We’re always happy to hear how our sounds have been making it across the globe and Germany are some of our biggest supporters. Now German producers & remixers Soul Force have donned us their take on Kartel’s ‘My Crew’ from the Kingston Story album (did you see the video yet?). For the track they teamed up with production duo Symbiz to create a dancehall-meets-dubstep bassline, and added popular Leipzig MC Ronny Trettmann into the mix for the full German version.
SPIN have just published this interview with Dre Skull, where he talks about life before Vybz, life with Snoop and a bunch more:
“For whatever reason, I’m most fascinated with pop music,” says Hershey, listing Miguel and 2 Chainz as artists who have inspired him. The Brooklynite’s fixation is present in the unity between his work’s supple structures and expectant melodies. And the subtle influence of hero Lee “Scratch” Perry, in particular, can be felt in the way his hits echo and resonate in their afterglow (Kartel’s “Half on a Baby,” for example). “In Kingston,” Hershey says, “dancehall DJs on the radio have a wide format and freedom in the music they play. On Zip FM, every genre is heard — disco mixed into house mixed into country mixed into dancehall.” His label’s releases mirror that philosophy: recent records traverse the deep waters of southern rap, underground club, house, and soca.
It’s ten years since Kartel released ‘Sweet To The Belly’, his cut on the crazy Egyptian Riddim produced by Blaxx. Now Manchester-based DJ/producer Samrai has given it the UK bashment relick. Here’s the exclusive 320 download, and show him love on his soundcloud below.
Noisey’s brand new series documenting the current dancehall scene has now launched, starting with dancehall hero & Mixpak family member Vybz Kartel. Watch out for snippets from Kingston Story, an interview with Dre Skull, a cameo from Seanizzle and find out what the residents of Portmore are saying about their favourite deejay.
UK National Prison Radio reports that Vybz Kartel was one of their most played artists in 2012, hitting the number 2 position just behind Tupac. Big up to Kartel on his birthday yesterday!
For the full list, head to the report via The Mirror, (though be wary of their descriptions of Tupac & Kartel).
It’s been just over a year since Vybz Kartel got arrested. At that time, we were just a week away from shooting a video for “Half On A Baby,” the second single from “Kingston Story.” Given his legal situation, we were never able to get it done. In spite of that, “Half On A Baby” has grown to be a big song on its own, finding an interesting life on the internet. The song touched a nerve and became the choice soundtrack to a new dance kids in New York city are doing called the Bronx Wine. Hundreds of kids of have uploaded videos of themselves doing the Bronx Wine to “Half On A Baby” (see a few examples here, here, here and here). So as disappointing as it was to not give the song a bigger chance with a proper video, it seems the music found its way into culture on its own.
The uploaded track with basic cover art just passed two million views on the Mixpak YouTube channel and the Half On A Baby/Bronx Wine movement continues to grow. Thanks to everyone who’s been supporting.
This is a GTA style animation for Orange Hill Production’s electro-bashment track, “Pon Time.” The video imagines Vybz as an international man of action, harassed by ninjas on his yacht, shot down in a helicopter dog-fight and narrowly escaping thugs in an Aston Martin dropped from an airplane. Vybz, naturally, does it all with a woman on his arm and just an Orange Hill t-shirt on for armor. Check out Orange Hill’s Soundcloud for a thunderous “Pon Time” remix from Wideboys and stay tuned for Part 2.
