Justuss
Encyclopedia
Justuss is Canadian
reggae
musician
Snow
's third album. Like his second album Murder Love
, Justuss is primarily a reggae album performed in Jamaican Patois and featured fellow reggae stars such as Yami Bolo
, Nadine Sutherland
, Buju Banton
, Beenie Man
, and Terror Fabulous
. Because of his criminal record, Snow was unable to obtain a visa to promote Justuss in the United States. Despite being banned from Japan as well in 1996, the single “Boom Boom Boogie
” reached number 29 in Japan.
) was pressure. [Producers] Tony Kelly and Laurie brought out more of my creativity and different styles.”
Marketing Director Michelle Murray, Murder Love
“did well worldwide. So, we have to reconnect Snow with his fans from the Informer days and reestablish his credibility. We think this album is different because Snow has created a musical journey from his life-long experience. This album has really strong songs and a good thematic balance. Justuss has powerful underlying meanings.” The marketing strategy for Justuss consisted of releasing limited edition LPs to underground markets and worldwide stations. For the United States and Canada, Elektra planned to market “If This World Were Mine” to various clubs, DJs, and “college and mix shows.” Elektra also planned to “iron out” Snow’s visa issues but apparently, were unable to do as he did not tour the United States or Japan to promote the album.
” achieved Gold status in Japan and “If This World Were Mine” was released as a twelve inch single in the United States and Canada. However, the music videos for “If This World Were Mine” regularly appeared on The Box and “Boom Boom Boogie
” played “five to six spins a day” on MTV Japan.
declared, “His nimble tongued rude bwoy DJ persona remains as persuasive as ever in appealing dance tracks like opener “Steadly Woa” and “Mash Up Da Nation.” But for his third album, Snow tips the album toward the sweetly intense he unveiled in only a track or two on his debut set. DJ stardom only spans only a brief season or two and Snow’s plush, Afro-Erotic crooning—a sure route to career longevity—surpasses even his mic rocking.”
Writing for Vibe magazine, She added, “Justuss covers a wider musical range—fragments of reggae and funk treasures, contemporary hip-hop and soul—opening up dancehalls borders without sacrificing the fundamental hardcore vibe. Snow unfurls nimble-tongued stutters and a heretofore unrevealed gift for intimacy—a mike cuddling singing style with subtlety and chops to match any of today’s soul brothers.”
Dmitri Ehlrich of Entertainment Weekly
gave Justuss a “B” grade and wrote, “Perhaps the most surprising thing about this album of pop- and rap-tinged dancehall is how credible it is. While one is tempted to dismiss the Toronto MC as the Vanilla Ice of dancehall, Snow, in fact, has considerable skills: an easygoing flow, a mastery of Jamaican patois, and enough ideas to keep his songs interesting.”
Even longtime Snow critic Rick Anderson, who gave Murder Love
a negative review, observed, “Snow’s third album finds him slowly emerging from the sophomore slump of his underwhelming Murder Love, but still not delivering any hit singles to rival the success of "Informer," from his debut. By now it's clear that he is more than just a novelty act, but he is still struggling to define a sound for himself that is something more than a hybrid of his influences.”
In reviewing the track “Boom Boom Boogie
,” Larry Flick opined, “for the past few years, Snow has been working hard to strengthen his skills and credibility as a reggae toaster. He reveals a high degree of progress on this single which boldly blends pure Jamaican rhythms with dance/funk keyboards. His vocal style is now a hybrid of soul crooning and raunchy chatting, ripping through the baseline with palpable confidence.”
"I Want You" appears as a Bonus track on international copies of Justuss.
"Me and Joey," a collaboration with Thai rapper Joey Boy
, appears as a single on Justuss albums sold in Thailand.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
Snow
Snow (musician)
Darrin O'Brien , better known by his stage name Snow, is a Juno Award-winning Canadian rap and reggae musician. He is best known for his 1992 single "Informer", which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.-Life and work:...
's third album. Like his second album Murder Love
Murder Love
Murder Love is Canadian reggae musician Snow’s second album. While his preceding album featured a wide array of musical genres fusing hip-hop, pop, and reggae, Murder Love was recorded in Jamaica and primarily featured dancehall tracks...
