Music: Bay-C "Swings" to the top of German singles chart

Less than a year after embarking on a seemingly arduous task of rebranding his artiste persona as a solo act; Bay-C, formerly of super group T.O.K, has hit the proverbial jackpot on the International scene. The artiste has seen his collaboration ‘Rude Gyal Swing’ with African Pop artiste Treesha hit number one on the MTV Germany Urban Charts!

The ‘Rude Gyal Swing’ single, recorded earlier this year, has spent a total of 6 weeks on the highly recognized MTV Deutsche Urban Chart since its release earlier this summer. The dance party track, produced by Deebuzz, and Hard2Def out of Germany, is a mix of Electronic Dance Music with a Dancehall flavor.

‘Rude Gyal Swing’ has edged out other international singles, including DJ Khaled ‘I Got My Keys’, Usher ‘No Limit’and Fergie with ‘M.i.l.f Money,’ to make it to the number one spot. Bay-C shared how he got involved with the project and how he feels to be on top of such a highly recognized chart.

“One of the producers, Deebuzz reached out to me. They had the song already and wanted a bad dancehall artiste on it so they linked Bay-C! It's an amazing feeling. It is my first chart topper as a solo act so I'm super excited now.”  

Bay-C already saw a huge fan base develop for T.O.K over the last two decades in Germany and Europe in general; however his Solo artiste popularity grew in Germany after his six week solo European tour promoting his ‘Better Must Come’ EP, in May of this year.

“My solo music was very well received throughout the “Better Must Come” European tour and I’m sure that with a number one single on the charts it will only grow the Bay-C fan base and brand there.” Bay-C added

Plans are already being finalized to shoot a music video for the ‘Rude Gyal Swing’ single  as well as executing a combined tour featuring Treesha and Bay-C to amp the single’s worldwide promotion. 

The success has definitely not slowed Bay-C’s pace however, he will be releasing additional new singles through to the Christmas season and he will also release the visuals for his ‘Bunx And Galang’ single featuring dancers Shady Squad in a matter of weeks.

For all updates on upcoming and current Bay-C projects, follow the artiste on social media @baycmusic.

Media/Live Music: 52 Tuesdays Live.... with Michael "Mikey T" Thompson

Michael "Mikey T" Thompson

Think of him as a "radio postman" for lie music.

Since inaugurating his 'Live Tuesdays on-air performance slot On KOOL 97 FM some 52 weeks ago, veteran Michael "Mikey T" Thompson has not missed a single outing.

That amounts, in Thompson's humbly imprecise calculations, to "over 140 acts - solo and group, through the period." It also means well over a hundred hours of live music programming for the year at a time when radio offerings are sorely lacking in diversity and  - coincidentally? - live music is enjoying something of an underground resurgence, with several Kingston venues, new and old, offering a variety of live acts almost every night of the week.

But beyond the sheer numbers, Thompson, who was part of KOOL97 since the stations inception some 14 years ago (KOOLFM Anniversary celebrations are now close at hand), points out that the series offers musicians of various stripes "to  be heard solely on the basis of quality". That measure is, of course Thompson's to determine, but he makes it clear that he accepts no fees or other considerations from artistes in exchange for their appearance, only their time and energy.

And the roster that have responded is loaded with substance: Freddie McGregor, George Nooks, No-maddz, Coco T, Carlene Davis, Althea Hewitt, Pam Hall, Duane Stephenson and many more heavyweights. Alongsid ethese are up-and-comers like all-girl outfit Azadeh, Don Giovanni and Exile Di Brave and Lady Genius.

 Even more than the names, 'Live Tuesdays" has lanced the notion that Jamaican music is one-dimensional. The above-named acts and others (including Robert Dubwise, Pon Fyah band and Earth Kry) have laid down everyconceivable stage and sub-genre of Jamaican music, from mento to dancehall and beyond, incoporating, ska, lover's rock, rock, jazz, dub, EDM and other progressive offshoots.

To mark the occasion, Thompson will welcome another veteran outfit, Jamaica's undisputed champion showband, Fab 5 Incorporated, who will a special "....and Friends" edition of Live Tuesdays. Future episodes going into Year 2 will feature the likes of Mr Vegas, Uprising Roots and more.

And far from basking in the success, Thompson is hard at work, conceptualizing and planning some "special additions" to the format that he says he will elaborate on in short order.

So to those under the impression that the "house of Jamaican sound" is condemned and out of date, her comes Mikey T with a special delivery.  

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