New York, USA (BUSINESS WIRE) – With the kind of critical
acclaim rarely bestowed on any artist, an opening slot on the biggest tour of
the year, multiple television appearances, a record breaking sales debut, and
today’s certification as Gold (500,000 copies sold), one might be tempted to
look at what Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley has already attained with his heralded
Tuff Gong/Universal Records album
Welcome to Jamrock. But the youngest son of reggae superstar
Bob
Marley has never been one to rest on his laurels.With two nominations (for Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative
Performance) for February 8th’s Grammy Awards, a performance on Jimmy Kimmel
Live set for February 9th, a new single and video hitting this month
(“Beautiful” featuring Bobby Brown) and a hefty slate of concerts appearances
coming together in the Europe, Australia, Japan and the U.S., including
appearances at Bonnaroo and Coachella, “Jr. Gong” and his record label are
putting a huge, worldwide push behind the second phase of what is certainly the
most praised and respected reggae music effort to be released in recent memory.
2005 was a great year for Damian. When his album was released in September, it
attained Number 7 on the sales charts, making it the biggest opening for a
Reggae artist in history (Sean Paul now holds the record). Welcome To Jamrock
also received unparalleled critical acclaim right out of the box, making the
album a rare commercial and critical success. Both Spin and Rolling Stone put
the track in their year-end Top Ten. The New York Times called
Welcome to Jamrock “a contender for Reggae Song of the Decade.” New York Magazine named
Welcome to Jamrock Best Single of 2005. Entertainment Weekly gave
the album an A- and said the “Bob’s youngest updates the family legacy
(impeccable reggae arrangements, political vision) with limber rhymes and urgent
dancehall beats.”
Welcome to Jamrock rose out of Kingston to become the undisputed
street hit of 2005, an anthem in American cities all across the country. The
track got the attention of rock superstars U2, who enlisted Marley to open on 15
sold out dates of their Number One U.S. tour. Marley was also honored by Vibe
Magazine with the “Boomshot” Award for
Jamrock
at their annual televised awards show last fall.
The strong radio and street profile, a video on multiple video channels,
performances on a multitude of latenight outlets and a slew of solid roadwork,
have all helped to propel
Jamrock to Gold status. With so many exciting events and
performances on the horizon for “Jr. Gong,” the best days for Marley’s
Jamrock are undoubtedly yet to come.
Buy the CD:
In North America (USA):
Welcome to Jamrock
In Europe (UK):
Welcome to Jamrock
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
