side a

side b

Way back in time, for connoisseurs ONLY!

Vintage Dancehall  Showcase session Coxsone sound, featuring Jim Brown, Jazzbo, Lone Ranger, Stranger Cole and Burning Spear. JAH!…. RASTAFARI

Coxsone – Jim Brown, Jazzbo, Lone Ranger – Burning Spear

Bun it down!
King Addies selector Babyface going in hard Against Saxon sounds Trevor Sax in a wicked sound clash in Bermuda in the 90′s, Listen to pt 1 of  this classic clash here.

Warning! explicit language !!!! parental guidance!!!

Newsflash!! Look out for SOUNDCLASH a film by Shottsman, featuring some Legends of t UK dance hall history… The film feature’s reggea legend’s Trevor Sax, Tippah Irie, Blacka Dread, Snr San, Echo Minott Philip Levi, Asher Senator, Jah Prento, and Chris Pecking’s
soon come!

Saxon Sound vs King Addies – War in Bermuda – 1994 – Part 1

Saxon v King Addies – war in Bermuda 1994 part 1

A few years back the cream of London underground joined forces to pull off a series of jams and recording’s just for the music sake, a feat in itself. The project was tentatively called Organica and later Organica Ensemble.

The project was put together by the man IG Culture and long time cohort Antonio Feola, and featured, the  talent’s of  Pino Palladino, Eric Appapoulay, Chris Bailey, Eska Mtungwasi, Sarina Lea, Lain, Colonel Redz, Brotherly, Charlie Dark, Ty, Dave Okumu, Spry Crispin, Demus, Kaidi Tatham, MDCL, Jhelisa Anderson, Bembe Segue, Phil Harper, Martin Kain, Rasiyah and many more not mentioned.

Due to unforseeable hurdles and the massive task of keeping a collective of this magnitude on track, the project was silenced. It remained as a document in the archives until a recent meeting between IG Culture and Pino Palladino caused the music to resurface, and now seems to be the right time to let some out into the daylight!

Oganica Ensemble’s version of the Roy Ayers classic DAYLIGHT is an apt and poetic start… To feed London recent history into the Blogosphere. We present the uncut full version, simply because the project was raw and was never meant to be polished.

brown sucre

Brown Sugar   Ahmad Jamal’s Ahh MAD! refit

If the Cadet/Chess label’s legendary jazz piano virtuoso Ahmad Jamal remixed D’angelo’s classic Brown Sugar? is this how he would flip it?

a holyroller trivial pursuit

Desktop jeep time again!

This one speaks for itself!

j thrilla i’ll b there

The late Bernard White once joked “You knew nothing before you came here”, but many a true word is spoken in jest.

White can easily claim responsibility for the education of the original first generation of crate diggers that started in the early 80′s. It’s not incorrect to say that the whole funk 7″ craze that was massive in the 80′s, and an integral part of club culture started with Bernard White in his store, Pop Beat Records.

Underground record junkies (known and unknown) such as Lescelles, Barry Sharpe, Roy the Roach, Greenie, Femi Fem, Charlie Dark, Funky Fly, Norman Jay, Marc B, Nick the record, Jazzy B, Judge Jules, Brother Marco, IG Culture, the Notorious Ratchet and many other musical tastemakers shopped at the now legendary Pop Beat record store in Camden Town.

Back in a time before the internet EBay auction, one had to be at the right place at the right time, and use one’s own imagination to know how to discover a beat. This was mainly due to the fact that all the funk records that are common place nowadays were pretty much still undiscovered.

Friday afternoon was when White brought out the fresh funk 7″s for collectors from all over the capital. There was no favouritism,one had to be on the spot for the first choice of fresh obscure funk records .These records were later unleashed on warehouse party scenesters who were obsessed with the 70′s funk era.

The charismatic and eccentric White, who was also deep with the knowledge of rock psychedelic, bluebeat, rock n roll  and 70′s pop, was years ahead in his knowledge of obscure funk and soul. Some of those schooled by him went on to worldwide success and important luminaries in the developement of  London club culture.

Bands like  Soul II Soul, Brand New Heavies, Diana Brown and the brothers, Push, the Young Disciples, Shake and Fingerpop, and Jamiroquai, were all directly inspired by the musical movement which came out of  the Popbeat record store.

‘You’ll all sellout in the end” he would claimed jokingly. But in truth, White was proud of some of his celebrity costumers, and even had pictures of special ones on his wall.

In the mid 80′s at clubs like the Cat In The Hat in Leicester Square, Legendary DJ’s such as Barry Sharpe and Lescelles from the original line up of The Brand New Heavies, would play this rare groove funk acquired from Popbeat. Lockers like Oily and Pat Cesar and funk dancers like Ronnie cold sweat and Fraggle threw down.The music educated the listeners, who in turn spread the word. and for a time the funk sound ruled the London club scene. in the many illegal warehouse parties  funky dreads, bboys, and trendys alike appreciated the funk

Maceo Parker’s Across the tracks, The Vibrettes Humpty Dump, Eddie Bo’s Hook and Sling, Bobby Byrd’s Hot Pant’s I’m coming, Lynn Collins Think, and Joe Quartermans So Much Trouble in My Mind, were all made popular by the likes of Norman Jay, and Jazzy B who bought these records directly from Popbeat.

Funk icons in pop beat record shop the late Bobby Byrd and Vickie Anderson

Props must be given to Bernard White for  schooling the original generation of collectors and DJ’s on funk and rare grooves, many costumers of Popbeat went on to do massive  groundbreaking things worldwide in music and club culture. Sadly Bernard is no longer with us, but his legacy is ingrained in in UK funk history Someone who also deserves a big up is Oisin Little, ex Push band member, and assistant in Popbeat record store.

portugese love mix

Teena in the stars  (s.o.s messages from the starz rerub)

Teena Marie March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010

Blessings and love goes out to Teena Marie. May she rest in peace. She blessed us with a unique voice on classic music, music that will last for all time. This is abstract hiphop headnod strictly all about Teena love… R.I.P to a Soulstress.

S.O.S

Eldica: Best Kept Secret from HolyRollertv on Vimeo.

The search for grooves and undercover grottos, led Holyroller to Eldica records of Dalston, where we had a chat with Femi Adeyemi aka Mr Wonderful of the Nonsense crew and the occasional riddim peddler of Eldica. The discussion explored rare groove, roots revives and vintage reverbs.

As the culture of secondhand record stores throughout London fades, Eldica stands strong. You not only find the deepest of tunes, but the warm welcoming atmosphere will always have you coming back for more. During the shooting of this short film. we were often sidetracked by the uncontrollable urge to search the amazing collection of reggae, jazz hiphop, funk, soul, and afrobeat, as well as vintage curiosities, clothing, VHS films, comics and books.

If you’re in the vicinity of Dalston, check out Eldica. A crate diggers paradise, and don’t forget to mention that you saw Eldica, best kept secret.

Nasir Jones meets SV

Nasir Jones meets SV

It ain’t hard to tell
S.O.S sweet science mash up

2 is the magic number! 2 saviours of hiphop 2 classic moments combined, two forces of hiphop nature, two pivital moments IN HIPHOP MUSIC ILLMATiC and Fantastic VOL I and II…HIPHOP CAN NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. Or can it!! Step up young generation its your time to make something for real happen!