Toppa Top 10: Ten New + Current Artists WIth Caribbean Roots
A look at 10 artists with Caribbean roots currently making a mark in the broader music world, from FKA Twigs to Bobby Shmurda.
LargeUp Presents Jam Central – It’s A Carnival (2014 Summer Soca Mix)
Jam Central's "It's A Carnival" mix rounds up a sampling of the soca that has been running 2014's summer carnivals, from Vincy Mas to Caribana.
Top Honors: The Poetry + Art of St. Lucia’s Derek Walcott
Words by Natalie Weiner–
As St. Lucia celebrates its 35th anniversary of independence this year, its culture is about to get a big New York closeup. If you've ever wondered about the island's literature, mus... Read More...
Bikes For Tykes: Taj Weekes + Friends Give Back to St. Lucia’s Youth
Words by Natalie Weiner—
Taj Weekes and Wilson Jn. Baptiste are both based in New York, but through their charitable efforts they're working to foster development in their native Saint Lucia. Weekes, rec... Read More...
Gone Home: Mini-Doc Follows Joey Bada$$’ Journey to St Lucia
Words by Michellee Nelson—
Joey Bada$$ sheds his moniker in "Gone Home," an introspective look into his recent journey to Saint Lucia. The mini-documentary from PRO ERA, Cinematic Music Group, and LRG give... Read More...
Island Hop: Watch Joey Bada$$’ St Lucia-Set “My Yout” Video
Words by Tasha Brown—
Joey Bada$$ was the first of his immediate Jamaican family to be born in the US, so it was only a matter of time before he took it back to his Caribbean roots. The 18-year-old Brook... Read More...
LargeUp Exclusive: Salaam Remi On Making Reggae With Amy Winehouse
Words by Jesse Serwer—
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the death of one of the modern era's greatest recording artists, Amy Winehouse. As we pointed out in the story we published two days later, ... Read More...
Toppa Top 10: Ten Caribbean Athletes at the Summer Olympics
Words by Emily Shapiro and Jesse Serwer—
You already know about the expectations for the Jamaican men's track team coming into this summer. Usain Bolt and company head to London not as underdogs but as... Read More...
Cross Blends: Kuduro in the Caribbean
Words by Jesse Serwer, via Ghetto Bassquake—
From Vamanos' Ghetto Bassquake blog comes an interesting report on the growing popularity of Angolan kuduro music in the Caribbean and the Caribbean diaspora.... Read More...
Island Exchange: Mr. Vegas Soca Remixes from St. Lucia
Words by Jesse Serwer—
Dancehall artists doing soca is such a mixed bag. Sure, Beenie Man and Busy Signal seem to kill every soca rhythm they touch but there's only a handful of other Jamaican deejays wh... Read More...
Rookie of the Year: A Q+A with LargeUp’s 2011 Best New Artist, Hollie Cook
Words by Jesse Serwer, Photos by Justin Borbely
No. 1 on our Toppa Top 10 albums list for 2011, British singer Hollie Cook's self-titled debut LP was the one record everyone on our highly opinionated tea... Read More...