IrieZine #5 (November 2011)

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Red, Amber, GreenFrom Street Boys to Screen Stars

Hype TV’s Johann Dawes

REAL JAMAICANS’ LIFE, REAL JAMAICANS’ MUSIC

SLY& ROBBIE

40 YEAR TAXI RIDE

JAHMEIL'S TIME

Rituals:

YOUR THIRD PLACE

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Executive Team

Alex Morrissey Publisher

Akhbar Nunes Managing Director

Sean Patrick Marketing and Sales

Tanaka Roberts Head Writer

Editor

Kemar Daswell

Design and Layout

Taj Francis

Jonoi Messam

Contributers

DJ Whagwan from Global Report

Writers

Tashan Hendricks

Dominic Bell

Biko Kennedy

Photography

Sean McNaughton

Simon ‘Sno” Thompson

IRIE TEAM:

www.iriezine.com

www.jamaicansmusic.com

fabook.com/iriezine

facebook.com/jamaicansmusictwitter.com/jamaicansmusic

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CREDITS

IrieZine is the official eZine of Jamaicansmusic.com focusing on Jamaican Entertainment and Culture, we promote brand Jamaica to the world through our publication and social media presence.

The fact that you stopped and took the time to see what we have to offer says a lot. IrieZine thanks you for your time as the hard working team puts yet another publication together hoping to not only give you quality reading, but also inform, educate and provide a guide to what is current in Jamaica.

Let us explore the creative minds of two of Reggae’s top producers Sly and Robbie, while having some coffee at “the Starbucks of the Caribbean”. When we are done at Rituals Cafe we can travel further down Constant Spring to see what’s “shocking” about the Young Vibes Production. .

We hope you enjoy this issue, and we will always feed your appetite on things Jamaican and keep you updated, remember we are just a click away! Signed TEAM IRIEZINE

Welcome to IRIEZINE

Contact us: For Ad Placements: [email protected] | (876)344-4729Suggestions/ Submissions: [email protected]

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IRIEZINE

6 IRIE VIBES

8 IRIE GLOBAL REPORTGlobal Report - France

10 IRIE MUSICJahmiel: Preeing Positive

12 IRIE INSIDERJohann Dawes -Hype TV Boss

18 IRIE COVER STORYSly and Robbie: 40 Year Taxi Ride

26 IRIE COMING SOONThe One People Documentary

28 IRIE SCENERituals Cafe

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28Sly and Robbie: 40 Year Taxi Ride

Rituals: Your Third Place


34 IRIE PRODUCERYoung Vibes Production

36 IRIE TECHJamaicansmusic.com’s Itunes Store

37 IRIE FILMRed, Amber, Green

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10Jahmiel: Preeing Positive

Johann Dawes -Hype TV Boss

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IRIEVIBES The Fresh PM

Jamaicans witnessed the swearing in of our country’s ninth Prime Minister, the Hon. Andrew Holness, on October 23rd. At the age of 39, Holness is the youngest Jamaican to become a Prime Minister and the first to be born after independence from the United Kingdom on August 6, 1962.

Vybz Kartel continues to dominate the headlines for the wrong reasons locally and abroad as on October 24th, the dancehall artiste was slapped with a second murder charge in relation to the death of Clive “Lizard” Williams. This murder charge comes in less than a month since Vybz Kartel was charged with the murder, conspiracy to murder, and the illegal possession of a firearm. On September 30th Vybz Kartel was also charged with possession of a small quantity of ganja. Each case is being processed in the courts and Irie Vibes will continue to unravel each development.

Persona No GRATA

Locally it seems there hasn’t been much awareness of the welcomed increase with regards to the placement of Jamaican artistes on soundtracks for shows and movies internationally. Lady Saw’s 1996release No Long Talking, a standout track on Shocking Vibes head honcho Patrick Roberts’s Damsel Pandemonium Riddim, was featured during the opening scenes of the October 24th aired episode of HBO’s show How To Make It In America. In addition, Pitbull’s remix of his hit single Shake Senora, which prominently samples Jamaican Harry Belafonte’s Jump In The Line, and features Sean Paul alongside T-Pain and Ludacris, is the song featured in the trailer for Johnny Depp’s latest flick The Rum Diary, which was shot in Puerto Rico.

Cinema JAMS

Author: Dominic Bell


Bounty Killer has collaborated on a second occasion with legendary hip-hop duo Mobb Deep, first being the 1998 release Deadly Zone. The Alliance leader is featured on Dead Man’s Shoes, the opening track and first leak off the duo’s upcoming EP entitled Black Cocaine, which is to be released on November 21st, 2011. Black Cocaine will serve as the duo’s first project since group member Prodigy’s release from prison earlier this year.

Irie Vibes would like to applaud Alex Morrissey, the Co-Founder of IrieZine, on an amazing accomplishment regarding his website www.jamaicansmusic.com, which has surpassed the milestone of one million “likes” and has attained a Top 40 spot on the Facebook Page Leaderboard on www.allfacebook.com .The website is also the most popular Jamaican company on Facebook so congratulations to Alex Morrissey!

Food lovers across Jamaica can- indulge in cuisine at discounted prices from some of the island’s best eateries from November 11-19th, courtesy of the Jamaica Gleaner sponsored Restaurant Week. Persons can choose meals from participating restaurants in the various price categories; epicurean, delectable, savory, tasty, and nyam & scram.

