N.A.T.T.Y Garments Gears up for New York

2007-08-20T02:15:00.001-04:00

Along with Labor Day and the West Indian Day parade, N.A.T.T.Y. Garments is coming to New York. This year's Labor Day carnival will mark the clothing company's first major event in New York. The N.A.T.T.Y Garments crew has confirmed they will have vendors and a marketing team present for the festivities in Brooklyn. CEO and founder Jeff Jeff Burroughs stated the team is very excited about their New York debut. In the days leading up to the parade the design team plans to create new garments everyday. Burroughs says they not only plans to showcase the quality of the company's product but also bring a positive message. For the news on N.A.T.T.Y Garments and the location of their booth please return to www.iLandEye.com in the days to come.

Over and Over Again - Tami Chynn

2007-08-20T01:40:00.001-04:00

The queen of online reggae pleases her fans with this video. Well after its release Over and Over Again remains as one of the most viewed reggae videos on the internet. A combination of strong vocals, marketability and originality has caused Tami to catapult hers to the top of online charts.

That Girl - Maxi Priest & Shaggy

2007-07-31T05:44:00.001-04:00

1996 was Jamaican authorities open fire on Jimmy Buffett's seaplane, mistaking it for a drug trafficker's plane, Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley divorce, MC Hammer file bankruptcy and this this flashback song climb to the top of international charts. Little has been heard of Maxi Priest since this monster hit but Shaggy has become a household name.

Tina Nunezz

2007-07-20T05:14:00.001-04:00

There are so many beautiful female artists coming out of the island of Jamaica. So, no surprise when you hear the name Tina Nunezz.. Tina, born Christina Campbell, in Kingston, Jamaica to legendary singing sensation Cornell Campbell, has been singing since the tender age of seven, and has been recording professionally for two years. Tina has been inspired by other female Icons like Mariah Carey, Sade and Lady Saw just to name a few.

This twenty-one year old beauty describes her sound as a combination of pop, r&b, and dancehall. This upcoming star has been working with veteran musical producers like Sly & Robbie, Fattis Barrell, Seanizzle & Doc & Damian of black flame entertainment. Tina Nunez is currently working on various singles where the world will get to hear her soulful voice and witness her diverse talent. She has done a number of collaborations with well known reggae artist like Buju Banton and Mad Cobra. Tina with her sultry looks, great fashion sense, curvaceous body, and amazing talent will make the nation take notice on her ability to rock the micro- phone. Tina will be releasing a single on the "OUTBURST RIDDIM, produce by Black flame entertainment, on the Gorilla Record label" Title "Take it Off" late this summer. So you will not have to wait too long before we can get to see real talent at its best. Her debut will be like no other female act that Jamaica has brought to the world. Her favorite words are "Hurry! Hurry! Rush Rush" and that's exactly what you will be doing to go get her new single.

- Bio provided by Black Flame Entertainment

To here her singles please visit
http://www.myspace.com/tinanunezz

www.myspace.com/blackflameent

Tami Chynn

2007-07-20T04:55:00.001-04:00

Tami Chynn is sultry and street smart, keeping it real for her roots and for her fans. Addressing all thoughts, feelings, experiences, and dreams of young women and men within her demographic and beyond, Tami Chynn successfully expresses her own life in her music while providing fans with music that will transcend the test of time.

Born and raised in Kingston Jamaica in a musically charged family her parents were in an all Female "Frontline" Band called The Carnations. Tami's mother was one of the First Female Trumpeters Jamaica had ever seen. In fact, the house that Tami grew up in was once used to house her parents band rehearsals. Even more intriguing, this house now facilitates Tami's own band rehearsals and also the studio where her entire debut album was recorded.

Tami's unique multicultural background includes a mixture of Caucasian, Chinese, Cherokee and African-American races. The result is a cultured individual aware of the power of music and the idea that music is indeed universal.

Throughout Tami's career she has had collaborative efforts with international Reggae superstars Sean Paul, Beenie Man and Lady Saw. In addition, she has vibed with underground artists such as Assassin, and Wayne Marshall. Prior to her Musical career, she toured with Shaggy as a backup dancer on his successful Caught Red Handed Tour: "Hot Shot's" Diamond selling album. She performed two years in a row, on the biggest reggae show in the world: Reggae Sumfest 2004 and 2005.

