Warrior King solidly connects with audiences on US promo tour

Rocking roots reggae artiste, Warrior King, possesses that distinctly authentic reggae sound and feel which ensure that he remains a crowd favourite, whether at home, in North America, Europe or the Caribbean.

Currently on an arduous six-week promotional tour of the US -- which sees him scheduled to perform at smaller, intimate venues as well as big-name festivals, while making time for video shoots and interviews with the press -- the musical ambassador is waving the flag high as he fills the venues with his presence and his wholesome messages of love, unity and diligence through song. Armed with two new tracks, Ain’t Giving Up, and Same Source, from his work-in-progress album, Rootz Warrior, the Virtuous Woman singer makes no secret of the fact that promotion is the name of the game.

“It is important for us as artistes to get directly involved in promoting our music. We need to always keep close to our fans and the media, because ultimately they are a vital part of the support structure that we depend on to successfully build our brand,” Warrior King said from his hotel in Nevada City, California, where he gave an awesome performance on April 20.

He and his management team have high hopes for this upcoming album and are very pleased with the response being generated so far, and point to the video for Ain’t Giving Up amassing close to 50,000 Youtube hits in a little over a month as an excellent indicator of the music gathering momentum. Ever conscious of the need to always give that little extra bit of himself, Warrior King has been wooing fans since the start of the tour, which kicked off on April 11 in San Diego, California. He has so far been enjoying close-to-capacity houses and reports from various news outlets have been favourable.

“All the shows so far have gone fabulous,” a member of the artiste’s management team stated, adding that in Santa Cruz the house was packed and Nevada City, California, there was very little standing room available.

“The audience, who all know King well, engaged in a sing-a-long with most of his tracks. The new Ain’t Giving Up surprised them, and enthralled them too. Same thing when King performed the new Same Source track,” he added.

Warrior King noted that he was also very happy at the feedback out of Jamaica where the single Ain’t Giving Up is in rotation and enjoying massive love, especially from radio.

“I am out here on the road trying to build on the foundation and the love that I am getting from home is keeping me warm. Thanks to all the disc jocks and everybody a yard,” he said, adding that he was eagerly anticipating his next show in Jamaica, which he promises will be “soon”.

Warrior King’s US promo tour continues with five confirmed dates for May, ending with the spectacular “Best of the Best” Festival at Bayfront Park, Miami Beach, Florida on the 24^th, after which the artiste returns to Jamaica.

VIDEO; I-Octane - Nowadays Friend

Morgan Heritage's Strictly Roots #2 on iTunes as group releases official fan app

New York City/Jamaica – April 16th, 2015 – Sensational roots reggae quintet, Morgan

Heritage, has made quite an impressive iTunes debut at number 2 with the pre-order sales of their highly anticipated 10th studio album, Strictly Roots. 

"The album has been available for pre-order on a digital platform and we also had physical copies and other album bundles on order as well for the buying public," Gramps explained. He added, "The fact that pre-order sales alone have taken us to number two on iTunes is a great indication of things to come. It is more than encouraging and we are grateful that this is happening for us as a group, especially now, and we would like to thank our fans for their unwavering support."

Strictly Roots, on their very own Cool To Be Conscious (CTBC) label, was released digitally on April 20th, 2015 and physically April 21st. The album features a wide variety of guest performers including platinum selling pop/dancehall phenomenon, Shaggy; American reggae and R&B vocalist, J Boog; third generation ambassadors from the Morgan and Marley families, Jemere Morgan and Jo Mersa Marley; reggae sensation, Chronixx; lead singer Eric Rachmany from rock, world and reggae band, Rebelution; and Bumble Bee from the American Grammy-nominated pop reggae band, SOJA.

Throughout 2015, Morgan Heritage will be touring in support of Strictly Roots, and have already embarked on their month-long tour of the United States, which kicked off in April and has seen the quintessential live reggae band enjoying near-capacity and totally sold-out venues . Among the sold-out concerts have Cactus Jacks in Phoenix, Arizona on April 17 and Los Angeles on April 18, and according to the group, "It has been sensational!"

