LargeUp drops their list of 15 people to follow on Instagram. The list came from a growing awareness of more and more cool accounts related to the super-dope Caribbean content LargeUp covers. Their picks span the vast world of island music and culture and include Jillionaire, Vashtie Kola, Collie Buddz, Don Corleon, Varun Baker and others. Check the link below to peep the list at LargeUp.

>>>LargeUp’s 15 People To Follow On Instagram

The post LargeUp’s 15 People To Follow On Instagram appeared first on Okayplayer.

LargeUp drops a brief anthology chronicling the history of Jamaican women dropping patois on rap records – a trend reportedly begun by Dr. Dre with the intro to “Let Me Ride” and continued in earnest by Biggie, Pusha T and other MCs fascinated by the bad gyal inflections of Yardie culture. Whether the interest is initially sparked by a rapper’s birthright or abiding curiosity, the fact remains that the unmistakable flavor a Jamaican accent lends to trash talk allows it to remain a hip-hop staple in high demand. The trend makes sense when you consider the origins of hip-hop culture, which can be traced back to the Caribbean nation via DJ Kool Herc and other hip-hop pioneers with familial roots and sometimes birthplaces on the island and elsewhere in the Caribbean. Aside from that, it sounds pretty badass – a trait only amplified more recently by the female MCs. Miss Kitty and Eve recently teamed up for the single “E.V.E”, which combines hip-hop with dubstep. Eve also spent time recording in Jamaica with Lady Saw for her forthcoming release. Check the “E.V.E.” video below to get a taste of Miss Kitty’s bad gyal verses. Scroll down to head over to LargeUp and get the full skinny on Heds & Dreds.

>>>Read the full article on Heds & Dreds at LargeUp

The post Heds & Dreds: LargeUp’s History Of Jamaican Women Talking Smack On Rap Records appeared first on Okayplayer.

Snoop Lion is pretty hard to avoid these days, as he is going hard promoting Reincarnated. During a recent appearance at VP Records studio in Queens, he was joined by jamaican singer Gyptian to freestyle over the classic ’80s dancehall riddim Kuff. He did a pretty good job bringing his energy and timeless Snoop style to the tabe.

This week also saw a performance of Snoop on the Late Show with David Letterman. Singing “No Guns Allowed” without Drake, he spread his desire of peace amongst a stage filled with fog and his daughter on background vocals. No matter how you feel about his recently released Reincarnated, this surely is a catchy song. Peep the video below.

>>>Watch Snoop Lion x Gyptian Freestyle (via LargeUp)

The post LargeUp Video: Snoop Lion Freestyles w/ Gyptian + Performs on David Letterman appeared first on Okayplayer.

In honor of the forthcoming smokers’ holiday, LargeUp has put together a list of the Top 20 Weed Anthems for 4/20. Hosted by veteran reggae singer and marijuana connoisseur Carlton Livingston, the list includes some of the best odes to the collie bud out there. An introduction from Livingston can be seen below, in addition to numbers 20-11. The rest of the list will premiere at midnight to soundtrack your celebration. Enjoy (and check back at 4:20 tomorrow for Okayplayer’s annual Stoner Rap post!)

>>>Watch more (via LargeUp

The post LargeUp TV: Top 20 Weed Anthems For 4/20 appeared first on Okayplayer.

Streets been talking about Bill Cosby‘s appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon earlier this week. And yet! If not for the vigilance of LargeUp, would’ve missed the most important part of the whole show–ie Cosby’s extended skank to Black Uhuru‘s “Sponji Reggae,” as selected by The Roots for his walk-on music.In fact, Cosby was catching such a vibe from the classic rhythm–made famous by it’s use on Cosby Show bit featuring Lisa Bonét‘s character and a would-be boyfriend–that the skank becomes a sort of spontaneous skit/stand-up routine, and goes on so long that The Roots have to make up some other walk-on music for Cosby’s second, actual, walk-0n. LargeUp’s reggae radar is unparalleled generally but they have already weighed in on the historical importance of “Sponji Reggae” x Cosby in previous posts, including the must-read Hollywood’s Top 10 Worst Jamaican Accents. So I will let them tell the story…hit the links at bottom to watch both the hilarious Fallon moment and the original Cosby Show segment, but find a quick viewers guide below:

- “Hey, Mon!” ad-libs are a special Cosby dub version, not on the original

- Cosby doesn’t remember the track until ?uestlove reminds him.

- ?uesto pronounces it “Spoon-ji Reggae,” possibly conflating the title with old school rapper Spoonie Gee in the heat of the moment.