Facebook Loves JA

Rappin' Wid Di KILLA

Annual BELLY FULL

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I fell in love with the Jamaican culture during my first trip to Jamaica in the summer of 2000. It is mainly the omnipresence of the music in the life of the Jamaicans which impressed me enormously. On my return to France, I became interested in dancehall current events. Indeed

with the technological progress of Internet in the 2000s, it was easy to keep abreast of the latest riddims and singles releases through social networks, blogs and other forums. So now I find it simply impossible to go a day without listening to dancehall, with promotional music at home, Zip FM at the office, the latest live audio mix by Coppershot in my car or watching to Hype TV online. It is also impossible not to represent the Jamaican culture in my clothing style, from Cooyah and RepJA t-shirts, the pair of Clarks, through to the Reggae Boyz football jerseys. In my daily home activities too everything is dancehall or Jamaica-minded- trying to have a kind of Jamaican ‘dream world’ as if I was set in the island.

IRIE GLOBAL REPORT:

Location: STRASBOURG, FRANCEAuthor: Florian ‘Dj WhaGwaan’ EhrlacherPhotos: Contributed


Unfortunately in the region where I live (eastern France), the dancehall culture is not really developed. People are not informed about the news in Jamaica and as I see it, the dancehall music is a means of translation of the daily Jamaican life, so the gap is huge. The average audience will react in the same way with a conscious song, a gun lyrics song between Gaza and Gully, a whining song for the girls or a song for the dancers while all these messages are totally different. Usually you will have to move a little bit further in Germany or Switzerland to meet a public that understands the dancehall culture better. For me, the best way to express my own dancehall perception is to produce and share mixtapes regularly on the Internet, in addition to juggle from time to time at local bars.

That is why, as the web manager of my own company called Tekk-It, I developed my French website to promote the city of Kingston called EasyKingston.com sharing my good plans of Jamaica’s capital.

I fi n d it si m ply i m possi ble to go a day without listen i ng to dancehall

- Florian ‘Dj WhaGwaan’ Ehrlacher

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JAHMIELPREEING POSITIVE

IRIE MUSIC:

Author: Domonic BellPhotos: Contributed

At 19 years old, Jahmiel Foster, under the stage name “Jahmiel” is spreading a conscious message throughout local airwaves with his, self-described, positive music.

Though he has recently burst on the music scene, this Jose Marti Technical High School past student has been involved in the music industry since the tender age of seven, when he began performing. By age twelve, he had his first video for his single Put Dung Di Gun.As a result of his melting pot of influences, Jahmiel is a “singjay,” whose hybrid of both singing and toasting gives him a distinctive voice in the highly competitive local music industry. Jahmiel’s musical influences include Bob Marley, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Bugle, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer, whose styles, when combined with his distinctive sound have helped to shape his eclectic blends and smooth delivery.

Jahmiel’s father was the one who discovered his talent and supported his son’s musical pursuits. With this support and his personal drive to succeed, the real turning point in Jahmiel’s career began when his cousin introduced him to Akeem and Jahmie Roberts of the Young Vibez Production in 2009. The duo was impressed with this young man’s talent that they soon fostered a good working relationship leading to Jahmiel signing a management contract to Young Vibez’s parent company Shocking Vibes, which is operated by their father and industry stalwart Patrick Roberts. The musical partnership between Jahmiel and Young Vibez has resulted in singles such as Me Nuh Murdera, What About the Love, New Year Yah, and his current single, My Time. Although these singles are currently picking up steam, Jahmiel noted that “getting songs on airplay” is the most difficult challenge he faces as a new artiste. However, this hasn’t stopped his musical peers from taking notice of his immense talent, as the 19 year old has two collaborations with staple act and musical influence, Bugle, under his belt. These songs , Rise Above on IMG’s Riches Riddim, and a soon-to-be-released Good Good produced single.

Jahmiel has also caught the ears of some of Jamaica’s top production houses as he can be found on riddims by Russian’s Head Concussion Records, T.J Records, Brit Jams, U.I.M Records, and more.

When asked whether there is any advice he’d like to give aspiring musicians, Jahmiel said that they “have to love music and be willing to put in the hard work needed to get your desired results”. In the coming months Jahmiel told IrieZine readers “to look out for more singles and songs on juggling riddims and “expect a video for My Time very soon” as he continues to make a mark with his socio-conscious lyrics and melodic vocals.


have to love music and be willing to put in the hard work needed to get your desired results

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Johann DawesIRIE INSIDER:

Author: Tanaka Roberts

Photos: Simon ‘Sno’ Thompson

A very cordial Johann Dawes invited IRIEZINE into his office to reason about the dynamics of hisline of business. Needless to say he had a lot to share with us concerning his company, building the

entertainment industry and strengthening ‘Brand Jamaica’ by extension

Hype TV CEO

HYPE BOSS: Johann Dawes


Considering the nature (and name) of a company such as Hype TV one would presume the founder to be particularly ubiquitous in his demeanor. The very opposite is actually the case. Although a pioneer within the sphere of local music television, Dawes retains a rather low profile. He conveyed that, “From a marketing perspective you’re supposed to be pushing your brand but sometimes that takes away from the company.” His principal focus, he maintains, is the integrity of his company and as such pays more attention to internal affairs as opposed to being in the public eye. In fact he is extremely involved in the ground operations of the company, assuming the roles of camera man to sound engineer at some point or the other. “I just think that sometimes as the captain you have to lead from the front. It is micro-managing in a way but it keeps you in touch with what’s happening and what people are saying about what you are doing.” he added.

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Despite graduating as a History major from the University of

the West Indies, Dawes always knew he would be in television production. His first real experience came with being employed by Phase Three where he worked as a sound engineer at New Horizon Studio mixing jingles and commercials. There after he started to do location sound for the company which allowed him to segue into video production. The practical experience gained from working at Phase Three along with an unmistaken passion for the entertainment industry inspired Dawes to branch out and create his own legacy- the birth of Hype TV.

