R.I.P. Sluggy Ranks

Sluggy Ranks (b. Andrew Phillip Gregory), a deeply affecting vocalist who rose to popularity within New York City’s vibrant dancehall reggae circuit of the ’80s and ’90s with numerous socially conscious singles, Sluggy Ranks  was killed in a car accident on Sunday morning July 29 in the Stony Hill area of Kingston, Jamaica.

Read more via billboard.biz

Rest in Peace to Sluggy Rankin’ and condolences to all his friends and family. What a ruff singer!

Sorry for the delay of the news, I was kinda busy the last few days.

[Download] Deadly Dragon Sound – NYC Vibes Vol. 1 – The Bad Bwoy Years

Time for a digital Mix again, here’s a nice one from Deadly Dragon Sound.

This one personal! Deadly Dragon Sound digs deep for a mix highlighting the unique sounds coming out of New York City in the mid-80s to early 90s with a focus on labels like Witty, Gyasi, Shelly Power and artists like Lloydie Stiff, Super C, Knight Rider, Sammy Levi, Screechy Dan and more. As always this ya mix a big people thing — mixed live, all vinyl, no edits.

Click to get to the Player.

TrackList:

Jr. Wilson – I’m The Toughest (Wittys 12″)

Jah Mikey – Bad Sound Man (Beardie 12″)

Talking Meekle – WBLS (Justice 12″)

James Bond – Jah Ah Mi Savior (Star Tone 12″)

Shelly Thunder – Kuff (Wittys 12″)

Scringer Ranks – Dun Wid Kuff (FM Force 12″)

Knight Rider – Bad Boy Steppin (Witty 12″)

Lloyd Stiff – Wine Up (Gyasi 12″)

Charger Dan – Woman Kuff (Pisces 12″),

Tonto Irie – New York Life (Wittys 12″)

Mikey Jarrett – I Love New York (Carron 12″)

Shine Head – Good Love Tonight (African Love 12″)

Carlton Reid – Dead With Laugh (Gyasi 12″)

Lloyd Stiff – Serious Lover (Gyasi 12″)

Little Ricky – Think Mi a Bluff (Gyasi 12″)

Sammy Levi – 5 Pound Box of Dub (Eclipse 12″)

Karl Ranks – Dancehall Nice (Gyasi 12″)

Lloyd Stiff – Brooklyn Living (Barry U 12″),

Alton Black & Blacka Ranks – Gal a Watch You (Witty 12″) ,

Screechy Dan – Dollars (Wittys 12″),

Daddy Rupie – Oh Me Oh My (Shelly Power 12″)

Super Classic – Sound Boy Business (Gyasi 12″)

Lloydie Stiff – Lef Mi Condom (Gyasi 12″)

Lloyd Stiff – Bad Talk (Digital English 12″)

Sleepy Wonder – Big In Body (Park Heights/Deadly Dragon 7″)

Junior Rodigan – Death (Gyasi 12″)

Sluggy Ranks – Take The Slug (Ricky Ticky Music)

Trevor Sparks – Wings Of Love (Wittys 12″)

Sammy Levi – Its A Shame (Wittys 12″)

Roxanne – One Dance (Gyasi 12″)

Shaka Ranks – Sound Boy Kuff (Gyasi 12″),

Lady Luscious – We Rule Man (Gyasi 12″)

Poppy & The Show – Weave and Extension (Gyasi 12″)

Knight Rider – Bad Boy Wadat (Wittys 12″)

Colin Sampson – Trying to Conquer (Wittys 12″)

King Ledgie – Money (Gyasi 12″)

Nitty Gritty – Ready Dun (Concorde 12″)

Super C – Bad Boy (Gyasi 12″)

Mikey White – Soy Un Tigre (Gyasi 12″)

Rankin Don – Baddest DJ (Gyasi 12″)

Lloyd Stiff – Gun Pon Cock (Shellys LP)

Mikey Merican – Robbing Killing (Concorde 12″)

Rev. Badoo, Nicodemus & Roman Stewart – Aliens (Shelly Power 12″)

Super C – Den A Wah (Alms House 12″)

[Video] Maffew Ragazino ft. Mad Stuntman & Rockie Evans – City of God

Nice One! Good Message.

Clash Outcomes

Well, 2 Clashes of 3 this weekend are over, and it seems like Foundation Sound won in Wuppertal

and Supersonic took the Global Clash Title in NYC.

Respect to both of them!

From what i’ve read the clash in Wuppertal was a bit boring and nothing special, but we have to decide when the Audio’s  dropping.

Curious if Foundation is on a killing spree now and take also the clash in Gütersloh tonight against Trinity Sound.

For the Global Clash, Rootsman dropped out first, then Yardbeat and finally Black Kat. Sonic and Addies played Dub fi Dub.

[Video] Jahdan Blakkamore – All comes back to one

[Video] Maino feat. Joell Ortiz – Ask Me Bout Brooklyn

Nice cameo by and a vocal-sample from Morgan Heritage.

[Video] Soundchat with Tony Matterhorn

Irishandchin.com put up a whole heap of Interviews since the first ones with Tony Screw and Ajax.

Check out Tony Mentally talk the things.

“Rise Up” screening tomorrow in New York

This documentary was screened at a few film-festivals during the last year, but me kinda slept on it.

About Rise Up:
Thinking of Jamaica usually conjures up an image of peace-loving Rastafarians with thick dreadlocks surrounded by even thicker clouds of hash smoke who play reggae tunes and sing the praises of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.

Luciano Blotta’s self-conscious documentary Rise Up provides ample support of that cliché, but he simultaneously shows that behind the clever export product that reggae has become, a world of poverty and underdevelopment is lurking. In the minds of many young Jamaicans, the only way out is a career in music, but the competition is overwhelming, so everyone tries to display their talent wherever and whenever they can.

Blotta follows three young people who are trying to rise up from the underground: there’s the shy Kemoy, who sings beautiful R&B-like songs; the white Ice, whose biggest dream is to perform at the famous Reggae Sumfest; and the charismatic Turbulence, who almost ended up living a life of crime before he thought better of it.

These days, Turbulence’s goal is to “Eat good food, have good life, make music.” Blotta interweaves the three storylines with lots of music (watch out for the guy with the one-stringed guitar), atmospheric shots of the city and country, and the commentary, which is spoken in juicy Jamaican English by a trio of experts from the music world. Sly and Robbie stop by, as well as the legendary Lee Perry, to say that Kemoy has a lot of talent. But apparently talent alone isn’t enough not by a long shot.

Biltmore Throwback!

Me woulda love if me can say this ya bring back memories, but pity me, me never did deh a Biltmore Ballroom…anyways, just lean back and enjoy the vibes, this is how dancehall supposed to be!

Junior Demus, Little Twitch, Ninjaman, Major Mackarel and Shabba Ranks in a Session.

via Shortman Movements

Lloyd Barnes & Wackie’s

Today’s New York Times features an article about the great Lloyd Barnes and his Wackie’s Studio in the Bronx.

Read the full article here and look at the pictures here.