Rihanna, SpongeBob, Shaggy, Pandora Jewelry, and Sumfest 2020 Headline This #ReggaeFriday

Volume 1, Issue 6

Thank you to all of you who commented on last week's #ReggaeFriday piece that's focused on the Reggaeton culture and music. (Where did it come from, who’s following and what do brands have to do with it?). In the future we will be taking a closer look at the growing success of women in both Reggae and Reggaeton-- those who are thriving and succeeding in a once male-dominant genre. This week, I wanted to highlight a variety of noteworthy news items deserving of your attention.

1/ Jewelry Brand Pandora Partners With Marley Family For COVID-19 Relief For Kids

Next weekend on July 17, Stephen Marley, Cedella Marley and her son, Skip Marley will release a new version of "One Love" to the public. The song, released by Tuff Gong International and Amplified Music, will accompany a music video. Both will include special guest appearances from other musicians.

“Daddy wrote this song like 40 years ago, a long, long time. It just feels like right now in the world we need to have some different type of unity happening. Not just lip service, but real action,” Cedella Marley, 52, said in an interview with The Associated Press this week. “I think we’re going to bring this song to a generation that needs to know we do care. We do care what happens. We’re going to do a nudge and push and a shove and hopefully the message will resonate.” A music video was created in 2017 to accompany the remastered original song superimposing old video of Bob over newer video footage. You can watch and listen to it here:

All proceeds from the new version of “One Love,” will support Reimagine, UNICEF’s global campaign for coronavirus relief efforts focused on helping and aiding children around the world. Jewelry brand Pandora says it will match every dollar raised from “One Love,” giving up to $1 million.

Bob Marley & The Wailers released “One Love” in 1977. Bob Marley died of (melanoma) cancer in 1981 at age 36.

In a related article, Cedella is reported have said they recorded the song at her house in Miami and they received Rita Marley’s blessing. “My mom, she came in and she listened, and she gave us a thumbs up and that seal of approval is priceless.”

2/ Move Over Patrick, Reggaeton's J Balvin & Tainy Get BFF With SpongeBob SquarePants

Yesterday, Reggaeton artist J Balvin dropped a single "Agua" that is the first release off the soundtrack tied to the forthcoming "SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run."

The "Sponge" soundtrack is executive produced by award-winning producer Tainy and renowned industry leader Lex Borrero under their NEON16 company umbrella. This marks the first time the Latin multimedia company and talent incubator partners with the animated franchise. Listen to "Agua" below:

Marco Masis, artisitcally known as Tainy, is a Puerto Rican record producer and songwriter who entered the world of Reggaeton with his work on "Mas Flow 2" (2005)-- a compilation album by reggaeton producers Luny Tunes. Leading a new wave of Latin music for over a decade, Tainy, has been the mastermind and key component behind some of the most iconic Reggaeton hits for Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Wisin & Yandel, and Don Omar among others.

Four favorite Tainy tracks of mine are "China" (1.4 billion views) for Anuel AA and "Callaíta" (526 million views) for Bad Bunny as well as both "Cuidao por Ahí" (45.8 million views) and "Yo Le Llego" (47 million views) that came off the J Balvin & Bad Bunny collaboration OASIS released June 2019. Many of you pop music lovers might know Tainy best for the Cardi B hit "I Like It" (1.1 billion views) with Bad Bunny and J Balvin which you can watch and listen below:

3/ Rihanna’s Reggae-Inspired Album ‘R9’ Has Been Delayed Indefinitely

Yes, she is from Barbados and gained fame from her reggae-fused hits "Pon de Replay" (2005), "What's My Name feat. Drake" (2010) and "Man Down" (2011). Yes, Rihanna later zig-zagged Billboard's top dance and pop charts with multiple mega producers including Calvin Harris ("We Found Love"); Benny Blanco & Stargate ("Diamonds"); Jay-Z, Tricky Stewart, Kuk Harrell & The-Dream ("Umbrella"). But, she's now coming back soon with an all-reggae album. But, when?

In October last year, Rihanna told Vogue magazine that she was working on the project and that it would be different from anything else she’d ever produced. “It’s not gonna be typical of what you know as reggae. But you’re going to feel the elements in all of the tracks […] Reggae always feels right to me. It’s in my blood. It doesn’t matter how far or long removed I am from that culture or my environment that I grew up in; it never leaves. It’s always the same high. Even though I’ve explored other genres of music, it was time to go back to something that I haven’t really homed in on completely for a body of work.”

According to media reports, our RiRi is looking to build on her beauty empire. She has now trademarked her new line, which will be called the Buff Ryder to go alongside her Fenty Cosmetics line that she does with LVMH. She’s going to be focused on this new project exclusively as her goal is to become a beauty billionaire, according to a sun.co.uk source. Perhaps she has realized there is more money in the beauty game than music as record sales die down and live touring faces big competition in the post-COVID-19 era.