“It is so cool to be associated with Jamaica,” he smiled, seemingly overwhelmed with pride. “We are so proud. For example when Usain won the race at the Olympics- his reaction- that was [of ] a typical Jamaican,” referring to Usain Bolt’s illustrious victory celebration at Beijing. “Jamaica is a hype little country and we showing the world in our little way what makes us Jamaican. A small country with such a heavy impact, we have all right to be hype; we gave the world Bob Marley; we gave the world the last God (in reference to Haile Selassie I / Rastafarianism) – there is something about us that we have to get out

there,” he articulated like a true patriot. This is exactly how the name Hype TV came about.Dawes wanted to provide a medium through which the Jamaican culture (and the Caribbean region by extension) could be showcased so that people all over the world could know how we live and how we entertain as a people.

Dawes saw there was an absence of an appropriate media outlet for the Jamaican music industry which was quickly expanding. “If we are dependent on other networks from other countries, they’ll give their perspective and not authentic

IRIE INSIDER:

Author: Tanaka RobertsPhotos: Simon ‘Sno’ Thompson

Johann Dawes: HYPE TV CEO

HYPE NATION


Jamaican information on the artistes,” he explained. Accordingly, Hype TV came to being in August 1999. “I never really saw it as a business I saw it as a mission. Hype TV was a hobby and it took me a long time to see it as work,” stated Dawes. Initially it was intended to be a television program as opposed to an actual channel. After much deliberation and encouragement however he came to realize that his vision was much bigger than a simple television program. “I have to give thanks to man like Dave Kelly (renowned Jamaican producer); I went to him and told him my idea and Dave encouraged me to do it. He saw the need for a medium that showcase the talents we have in Jamaica,” Dawes said. Clearly with stakeholders interested there was no turning his back on this venture.

THINGS JAMAICA

“When the president of United States wants to talk to the world he goes to CNN. We have to getourselves out there so when people want to get Jamaican culture we have a means for them to access it” he expressed. Furthermore he holds the belief that, “We should not be taken seriously unless we have a medium as powerful or major as the other major international music channels, they would not give reggae and dancehall the respect it deserves.” “Things have changed,” he asserted, “What happen is that the world is interested in Jamaican culture so we have to bring the culture to the world. People like Usain have single handedly been promoting Jamaica with his personality, being not just a sprinter but an ambassador.” Dawes noted that the artiste themselves are at the forefront of the international arena and therefore should also take on the onus of positively portraying the image of our country. “Without even formally doing it with the government we are going to have to get the entertainers to know every time they leave Jamaica they are billboards promoting our culture,” it was duly prompted. Looking towards the bigger picture, Dawes subscribes to a multilateral approach. First we brandish our people to wet international appetites and then we provide a readily available platform to further sell Jamaica, the brand. “We have to get the interest in Things Jamaica by using a medium that is easy for the world to see. 2012 we will be turning 50 years old and I think it is the right time to step up and make everything that is exciting and good about Jamaica to be on show. So, we will be working hard on that and have people tune into Hype for that,” he shared.

Jamaica is a hype little country and we showing the world in our little way what makes us JamaicanIR

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While working within the industry for a considerable amount of year, Dawes has seen significant progress made in terms of artistes gaining exposure, especially on the international scene. The industry has however fallen short of attracting complementary revenues for our product. “Right now I think we are in a very interesting time because although it is easy to put your creativity out there, I mean, we see people like Clifftwang being an overnight star but now we are being challenged with getting people paid for their talent. So I’m trying to come up with an idea of making it easy for people that love our culture to actually access it and pay for it. I think the way is basic; to give it away for free but get paid to perform and merchandise, we have to work in that direction,” resolved the trailblazer.

SPEED BUMPS

In a sudden moment of nostalgia Dawes smiles saying, “It’s amazing that this project started at home and Andrew Val was the first employee, being presenter and camera man at the same time.” Since it first came on air, Hype TV has really come a long way. During 2005-2008 the channel was a part of the Direct TV package broadcasting in the 52 states of North America. It was also provided in ten Caribbean countries a part from its homeland, Jamaica. Unfortunately Dawes had to pull the plug on international broadcasting. He explained, “It was a very expensive venture, we weren’t getting the support of the corporate world and also we had to admit that in terms of the push in the North American market enough was not done by Direct TV to really get the message out there. Enough people didn’t know about our presence but looking back the experience was a great one.”

He indicated that as a small independent company Hype TV has been over shadowed by the much larger companies. The entity has however been able to stand its grounds over the years.

MOVING FORWARD Hype TV can be credited for leading the emergence of local music television in Jamaica, “I think we have played a major role in helping to break down the stigma that locals did not want local content on TV,” Dawes proclaimed. Today domestic music TV stations have increased in their numbers yet Dawes feels no threat or competition as he considers these other stations as his “coworkers”, noting that they’re all geared towards a similar aim- to extend the reach of the Jamaican entertainment industry.

IRIE INSIDER: Johann Dawes: HYPE TV CEO

W e a r e a b o ut to d o s o m eth i n g j u st as i m pr ess i v e w ith o ut letti n g to o m u c h o ut o f th e bag. W e r ea lly wa nt to ta k e it o n e step fu rth er a n d pu s h it o uts i d e th e co u ntry.


Currently the Hype team is reforming its strategy to use technology to attract a larger audience with minimum capital investment. “We are about to do something just as impressive without letting too much out of the bag. We really want to take it one step further and push it outside the country. This time instead of it just being Hype TV as a station or content provider we will be seeking the support of an army of young people who have the tool of trade.” Johan happens to be strong believer in the potential of youths. Incidentally, Hype Tv has been the launching pad for several young people such as television and radio personality Lady Deidra and the innovative video editor Ca’dien ‘Kritik’ Christie both of whom are now making strides within the entertainment industry.

