Blog Posts

Living In Bigotry

9/16/2019

I'm grateful for my Canadian life as well as my Jamaican heritage

I have so much pride in both things

Whenever I discuss corrupt JA governments and racist Canadian governments is definitely a result of this colonial life that we are forced to share

For the most part, even with the increase in gun violence, I feel relatively safe on the streets, night or day in this country

Daycare, medical care, technology, a mostly respectful society and so much more makes Canada a beautiful home

A place I do feel grateful to reside

Loving many things about my two homes should not stop us from seeing the things that cause the unpleasantness of racism and gun crime and not saying anything just because things are otherwise great

I love many things in Canada

I am proud of many things Canadian

I speak from a recipient of daily racist overtones and undertones

Daily

It feels like an instinctive racist agenda, which many won't deny yet there is a vibe that I need to accept it... we all do

"It's just the way it is"

Nah

Not accepting shit

As an immigrant, observing my 43 years now, it seems like white Canada needs to murder Native humans

This is clear to me

It can only be stopped by white Canadians

The Native humans would love to stop it all but they have been thoroughly abused by white european defendants for decades and have probably run out of solutions for a peaceful existence that could be conveyed to the euro descendant

With control of the media, the "Native Canadian" are lazy, drunk, drug abusers. They are Native yet they are not Canadian...

They are Original people

And they are a spiritual guide on this planet yet the euro Canadian as well as American still abuse them since 1492 going forward

The european decent people spent $92 million to create a report, admitting to themselves that they genocide Native humans this 2019

$92 million

This much money to tell me what we all already know

Gotta love these people

$92 million and not a single name of one of the perpetrators murdering these folks

Fifteen decades of abuse, $92 million and not one name?

The parade for Bianca that I spoke of me not being satisfied with how Donovan Bailey is a small conversation but one in thousands diminished by the society in which I reside

Two mornings ago, I was walking towards King Street, as a streetcar pulled off the stop and some random, old white dude gave me the finger... I of course returned the greeting. Forty three years ago it would have incensed me, and when I repeated it to friends, we bust out laughing because it has been thus from then till now

My goal isn't about nit picking just for the hell of it but more to show clearly a systemic, constant and consistent racist like I and others are expected to accept. If it pisses you off, get off my page

I don't have to love Canada less to speak the truths that I live

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Pum Pum Blocking

9/1/2019

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So I have heard from a few sistrins of mine about the intense stares that they receive from dudes

Scenario #1 is by total strangers

Scenario #2 is by idrins within the circle for several years going to several events together to leer at sistrins they have also known for years

Let us be clear, I am neither a saint nor trying to convert based on I n I beliefs yet if it gave brothers a pause to think, it should be worth a try

Maybe it is a place for discussion

Maybe we educate our sons and daughters to some concepts

Part of why I write this is to protect my sistrin, my daughters and daughters of my friends from the ogling

I have leered at a couple of ladies in my time, yet it has usually been with someone I am intimate with, who responds favorably. If she responds with a cold shoulder or disinterest, I quickly choose another place to stare... This one is not for me. I don't keep staring when there is obviously no interest in I n I advances

What do we do?

It's been this way from ever

When I hear sistrins mention that they have anxiety thinking about going to events and last minute to decide against going is centuries old but I'm truly trying to take that in

Anxiety from being stared at by your bredrins

As a man, I have no such thought or reason to think of being ogled as I don't feel threatened

I think that's it

If the advance is unwanted yet continuous, it tends to feel like a threat

The threat that accompanies the leer / ogle

I have ladies in I n I circle that I would definitely fancy a liaison with yet unwanted staring does not get one closer to the punny

It has the opposite effect actually

For some of the brothers who see what I'm seeing, you can aid your sistrins with "pum pum blocking"

What my sistrins point out is that the majority of the ogling usual stays on their fronts

If your sistrin gives you the eye like, "can you come and stand with me" eye, go over to her and stand directly in the line of sight of the ogler

