Daddy V-His Dream Is Becoming A Reality in America

June 9, 2009

This is our 13th edition of our continuing series of Kenyan Artists in the Diaspora. The featured artist this week is Daddy V.

Although Daddy V started performing at the tender age of 13, competed in burn-out sessions with Kenyan legends such as Hardstone and won the coveted Florida 2000 Club Jam Session award, he never went on to record any of his music in Kenya. Ask him why and he will answer you with one word. Money. He simply could not afford it.

Moving to the United States has accorded him the opportunity he only dreamed of. Daddy V, who is now based in Dallas, Texas, released his maiden single NARE and his test CD IN 2008. He also released the NARE VIDEO directed by Michael Wanguhu of Hip Hop Colony fame. The full version of the NARE (fire) CD is set to be released this summer.

The release of NARE and its growing popularity has made Daddy V one of the most sought after Kenyan artists based in the Diaspora. He performed at the Memorial Day Weekend festivities in Dallas, Texas alongside Jabali Afrika and Dynammq and is booked for three shows back to back during the upcoming 4th of July weekend. He performs in Dallas on Friday, June 3rd and then New Jersey alongside Redsan for the Jersey 254 event on Saturday, July 4th. He will be in Kansas City, MO on Sunday, July 6th. After that, Daddy V says he plans to hit Canada and Europe before the end of the summer. In December, he is headed to Kenya and says he will perform his first show in Buruburu, Nairobi, in respect of the place where he grew up and for the folks who supported him when he was a nobody.

Daddy V’s music is a mix of Dancehall reggae and African rhythms. You can sample and buy the NARE CD HERE. It is also available for download on iTunes.

WATCH THE NARE VIDEO

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Marcia Griffiths Hooks Up with Busy Signal

June 8, 2009

It’s been a good run for legendary reggae singer Marcia Griffiths in 2009. Not that we are surprised but Keeping It Real, her unlikely collaboration with Busy signal has spun to the top of several charts, local and international. In Europe alone, the single has been making tremendous waves, peaking at #1 on the UK reggae chart. “I never expected that song with Busy Signal to have taken off the way it did. I have been getting a lot of dub plates from all over Europe just because of that song,” said Griffiths.The track has generated a new kind of buzz for both artistes and as such,it is only fitting that a music video should follow. To craft the perfect video for the single, the duo has enlisted young director Gareth Cobran and his team.

While on the set of her video with Busy Signal, Marcia stated that the album will hold more collaborations. There will be some new singers, deejays and some established reggae artistes. “I did a track with Damian and Stephen Marley, there are also songs with Beres Hammond, Freddie McGregor, Buju Banton, Bunny Rugs, Etana, Betty Wright and Queen Ifrica,” said Griffiths.

In the meantime, she gets ready to unveil her double album, produced by Penthouse Music’s Donovan Germain. Though it is still untitled, the highly anticipated set is due on the shelves in a few months.

As it turns out, deejay Busy signal is just as excited about the success of the single and has high hopes for the video as well. “It’s an unexplainable blessing. The fact that I recorded a song with Marcia Griffiths the queen of reggae music, is just a natural thing,” said Busy.
A Reggae News Agency

LISTEN TO THE TRACK AUTOMATIC BY MARCIA GRIFFITHS FEAT. BUSY SIGNAL