A King’s Salute, Billboard.com

Internationally acclaimed reggae dancehall music influencer, King Addies, is rolling out the big guns with the exclusive release of “King Addies: 35 Gun Salute” (#35GunSalute) on Billboard.com—the second musical release of their official yearlong 35th Anniversary celebration.

An extraordinary follow up to their May 2018 release of “The Killa Collection” (over 100 sound clash tapes totaling 240+ hours of epic golden-era audio), #35GunSalute is a special compilation mix of thirty-five iconic King Addies dubplate (custom recordings) anthems, for the listening experience of their thriving global fan base.

As far as dubplate recordings go, King Addies’ musical library is respected tremendously by their peers, and revered among their cult-like following of music enthusiasts across the world. Most DJs gain followers for how they curate standard tracks that any DJ can play. King Addies has distinguished themselves in how they consistently pump out the newest music, and also the fact that 95% of the music they spin are exclusive, one of a kind, dubplates. What makes these recordings so unique is the words are re-written, and/or the original artist skillfully weaves the King Addies name, and specific member names into the song. Scores of fans experiencing popular artists making sizzling hot references to their favorite sound system DJ/Selector(s), and the memorization of said special lyrics, is how a song becomes a sound system’s anthem. As the dubplate lyrics are engraved into the hearts of fans, it simultaneously becomes a part of King Addies’ unique identity, and people often even forget the original lyrics.

Representing Brooklyn on the international stage since 1983, and having rightfully earned the moniker “Billboard Sound” for producing dubplate anthems with several major charting artists of the 90s and early 2000s, King Addies is one of a very elite fraternity of Jamaican sound system Selector/DJs who have a direct hand in a cultural revolution. With an extremely vast and genre-diverse catalog of said tracks dating back to the early 80s, they are credited with popularizing the mash-up of reggae, dancehall, hip-hop, rap and R&B in North America. Fearlessly creative, they took calculated risks with music and cemented their name in history in the process.

The process of selecting the anthems for the compilation mix, both old and new, has been a collaborative effort among the 10-member squad of music aficionados. However, with over 3 decades in the business, and an ultra rich chunk of musical history as their ever-potent legacy, thirty-five tracks is merely a drop in the bucket of songs that grew to become fan anthems over the years. Totally impossible to include all of their popular anthems on the project, #35GunSalute is a fiery 65-minute musical journey down memory lane, and to the present.

#35GunSalute features dubplates by: Lauryn Hill/The Fugees, Anita Baker, Nas, Snoop Dog, Black Rob, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, McFadden & Whitehead, Dennis Brown, Buju Banton, Supa Cat, Stephen Marley, Beenie Man, , Vybz Kartel, Bounty Killer, Chronixx, Mavado, Popcaan and many more music luminaries. Official release date October 12th, at 12noon EST, on Billboard.com.

King Addies International

Recently wrapping up their second successful European Tour within 18 months (August), King Addies aggressively

ripped stages in the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Spain on their 35h Anniversary Legacy Tour. Delivering high-energy 3+ hour sets on major stages like Reggae Geel’s 40th Anniversary festival in Belgium (Bounce stage; approximately 13,500 people), and Rototom Sunsplash’s 25th Anniversary festival in Spain (Dancehall stage; guestimate 6K people), one of their most agile Selector/DJs—King Pin—brought insanely epic Brooklyn vibes to old and surely new European fans. With other shows garnering packed club and beachfront venues like YAAM in Berlin, Pata Pata Sampieri in Sicily and Mamanera Beach in Salento Italy, the tour was a massive win towards the brand’s current objective to garner a broader fan base, and step further into mainstream entertainment.

Additionally, the music tastemakers remain on the vanguard of the wildly competitive international sound clash industry, since their inception. Currently embracing a new moniker given to them by fans, “North America’s #1 Defender” is now enjoying a recent 5-0 winning streak (within a year) over several prominent sound systems from Japan, Italy, Canada and the USA. With 35 years of killing top sounds under their belt, today King Addies is the most dominant and relevant ambassador of Jamaican sound system culture in North America—some would argue the world.

Matterhorn’s Homecoming

Widely unknown to fans of Tony Matterhorn (the dancehall artist who brought the crossover hit single “Dutty Wine” along with its controversial dance craze to mainstream music in 2006), he experienced his first taste of international stardom and touring as a selector and MC of King Addies.

Slaying international stages as both a solo artist and Selector/DJ for the last 7 years, on Saturday, October 13th Matterhorn will return to Brooklyn to headline King Addies’ sizzling hot party series, “Welcome to Newlots”. Somewhat of a prodigal son returning home scenario, the cake icing is Power 105.1’s DJ Norie (additionally of Brooklyn’s legendary Afrique Soundstation) will also be featured alongside the King sound.

A line up set to the backdrop of the United States’ finest era of dancehall nostalgia, these international reggae dancehall All-Stars have an unforgettable history of creating the most epic NYC dancehall vibes in venue’s like Biltmore Ballroom, Tilden Ballroom, Albany Manor, CPAC and Amazura dating back to the 90s. Welcome to Newlots now fully established as the Brooklyn’s #1 Dancehall brand delivering historic, first ever line ups since its 2017 launch, is also a multi-event prequel to King Addies’ grand finale anniversary celebration slated for the end of this year.

The Big 35th Celebration

Every two years, King Addies produces a major dancehall reggae event to commemorate their anniversary. Notoriously garnering roadblock status, in prior years these events have featured original artist member Supa Cat, as well as other dancehall icons, such as: Bounty Killer, Sean Paul, Wayne Marshall, Stonelove, Bass Odyssey, Ruff Pack, Mighty Crown, and more.

The 35th Anniversary event will take place on December 15, 2018, at the 3000+ capacity venue, Club Amazura NYC. First names for release are The Breakfast Club/Power 105’s DJ Envy, Hot 97’s Massive B, Tony Matterhorn, Bronx NY’s Platinum Kids, Germany’s Sentinel Sound, DJ Stakz the Haitian King, Japan’s DJ Burndown, Brooklyn’s Unruly Stumpy and Washington DC’s Revolution Sound. More special guests artists to follow.

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