By NAN ET Editor, NewsAmericas Now

News Americas, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, Weds. August 26, 2026: As fans globally mourn the death of award-winning Country music icon, Dolly Parton, who died on Tuesday, August 25th at 80 after a brief battle with cancer, one of her most surprising crossovers connects directly back to Jamaica.

Parton, born Dolly Rebecca Parton, who spent six decades crossing genres, generations, and audiences, lent her original vocal stems to a full reggae reimagining in 2022. It was for her 1978 classic “Two Doors Down.” A collective of elite Jamaican musicians called Positive Vibrations reworked the song for the album ‘Country Goes Reggae.’ Rather than simply licensing the track, Parton actively participated, rerecording elements of her vocal specifically to lock into the new reggae arrangement’s tempo and groove.

“The distance between Nashville and Jamaica is closer than it appears on a map”

The project came from producers Christian and Frank Berman, known as The Berman Brothers, alongside partner Ron Oehl, whose idea was sparked during a 2019 trip to Negril: sitting at a beachside bar listening to classic reggae as a car drove past blasting American country music, the overlap of the two genres in that moment convinced them the sounds belonged together.

Parton clearly agreed. “I know people will be loving this album forever, and I truly hope that you enjoy my song ‘Two Doors Down,’” she said at the time. “To say that I’m proud of the Country Goes Reggae album with Positive Vibrations would be, certainly, an understatement. So many wonderful artists, so many wonderful songs and such great arrangements!”

The instrumentation behind her reimagined track came from genuine reggae royalty: guitarist Ian “Beezy” Coleman, who’s played with Ziggy Marley, Damian Marley, Wyclef Jean and the Fugees; bassist Devon Bradshaw, formerly of Burning Spear; saxophonist Guillaume “Stepper Sax” Briard; and trombonist Henry “Matic” Tenyue, a veteran of UB40, Aswad and Dennis Brown’s bands.

A career defined by crossing lines

The Berman Brothers were no strangers to this kind of genre-blending cultural bridge-building, having previously created Rhythms Del Mundo – Cuba, pairing Coldplay, Sting and U2 with Buena Vista Social Club legends Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo. But landing an artist of Parton’s stature, a Country Music Hall of Famer willing to rerecord her own vocals for a reggae reinterpretation of one of her signature hits, remains one of the project’s most unlikely and enduring achievements.

Parton’s willingness to cross into reggae with Jamaican musicians stands as a small but genuine footnote in a career defined by crossing every line placed in front of her, between genres, between audiences, and, for one unexpected summer in 2022, between Nashville and Jamaica.

Listen to the song below

ABOUT PARTON

Born January 19, 1946, in Sevier County, Tennessee, one of 12 children, Dolly Parton learned guitar at age 7 and made her first television appearance at 10. She wrote “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” on the same day in 1972, the latter becoming a global phenomenon two decades later through Whitney Houston’s cover, which earned Parton an additional $10 million in royalties she used to invest in an office complex in a historically Black Nashville neighborhood. Beyond music, Parton was known for her philanthropy, including the Imagination Library, which has distributed more than 300 million free books to children across five countries since 1995, founded in honor of her father, who never learned to read. Forbes estimated her fortune at roughly $450 million in 2025. She is survived by her husband of nearly six decades, Carl Dean, and leaves behind a legacy spanning country music, film, philanthropy, and a genre-crossing spirit that, even in her final years, carried her music as far as reggae’s shores in Jamaica.

By NAN ET EDITOR, NewsAmericas Now

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Sat. August 15, 2026: Reggae’s biggest names are flooding the release calendar this month, from a Marley heir’s first album in a decade to a dancehall riddim getting a 41-years-later revival. Here’s some new Caribbean music fans need on their radar right now.

Ky-Mani Marley returns with “Love & Energy”

Bob Marley’s son is back with his eighth studio album, and his first in ten years. Love & Energy, out August 28 via Konfrontation Muzik Group/Dubshot Records, is a 16-track project stacked with reggae royalty, Sizzla, Gyptian, Agent Sasco (Assassin), Anthony B, Bugle and Andrew Tosh all appear across the tracklist.

“Love & Energy isn’t just an album title. It’s a way of life,” Ky-Mani said. “Everything in this world is driven by energy, and love is the highest vibration we can give and receive.”

Catch this video HERE

The Grammy-nominated artist just wrapped the European leg of his Love & Energy Tour, including a stop at Cologne’s historic Summerjam festival. His next stop is Toronto’s Kaya Fest on August 22, sharing a bill with brothers Stephen, Julian and Damian Marley, alongside Busta Rhymes, Shabba Ranks and Lila Ike. His single “New Creature” already hit number one on the Jamaican charts. Pre-save the album HERE

Queen Ifrica exhales “Breath of Life”

The Montego Bay-born “Fyah Muma” dropped her fourth studio album today via Nuh Rush Records/Tuff Gong International. The 13-track Breath of Life, produced largely by Junior Brown alongside a title-track assist from Grammy winner Stephen Marley, moves through love, spirituality and social commentary, including “New Version Of Me,” which features the only guest appearances on the album: Ifrica’s own children, Tanzie, Malawi and Imeru Tafari.

