Naomi Osaka, McDonald's, & Ron del Barrilito Rum Make This #ReggaeFriday; Jamaica’s Biggest Stars Leaving Reggae; Plus Vybz Kartel and Danna Paola

Volume, 1 issue 19

Originally published, here: reggaefriday.life/news

#ReggaeFriday is intended to expose, elevate, educate, celebrate, and expand an appreciation of the people, culture, influences, and music of the Caribbean. It's both a physical and mental destination for those who already love, or want to explore, some of the best parts of a Caribbean-based life-- with a heavy dose of reggae and reggaeton music. It's harnessed in my website ReggaeFriday.life

So, let the weekend start here!

McDonald's J Balvin Merch Line Has Been Canceled 

In a recent edition of #ReggaeFriday, I reported on the McDonald's meal and merchandise collaboration with reggaeton's J Balvin (Issue 13). The meal and merchandise collection. In October, the fast-food giant started selling the J Balvin meal, based on the Colombian singer's order of a Big Mac sandwich (no pickles), fries with ketchup, and an Oreo McFlurry.

Just over a week later, McDonald's announced another project with J Balvin, merchandise on the singer's site that "fuses J Balvin's favorite Colores with his love of McDonald's food" according to McDonald's. Colores is the title of Balvin's most recent album.

The collection was supposed to include a McFlurry bucket hat, Big Mac slippers, and even a temporary tattoo (image of a receipt for the J Balvin meal). None of it will be sent out to customers due to "production challenges." Fans will still walk away with something though: every customer will get a beanie and a note from J Balvin, along with a refund.

Caribbean-rooted Naomi Osaka nets ‘Athlete of the Year’ 

In case you missed it, the Haiti-rooted Japanese professional tennis player Naomi Osaka was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for 2020 for overall stellar play, capturing her third Grand Slam title, and taking a staunch public stance against racial injustice and police brutality.

In addition to her 2020 U.S. Open Grand Slam win, Osaka — whose father is from Haiti and whose mother is from Japan — was ranked No. 3 in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association by the end of last year’s coronavirus-shortened tennis season, according to The Associated Press.

Puerto Rico Reopened Its Beaches

Puerto Rico's beaches, marinas and pools will reopened last week (Jan. 8) after a lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. The nightly curfew will now be starting at 11 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. and will lift at 5 a.m. each morning.

On January 5, Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi announced an easing of restrictions that, along with reopening beaches, will eliminate a weekly Sunday lockdown and a shortened curfew which has been in place since the beginning of the pandemic, The Associated Press reported.

Other restrictions, like limited capacity at restaurants, museums and casinos and a closure of bars, will remain in effect. Guidelines like social distancing and wearing face masks when in public also remain in place. Previously, the beaches had only been open at select hours during the day for those practicing "individual sports." When the beaches reopen, visitors will be required to abide by social distancing guidelines and consumption of alcohol will be prohibited. 

The new rules will remain in effect for 30 days but can be changed at any time, should the island experience another spike in COVID-19 cases.

Dominican Republic's Cigar Sales Smokin'

Locked-down smokers around the world are proving to be a boon for the Dominican Republic's cigar and tobacco industry.

Already the world's largest cigar producer, the Caribbean nation is on track to export a record $1 billion worth of tobacco products this year. That would represent a 6% jump over the $942 million it sold abroad in 2019, according to government figures. The cigar industry has emerged as a bright spot for the region's largest economy, which is expected to shrink 5.5% this year, as its critical tourism and services sectors are hammered by coronavirus-related restrictions.

As global cigar aficionados have been unable to frequent bars and restaurants, they're spending more money and time on their smoking habit, said Hendrik Kelner, the president of the Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers.

Puerto Rican Military Veterans Will Now Celebrate National Borinqueneers Day

Puerto Rican military veterans known as the Borinqueneers are getting their own national day after the U.S. Congress approved the National Defense Authorization Act during an unprecedented vote that overrode President Donald Trump's veto of the sweeping military policy bill.