Watch and listen to "Man Down" that has 723 million views below:

Interesting note on "Man Down," the song was co-created with singer Shontelle and Rock City-- who were inspired by Bob Marley's 1973 song "I Shot The Sheriff" and set out to create a song which embodied the same feel, but from a female perspective. Lyrically, Rihanna is a fugitive after she shoots a man, an action she later regrets. The music video, directed by Anthony Mandler was criticized by the Parents Television Council, Industry Ears and Mothers Against Violence, who faulted Rihanna for suggesting that murder is an acceptable form of justice for rape victims. In the U.S., that is true. In other cultures, less so.

Also, note the obvious product placement of Vita Coco (All Market Inc.) in the music video starting at 1:39. That's 723.6 million impressions for the brand, so far, and A++ on cool factor. Love that. Did I ever tell you about my old Hawaiian Punch project?

Which brands will step-up to support BadGalRiri when this album comes out?

4/ Reggae Sumfest 2020 Goes Virtual On Facebook & Instagram July 20-25

COVID-19 has forced many recording artists, record labels, and entertainment companies to reinvent themselves and to find new or innovative ways to bring live music experiences to their fanbases. While Burning Man, Lollapalooza, and so many other festivals and concert tours have been cancelled, 2020 Reggae Sumfest Festival will go on. DownSound Entertainment, the team behind the Reggae Sumfest brand, are instead opting to take the much-loved event online formed by a terrific alliance with social media giant Facebook and Instagram. Reggae Sumfest is Jamaica's biggest reggae festival.

“This will be no ordinary show. Reggae Sumfest has been known to raise the bar when it comes to entertainment, and this will be no different. We know that the new normal has become online events, but we aim to take this to a whole new level to ensure that our loyal fans enjoy the exceptional production and entertainment standards that are part of the Sumfest tradition,” pledged Joe Bogdanovich, CEO of DownSound Entertainment.

The weekend-long proceedings should feature a trip down memory lane as fans get to view past performances. There will also be music information sessions and artist interviews. Much like the actual show, the final 2 days should feature live performances from some of Jamaica’s biggest names. Along with the Facebook suite of companies, viewers should be able to tune in on streaming giant Pandora. To get a small taste of last year's show, please check out 2020 Grammy Award winner Koffee perform my favorite tracks below (look to see that this is Part 1 and flows into Part 2):

Koffee the youngest person (at 19 years old) and only woman to be awarded in the Best Reggae Album category category.

Under normal live event conditions, SumFest attracts crowds of 30,000 cutting across all ages from all over the world, and has featured a variety of Jamaican reggae artists such as Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, Freddie McGregor, Vybz Kartel, Sean Paul and Lady Saw as well as international artists including 50 Cent, Rihanna, and Kanye West.

Some people are more familiar with Reggae Sunsplash events. Reggae Sunsplash was a reggae music festival first staged in 1978 in the northern part of Jamaica. In 1985 it expanded with the addition of an international touring festival. The festival ran annually until 1996, with a final event in 1998, before it was revived in 2006, then discontinued. Reggae Sumfest is now Jamaica's biggest reggae festival.

#ReggaeFriday Weekend Soundtrack

Shaggy releases "Hot Shot 2020" today which celebrates the 20th anniversary of the original release of "Hot Shot" that birthed popular songs including "Angel," "It Wasn't Me," and "Luv Me Luv Me." It features updated versions of those big hits, as well as never-before-heard tracks. Shaggy is reported to want to "modernize songs" and "take them to turbo." Some say that this move was for Shaggy to connect with the TikTok generation-- a new generation of listeners who are discovering him for their first time.

One person not buying into the project is Shaun “Sting International” Pizzonia, the producer who has long been Shaggy’s right-hand man and was responsible for ‘Hot Shot’’s biggest hits. He made that clear on his social post, here.

As Luke Morgan Britton wrote for NME: Shaggy is a figure who, although wilfully leaning into his novelty status over the years, played a key — and largely unsung — role in the export of dancehall and Jamaican music at the turn of the millennium. “‘Hot Shot’ actually shifted the culture and moved the needle in dancehall to where the mainstream really started to notice and deal with dancehall music as a force to be reckoned with,” Shaggy recently said. While there’s a hint of self-flattery in that quote, you can’t argue that he didn’t lay the foundations for more “legitimate” acts such as Sean Paul and Beenie Man to subsequently build on. Basically, Shaggy has earned the right to do what he wants at this point.

Shaggy's close friend and frequent collaborator Sting is featured on "Hot Shot 2020" in the singer's new version of "Angel," a track he released in 2000 with fellow musician Rayvon.

There is likely some merit to both sides. Don't mess with classics and appeal to a new generation to add longevity (and income). Other artists have taken different approaches for example Elvis's "Can't Help Falling In Love" was re-done and often misassociated with Bob Dylan, UB40, and even U2. Quite frankly if Shaggy wanted to truly appeal to the TikTok generation, then adding Sting to the collaborators makes no sense.

You decide: "Hot Shot 2020" gets a thumbs-up or thumbs-down? I'll share my thoughts next week.

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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 towards the people, culture and music of reggae and reggaeton.