“I completely and totally enjoyed every moment of the process,” Queen Ifrica said of the album. “I pray that it will bring comfort to the listeners’ ears, joy to the spirit.”

Ifrica’s 2017 album Climb debuted at number one on the Billboard Reggae Album Chart, making her the first female Jamaican artist to top that chart in three years. She’ll celebrate the new release with a show at London’s Jazz Cafe on August 25. Stream HERE

Sean Paul takes on the “Sleng Teng” riddim

The riddim that started digital dancehall gets a new voice. King Jammy’s legendary “Sleng Teng,” originally released in 1985 and built around a Casio MT-40 preset, returns 41 years later with Sean Paul’s “Stand On Business,” the lead single from King Jammy’s upcoming Sleng Teng Anniversary project. It’s Sean Paul’s first time officially riding the iconic riddim. Stream HERE

Anthony B drops “JetSki”

The three-decade dancehall veteran is back with a new single, “JetSki,” produced by Jazzwad via Ineffable Records. Best known for his classic “World A Reggae Music,” Anthony B’s 2023 single “Chill Out” remains his top-performing release to date, introducing his catalog to a new generation.

NewsAmericasNow will continue tracking new Caribbean music releases across the diaspora.

RELATED: Machel Montano Brings Trinidad Carnival To Central Park For Two Sold-Out Nights

By NAN ET EDITOR, NewsAmericas Now

News Americas, MIRAMAR, FL, Sat. Aug. 8, 2026: Jamaican-born Grammy winning Reggae and dancehall legend Buju Banton will make a special appearance in South Florida today, hosting an album signing for his new project, Too Too Bad, at VP Records in Miramar, Florida.

The event takes place today, Saturday, August 8, at 3 p.m. at VP Records, 6022 SW 21st St. ‘Too Too Bad,’ released July 17, is Banton’s 13th studio album and his sixth with VP Records following his return to the label after a 23-year absence. The title nods directly to his 2006 album Too Bad, and finds Banton defending dancehall’s roots while pushing the genre forward, featuring collaborators including DJ Khaled, Ari Lennox, and Gramps Morgan.

“You cannot trap dancehall,” Banton told Vibe. “We avoided all those pitfalls years ago. We were the only music that couldn’t be played on our own radio station in our own country. You understand? They tried to trap us then, and we escaped that.”

Born Mark Anthony Myrie in Kingston, Banton broke Bob Marley’s record for most No. 1 hits in Jamaica in a single year back in 1992, and his 1995 album ‘Til Shiloh remains a genre landmark. He won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2011, and just wrapped his “Roots and Rhymes” tour with Stephen Marley in July.

VP Records has become a South Florida hub for Caribbean music, recently hosting artists including Assassin and Romain Virgo. Banton’s Miramar stop is part of a broader run of in-store signings across the U.S. this summer.

NewsAmericasNow will continue covering Caribbean music news across South Florida and beyond.

By NAN ET Editor, NewsAmericas Now

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. July 22, 2206: Jamaican-born, Grammy Award-winning reggae icon Buju Banton has released his 13th studio album, “Too Too Bad,” out now via Gargamel Music Inc. and VP Records – his first release on the label in 23 years.

The 13-track digital edition spans the breadth of Buju’s career, opening with “We Nuh Play” before moving into “FAFO,” a track the artist has described as reaffirming his standing as one of reggae’s standard-bearers. DJ Khaled joins him on “Wild Woman,” Ari Lennox features on “Satisfy Me,” and the album closes with “Power,” featuring Gramps Morgan. A 15-track CD edition adds two exclusive bonus tracks, including a feature from Jaz Elise, not available on the digital release.

Buju has backed the album’s release with a full television push, performing on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and NBC’s “TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle” this week. The album’s lead single, “Butterflies,” produced by Supa Dups, has surpassed one million cumulative streams and drew praise from Billboard, which described it as “heart-eyed.”

A summer built around the album

Reggae Star Buju Banton

The album’s release follows the July 18 opening of the Roots and Rhymes U.S. Summer Tour at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York, where Buju Banton and Stephen Marley launched their first-ever co-headlining tour together, joined by Skillibeng, DJ Norie, Gramps Morgan and Splackavelli. The tour continues through July 25, closing at Lakewood Amphitheatre in Atlanta. Two dollars from every ticket sold benefit charity, split evenly between the Ghetto Youths Foundation, founded by Stephen, Damian and Julian Marley, and the Buju Banton Foundation.

Buju is also set to perform at Angie Martinez’s “Angie’s BBQ,” hosted by Power 105.1 at Paradise Coney Island, alongside French Montana, Remy Ma, Coi Leray and Zeddy Will.

A milestone comeback

Buju’s catalog includes classics such as “Mr. Mention,” “Voice of Jamaica,” the Gold-certified “Til Shiloh,” and “Before The Dawn,” which won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2010. He has collaborated with artists ranging from Beres Hammond to Nipsey Hussle and DJ Khaled, and continues to run the Buju Banton Foundation, which shelters more than 120 Jamaican boys in foster care.