Obviously not a lightweight in the Reggae-Dancehall world, Tami has proven her-self to be an asset to the music industry. Since her sultry rise to recognition - by a public still in awe of her incredible voice, entrancing lyrics and rhythm wrapped within the smooth rhapsody of a true artist.

Tami has managed to not only pursue, but also conquer her love of music. Her debut album was recorded entirely in Kingston, Jamaica. Her style and drive to succeed have fostered the development of a sound that breaks the mold of typical music heard on radio. It's a blend that inspires both movement of body and the settling of the soul.

www.tamichynn.com
www.myspace.com/tamichynn

Poughkeepsie Caribbean Day Parade and Festival 2007

2007-07-17T01:19:00.001-04:00

Hosted by EEG Entertainment Inc. in association with the City of Poughkeepsie Mayor, Nancy Cozean, the 3rd annual Caribbean Day Parade and Festival was a success. Over the years this young festival has grown to a major success. Thanks to K-104 (104.7 FM) and other media sources, this year's event was well publicized. Starting with the 10AM parade that went down Main Street the festivities continued until 10PM at Waryas Park on the Hudson River. At its peak, around 7PM, the high number of spectators virtually caused lower Main Street to shut down. It seemed as if all drivers on Rt. 9 and surrounding streets were on their way to the festival.

Throughout the day was music, live performances, dance competitions give away's and much more. There were local vendors, food booth from Caribbean restaurants as well as representatives from Caribbean Companies. Fly As I (www.flyasiclothing.com) was also present at the event. Their promotion team gave away about $1,500 worth of gift certificates to the crowd. MC and hostess, Nichol Woolcock announced the release of her clothing company that designs and creates carnival costumes. The company outfitted all the ladies that participated in the 2007 parade and is negotiating a partnership with Fly As I, who will market and sell the line through their channels.

N.A.T.T.Y. Garments

2007-07-09T23:24:00.001-04:00

When hearing "natty" people automatically imagine dreadlocks. Jeff Burroughs, a native of St. Croix and the CEO and founder of N.A.T.T.Y Garments has dreamed of creating a brand that welcomed everyone to enjoy life. N.A.T.T.Y. creatively means Natural And True To Yourself. This unique brand represents feeling good about one's self regardless of what others think. The brand encourages everyone to "always believe their self, never give up and look fly doing it".

After relocating to Virginia (U.S.) and overcoming several obstacles, Burroughs' vision came into play when he purchased a screen-printing shop in 1998. With a great name, positive mission and now the means of production, N.A.T.T.Y. was born. Over the years N.A.T.T.Y. has gained strong support from the public. The brand has been worn by entertainers such as Beenie Man, Ras Attitude, Lady Saw, Baby Cham, Collie Buddz and many more. It has been well represented by people from all walks of life, not just West Indians. It has even been seen on MTV.

N.A.T.T.Y. has a strong presence at reggae festivals, events, and carnivals. Staying true to its roots, the company attends the Annual Agri-Fest in February on St. Croix where they show their love for the V.I. by selling N.A.T.T.Y at discount prices. Burrouhs explains, “It's always a blessed feeling was amazing to know that my people love and respect N.A.T.T.Y Garments.”

The N.A.T.T.Y. Brand consist of a women's / junior's line and a men's line. Soon the company will introduce its children's line ranging from 0-3 months to youth L.

Collie Buddz (Self-titled Album) - Review

2007-07-02T23:19:00.001-04:00

With all the press, skeptics and criticism surrounding Collie Buddz, all eyes are on the release of his album. Judgment day is less that 1 hour away. Collie Buddz's self titled, debut album his store shelves on July 3rd. Only time will tell if he will be fully embraced by the hardcore reggae followers however, the talent is there.