He don't want to see no guy, especially a crusty one like me

It also let's your ogling idrin know seh you do not ascribe to the ogle mentality

It won't change a centuries long accepted habit yet I felt like saying something anyway

The Music Gallery presents:
X AVANT XIV: FORWARD
Willi Williams and New Chance WORLD PREMIERE + Holy Hum

Doors: 7:30PM/Concert 8PM
$25 Regular
$20 Advance
$15 Students, Members, EARLYBIRD

The exciting debut of an intergenerational collaboration between one of Toronto’s most iconic reggae elders and a grassroots electronic adventurer. New Chance, aka Victoria Cheong and Willi Williams (writer of “Armagideon Time” as covered by the Clash) create a new sound for your system with a project that grows from the roots forward into the future. Jamaica’s culture has had a profound impact on Toronto over the past fifty years; this is, as the saying goes, “a new chapter of dub”.
Holy Hum is the dark, atmospheric yet eclectic music of multidisciplinary artist Andrew Lee whose debut "All My Bodies", was released last year.

Accessibility:
918 Bathurst is not currently wheelchair accessible due stairs (two half flights to enter the performance space, and one flight to access the washrooms). We are working as quickly as possible with 918 Bathurst to make the building accessible for all.

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Who is we?

8/20/2019

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I was talking to younger, fellow Jamaican about some of the standard shortcomings of "our" people as it pertains to hindering our growth in Jamaica as well as here in Canada and I mentioned that we have so many psychological hurdles to overcome in order to achieve successes in growing businesses and generational wealth

This young idrin asked intelligently, "who is 'we' Julian?"

"Who is we?"

The scope and depth of this question is truly far reaching as it pertains to internal obstacles

Obstacles ingrained though colonial abuses for centuries, now deeply entrenched in the psyche of many Jamaicans and not everyone is on your team

We must firstly start with the tribalism horseshit two party system, the PNP and the JLP and how detrimental that distraction has been to the growth of Jamaica

Bere fuckery!!!

Pitting Jamaicans against Jamaicans in a useful tactic, passing blame from one party to the next and have the gullible sheep focus on the idiotic argument as opposed to the well being of themselves our of the country

Kill for the party

Fellow Jamaicans kill each other for party politricks

A famous saying by a Native elder is "the left wing and the right wing are a part of the same bird", flying in the same direction. Naive residents, for years, have put their faith in corrupt leadership with no end in sight

There is no "we" when it comes to the support of one party or the next

There is no we in this colonial struggle of the haves versus the have nots

We create enough divisions so we have no common ground to improvement because individual goals are totally different

Who is we?

We are humans

Humans defending humans

Tribalism is idiotic at best

I listen to no rules by those who insist on rules and laws

We must think for self and beyond tribalism

Humans

We are humans

There are humans in every culture and race

There are demons in every culture and race

I will not defend a black or white demon

They are not me

They are not my "we"

The focus must be shifted from race or politics or gender and focus on humans

Humans are connected globally

So are demons

Identify whom you speak to as well as speak for

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Cockpit Country ~ Fresh Water ~ Bauxite Mining

7/31/2019

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Fresh water

Mni Wiconi

Water is Life

Conspiracy theories yet here we are

They don’t care about the bauxite

They are deliberately destroying fresh water globally

Let’s see who needs to wake up today and to focus on the issue at hand

I have blatantly blasted Jamaican leadership, politicians, prime ministers and the wannabe “elite” as corrupt, deceitful humans, put in place to rape their own Jamaican people

They are

Some do the job gleefully as well

Yet, truth be told, The Corporation willingly murders whoever doesn’t go along with their needs so there will always be another Judas aka Black Colonizer to sell out their own

This dates as far back as treaties made with England with The Maroons, who traded freedom to be bounty hunter and killers of runaway slaves

The Maroons murdered black people on the behest of their English masters

The babylonian has always been able to bribe black people to kill black people

Now they say they want to mine bauxite

Really?

Water far more valuable than bauxite

So then why destroy the water table?