Morgan Heritage is also pleased to announce the release of their new, free-to-download, fan community mobile application.The app is powered by TopFan, who is excited to partner with Morgan Heritage, which now has the distinction of being  the first reggae band to have a next generation fan community with the company. Available on all Apple iOS and Android devices, Morgan Heritage’s official mobile community enables fans to listen to their music, watch music videos, read their latest news, enter contests, buy tickets to their tour, and much more.  Every member of their fan community is able to create his/her own profile, interact with other fans, and share their own Morgan Heritage related content. 

Members of the band’s fan community will soon be able to upgrade to VIP status, where they will receive premium benefits through either a monthly or yearly subscription. VIP members will have exclusive access to new music, videos and pictures, contests, ticket pre-sales and even live chats directly with Morgan Heritage. Download the app here: http://bit.ly/1DZNVS7

In regards to the new fan community app for Morgan Heritage fans, Mr. Mojo Morgan shares, "To be able to have our fans from this galactic generation at our fingertips and interacting with each other is going to be a new experience that we are very enthusiastic about."

Morgan Heritage recently premiered "Wanna Be Loved” (ft. Eric Rachmany of Rebelution) with ThePier.org. On working with Morgan Heritage, Eric Rachmany of Rebelution told ThePier.org, “It’s an honor to collaborate with Morgan Heritage. In my eyes they are one of the best Reggae bands of all time. Their style is like no other out there and their story is remarkable. They sent me ‘Wanna Be Loved’ and I immediately connected with the concept that each and every one simply wants to be loved for who they are.”

In addition, they previously partnered with Billboard.com to premiere the video for their first single, “Perform And Done,” as well as working with Yahoo! Music to premiere “So Amazing,” the second single off the album.

Warrior King ‘Aint Giving Up’; heads to US for promo tour

Kingston, JAMAICA: - Aint Giving Up, the title of Rastafarian singer Warrior King’s brand new single, is more than just a song name, it is a bold statement of empowerment which

reflects the artiste’s mission in life to purposefully continue doing Jah’s works.

The release of this single, with an accompanying music video directed by Benjamin Lidsky, has seen Warrior King swing into full promotion mode as reconnects with fans at home, in the Caribbean and around the world. Admitting that he has a busy schedule for the next couple of months, the reggae singer, who recently returned from Antigua, says that this is exactly what the doctor ordered.

His trip to Antigua two weekends ago saw him appear as the surprise guest artiste at an almost sold-out event staged at the Antigua Recreational Ground, with top reggae acts Tanya Stephens and Sizzla. The successful concert was promoted by King Warrior, a sound system whose name was inspired by Warrior King.

“It was the first show for King Warrior and the selectors, Shabba and Billy, are good friends of mine, so when they suggested the week before the show that I come and give the Antiguan people a surprise, I agreed instantly. I used this as an opportunity to promote my new single and it went down well. I did interviews on the main radio stations in Antigua and also did television,” explained a very satisfied Warrior King, whose last visit to that island was five years ago.

As for the live performance at the event, it was sensational. Coming on right after Tanya Stephens, who had the crowd in the palm of her hands, Warrior King, backed by Ruff Kut band, went straight into his mega hit, Virtuous Woman and it was instant pandemonium. He gave Antiguans a tight 15-minute set which also included Never Go Where Pagans Go, Can’t Get Me Down, Hold The Faith and a snippet of the new song, Aint Giving Up.

Aint Giving Up is the first track off the upcoming album, The Rootz Warrior, produced by Warrior King’S own Rootz Warrior Productions and Irie Sounds International.

Meanwhile, the artiste recently enjoyed a boost in popularity by the recent visit to Jamaica of US President Barack Obama, as fans who recalled that Obama had named Warrior King as one of the reggae artistes whose songs he enjoyed, reached out to him from all over the globe to find out if he was performing for the president. Mello FM’s Daybreak with Richie B played Virtuous Woman on Thursday morning as they did a salute to artistes who had impacted the White House during Obama’s presidency.

Warrior King left the island last Thursday for a six-week promotional tour of the United States.

VIDEO: Warrior King ‘Aint Giving Up’

VIDEO; I-Octane - Don't stop di vibes

Busta signs I-Octane as Brand Ambassador for third consecutive year

A beaming I-Octane makes his re-signing official with his Signature and tag line Everything Correck & Sick

Kingston, JAMAICA:- Popular soft drink company, Busta, has proudly re-signed successful Reggae artiste, I-Octane, as Brand Ambassador for the third consecutive year.

