Catch Di Riddim – December 3
Dennis Brown compilation hits Billboard Reggae chart
The late reggae singer Dennis Brown lands his second charting album on any of Billboard magazine’s charts.
The VP Records compilation The Crown Prince of Reggae: Singles 1972 to 1985 debuted at number ten on the Reggae album tally.
Brown, who passed away in 1999, has to date scored only two albums on any of the Billboard charts.
His A&M Records opus Love Has Found its Way powered to number 36 on the R&B Album chart in 1982.
The album’s title track scaled the R&B Singles chart and peaked at number 42.
And speaking of the Billboard Reggae album chart, there is a new Marshall in town as it relates to the number one spot. Distant Relatives by Nas and Damian Marley has fallen from the number one spot after spending seven months at the summit.
The charge is being led by the hits compilation Legend: the Best of Bob Marley & the Wailers. Incidentally, the compilation had spent non-consecutive weeks in the number one spot earlier this year.
Busy season for singer Stevie Face
Singer Stevie Face recently scored with the single Thank You for Loving Me. The song which topped the New York and South Florida reggae charts spent multiple weeks at the top of music video charts locally, a few months ago.
The singer is looking ahead to a busy Christmas, with confirmed performances overseas. As a result, he will be missing some major shows locally.
He is set to depart the island for performances in the UK, France, and Toronto, Canada.
After his overseas jaunt, Stevie Face will return to local shores for performances a New Year’s Day concert in St Thomas, and the annual Rebel Salute stage show.
One of his most recent local performances was at the Sunset Jamaica Grande hotel in Ocho Rios, where he shared stage with the likes of George Nooks and Tarrus Riley.
Stevie Face recently participated in a tribute album to Beres Hammond. The project which was produced and spearheaded by Donovan Germain of Penthouse Music is scheduled for release early next year.
Tony Anthony takes Torn to the top
Tony Anthony has already made his mark in Canada winning multiple awards for his work, and scoring hits on various reggae charts. He has now turned his focus to Jamaica, the land of his birth, seeking to make an impact with the song Torn.
Torn, which is currently making moves on the New York and South Florida Reggae charts, has already taken the number one spot on Richie B Jamaica Music Countdown as well as Stampede’s Street Charts.
This is the first single released from his debut album Million Chance. The album has already topped various album charts. The second single Bad News has now entered various charts.
Tony Anthony was born and raised in Grove Farm, St Catherine where he began singing at church when he was eight years old. He migrated to Canada about 20 years ago where he has been busy making a name for himself on the music scene.
At the recently held Canada Reggae Achievements Awards, Tony Anthony won the award for Best Reggae Vocalist.
Smooth ride to the top for Kanye West
Rapper Kanye West’s Good Fridays concept where he released new music every Friday for weeks leading up to the release date of his new album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, seems to have paid off.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy moved some 496,000 copies to win in the race for the number one spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
This is West’s fourth number one album. His last album 808’s and Heartbreak which was released in 2008, launched with 450,000 copies in its opening week.
West beat female rapper Nicki Minaj in an easily contested battle for the hot seat on the album charts. Minaj posted the second best opening week for a female hip hop act, as her debut opus Pink Friday opened with 375,000 copies.
To find a better opening week for a female hip hop act, one would have to journey back to the year 1998 when Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill bowed with 423,000 units.