Alluding to Hype TV’s reputation as a flagship for the local music television sector Dawes remarked, “It is not a coincidence that we are the first or amongst the first station to be on the mobile TV because from day one we believe in getting our content on different platform.”

Yet amidst his company’s prolific energy to innovate he also recognizes the necessity of corporate assistance, “We have tons of ideas but who is going to support us?” he probed. “That’s why I have to big up a company like Lime and Red Stripe Bold for spearheading a show like ‘Teacha’s Pet’ because this is investing in Jamaican pop culture and in a way it is a big risk but there is a need,” he further added.

Free-to-air stations, he indicated, has however seriously infringed upon their possibility of corporate funding. In addition to this cable providers have also posed problems for the station. “What I would really, really, really love is for the cable companies in Jamaica and the region to treat us just the same way they treat the international networks because there is no way we can improve unless we get their support,” he implored adding, “Our viewers compare us to the international stations but we don’t get treated as such so we’re looking forward to building a better relationship with them.”

Nevertheless Dawes remains in high spirits. His exuberance for Jamaica’s entertainment world coupled with his youthful disposition and continued wont to challenge his creative capacity has kept Hype TV in good standings. Although he noticed that no one is saying thanks for the work his team is doing, at the end of the day artistes are getting shows and traveling. For him, this construes the entertainers as cheering team that inspires the company’s morale. In closing he professed, “Somehow I guess we will have to write our own history.”


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Sly and Robbie are easily Jamaica’s most prolific production team in history, as the duo has to their credit a hand in hundreds of thousands of songs stemming from the 1970’s to present. The duo has worked with so much acts locally that it was easier for them to list the ones they haven’t worked with, in addition to a plethora of international acts including Bob Dylan, Grace Jones, Mick Jagger, Matisyahu, and No Doubt.IrieZine had the honour of having a sit-down with the two as they worked on new material for frequent collaborator Cherine Anderson at Gussi Clarke’s legendary Anchor Studios.

IRIE COVERSTORY:


Robbie, born as Robert Shakespeare on May 10, 1952 was the first to arrive to the studio and proceeded

to enlighten IrieZine about the origins of his illustrious career before Sly’s arrival, whom he admits is more of a conversationalist, and has the better memory of the two. Robbie hails from Eastern Kingston by birth but grew up in Waterhouse and claims that from birth “music born inna me”. The legendary bass player started his craft at an early age in an informal manner as he states “every music of the era started in jam sessions”. It was Bob Marley and the Wailers’ bass player, Aston “Family Man” Barrett, that provided inspiration for the then young Shakespeare who “learned by watching him at the studio”, and eventually replaced Barrett when he left his then group the Hippy Boys. Robbie’s big break came with the Hippy Boys when he played bass for Errol Dunkley in his 1974 rendition of the Beatle’s song I’ll Be Back entitled You’ll Never Know. From this, Robbie would play for a myriad of bands before he met Sly, last being Bunny Lee’s The Aggravators. While a member of the Aggravators, Robbie played bass on tracks by the likes of Johnny Clarke, Gregory Isaacs and many more. It was during this time that Shakespeare had also founded his record label Barbell Records.

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On a faithful night in 1973, The Aggravators were filling in for Fab 5 at a show, when Inner Circle member Bernard Harvey told Robbie of a bass player named Sly Dunbar he needed to check out at the nightclub Tit for Tat, where he played for the Skin, Flesh & Bones. Marveled by Sly’s skills, Robbie then prompted Bunny Lee that Sly should join the Aggravators in their recording sessions. Bunny Lee agreed, and Sly’s first recording session in the group was with John Holt, and from thereon history was made. Coincidentally, after Robbie reached this moment in the duo’s history, Sly arrived and wasted no time in enlightening IrieZine of his musical origins. Sly, born Lowell Dunbar, was born on Windward Road in East Kingston and went to Trench Town Comprehensive High School before declining an acceptance to attend the prominent Kingston College, and dropping out of school altogether. Sly praised his mother for allowing him to do so as he said “to think of it, dropping out of school at 15 was crazy, but I’m glad my mother allowed me to do so, because she too believed in my passion for music”.

This passion for music, Sly notes, began at an early age as he was influenced by Motown and Studio One influences heavily as a youngster. At 15, Sly transitioned from beating on desktops, to playing drums on songs for Lloyd Parkes & The People’s Band’s song Termites. Soon after, Sly played on Ansel Collin’s massive hits Night Doctor and Double Barrel with Dave Barker. The latter Sly claims to be one of the first Jamaican records to sell over a million copies. It is no surprise that Sly would become a renowned drummer within local circles and began to play at regular gigs at Tit for Tat with the band The Volcanoes, whose name would change to Skin, Flesh, and Bones. After working with a slew of artistes including John Holt, Lee “Scratch” Perry, The Dynamics, and Chinna Smith just to name a few, the duo decided to begin working on a jointly owned production outfit that would become the legendary Taxi Records. Robbie then jovially interjected that “Taxi Records” was first the name of Sly’s solo record label, and got its name because “Sly love tek taxi, especially unreliable ones”. Under the banner Taxi Records, throughout the rest of the 1970s leading into the 1980s, Sly and Robbie worked on projects for the likes of Mighty Diamond, Culture, Gregory Isaacs, Bob Marley, and most notably Black Uhuru and Peter Tosh. For Peter Tosh, Sly and Robbie would form part of his recording and touring band, where Robbie proudly stated they served as the “Creative Director of his band World, Sound and the Power”. With Black Uhuru, the two worked feverously on recordings and tours with the band that eventually signed to Island Records and won the first Grammy Award in the reggae category for their album Anthem in 1984.