Great question

I don’t care why

Andrew Holness has zero power

If he doesn’t do this, they get themselves another house nigga to get the job done

Colonialism

Yet dis yah water table a go get protected one way or another. There are enough Jamaicans on this case. We will push them back by the hook or the crook

Memba mi tell yu

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Jojo Bennett of the Sattalites Tribute

7/9/2019

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Deep gratitude

That's how Jojo has always made me feel

A musician out of the famous Alpha Academy in Jamaica

A reggae pioneer in a Canada, one of the few featured on Reggae Lane

Jojo's accolades with his famous crew, The Sattalites, are too numerous to mention yet based on said contribution, he and the band are known across the Canadian continent from coast to coast

He is a selfless soldier, constantly sharing his love and knowledge with anyone interested in playing an instrument

The Canadian reggae flag standard bearer

A true hero of this reggae culture

Truly a lion to be revered... By I n I standards anyway

He will be in attendance this coming Sunday

I'm asking all reggae musicians and practitioners to pay homage by your presence and contributions

This Lion is worth our time in my estimation

All of the ex-Bamboo heads out there who partied to The Sattalites those hundreds of weekends, come show face

Jojo Bennett, the standard, Canadian, Reggae flag bearer

Many of you live all across Canada that can't make it, and wish to contribute, Jo and his daughter Jodi have etransfer set up for this event... I do ask that folks give generously at this time

The email addy is jbshyne@hotmail.com

Here is a collage of memories that I witnessed over the years

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July 05th, 2019 ~ Yardie Review

7/5/2019

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I am NOT a film critic

I DO NOT KNOW SHIT ABOUT FILM MAKING

Aight, mi dun dat... De movie nice!

I was not interested in seeing another movie connected to I n I Jamaican culture that used gun violence as a selling point for the paying audience which will / would be predominantly black and Jamaican

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yu a bad man

Whatever

It took I a night of sleep to fully assess what I saw in this film’s story

Love

It was a beautiful love story of a man and his baby mother and daughter and their commitment to each other

Their rapport during the film was right and committed to each other

The scene of the elderly mom who came to the lead character to talk the devil out of his soul was most appropriate

The vibez of the people felt nice

Reality

Live by the gun, die by the gun

The lingering stench of death of our loved ones, carry forever. It changes anyone and anything in its path. It corrupts the soul of many of its victims... for life

Some move on and grieve when a next son or daughter is taken

Some seek other paths

Vengeance

All bwoy fe dead

Yah man, a so wi seet

So though one is enamored by the charismatic lead character and his sweet loving vibes, living this life has us needing revenge and many of us ovastand his path

Keeps the system perpetual

I man nah condone it yet it is what many of us live and have lived

This movie portrayed that energy to its audience effectively I believe... Well, to this one audience as I live this energy all I n I life

Sound track

Bad nuh rass... Every chune play mi a dance inna mi chair

This movie pick some right tunes for all of the right moments

Yah man, dis movie can gwaan

Belinda Brady ~ Show Me

CRW merch, order online 365 / 24 / 7
http://www.canadianreggaeworld.com/reggae-for-life.html

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Reggae Is Always Gold

6/27/2019

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Reggae Is Always Gold

Blessings going out to Donna Makeda and Prince Everald for the honor that you have provided me for over a decade, writing for ReggaeXclusive

I have covered so many topics in that time, repeated the same lines in several submissions, I do hate to be repetitive and boring. Being predictable is definitely not what reggae is or has meant to I and others

So I put out some sounds to the community at large and got some interesting responses

I asked:

“Writing an article for ReggaeXclusive. Any topic suggestions?”

Here are a few responses...

Jonathan Shaw ~ What would the world look like without reggae music?

Joanne Shalpa ~ Lack of funding for reggae music

Peter Skinner aka Blessed ~ Young people's interest or disinterest in Reggae music. I've noticed recently most of the young people only want to do hip hop or dancehall. We all know the future of anything depends on the youth.
I think their interest or lack of it is motivated by money and level of fame!

