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City Splash Indoor Festival in London at Drumsheds

With the clocks having just gone back, it is becoming greyer and darker than ever in London. Before we know it winter will be in full swing with whispers of Mariah Carey on each and every corner. One thing about Caribbean people is that we love festivities no matter what time of year it is.

The successful takeover of Drumsheds—a 15,000-capacity venue no less—by City Splash reminds us that we can come together to bask in Caribbean culture en masse come rain or shine. We’ll brave the bitter cold to catch a vibe inside.

The curated lineup included dancehall maestro Konshens (recently interviewed by Mr Wondah for WorlMag), new gen, viral hitmaker Teejay, and modern-day reggae royalty Protoje performing under the same roof. Singing his classic each offering a different lens of Jamaican music to the crowd.

Beyond the headliners, DJs, collectives and sound crews shelled it down in the venue’s smaller rooms and between the performances. From Heartless Crew to Rampage, familiar names, faces, and sound systems that have formed the backdrop of Black British ravers over the last few decades also took to the decks.

If you’ve never been to Drumsheds before, it’s a huge, expansive space that makes you feel like you’ve been transported to some kind of futuristic world. The metal rods holding the structures in place are just about visible, glimmering in the darkness. Drumsheds used to be the home of Ikea, so the building still wears that recognisable brand of blue on the outside walls. Broadwick, the team behind Printworks London and Depot Mayfield in Manchester, transformed the gigantic, industrial-looking warehouse into a massive dance venue.

The high-end lighting, smoke, special effects and decked out sound systems in each room invite you to get lost in the music. At the City Splash Indoor Festival, rhythms produced by people islands in the Caribbean and the African continent bounced off the warehouse dance hall. It was a time-bending experience.

Though, I can’t say that partying that space was entirely positive. The chain of portable toilet facilities and outdoor food stands in the freezing cold make it known that Drumsheds caters to the masses. Rocking to old school dancehall in what was essentially deep space made me really think about what came before.

In what ways do we experience music like other generations in the shebeens of the past? What parts of the culture have we managed to preserve and how can we re-introduce those elements back into the spaces we occupy? (If we should try to do that all).

For me, there was something impersonal about that space. Dancing with my partner, throwing my hands up and down with my sister and the energy of my friends masked it for a moment, but that sensation returned in spells. Perhaps it’s something to do with the lack of visual branding and decor, the absence of flags or something else. Either way, I believe that music should move your spirit and while my spirit didn’t take to everything about City Splash Indoor Festival, I’m not saying I wouldn’t go back. I just want more.

Not just more bouyon, soca and dancehall queens (although that would be welcome, especially given the male-dominated artist lineup). I want DJs to pull out deep cuts from the archives. I want more rooms exploring different cultures across the islands regardless of language. I want to cry of joy and laughter, echoing the sound of people playing dominoes back a yard. Overall, I just want deeper connections for my people living in this country. That’s not asking for too much.

Article by: Kaeshelle Rianne

Music industry mourns loss of Legendary music Producer ‘Quincy Jones’

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The twenty- eight time Grammy award winning recipient peacefully passed away at his LA home on 3rd November 2024 at the age of 91, where he was surrounded by family and his publicist who broke the news. 

Revered as one of the most iconic producers/ musicians throughout the generations, with a career spanning well over 5 decades, Quincy Jones has become a staple in the industry as his musical injections and influences continue to create an impact.

With his early career beginning in Seattle as a trumpet player aged 16, backing a then young talent ‘Ray Charles’, Jones started to create a name for himself as a musician amongst the Jazz circuits. 

Jones later went on to collaborate with the likes of Frank Sinatra in 1958, followed by creating for prominent musical figures Diana Ross and Aretha Franklin, to name a few. But his biggest musical moment arrived when he collaborated with King of Pop ‘Micheal Jackson’ on the ‘Off The Wall’ Album in 1979 as the lead producer. After meeting during the production of the adaptation of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ ‘The Wiz’ was created, with Micheal Jackson acting as one of the lead characters and Jones creating the songs. The two developed a magical working relationship that later saw them produce Micheal’s 1982 monumental album ‘Thriller’ following ‘Off The Wall’. 

With much continued success, Jones began producing scores for film and television. His musical credits can be found on the classic soundtrack to film ‘The Colour Purple’ 1985.

As the Chairman and CEO of ‘Quincy Jones Entertainment’, he went on to produce the most successful African American led sitcom of the 90’s ‘The Fresh Prince Of Bel- Air’, which aired between 1990- 1996 and catapulted the career of budding actor/rapper ‘Will Smith’.

Quincy Jones ventured into the world of publishing also and founded the highly successful Hip Hop magazine ‘Vibe’ in 1993. Throughout the years he went on to tapping into other ventures whilst still creating music and producing scores for the movie musical adaptation of ‘The Colour Purple in 2023.