The designation of April 13 as National Borinqueneers Day "recognizes the bravery, service, and sacrifice" of the 65th Infantry Regiment, a U.S. Army unit that consisted mostly of soldiers from Puerto Rico, according to the new law. They fought in both World Wars and Korea. The regiment carried the name Borinqueneers, in reference to Puerto Rico's pre-colonial name Borinquen.

This vote came from qualified voters in Congress. In case you didn't know, Puerto Rico has a non-voting member in Congress called a resident commissioner. The resident commissioner does not have a right to vote on proposed legislation in the full House of Representative (ak.a. Congress), but nevertheless have floor privileges and are able to participate in certain other House functions. The current commissioner is Jenniffer González-Colón of the New Progressive Party (PNP), the first woman to hold the post. Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth, has been represented in Congress by a non-voting resident commissioner since 1901. (There is no Senator.)

Rum Journal: A Powerful Rum From Puerto Rico

There’s a pantheon of “overproof” rums across the Caribbean, a fiery group of sought-after expressions like Grenada’s Rivers Rum and St Vincent and the Grenadine’s aptly, wonderfully named Very Strong Rum. 

In recent years, the overproof category has seen a degree of premiumization, as more producers have begun releasing cask-strength expressions of their aged product, and, ultimately, more overproof rums. More recently, distilleries like Guadeloupe’s Longueteau have launched ultra-premium overproof rums, most notably the lovely Genesis series. 

Very Strong Rum and its ilk can often be found with coke; the natural habitat of the high-proof white rhum agricoles of the French Caribbean is always inside of a ti’ punch. These extremely potent rums will turn an average cocktail into something far more interesting, adding personality, power and pure punch. 

The most recent addition to the Caribbean’s overproof portfolio comes from one of the region’s hottest rum brands: Puerto Rico’s Ron del Barrilito. It’s called Ron Hacienda Santa Ana, and its named for the site of what remains the oldest rum company in Puerto Rico, one that has been finding increasing renown in recent years.

The flavor profile is marked by spice, citrus peel, oak, toasted baguette; brown sugar, cinnamon and creme brulee. And while it’s unmistakably powerful, it’s also wonderful. There’s an immense balance here, meaning the fire is always controlled, delivered smoothly. This would like make a spectacular Pina colada. But it’s also eminently sippable. Retail prices range from less than $40 in most places.

Are Jamaica’s Biggest Stars Leaving Reggae Behind?

Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broad sense to refer to most types of popular Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that was strongly influenced by traditional mento (Jamaican folk music) as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues. Reggae, like its direct Jamaican forerunners, ska and rocksteady, is an amalgam sound.

Over the decades, reggae has undergone organic stylistic changes and intentional adaptations aimed at reaching wider audiences. Island Records founder Chris Blackwell strategized marketing The Wailers’ 1973 Catch A Fire as a rock album, overdubbing guitar riffs and keyboard flourishes on the trio’s Jamaican recordings. Seeking to connect with an African American audience Bob Marley incorporated disco influences on his 1980 single “Could You Be Loved.” Bob Marley and The Wailers below (circa 1973).

Some of the biggest stars featured on reggae radio or streaming platforms today are playing a hybrid style that would’ve been unrecognizable as reggae when Bob, Toots, Dennis, Gregory, or Jimmy began. To many fans, it’s unrecognizable now. The new sound of Jamaica owes as much to trap, EDM, Afrobeat, and contemporary R&B as it does to dancehall or the original roots of reggae. It’s a style that doesn’t have a name yet, at least not one that’s stuck (although it’s sometimes referred to as trap dancehall) and you can hear it all over Jamaica and streaming sites.

Jamaica’s biggest stars aren't leaving reggae behind, they're taking it to the next level.

