The LargeUp Interview: Marlon James on “A Brief History of Seven Killings”
"A novel is like the lie that tells the truth": Author Marlon James illuminates Jamaica's reality through fiction in his new book, "A Brief History of Seven Killings."
LargeUp Interview: A Last Chat with Wayne Smith
Words and Interview by Sherman Escoffery—
In August 2012, I heard from my friend Dwayne Smith, son of reggae singer Wayne Smith, that his dad was moving back to Jamaica in a few weeks, asking if I wa... Read More...
Bomb A Drop: Watch Busy Signal’s “Everybody Turn Artiste” Video
Words By Sherman Escoffery--
Maybe it was the five months that Busy Signal spent incarcerated outside of Jamaica which made him reflect on how many waste individuals he had to coexist with in the music f... Read More...
Pull Up, Selector!: Stream Busy Signal’s New Single “Come Shock Out”
Words by Sherman Escoffery—
Less than ten days after being released from prison in the US, dancehall star Busy Signal has returned to Jamaica and asserted his presence with “Come Shock Out,” a real uptem... Read More...
Broader Than Broadway: Jamaican Play ‘Not About Eve’ Comes To NYC
Words by Sherman Escoffery—
Some of you may remember Karl Williams as the guy who played the unnamed, right-wing, anti-communist politician in the highly-regarded Jamaican film Better Mus' Come, which La... Read More...
Not a Dubclaat: Edward Seaga Praises “The Origins Of Jamaican Music,” Except Dub
Words by Sherman Escoffery--
Former Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga finally arrived in New York City last week, after being delayed by Hurricane Sandy—that had shut down the entire Island of Jamaica. ... Read More...
Bruk Out TV: Watch Cham’s “Stripper Pose” Video
Words by Sherman Escoffery__
It seems as if Christmas came early this year for Dancehall fans, as Cham and Madhouse Records treats us to a hat-trick, in the form of a third song on the Lawless rhythm. Af... Read More...
Brownsville Rock: BRNGTN’s “Rise Of The Machine” Video
Words by Sherman Escoffery__
BRNGTN’s “Rise The Machine” video is not set in the fictional Brownsville like Antoine Fuqua’s Brooklyn’s Finest, where the cops take 10 minutes to respond to a shooting. In ... Read More...
Modern Lovers: Two New Singles From Beres Hammond
Words by Sherman Escoffery, Cover Photo by Martei Korley—
There is no need to wonder why Beres Hammond is the King of Jamaican Lover Rock. It is because Beres’s music deals with reality: the reality of l... Read More...
You Rate It: Gyptian Covers Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors”
Words by Sherman Escoffery—
Reggae crooner Gyptian was selected to rep Jamaica as one of four international artists in the MTV Iggy/Chevy Spark “Cover the World” campaign. The cover song selected for Gyp... Read More...
LargeUp Interview: Cocoa Tea on ‘In A Di Red,’ Payola + Being a ‘Slow Leak’ Artist
Words by Sherman Escoffery, Photos by Niketa Thomas—
Calvin Scott, known simply as Cocoa Tea, is a humble singer who once worked as a fisherman. In order to understand his latest album, In A Di Red (ou... Read More...
An Exorcism In Dub: Scientist, Roots Radics + Johnny Osbourne Purify BB Kings
Words by Sherman Escoffery, Photos by Richard Rose—
"I want blood" was the theme of the evening Friday night at BB King's in NYC, and trust me, it was a bloodfire show. Roots Radics, with Scientist at... Read More...