to think of it, dropping out of school at 15 was crazy, but I’m glad my mother allowed me to do so, because she too believed in my passion for music

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The 1980s marked the brand-building period of Sly and Robbie’s production career, as they would produce and perform more extensively as a duo as opposed to a part of recording or touring band. It was during this time that the two began to work on productions for other acts on Chris Blackwell’s Island Records such as Jamaican international superstar Grace Jones, Joe Cocker, Ini Kamoze, Jimmy Riley, and more. In the 1980s the two would also work with international acts including Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger on She’s The Boss, Yoko Ono’s Star Peace, and Maxi Priest’s self-titled debut album.


During the 1980s the duo state that they had their most memorable performances. Sly said that during a show at the Rock Palace in Germany that “I used the drumstick to play Robbie’s guitar”, a now famous trademark of their performances, and that their most memorable performance was “the show Taxi Connection, we played over 90 songs nonstop from everyone from Black Uhuru to Dennis Brown from evening to morning”. Performing on a whole Sly furthered, while Robbie nodded in agreement, provides the duo with “a great feeling once the crowd is good and receptive. Our favourite song to perform is the dub version of Black Uhuru’s Shine Eye Girl”. Sly and Robbie continued their relentless “Taxi” services throughout the 1990s by producing cult classics such as Murder She Wrote, Tease Me and others by Chaka Demus and Pliers, and a lot more work with dancehall artistes. With regards to the controversial dancehall genre, Sly champions the art form by saying “I have nuff respect for the deejays, and I love everything about it (dancehall). They were topping the charts worldwide, when reggae artistes weren’t and that has to be respected”.

The 2000’s have cemented the timeless ear for the quality sound Sly and Robbie exhibits and a testament to this are the monstrously produced singles Hey Baby, and Underneath It All by No Doubt, remixes for the likes of Madonna, Matisyahu, and local hit singles for Cherine Anderson and many more. In 2008, Sly and Robbie produced the majority of American band Michael Franti and The Spearhead’s Rebel Rockers, which spawned the internationally commercial and critically acclaimed hit single Say Hey (I Love You) featuring Cherine Anderson. Earlier this year, Sly and Robbie were allotted not one, but two nominations within the Best Reggae Album category of The Grammy’s for their albums One Pop Reggae, and their collaboration with French producer Frank Sinclair entitled Made in Jamaica. When asked on their views on the contemporary music scene, Sly believes that “It’s easier to enter now, but that has made it more competitive. In our days it was competitive also so we had to learn and practice our craft. With then, as with now, you cannot waste opportunities”. Sly furthered that “Jamaican music needs more songs with hit melodies at the moment”, but held that the genre would continue to do well, while Robbie states, “more variety is needed”. Unlike several industry players in the current debate with regards to the mixing of dancehall or reggae with other genres of music Sly and Robbie have never supported this view. Whether it’s infusing electronic sounds with dub, or using Indian influences in Dancehall, the duo feels that the hybrid of genres “feels good when mixed” and that “it makes a different flavor that widens the market for Jamaican music”.

In our days it was competitive also so we had to learn and practice our craft. With then, as with now, you cannot waste opportunities

I used the drumstick to play Robbie’s guitar

continued >

IRIE COVERSTORY: SLY AND ROBBIES

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When asked what’s next for the living legends, they told Iriezine “to keep making music, that’s our job”, and highlighted that they currently have a free to download “drum and bass” instrumental online for the 2012 slated release Jamaican documentary One People, which is directed by the Academy Award winning Director Kevin McDonald, and is produced by Justine Henzell and Zachary Harding. Sly and Robbie have managed to keep their almost 40 year musical relation intact by simply as Sly says “it works”, and that “one man can’t do everything”. The duo’s continued relevancy lies in their hard work, passion, and innovativeness as they are heralded as the pioneers of several sounds such as the “Rockers” and “Rub a Dub” Style used in reggae music, and numerous additions of outside genres to Jamaican music. The “Taxi’s drive” seems to be never ending as Sly holds the view that “we still haven’t peaked”, and it seems that there is no evidence present for anyone to disagree. In closing Sly encourages upcoming musical acts to “focus, know where you coming from, and where you want to go and use the formula of good melodies, good riddim, and right producer”. Robbie’s words of advice were for such acts “when making music, consider other people” and that artistes should try and refrain from violent lyrics as “music has a great influence”. It is this music Sly states is “is the comfort for the Jamaican poor, and when hungry, makes your belly full”.

focus, know where you coming from, and where you want to go and use the formula of good melodies, good riddim, and right producer

Author: Domonic BellPhotos: Sean ‘Lass” McNaughton


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OnePeople is a Jamaican documentary currently being developed and is produced by Justine Henzell, Zachary Harding, and Academy Award winning director Kevin Macdonald.

IrieZine had the privilege of having a brief sit-down with Justine Henzell who delved on the project’s details. OnePeople is a documentary that utilizes video submissions of persons describing, “What does Jamaica mean to you?” according to Henzell. She furthered that these submissions will be edited to create the documentary that will have a running time of 90 minutes. The idea for OnePeople came about as an effort by Henzell and Harding’s 1962 Productions “to show the global reach of our island which is disproportionate to our size”. Henzell added, that it was the documentary Life In A Day, a previous work by director Kevin Macdonald, which inspired the‘User-Generation’ concept for the film. The project is financed mainly through corporate sponsorships and grants, and is endorsed by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture as an official 50TH Anniversary of Jamaica project. In addition, legendary production duo Sly & Robbie have donated a drum & bass instrumentation to the project aptly entitled the OnePeople Riddim. Henzell stated that a “dream of mine was always

to get a Sly & Robbie drum and bass track”.

