Photo by Martei Korley
Music from the U.S. Virgin Islands is having a moment. Last year was a banner one for the USVI reggae scene, with Pressure Busspipe and Midnite each dropping two stellar albums. In 2015, it’s been all about R City. In October, brothers Timothy (aka Timo) and Theron Thomas dropped their debut major-label album, What Dreams Are Made Of on the heels of their massive single “Locked Away” featuring Adam Levine. The track peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100, and topped Billboard’s Pop Songs chart. While this was brand-new territory for an act from the U.S. Virgin Islands, the duo have a long history on the pop charts as songwriters for the likes of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus.
“I remember when OutKast went to accept an award and they went up there, and said, ‘The South got something to say,'” Theron Thomas says. “I think the Virgin Islands got something to say, and we here. I think it’s time for people to embrace it.”
His brother Timothy adds, “When it came time to our project, we made sure to embrace our Caribbean roots. Because that is the one ting that makes us different from everybody else in pop culture.”
Here, the duo formerly known as Rock City bring us a primer on Virgin Islands music, selecting some of their favorite V.I. anthems, past and present
Pressure Busspipe – Virgin Islands Nice
That is definitely the first one at the top of the list. “Virgin Islands Nice” is the official Virgin Islands song. When you see the commercials for V.I. Tourism, that’s the song playing in the background. It definitely have the rootsy reggae sound. We had to pick that.
Knowing they’re from the island of St. Croix, and they get to travel the world and sing reggae music and me and my brother being big fans of roots reggae music from way back, Bob Marley and Steel Pulse and stuff like that. Late Night Ghetto always been a personal favorite from that band.
Nicholas “Daddy” Friday and Jam Band – Anything
I wouldn’t say one specific Jam Band song because they have so many songs. If you from the Virgin Islands, anything with Daddy Friday on it, I think should be in your playlist.
Rock City – Rock Man
Me and my brother got a big tune called “Rock Man.” Big Virgin Islands tune.
That’s a big tune. We did a remix of that on our VI Ova Everyting mixtape.
Verse Simmonds – All I Want featuring Jeremih
“All I Want” is a good one from Verse Simmonds. [Listen to Verse Simmonds and R City’s new collaboration “Situationships (Remix)” here.—Ed]
Benny D, he’s the DJ for Akon. And our DJ.
Kissinger – Why You Yankin feat. Prya and Timo
In the Virgin Islands, when you speaking American, we say “You yankin’.” You’re using your American accent. So he made a song where he said, “You’re from Tortola, why you yankin? You from Rock? Why you yankin?” It’s actually one of my personal favorite songs right now, period. I love playing the song.
Rock City- “Baby Mama Drama”
I would say our biggest early song would be “Baby Mama Drama.” It came out in 2000. Our first song “Dancing” came out in like 1997. It’s not on YouTube. Anybody that tells you they got “Dancing,” that’s like “Wow!” We put it out on an album called 2EK.
Rock City – “Bang It”
“Bang It” came out on our last mixtape. That’s a big, dutty, stinkin tune.
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