San Francisco, CA – On the heels of his comeback single with dancehall superstar Sean Paul, London-based reggae fusion legend Maxi Priest is doing everything he can to make his native home of Jamaica continue to “Feel So Alive” after the devastation from Hurricane Melissa.

First and foremost, Maxi is supporting his brother in music, Sean Paul, who has pledged to match every dollar raised by his foundation, up to $100K, to a partnership with Food For The Poor Jamaica.  Maxi, in conjunction with his label distributor, Intercept Music, has partnered with the The Bob and Rita Marley Foundation Relief Fund on GoFundMe to raise funding for Paul’s foundation for The Food For the Poor Jamaica. Intercept Music made a financial contribution, with Maxi speaking directly to his fans in a heartfelt video appeal. 

States Maxi Priest, “One of Jamaica’s greatest gifts to the world has always been music.  It’s how we share love, unity and hope. But right now, our beautiful island needs us. Hurricane Melissa has left so many of our brothers and sisters in need of help and support.  Music and unity have the power to heal and rebuild. Let’s all do our  part to make Jamaica ‘Feel So Alive’ again.”

Maxi Priest’s “Feel So Alive” with Sean Paul, distributed by Intercept Music, is the new single and final track in “The Signal” riddim series by renowned music curator and producer Lion Face for Lion King Muzik.

Adds Intercept Music founder and chairman Ralph Tashjian, “Intercept Music is honored to join forces with Maxi Priest, Sean Paul and The Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, to assist with raising awareness and funding for the plight of Jamaica.  Jamaica has given us all so much with her music, food and culture.  It’s imperative that we do are part to restore the island’s glory and her people.”

In addition, Maxi recently collaborated with The British Chamber of Commerce Guyana (BritCham Guyana) to help raise funds for hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica. The Chairman of BritCham Guyana, Faizal Khan, and Maxi Priest dedicated the networking segment of the BritCham Guyana Business Forum & Networking Event, at Chelsea Football Club’s Stamford Bridge in London, to a special fundraising initiative. The live auction raised over $27,000 to support relief efforts.

Maxi is also working directly with Tropical Sun, the largest distributor of African and Caribbean products in the UK, to get canned goods, rice, etc. to Jamaica. Last but not least, Maxi sent a plane filled with relief items, along with some other charities’ donations, to Jamaica.

Maxi encourages all lovers of Jamaica and Jamaican music to donate to The Bob and Rita Marley Foundation Relief Fund on GoFundMe.  

San Francisco, CA – Maxi Priest, one of the most celebrated reggae fusion artists of all time, is making a massive move to re-ignite world music. The legendary reggae vocalist, whose career spans four decades with three Grammy nominations, has partnered with Intercept Music to officially re-launch and distribute his own label, Level Vibes Music. Marking his return to the charts, Priest has collaborated with dancehall superstar, Sean Paul, on the single release of “Feel So Alive,” the final track in “The Signal” riddim series by renowned music curator and producer Lion Face for Lion King Muzik.

In reggae and dancehall music, a riddim is the instrumental backing track that multiple artists use to create their own distinct songs. “Feel So Alive” is Sean Paul’s and Maxi Priest’s contribution to the five-song project which also has songs by JC Lodge, Luciano, Morgan Heritage, and Quan Dajai. “Feel So Alive” is a love-fueled Caribbean collaboration that ‘signals’ a roots and reggae revival for the ages.

Maxi’s musical lineage runs deep across multiple cultures.  His breakthrough came in 1984 with the first UK reggae tune to reach #1 in Jamaica. His self-titled 1988 album, recorded with legends Sly & Robbie, Willie Lindo, and others, introduced him to intercontinental audiences with hits like the classic cover of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World.” His duet with Beres Hammond, “How Can We Ease the Pain,” showcased his ability to garner mainstream accessibility. The album, “Bonafide” went Gold in the U.S. and delivered the smash single “Close to You,” #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the R&B chart. 

The momentum continued with chart-topping collaborations including “Set the Night to Music” with Roberta Flack and “Housecall” with Shabba Ranks. Maxi had mastered the art of balancing reggae authenticity with pop appeal. His 1996 release, “Man with the Fun,” featuring Shaggy on the Grammy-nominated crossover hit “That Girl,” proved his staying power.  “CombiNation” (1999), an eclectic blend of reggae, hip-hop, R&B, and jazz, featured artists like Beenie Man, Degree, and Red Rat, and reinterpretations of classics by Donny Hathawayand Stevie Wonder.

In 2022, he returned to the stage with UB40, The Original Wailers, and Big Mountain for a six-week U.S. tour. Now marking 40 years in the music industry with his label relaunch, Maxi has been honored with inductions into the Jamaica Music Museum Hall of Fame and the Reggae Walk of Fame. 

