News
2,789 news, 2001-2015, page 2 of 40
All reggae / dancehall news
October 2014
In Jamaica: the water pipeIn Jamaica, no need to vape. A coconut, a little bamboo and clay, and there you have a handmade water pipe: in the new episode of his « A la Jamaïque »…
September 2014
VP Records signs Ghanaian singer Blakk RastaRecently established on the African continent, the label VP Records has announced it has signed Ghanaian artist Blakk Rasta. Aged 40, Blakk Rasta has put his…
Midnite on the cover of Reggae VibesIssue 38 of Reggae Vibes magazine honours Midnite, with its singer Vaughn Benjamin on the cover. A long interview traces the history and discography of the…
The nominees for the Reggae category at the 2014 MOBO AwardsChronixx, Tarrus Riley, Popcaan, Alkaline and the English deejay Stylo G are the five nominees in this year's Reggae category at the MOBO Awards. The 19th…
Sound system documentary ''United We Stand'' seeks fundingThe documentary « United We Stand » aims to dive into sound system culture, whose popularity keeps on growing. Questioning the specificities of the medium and…
Jackie “Kingstonian” Bernard has passed awayThe Jamaican singer Jackie Bernard, for a time the leader of the group The Kingstonians, passed away on Tuesday 16 September, in Kingston. Formed around 1966…
Competition: ''Les hommes illustres de Jamaïque'' in a limited editionTo mark the release of the English version of Thibault Ehrengardt's book, "Les Hommes Illustres de Jamaïque" ("Jamaican Greats", hailed by the Jamaica Gleaner…
Hopeton Lewis has taken his leaveJamaican singer Hopeton Lewis died on Thursday 4 September at his home in Brooklyn, New York. He was 66. « Take your time, take it easy, take your time, no…
Under threat, Les Zuluberlus rally supportFounded in 1992, the association Les Zuluberlus works to promote contemporary music in the town of Colombes (Hauts-de-Seine). Championing an eclectic…
August 2014
Uziah ''Sticky'' Thompson has passed awayThe celebrated Jamaican percussionist Uziah “Sticky” Thompson died on Monday 25 August 2014, at his home in Florida (United States). His contributions to…
July 2014
''Royally Speaking'', the mixtape from Jesse RoyalWe were expecting a debut album, but what Jesse Royal, the singer from the Xterminator stable, is putting out is a mixtape. Walshy Fire, Major Lazer's…
Vybz Kartel sues Commissioner Owen Ellington and broadcaster TVJSentenced to life in prison, the deejay Vybz Kartel is to file a lawsuit against former police commissioner Owen Ellington and the television channel TVJ. «…
“Get Up Stand Up”, the novel by director Perry Henzell, translated into FrenchWe know Perry Henzell the filmmaker, director of the cult film "The Harder They Come" with Jimmy Cliff and of "No Place Like Home"; we know Perry Henzell the…
- In Jamaica: the painter
It strikes you the moment you set foot in Kingston: murals, frescoes and slogans cover the walls of the Jamaican capital. The new episode of the "A la…
June 2014
Ky-mani Marley on tour in FranceKy-mani Marley is back in France as part of his European tour. He will play many dates across the Hexagon (see below), notably on the stage of the Festival…
VP Records expands into AfricaVP is stepping up its development in Africa: in a statement, the label announced it has hired a "territory manager", Jay Jules, whose task will be to develop…
Meta & The Cornerstones on tourMeta Dia and his band The Cornerstones will be back in France this summer. They will play a few shows in France, notably for the Fête de la Musique in Reims…
Garance Reggae Festival: full line-up and day-by-day programmeThe Garance Reggae Festival has put the finishing touches to its 2014 programme. Jah9, Dubtonic Kru, Iba MaHr as well as Cedric "Congo" Myton feat. R. Zee…
Outlook Launch Party with Stand High Patrol, Marina P and Kahn & NeekAs every year for the past four years, Skank It Up at the Glazart in Paris hosts the launch party for Outlook Festival. 2014 is no exception, and visitors are…
Tiwony: free mixtape while waiting for the roots albumAfter "Cité Soleil", released in 2011, Tiwony promised a roots album. Three years later, that album, titled "Roots Rebel", is about to come out: it is…
Wailing Trees win the Reggae Contest Europe finalThe band Wailing Trees have won the Reggae Contest Europe final, organised every year by Rototom. The day before, they had won their ticket to the grand final…
- Garance Reggae Festival: the (almost) complete line-up
The Garance Reggae Festival 2014 is taking shape: a new batch of confirmed artists has been announced. Tiken Jah Fakoly, Sanchez, Black Roots, Michael…
The day-by-day programme for Reggae Sun SkaWith six stages and four days of festivities, the Reggae Sun Ska programme is particularly generous for its 17th edition. Thursday 31 July 2014: Midnite…
- In Jamaica: leather shoes
