Dada Son Entertainment Donates Proceeds to Family of Trayvon Martin

Soulful Reggae star, Gramps Morgan has taken a stance in solidarity with the family of Trayvon Martin, the 17 year old boy recently killed in South Florida.

To date, the man who shot and killed Trayvon has not been charged. So in an effort to support the Martin family's demand for justice, Dada Son is donating a portion of the proceeds from the iTunes sales of Gramps' new single, 'Life Too Short'.

"Yes Rasta!" American-Jamaican crooner, Gramps Morgan is unleashing another anthem with his unique brand of 'Rockaz'. His first single 'Life Too Short' emerges from his upcoming second, solo album, Reggae Music Lives which will be released on April 24 2012, in time for Mother's Day.

Penned with his brother Peetah Morgan, 'Life Too Short' was co-produced by Roy 'Gramps' Morgan and keyboardist, Llamar 'Riff Raff' Brown (Stephen Marley).

Gramps Morgan has the gift of delivering spiritually uplifting lyrics aimed precisely at the listener's soul. Through song, Morgan reminds us to live this life while we still have it. Gramps says 'Life Too Short' is simply "a song of comfort", and as a firm believer in delivering music to heal humanity, 'Life Too Short' raises consciousness of the fragility and sanctity of life.

Gramps Morgan's songs and lyrics tend toward the positive in all situations, so when he belts out "...Life too short fi a stress di small things when we know Jah bless me with everything /Life too short fi a worry bout bad mind when the world a suffer from war and crime..." he means that he draws his strength from Jah/God. Believing in a greater power than self, Gramps urges the listener to stop wasting time sweating the small stuff and to let go of grudges and "bad mind" (a Jamaican idiom that refers to being envious of, or grudging someone). 

Gramps' perspective on the murder of Trayvon Martin is that of a father and an American citizen. In a recent statement the Centric Soul Train nominee said: "I couldn't imagine that ever happening to my son." He's speaking of his eldest, Jemere. "As a father of a 16 year old...I don't know what I would do if I was in that situation, but I know that justice must be served."

"We have been following the tragedy that has happened with Trayvon," explains Wendy Morgan, Gramps' manager, "and after reading a report that he was a lover of Reggae music, it humbled us to have someone of that age love our music. We wanted to do our part to pay respect to his young life and contribute to help keep Trayvon's memory and legacy alive."

Finding strength in the hardest of times isn't always easy, but Gramps is reassuring people that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Rototom 2012!

One of the fathers of Ska, the first Jamaican reggae artist to ever top the charts and composer of the Jamaican national anthem, Rototom Sunsplash is happy to announce the first confirmed artist for the 19th edition of the festival is one of the living legends of the history of reggae, Derrick Morgan.

After revealing the first names of the line-up of the pre-festival event that will take place on the streets of Benicassim on August 15th, Rototom now announces the performances on the main stage of the festival, together with Derrick Morgan, of Alborosie (with an exclusive concert featuring other artists), Protoje and the Spanish Muchachito Bombo Infierno, from the 16th to the 22nd of the same month.

DERRICK MORGAN - Another living legend sums up to the list of protagonists of the history of the Jamaican music who have performed at our festival. Derrick Morgan was already famed by the time the first movements of the Jamaican music industry started to imitate the US-American rhythm and blues, which would eventually generate ska music. By then he had already gained his share of success in the dancehalls with songs like 'Fat man' and 'Leave earth'.

After the partnership was sealed with Leslie Kong - a producer of Chinese origin - the verbal battles between Derrick and Prince Buster in tracks like 'Blackhead Chiney man' and 'Blazing fire' begun attracting the whole island’s attention. With them, the large tradition of verbal battles in dancehall started.

Derrick continued his glorious career in the era of rocksteady and reggae with his music for producers like Duke Reid and Bunny Lee. Nowadays he is the only Jamaican artist with authentic roots sound to perform on a regular basis. He will be accompanied by the British band Ruff Cutt.

ALBOROSIE & FRIENDS – Alborosie is an artist who does not need to be introduced. Albums like 'Soul Pirate' and 'Escape from Babylon' are among the absolutely best works recently published in reggae. After releasing his last LP '2 times revolution ' he won the Mobo Award for 'Best Reggae Artist' in Glasgow in October.

Albo is strongly connected to Rototom Sunsplash and has performed several times at the festival; but this year we are organising something special with him: a live-event designed
especially for the Sunsplash, called 'Alborosie & Friends'. The Italian artist, who now lives in Jamaica, will share the stage with several guests: great Jamaican and non Jamaican artists who Albo has worked with or who share a special affinity with him for style.

We will not anticipate any names for now. But if you know his discography, you may be able to find a hint there, even before we announce the guests of this incredible show!