The OnePeople Riddim can be downloaded for free at the documentary’s website www.onepeopledocumentary.com, and is a great opportunity for singers and musicians alike to create music courtesy of the blueprint laid by Sly & Robbie. Persons have until January 6, 2012 to upload their remixed modification of the OnePeople Riddim for a chance for their submission to be used as a part of the score or soundtrack for the documentary. It’s no surprise that a goal of Henzell is for OnePeople to win the award for Best Original Score at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013, through the usage of documentary’s audio submissions for the score. The film’s release is set for an August 6, 2012 release date in commemoration of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of independence.

IRIE COMING SOON: THE ONE PEOPLE DOCUMENTARY

Author: Dominic Bell Photos: ContributedDocumentary for the People


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Rituals"your third place"


IRIE COOL SPOT

Nicknamed the “Starbucks of the Caribbean”, Rituals is now a widespread coffeehouse chain throughout the major islands in region. To date they have approximately 55 locations where they

started in Trinidad alone and at least 2 in other Caribbean islands such as Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Kitts and Grenada, with plans of expanding to Guyana and Curacao among others. Of course, as one of the most eminent islands within the hemisphere- Jamaica could not be left out. The island’s two cities namely, Kingston and Montego Bay, both house a Rituals franchise. To our delight, the busy Operations Manager, Samantha Phillipson briefly hosted IRIEZINE at the Kingston branch for a chat about the impressive coffee shop.

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Conveniently situated within the Village Plaza off Constant Spring Road, Rituals is a homely retreat in the bustling commercial district of the city. “What’s better than a place that has pedestrian traffic [and] vehicular traffic, where everybody can pass through?” the manager asked wittingly. She conveyed that a lot of businesses in Jamaica tend to deliberately seclude their establishments in such a way that only certain persons can access their services. Rituals however has no such intentions, “t.” Alluding to their desire to tap into every possible sector of the market she continued, “You don’t want to go on the top of whatever hill because that’s uptown, you’re isolating yourself. This is something that is accessible to everybody.” For shoppers Rituals’ location is an oasis amidst the rush of back to school shopping, Fashion’s Night Out, Christmas holidays and weekends in general- for Phillipson, she says it’s a blessing. Although the space is relatively small, it is exactly that which gives the shop its quintessential intimacy and inviting appeal that a coffee shop should embody. Phillipson expressed that, “The one word I have repeatedly used for Rituals is warmth. Between the colours and how the walls actually make you feel because it’s just wood and everything, there is a warmth to it.” Rightly so, the decor fosters an aura that makes each customer feel right at home, complemented by the alluring aroma of coffee that scents the shop.

Naturally we had to get some feedback as to how she felt about being the manager of an arm of business that is so often compared to the renowned Starbucks entity. Unmistakably contended, she proclaimed, “Great! Starbucks is such a wonderful company and they are trying to do so much for the American economy right now so they

have a great reputation. There is nothing tarnished about it, so if they want to liken us to that, then that’s great.”

This is the main shopping area in Kingston, and people from whatever part of the market you want have to cross over here

Operations Manager, Samantha Phillipson


Rituals, like Starbucks, is a channel through which local economical growth can be garnered. “Of all the islands in the Caribbean, which is the island with the coffee?” she knowingly asked. “Globally our coffee is known so ideally it would be fantastic and it would be my personal hope if every single Rituals got their coffee from Jamaica,” she continued. Phillipson addresses the fact although Jamaica is so well known for the coffee produced here and its huge amount of coffee connoisseurs, the local market is not known to be drinkers of coffee. Rituals has however represents a flag ship to showcase that there are many ways that we can enjoy Jamaican coffee, especially “at home”. Incidentally, what parallels the two companies most is their extensive menu of coffee beverages. Phillpson explained that, “the beverages on the menu run a gamut of all kinds of coffee beverages, which is a huge introduction into the Jamaican market.” The most popular item on the menu among their customers for example is the Frappe beverage called ‘The Chiller.’ Equivalent to the well-known Frappaccino from Starbucks, Chillers are available in an impressive 28 different flavours. In addition, this signature drink is blended creamy smooth and depending on the preference of the customer may be had with or without coffee, fat free or condensed milk or whichever way requested. This Phillipson says is what her franchise is very proud of. They are constantly modifying the menu to facilitate every person that walk through Rituals’ door. “What I am really proud of with Rituals is that we have made the consideration towards diet, health, specific needs regarding allergies and that we are willing to listen to needs....we are always adapting and evolving.....we have been asked for different things like sugar free, lactose free, glutton free and all other kinds of things,” she explained.

G lo bally o u r co ffee is kn own so i d eally it wo u ld b e fantasti c an d it wo u ld b e my perso nal h o pe i f every si n g le R ituals g ot th ei r co ffee fro m Jamai ca

IRIE

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In consideration also of the local consumption trends, Rituals has offered several items on the menu that are unlikely to be found on those of franchises in other Caribbean islands. This includes the national dish, ackee and saltfish which is available akin to the coffeehouse menu, so customers can have it with a bagel, in a wrap or the signature “Flatini”. There is also smoked marlin or smoked salmon as well as plantain tarts as it relates to pastries. All of these are an addition to the extensive menu which includes but is not limited to; salads, lasagne, croissants, and an array of pastries and beverages. It is no wonder that persons who are not avid drinkers of coffee find themselves seated in Rituals- there is simply something for everyone.