Will ~ The lack of representation coming from our city

Patterson ~ how and why Reggae has mass appeal beyond the Black community.

Xola Lololi ~ Establishment of a Reggae Music Association of Toronto, like AU and EU we need to have some form of continued governance of the Reggae Music community to handle issues that are hindering its development. I personally live in times when Reggae Music wasrespected and thrived in this City - the era of the world 🌍 wide recognition of the Bob Marley & the Wailers- the genre need its government for continued development. Bless Julian Anthony Christopher King - dem a guh tiered feh see yuh but dem kyann get u out a deh Race ~Raspect

They are many who are credible community members who are in someway associated with Reggae- most importantly the creators of the music - musicians and all who are associated with the genre- music business, DJs, promoters? Etc. let’s start the conversation- Bless

Paul Corby ~ Reggae Is An International Music. Breaking free of Jamaicanism. Good or bad idea?
I hear "elsewhere" bands trying to create an ersatz Jamaican sound with dated references/ dialect. It seems inauthentic and a little silly. What is happening in Jamaican music now doesn't even reference those old tropes. Reminds me of the failed music of certain "blues" bands. Feeling me?

Pat Kelly ~ new youth conscious music...koffee, Chronixx etc

Neville Bassey ~ Neville bassey is a good topic.u all need to know him.

Deborah Barnes_Drummond ~ Resistance movement.

Marcell A Wilson ~ Feature the Canadian reggae artist... Like Leroy S. The Uplifters (my dad's group), George Banton. Etc...
The ones who paved the way here for the movement.

Ammoye Evans ~ The lack of feminine presence on still so many reggae shows line up here in Canada. Would love to hear your views on that.

Kush Nubia ~ The cross influence of Afrobeats and Dancehall / Reggae

Anthony Goldstein (Fujahtive) ~ How about on just how popular reggae was in Toronto in the 80's and 90's. Every night someone was playing and people were attending

I know. It’s hard to keep bringing up how good it was and not sound like old farts

Christopher J. Duncanson-Hales ~ The state of Rastafari and Reggae. I have an academic article on Rastafari, Mortimo Planno and Bob Marley that I'll share with you.

Carol Brown ~ Where have all the good in house producers gone ? The Reggae industry here is lacking good producers.

Annalee Orr ~ Why has the IRIE MUSIC FESTIVAL become mostly SOCA AND DANCEHALL instead of REGGAE?!! VERY disappointing! CARIBANA was taken over as well!

RZee Jackson ~ More money for artists and musician

Shekinah Ashanti Holt ~ Why no one wants to pay anyone else?

Celeste Adams ~ A photo of Peter Tosh came through my FB the other day and it had Peter Tosh quote something like 'if I wasn't a musician, I would be a bloodclat revolutionary'... write about that. I love PT and I would love to debate that

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There were a few more responses of artists, promoters wishing I n I to write about them and their journey to date. I tend to stay away from those cause what I may write truthfully and may not be the opinion that the band, musician, artist may want me to say. Also I write based on inspiration as it pertains to music. A moment, a song, a vibe, a feel

I can’t write what I can’t or don’t feel, especially when ones and ones want I to write about them in the positive vein in which they see or perceive themselves to be

The truth isn’t everyone’s friend

Reggae morphs

From the era of ska where Jamaicans took the American R&B and turned it into “life” in order to represent the vibe and feel of its own people

Jamaican life

Wi wah wi owna ting

Wi nuh love run back a nobody

Fe wi owna music, our sound, our feel

There is ZERO fear of anyone taking reggae away from Jamaicans

ZERO

It isn’t just reggae

It isn’t JUST about reggae

It is a feel

One either feels it or one doesn’t

Feel music always in stock, all day, every day

Many above have varied concerns for this genre

I am grateful to see that

The varied concerns tell me that some still see and feel the loving frequency of reggae music

