CLINTON LINDSAY » Entries tagged with "Soja"
“JAMAICA NEEDS TO CHANGE ITS STRATEGY TO HOLD ON TO REGGAE MUSIC” SAYS BILLBOARD MAGAZINE’S PAT MESCHINO!
By Shereita Grizzle SOJA’s front man, Jacob Hemphill. — Jamaica needs to change its strategy if the country is going to continue to hold on to reggae music. That was the main message of Billboard’s Pat Meschino as she addressed guests at the International Reggae Day (IRD) conference, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, last Wednesday. In recent years, the success of the music that helped define Jamaica as a global musical powerhouse is seemingly losing its initial identity. Non-Jamaican musicians have been dominating the international markets, while Jamaicans play second fiddle, but Meschino believes that with the right marketing muscle, Jamaicans will, once again, be able to compete on the international market and may even reclaim the number-one spot. Comparing statistics from the first Billboard reggae charts in 1993 with the most listings, Meschino … Read entire article »
Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS
BILLBOARD REGGAE CHARTS…A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS!
By Cecelia Campbell-Livingston—- Omi— It is almost a given when perusing entertainment news in many publications and blogs to read about reggae singles or albums that have topped the Reggae Billboard charts. In fact, many press releases that are circulated weekly by reggae acts, normally highlight that bit of news and it’s also used as a marker to show how much progress an album or single has made on the international market. The Gleaner Entertainment now looks beyond the hype to decipher what having a number one album or song on the Reggae Billboard Charts really means. The Billboard Reggae Album/Singles chart, is simply an indication of an album’s performance sales-wise, for the week as monitored by Nielsen Soundscan. Comparing the Billboard Reggae Album/Singles Chart against the Billboard Album chart or the Billboard Hot 100 – … Read entire article »
Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS
TIME, PATIENCE AND BRANDING REQUIRED FOR JAMAICA TO REGAIN IT’S REGGAE GROUND!
Copeland Forbes— By Shereita Grizzle– Billboard magazine’s findings in their 2014 year-end publication, showing how poorly Jamaican reggae acts fared in comparison to non-Jamaican acts for the year, has left a bitter taste in the mouths of some key industry players. In a recent interview with The Sunday Gleaner, Copeland Forbes, former manager of late singer John Holt, said reggae is, and will always be, uniquely Jamaican. However, while explaining that non-Jamaicans merely make a “replica of the real music”, Forbes agreed that these non-Jamaican acts do far better at capitalising on what they have and are more knowledgeable about the impact of proper marketing. “What the local reggae industry does with the music is up to us. We will always have the authentic thing. No one can take that from us, but we need to do … Read entire article »
Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS
“THIS YEAR’S LINEUP IS NOTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR” SAYS PROMOTER OF THE JAMAICA JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL!
By Richard Johnson— Top: Magic! Bottom: Mariah Carey(L) & Soja WALTER Elmore, executive producer of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival, is confident his line-up for this year’s event rivals similar festivals worldwide. The 2015 staging — from January 29 to 31 at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium — is headlined by American Grammy-winning megastar Mariah Carey, former Gap Band singer Charlie Wilson, Peter Cetera formerly of Chicago, The Pointer Sisters, American reggae band SOJA and Canadian reggae-fusion band Magic!. Barbadian … Read entire article »
Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS
CANADIAN REGGAE BAND MAGIC! HEADS TO THE JAMAICA JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL JANUARY 29-31!
Canadian reggae band Magic!— CANADIAN reggae band Magic! is among several performers scheduled for the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium on January 29 — 31, 2015. The group shot to prominence with their 2013 debut single Rude. The track topped the American and United Kingdom charts. “I want everybody to join us on this MAGIC! adventure,” said lead singer Nasri Atweh. “It’s a stressful time out there, and people are struggling to find hope in balance. This music is meant to put you in a good mood. We want to bring people together to have a good time. It’s not about us. It’s about the music. We want you to be a part of that energy and a positive musical world.” In addition to Atweh, the group comprises Mark … Read entire article »
Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS
CAN JAMAICA STILL CLAIM REGGAE MUSIC AS ITS OWN?
Copeland Forbes—- By Shereita Grizzle– Reggae and Jamaica have been inextricably linked since its origin in the 1960s. The genre of music is considered to be ‘the heart and soul’ of the country’s entertainment landscape and holds an important place in the country’s history. Its contribution to theisland’s cultural development is significant and cannot be discredited. However, since reggae music made its way on to the international scene, it sparked a debate that still has relevance today. Given the emergence of countless non-Jamaican reggae acts, can Jamaica still claim reggae music as its own? The globalisation of reggae has impacted the island both negatively and positively. On one hand, as a direct result of globalisation, reggae’s popularity has grown and continues to do so. The global demand for the music has increased because of a connection established through … Read entire article »
Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE SAYS AMERICAN REGGAE ACTS OUT-SELL THEIR JAMAICAN COUNTERPARTS!
Chronixx– By Shereita Grizzle— In June, Billboard disclosed some news that many may have found surprising, or perhaps not. The website revealed that United States (US) reggae acts were outselling their Jamaican counterparts, by comparing the number of Jamaican acts that have singles or albums on their charts to the number of US acts also making the list. If you thought the June findings were a hoax, the website did yet another comparison which yielded similar results. The recent findings show five American reggae acts occupying the top 10 positions on the Reggae Album chart for the week ending September 13. SOJA’s Amid The Noise and Haste has held the top slot for the past three weeks, selling a total of 16,083 units, according to Nielsen Soundscan. At number three, Rebelution’s Count Me In has sold 33,049 units over 12 weeks, surpassing Ziggy Marley’s Fly Rasta, which amassed … Read entire article »
Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS
“WE NEED MORE REGGAE ON TOP 40 RADIO” SAYS THE VIRGINIA-BASED REGGAE BAND SOJA!
GOING BIG IN BOB MARLEY’S FOOTSTEPS Need proof that reggae is alive, well and very much a needed part of Top 40 radio? Look no further than SOJA and the message they have for the world around them. —By Deirdre Kaye—- Photo credit: Eric Ryan Anderson When you think reggae, what do you think of? Bob Marley, right? But where else does your mind go? Probably not to Virginia or, really, anywhere in America. When you think reggae, you think of Jamaica, but Marley preached more than just mellow beats. He believed in all-encompassing love, and his mission didn’t die with him. It lives on in his son and a wide range of followers, familiar and otherwise. One such group of Marley fans is SOJA. Yes, they’re from Virginia. But, as lead vocalist Jacob … Read entire article »
Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS
SISTER CAROL RELEASES NEW ALBUM “LIVE NO EVIL!”
By Cecelia Campbell-Livingston— Sister Carol—- SISTER Carol has been spreading reggae’s roots and culture message for over 30 years. She gives her fans more ‘consciousness’ on Live No Evil, her latest album. The set was officially released in January by the singjay’s Black Cinderella Records. It contains 14 tracks including The Prayer, Jill-cuzzi, Mating Season, Servitude and Muma and Pickney, which she did with her daughter Nakeeba Amaniyea. Live No Evil hears Sister Carol collaborating with American reggae band … Read entire article »
Filed under: GUEST RUNDOWNS, NEW RELEASES
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