, Justuss is primarily a reggae album performed in Jamaican Patois and featured fellow reggae stars such as Yami Bolo
Yami Bolo
Yami Bolo is a Jamaican reggae singer and performer.-Biography:Rolando Ephraim McLean, better known as Yami Bolo, is a Jamaican reggae singer, musician, artist, and performer. He was born on October 1, 1970 and grew up in Kingston 13...
, Nadine Sutherland
Nadine Sutherland
Nadine Sutherland is a Jamaican reggae singer whose early career was nurtured by Bob Marley. She went on to become a successful dancehall artist in the 1990s.-Biography:...
, Buju Banton
Buju Banton
Buju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
, Beenie Man
Beenie Man
Anthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...
, and Terror Fabulous
Terror Fabulous
Cecil Campbell , better known as Terror Fabulous is a Jamaican dancehall deejay, who had success in the 1990s.-Biography:Campbell was introduced to producer Dave Kelly after completing a course in electrical engineering. His recording career began in the early 1990s, with singles such as "Gwaney...
. Because of his criminal record, Snow was unable to obtain a visa to promote Justuss in the United States. Despite being banned from Japan as well in 1996, the single “Boom Boom Boogie
Boom Boom Boogie
"Boom Boom Boogie" is a 1997 single from Canadian reggae recording artist Snow’s third album, Justuss. The track proved to to be Snow's most successful single from "Justuss," reaching number 29 on Tokio Hot 100 and reaching gold certification in Japan...
” reached number 29 in Japan.
Production
For Justuss, Snow worked with producer Marcus Kane in Canada and with Tony Kelly and Laurie Bogin for three-and-a-half-months in Jamaica. Snow told Billboard magazine in 1996, “The second (Murder LoveMurder Love
Murder Love is Canadian reggae musician Snow’s second album. While his preceding album featured a wide array of musical genres fusing hip-hop, pop, and reggae, Murder Love was recorded in Jamaica and primarily featured dancehall tracks...
) was pressure. [Producers] Tony Kelly and Laurie brought out more of my creativity and different styles.”
Marketing
According to ElektraElektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
Marketing Director Michelle Murray, Murder Love
Murder Love
Murder Love is Canadian reggae musician Snow’s second album. While his preceding album featured a wide array of musical genres fusing hip-hop, pop, and reggae, Murder Love was recorded in Jamaica and primarily featured dancehall tracks...
“did well worldwide. So, we have to reconnect Snow with his fans from the Informer days and reestablish his credibility. We think this album is different because Snow has created a musical journey from his life-long experience. This album has really strong songs and a good thematic balance. Justuss has powerful underlying meanings.” The marketing strategy for Justuss consisted of releasing limited edition LPs to underground markets and worldwide stations. For the United States and Canada, Elektra planned to market “If This World Were Mine” to various clubs, DJs, and “college and mix shows.” Elektra also planned to “iron out” Snow’s visa issues but apparently, were unable to do as he did not tour the United States or Japan to promote the album.
Singles
“Boom Boom BoogieBoom Boom Boogie
"Boom Boom Boogie" is a 1997 single from Canadian reggae recording artist Snow’s third album, Justuss. The track proved to to be Snow's most successful single from "Justuss," reaching number 29 on Tokio Hot 100 and reaching gold certification in Japan...
” achieved Gold status in Japan and “If This World Were Mine” was released as a twelve inch single in the United States and Canada. However, the music videos for “If This World Were Mine” regularly appeared on The Box and “Boom Boom Boogie
Boom Boom Boogie
"Boom Boom Boogie" is a 1997 single from Canadian reggae recording artist Snow’s third album, Justuss. The track proved to to be Snow's most successful single from "Justuss," reaching number 29 on Tokio Hot 100 and reaching gold certification in Japan...
” played “five to six spins a day” on MTV Japan.
