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This is an internet mp3 store for reggae, dancehall-, dub-, ska, hip hop- and jungle-music. Check out our Photos or keep youself up to date with our news. Klick on Shop and check our Downloads.
We offer from Rebel Cuts Records out of Berlin the mighty "Rise Up Riddim", big tunes from Heartical Records on following Riddims: "Real Rock Riddim", "Fade Away Riddim", "Slaving Riddim" and "Dub Fire Riddim" and 9 boom-tunes on "King Orle Riddim" produced by Tripple Links and some nice tunes from Afro Jazz musician Salah Addin.
Cham Interview
Text + Photos: Benjamin Poljak
5. März 2008
Damian Beckett, a.k.a. Cham a.k.a. Baby Cham is since December 2007 on Tour in Germany and visited Berlin in the place called Kulturbrauerei. He became really famous in 2006 with his tune "Ghetto Story" on the 85 Riddim. We had the chance for an interview after the concert Backstage.
Pullupmp3: Hi. Everything cool??
Cham: Yes.
Pullupmp3: Is this the first time for you in Berlin?
Cham: No, I think we came here probably 2003. We opened for Sean Paul.
Pullupmp3: At Columbiahalle right?
Cham: Arena.
Pullupmp3: Ah, ok. So how do you like Berlin.
Cham: Yeah I love Berlin man, the vibe and the friends have so much energy. I tryed to keep up with them, but too much to manage in a day. I love the vibe, the vibe is good.
Pullupmp3: And the females - right.
Cham: The females are beautiful.
Pullupmp3: I would like to know where are you born and grown up in Jamaica?
Cham: I was born and raised in Marverly, that is in Kingston 20. I spend some time in Waterhouse and went down to Sherlock Cresent what is still Kingston. I am a Kingstonian.
Pullupmp3: Did you like to go to school?
Cham: Unfortunately yes. I love going to school. Because thats where all our friends ... enjoy it so much. Thats where your skill beating on the decks, freestyling for your friends... Schooldays were the best days of my life.
Pullupmp3: Thats where you start to sing?
Cham: Yes. My uncle had a Soundsystem by the name of Studiomix. Supercat use to perform on the Soundsystem, John Wayne... and thats where we got the inspiration from.
Pullupmp3: Do you have children?
Cham: Yes, two boys.
Pullupmp3: From one woman?
Cham: Yes, I keep all the money in one house.
Pullupmp3: So you stick to your woman.
Cham: Yes I stick to my woman.
Pullupmp3: Ghetto story - is it your true story?
Cham: 70% of it is my personal life. The next 30% of it is what I have read, what I have seen at the 7 o'clock news, growing up as a kid.
Pullupmp3: You sing a lot about gun lyrics.
Cham: Yes.
Pullupmp3: Why?
Cham: To me an artist is like a mirror of society. we reflect it by words, melodies and beats. If society is not showing us guns then youth not singing about guns. If soceyety is just all nice, this big paradise, then we will singing about apples and bees, fruits, nice females, water the trees, the birds. but society show so much things. When you go in the studio you reflect. You have the bad side of your reflection, you have the good side. Sometines you hear the gun songs and thats from our recollections.
Ras Shiloh Interview
Text + Photos: Benjamin Poljak
Berlin 2005
Ras Shiloh's story shows what can happen, if you were born in New York and have Jamaican neighbours which have a soundsystem. Now it is round about 17 years ago as Ras Shiloh goes to his neighbours daily after doing his homework (a New York soundsystem called Ballis International). Ballis International was a big Sound in these days and so Ras Shiloh meets: Tenor Saw, Nitty Gritty, Admiral Bailey, Barrington Levy, Shabba and a lot more. After a short while, Ballis International took the young Ras Shiloh to some soundsystem shows. In this time everyone called Ras Shiloh"Big Belly Youth", who was strictly deejaying. Ras Shiloh become to a singer with a great voice. If you close your eyes while he is singing, you have a feeling the melodic, vibrating voice belongs to the singer Garnett Silk which is passed away. Ras Shiloh heard often about his similar voice to Garnett and he takes the compliment with pleasure. Years later Ras Shiloh visited Jamaica for a few times and met his mentor Tony Rebel. After that Ras Shiloh released the song (title) "Are You Satisfied" on the Lalabella Riddim and a lot more should follow. Without Tony Rebel all the Penthouse tunes would not be possible to released. At least after the combination song with Gentleman (title) "Blessings of jah", even every Reggae-Fan in Germany should know Ras Shiloh's name.