Phillipson made reference to the “Third Place” Mentality purported by Ray Oldenburg which is a concept that states that people seek out a place, next to home and work, to socialize and mingle. Like Starbucks, Rituals has employed this concept as their main marketing strategy. She explained that “there is always something in a coffeehouse that you can have every day, even twice a day and it becomes almost like an addiction but a comfort zone- that place where you are comfortable to sit and chat.” I slightly interrupted with, “It becomes your ritual”. With a laugh she continued, “I’m glad you said it and not me, because it would have sounded really corny coming from my mouth, but it becomes your ritual and that’s truly it.” For those who have made Rituals their “third-place” they go not without being rewarded. Along with free Wi-Fi services, Rituals customers are offered running specials like membership cards which afford a customer a free Chiller after buying 9 Chillers. They can also get 10% discount if they take their own cup or make two separate purchases on different occasions in the same day.

th er e is always so m eth i n g i n a

co ffeeh o use that yo u can have every day,

even twi ce a day an d it b eco m es alm ost

li ke an ad d i cti o n b ut a co m fo rt zo n e

IRIE COOL SPOT: RITUALS


After two year in business, Phillipson is quite pleased with the response that Rituals has received in Jamaica. Their constant effort to cater to the needs of their customers, modifying and creating an atmosphere that seeks to accommodate everyone has gone over well with their clientele. From a pleasant staff to a cosy environment, and an even more compatible menu, it is easy to see how a first encounter can segue into the realization of the coffeehouse’s name sake. In her closing remarks Phillipson shared that there are even more plans of expanding their services, “we will look forward to bringing events to the coffee house....poetry nights, reading exerts from plays- things like that...we hope to be doing that at least once a month so those are also the things you could look forward to.”


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New comer Jamie Roberts is progressively asserting himself as a notable producer.

Being the son of Patrick Roberts, well-known producer and C.E.O of Shocking Vibes Production, Jamie grew up in and around the studio where he developed an affinity for the craft. It is recently however that the young Roberts has undertaken his father’s forte in earnest , telling IRIEZINE, “I decided to take the music industry seriously when I-Octane voiced a song called “Searching” for me in 2009.” Since then Young Vibez Production, the name he has dubbed his production house, has steadily been making treads within the music fraternity.

Along with the support of his father, Jamie is backed by a host of other young aspirants who he declared are very instrumental to the work he puts out, “Young Vibez is a gang!” he said, “Other key members include Ahkeem Roberts (my brother), Orane ‘Boogie’ Williamson, Kyle Ferguson, Adrian Wilson and Stephan ‘Balla Treez’ Ricketts. There are other members of the group but I can’t name everybody.”

Considering his background though, one might have expected Jamie to be cruising his way to the top however, this is not the case. The young producer told IRIEZINE that he has stumbled upon his fair share of hitches. “The most challenging thing I’ve been faced with as a producer is getting my music out there; getting the radio personalities and selectors to play my songs,” he expressed. On a more positive note however Jamie relays, “I’m slowly overcoming this with communication. Talking to the selectors and radio jocks often helps. Going out to weekly parties at night to promote does as well.”

To date Jamie has released four riddims namely Mad Vibez (his debut riddim), Handful, New Era and most recently So Bad Riddim. He has worked with the likes of Vybz Kartel, Beenieman, Flippa Mafia, Popcaan, Chan Dizzy and Bugle to name a few.

When asked which producers he looks up to and who inspires his work Jamie responded, “First and foremost, Patrick Roberts and that goes without saying. Tony and Dave Kelly are two great

Author: Tanaka Roberts Photos: Simon ‘Sno’ Thompson

IRIE PRODUCTION:

NEW ERA YOUNG VIBEZ PRODUCTION


producers as well and I definitely look up to TJ from TJ Records.”

The recipient of 21st/ Hapilos Award for Rookie of the Year (2010-2011) considers himself as a rather versatile producer, which is quite evident in the quality of work he has produced thus far. Parenthetically, Jamie also finds himself getting familiar with the keyboard these days in an effort to improve his execution skills. “The philosophy that I usually go by is ‘if yuh waan good yuh nose haffi run’,” said Roberts. He further added, “I’m putting in the work, making a lot of sacrifices and in the end it should all pay off.”

In the face of speculations that Dancehall is falling off the map, Jamie is still a strong believer in the potential of the genre. “You always hear people say Dancehall music is dead but that’s not true. Dancehall is evolving and people need to grow with it. In 5 years, I see a lot of young artistes getting more opportunities and Dancehall getting

a more international appeal,” expressed the young patron. On the subject of young artiste, Jamie has geared much of his focus toward Jahmiel, an up-and-coming talent who has already been causing a buzz in the streets. He is also working with Propa Fade, another young act who also doubles as an engineer in the Young Vibez camp. “I’m currently working on two ‘one drop’ riddims, one juggling riddim and a few singles. I have a Vybz Kartel single called Road A Paradise ready for release very soon,” he added.With a strong foundation and positive attitude, the budding producer is well on his way to creating a name for himself beyond his heirloom. He told IRIEZINE that he has some serious plans in store for the Jamaican music industry and what he has done up to this point is only the beginning of what is to come. “Young Vibez Production is here to stay. Bless up for the love and support we have been getting. Jus continue supporting di ting,” he said in his closing remarks.

Young Vibez Production is here to stay. Bless up for the love and support we have been getting.

IRIE

PRO

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: YO

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IRIE TECH:

In an age where technology is king, our generation relies heavily on electronics to keep us enter-tained, Apple Inc. has certainly capitalized on this substantial fact and has generated billions of profit yearly from it. With products such as the iMac, iPhone, iPod, and iPad entertaining one’s self

has become considerably easy.

