From the pit
I rolled to Providence to cover Island Saturdays, and with Copper Shot on the bill, this was one I couldn't miss.
The last time I saw Copper Shot was somewhere between 2005 and 2008, at a party called Flirt, thrown by Jerry Blacks. Jerry is the one who introduced me to them: a sound from uptown Kingston with a hardcore reggae feel. That combination is what impresses me about them. It shows exceptional versatility.
What made this night special was watching them play new music. A lot of sounds come through and run their anthems. Copper Shot took a chance and introduced us to what's got the swing in Jamaica right now. They didn't just play the hits. They came and gave you a taste of Jamaica.
Almost twenty years later, they're still doing what made me pay attention the first time.
Two days later, on Monday, October 12, 2026, we sat down with Marc Chin, the Jamaica-based Copper Shot selector, live on Shakes Is Live. Copper Shot started with three students at Campion College in Kingston and became the first Jamaican sound system to tour the Middle East. Watch the full conversation on the Bobby Shakes YouTube channel:
Words & photography — Bobby Shakes