Ras Shiloh album number five is gonna be released soon, in this case produced by Bobby Digital. (while in the interview, the name was still unknown to be set). So this voice of an angel visited Germany the second time and we took the chance and made an Interview after his performance in the flat of the Promoter.
Pullupmp3: Where are you from?
RAS SHILOH: I am born and grown in Brooklyn NY and since three years i am in Jamaica. Do or die - that's how they call it where I'm from.
Pullupmp3: How old are you?
RAS SHILOH: 27 years old.
Pullupmp3: For how long will you be on tour in Europe?
RAS SHILOH: For a hole month with Junior Kelly. I am coming from Rome know, Coming from the Vatican city. Just Burning up the new pope. Ha ha.
Pullupmp3: Do you have any more gigs in Germany?
RAS SHILOH: No. Just in Berlin, but i have some things to take care in Cologne. I will check my brother Gentleman for the combination number two. But no more gigs in Germany on this Tour. We will play some Shows in France.
Pullupmp3: What about your new album. How do you call it?
RAS SHILOH: It has no name yet, I have to be in Jamaica with Bobby Digital to decide about the name. I still have to finish two tracks. It will have fresh, unreleased Tunes on it. Look out for it. This is the number five album.
Pullupmp3: You work with a lot of different producers. Do you have a favourite producer?
RAS SHILOH: Donnavan Germain (penthouse) is a great producer, Bobby Digital is a great producer, I work with Firehouse. I don't work with every producer. I have my selected few producers. Bobby Digital is like a rubberdub king, when it comes to roots-music he is specialised in that. Garnett Silk does most of his work with Bobby Digital, because Bobby is specialised in certain things. The connection is there. Every producer is unique in their own way xterminator, penthouse... have different vibrations than Bobby Digital. If you work with this producer you gonna get this, if you work with that producer, you gonna get that. And when it comes together it is beautiful.
Pullupmp3: I heard you have a soundsystem?
RAS SHILOH: Ja Man, Jah Fingers. We are three people. Jah Fingers have a part in NY / Orlando with Top Cat and we are based in Jamaica with Futuristic Warrior and me.
Pullupmp3: What is your part in the soundsystem? Are you the selector or the dj?
Coming Home & Only King Selassie are still released in 2007.
Cutty Ranks Interview
It was already cold outside, I had the chance to speak personally to veteran DJ Philip Thomas aka Cutty Ranks after a Dubplate session in Berlin. It took place in an old factory site, which was modified to a studio. In the old days they repaired locomotives and railway wagons in that factory. Today you can find a heap of leisure facilities, a skate park and clubs. I was the first in the studio, so I took place on an old couch and waited. It didn't take long and a well known engineer boarded the building. Somow is a half of the Berlin Record Label Rebelcuts. Rebelcuts cooperates with Topline events, which makes the thickest bookings of the city. Shortly afterwards the master himself entered the studio followed by a set of Soundboys. I introduced myself and mentioned I liked to interview him after the Dub-session. During the recording one thing was clear to me. The man is a bit impatient. When the recording system wasn't as how he want's it, he quickly became loud and uncomfortable. The poor Somow! After completing the work, I let him have a moment in silence and then we started with the interview.
Pullupmp3: You started in the age of 14 with DJing?
Cutty Ranks: No, I've started before that. I started at about 11 years old. I started young in the business. I used to work with PA Soundsystem Live in Box, hard work you know.
Pullupmp3: What did you wanted to be, before you wanted to be a dj?
Cutty Ranks: I used to love music from I was small, I used to listen to a lot of programs on the radio, like talent-shows.
Pullupmp3: Yeah, but you never wished to be a doctor, lawyer... did you ever had a goal...
Cutty Ranks: No. My goal was music from day one, from the early days. I used listening to a lot of tunes from daddy U Roy and Bob Marley. That is what I grown up with.
Pullupmp3: How old are you now?
Cutty Ranks: I'm now in the 40's.
Pullupmp3: 41, 42..?
Cutty Ranks: 41.
Pullupmp3: I heard you was a butcher?
Cutty Ranks: Yes. I worked in a meat-shop. Thats how I really get to a side to a soundsystem by a friend, because he wasn't just in sound-business, he was in meat-business too. So I used supply in the meetshop and thats how I get to know him, because I always was cutting the meet and singing in the market and them say we gonna get him to hear more and eventually go to a dance. I went there, hold the mic and deal with it properly, because I was family with the music before that so I just find and get a chance to be with a soundsystem.
Rise Up Riddim in German Reggae Charts
Yes Massive! The RISE UP Riddim feat MYKAL ROZE (Are you ready for something new) and BONGO CHILLI (Rise up) entered the German Reggae Charts!
Thanx for your support!
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