Many more beyond me agree that Tarrus Riley, Protoje, and Dre Island—released outstanding albums this year that embody this evolutionary sound. All have incorporated influences and teachings from their Rastafari way of life, yet numerous tracks on their new albums bear little resemblance to the reggae of a generation ago. Experience Protoje's "Still I Wonder" from his 2020 album In Search Of Lost Time by clicking HERE or the image below:

Added to that, we've seen the rise of the female rise with that including Koffee, Lila Iké, and Shenseea doing the same. There are so many others riding this amalgam of modern reggae music who are having a ripple effect on both Jamaican and pop culture, adding Skip Marley, Chronixx, Jah9, Jo Mersa Marley. Experience Dre Island's "Four Seasons" from his 2020 17-track album Now I Rise by clicking HERE or the image below:

Tarrus Riley is quoted as saying, "Don’t watch the tempo because I like doing new things. People are concerned with names, labels, trap, rap, hip-hop, dancehall, I can’t bother with them things. I have always been doing different kinds of sounds and I will continue. Music is going through a change right now, people are blending and fusing, everybody wants to call it a name, but I just call it good music." I think Tarrus speaks for many and with that I invite more non-fans of reggae to come explore this dynamic music genre. Experience what he's is speaking about in "Healing" from his 2020 album of the same name by clicking HERE or the image below:

Americans Consuming Regional Latin and Afrobeat Music More Than Ever

Figures from Alpha Data, the analytics provider behind the Rolling Stone Charts, show that U.S. listeners gravitated more and more toward global genres than in the year prior. When studying streaming behavior in 2020 compared to 2019, Regional Latin and Afrobeat were among the genres that saw the highest growth in streams. 

Regional Latin

Within Latin, the subgenres that saw the biggest leaps weren’t reggaeton and Latin pop, which have seen crossover success in the States for years, but regional genres steeped in Latin American traditions.

Regional Mexican music, in particular, saw a notable increase in on-demand audio streams. Ranchera saw a 54% increase, while Narcocorridos (or drug ballads), a subgenre of the traditional Mexican corridos, saw a 41% increase year on year. Regional Mexican artists reached the upper ranks of the charts more than ever that includes Natanael Cano. Check out "El Drip" by clicking HERE or the image below:

Other increases included a 37% rise for merengue, which began in the Dominican Republic, and a 27% lift for cumbia, whose roots are in Colombia. 

Afrobeat

America is a little late to Afrobeat, but over the past few years, U.S. listeners have been playing catchup in 2020. Streams for Afrobeat and Nigerian music more than doubled in the U.S. compared to 2019, according to Alpha Data. Year-on-year, streams for Afrobeat rose 129%.

This meant more Nigerian artists reached the U.S. charts: All told, five African artists reached the Breakthrough 25 Chart in 2020. Burna Boy and Davido, who were already established stars in Nigeria, both launched albums onto the RS 200 and reached Number 128 and 263, respectively, on the Artists 500. Check out WizKid's new release "Ginger" featuring Burna Boy by clicking HERE or the image below:

Reggae dancehall veteran Sister Charmaine dead at 54

Veteran dancehall-reggae artist Sister Charmaine passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in the Bronx, New York last week (Jan. 5). The Jamaican-born veteran deejay and performer was a young 54. She is best known for the single "Granny Advice" and her performances at the infamous Sting stage show in Jamaica. Check out her near-acapella performance of "Granny Advice" by clicking HERE or the image below.

Sting is the longest running stage show in Jamaica and is dubbed the greatest one night reggae and dancehall show on earth. The focus is on dancehall reggae, and over the past 35 years a hardcore dancehall crowd has been the critical jury of who’s hot and who’s not. Sting always takes place on December 26, Boxing Day.

In 1988 Sister Charmaine appeared in a clash on the Sting stage with Lady Mackerel and Junie Ranks. In 1989 she clashed once more on the Sting stage with Lady G, as well as Patra and Lady P. Think of these as 4-way rap battles or yesterday's version of Verzuz TV. What's more interesting to me is that these we strong women performing, more so competing, for industry and fan respect in a male dominant music genre. Catch the 1989 clash featuring Sister Charmaine, Lady G, Patra, and Lady P HERE or by clicking on image below:

"She ah the maddest ting onstage, nothing no bad like her. No one can talk bout dem have big song and perform after, that no mean nothing. She come in like a man onstage, ah the maddest ting. She came to my birthday bash in 2019 and steal the show from me," her close friend and confidante Lady Ann told Loop News.

