What on earth has the Movie ‘Notorious’ got to do with this year’s Reggae Grammy Winner?

“And the award for the 2009 Grammy for Best Reggae album goes to.....

Burning Spear for ‘Jah Is Real’”

For the second time in his celebrated career, Mr Rodney has walked away with the coveted Reggae Grammy. The fact that not manyof us even knew he had an album out is besides the point. He may be one of music’s longest serving practitioners but he is - it wouldseem - one of the most technically advanced as his album was only available to download and predominantly sold direct to his fans a la Prince!!!!

The same week that The Spear collected his award, the media was abuzz with the news of the triumphant release of the Biggie Smallz biopic, ‘Notorious’. What’s this got to do with our Spear? Well, indirectly, plenty!

So let me break it down.

When the news first broke about plans to make said biopic, there was an overweight, lovelorn teenager of Jamaican decent called Sean Kingston who’s ‘Beautiful Girls’ was running the pop charts ragged. So talk was rife that Kingston would play the young Biggie in the movie as they shared similar bacgrounds. As we now know, that didn’t come to pass. That still doesn’t explain the Spear link does it? Hold your horsesand let me break it down further!

When Kingston burst on the scene his Reggae credentials were put in question as his flow mellifluously betrayed his Jamaican roots. Amongst all the speculation as to where he came from it was rumoured that he was Buju Banton’s cousin or nephew or something.

Unfortunately, that one didn’t quite pan out either, but what we did get to understand is that his grandfather, Laurence Lindo, was a producer and sound system owner better known as Jack Ruby. Mr Lindo’s most enduring contribution to Reggae history is that he produced Burning Spear’s seminal album, ‘Marcus Garvey’in 1975.

And that is what on earth the Movie ‘Notorious’ has got to do with this year’s Reggae Grammy!

On This Day.......

1991 – Super Cat was busy changing his subtitle from the Wild Apache to the Don Dadda in response to the success of his one-time protégé, Ninjaman’s, claim of being theDon Gorgon.

This week’s number one’s around the Reggae world (At Press time).

‘Get Wild’– Vybz Kartel -France

‘Here I Am’ - Cornadoor – Germany

‘I Can Feel Your Pain’ – Gyptian - New York

‘I Feel Good’ – Beres Hammond - Caribbean Hot 30

‘I Love You Anyway’ –Barbee - Jamaica Music Count Down (Reggae) (Pictured)

‘Love Is Automatic’ – Marcia Griffiths Ft: Busy Signal - Choice FM, London/BBC 1xtra

‘Romping Shop’ – Vybz Kartel & Spice – Jamaica Music Count Down (Dancehall)

‘Start Anew’ – Tarrus Riley – New Style, Birmingham/South Florida

‘Sweep’ – Elephant Man - Lance O’s Reggae Vibes

‘Time To Shine’ – Laden - Outaroad.com, JA

In De Charts

‘Flying Dagger (100 Stab)’ – Aidonia – Jamaica Music Count Down (Dancehall)/Germany

‘Know Yourself’ Lloyd Brown & Peter Spence – New York

'Pull Up Your Trousers' - Nereus Joseph & Vivian Jones - New Style, Birmingham, England

On Air

Fridays – 10pm-12 Midnight – Aston FM 89.1/www.astonfm.com with

Chicken George

Saturdays – 7pm – 9pm – www.playvybz.com

Sunday – 10pm -12 Midnight – The Archive Selection with Natty B on Choice FM

96.9/107.1/www.choicefm.com

Mondays – 6pm – 9pm – Elayne Smith’s Music Industry Show on

www.colourfulradio.com

Live:

February

23-27^th

Feb - Aidonia in Catanzaro, Italy

Feb 24^th – Lloyd Brown with 7^th Street @ Red Fox Tavern, Eureka, California

Feb 26^th – Lloyd Brown with 7^th Street @ The Last Day Saloon, Santa Rosa, California

Feb 27^th – Lloyd Brown with 7^th Street & Don Carlos @ Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, California

28^th Feb - 5th March Aidonia in Padova, Italy

March

Mar 4^th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s,London, England

Mar 6^th - Aidonia in Jouy Aux Arches, France

– Bongo Chill @ West Indian Centre, Leeds, England

Mar 7^th Aidonia in Mannheim, Germany

Mar 12^th - Aidonia in Berlin, Germmany

Mar 13^th - Aidonia in Milan, Italy

Mar 15^th - Aidonia in Copenhagen, Denmark

– Dennis Bovell/Lloyd Brown/Prezedent @ Jean Adebambo Benefit Concert @ Hackney Empire, London, England (SOLD OUT!!!!)

Mar 21^st - Aidonia in Toulouse, France

Mar 22nd –Prezedent @ In Celebration of my Sisters with Playvybz family @ Hackney Empire

Mar 28^th – Prezedent @ Labadi Nights with P’nP Family, DJ Abrantee &More @ Manjaro Bar, Holloway Rd, London, England

April

Apr 1^st – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s,London, England

Apr 2^nd Prezedent & DJ Ice @ Funky, @ The Prince Albert, Wolverhampton, England

Apr 11^th – Ding Dong @ Stratford Rex, London, England

Apr 12^th – Prezedent @ The Studio Club, Bedford, England

May

May 2^nd – Lloyd Brown @ Deighton Centre, Huddersfield with Mike Anthony & Kofi

Nereus Joseph & Prezedent @ African Language Fundraiser, Spotty Dog Football Club, Forest Gate, Upton Lane, London, England

May 6^th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s,London, England

September

Sep 19^th – Lloyd Brown, Dennis ‘Matumbi’ Bovell, Sylvia Tella & Prezedent @ The Giants Of

Lovers Rock @ The O2 Indigo2, London, England

How do you Reggaematically link The Hollywood Black Pack to Larry Blackmon and The Wailers?

How do you Reggaematically link The Hollywood Black Pack to Larry Blackmon and The Wailers?


Answer: Marcia Griffiths. Now before the logic police comes to arrest me, hear me out! Have you seen the movie ‘The Best Man’?
The one with Sanaa Lathan, Terrence Howard, Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long et al? OK, well at the end of the movie the whole
Wedding does a dance to Cameo’s ‘Candy’. This song has now become known as the wedding dance and every time you play Candy
since then, the dancefloor stops and everyone looks at the DJ for instructions as to which direction the
dance is gonna start. When it works - it’s the most beautiful sight to behold as the see of dancers
move in unison as a well drilled army unit.

What’s this got to do with Reggae and specifically The Wailers? Well hold on and I’ll tell ya!

Marcia Griffiths is currently number 1 on both of the Capital’s recognised Reggae Charts with
‘Love Is Automatic’ ft: Busy Signal.
Known as either the queen of Jamaica or the queen of Reggae - she is the longest serving female member of the Reggae
fraternity having scored hits in 6 decades!!!! Starting off as a child prodigy she caused a bidding war between Coxsone Dodd and
Duke Reid when she performed on Jamaican television. She eventually signed with Coxsone with whom she went on to score a
number of solo hits. In the late 60’s she scored some pop hits with ‘Young, Gifted & Black’ & ‘Pied Piper’ in tandem with her then
boyfriend, Bob Andy. Fast forward a few years and the Wailers were devoid of two of their original members, namely Peter Tosh
ad Bunny Wailer. Bob Marley asked his wife Rita, to invite two of her friends, Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths to “try a ting”
on a song. Thus the I-three were born and toured the world as Bob Marley’s backing vocalists. Ms Griffiths’ solo career became a
bit sporadic during this time as the group was always on the road. After Bob’s passing in 1981 she recorded a single, ‘Electric Boogie’
with original Wailer, Bunny Livingston (aka Bunny Wailer). When it first came out it was a decent enough track describing
something called the ‘Electric Slide’.

The Electric Slide took off in Miami to such an extent that some 7 years later it became a bona fide pop hit when it was
re-released by Mango/Island records. The dance that was being performed by the guests in the ‘Best Man’ to ‘Candy’, was originally
called – guess what? – The Electric Slide!

