‘Good Morning Uncle Ness, God Bless You My Son’

The spirit of community is highest form of humanity. Bob Marley

Bob Marley: Photo C.L.A.S.S Magazine circa 1980

Having written so many pieces on Bob Marley over the last 30 years I had sworn, to Jah almighty, I wasn’t going to write any more stories about uncle Ness; I mean, so much of the Marley mystique has been the subject of the keyboards what else is there to say that hasn’t already been written?  Bob Marley’s life was passion and prose, the Gong lived his life’s passions and wrote and sang his reality in prose.  To ‘Tuff Gong’ Marley life was never a dress rehearsal.  The ‘Skip’ took the time to love (hu) I-manity.

When the ‘Gong’ predicted that “reggae music will get bigger and bigger and find its right people’ little did he know that, over the last 30 years, so would he.  As Reggae and Gong Marley continue to get bigger and bigger and is still finding its right people I reflect on Bob, the man, who at age twelve I told friends would be the only thing worthwhile to come out of Jamaica. Little did I know!

He said in ‘everyman’s chest there beats a heart.’ The pulse of reggae music’ beats and is felt in millions of hearts because uncle Ness showed us how to love from our rhythmic heart. Jack Haley, the head of Amnesty International, says Marley’s name is synonymous with freedom. Son Ziggy said, ‘Free like you want to be’ A polygamist at heart Bob did what most men dream of and others are too afraid to do publicly. Bob said ‘a women must be respected and live’ and loved them he did.  From the Libyan princess, to Pasculine, the daughter of an African head of state he romanced, or Ester Anderson, the movie actress he mesmerized; beauty queens (Miss World and a Miss Jamaica) Cindy and Sandra Kong you were linked to, Anna Wintour, the powerful America Magazine editor, Rita, the famous reggae singer he married, and Anita, Table Tennis champion, with whom he sired a son and the list goes on. He sired 12 children by 8 different women. Bob loved all women, and that made me feel free to love all women. The loyalty he has engendered from these women is what most men dream of but never inspire. It is enviable.

You said we could only love you if we loved your music, 30 years hence our love affair with you grows undiminished. Chalice sang in ‘I still Love You’ ‘ Woke up this morning and found you gone’ We have woken up every morning for the past thirty years and thought you were gone, yet your love, your love still lingers and stays in our hearts and souls.

You said we could only love your music if we love reality.  Well as  the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson’s definition of the  ‘representative man’ and ‘the Lyric Poet of Rebellion’ yet you continue to be refined, delight and bring comfort to billions people around the world  in your music of freedom, and liberation, redemption and moral rearmament with protest songs of social injustice. Yet still despite every reason to hate your music contained not one word of hate, only a message of love. Uncle Ness from your grim, hard, contemptuously treated childhood … of poverty and neglect how were you able to dredge up so much loving in your absolutely original music?, I have no idea, I know humanity better because you did what you did. Yes, Uncle Ness they can’t take away those blessing from you not even after 30 years. 

Satellite XM Radio Hosts 30^th Anniversary Tribute to Bob Marley

NY based SiriusXM Radio’s reggae-music channel program, The Joint, followed Late Night with Jimmy Fallon NBC TV (May 9-13)  and hosted a five-day tribute that began on May 11^th , celebrating the music of reggae legend Bob Marley. The tribute titled ‘Bob Marley 30th Memorial Special’ that honors Marley and his music is to commemorate the 30^th anniversary of his death. Bob Marley died on May 11^th 1981.

The 30^th Memorial Special will feature five days of Marley’s music including favorites like No Woman, No Cry, One Love and Get Up Stand Up; rarely aired early classics; as well as Marley covers by artistes such as Lauren Hill, Eric Clapton, Rihanna, Sheryl Crow, Trey Anastasio, Steven Tyler,  Joe Perry, Gregory Isaacs, Jimmy Buffett, Annie Lennox, Matisyahu and Lee Ritenour. 7-time Grammy winner and Marley son Stephen Marley will provide remixes of Marley’s work. There will be performances from and interviews with other musicians, his peers and also from current and veteran artistes.

