MASTER BLASTER BULBY YORK DROPS A BOMB ON POLICE BRUTALITY WITH NEW VIDEO FOR “HANDS UP! (feat. CORNASTONAZ)

Nearly a year after his album Master Blaster was released, legendary Jamaican producer Collin “Bulby” York has dropped a brand new video from the critically-acclaimed LP. “Hands Up! (feat. CornaStonaz)” premiered on World A Reggae today. The militant vibe of the song, which speaks out against police brutality, was matched with equally defiant visuals. Directed by Joel Florian, the video finds the CornaStonaz, a Jamaican hip-hop reggae/soull fusion group made up of Atiba Foreigner, Malica, and Illestr8, trading rapid fire lyrics of resistance while holding a round table discussion to combat the current wave of violence in the streets. Careful attention was paid to the styling and make-up, as evidenced by the use of tribal face paint. CornaStonaz offered the following explanation: 

“Tribes like Igbo, Akan, Ashanti, Yoruba, Fon, Kongo and more, were brought to Jamaica. Spaniards also painted images of the Indians/aboriginal peoples that they found living in Jamaica and the images of those people were distinctly African. Painting our faces is an attempt to tap back into a culture, spirit, energy, knowledge that we have forgotten or has been hidden from us. The face paint is also a way for us to communicate a sense of oneness and community with all of our brothers and sisters in the diaspora.

At one time we threw our hands up as a means to express celebration and welcoming. As time has passed hands Up is now a universal language to plead for mercy and beg for safety from all that lurks in the dark. There was no way as artists that we could dodge the subject as it has become our white flag in this war that is consistently being waged against us.

Bulby added, “Hands Up (feat. CornaStonaz) is a project the world needs now, especially for the times we’re living in today. We need to promote equality and love throughout.”

The Master Blaster album is available on all digital platforms and features a slew of heavyweight reggae and dancehall superstars like Beres Hammond, Marcia Griffiths, Busy Signal, Vybz Kartel, Christopher Martin, Beenie Man, Raging Fyah, J Boog, and more.