Vybz Kartel - My Music

Vybz Kartel's devastatingly incisive and articulate musical response to the Jamaican Broadcasting Commission's ban on violent and sexually explicit lyrics.

This is not a moral war - a financial war
Dem no want ghetto youth have house and car
Tell me why you want decide what the public need fi hear
And the public don't know who you are

People want know if your lifestyle allows you to make that decision
How you reach in a public office without any public election?

A nuh my music mash up society
A nuh my music - I wasn't around in 1980
Election cause it - a nuh my music mash up society
A nuh dancehall music - and that's how the public views it

MP3: Vybz Kartel - My Music

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Apparently Kartel is planning a legal challenge to the ban, and he's also written a letter to The Jamaica Star newspaper in response to an article penned by high school principal Esther Tyson:

The "devastating impact on the psyche of Jamaican children" is not caused by 'daggering' songs but rather by socio-economic conditions which leave children without free education, single parent homes, lack of social infrastructure in ghetto communities, as well as unemployed and disenfranchised young men, with no basic skills, who are caught up in the 'gun culture' cultivated by our politicians in the 60s and 70s.

Notwithstanding his objections to the ban and not forgetting his versatility, adaptability and skills as an MC, Kartel has also re-voiced Romping/Ramping Shop with Spice, flipping the lyrics to remove all sexually explicit references:

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 02 March 2009 | 10 comments

Sizzla - Do It To Me and Push It

Two equally great recent Sizzla tracks showcasing the extreme contrasts of the prolific singer's musical output.

First up, a sweet-voiced love song on the foundation dancehall reggae rhythm, How Can I. There are occasional glimpses of Sizzla's melodic/tuneless falsetto, which is bit of a love it or hate it sound. I definitely fall into the 'love it' camp.

MP3: Sizzla - Do It To Me

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Secondly, pure slackness on Scatta's remake of his own Martial Arts riddim, now retitled Self Defense. Push It features Sizzla's crazy, pushed-to-the-limit high pitched growl, which like his falsetto is something of an acquired taste.

MP3: Sizzla - Push It

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Monday 02 March 2009 | 2 comments

Cecile - Worth It

Last month, Cecile's 2008 album Waiting was reissued as a digital release with two bonus tracks and a new name for 2009, Worth It. She was also recently celebrated as a Style Goddess by Jamaican magazine Strut. You can buy the album from iTunes or Juno Download, among other online stores.

The album is perfectly balanced, with a blend of lovers' reggae songs and more uptempo dancehall-oriented numbers giving it a variety not always enjoyed by danchall longplayers.

Dancehall superstar Beenie Man guests on the liquid bounce of opening track So Fly:

MP3: Cecile & Beenie Man - So Fly

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Other guests on the album include Shaggy, dancer-turned-MC Ding Dong and US rapper Trina, though Cecile's most fruitful collaborations come with Florida dancehall producers South Rakkas Crew. Their beats underpin both Faking (Chinkuzi riddim) and a new version of Cecile's hit on the 2004 Red Alert riddim, Hot Like We:

MP3: Cecile - Hot Like We (Remix)

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But it's the bass-heavy, reverb-drenched skank of No Disturb Sign, a remake of the classic Heavenless riddim, which is the real revelation of this album. Her singing voice is unexpectedly warm and full and she rides the rhythm unsurprisingly well when she breaks into singjay-style MCing.

MP3: Cecile - No Disturb Sign

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 03 March 2009 | 6 comments

Rinse FM show, Hospitality at Matter and Big Chill House

This Wednesday night we're making our debut on London's top pirate station, Rinse FM. Me and Rubi Dan will be playing bashment and UK/Caribbean rave music from 1-3am - the studio MSN is rinse.fm@hotmail.com.

On Thursday I'm playing the reggae/dancehall weekly Hot Wuk at Big Chill House, where resident DJs on rotation include J Star, Upstate Rockers, Flex and Shepdog (Nice Up).

And on Friday we're at Matter for a massive Hospital Records drum'n'bass rave, playing in room 2 alongside Benga, Tayo, Zed Bias, Loefah and N Type:

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 03 March 2009 | 1 comment

Rowdy Bashment mix 2008

After the success of my bashment round-up for 2007 I thought I'd make it an annual affair. This year I started out with over 400 tunes (!) and it's taken me a little while to whittle it down the 79 that made the final cut.

So here it is, a portable party for your mp3 player - over an hour of the rowdiest and raunchiest Jamaican bashment from 2008.

MP3: Gabriel Heatwave - Rowdy Bashment 2008 | Tracklist

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 05 March 2009 | 5 comments

Video: Mavado - Mr Brooks launch party

Footage from the New York launch party for Mavado's new album, Mr Brooks: A Better Tomorrow.

Mavado was joined onstage for hype performances by Serani, Bounty Killer and Tony Matterhorn. Plus a druid-like appearance from Shaggy (at 9 mins), a mercifully short rap from the reliably awful Wyclef Jean and Massive B's Bobby Konders doing his best waxwork/statue impression in the background. Via Boomshots.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Sunday 08 March 2009 | 1 comment

Germany on Friday, Ireland next weekend

More international Heatwave business this weekend and next.