The eldest son of Bob –Ziggy Marley, was scheduled to perform an acoustic set of songs from his new album Wild and Free, release date June 14, in the SiriusXM studios in New York City on May 11. The Joint is hosted on channel 42  and airs on  SiriusXM Radio  at 11:59 p.m. ET.

The five-day special will also feature stories and testimonies from Ziggy, who  will give a rare, intimate interview discussing his childhood with his father, and sharing his personal insights into Bob Marley’s music legacy, music icons and talking about Marley’s significance. Ziggy Marley’s in-depth interview will also include him sharing stories about the mission of his music, his new hardcover comic book Marijuanaman, and the Wild and Free album. The interview will air on Sunday at 11 p.m. ET.

“Bob Marley’s musical legacy and spirit still resonates today, and we have created a multi-dimensional tribute to honor and celebrate his genre-defining music and life,” said Scott Greenstein, president and chief content officer, SiriusXM.  “We are excited to bring subscribers a special multi-day celebration of Bob Marley in words and music, and the exclusive performance by Ziggy Marley adds a very meaningful element to the tribute,” he continued.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon –Week long Tribute to Bob Marley

Reggae legend Bob Marley will be the spotlight on May 9 on NBC TV weeklong tribute beginning on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in honor of the 30th anniversary of the reggae legend’s passing. Fallon’s late-night show has rapidly grown into the best place to see after-hours performances from some of the greatest names in music.

The tribute honor of the late reggae legend Bob Marley began when Bob’s son David ‘Ziggy’ Marley made his a special appearance on the NBC show for the first time. There will also be featured musical guests, Lauryn Hill who will make a rare TV appearance Thursday May 12 , rock artiste Chris Cornell, pop idol Jennifer Hudson, rock singer Jakob Dylan, Keith Richards, ( Rolling Stones)  and rocker Lenny Kravitz, who will wrap up the week long tribute on Friday May 13. Each night one of the guests artistes will perform a classic Marley song that will pay tribute to his revolutionary spirit and deep influence on music.

Bob Marley Exhibit Open at the GRAMMY Museum

The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles debuted a new exhibit entitled Bob Marley, Messenger. Housed on the museum‘s second floor, the exhibit will focus on Bob Marley as a private, spiritual man, and as a powerful performer who has inspired legions of fans in the 30 years since his death.

Bringing together more than 40 diverse artifacts, rare photographs and more, the exhibit features items from the private collection of the Marley family. “Bob Marley gave the world something no other artist has. Not only did he give us brilliant music, but he also became a heroic figure. His music spread a message of hope and unity. That message is as relevant today as it was three decades ago, and it’s our hope to help share that message with a new generation,” said GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli.

On display, visitors will see a broad array of items, including Marley’s famous Les Paul guitar; an interactive drumming station that allows visitors to learn how to play a reggae beat; more than 40 photographs of Marley both on and off stage; ticket stubs, concert posters, tour books and fan memorabilia.

Additionally, the GRAMMY Museum has conducted interviews with several artists and musicians who have been influenced by Marley and the role that he played not only as the catalyst to the reggae evolution, but also his influence on music and culture. Interview footage will be featured in the exhibit and includes conversations with Blondie, Carlos Santana, Nas and more.