The Album features 13 monster tunes that should silence critics and catapult him to worldwide stardom. However, it is not a true, raw dancehall album. Many of the tracks are not the type of song to tear up the party but they will be blasted during the drive to the dancehall. The album is a combination of roots reggae, dancehall, hip hop, southern rap and even a little oldies. The album covers a lot of ground. This could be both bad and good depending how it is viewed. On one hand, Collie doesn't lock himself into a certain style which prevents listeners from growing tired of a certain catch phrase or flow. On the other hand he, might not stand out as a unique artist. For example, when listening to the radio or a selector mix, anyone can identify a Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Mavado, or Sean Paul song just by listening to the style. Although his "chu-know" stands out, its not always easy to recognize Collie Buddz's style.

Lyrically, the tracks are strong. He covers many topics in his music. The tracks cover cultural problems, love, he fans off haters and has created a few memorable songs. "Blind To You", "Defend Your Own", "Movin On", "Tomorrow's Another Day". The only serious down side to the album is that it is only 44 minutes long.

Track List:

1. Come Around
2. Blind To You
3. Defend Your Own
4. Tomorrow's Another Day
5. Mamacita
6. Wild Out
7. Lonely

8. What A Feeling
9. Movin' On
10. Sensimillia
11. Let Me Know
12. My Everything
13. Love Deh

Album Review Score: A-

Dutty Wine Accidents

2007-07-02T06:26:00.001-04:00

The infamous dutty wine receives more press. Unless you want to end up on the internet with millions of people laughing...these are 3 examples of what you should NOT do. The best part is at the end of all 3 videos so if you are impatient, fast forward to the half way mark.

The Best for last...

Is Bigger Better? . . . Ask Saint Kitts.

2007-07-01T02:20:00.001-04:00

At 104 square miles Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest Caribbean country and is the 8th smallest in the world. With a population of about 45,000, it is also has the least residents in the Caribbean. Few Caribbean's actually realize that the country consists of two islands that are separated by about 2 miles of water (the island of Saint Kitts and the island of Nevis). Many times they are both referred to as just Saint Kitts, which is the larger of the two islands. In fact there has been attempts to establish the two islands as separate states.

Although Saint Kitts. . . and Nevis are very small, they have a significant history. A few interesting facts are:

- Saint Kitts was the first British and French colony in the West Indies. The British established it as a colony in 1624, and then became the first French colony when they claimed it in in 1625. The island was used as a base to settle the rest of the new world.

-Alexander Hamilton, was born in Nevis then later became the the first United States Secretary of the Treasury. (It's ironic how hard it is for Caribbean's to access America when many of their founding fathers are from the islands)

- Due to sugar cane exports and tourism, Saint Kitts and Nevis generates revenue (GDP) for its population. It has one of the highest highest per capita incomes in the Caribbean.

"Shy Guy" by Diana King

2007-06-30T22:40:00.001-04:00

When this song invaded the airways it was 1995, people had a right to complain if gas was over $1 (US) per gallon, the US wasn't the only country NOT using the metric system, Will Smith was still the goofy Fresh Price of Bel-Air, "shy guys" could easily get visas and the most people thought the interment was used to catch fish.

Has the Dutty Wine Gone too Far?

2007-06-28T21:47:00.001-04:00

Since the release of Tony "mentally ill" Matterhorn's song, the Dutty Wine has become one of the most popular and mainstream dances of all time. It is commonly seen in dancehalls, house parties and competitions around the world. The dance has be embraced by millions of women. . . and a few "adventurous" men. Dancehall culture is often criticized for being raw and controversial but where should the line be drawn? It is all in good fun or is it inappropriate for this cute little girl to do the dance?

Heathen Riddim - Review

2007-06-28T03:21:00.000-04:00

The Heathen Riddim is here. VP and Big Yard have put together a nice mix but there is only 11 tracks on this album. If you have seen the video for Shaggy’s "Church Heathen" it should be no shock to see that's the biggest track on the album . Anyone who has been to church can relate to the lyrics. Its like a tell all gossip call turned into a song. It’s a big tune. The Pastor by Ninja Man sounds like an exact copy of Shaggy’s but there will be not finger pointing. It’s unclear which artist produced the track first but, most likely it is Shaggy because the riddim is named for his track.

