This is your first of three free stories this month. Become a free or sustaining member to read unlimited articles, webinars and ebooks. Nightlife in Kingston is a loud affair. Jamaicans invented the sound system — a towering collection of speakers that ...

The arrest this summer of elusive alleged drug kingpin — and Jamaican folk hero — Christopher “Dudus” Coke served as a dramatic reminder that when it comes to partying at the crossroad between organized crime and pop music, rap’s got nothing on ...

Dancehall has replaced reggae as the defining music of Jamaica, at least for contemporary Jamaicans. Fans say it’s the voice of the people. Critics say it glorifies sex and violence. In its most basic form, dancehall involves a deejay rapping over a beat.

With the first days of spring finally gracing New York City, the summer is just a few breaths away — which means dancehall riddims and reggae grooves are about to be heard on every block from Flatbush to the Heights. On the reggae side, we lost a legend.

Music promoter Partson Chimbodza aka Chipaz is probably the most vilified man in Zim dancehall circles due to the violent scenes that characterised some of his shows at the City Sports Centre in Harare. The most talked about gig was the Sting 2014 which ...

She did give ample warning by indicating her 29th birthday bash would showcase the best of dancehall culture. But perhaps social media was still not prepared for what eventually went down at rapper Cardi B’s dancehall-inspired ‘Passa Passa’.

What would dancehall reggae look like if it were G-rated — cleansed of all shout-outs to female anatomy, devoid of references to particular brands of ammunition, less invested in being hardcore than in doling out eminently catchy, danceable tunes?