Marley Documentary Footage to be Unveiled at Cannes

Director /filmmaker Kevin Macdonald returned to the documentary filmmaking world following his recent big screen success The Eagle and The Last King Of Scotland. MacDonald directed two of the most acclaimed documentaries of recent years. MacDonald won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature with his 2000 film One Day In September and, Touching The Void. MacDonald will screen about 15 minutes of footage in his much anticipated documentary on reggae legend Bob Marley at the Cannes film festival. MacDonald has purposely chosen the opening day of the Cannes Film Festival to unveil the footage as the date itself, 11th May 2011, marks the 30th anniversary of the day Marley died. The footage will be presented to a select audience of buyers with the movie opening in September 2011.
In February 2011, Macdonald joined forces with the Marley family, Chris Blackwell and Steve Bing to produce in association with Cowboy Films, Tuff Gong Pictures / Shangri-La Entertainment this definitive film about one of the true and most loved international icons of the 20th Century. They put together what they claim to be the ultimate, authorized documentary film on the life, legacy and global impact of a true legend: One of the most influential singers, songwriters, musicians and activists in history.
This marks the first time ever that his family has authorized the use of their own private Bob Marley archives. The film will receive a worldwide theatrical release during the 30th anniversary year after his passing in 1981.   His story, music and message of love and redemption has finally been brought to life on film. Bob Marley’s universal appeal, impact on music history and his role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. His music and message transcend culture, language and creed and resonate around the world today as powerfully as when he was alive. Only a handful of musicians have ever achieved such an impact and Bob Marley, though his life was far too short, stands among them.

Filming is taking place in Ghana, Japan, the UK, Jamaica and the United States.  The film is produced by Charles Steel of Cowboy Films and co-produced by Shangri-La Entertainment’s Zach Schwartz.
Remembering Bob Marley 30 Years Later

Reggae’s greatest icon, Bob Marley, left us 30 years ago on May 11, 1981, but his music and influence lives on. The Bob Marley Foundation and the Bob Marley museum will be putting on an exhibit to mark the special occasion on Wednesday May 11, 2011.

More emphasis as usual is placed on the commemoration of his birth, however, this year will also incorporate his death, according to manager of the Foundation and Museum, Jacqueline Lynch-Stewart.

Stewart said due to the significance of the 30th anniversary special arrangements will be made for the commemoration of the date at the museum located on Hope Road.

Bob Marley passed away at the age of 36 from cancer. He is credited with bringing reggae music to mainstream. But his influence spans far beyond reggae music. His wisdom and message gave him the power to heal a whole nation suffering from political turmoil and poverty.

In the 1970s, Bob Marley was hosting a free concert in Jamaica as an attempt to help heal the political tensions the country was going through. Bob, his wife Rita and his manager were wounded in an attack, leaving him suffering from gunshot wounds to his chest and arm. Nevertheless, Marley proceeded with the free concert a couple days later and, when someone asked him why he was still going through with it, he simply said, “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?”

Bob Marley from the small Caribbean island of Jamaica’s impact on the world is beyond recognition. By the end of the last century he was declared one of the most influential musicians of all time. In 1999 Time magazine dubbed Bob Marley and the Wailers’ Exodus the greatest album of the 20th Century, while the BBC named One Love the song of the millennium.

Bob Marley’s son, Stephen Marley has a simple message to all Marley fans to keep his father’s memory burning. “Spread his message of peace, love and equality,” he said.

Tune in to Stan Evan Smith Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report on radio & the internet online:

WNSB Hot 91.1FM @ 2:15pm EST Sunday ‘Caribbean Connection’ w/Lady Cham 1:00pm-4:00pm streaming Live www.westindiantimes.netVibes24/7 Norfolk Virginia

WGUN 1010AM @ 3:00 pm EST Friday-Saturday ‘SupremeCaribRadio’ w/BarryD 2:30 pm-4:30 pm streaming Live www.biggunradio.com/ Narcross, Atlanta. GA

CHRY 105.5 FM@ 10: 40 am Monday ‘Rebel Vibes’ w/Carrie Mullings 10 am-12 pm streaming Live www.chry.fm & Roger’s Digital Cable Channel 94 Toronto, Canada

WPFW 89.3 FM @ 12:30pm ETS Sunday ‘This is Reggae Music’ w/Tony Carr 12am-2:00 pm streaming Live www.wpfw.org Washington. DC

One Caribbean Radio 97.9 FM HD2@ 9:45 pm EST Thursday ‘The Eclectic Mix’ w Chip Smith 9:00pm to 12 Midnight streaming Live www. OneCaribbeanRadio.com Brooklyn, New York

