Down with daggering...

Well, looks like it's not just NeYo that has a prob with "Rampin' Shop". I wonder if the ban on all things daggering related will apply to tunes like 2008 smash "Lollipop"?

p.s. Woulda embedded the vid, but the horrible font titles they've introduced on embedded youtube videos really bother me. I'm not a design expert or anything, but it's really awful--especially on blogs where people have taken the time to make their layouts look good. Boo!

UPDATE: dancehall.mobi just posted the official word from the Jamaica broadcasting commission.

Abby Lakew, awahdishallo!

I've loved these tunes ever since I heard 'em blasting from some bus driver's horrible soundsystem. She's pretty cute too.

But most importanly of all...

I appear in the Mirror with two of my favourite people--people who happen to be experts on tobogganing! If you take a look at this, take specific note of the lovely hat I am sporting. It was made by mother-of-experts, crochet-all-star and generally fabulous Maggie!

Bus a style...

The above clip is part one of a rough version of the film I'll be discussing on Saturday as part of Le Festival International du Film Ethnographique du Québec. "Temporary Sanity: The Skerritt Bwoy Story" is being shown on Saturday as part of a group of films starting at 4:45pm. Here's the location info:

Centre d'essai, Centre étudiant / Pavillon J.-A.-DeSève
Université de Montréal
2332 boul. Édouard-Montpetit, 6e étage
(Métro Édouard-Montpetit ou autobus 51)

It's good timing, actually, since I just wrote a piece about Passa Passa, a big dance in Kingston and my piece focused on dancing as much as anything.

I'm talking about dancehall this weekend at what looks like an amazing film festival

I was pretty honoured to be asked to come and talk. I'll post more about the film I'm discussing later...

Mavado nah play...

I've been thinking about the weird, born-to-be-on-a-soundtrack-to-a-flick-with-lots-of-guns-and-dudes-wearing-dark-sunglasses nature of some dancehall tunes over the past while. In the Pitchfork end of the year wrap up, I called this type o' thing "cinematic dancehall". Wayne Marshall, of wayneandwax fame, posted a bunch of dancehall meets action movie youtubes a minute ago, but I think this one (thanks to Seen) takes the cake (for the moment). Also, just reviewed Mavado's new record earlier today, so the Gully God's been on my mind.

Only he can get away with this...

Was listening to this a little loud last night and had my downstairs neighbours banging on the floor. It was worth it. C. Hamilton is the Fader cover boy this month...

Nuff said.

Again, I'm behind the times...

But I am absolutely taken by the stuff they're calling "funky house". So flippin' wicked. And cool dance moves...big step up from the Rolex Sweep. Way to go British folks! Keep it up!

Viva 2009!

As I was lolligagging through my blogs, I found Wayne had posted DJ Earworm's mashup of the top 25 or 2008. The strange sweet melancholy of the resulting track seems to me quite emblematic of the past year. 2008 was a bit of a mixed bag for this girl (always is), but I'm excited about the new year (always am). Anyhow, I'm off to indulge in one of my favourite things--copious amounts of spicy wat and injera. A great way to kick off any year (or month, or week...).

Dusty Foot Philosopher

Latest from Toronto's K'naan. Watch and listen.

This is great.

Keep raiding the vaults, boys.

The Strong One

Here's my interview/piece about Etana. She's coming to Montreal this weekend and she's quite special.

Moonstarr, killin it.

Hey, so this lovely dude I know makes music. And it's darned good. He's got a new record out called Instrumentals Forever. You should check it out. Like now. Lots of other folks are!

As I wrote in Facebook...

Sometimes things just come together to make everything right in the world. Yesterday it was Hot Chip in a spinning class. Even after 50 minutes of sweating like crazy, "One Pure Thought" made me feel like I could continue for another 50.

Today, it's recovering from significant anger and frustration by remembering this little blast from the past. Why wasn't Spookey Ruben absolutely huge?It's also officially, as my old roommate Ash would insist, Spookey-ing season here in Montreal, so named for the violent tossing into snowbanks that occurs at the beginning of the video.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Yeah, so Caveman's new Axum riddim is pretty good, but I wish they'd have insisted on lyrics related to the Axumite empire. Seriously, it woulda made for some seriously great tunes. Think of the material...I'd pull out my lighta for lyrics about the Ark of the Covenant everytime!

It doesn't really need to be said, but Sizzla sounds a titch insane (i.e. not all there) on this riddim.

Nice video.

Nice tribute to Natasja. I like the idea of having Spice, Macka Diamond, etc. mouth Natasja's words. Very good at capturing the vibes, methinks. Makes me wish I could go to Weddy Weddy.

More stuff I liked in 1991

I'm having a bit of a nostalgia thing going on. I used to lie on my bedroom floor and listen to this one.

I like MBV as much as the next music blogger, but...

How much cash would I pay to see these guys? I know it's a cliche, but having just spent the past hour wasting my time on youtube checking out video after video, man. There was a reason why I loved these guys. The above video is from a show I always read about as a teenager, but, growing up in the 'Shwa, never got to see. Had to settle for City Limits with Simon Evans.

Polkaroo, his name is so excellent...

This, for some reason, was the funniest thing ever this evening.