No "Rapping" In The Dancehall

I remember the days when my friends and I used to argue about who was the wickedest DJ, and we weren't talking about radio personalities. Almost everyone I knew called the artistes DJ's, however, I have noticed that we no longer called artiste DJ's but instead we call them rappers. Common-sense would tell me that a rapper raps; nothing to do with the craft of the Dancehall. Calling a dancehall artist a rapper is not fair to the artist or the trade. The title diminishes the independence of Dancehall/Reggae, it puts dancehall under the umbrella of rapping, which I think should be the other way around. For too long the industry denied itself upliftment, it is time to be bold and uncompromising. By doing the same things as rappers we not only blend ourselves in but we have to play catch-up because we not be setting our own goals but rather reaching for someoneelse's. Our uniqueness is our highlight and that is what we should emphasize, not the "watered-down" music which is intended to cross-over successes.

Bob Marley Is Still Catching Fire

Bob Marley didn't believe in death. It is part of Rastafari teaching that there is no dying, only living, and Marley held that to be true. For Marley, at least, death was just the beginning.
It may seem, to the casual top-40 listener, that reggae music is a limited genre, a sidestream to the mainstream, a musical form that saw its glory days, its better days, in the days of Bob Marley.
Listen closer.
The sound of reggae is everywhere. Bob Marley's greatest hits album, Legend is still on the Billboard charts, more than 20 years after its release. Artists that he influenced are all over MTV, in various forms and in various genres. There are too many to list them all.
Some draw from his sound: Hasidic roots-reggae rapper Matisyahu. The Fugees -- Wyclef has covered Marley songs, and fellow Fugee Lauryn Hill has covered Marley songs and given birth to Marley grandkids. Dancehall star Sean Paul has produced two best-selling CDs. And Marley's son Damian scored a recent chart hit with his song "Welcome to Jamrock." Others draw from his general spirit: Gwen Stefani; Julian Casablancas, the lead singer of the Strokes, a band that sometimes borrows reggae rhythms, is an avowed Marley fan. U2 has covered Marley's songs in concert and lead singer Bono inducted him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In the past other musicians have been influenced by Marley, including Eric Clapton, who cvered his song "I Shot the Sheriff"; Stevie Wonder, who wrote "Master Blaster" as a tribute to the reggae king; and the now-defunct ska-reggae-punk band Sublime, who re-recorded Marley's song "Jailhouse". In the future there will no doubt be more Marley acolytes. "
full article...http://www.popmatters.com/books/features/060511-bobmarley.shtml

VP Records PAYS TRIBUTE TO the King of Dancehall

In a Collective Series Documenting Producer King Jammy’s Lifetime Dedication to Music
VP Records, in collaboration with King Jammy’s Sound, has announced the release of the most comprehensive retrospect of the legendary sound that triggered digital reggae music, commonly referred to as dancehall. Two compilations paying tribute to King Jammy’s will be released in 2006 that will include: international hits, unreleased tracks from King Jammy’s archives, deep cuts and rare behind the scenes footage.
Recently, there has been a massive resurgence of digital “throwback” riddims, so the timing could not have been more precise for this original collection to be released. From the reappearance of the “Father Jungle Rock” riddim in the Fugee’s reunion at the 2005 BET Awards and also on I-Wayne’s hit “Can’t Satisfy Her,” to the popular "85" riddim featuring deejays like Assassin and Cham, to Ini Kamoze & Sly and Robbie’s “World A Reggae” riddim resurrected by Damien Marley in “Welcome to Jamrock,” to the famous "Sleng Teng Resurrection" revived by Bounty Killer and original vocalist Wayne Smith to the restoration of Admiral Bailey’s "Punany" on the current “Capital P” VP Riddim Driven Series, the presence of these classic rhythms prevail today.
On July 18th, the first release ‘King at The Controls,’ a DVD and compact disc collection, will unveil twenty of King Jammy's most acclaimed tracks as well as exclusive behind the scenes footage. The musical set highlights the celebrated classics and gives you a taste of the highly anticipated ‘Selector’s Choice’ dual box set due out this fall. A few renowned tunes to look forward to are, "Sleng Teng" by Wayne Smith, "Music Lover" by Shabba Ranks, "Punany" by Admiral Bailey, "Agony" by Pinchers and "Mr. Landlord" by Half Pint. The bonus DVD includes the first in depth documentary on King Jammy with exclusive interviews from Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Chaka Demus, Admiral Bailey, Wayne Smith (from Sleng Teng), and the King himself! It also includes never seen before historical footage from the Waterhouse community, Ninja Man’s recording sessions inside Jammy’s studio, as well as photos and live footage from King Jammy’s personal archives.
The second release, ‘Selector’s Choice,’ will be a dual release of two 4-disc box sets coming this October. It will be the most all-inclusive tribute ever paid to the legendary producer, who sparked reggae’s digital revolution, revealing the rest of his most cherished and prized hits along with some hidden gems that have been preserved until now. This full collection will give the listener an enjoyable and educational journey into one studio's lifetime dedication and contribution to a crucial era of dancehall reggae. http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur26212.cfm