Reception
Despite the fact that Justuss is Snow’s lowest selling album, it received mostly positive reviews. Elena Oumano of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
declared, “His nimble tongued rude bwoy DJ persona remains as persuasive as ever in appealing dance tracks like opener “Steadly Woa” and “Mash Up Da Nation.” But for his third album, Snow tips the album toward the sweetly intense he unveiled in only a track or two on his debut set. DJ stardom only spans only a brief season or two and Snow’s plush, Afro-Erotic crooning—a sure route to career longevity—surpasses even his mic rocking.”
Writing for Vibe magazine, She added, “Justuss covers a wider musical range—fragments of reggae and funk treasures, contemporary hip-hop and soul—opening up dancehalls borders without sacrificing the fundamental hardcore vibe. Snow unfurls nimble-tongued stutters and a heretofore unrevealed gift for intimacy—a mike cuddling singing style with subtlety and chops to match any of today’s soul brothers.”
Dmitri Ehlrich of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
gave Justuss a “B” grade and wrote, “Perhaps the most surprising thing about this album of pop- and rap-tinged dancehall is how credible it is. While one is tempted to dismiss the Toronto MC as the Vanilla Ice of dancehall, Snow, in fact, has considerable skills: an easygoing flow, a mastery of Jamaican patois, and enough ideas to keep his songs interesting.”
Even longtime Snow critic Rick Anderson, who gave Murder Love
Murder Love
Murder Love is Canadian reggae musician Snow’s second album. While his preceding album featured a wide array of musical genres fusing hip-hop, pop, and reggae, Murder Love was recorded in Jamaica and primarily featured dancehall tracks...
a negative review, observed, “Snow’s third album finds him slowly emerging from the sophomore slump of his underwhelming Murder Love, but still not delivering any hit singles to rival the success of "Informer," from his debut. By now it's clear that he is more than just a novelty act, but he is still struggling to define a sound for himself that is something more than a hybrid of his influences.”
In reviewing the track “Boom Boom Boogie
Boom Boom Boogie
"Boom Boom Boogie" is a 1997 single from Canadian reggae recording artist Snow’s third album, Justuss. The track proved to to be Snow's most successful single from "Justuss," reaching number 29 on Tokio Hot 100 and reaching gold certification in Japan...
,” Larry Flick opined, “for the past few years, Snow has been working hard to strengthen his skills and credibility as a reggae toaster. He reveals a high degree of progress on this single which boldly blends pure Jamaican rhythms with dance/funk keyboards. His vocal style is now a hybrid of soul crooning and raunchy chatting, ripping through the baseline with palpable confidence.”
Track listing
- "Steedly Woa"
- "Freedom"
- "Mash Up da Nation"
- "If This World Were Mine"
- "Check Out the Way It's Going Down"
- "Day and Nite (Freakin' da Body)"
- "Anything for YouAnything for You (Snow song)Anything For You is a 1995 single from Canadian reggae recording artist Snow’s second album, Murder Love. While becoming a club favorite and a grassroots hit on The Box in the United States and Canada, the single only peaked at 74 on the Canadian Singles Chart...
[All Star Cast Remix]" - "Boom Boom BoogieBoom Boom Boogie"Boom Boom Boogie" is a 1997 single from Canadian reggae recording artist Snow’s third album, Justuss. The track proved to to be Snow's most successful single from "Justuss," reaching number 29 on Tokio Hot 100 and reaching gold certification in Japan...
" - "Hey Mr. D.J."
- "Sugacaine"
- "It's Alright"
- "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy"
"I Want You" appears as a Bonus track on international copies of Justuss.
"Me and Joey," a collaboration with Thai rapper Joey Boy
Joey Boy
-Biography:Born into a Thai-Chinese family, Joey Boy started listening to hip hop when he was 14 years old and skateboarding. In 1994, he was signed to Bakery Music. His first release was a self-titled EP. He recorded nine more albums with the label....
, appears as a single on Justuss albums sold in Thailand.
Trivia
- Justuss was nominated for a Juno AwardJuno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for Best Reggae Recording in 1998 - Justuss is the name of Snow's daughter.
External links
- Scene from "Boom Boom Boogie" music video.
- If This World Were Mine music video.
- Amazon.com
- Snow Lyrics an Australian Snow fansite