At the ceremony, which took place at Edens Garden Savannah Suite recently, the company used the opportunity to unveil the delicious new Busta Cranberry flavour which has a specially designed label. The image and signature of I-Octane are prominently featured on the bottle, which comes in two sizes. This will be officially released to the market in the upcoming months.

I-Octane flashes a smile as his new pairing with Busta Cranberry Flavoured soda is unveiled.

Explaining the company’s decision to continue to use I-Octane as the voice and face of the brand, Busta’s Marketing Manager, Andre Noel, declared that it “the perfect collaboration”.  He added, “Not only is I-Octane the most versatile artiste in the industry at this time, he has maintained his high standards and has proven to be an excellent ambassador. Busta Soft Drinks is renowned for our association with Jamaican lifestyle and culture and our commitment to high standards and excellent quality.”

Also present at the function was Regional Brand Manager for Busta, Christine Kellawan, who stated: “Busta is proud to have on board I-Octane with his unmatched combination of explosive talent, conscious lyrics, high-energy performances and pure charisma. His music has made a resounding impact internationally and Busta, being a successful regional brand is an avid advocate of youth, optimism and embracing life. It is no surprise that we at Busta have aligned ourselves with the vibrant I-Octane. This relationship will undoubtedly bring the many facets of this brand to full colour.”

 I-Octane also shared similar sentiments, echoing that being a brand ambassador for Busta over the past two years has been rewarding both on a professional and personal level.

“Partnering with Busta gives me a sense of giving back to the community as I know what it feels like to struggle and today I am in a position to give back to the community, my fans can only expect bigger and better things,” stated I-Octane.

I-Octane sandwiched between Busta Promotional ladies Toni Lawson(left) and Sydnie Greaves (right)

Bestowed with the task of setting the pace for the next generation of troubadours, this smooth Rastafarian singer has amassed an impressive slew of hit songs in a few short years. He has skillfully positioned himself as an ambassador of culture/reality/message music, while maintaining a strong appeal in the dancehall, where his songs have become anthems. I-Octane is now one of the most sought after artistes globally having toured the Caribbean, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

ZJ Sparks and I-Octane share a moment just before he makes his speech about re-signing

In closing, Kellawan stated, “I-Octane is the voice and face of Busta. There is in no doubt that we are committed to developing and collaborating Jamaican culture, youth and music –a commitment that is also evident in our sponsorship of activities such as our annual sponsorships of the Jamaica Premier League and other sporting sponsorships such as Jamaica Tallawahs cricket team and Caribbean Premiere League (CPL), RJR Cross Country Tours and our grassroots community events.”

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Great reviews for So Amazing as Morgan Heritage kicks off Strictly Roots tour

From video premieres on Billboard.com to song previews on Yahoo! Music, while purposefully saturating every music playing platform in between, internationally acclaimed roots reggae band, Morgan Heritage, is in full work mode as they prepare to drop their highly anticipated 10^th studio album, even as they embark on a month-long tour of the United States.

With So Amazing, the second single from the upcoming album, Strictly Roots enjoying a brilliant preview on Yahoo Music! And upping the global attention the sibling band has been attracting, Morgan Heritage has proven that as a unit they are definitely so amazing.  As online lifestyle/entertainment portal, AXS.com states, “The buoyant reggae pop number (So Amazing) is about adoration for a lover but the title could just as easily apply to everything Morgan Heritage does.”

Undoubtedly, So Amazing has an appeal that is as eclectic as it is universal, as was the intention of the Royal Family of Reggae during the creative process, and somewhere along the line, the track was generously soaked in sweetness. A review posted by Ital Roots Radio states: “The song is pristine in quality and virtually flawless. It's clear and clean, feel-good, pop-reggae with mass appeal. Peetah Morgan is on fire – his vocals immaculate, and with Jemere and J Boog adding their sweetness, there is so much honey in these three voices combined, beware of diabetes.”

So Amazing is described by the group as “the type of song that puts you in a fun loving mood” and certainly on one level it shows the versatility of the highly respected reggae quintet, which is renowned for their didactic social commentary and refreshingly authentic rockaz style of roots reggae.  It is collaborations such as these, in this case with J Boog, Jemere Morgan and Gil Sharone that are the hallmark of Strictly Roots and help to place this album in a category labeled ‘keepsake’.