And that is how you Reggaematically link The Hollywood Black Pack to Larry Blackmon & The Wailers – through Ms Marcia Griffiths.




On This Day.......

1991 – Super Cat was busy changing his subtitle from the Wild Apache to the Don Dadda in response to the success
of his one-time protégé, Ninjaman’s, claim of being the Don Gorgon.







This week’s number one’s around the Reggae world (At Press time).

‘Burnin Burnin’ – Miss Triniti Ft: Beenie Man - Jamaica Music Count Down (Dancehall)
‘Come Over’ – Estelle Ft: Sean Paul - Caribbean Hot 30
‘Get Wild’– Vybz Kartel - France
‘I Can Feel Your Pain’ – Busy Signal - New York
‘Love Is Automatic’ – Marcia Griffiths Ft: Busy Signal - Choice FM, London/BBC 1xtra
‘Nah Drop De Ting’ – Burro Banton – Germany
‘Nothing Change (Love Reigns)’ – Bugle & Tarrus Riley - Jamaica Music Count Down (Reggae)
‘Romping Shop’ – Vybz Kartel & Spice – RETV (Dancehall), JA
‘Start Anew’ – Tarrus Riley – RETV (Reggae), JA
‘Stop The Talking’ – Fiona - South Florida
‘Sweep’ – Elephant Man - Lance O’s Reggae Vibes
‘Tell It Like It Is’ – Stevie Face – New Style, Birmingham (Pictured)
‘Time To Shine’ – Laden - Outaroad.com, JA




Back 2 Da Future Music

In De Charts

‘Flying Dagger (100 Stab)’ – Aidonia – Germany/ Caribbean Hot 30
‘Know Yourself’ Lloyd Brown & Peter Spence – New York
‘Pull Up Your Trousers’ Vivian Jones & Nereus Joseph

On Air

Fridays – 10pm -12 Midnight – Aston FM 89.1/www.astonfm.com with Chicken George
Saturdays – 7pm – 9pm – www.playvybz.com
Sunday – 10pm -12 Midnight – The Archive Selection with Natty B on Choice FM 96.9/107.1/www.choicefm.com
Mondays – 6pm – 9pm – Elayne Smith’s Music Industry Show on www.colourfulradio.com (Monthly)


Live:

February
Feb 20th – Lloyd Brown @ Casper Inn, Casper, California
Feb 21st – Lloyd Brown with 7th Street @ Sweet Fingers Restaurant, San Leandro, California
Feb 24th – Lloyd Brown with 7th Street @ Red Fox Tavern, Eureka, California
Feb 26th – Lloyd Brown with 7th Street @ The Last Day Saloon, Santa Rosa, California
Feb 27th – Lloyd Brown with 7th Street & Don Carlos @ Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, California


March
Mar 4th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s
Mar 6th – Bongo Chill @ West Indian Centre, Leeds
Mar 15th – Dennis Bovell/Lloyd Brown/Prezedent @ Jean Adebambo Benefit Concert @ Hackney Empire (SOLD OUT!!!!)
Mar 28th – Prezedent @ Labadi Nights with P’nP Family, French Kiss, Mos Camp & More

April
Apr 1st – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s
Apr 11th – Ding Dong @ Stratford Rex, London
Apr 12th – Prezedent @ The Studio Club, Bedford

May
May 2nd – Lloyd Brown @ Deighton Centre, Huddersfield with Mike Anthony & Kofi
Nereus Joseph & Prezedent @ African Language Fundraiser, Spotty Dog Football Club, Forest Gate, Upton Lane
May 6th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s

How do you Reggaematically link The Dalai Lama, Napoleon, and Nelson Mandela?

Answer: Admiral Tibet a man who’s ‘Change Your Ways’ was his first UK Reggae chart entry in ten years.

Arguably best known for his debut hit ‘Leave People Business Alone’, he also sang the title track to the Jamaican cult movie, ‘The Lunatic’.

During the late 80’s and early 90’s Tibet ploughed an almost lonely farrow as a Roots & Culture ambassador earning him the moniker, ‘Mr Reality’.