The new episode of Sherkhan's "A La Jamaïque" series is devoted to a classic of the streets of Kingston: the little workshops where you can have leather shoes…
May 2014
Daryl Thompson, guitarist of the Taxi Gang, has passed awayThe Taxi Gang is in mourning: the American guitarist Daryl Thompson died on 19 May 2014. Born in 1955, he joined Sly & Robbie in the late 70s and never left…
Reggae Vibes #36 with Tiken Jah FakolyAfter Alpha Blondy in the previous issue, it is now Tiken Jah Fakoly's turn to make the cover of Reggae Vibes magazine, on newsstands now. The Ivorian griot…
A dizzying line-up at Rototom Sunsplash 2014As every year, Benicassim (Spain) will host the biggest reggae gathering in Europe: Rototom Sunsplash 2014 will run for eight days, from 16 to 23 August 2014…
- In Jamaica: the Rasta School of Vision
While waiting for the new episode at the start of the month, Sherkhan presents a special edition of his mini-series "A La Jamaïque", devoted to the Rasta…
''Destiny'', the new album from Raging FyahAt last, here is the follow-up to Raging Fyah's excellent debut album, "Judgment Day": titled "Destiny", it will be available from 17 June. Among the 11…
No Logo Festival with Jimmy Cliff, LKJ, Midnite, Luciano, Anthony B…Riding the wave of the first edition's success (19,000 festival-goers reported), Médiacom is bringing back its No Logo Festival at the Forges de Fraisans, in…
Stand High Records celebrates five years in BrestIt is on its home turf in Finistère that the label Stand High Records is preparing to celebrate its five years of existence, on Saturday 31 May 2014. At La…
Help Jamaica! Festival with Randy Valentine, Caporal Nigga, G Mac and Don CamiloThe Help Jamaica! association, which works for access to education in Jamaica, is organising the second edition of its festival to raise funds for its work…
- New names at Garance Reggae Festival 2014
The Garance Reggae Festival has announced a fresh batch of names for its 2014 edition: Capleton and Yellowman will play Bagnols-sur-Cèze for the first time…
Picos in the spotlight at Toulouse Dub Club #13Again this year, Toulouse Dub Club is holding a special edition in the courtyard of the Abattoirs museum. After the Jamaican sound systems last year (Channel…
First names at Reggae Geel: Beenie Man, U-Roy, Midnite, Protoje, Chronixx...After its fine edition last year, the Reggae Geel festival has set off on the same footing for its 2014 vintage. The Belgian festival has just dropped the…
Escape To Sainte Croix, the documentary on Virgin Islands music"Escape to Sainte Croix" is the first documentary devoted to the music of the US Virgin Islands. This one-hour documentary, made by two Frenchmen, Tom Caruana…
- New episode of A la Jamaïque: making a motorbike out of lighters
In the vein of the first episode, which showed us young Sean building a kite from a bamboo cane and a plastic bag, this new episode of the mini-series "A La…
April 2014
Dub Camp Festival: the line-up day by dayOrganised by the Get Up! association, the Dub Camp Festival is shaping up as the unmissable meeting place for dub lovers this summer. For three days (4, 5 and…
Vybz Kartel calls for an end to threats against journalistsYesterday, the Jamaica Observer reported that one of its journalists, Karyl Walker, who covers the courts, as well as Abka Fitz Henley of the radio station…
- Garance Reggae Festival: first artists finally announced
After staying mysterious about its line-up for a long time, the Garance Reggae Festival has unveiled the first confirmed artists for the 2014 vintage. On the…
Pentateuch revisit ''The Genesis'' in acoustic formJamaican group Pentateuch will record an acoustic version of their first album, "The Genesis". Like Richie Spice and Tarrus Riley before them, the young…
French reggae buds at Le PrintempsAs every year, the Printemps de Bourges gives reggae a large place in its programme. On 25 April 2014, the Printemps will also succumb to French reggae by…
Festival Insolent opens wideAn unmissable event for reggae fans in Brittany: this year the Festival Insolent will bring together some of the biggest locomotives of the French and…
New concert dates for TaïroRiding the wave of his latest album, "Ainsi soit-il", Taïro just keeps piling up concert dates. Having clocked up the miles for months, the singer has a very…
- Life in prison for Vybz Kartel
Found guilty of the murder of Clive Williams, the deejay Vybz Kartel has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Almost three weeks after the verdict of 13…
Black Uhuru back in FranceThe group Black Uhuru, led by Derrick "Duckie" Simpson, is back in France this spring as part of its European tour. After its cancelled appearance at Reggae…
Rod Anton & The Ligerians on tour for the album 'Wevolution'On the sleeve, a little hummingbird carries an enormous drop of water. Rod Anton & The Ligerians' new album, "Wevolution", takes up the Native American legend…