Tomorrow night we're playing in Germany aka Germaica for the first time which should be mad - the dancehall scene over there is crazy.

And then next Friday I'm off to Dublin to play on the same bill as lyrical wizard Durrty Goodz. If you're gonna miss this then make sure you check out the recording of the live show we did with Goodz last year. Sick.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 12 March 2009 | Add a comment

Video: Timberlee & Tosh - Heels

I wrote about Timberlee's Heels when the Benny Hill riddim first surfaced back in September and also featured it in both my end of year mixes, Rowdy Bashment and Class of 2008.

The track is catchily cheesy but undoubtedly fun, and now has an appropriately funny video:

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Sunday 15 March 2009 | 2 comments

Cut Ups, Muck Ups and Bruck Ups

Reggae refix specialists J Star and DJ Shepdog have just put out a CD of their previous vinyl releases entitled Cut Ups, Bruck Ups and Muck Ups.

It features 14 tracks including big blends like No Diggity vs Real Rock and Hip Hop vs Welcome To Jamrock. You can buy the CD from Juno and any other record shops which haven't closed down due to mp3s and the recession.

Here's a free taster in the form of Shep's Limb By Limb refix:

MP3: Cutty Ranks & DJ Shepdog - Limb By Limb (Militia Mix)

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If this is your kind of thing you should check out our releases on the Punchline label, all of which are available for free download in our music section. And for more Cutty Ranks action - our Limb By Limb blend with Lily Allen's LDN instrumental.

For some more up to the time mash ups, don't miss the latest podcast by German dancehall sound SoulForce for the excellent Seen blog. It's a short but sweet mix featuring tracks from the likes of Sizzla, Dizzee Rascal, Lexie Lee and German reggae singer Ronny Trettmann:

MP3: SoulForce - Seen Podcast 03

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 17 March 2009 | Add a comment

Mr Vegas - Old School Hustling

Another post-retirement banger from Mr Vegas, this time in an 80s dancehall style on a remake of the Heavenless riddim.

Sugar Minott's Herbsman Hustling vocal is sampled and Vegas also references the melody from Minott's brilliant Dancehall Style on the same rhythm.

Plus "old school teacher" Papa Levi gets a big up before Vegas pays tribute to the fast chat style the UK artist helped introduce to Jamaica back in 1984:

MP3: Mr Vegas - Old School Hustling

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Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 17 March 2009 | 6 comments

Video: Beenie Man and Busta Rhymes live

Beenie Man joining Busta Rhymes for his concert at BB King's in New York last week. Beenie tore down the place with classics and new tunes alike augmented by some sweet dance moves and his all round showmanship. As Busta says:

When Beenie Man touch the stage...
It shut fucking down!

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 19 March 2009 | Add a comment

The Heatwave Chart - March 2009

Retro dancehall styles from Mr Vegas are riding high this month, followed closely by African- and Caribbean-influenced funky house courtesy of FR3E and Rubi Dan respectively.

Plus Snoop Dogg jumping on dubstep anthem Eastern Jam, Vybz Kartel's acerbic attack on the Jamaican Broadcasting Commission and a Latino banger from Cuban American rapper Pitbull.

And hot new dancehall reggae from Aidonia, Busy Signal, Cecile and Demarco teaming up with Busta Rhymes.

1. Mr Vegas - Old School Hustling - listen
2. FR3E - Skank Calm Down - listen
3. Rubi Dan & Chinski - Big Boi Spitta - listen
4. Vybz Kartel - My Music - listen
5. Snoop Dogg vs Chase & Status - Snoop Dogg Millionaire (Eastern Jam) - listen
6. Aidonia - I Like Her (Swagga Dagga riddim) - listen
7. Pitbull & Casely - Calle Ocho (Remix) - listen
8. Cecile - No Disturb Sign - listen
9. Busy Signal - Send It On - listen
10. Demarco & Busta Rhymes - Duffle Bag Boy - listen

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Thursday 19 March 2009 | 2 comments

Mr Vegas - I Am Blessed

My joint favourite vocal on Serani's Good Life riddim - alongside Mavado's High Unda - is the gospel-flavoured, piano-driven I Am Blessed by Mr Vegas:

MP3: Mr Vegas - I Am Blessed

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This week a video for the song was released by Jamaican director Jay Will featuring an interesting time-reverse motif:

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Wednesday 25 March 2009 | 16 comments

Dalston, Brixton and Bristol this weekend

Another hectic weekend coming up: three gigs in two cities on Friday/Saturday plus our Rinse FM show on Thursday night from 1-3am.

Dalston Friday: U Dun Know at Bar 512 alongside Hard House Banton, Rogue State, Bok Bok & Manara and Shyvonne. Check promoter Mosca's promo mix for an idea of the sound on the night.

Brixton Friday: Deadly Rhythm at Plan B alongside Geeneus, Plastician, Zinc, Tayo, Smutlee and Patchwork Pirates.

Bristol Saturday: Monster Bass at Black Swan alongside Mungo's Hi Fi, Starkey, 2562, Gemmy, Grievous Angel, Monkey Steak and many more.

Posted by Gabriel_Heatwave | Tuesday 31 March 2009 | 1 comment