On Racial Frontiers: The New Culture of Frederick Douglass, Ralph Ellison and Bob Marley

Interview with author Gregory Stephens

“I don’t think enough people look at Bob Marley’s European audience and ask: what is that all about?” Gregory Stephens tells me one sunny day outside of his El Cerrito, California home, “And what does that mean about cultural ownership?”  Read more... (2793 words + 3 images)

Download DJ Green B’s Latest Mix for Free

The Female DJ Represents for the Ladies

Selecta Green B

Bay-Area based DJ, Green B, has recently released her latest mix as part of her Hot Gyal Promotions Series, 4.2. The female selector is part of the Coo-Yah! Ladeez Sound, who play every Wednesday night in San Francisco. Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, Selecta Green B is part of a greater movement of females who have been getting involved in all aspects of the male-dominated reggae landscape.  Read more... (118 words + 2 images)

Documentary to Feature Gentleman and Alborosie

"Journey to Jah" filmmakers seek funding to finish the project

Directors Noël Dernesch and Moritz Springer have spent over six years on their “Journey to Jah” documentary which follows the journey of two reggae singers -   German-born Gentleman and Italian-born Alborosie – on their search for faith and spirituality in Jamaica. The two foreign-born reggae artists found visions of a better world in the faith and rites of an originally black culture: in Rastafari and its counterpart, reggae music.  Read more... (207 words + 1 image)

The Raggamuffins Festival Flexes Its Muscles Again This Year

Oakland, California - February 26, 2011

Published in conjunction with United Reggae
Photos by Lee Abel, ReggaePortraits.Com

The Raggamuffins Festival has happened annually every February since 1981, in commemoration of Bob Marley’s birthday, February 6. The trilogy of California shows starts in Long Beach, moves south to San Diego, then up north to the Bay Area with a leaner line-up. The third leg was held at the awe-inspiring Fox Theater on March 26, 2011, recently remodeled in downtown Oakland and managed by Another Planet Entertainment.  Read more... (1110 words + 5 images)

Untangling the Reggae from the Weed

Brace yourself. I’m about to say something that is quite unpopular. So here it goes – I’m not a huge fan of the herb. There, I said it. It’s definitely about the control freak in me, but that’s a tangential story.  Read more... (913 words + 3 images)

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell – Michael Rose in San Francisco

Michael Rose in San Francisco

Michael Rose, of Black Uhuru fame, is one of those artists that we might call “veteran” but still brings it hard – a bit like David Hinds of Steel Pulse, or Joseph Hill of Culture, before he passed. Rose has his trademark songs, and still keeps his ear to the street.  Read more... (662 words + 2 images)

Reasoning with Sean Paul

[This was first published for Jahworks.org in October of 2002, right on the cusp of his mainstream popularity.]

Who would have thought that a Jamaican swimmer and water polo player from uptown Kingston would introduce the world to authentic dancehall music? Clearly Shaggy has become a worldwide household name by breeding pop with reggae. Even Bounty Killer got a glimpse of the top when he collaborated with pop superstars No Doubt on the Orange-County-flavored track, “Hey Baby.” But the torch is now in Sean Paul’s hands as dancehall ambassador, and he vows to stay true to the genre.  Read more... (5026 words + 6 images)

Download Konshens’ Free Mix Hosted By Kevin Crown

Current reggae artist Konshens (b. Greg Spence), who blazed onto the music scene a few years ago with the popular radio hit “Winner,” has released his second official mixtape “The Realest Mixtape Part 2.” Konshens won international acclaim for the single “Good Girl Gone Bad” that was a combination with talented singer/songwriter Tarrus Riley.  Read more... (194 words + 1 image)