A la Jamaïque: the Bobo badgesFrench producer Sherkhan continues his documentary mini-series on Jamaica with an episode devoted to the making of the badges worn by the Bobos. In Bobo Hill…
Summerjam 2014, the line-up growsSummerjam 2014, which will take place on 4, 5 and 6 July at the Fühlinger See in Cologne (Germany), has added new artists to its line-up, and has released a…
A choice reggae night at Festival des Artefacts 2014This year at Festival des Artefacts, the headliner is Stromae, but the event has also programmed a fine reggae night. On Sunday 13 April 2014, several top…
March 2014
'Radical': Sizzla meets XterminatorJust as a new Sizzla album has come out, produced by John John, another release from the deejay is announced for 14 April. Entitled "Radical", this new…
- Rototom Sunsplash 2014 announces its first artists
Rototom Festival has started to drop the first names of confirmed artists for its 2014 vintage. This year, the gigantic event will celebrate its 21st edition…
'Rasta et Résistance, de Marcus Garvey à Walter Rodney' finally translated into FrenchSince its release almost 30 years ago, only English speakers have been able to dive into "Rasta and Resistance, from Marcus Garvey to Walter Rodney", written…
Marseille Dub Station #26 with Kanka and Weeding DubThe 26th edition of Marseille Dub Station will offer a 100% French dub line-up, with two of the spearheads of the national dub scene. On Saturday 12 April…
No Logo Festival, second editionAfter the success of its first edition (19,000 festival-goers according to the organisers), the No Logo Festival is back for more in 2014. Still based in the…
Barrington Levy, Chronixx, Dre Island & Kelissa in ParisAs part of his European tour, Barrington Levy will play several concerts in France with his band The French Roses Band. In Paris he will appear alongside…
Rita Marley to be patron of the 24h du reggae in AbidjanRita Marley will be the patron of the second edition of the 24h du reggae in Abidjan, on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 April 2014, at the Palais de la culture in…
''Pour qui sonne le dub'': Dubamix's militant dub"It was the first hour of glory of the revolution": those are the opening words of Dubamix's new album, "Pour qui sonne le dub". Like "Mix A Dub en 2008"…
Toulouse Dub Club #12 with Horace Andy, Joseph Cotton & DubmatixOn 4 April, for the 12th edition of Toulouse Dub Club, Le Bikini will host a reggae legend: Horace Andy. It is an exception in the history of the Toulouse dub…
Jah Shaka back at Dub StationJah Shaka's traditional annual visit, unmissable in France for several years now, will take place in Paris, as part of Dub Station #44. Le Trabendo will once…
Alpha Blondy on the cover of Reggae Vibes for the first timeThe new issue of Reggae Vibes magazine puts an end to an anomaly: since the early days of its elder sibling Ragga Mag, Alpha Blondy had never made the cover…
Chronixx: ''Dread & Terrible'' on the wayIt's not quite a first album, but it looks a lot like one. On 1 April, Chronixx will release "Dread & Terrible", a compilation of seven songs and three dub…
Morgan Heritage in a one-off Paris concertAfter their appearances last year at the Paris Reggae Festival and in Lyon, reggae's royal family, Morgan Heritage, will be back in France for a one-off…
- Found guilty, Vybz Kartel awaits sentencing
At the end of a marathon trial, the jury found Vybz Kartel guilty of the murder of Clive "Lizard" Williams, as well as his co-accused Andre St John, Kahira…
Horace Andy on tour with Soul StereoHorace Andy will tour Europe in the spring in a sound system set-up with Soul Stereo. "Sleepy" will play Italy, Germany, Denmark and Norway, and also France…
- First artists announced for Reggae Sun Ska Festival
Reggae Sun Ska Festival has unveiled the names of the first artists booked for the 2014 vintage. Shaggy, Beenie Man, Danakil, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Busy Signal…
- Dub Camp Festival: dub rises in the West
There is no doubt about it: the Dub Camp Festival will be the meeting place for dub lovers this summer. Organised by the Get Up! association, the Dub Camp…
Blackboard Jungle: two showcases with Reality Souljahs and Roberto SanchezIt's not one but two vinyl releases from French label and sound system Blackboard Jungle. Two showcases, the fruits of meetings between the Rockers Disciples…
UK Cup Clash: the return!After a six-year break, the UK Cup Clash is back! On Saturday 19 April, London will once again vibrate to the rhythms of some of the best sound systems in the…
First album for New York crew Tour de ForceThe Brooklyn crew Tour de Force (in French in the text) is releasing its first album, "Battle Cry", featuring Luciano, Brother Culture, and Jahdan Blakkamoore…