Lef Dem to Time by Elephant man and Jigsy is very funny. Elephant Man is a true joker. Hate him or love him, he is entertaining. Love Machine by Rik Rok and Screechie Dan, as well as The Gospel by Shelly Thunder are nice little surprises. It’s unlikely that these will make it to the radio or club any time soon but both make great use of the riddim and hold their own with the usual suspects on the Riddim Driven albums. Red Fox’s Bangin’ Tree has a great chorus but the rest of the song is average. In summary, the Heathen is a great riddim but it’s a shame there wasn’t 3 or 4 more tracks.

1 CHURCH HEATHEN- SHAGGY
2 THE PASTOR- NINJA MAN
3 LEF DEM TO TIME- ELEPHANT MAN FEAT. JIGSY
4 BANGIN' TREE- RED FOX
5 LOVE MACHINE- RIK ROK & SCREECHIE DAN
6 JUVENILE- KY-ENIE
7 BOOMERANG NANNY- RAYVON
8 CAAN FOOL GAL NO MORE- GOLDENCHYL
9 THE GOSPEL- SHELLY THUNDER
10 IN DA CLUB- D'LYNX
11 GAL ALONE- WAYNE FIRE

Riddim Review Score: B

Mad White Jamaican

2007-06-27T16:24:00.001-04:00

There is an invasion on the internet called Mad White Jamaican. Anyone who has ever published anything online knows that it is no easy task to generate traffic. Posters are excited to have a few views on their page but, Mad White Jamaican has set the bar very high for online entertainment. His videos have millions of views. He is a MUST SEE for anyone who is looking for a good laugh or just has nothing better to do.

He is extremely talented and funny. He has more than just laughs up his sleeves. While watching the madness, tune into the background music. He mixes all the tunes himself. CLICK HERE to see his other videos hosted on YouTube. You can also CLICK HERE to link up with him on Myspace. As you will see he gets a lot of traffic so he might not be able to respond quickly to you but you can email him a line at madwhitejamaican@hotmail.com.

Voicemail Concet - Review

2007-05-11T17:02:00.000-04:00

Voicemail’s performance was good but they were capable of doing better. They were running high of their album release “Hey”, which had just went gold in Japan. It was also doing very well in the States and around the world. Unfortunately for them, their performance was a surprise appearance in a concert that featured Sugarcolt, Latoya Luckett, some minor acts and Ludacris as the main performer. The Caribbeans in the audience were all going wild when they hit the stage however, as the minorities in a mixed crowd, the reggae lovers were clearly outnumbered .

Voicemail performed very well but didn’t do a very good job of winning the crowd over. It was very hard for them considering 3/4 of the audience didn’t understand them or knew their songs. Nonetheless, the show went on. The guys did a great job with their hits such as “Wacky Dip” and “Crazy” but struggled with songs that most of the crowd did not know. Given the circumstances, the did very well. If they reenacted the same performance in front on Memorial Day in Miami or Labor Day in Brooklyn it would have been a different story.

Concert Review:

Vocals:
Stage Presence:
Work the Crowd:

B+
B+
C+

Elephant Man Concert - Review

2007-05-11T16:46:00.000-04:00

Many times fans are disappointed that their favorite artists sound nothing like they did on their CDs. This is true with Elephant Man... he is 10x BETTER in concert than he is on his CDs. They call him the energy god for a reason.The amount of energy the he puts into his performance has no match. His entrance was wild and exciting. As soon as he came out the crowd went wild. His performance is like a raw and uncut selector mix. He did old hits, new hits and future hits. His selector was blending songs and riddims while Eley was doing the same with his lyrics. The two of them were on the same page and in sync. It was amazing because the man was on top of the speakers, leaning over into the crowd, running around, dancing and not missing a beat in the songs. There were almost no pauses for the 40 minutes or so that he was on stage. When it seemed he had burned out and was calming down, he took a sip of water and started up again.

The crows fed off his energy and had to dance the entire time he was on stage. From wall to wall, everyone was battling, showing off their moves and having a great time.

Of any performer Elephant Man might be the king of the stage. Including rap, R&B, rock and all, he is on his own level. Many said they would buy another ticket to see him do it all again that same night.

