WORLD VIDEO PREMIERE: Ben Barbic “Break Free” feat. Ras Fraser Jr.

The hustler out of San Jose, Ben Barbic, is back with this world premiere for “Break Free”: a hometown heavy video for the track off Rebel Sound Records and featuring rasta artist Ras Fraser Jr. Bursting onto the reggae charts in 2013 with his lead single “Rat Race”, Barbic has manufactured three albums since and […]

Surf City Blitz to hit Huntington Beach

If your life is a cross between punk music and motorcycles, boy do we have a festival for you. Introducing Huntington Beach's first Surf City Blitz: two full days of drag racing and hardcore hits from hometown faves like The Offspring, Social Distortion and more this upcoming October 27th and 28th – all on the […]

¡Mayday! ‘South Of 5th’ album review

Life in Miami isn’t just all beaches and bar-hopping. Reggae-hip hop stunners ¡Mayday! know the city all too well, growing up on the less desirable streets south of 5th – where watching your back isn’t a precaution, it’s a necessity. Signing to Strange Music in 2009, the band has pumped out album after album, escalating […]

Scrap Yard Aces praise “Mota” in new single & video

Huntington Beach's Scrap Yard Aces (SYA) are reveling in that sweet, sweet essence of Maryjane with their latest “Mota” single and subsequent video. Residing so close to their Mexican border, Southern California natives know that herb nowadays comes in all shapes, smells, sizes and potencies – why not hit up our southern neighbors for the best […]

Sammy Johnson to embark on Sleepwalker Winter Tour

Aussie native, New Zealand bred, LA resident Sammy Johnson is taking his talents on the road yet again with the latest installment of his ongoing Sleepwalker Tour. In support of his full-length Sleepwalker that hit stores last year, Sammy Johnson announced a few days ago that west coast inhabitants have the chance to catch his […]

Rig up for Reggae on Route 66 Fest

Reggae, as a genre, is classic. Ever since its birth, reggae music has evolved to encompass so many subgenres along the way: island, roots, raggamuffin, dancehall, reggae rock, Cali reggae, alt-reggae, reggae-hip hop… the list goes on and on. Commemorating all that reggae represents are numerous national music festivals, each intending to spread good vibes […]

SINGLE PREMIERE: Jody Leylac “No De De” acoustic

Following her bass-heavy summer anthem, “No De De”, east coast reggae star on the rise Jody Leylac debuts the pulled back unplugged version today, only on Top Shelf Reggae! Leylac developed her vocal talents singing in a gospel choir as a child in Jamaica – talents heard loud and clear in this polished, acoustic adaptation of […]

Levitate 2018: Day Two

Around Day Two Stephen Marley Stephen Marley Stephen Marley Stephen Marley Stephen Marley Stephen Marley Around Day Two Spafford Spafford Spafford Spafford Spafford Spafford Spafford Spafford Around Day Two Jon and Roy Jon and Roy Jon and Roy Jon and Roy Around Day Two Around Day Two Lake Street Dive Lake Street Dive Lake Street […]

Crucial Blend packs heat with “Stoner Love” single

San Diego multifacted (but mainly ska-punk-roots) band Crucial Blend is gearing up to unload their fourth studio album, with two singles already circling the digital airwaves. Following the premiere single “Meanest Style” since their Full Grown EP in July, the Crucial Blend boys are giving fans another taste of the forthcoming full-lengther with “Stoner Love” — a song […]

Goldenvoice presents new Tropicalia Music & Taco Fest

First off, who doesn’t love tacos? In southern California, that’s half our diet. Taco Tuesday has been regaled for decades as a weekly celebration of, debatably, Mexico’s finest culinary achievement aside from the nacho and being so close to the Baja border means everything is better with hot sauce. Welcome to the SoCal life. Speaking […]

Who’s hungry for Music Tastes Good Festival vol. 3?

Rarely do weekend festivals bring as much to the table for cuisine as they do with music – pun intended. Some fests feed on foodie-culture (another pun), like San Diego’s renowned KAABOO Del Mar Festival or Vegas’ annual enigma known as Life Is Beautiful; these are split between music, food, art and comedy although the […]

Roots of Creation presents Summer in the 603 Fest

Summer in the northeast may be hot and muggy, but to beat the heat, there's nothing better than a good ol' fashioned block party! New Hampshire's own Roots of Creation (RoC) has teamed up with Granite Lion Entertainment this year to bring reggae-rock lovers a day festival they'll never forget. Going down this upcoming August […]

10 things you didn’t know you could do at KAABOO

Few festivals go above and beyond. Sure, the point of these three-day endeavors is to have the best time possible, considering most cost hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars for a mere weekend’s worth of music. For that price, the experience better be transformational. A decade ago, there used to only be a core three events […]

Sammy J sits down at Cali Roots 9

Sammy “J” Johnson sits down after his Day One performance on the main Bowl Stage at Cali Roots 9 in Monterey, California to chat with Top Shelf Reggae’s Kristy Rose. Coming off of his Sleepwalker tour, Sammy J chats about his latest Sleepwalker EP, his upbringing, getting back in the studio, his eternal love for […]

Catching up with New Kingston at California Roots 2018

Brooklyn-based family band, New Kingston, sits down with Top Shelf Reggae journalist Kristy Rose after they kicked off the Bowl Stage Day Three at the 9th Annual California Roots Music & Arts Festival in Monterey, California. With their dad resting, the three brothers of New Kingston talk about their upcoming European summer tour, the vibes […]