Some call it warrior music

It is a truth music with deep integrity that forces all to be accountable

Everyone

Including me, I know

Thanking all of I n I reggae friends for input and inspiration

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This week's art showcase are two pieces from Adrian Hayles, mural artist for Reggae Lane in Toronto

The first piece is a take on the Champion Toronto Raptors and his second piece is his take on the Pow Wow from the past weekend at Fort York, commemorating Indigenous Day

MODERN IMPRESSIONISM
THE PARADE
#casemackeen #adrianhayles
June 20 - 30 ‘19
.
Raptors Championship Parade
Adrian Hayles
36”x36”
Spray paint on canvas
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CRW Brands

http://www.canadianreggaeworld.com/reggae-for-life.html

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Fitzroy "The Lion" Gordon ~ May 2019

5/9/2019

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Fitzroy Gordon with Stephen Harper & Portia Simpson

In death, we are smitten with immediate empathy

We instinctively cherish life so much, the petty fuckery that was so important becomes mute in the face of the loving things that are remembered

Flow 93.5FM came about and Denam Jolly, Farley Flex, Mark & Jem, The Juiceman happened and we saw peers rise

Within a short time we became disgruntled with “our” own urban station that really didn’t seem to cater to the community quite the way that they said that they would

We all got a crash course in the great expense it took to run a radio station and what actually paid the bills, and it wasn’t locally produced music

Times moved on and Fitzroy Gordon spearheaded G98.7FM

“We” seemed to have a greater input with this station. This was more “us” than the predecessor Flow

Fitzroy seemed more like one a wi

As per usual the various criticisms came at the station and Fitzroy as we tend to do

Once upon a time, Fitzroy Gordon called me. Called me mi seh

He wished to do a show about the beliefs of RasTafari, being a devout Christian, with a very Christian listenership, to PROVE whether Haile Selassie I was / is God

Both Fitzroy and I knew that I was not the person for that job...lol

I have neither the wisdom, teaching nor temperament for a radio debate of such contention

I put him in touch with Naphtali Paul Edman and we were treated to a very spirited, respectful, sometimes very heated debate that Sunday. I know Fitzroy wasn’t on “my side” he was still very respectful in his questioning and responses

{I would recommend listening to that show once again}

I do not believe Naphtali made Fitzroy a believer

I felt grateful

I was grateful to Fitzroy Gordon for putting a topic of RasTafari to the mainstream airwaves in a serious debate with a wizened elder like Naptali. In my humble opinion, the debate elevated the Toronto RasTafari community. I felt grateful

I am grateful to Fitzroy Gordon for that moment to I n I livity

Some months later, a likkle sistrin Chantie harassed me to help out Davey Rochester’s situation and his family

This time, I called Fitzroy Gordon

The following week he brought Davey’s wife Krista and her loving friend Laine to the station and made a plea to the community to create drives for swabbing and bone marrow matches to save Davey’s life

Fitzroy did not hesitate to use his position in the community to instantly fight for Davey

In his death I feel this most

Bless up Mr. G, as usual we don’t know what we have till it is gone yet with the footage and photos coming out, it seems a ‘few’ more are on to this secret, Fitzroy Gordon

A proud Jamaican

A good man to me and mine

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ReggaeXclusive Article for March 2019

3/15/2019

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Your God tied us with chains
Our God comfort us in pain
Your God held us as slaves
Our God broke the chains
Now war of brains

~ Words by Lenn Hammond

I was grateful to read those words this very morning

A simple glance at worldwide circumstances confirms the abuses of “colonialism” destroying the human spirit which was pushed through their God

Those abuses continue today as is boldly evident in the US, everyday in the news

This is no mystery

Burning of Nike products because a black athlete pointed clearly to police brutality

They made it about a flag, an anthem and patriotism

Just avoid the topic at hand

Police brutality

“Our God comfort us in pain”

I can’t speak for Lenn on this one yet my personal story is that Haile Selassie I, released the mental and spiritual chains on millions globally