“I feel so alive!” exclaims reggae music sensation Maxi Priest. “My label, Level Vibes Music, finally has the support that it needs through my partnership with Intercept Music.  Intercept Music was created specifically for busy independent artists like me. With Intercept, we now have access to all the tools my team needs for the business of marketing and promoting, leaving me with the time and energy to do what I love – make music.”

“Working with Lion Face is always amazing,” adds Priest.  “He and I go way back, and our history is very, very melodic.  Having my brother Sean Paul on this track with me, my official debut label release, is something beyond beautiful.  Sean does what Sean does, he is just so brilliant! We connect across generations, growing the culture, the music and the vibration. Yes, I feel so alive!” 

Sean Paul, who has been proclaimed Jamaica’s top export, is likely one of the biggest global stars the island has produced. The iconic dancehall deejay has dominated international charts since he burst onto the scene in the late ‘90s. Three decades later and he shows no signs of slowing down. His introduction to the world stage was the 1997 instant smash “Infiltrate.” By the time he released his debut project, “Stage One” in 2000 with dancehall hits alongside singer Mr. Vegas, he was the highest-selling artist on VP Records. When Sean and Vegas landed a cameo in Hype Williams’ 1998 film “Belly,” and a musical collaboration with rap star DMX, his undeniable appeal in hip-hop was sealed.

Paul’s sophomore album “Dutty Rock” broke the mold for dancehall ultimately spawning four Top 15 Billboard hits. In the very same period, his voice powered hits for Beyoncé, Blu Cantrell and Busta Rhymes, proving that his Midas touch with a hook could not be contained by one genre. Sean’s third #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Temperature,” took the music star worldwide, reaching the Top 10 in Canada and France and Top 20 in Australia and the UK.  Blazing through the decades, the 2020’s have shown Sean to be the world’s foremost representative of Brand Jamaica, with him officially recognized by the Jamaican government with an Order of Distinction, decades of awards, chart-topping hits and a worldwide fanbase that is unmatched. To date, he is the most streamed reggae artist of all time with 15 billion streams, surpassing reggae legend Bob Marley!

“Lion Face is like family to me and the music.  He was one of the first selectors to ever believe in me.  And, you know, to be able to do a song with Maxi Priest, who was in the business before me, somebody who I look up to, it makes a very strong connection to the song itself. For me, it’s a dope feeling to know I can look up to these icons, both Lion Face and Maxi Priest, and now be doing songs with them,” adds global superstar Sean Paul.

“The musical bond between Sean Paul and Maxi Priest is mind blowing,” cites Founder and Chairman, Ralph Tashjian, for Intercept Music, a worldwide, leading, technology-driven independent music distribution and marketing company.  “Intercept Music has been continuously expanding our musical frontier, so this song release is a huge accomplishment for us.  Priest and Paul together – what more can I say, except be on the lookout for much more to come!”

Rock to the riddim of “Feel So Alive.”

Flow with the “Feel So Alive” lyric video on YouTube on the Maxi Priest channel.

Follow with Maxi Priest’s socials.

London-based jazz collective Kokoroko have released their sophomore album, Tuff Times Never Last. The band warms and uplifts the soul with songs that comfort and entertain. Jazz is the entry point to their sound but they blend R&B and lovers rock into the mix in a way that would make their foremother Sade proud. Their debut album, Could We Be More, came out three years ago and had more contemplation in its sound. They decided to make music with brighter feelings this time and co-bandleader Onome Edgeworth said:

“We tour so much so you want it to be fun. When all your songs are so serious and intense, you miss out on enjoying yourself sometimes. We asked ourselves the question, “What do we want our next years to feel like?” And we wrote music with the intention of it having colour and a sense of playfulness.”

Kokoroko is currently touring North America and has a few dates yet. Tickets are still available for the shows in Chicago and California. 

Reggae legend Lucky Dube’s Prisoner album is getting a 60th anniversary edition to honor the late singer’s 60th birthday. Dube used reggae to bring attention to social issues that were happening in his native South Africa. He started his career recording mbaqanga, which was a form of Zulu pop music in his native tongue. By the time he released his fifth album, he had learned English and had fallen in love with the reggae sound. 

Dube used music as activism. The South African government banned Dube’s 1984 album, Rastas Never Die because of the song “War & Crime” in it. The ban was a minor obstacle because Dube went on to record more than a dozen reggae albums, of which most were commercially successful. He became the biggest reggae artist in Africa and gained respect from an international audience, which earned him the Best Selling African Musician prize at the 1996 World Music Awards. Prisoner is considered his best album because of its fiery criticism of apartheid, and he was fortunate enough to see it end in 1994. Dube’s reputation grew, and he continued to release music until his untimely death in 2007 at the hands of carjackers in Johannesburg. The 60th birthday edition of Prisoner is a celebration of Dube’s contribution to music and humanity. The album will drop on November, 15th via Shanachie Records.