Marvin Sparks

So, I revisited Mavado's debut album, Gangster for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks, this week. Released seven years ago this month (how fast has time gone?), the album is exactly what it says it is - a quintessential biographical gangster album. One of my favourite albums of all time. One of the greatest dancehall albums of all time. In fact, there hasn't been a dancehall album this good ever since.  I'm not sure this is certified and celebrated the way it should be. This is probably due to dancehall not being an album-driven genre, but also because we're a silent culture when it comes to celebrating classic music moments. At the top of the album, the narrator announces "This CD is rated G for Gangster, it' audio contains graphic lyrics manifested and inspired by authentic ghetto experiences. Served with infectious melodies." Really and truly, I can end this post here. That is exactly what this album is. Gangster lifestyle anthems, introspective gangs...

Maaaaaaaaaaate. Actually, let me tell you what (initially) inspired this post. JLS break up. "Devastating news I didn't see coming" - said no one. We knew it was curtains when we heard their "Hottest Girl In The World" song. You know the knock-off Justin Timberlake sounding song? Pretty rubbish, but all the urbanites like it because it sounded, like, an erm, Justin Timberlake song from back in the day. Worst thing is Justin Bieber pulled the exact same stunt a few months earlier (" Boyfriend ") so it was a knock-off Justin Bieber, knocking off Justin Timberlake. New thing is "Just because it sounds familiar, doesn't mean it's good". Pretty bad, isn't it? Problem is I can see a bunch of Sony a&r's, marketing dept. and general suits, (well they wear trendy gear now, but you know who I mean) sat bumping their heads slightly off-beat, slight foot tap before saying "This sounds really edgy and current for JLS. Justin B...

So basically, I came across this song by Congo Natty called "UK Allstars" featuring General Levy, Top Cat, Daddy Colonel, Tippa Irie, Tenor Fly, Daddy Freddy and Sweetie Irie yesterday on Noisey. They also posted an interview with him too where he chats sense. I liked this question and answer: How did jungle emerge as a genre in the late 80s? "Have you seen that documentary The Windrush is about when the first West Indians came to the shores of England? This whole energy came to England and it manifested itself through sound systems and music. Even the term ‘rave’ was something that we brought over. That whole sound system culture that I was born into wasn’t the norm in England. It was only for the people that were around it and maybe in that inner city area. That sound came through in the 80s and early 90s that whole sound system vibe. You had a whole set of different mans doing their thing and the sound system culture was seeping through. Now the sound system is ...