It could mean that atheist, Allah, Buddha, Christian, spiritualists, agnostics or sun worshipers recognized that using the Lord’s name while you commit crimes is devious and deceitful, hence we can’t use the God that you killing us with

Our God cyaa work wid yours

“Your God held us as slaves”

Duuhhhhh

We still doing a slave thing today

It still a gwaan with everyone, especially the “woke” one dem

Calm down

If you so “woke” you know what to do

Talking and screaming at the top of your voice who is to blame or racism or political correctness or AI {Artificial Intelligence}, veganism, voting, government cutting student loans, expensive real estate Toronto are all distractions and while you get upset by any or all and more, we can go on a march or hold hands or peace protest something else but the truth is, “woke” ones are either doing it or they are not

They are not speaking about it

They are doing it

Changing it

“Our God broke the chains”

Perfection

“Now war of brains”

“War” implies violence so that excites them

They are adept at violence

Best distraction ever

Fear

Keep the abused scared

It is how they “win” every time

They still trying to scare educated humans that The Black Panther, Move, Watts, The Congo, blah, blah blah

The “brains” is the movement{s} needed for upliftment of the human family

It forces you to think for yourself

That is where we challenge our own lies

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Feel Reggae ~ Carl Harvey / Jason Wilson Review ~ Epic performance{s}

2/27/2019

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Feel Reggae 23rd February, 2019 ~ Review

Carl Harvey on guitar alongside Jason Wilson on keys, with Michael Shapinko on bass

Carl Harvery, a guitar virtuoso, on tour with Toots Hibbert now for over 40 years. He has played on songs and albums with Jackie Mittoo, the legendary Skattalites who was a keyboard wizard

Warning: Carl Harvey’s playing can give goose bumps

Jason Wilson, plays a LOT like Jackie. This past weekend, it was clear to me of Jackie’s influence on Jason Wilson. Dr. John Jason Wilson, thank you for this week’s presentation{s} and song choices

They did something that is the essence of Feel Reggae, which is to speak of the different eras, charting the progression of the music where quadrille, mento, ska, rocksteady and reggae are discussed, then played

Education and entertainment

Like a reggae school

We discuss the eras and the political climate of when the music was produced

When the music changed and why

Anecdotes

Experiences

Both Carl and Dr. Jason Wilson, a professor at Guelph University, are learned scholars yet have lived the life of music ie; jazz, funk, folk, classical and all forms of reggae for most of their existence{s}

They played with many of the originals and still do today

Experience and great talent

Our goal is to bring the fans to the players of instruments and pay them for said talent

The “system” isn’t set up to pay artists at any time, especially the reggae crew

Next Feel Reggae Seminar, Saturday, 23rd March,2019

Drum Song by Jackie Mittoo

Israelites ~ Desmond Dekker cover

Satta Masagana ~ Abyssinians cover ~ Carl goes in on guitar...wait for it...

Willi Williams ~ Armageddon Time ~ A history about the punk movement and The Clash covering this tune

Keele Street ~ Jason Wilson original ~ Reggae / jazz

A few images on the day

I have and will continue to bring this energy for as long as the strength stays within me

I could also use whatever aid ones wish to provide, so if you appreciate the talent on display here, the time it took for the film and uploading, please donate to the cause

At some point we would love to produce a documentary from the footage accumulated over the past couple of years and present this to the world; a unique look at reggae Canada through the eyes of CRW

Etransfer: canadianreggaeworld@gmail.com
Paypal: Julion King

Next Feel Reggae Seminar, Saturday, 23rd March,2019

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<<Previous

Forward>>

Living In Bigotry

Pum Pum Blocking

Who is we?

Cockpit Country ~ Fresh Water ~ Bauxite Mining

Jojo Bennett of the Sattalites Tribute

July 05th, 2019 ~ Yardie Review

Reggae Is Always Gold

Fitzroy "The Lion" Gordon ~ May 2019

ReggaeXclusive Article for March 2019

Feel Reggae ~ Carl Harvey / Jason Wilson Review ~ Epic performance{s}

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