Concert Review:

Vocals:
Stage Presence:
Work the Crowd:

A+
A+
A+

Collie Buddz Concert - Review

2007-05-11T16:33:00.000-04:00

Regardless of the speculation about his accent being fake, the man has good music. Anyone who says anything less is lying. His stage presence is decent for a new artist. The crowd was very rowdy and only wanted to hear “Come Around” so he had to win them over the old fashion way. Although many most of his songs are better than "Come Around", people were unenthusiastic because they did not want to hear his unreleased tracks. He shocked the crowd when he performed “Tomorrows Another Day” and slowly began to win the over. Even the toughest critics began rocking with the riddim and got into the song. The audience enjoyed “Mamacita” but, he shocked many when he dropped a monster tune over the “Sidewalk University Riddim”.

On stage Collie seems like an unpolished Sean Paul. Not because, they are both light (well Collie is white …but you know), the way they act and move resemble each other. Also the energy they put into their music is similar. Just like Sean Paul, Collie admitted that he had "two lef’ foot" and that dancing wasn’t his thing. He surely wasn’t the best dancer but there is much worst out there. By the end of his performance he won over most of the crowd and gained their respect. After seeing him live, he silenced pre-concert criticism. Regardless of if his accent is fake or not, Collie is a living example of how big this reggae thing is. It’s reaching new levels.

Concert Review:

Vocals:
Stage Presence:
Work the Crowd:

B+
B-
B

Alison Hinds Concert - Review

2007-05-11T16:23:00.000-04:00

Alison Hinds is the queen of Soca for a reason. The Bajan beauty is a real diva and star on the stage. Her performance is energetic and fun. After sitting through so-so opening acts, the crowd was very unenthusiastic and growing miserable by the time the Queen hit the stage. Within about 5 seconds of walking out, the mood changed. She gave the crowd a hearty welcome and did a roll call by each country. The crowd ate up every word she had to say and fed off her energy.

Not only did her vocals sound great but she danced great. Anyone who has ever tried singing while dancing knows it is not an easy task. As a bonus she was very funny while on stage. Between songs she interacted with the crowd, told short stories and joke before jumping into her next tune. When the other artists that performed before her paused to talk, the rowdy crowd became unruly and aggressive. When Alison paused to tell a joke or story, everyone wanted to hear it. There wasn’t a boring moment in her performance. She even invited people to the stage to dance with her.

When it seems the concert couldn't be any better she performed "Roll It". The Queen of Soca is well worth the price of admission.

Concert Review:

Vocals:
Stage Presence:
Work the Crowd:

A+
A+
A+

Full Draw Riddim - Review

2007-04-08T03:32:00.000-04:00

The Full Draw Riddim features a steady paced beat that caused you to bop your head. The riddim is titled after TOK’s song “Full Draw”. This song is okay but not the best. There aren’t that many great tracks using this riddim but “Push it Pon Dem” by Mr. Lexx is hot a tune. Anaconda is a funny song about Elephant Man’s “anaconda”. It wont be remembered as the hit of the century but it will give you a good laugh and inspiration for a dance move or too. Mr. Easy has created a nice tune using the riddim.

This riddim would have been better if more singers such as Wayne Wonder appeared on tracks. The beat more suited for a singer then raw dj lyrics. This riddim would be a classic if it was re-realeased with songs from Vegas, Tonto Metro & Devonte and other vocalists. The current combination of the beat did no work very well with the Djs.

1 FULL DRAW - TOK
2 GATHER HERE - IDONIA
3 PUSH IT PON DEM - MR. LEXX
4 GOOD O'OVA BAD O' - BLACK-ER
5 WOMAN A MI SUNSHINE - VYBZ KARTEL
6 ANACONDA - ELEPHANT MAN
7 DEM FI GET - BOUNTY KILLER
8 FIDAT - BLING DAWG FEAT. MACKA DIAMOND
9 WINE ON ME - SANJAY
10 MI LIFE - CHICO
11 AH NO MOVIE DIS - GREG HINES
12 GANGSTER PARTY - RDX
13 FULL DRAW (INSTRUMENTAL)