- Cosby also admits he doesn’t really like reggae because it’s like “walking with one leg shorter than the other”

-If you listen close, you can hear his appendix burst

>>>Watch Bill Cosby x The Roots – “Sponji Reggae” (via LargeUp)

>>>Watch D.Original Cosby Show “Sponji Reggae” Segment (via LargeUp)

The post LargeUp Video: Bill Cosby Skanks To The Roots Playing “Sponji Reggae” On Jimmy Fallon appeared first on Okayplayer.

Major Lazer have been going full throttle lately to get word out about Free The Universe, out Tuesday April 16th. In the new video for “Watch Out For This (Bumaye),” Diplo is seen in Kingston, Jamaica in so called”1993″ with Busy Signal and a plethora of dancing women. The result is full of good vibes and will surely get your friday night started right. Hit the link below for the full Jay Will-directed clip as well as behind-the-scenes pictures:

>>>Watch Major Lazer – “Watch Out For This (Bumayae)” (via LargeUp)

The post LargeUp Video: Major Lazer – “Watch Out For This (Bumaye)” [Official Video] appeared first on Okayplayer.

LU: Diplo got the tape of your song “Mr. Marshall”  from Jammys for Major Lazer’s “Jah No Partial,” and remixed it over some dubstep. How did you hear about the song and what was your initial reaction?

JO: Diplo came to New York and my agent Neil Robertson was telling me that they are remixing the song and they are coming to New York and they wanted me to be a special guest at Terminal 5 on the West Side. I spoke to Diplo on the phone and they wanted me to see the reaction of the people when they play the song. They were going to introduce it. [They said] we’ll put you as a special guest. They introduced me and introduced the song and I saw the people’s reaction. It was pandemonium. They didn’t take anything away from me, or from my song. They kept my song [as] my song, and add what they have and put them together. What I say is I get the old school mixed with the new school and make it a one big school, and that’s still mi rule.

And then they invited me to London. For the Red Bull Soundclash last November. And when I [sang] “Oh, Mr. Marshall!” a capella…[it was a] problem!

 

>>>Read more (via LargeUp)

The post LargeUp Exclusive: Johnny Osbourne On Miami, Major Lazer + More [Interview] appeared first on Okayplayer.

Miami’s Winter Music Conference will host LargeUp‘s second annual Winter Music Massive on Thursday, March 21st at Blackbird Ordinary. This year’s event will feature dancehall’s Original Godfather Johnny Osbourne, the Rice and Peas crew (comprising our bredrens DJ Gravy, Micro Don, Orijahnal Vibez and Corey Chase), Miami’s Riddim Series (comprising Black Chiney and Eccentrix Sound x Scotch Bonnet) and a ridiculous line-up of exciting artists and guests passing true, including but not limited to: Jovi Rockwell, MeLo-X and the general Jahdan Blakkamoore. In order to get in, you must RSVP over at wintermusicmassive.eventbrite.com and you know any bashy where Electric Punanny and Blackwell Rum are both on the list of sponsors is going to sell off instantaneous!  See the flyer artwork above for details and for more info…

>>>Read more (via LargeUp)

The post LargeUp Event: Johnny Osbourne x Rice & Peas x Riddim Series [WMC - 3/21] appeared first on Okayplayer.

Somebody let Snoop Lion out of his cage this week–the artist formally known as Snoop Dogg (TAFKASD?) performed live under his new moniker for the first time last night (not counting TV appearances) as part of Viceland’s SXSW showcase, appropriately titled Lionfest. The newly-Rastafarian rapper sang a great amount of his new Reincarnated material with the backing of Major Lazer (and a ridiculous microphone in hand). He also performed older cuts such as “Gin and Juice” with a reggae-spin. Snoop found it necessary to throw in a cover of House of Pain’s classic ”Jump Around.” Video of that song as well as “Young, Wild, and Free” can be seen below.

Timely as ever LargeUp just unveiled another exclusive from Snoop and Diplo’s interview with LargeUp TV. In this webisode, Snoop talks about what fascinated him about reggae growing up, including “Pass The Dutchie” being big in his L.A. hood and why he is drawn to the Rastafarian lifestyle today. Scroll down to watch–Reincarnated will be released on April 15th and the accompanying film is in theaters today. 

>>>Read More at LargeUp

The post LargeUp Video: Snoop Lion Live At SXSW + Exclusive Interview appeared first on Okayplayer.

Director Storm Saulter presents “Better Mus’ Come” – the Jamaican period piece set against the political turmoil that plagued the country during 1970s – for the New York City premiere of the film on March 15th at the AMC Empire 25. Tomorrow night’s opening will feature a Q&A with the director hosted by Imagenation, Urbanworld Film Festival, and LargeUp at the 8:30 PM showing. The film will run for a week starting tomorrow.

>>>Read more about the film and get details on the Q&A at LargeUp.

The post Large Popcorn: “Better Mus’ Come” NYC Premiere + Q&A appeared first on Okayplayer.