PROTOJE - His first album 'The seven year itch' was released in 2011 and refers to the first seven hard years of his career, which Protoje had to endure before he became one of rising
stars of the international reggae scene. His mother Lorna Bennett, is a Jamaican singer who was successful in the seventies with her version of 'Breakfast in bed' by Dusty Springfield. Another important relative of his is cousin Donovan Bennett, the owner of Don Corleon brand, who the artist has been working with since 2010 and who produced his first album. 'Arguments' and the magnificent combination with Kymani Marley 'Rasta Love' are the most relevant tracks on the album. The latter has contributed a lot to the success of 'The seven year itch'.  If Damian Marley has introduced a new way of mixing reggae with US-American urban music, Protoje is one of the biggest talents who are following this fruitful example nowadays.

MUCHACHITO BOMBO INFIERNO - Rototom opens its doors once again to music styles characterized by diversity and fusion, in this case for Muchachito Bombo Infierno who will perform for the first time at the festival.

Muchachito, born Jairo Perera in Santa Coloma de Gramenet - suburb of Bacelona - in 1975, founded his band Trimelón de Naranjus in 1993 and kept the project until 2000. By then, he
started performing solo in innumerable bars, developing the "Rumboxing": rumba and swing in a speed that can only be done by him.

In 2005 'Vamos que nos Vamos' was published and for the live shows the whole band Gigoleto Brass joined him in order to support his swing. The painter Santos de Veracruz, who does everything from posters to graphical art, has been seen painting during shows. In 2007 he established his own label 'El Orfanato Eléctrico' and edited 'Visto lo Visto'. In 2010 he released his third album 'Idas y Vueltas' under his label.

At Sunsplash he will offer one his of few live performances this summer and it will be an original and unpredictable show with tinges of rumba, swing and ska...

L3 Magazine - March, 2012 Features Kreesha Turner!

Spring is drawing near, and Canada’s leading Caribbean-Urban online publication, L3 Magazine, gives readers insight on artists they will be hearing a lot of for the season!  Readers get up close and personal with Kreesha Turner, Jemere Morgan, Noel Gourdin, Big Red, Mission Catwalk and more!

Canadian and International recording artist Kreesha Turner shares how her new album, Tropic Electric came to fruition, not just from her heart, but with one of the super producers she worked with, The Wizard, as well as recording the album in her native Jamaica.  As Kreesha explains, the ‘vibe has to be right,’ and right it is!

Fast Fact:  Love Kreesha’s hair?!  It’s not a wig, it’s 100% natural!

Although Jemere Morgan is young, he comes from a seasoned stable of musicians, including veteran recording artist Gramps Morgan who happens to be his Dad!  Jemere opens up about his thoughts on being called the ‘Just Beiber’ of the Caribbean, and how he balances school, touring, and being a kid!  The answers from this very mature young man will surprise you, and might just give you a chuckle!

Noel Gourdin’s music can only be described a ‘Soul Movement!’  Marcus Weller sits down with the artist where the two of them chat about the music made by Mr. Gourdin (pronounced Gour-deen), his southern Mississippi roots, and making music with paper and pen – even to this day!

Barbados has always had multi-talented artists, who shine on international stages.  In the case of Big Red, his shine is en route to the status of Alison Hinds!  The young artist is passionate about Soca, creating a method of producing great music and balancing his studies at the University of the West Indies at the same time.  They don’t call him ‘big’ for nothing!  Tricia Spence was rolling with laughter during the interview; it was comedy and music rolled in one!

In Fashion news, Jamaica and the Caribbean are set to welcome Mission Catwalk into their homes via television.  The fashion series has taken designers from across the Caribbean, looking for the next great such as Anya Ayoung Chee!  These designers put their skills to the test with scissors and fabric and we have all the details!

Heike Wollenweber does her first interview and selects Sekhu’s brand of conscious Reggae!  Coming from the Virgin Islands, Sekhu explains his early influences with Reggae music, and what inspires him to record the way he does.  Heike’s travels also give us a first hand account of cruising, and the cruise life.  These are two great features you don’t want to miss!

Additional highlights include music reviews of Madd Spider Productions new riddim, Hot Water, Twelve 9 Records and Dynasty Music’s Kush Morning Riddim, Japans Machaco and her tireless efforts to raise money for Japan’s Tsunami victims who still need help, as well as Damian Marley’s “Affairs of the Heart” music review.  We have the top 20 Digital Downloads, and Rico Vibes top 10 video Countdoen.  Neu Er’as Jerome Dupont will have the world talking because of his photo shoot with Ms. March, Leaje Gonzales!

All of this and more at www.L3Magazine.com on Saturday March 3^rd, 2012!

The Welcome ‘Matte’

The team at L3 Magazine is pleased to announce Mimi Mamichula to the fold as the magazine’s French correspondent!  Mimi is originally from Martinique and currently lives in Paris.  With her degree in Communication, Mimi’s wealth of education and experience makes her the ‘go to’ person in Paris for Caribbean affairs!  Welcome Mimi!