Riddim Review Score: C+

12 Gauge Riddim - Review

2007-04-08T03:12:00.000-04:00

VP Record’s 12 Gauge Riddim features a ruff n tuff party beat. This riddim is titled after Vybz Kartel’s monster tune, 12 guage. As with all the tracks using this riddim, this song is a fast pace tongue twister that will get your blood flowing. A few minutes with the 12 Gauge Riddim and you will be bouncing around and ready for the club…or a fight. Delly Ranks makes two good appearances. His duet with Wayne Wonder is one the best tracks on the album. It is the one of the tracks with a "singer". Of course, Mavado makes an appearance but his track is not his best work. It’s pretty good but it doesn’t compare to Wane Wonder’s track. Although it is not on the official album, Beenie Man has a big tune on using this riddim.

1 EASY NOW - NICKY B
2 WHAT TAKE SOME IDIOT - MR.EASY
3 HOW HIGH - MAVADO
4 FROM DEM DIS - BOUNTY KILLER & IDONIA
5 BADDER THAN WE - DELLY RANKS
6 12 GAUGE - VYBZ KARTEL
7 BULLET - BOUNTY KILLER
8 AMAZING - WAYNE MARSHALL
9 BLACK SKI MASK - FUTURE FAMBO
10 LOSE CONTROL - DELLY RANKS & WAYNE WONDER
11 IN A DE CLUB - CHINO
12 IN DEH - ELEPHANT MAN
13 IN A MY JEANS - HIGH OCTANE
14 12 GAUGE – VERSION

Riddim Review Score: A-

Dreaming Riddim - Review

2007-04-08T02:52:00.000-04:00

The Dreaming Riddim features a calm and smooth mix. This riddim features many great tracks that are good for slowing a party down for couples or just relaxing. One of the best tracks is Mavado’s track “Dreaming”. Of late Movado has been releasing some big tunes and this one doesn’t disappoint. This song alone is reason to get this album. Other notable songs are “Lovers Prayer” by Alaine and Bounty Killer’s funny track “The Highest”. Lovers Prayer is a great song that gets better each time its played.

1 Lovers Prayer- Alaine
2 Dreaming- Mavado
3 Gunshot A Beat- Assassin
4 Better Days Coming- Buju Banton
5 When Last Unnu Pray- Vybz Kartel
6 Man a Thug- Busy Gignal
7 The Highest- Bounty Killer
8 Quiet Hero- Mitch
9 Badness Nuh Light- New Kidz
10 Beat It Pon Dem- Bling Dawg
11 Silent Murderer- Wayne Marshall
12 Version

Riddim Review Score: B

Power Cut Riddim - Review

2007-04-08T02:32:00.000-04:00

VP Record’s Power Cut Riddim features a fast paced raw beat and a fierce bas line. The artists have produced many smash hits. Although was released with 16 tracks including the instrumental, many artists have made other tracks. For example, Wayne Marshall and Mr. Vegas have recorded great tunes using this riddim. It is hard to pick out one track as a favorite because they are all so good. Almost every tune recorded by artists is gold. Maybe you will want to create your own. You can use the instrumental track to record the next smash hit.

1 TOP SHOTTA NUH MISS- MAVADO
2 CALIBER- EINSTEIN
3 SUNDAY MORNING- FLEX
4 LOUD & CLEAR- ELEPHANT MAN
5 START WAR & DEAD- VYBZ KARTEL
6 DROP BULLET- BOUNTY KILLER
7 TALKIE TALKIE- CRAIG DENNIS
8 NAH STICK- LADY SAW
9 GET IT RIGHT- SEAN PAUL
10 TOP RANKING- CHINO
11 GET HIGH- NIKKI B
12 DEM GYAL YA- KARI JESS
13 LOVE THE GIRLS- NORRIS MAN
14 BUSH CASH- AIDONIA
15 POWER CUT- BUSY SIGNAL
16 POWER CUT- INSTRUMENTAL

Riddim Review Score: A+

Fantasy Cricket

2007-03-29T21:31:00.000-04:00

The hype of the 2007 Cricket World Cup which is being hosted in Jamaica has taken cricket to new levels. Not only making the worldwide news for the good and the bad but the World Cup is a big deal. ICC’s websites and the official World Cup site (fantasyrow.com) has began a Fantasy Cricket contest for the event. How does it work?
As explained on the site:

All players that are in your team by the original transfer deadline of 12:00 BST will score points for that game even if the game is carried over to the next day. This means that players in your team at the original deadline will score points, any transfers made after the deadline will not score points until the next match. E.G West Indies V Australia – Players that where in by the original deadline will score points for the match played even if they are transferred out before the match is played.