Jamaicansmusic.com has seen the potential in this venture and as such has partnered to with Apple iTunes to bring Reggae and Dancehall music to the finger tips of their users while supporting our Jamaican artists.

Jamaicansmusic.com was founded in 2008 with a mission to be the number one source of Jamaican music in the world. The entity is dedicated to cataloguing and recording the history of Ja-maican music and the artists who have contributed to its popularity. With this goal-orientation, a partnership with iTunes brings them a step ahead of their competitors.

The iTunes Store is a major hit as there are over 18 million high-quality, DRM-free songs with prices ranging from US69¢-$1.29 each. The Jamaicansmusic.com Music Store application provides links to all the Jamaican music on iTunes. The site provides users with a category listing or a rating chart that is automatically updated from iTunes. It displays the Top 300 albums, which is topped by Bob Marley’s Legend as well as the Top 300 Singles, which encompasses a wide range of songs from Reggae and Dancehall. The other three categories include New Releases, Just Added, and Featured Albums and Exclusives. The available music can also be sorted by country with the drop box option. There is even an option to search the iTunes store where there are millions of songs from just about any artist, album, or other genres as well as further information on the artists and their music.Jamaicansmusic.com will be launching a distribution service in the upcoming weeks which will be

an add-on to the existing music store. This will allow labels and artists to dis-tribute their records, and users to purchase music directly through the site instead of through iTunes. The purchasing process, explained on the site is the same as that of the iTunes Store.

Pirating has become a huge phenomenon and file-sharing has become child’s play. Jamaicansmu-sic.com is playing a com-mendable role in making the music available for le-gitimate purchase.

The Jamaicansmusic.com iTunes Store

Author: Tashan Hendricks Photos: Contributed


IRIE FILM:

RED, AMBER, GREEN

STREET BOYS TO SCREEN

STARSAuthor: Biko KennedyPhotos: Contributed

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Red, Amber, Green burrows deep into the rough corner of a reality often overlooked by many;

the shortcomings of teenagers left to survive by any means necessary. Drifting away from the typical plot of there being a possibility of a verbal encounter leading the need to ‘prove their manhood,’ resultant in somebody being killed; the 18-minute film captures a digestible triptych of whimsy drama, optimism and good intentions. There’s hardly a dull moment in the story’s entirety which revolves the life of a three teenage boys adamant in their quest to find the next meal. Beyond the tried-and-true idea that ‘tearing down the past prohibits you from building up your future,’ the takeaway from the screenplay acknowledges the fact that one can be fulfilled by giving away the little they have. Written, directed and produced by Christopher Byfield, Red, Amber, Green boasts itself as not only a low-budget mastery, but also a simple, authentic Jamaican film. “Being able to propel Jamaica and its hidden talents and beauty was always something I aimed for since I entered this field as a young teenager,” intimated Byfield, “though I haven’t received any formal training in terms of writing/directing/producing, I definitely have a natural inborn knowledge and sophisticated talent where film is concerned. I feel if I am not provided the opportunity to attend a film school why not in the meantime work on

what I’m most passionate about?” continued a jaunty Byfield noting how he’s frequently schooling himself both in front of and behind any given camera lens.

The film, being Byfield’s first solo effort, showcases two attributes of the budding filmmaker; though

IRIE FILM: RED, AMBER, GREEN


not receiving any formal training in writing, he has developed a concept both riveting and important as well as making the film a joy to watch, as his camera is so confident, it wins such natural performances from his actors. If Chris Browne’s Ghett’a Life was the story of a young man lucky enough to grow up with parents who cared, and who escapes the dangers of the street and political culture, Red, Amber, Green is, tragically, about many more young men who are not so lucky, but are happy nonetheless. Red, Amber, Green has an overwhelming impact.

Very few films possess the power to keep

an audience sitting in astonished quietness followed by heartfelt laughter after the end credits begin rolling, but this is one of them. Filmed in a cinéma-vérité style during a typical day in Half-Way-Tree, St. Andrew Jamaica, the opening scene finds Chris (Christopher Byfield) awaking in the St. Andrew Parish Church Cemetery (Half-Way-Tree) undertaking his morning rituals. “Fada God…only you know how much mi tired a dah lifestyle ya…how mi tired fi a wakeup inna dah lifestyle ya,” slurred Chris, defining the tone of the film, which disturbingly blurs the line between a brutal slice of reality and a fictitious jab. It’s notably impressive, the manner in which the Director of Photography Simeon Hedge told the story without making the main characters Dan Dan (Damarah Danni), Proff (Adrain Wright) and Chris (Christopher Byfield) seem to be either a hero or a victim; rather they are shown as more of an example. We are not asked to sympathize with them either, but to some degree we do, in the sense of Dan Dan empathetic words, “Yuh si di three a wi…wi have each ada”. Here it is made clear that given the reality of the society in which they are raised; only the strongest of them all can make it through with friendship being the most appreciated virtue. The story and characters are well-developed as you are given a graphic, firsthand depiction of both the lifestyle and wages of Dan Dan, Proff and Chris. The lure or lack thereof of money, prestige, and power are realistically presented, but no more so than the brutal reality that is expected to obtain them daily. The film also explores the necessity for a person to accept the circumstances of their individual livelihood and how an apparently- inconsequential event can trigger a powerful chain-reaction of gratitude.

Being able to propel Jamaica and its hidden talents and beauty was always something I aimed for since I entered this field as a young teenager,

IRIE

FIL

M: R

ED, A

MBE

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REEN

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IrieZine #5 (November 2011)

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