#ReggaeFriday Weekend Soundtrack

This week I cover two album releases that includes the King of Dancehall reggae Vybz Kartel and Latin music's Danna Paola.

Vybz Cartel / Dancehall Royalty (EP)

Adidja Azim Palmer, better known as Vybz Kartel, released a new album on January 8 from behind bars. This 5-track EP, Dancehall Royalty, from the self-professed King of Dancehall features appearances from Renee 6:30, Sikka Rymes, UTG, and family members. It's his first release in 2021, but surely not his last. The second installment, “Dancehall Royalty Part 2” will be released in late April. That project will feature 10 tracks, along with the usual and a few surprise appearances.

In 2014, Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his associate Clive "Lizard" Williams. He will be eligible for parole once he has served a minimum of 35 years in prison.

He released two albums in 2020-- Of Dons & Divas and To Tanesha-- from behind bars, too. Despite his incarceration, he continues to release albums with his provocative, not-safe-for-work (NSFW) lyrics, to keep his massive, deep-rooted dancehall reggae fanbase happy. The lead track off of the new album is "Dirty John Crow" that features Sikka Rymes. You can experience it by clicking HERE or the image below:

This is video is an example of the type of NSFW content that also spurs endless TikTok posts by fans. Vybz Kartel is known to share some of the fan posts on his social media. As summarized by Rolling Stone, Kartel "attained folk-hero status in Jamaica with provocative lyrics, and a mischievous public persona" and "few have captivated [the dancehall] audience – or offended the sensibilities of its detractors –as consistently and thoroughly as Kartel."

As expected from an artiste at the top of the game, the EP has been well received so far, already topping the iTunes Reggae charts, holding steadily at number 1 just hours after its release. I was first introduced to Vybz Kartel around 2003 by former Loud Records executive, writer, film producer Come Chantrel after a string of hits by Kartel in Jamaica. Even back then, Come had been very enthusiastic about Kartel's future. Kartel has 1.86 million subscribers on YouTube Music and 1.5 million followers on Instagram. For context, the population of Jamaica is 2.9 million.

Kartel has collaborated with a number of hip hop and R&B artists such as Major Lazer, Rihanna, and Jay Z. He has been credited as an inspiration for the dancehall-infused work of a number of Western artists, including Drake, who has cited Kartel as being one of his "biggest inspirations".

Danna Paola / K.O. (LP)

Kicking-off the new year with her 6th solo studio album released today, K.O. (Knock Out), Mexican actress, singer and model Danna Paola Rivera Munguía, simply known as Danna Paola, delivers an 11-track LP. The Spanish language album has many Latin rhythms and some reggaeton swagger on a few tracks that is backed by her sultry sounding pop vocals. But, make no mistake that this is a pop album with ballads and tracks that lean into rock. Think Selena Gomez and or a Latin-tinged Ariana Grande-- delivered in Spanish.

A few favorite tracks of mine is "T.A.C.O," "Me Myself" that features MIKA (remember him?), and "No Bailes Sola" featuring Colombian singer Sebastián Yatra. Experience "Friend De Semana" featuring Brazilian singer Luísa Sonza and emerging Spanish singer Aitana by clicking HERE or the image below:

“With this album, I knocked out all of the bad stuff that was killing me, emotionally,” she told Billboard, calling it a production that represents healing. “I used it to drain everything I had in my heart. That’s why I named it ‘K.O.’ -- because it was like the last punch to the heart during this whole process.” She self admits that this album is personal.

Her previously released track "No Bailes Sola" with Sebastián Yatra has already amassed more than 60 million views on YouTube Music alone. Through this song, I became a fan of both. Experience "No Bailes Sola" by clicking HERE or the image below:

Danna gained popularity as a child actress and singer, starring in dozens of television projects throughout her early childhood and adolescence.

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My #ReggaeFriday posts are part of a self-created commitment (and a self-indulgence) that started in early June 2020 with the intention to expose, elevate, celebrate, and expand an appreciation of the people, culture and music of reggae and reggaeton-- a slice of Caribbean Culture.

Cigar: Bloomberg photo by Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo