but also celebrates the rich tapestry of African rhythms and melodies. By intertwining reggae’s soulful vibrations with the infectious energy of Afrobeats, Africa Unite embodies the unity and spirit of collaboration, mirroring the late artist’s vision of a harmonious world,” Tuff Gong noted.

Bob Marley’s daughter Cedella Marley, in reflecting on the significance of the album, is quoted as saying that Africa Unite showcases the importance of Bob Marley in modern-day Africa, as the singers who are featured “have reimagined Bob Marley’s classics in a way we know he would have loved and been proud of.”

“The release of Africa Unite will undoubtedly captivate Bob Marley’s loyal fanbase and attract new listeners seeking to experience the magic of his music in a fresh and vibrant way,” Tuff Gong said.

As for Tuff Gong itself, the studio, which is located on Marcus Garvey Drive, in Kingston, was at one point in time, the location of the popular Federal Records, but was acquired by the Marley estate after Bob’s death.

History surrounding the property is that at one stage of Bob’s career, he was refused entry one particular day following a confrontation, “even when Johnny Nash wanted him to record.”   Marley then and there had vowed that one day he would own the property.

The property was put up for sale in 1982 and was purchased by Bob’s widow Rita Marley who named it Tuff Gong.   Tuff Gong, at that time, specialised in vinyl manufacturing, and also comprised a record shop, a mastering room and a recording studio.

Today, Tuff Gong comprises a recording studio, mastering room, stamper room, pressing plant, cassette plant, wholesale record shop, booking agency, as well as offices for Rita Marley Music and Ghetto Youths International the record label founded by Bob’s son Stephen Marley and his younger brothers Julian and Damian.

Tuff Gong International is one of the Caribbean’s largest studios.  It features the second-largest live recording space in Jamaica.  Over the decades scores of artistes, musicians, producers and tourists traveling from far reaches of the earth to visit the facility.   Jamaican artistes such as Capleton, Sly and Robbie, Shaggy, Bounty Killer, Lady Saw, Jimmy Cliff and Beenie Man have recorded at Tuff Gong, as have foreigners such as Sinead O’Connor, Snoop Dogg and Lauryn Hill.

Follow us for daily Dancehall news on Facebook, Twitter and Google News.

Calypsonian, ska, and rocksteady artist Lord Creator, best known for his hit song Kingston Town, later covered by UB40, died today (June 30). Born Kenrick Patrick, he was 87.

“He died at 11 a.m, he hadn’t been feeling well for some time,” Mrs. Neseline Patrick, Lord Creator’s wife of 23 years, told DancehallMag.

“He had suffered two strokes, the last one in 2005, he had prostate problems, diabetes and high blood pressure , and he also had done surgery on his back in 2013. He was walking a bit until 2019 when he stopped walking altogether.”

Mrs. Patrick said that Lord Creator did not let his litany of ailments define the quality of his life. Until the end of his life, he remained a convivial, joyful soul.

“He didn’t let his illnesses bother him, he was humorous, he gave jokes, you wouldn’t believe he was a sick person, he was a real joy,” Mrs. Patrick said.

Lord Creator sired 15 kids, 8 of whom are still alive. He had been in a relationship with Neseline for 31 years, 23 of which they were legally married.

The singer, who resided with his wife in Golden Grove, received the Order of Distinction (Officer Rank) from the Jamaican Government, for his “contribution to the development of Jamaican music and community service,” on National Heroes Day in 2022.

“I will miss him,” she said.

Minister of Entertainment Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange said she was “saddened by his passing” and expressed her condolences to his widow and his relatives.

“We gave him a national honour last year,” the Minister added.

Hailed as one ska’s pioneers, he was known for hits such as Don’t Stay Out Late, Big Bamboo, Little Princess and Jamaica Farewell.

Lord Creator was born in San Fernando, Trinidad, on August 21, 1935.

He started as a calypso singer in Trinidad and recorded his first hits, “The Cockhead” and “Evening News”, in Trinidad in 1958 and 1959 respectively with Fitz Vaughan Bryan’s big band.

He moved to Jamaica in late 1959 to perform and record and decided to settle on the island.

In 1962, he recorded “Independent Jamaica” with producer Vincent “Randy” Chin, which became the official song marking Jamaica’s independence from the British Empire on August 6, 1962. That song was also the first record on Chris Blackwell’s newly founded Island Records label in the United Kingdom. In 1963, “Don’t Stay Out Late”, produced by Chin, became a hit in Jamaica.

In 1964, he scored a further hit with “Big Bamboo”, produced by Coxsone Dodd with Tommy McCook on saxophone.

Creator had another big hit with “Kingston Town”, a tune he recorded for producer Clancy Eccles in 1970.

Lord Creator had also said Kingston Town was an interpolation of Babylon, which he had composed as a teenager in Trinidad and later recorded for Randys, back in 1963, on a Ska beat.

He explained said that while performing in Montego Bay at a club, enterprising producer Clancy Eccles, had asked him to record a song for him which resulted in the track Molly Is A Big Girl Now. Enamoured with his singing style, Eccles reportedly requested “a song on the flip side” and the result was Kingston Town.

Lord Creator, in interviews, said he inserted the words Kingston Town and removed the word “Babylon” and reworked the track.

That song would become his most enduring hit.

However, it became the subject of controversy between Lord Creator and Clancy Eccles over ownership of the song after UB-40’s version sold millions in Europe, “generating enormous royalties to the writer of the song.”

According to the author, Lord Creator, who was struggling financially in Jamaica, after 22 years had returned to his homeland,  Trinidad, “almost against his will in 1984”.

It was there that after suffering a stroke which saw him being hospitalised for 19 days, Creator got the news that UB-40, after being given permission by him to record Kingston Town, had “made it into a big hit all over Europe by 1989, and generated enormous royalties for the composer of the song”.

The following year, Lord Creator returned to Jamaica and built houses for himself and his children, “and out of goodwill”, gave Clancy $250,000 “but when he returned for more, I refused and contacted my lawyers,” the article stated.

According to the article, in an interview, the now-deceased Eccles had claimed that “fifty per cent of the record is owned by me, because I wrote some of the words. I made the music for this particular song, and I don’t get a penny royalty yet”, while Lord Creator had claimed he wrote the entire song, and that the publishers came to that decision after extensive investigations.

In March 2023, UB40’s cover version of the song was certified Platinum in the UK.

After UB40 recorded the cover version of Kingston Town in 1989, Lord Creator experienced a career revival, and he did several oldies shows in Jamaica and, later Japan.

He returned to Jamaica, living in Montego Bay and then later Hanover before moving to Golden Grove.

Follow us for daily Dancehall news on Facebook, Twitter and Google News.

The family of Jahshii is speaking out on the rumors that the Dancehall artist was connected to the murder of businessman Omar ‘Romie’ Wright.

According to them, these rumors have not only affected Jahshii’s career but have also taken a toll on the entire family, resulting in show cancellations and distress.

“The vloggers are setting up my family’s life and Romie’s family’s life. They need to do their research before they take up things on their head and spread it,” Jahshii’s mother, Lorna Henry, told the Observer.

“The only people who know about the rumour are the people spreading it and the vloggers. What they are running with, I don’t know anything about and Jahshii don’t know anything about it either. They take this thing to an extreme and I am scared because of the vloggers who tell lies and hoist it like how you hoist a kite.”

Jahshii’s father Mervin Clarke, and his mother Lorna Henry (Observer photo)

She added: “Both families are very close. Romie’s mother is Jahshii’s Godmother. If Jahshii is passing Romie on the street, they hail up each other. Romie’s mother and I grew up in the community. We played together and we never had any problems. Romie calls me ‘Mumma’. He used to use one mop to clean up my place and then he would clean up his businessplace where he used to sell fried food. Him also used to sell June plum and oranges. He was very clean.”

“I just want the people to cut out the nonsense and stop bait up my life and Jashii life. It is not good. Some a dem seh mi pack up and run weh, but I don’t have anywhere to run to. We are tired of it now,” she continued.

Reports are that Wright was killed on Shortwood Road at about 10:40pm on June 7 by armed men. There were allegations that Henry, who operates a wholesale business in the area, had an altercation with Wright during which he threw water in her face.

Jahshii

It was rumored that Jahshii, whose real name is Mluleki Tafari Clarke, then allegedly argued with Wright about the incident.

Wright was gunned down hours later by persons unknown.

Jahshii’s attorneys King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie and Richard Lynch accompanied him to an interview session with the police last Wednesday (June 21). Chanpagnie confirmed with DancehallMag that the entertainer was subsequently released as investigations continue.

Meanwhile, Jahshii’s father, Mervin Clarke, also chastised vloggers for the role they have played in spreading propaganda.

“All these vloggers who keep mixing up the youth don’t know the true story. Talk the good things weh di youth do. We want to clear him name. They want to carry down the youth career. Dem want to get to the youth, suh dem start with the mother and the youth mother is a loving parent. She shares and everyone loves her. She is no trouble maker. Dem a frustrate the youth. He is a young youth and when all these things a reach him, if him nuh firm, he will get off him head. We have to make sure we be a rock around him,” Clarke told the Observer.

His cousin, Rochelle Gilzene, said that some promoters and corporate brands have started to give the entertainer the cold shoulder since the allegations began swirling.

“Shows have been cancelled. He has a show in August and the people are saying they can’t have him on the show because of these matters and it is unfair. Corporate entities have wrongfully tried him and this is his means of living. It is wrong. There are a lot of people who use it as an opportunity to jump on it to try and destroy him. Jashii is a born fighter and he is going to rise above this and is going to represent for all the young people in the inner city who want better. The vloggers need to be held accountable. The Government needs to do something to regulate the online platform. People should not be allowed to just say anything and not be held accountable. It affects lives,” she said.

“When you put misinformation out there, you cannot take it back. Romie and I were very close, from childhood up to the time of his passing. This has traumatised Jashii to the core. He is holding on and trusting God. I spoke to him and I heard the frustration in his voice. He said every minute is another thing, from one extreme to the next. Mi hear him ask him mother, ‘wah dem want mi fi do, kill myself?’ When mi hear Jashii seh dat, water drop out a mi eye. At 21, so much different things are on his head. Leave him alone and allow him to bloom and grow.”

In the meantime, the Cream of the Crop deejay took to Instagram Live recently to preview a track that addressed the ordeal. In the video, he sang a few bars.

“Want unuh want mi guh jail or wah? P—sy dem want mi aguh graveyard/ Human being too fake dawg, two face dawg/ Haffi skill pon di battle field…Mummy still a tell mi yuh ears hard yute/ Ah inna di mountain mi deh ah try escape…” he freestyled.

Follow us for daily Dancehall news on Facebook, Twitter and Google News.