Jones’s musical and cultural contributions are undeniable and his legacy continues to live through his family, work and those who are inspired by it. 

 

SOURCE: @ceeinlivincolour

Chloe Bernard



Sazane Birthday Glow Brunch

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Sazane Birthday Glow Brunch
Sazane Birthday Glow Brunch
Sazane Birthday Glow Brunch
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Dancehall royalty set for UK appearance as ‘LEGENDS OF LEGENDS’ concert draws near

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The OVO Wembley arena in London will host one of Reggae and Dancehall’s biggest and most prominent concerts on Sunday 17th November 2024 as three of Jamaica’s most iconic artists take the stage for the ‘Legends of Legends’ show.

Reaching remarkable heights of success individually as solo artists, the trio have teamed up this time for an unforgettable night of musical electricity, accompanied by a full live band onstage. 

It is expected that the legends will be performing some of their most iconic and culturally relevant songs, which are regarded as part of the fabric of the evolving sounds of Jamaican music.  

Beenie manKingston’s Grammy award winning Reggae/ Dancehall songwriter and musician ‘Beenie Man’ the self- proclaimed ‘King of Dancehall’ and known for popular songs such as ‘Girls Dem Sugar’ and ‘Who Am I’ rose to fame in the early 1990s following his pivotal performance at Sunsplash, despite an earlier musical pursuit, recording his first ever single ‘Too Fancy’ as an eight year old DJ. Beenie Man’s consistency and commercial success has seen him collaborate with artists such as Janet Jackson and Mya, allowing his rooted Jamaican sound to cross over internationally. 

Bounty killaThe ‘War Lord’, better known as Mr Bounty Killer has cultivated a sound and a style that has commanded respect and dominated the dances and airwaves for decades. His powerful and energetic stage presence and classic anthems ‘Benz and Bimma’ and ‘Anytime’ are cemented as reputable songs of the culture and Killer continues to acquire the recognition from many as a pioneer of Jamaican music.

ChamCelebrated for his internationally revered 2006 single ‘Ghetto Story’ Cham, formerly known as Baby Cham has had a long-standing career in music and watched it catapult following the release. His clever lyrical ability and melodic flow can be heard on many songs following his long list of collaborations with the likes of Alicia Keys, Foxy Brown, Damien Marley, and Akon, to name a few. Cham’s distinctive tone and charismatic persona are why he has maintained a long-standing career and level of prominence amongst his peers. 

The ‘Legends of Legends’ concert is bound to be an extraordinary night of nostalgia, adrenaline, musical excellence, and pure enjoyment. Fans and lovers of Reggae/ Dancehall will not want to miss this one. 

https://www.ovoarena.co.uk/events/detail/legends-of-legends

Source: @ceeinlivincolour

Chloe Bernard

Epik Jones first UK Producer to top iTunes album Charts

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Epik Jones creates History
St Thomas Natives secure top 10 slots in iTunes album charts

Epik Jones – first UK producer to top iTunes Charts
By Lesley Hayles | October 15, 2024

UK-based St Thomas native Epik Jones has exceeded expectations by being the first Jamaican producer to hit both the US and UK iTunes Charts last Friday, October 11. Coincidentally, the day was recently coronated as Paul Bogle Day, a freedom fighter and national hero of Jamaica who is also from the parish of St Thomas.

Another St Thomas native had also taken a top 10 spot on the US charts. Dancehall superstar Popcaan’s last album ‘Great Is He’ still holds relevance on the iTunes chart after its release almost 2 years ago, moving up to number 7 on the same day. It is newcomer Epik Jones, however, who is making headlines with his achievement.

Originally from Albion, St Thomas & a former KC old boy, Epik debuted at number 1 on US iTunes Charts and number 2 on the UK iTunes Chart early Friday morning with his latest project ‘Now That’s Epik’. A DJ and producer who is now based in London, Epik’s album placed number 72 overall on the UK music charts. It features 16 dancehall tracks from various artists including Xyclone, Bay-C from TOK, Konshens, Spice, Tony Matterhorn, Smoodface, afrobeat superstar Shatta Wale and many more.

‘Now That’s Epik’ starts off with an Epik poem he wrote titled “Cry of a Black Boy”, then goes on to include Xyclone’s “Meck It Clap (Remix)” featuring Konshens and “Drip” featuring Bay-C, Shatta Wale’s “Dancehall Girl (Global Remix)” featuring Ishawna and Lisa Mercedes and “Cash Life (The Baddest) [Remix]” featuring Trillary Banks, and 2 versions of Spice’s hit song “Cool It”. All tracks topped the singles chart as well and the album itself has amassed almost 3 million streams on Spotify already.

Now That’s Epik – Epik Jones
https://onerpm.link/nowthatsepik

@epikjones
@epikmusicgroup
@ejormediagroup

Source: @LesleyOdyssey