The best part is that winning fantasy managers can receive prizes of $5,000 - $10,000. As they say, you have to be in it to win it. If you would like more information CLICK HERE.

Too Bad by Buju Banton - Review

2007-03-25T04:02:00.000-04:00

Better late than never but, since press was given to an album released by a record label that had no affiliation with Buju Banton, its only fair to talk about his legitimate album, “Too Bad”. It actually came out back in November of 2006 so, this review is long overdue.

For starters, the 17 track album were released by Bujus’s label Gargamel Music. You might recognize some of the tunes from mixes such as the VP Riddim Driven compilation albums but, there are a lot of exclusive songs to this album. For example, “Me & Oona” is on the Wipeout Riddim album but, you shouldn't mind because the Wipeout Riddim didn’t have many hits on it besides the Buju’s song. Also, you may recognize “Better Days” and “Go Slow”.

The raw and ruckus rhymes you expect from Buju with some hot beats make it a hit. There is only one guest appearance which is by Pinchers in track 16 but Buju caries the album on his own well. Overall, Too Bad is a very good album. At first listen it seems average but, when it comes time to choose the best song, the decision is tough because several are very good. The better songs are “Nothing”, “Too Bad”, “Me & Oona”, “Hey Boy” and the “Fast Lane”. “Nothing” has a tuff beat, good lyrics and is a catchy party song. “Too Bad” is a funny story of him running wild with ladies. It made me laugh when I first heard it. You might catch a heart attack trying to dance to “Me & Oona” but it’s a fun song. “Hey Boy” is like a throw back, to the 90s. It’s like a new classic. “The Fast Lane” is a slow tempo song about life and the times. When you listen to what he went through during his life. As you get ready to say “bwoy, that’s bad” his next line is worst than the one before. If he can make it, we all can.

Track List:

1.Your Night Tonight
2. Try Offa Ya
3. Nothing
4. Too Bad
5. Waistline
6. Jig
7. Me & Oona
8. 'Til It Bend
9. Hey Boy

10. Go Slow
11. Driver A
12. Girl U Know
13. Lonely Night
14. Who Have It
15. Better Day Coming
16. Don & Dupes - (with Pinchers)
17. Fast Lane

*Album Review Score: B+

Buju Banton Exploited

2007-03-25T03:48:00.000-04:00

Other than reggae, there is no where else in the music world that you would hear of a record label producing an album without an artist’s consent or knowledge. In April of 2006, Big Cat Records released Toppa Di Top – Dirty Rhythms by Buju Banton. The funny thing is that there was no contract with Buju. Big Cat and Buju were in talks about 5 years before the release of Toppa Di Top but nothing was ever set in stone. They had a collection of tunes that Buju had recorded at least 5 years ago but had never officially released. In an attempt to exploit Buju’s name they compiled the song and released as a new album by Buju.

Labels could get away with thing like this back in the day when they exploited Bob Marley’s work but it can’t be done today. With access to the internet, cell phones and all that... word spread fast. What gets me though is how they had the nerve to list Buju as one of their artists on the Big Cat website. If that isn’t BOLD…then what is?

When word got to Buju’s label, Gargamel Music about the release they began to negotiate with Big Cat but nonetheless they released the album without coming to an agreement. After hearing this Buju Banton fans and supports began to make noise. Until the lawsuit is settled, real reggae fans should NOT purchase this album because Buju and the other artists on the album will not receive any money whatsoever for their work. All the money will go directly to Big Cat.

Its funny because when I went to buy, Buju’s album “Too Bad”, I saw Toppa Di Top on the shelf and was shocked that I never heard of it and it was released recently. Then, after picking it up I realized how unofficial it seemed. Many CDs for sale on the street have better quality prints.