His return to VP Records, the label behind decades of reggae and dancehall releases from artists including Sean Paul, Shaggy and Beenie Man, marks what the artist and label are calling a full-circle moment in a career now entering what Buju’s camp describes as its “boldest, brightest” chapter yet.

“Too Too Bad” is available now on all streaming platforms, with the CD edition offering fans additional exclusive material.

RELATED: Fantan Mojah’s Passing Marks The Loss Of More Than A Reggae Artist; It Is the Loss Of A Soul of Rastafari

By Nyan Reynolds

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. July 15, 2026: The reggae community is mourning the passing of Jamaican roots reggae artist Fantan Mojah, born Owen Moncrieffe, who according to multiple reports, died on July 14, 2026, at the age of 49 after complications related to a heart condition. His death represents a tremendous loss for reggae music and the global Rastafari community. Throughout his career, Fantan Mojah became known for spiritually driven songs such as Hail the King, Thanks & Praise, and perhaps one of his most defining recordings, Rasta Got Soul.

For many listeners, Rasta Got Soul was simply another conscious reggae anthem. For those of us who grew up around Rastafari, it was much more. It was an affirmation of an identity, a way of life, and a spiritual philosophy that cannot be understood simply by listening to the music. It must be lived.

When I was a young boy growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, my father was a Rastaman. My mother was a Rasta lady. They considered themselves Rasta. I grew up among men and women who had a certain vibe, a certain aura to them. They considered themselves lions and lioness. Even though many people associate those animals with something aggressive, something raw, something vicious, as you often find the lion portrayed on the Rasta flag, what I experienced was something entirely different. I saw the beauty in the way they viewed the world. I would say, in many ways, that is the soul Fantan Mojah was singing about.

To understand Rasta Got Soul is to understand that having soul, in the Rastafari tradition, has little to do with appearance and everything to do with spirit.

First, it is spiritual consciousness. A Rastaman understands that life extends beyond material possessions and worldly status. His identity is rooted in Jah, not in the standards established by Babylon. That spiritual awareness shapes how he walks, speaks, and lives.

Second, it is compassion. Sit and talk to any true Rasta, one who lives, breathes, and embodies Rastafari, and they will tell you the world itself is a place of love and light. They carry within themselves a sense of peace that they try to give to the world. They are never interested in becoming hardened by struggle. Instead, they choose to remain compassionate, even when life has given them every reason not to be.

Third, it is authenticity. Rastafari has never been about wearing locks or wrapping yourself in red, gold, and green. It is reflected in what Rastas call livity, the way a person lives every day. Integrity, humility, righteousness, and consistency become the evidence of the faith.

Finally, it is resilience. Throughout reggae music, suffering has always been present, but so has hope. A Rasta with soul refuses to surrender his humanity. Even through poverty, oppression, or hardship, he continues to believe in love, peace, and righteousness. That enduring spirit is heard throughout Fantan Mojah’s music.

That was the Rastafari I grew up around.

They were never the loudest people in the room. They were spiritually connected to the world around them and to the earth from which they came. Their eyes were always turned toward Ethiopia, the homeland of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, not simply as a place on a map but as the spiritual center of their identity.

Listen closely to Rasta Got Soul. Listen to the respect Fantan Mojah speaks about for elders. Listen to the humility in his voice. Listen to the reverence with which he speaks. That is the heart and soul of Rastafari.

It is respect.

It is love.

It is light.

It is connection.

It is relationship.

It is community.

It is looking forward to making the man better. And when I say the man, I am talking about your brothers and your sisters to your right and to your left.

That is the heart and soul I saw growing up.

As Fantan Mojah passed away on July 14, 2026, he took with him a part of the culture. He took with him an essence of Rastafari. Yet he also leaves behind something perhaps even greater. He leaves behind a truer version of Rastafari because his music reminds us what genuine Rastafari has always been.

Today, many embrace Rastafari as a cultural trend. They wear the colors. They wear the locks. They speak the language. But I do not believe many truly understand what Rastafari means or what it means to be a Rasta.

My own connection to that heritage is personal. My name comes from Nyabinghi, one of the oldest spiritual traditions within Rastafari. Because of that upbringing, when many of us say we have a Rasta soul, we are not talking about appearance or music. We are speaking about a heart of love, a commitment to peace, respect for others, and the responsibility to leave people better than we found them.

That is what Fantan Mojah represented.

His music carried messages of faith, justice, African consciousness, and hope, but more importantly, it carried the spirit behind those messages. His voice reminded listeners that strength does not have to be loud, that conviction does not require hatred, and that righteousness begins within. That legacy will continue long after the music stops.

Today, we celebrate the music. We celebrate the musician. More importantly, we celebrate a man who reminded the world that the greatest expression of Rastafari is not found in outward appearance, but in the condition of the soul.

Rest in power, Fantan Mojah.

Rastafari.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Nyan Reynolds is a U.S. Army veteran and published author whose novels and cultural works draw from his Jamaican heritage, military service, and life experiences. His writing blends storytelling, resilience, and heritage to inspire readers.  

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