Make It Another One for Exco Levi!

Exco Levi’s 2015 could not get off to a better start and today’s news is yet another cherry on the cake!  Before I get to today’s great news, let me start with Exco’s performance at Sting (December 2014) where he not only performed well, he picked up a legion of new fans.  In January, 2015, Exco performed at Rebel Salute which solidified his placement on fans list as one of their favorite artists.  

Later in January, it was announced that Exco had been nominated for the JaRIA (Jamaican Recording Association) Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and now today, has been nominated for the 2015 Juno Reggae Recording of the Year!

This year marks Exco’s 4^th nomination and I couldn’t be more proud.  The song that put him in the category is “Welcome the King” on the Love Quest Riddim produced by Kheilstone Music based in New York!

Congrats Exco!

P.S.  Look out for Exco's full length studio album entitled Countryman coming March, 2015.

Additional Nominees is the 2015 Best reggae Recording Category are:

Tasha T – Real Talk

Mikey Dangerous – Wake Up

Kirk Diamond ft. Bob da Builder – Love Inna Wi Heart

Steele – Hold On Til I Die

Machel Montano’s Featured on Vogue.com Daily!

Soca, and music from the Caribbean is slowly seeping in to the consciousness of the mainstream, and today’s entry on the most popular fashion site, www.Vogue.com proves this point!

Machel Montano

Machel Montano (undisputed Soca legend from Trinidad & Tobago) added his Soca touch to Ariana Grande’s “All My Love” and fans can’t get enough!  Produced and curated by Diplo and the Major Lazor crew (production credits include Madonna, Busy Signal, Snoop Lion and more), this remix has quickly hit music lovers playlists and have stayed on repeat.

Big up Machel for making history again … Strike a Vogue nah!

Read the full article by Alex Frank here:  http://www.vogue.com/8702039/remix-ariana-grande-charli-xcx-clean-bandit/

Why Are Promoters So Wicked to Kranium?!

Atlantic recording artist and Queens, New York native, Kranium is currently in The Six (Canada) doing what he does … getting all the ladies excited, and you would think that after all that hard work (and all that money made), promoters would feed Kranium properly.  If you thought that like I did, you thought wrong!

Kranium

The artist took to his Instagram page to express his displeasure, and not only that, put the ‘dry food’ on display for the world to see.  Ugh!

For Caribbean people born and raised in Toronto, Canada, we know have very good food; very good Caribbean takeout to be exact!  The promoters dealing with Kranium clearly forgot about sweet spots like Mainsha (1561 Eglinton Ave. W), Jamaica House (2531 Finch Ave. W) or Willy’s Jerk (2353 Finch Ave. W).  Shameful!  Why are promoters so wicked to Kranium?

I think I might call on Polly Famous from LP International and ask him to cook some food (Polly can cook!) and ask him to carry it to Kranium quick before the artist’s condition gets worse!

Check out the artists video complaining about the food treatment here:  http://instagram.com/kranium1/

P.S.  The good news is Kranium will be back in Queens to get proper food soon!

Despite Media Reports It's NOT Over for Buju Banton

Without wasting any time:  it’s not over for Buju Banton despite what media reports have written and said.

The official legal explanation is that the US Court of Appeals dismissed Buju’s appeal for a new trial, not because of the merits of the case, but on the technicality that they do not have jurisdiction to hear the case.

In plain English and to use a very basic example, we went to the baker thinking we could buy steak, but the baker told us to go to the butcher instead who is a few miles down the road.  The baker did not say we could not buy steak, he simply told us where to go to get it which is not with him, the baker.

The headlines used by media incorrectly stated that Buju has lost his appeal which is not the case.  We still ask that you send positive vibrations to Buju and his team as we have not given up the fight.

Aluta Continua!  Not in reference to Big Youth’s 1985 album (though it’s a good one), but aluta continua meaning the struggle continues for Buju and we are not giving up.

Stay up to date with Buju via his team by following him on Twitter @FreeBujuNow or on Instagram as @FreeBuju

Time and Place:  http://www.mediafire.com/listen/d80c6fdfvcuvif5/Buju_Banton_-_Time_And_Place.mp3

Kyle Lowry's Top 10 Pre All-Star Game Playlist!

It was just announced (Thursday January 22^nd, 2015) that Toronto Raptor Kyle Lowry will be a starter on team East for the NBA All Star game.  This honor is reserved for the best players in the NBA as voted by players and the fans.  To celebrate (Toronto is my home team after all), I decided to put together my top 10 songs for Kyle’s pre-game listening party!

