Messenjah are arguably Canada’s most popular and important reggae band. They scored such hit singles as “Rock You High, “Jam Session,” “Cool Operator,” and “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love?,” appeared on the soundtrack of Tom Cruise movie Cocktail, and won the 1989 Juno Award for Best Reggae Recording.
It was in 1994 that Common released “I Used to Love H.E.R.,” arguably the most highly-regarded and seminal song to ever personify hip-hop as a woman. More than a dozen years later, Word asks some of today’s finest: If hip-hop was a woman, what would she look like?
Known to the world as King Jammy’s, Lloyd James was mentored by the great dub master, King Tubby’s, before launching out on his own. Jammy’s would eventually return to Jamaica in the late 70’s, where the Prince became a King and rewrote the history of reggae music.
Jimmy Cliff is definitely not slowing down. He is now embarking on Act Two of an incredible career. The singer/songwriter, actor and screen writer still believes his best work is yet to come.
The Grammy nominated indie soul/singer songwriter Eric Roberson known as Erro to his fans is on a roll with his music career. He’s arguably the best soul artist some mainstream music fans have never heard of even though you’ve heard his songs sung by others.
WORD had a chance to talk to De La Soul on a tour stop in Toronto to get some answers about their label situation, and to get some idea of what it means to still be in the majors after nearly a decade and a half.