At that time the Reggae airwaves were all about sex & violence in layman’s terms or “slackness” and “Badman talk” in Reggae parlance.

In 1989 Tibet recorded the album, ‘Separate Class’ with Bobby Digital.

The biggest single on the set ‘Serious Time’, was lifted as a single to create history.

Bobby spliced in the then warring deejays, Shabba Ranks & Ninjaman to give Tibet

his only UK Reggae number 1. Putting those Deejays on one record was a coup

that today could only be equalled if you were to put Mavado and Vybz Kartel on

the same recording!

Adopting the title of a Naval officer for a peaceful Rastaman is a bit contradictory

but then so is putting it together with a country like Tibet who’s exiled leader, the

Dalai Lama, is referred to as peace personified.

“The name came from my cousin in primary school. We were in the same class

and I showed him this country on a map. He was a bwoy weh love the’ mustering’

ting. Mustering is when you love run ah whole ‘eap ah joke! Anyway, him start call me Tibet, Tibet, and it stuck! The Admiral now - that

come from when I start in the business. My very first song was called ‘Babylon War’ and if you listen it it’s more of a Deejay lyrics but I sing it.

Dem time deh the big deejays were Charlie Chaplin who call himself ‘The Principal’,

Brigadier Jerry, ‘The General’ and Josey Wales ‘The Colonel’.

I jus’ tek up the Admiral and add it to Tibet.”

The most famous Admiral in British history is Horatio Nelson who led the British

Navy to victory against Napoleon.

It is his plinth that today stands guard above London’s tourist attraction,

Trafalgar Square. It just so happens as

coincidence would have it that a 9 foot statue of Nelson Mandela is to be

erected in Trafalgar Square not too far

from his namesake the Admiral.

And that is how The Dalai Lama, Napoleon, and Nelson Mandela link reggaematically.

On This Day.......

1986 – Audrey Hall joined the annals of pop music history as her ‘One Dance Won’t Do’ was in the midst of a 9 week run atop the Reggae charts and in the top 20 of the pop charts.

This week’s number one’s around the Reggae world.

‘A Better Man’ – Terry Linen - France

‘Burnin Burnin’ – Miss Triniti Ft: Beenie Man - Jamaica Music Count Down (Dancehall)

‘Come Over’ – Estelle Ft: Sean Paul - Caribbean Hot 30

‘I Cry, You Cry’ – Mikey Spice - New York (Pictured)

‘Love Is Automatic’ – Marcia Griffiths Ft: Busy Signal - Choice FM, London/BBC 1xtra

‘Love We Deal With’ – Million Stylez – Germany

‘Nothing Change (Love Reigns)’ – Bugle & Tarrus Riley - Jamaica Music Count Down (Reggae)

‘Romping Shop’ – Vybz Kartel & Spice – RETV (Dancehall), JA

‘Start Anew’ – Tarrus Riley – RETV (Reggae), JA

‘Stop The Talking’ – Fiona - South Florida

‘Sweep’ – Elephant Man - Lance O’s Reggae Vibes

‘Tell It Like It Is’ – Stevie Face – New Style, Birmingham

‘Time To Shine’ – Laden - Outaroad.com, JA

Back 2 Da Future

On Air

Fridays – 10pm -12 Midnight – Aston FM 89.1/www.astonfm.com with Chicken George

Saturdays – 7pm – 9pm – www.playvybz.com

Sunday – 10pm -12 Midnight – The Archive Selection with Natty B on Choice FM 96.9/107.1/www.choicefm.com

Live:

February

Feb 11^th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests, Barry Boom & JC Lodge @ Ruby Lo’s

Feb 13^th – Prezedent @ The Studio Club, Bedford

Feb 14^th - Lloyd Brown @ Island Paradise Club (Valentine’s Lovers Show), Alameda, California,

March

Mar 4^th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s

Mar 15^th – Dennis Bovell/Lloyd Brown/Prezedent @ Jean Adebambo Benefit Concert @ Hackney Empire

April

Apr 1^st – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s

May

May 2^nd – Lloyd Brown @ Deighton Centre, Huddersfield with Mike Anthony & Kofi

May 6^th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s