P.S.  I’m a Reggae and Dancehall chick but I had to throw in some Hip Hop too.  My soundtrack for Kyle Lowry:

Kyle Lowry

10.  Stylo G – Move Back (Diztortion Remix)

9.  Gloomy Grade – Can’t Stop Me Now

8.  Snoop Lion – Here Comes the King

7.  Big Daddy Kane – Ain’t No Half Steppin

6.  Bigga Boss – Nobody Fih Ramp Wid

5.  Bobby Shmurdah – Hot Ni&&a

4.  King Ali Baba – Target

3.  Kranium – History

2.  Busy Signal – Glass Hand

1.  Demarco – Levels to This

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFH9L6-ZG1w

As point guard from Villanova by way of Cardinal Doughtery High School in Philadelphia, Kyle has worked his way up from the bottom which is why the number one song comes from Demarco called “Levels to This.”  Anyone who thinks this just ‘came’ to Kyle or any other player, have no idea the training and regiment players go through.

Congrats Kyle … can’t wait to see you do us proud!

From Willie Williams to Patexx - Armageddon Times Caan Work!

In 1979 (or there about), Willie Williams delivered the ground breaking song “Armageddon Times” on the Real Rock Riddim.  His song spoke of the hardships that people were experiencing, receiving multiple ‘forwards’ for his classic lines, “a lot of people won’t get no supper tonight / a lot of people going to suffer tonight.”  

Patexx

The Real Rock riddim has been sampled countless times.  To spice up The Fugees 1996 song “Zealot,” Wyclef sings the line “another MC lose his life tonight,” while KRS-One uses the sample throughout the 1993 song “Black Cop.”  These are just 2 examples outside of the Reggae and Dancehall fraternity, and to bring it in, let’s look at Digital One Productions!

Teaming with Patexx, the duo have crafted the song “Caan Work.”  To put this in context, asking a true Rasta to eat pork, caan work.  Asking Tarrus Riley to not make hit records, caan work; and asking telling the world that David Rodigan is not worthy of every award and honor he receives … well, that caan work!  This is the premise of Patexx’s chune “Caan Work.”

Speaking for ghetto youths around the world, the artist says “what mek yuh think we thief the water what mek yuh think we thief the light / cause we can’t live without the necessities of life / politics and politicians are two sump’n weh me nuh like / dem and GCT ah just pest inna we life / we nih have no pretty car and we nuh have nuh pretty bike / we nuh live inna dih hills look down pon dih city lights / we ah dih youths dem who a bounce it pon some cardboard ah night / den we wake up and go hustle at dih stop light / it can work….”  K-A-B-O-O-M!  Puuuuuull up!

Patexx’s voice has matured, his delivery is air tight, and quite frankly, if you are not playing this chune, it’s for 1 of 2 reasons:  1 you don’t play Reggae (shame on you), or 2, you’re in favour of the governments treatment of poor people (shame on you again).  This chune is a must play!

Catch the chune at the links, and jump on Twitter and tell Patexx what you think >>> @PatexxAnyDayNow

Mediafire Link:  https://www.mediafire.com/folder/1i4s55eieem63/Patexx_-_2015

Box.com Link:  https://app.box.com/s/49lqd3efsi2xjzd9oc8njc6pzj5swdl4

Tell All Imitators ... Levels To This!

Demarco is one of the hottest Dancehall artists performing today.  Because of the many successes he's had over the past decade, it's easy for up and coming artists to think that Demarco's success can easily be duplicated ... it can't.  

Reflecting on Demarco's start, we have to acknowledge his early days and his time performing at the Cactus Night Club in Portmore (at age 15), and DJ'ing and a youth on the Future Disco Sound System (at age 16).  When early hits such as "Fallen Soldiers" and "Duppy Know Who Fih Frighten" comes in to play, we have to think about all the behind the scenes lessons he must have learned when people began to change (due to his success) but chose not to talk about because he's a soldier like that.  

And what about his HIT chune "I Love My Life" which was mysteriously removed from YouTube after racking up some 25 million views?  Just imagine having to deal with such direct 'badmind' take aim at his career.

Yeah, Demarco, has taken career blows and he's still here, making GREAT music with no apology.  It's because of these things and more that we have to Salute the artist for making the chune "Levels to This."

Produced by ZJ Bruce Lee and performing to the Kick Dem Riddim, Demarco lets the world know that as much as you think it’s easy to duplicate, you must understand that there are “Levels to This!”  You don’t wake up and all of a sudden are an international superstar.  You have experience to gain, and a talent to develop which doesn’t come overnight.

The DJ says:  “man a Sup (Superintendant) and them a Corporal dawg we nuh normal cause level to this / we get the stamp of approval we pick and we choose gyal cause ah level to this / dem cyaan walk inna we shoes we nuh have nuttin fih prove but ah levels to this ….”  K-A-B-O-O-M!

This chune is a must add to every playlist.  If you're working out in the gym, this is a must play.  If you're an athlete competing, this is a must add, and if you're a person in a position that everyone wants to have, press the play button!  

P.S.  Tell the Don what you think of this chune >>> @DemarcoDaDon

Mediafire Link:  https://www.mediafire.com/folder/lomv1gg5ea29e/Demarco

Box.com Link:  https://app.box.com/s/o4nsuny3jud8goggz00r6tytqrr7nq03