With promotion for their Strictly Roots tour in high gear, Morgan Heritage, along with special guest, Jemere Morgan, will make a memorable stop at the Highline Ballroom in New York City on Thursday April 9, where fans will be treated to a catalogue of hits from reggae's premier live band. 

Strictly Roots is set for release on all major digital platforms on April 20 and the physical copy on April 21.

​Please ​Support the Movement "Strictly Roots"  pre-order now!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/strictly-roots/id982297432

VIDEO; Morgan Heritage - Perform and Done [Official Video 2015]

I-Octane muscles his way into Grand Theft Auto V with Topic Of The Day

Kingston, JAMAICA: - Towards the end of 2011, high-riding reggae and dancehall singer, I-Octane made his contribution to the Cash Flow Records-produced riddim, Faithful, with a song entitled Topic Of The Day. Despite it being a mellow, lyrically powerful song on a bouncy and intense riddim, Topic Of The Day just didn’t live out its name in the fickle and highly unpredictable world of dancehall.

However, fast forward a few years and get ready to welcome the new enhanced version of the soundtrack of the critically acclaimed, action-adventure video game, Grand Theft Auto V; suddenly, the single is more than the Topic Of The Day; it has become the official flavour of the day. Actually, for the past three months game-heads have been feverishly scouring the Internet for Topic Of The Day and, having found it on Youtube, triumphantly declare: “GTA V brought me here!” and go on to sing praises for the song, which is played on Blue Ark FM in the game. “Every time I hear this in GTA gotta put the volume to full and cruise around Los Santos :),” one game

head boasted.

 As can be expected, Team  I-Octane is immensely pleased with this major accomplishment, while admitting that much of the credit must be given to The Royalty Network Inc, the New York-based music publishing and administration corporation which represents I-Octane’s interests overseas. It was they who brokered the deal that made this a reality. However, quite ironically, the real sales figures of the mega-successful GTA V, actually sound like a fairy-tale. Grand Theft Auto V broke industry sales records and became the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, earning US$800 million in its first day and US$1 billion in its first three days.

Guinness World Records confirmed that the launch of GTA V broke all of six new world records including the highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours and the fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion.

But, does Topic Of The Day being in GTA V translate into great financial rewards for I-Octane or is it more of a strategic placement for value such as greater global recognition and overall branding?

According to company exec, Frank Liwall, it offers a combination of both.  “Without a doubt it has an impact from a name recognition standpoint for I-Octane to appear on a playlist curated for the well-respected Grand Theft Auto brand.  While, it also provides I-Octane with an additional monetary reward for licensing the song and its use.”

In explaining how the song was shopped, Liwall said The Royalty Network offered several songs from Octane’s catalogue when GTA V was in the development stage over one year ago.

“Creative control as to which they wanted to choose was left in the hands of the music supervisors who handle the game, who we happen to have excellent relationships with, which is why they came to us for suggestions in the first place,” Liwall said.

When quizzed if there were any other songs from I-Octane  that are in the negotiation phase for more of this kind of success, Liwall was quite optimistic.

“Our creative team is always working on exploitation opportunities for I-Octane's catalogue, since we value him as one of the strongest forces when people are seeking QUALITY Reggae songs.  The fact that he writes the majority of his songs is a huge plus in our ability to really get behind pushing his material,” he declared.

Grand Theft Auto V is described as an open world, action-adventure video game and was developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It was released on September 17, 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, while and enhanced version was released on November 18, 2014 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It is scheduled to be released on April 14, 2015 for Microsoft Windows.

The soundtrack features various radio stations that play different genres of music when the player enters vehicles in the game. There are 17 in-game stations – 15 of which are musical stations – with 240 licensed songs. The stations play different genres of music, including reggae, hip hop, pop and country, with The Blue Ark FM with DJ Lee “Scratch” Perry selecting reggae, dancehall and dub. In September 2014, it was announced that new songs would be added to some of the radio stations in the next-gen releases of the game.

Notable too, is the fact that although the “original” GTA V was released in 2013, the version which features Topic of the Day was released on PS4/XBOXone on November 18, 2014. The PC version will come out April 14.

Reggae and dancehall artistes also featured on the enhanced version include Lee "Scratch" Perry,  Demarco,  Vybz Kartel, Busy Signal (featuring Damian Marley) and Danny Hensworth.