Read Stan Evan Smith’s Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report Online:

Entertainment Writer, Westindiantimes.net (Norfolk Beach VA)

Senior Music Writer, Jamaicans.com. (Fl.) http://blogs.jamaicans.com /seebreeze/2010/04/ Contributing Editor, Everybodys Magazine (NYC)

Music Writer, Jahworks.org (Oakland CA)

Email: wsmusicworks@gmail.com, Email/IM: Seebreeze66200@Yahoo.com

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Ziggy Marley Poised to Release Wild and Free

Reggae singer Ziggy Marley is set to release of his album Wild and Free on June 14 on his family’s Tuff Gong Worldwide label.

According to Marley, “we need personal revolution, social and group revolutions that change who we are as people.” Themes of marijuana and hemp runs through the album as well as the idea of using the cannabis plant for environmental, industrial and nutritional reasons to benefit the planet..
Ziggy’s Marijuana Man action figure story is about utilizing all the properties of the plant. He does not think people understand how much good it can do.

Tony Anthony leads Canadian reggae award nominations

The fifth annual Canadian Reggae Music Achievement Award is set for Saturday, June 4 at the Jamaica Canadian Centre in Toronto.  Leading the pack of nominees are singer Tony Anthony — Best Male Vocalist, Best Reggae Single — Million Chance, Best Reggae Album — Million Chance and Artiste of the Year Singjay Tasha T has copped three nominations with Tanya Mullings nominated in two categories.

Beenie Man, Sizzla, Junior Kelly, and Queen Ifrica, Barrington Levi and Gyptian to Headline for 2011 Barbados Reggae Festival

The seventh annual Digicel Barbados Reggae Festival, which ran from Monday April 25 until Sunday, May 1, was headlined by top Jamaican Reggae stars Beenie Man, Barrington Levy Gyptian, Queen Ifrica, Junior Kelly, Lady Saw Boris Gardiner, Ken Boothe, Eric ‘Oh Cherry Oh Baby’ Donaldson and Cultural Chanter Sizzla Kolongi and the three band, Fire House, Gumption and the Fabulous 5 Band.  The festival also featured Wyclef Jean of Fugees fame and a host of Barbadian reggae artistes.

Beenie warns Barbados to stop pressuring Jamaicans

According to a published report in the Barbados Nation newspaper dancehall deejay Beenie Man aka ‘the Doctor’ warned Barbados immigration officials on the island stop pressuring Jamaicans. On stage at the Reggae Beach Party in Brandons Beach, St Michael he said “Ease up Jamaican. Stop pressure Jamaican,” I have friends who come over here and end up in jail for four days for no reason.” Beenie Man added that he was arrested on his last visit to Barbados but that he bore no grudge? Thank you Barbados,” he said.

Popcaan- takes on Tobago and Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana

Hotskull deejay and “Gaza” artist Popcaan gave a performances in Caribbean islands of Tobago ( Trinidad & Tobago) Guyana Suriname and French Guiana where he had the fans begging the for more. Popcaan next went to Dominica alongside Gaza Slim on May 5th. He returned to Jamaica

Beyonce samples Pon De Floor for first single

Beyonce will sample the Vybz Kartel track Pon De Floor for her lead single off of her up-coming fourth studio album.

Smiley Culture’s supporters March in England

Thousands marched through the streets of Westminster, England demanding justice for the still-unexplained death of DJ Smiley Culture on March 15 while the police raided his flat.

Smiley Culture died of a single stab wound during a police search of his house. Officers who mounted the early morning raid claim that he stabbed himself to death while alone in his kitchen as he made a cup of tea.

Family, friends and campaigners are skeptical and have referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Smiley’s advocates were out in force to demand a public inquiry, as they marched to Scotland Yard, where the demonstration was addressed by Smiley Culture’s nephew.

Recovery Japan Launched – Jamaicans Asked To Reach Out To Disaster-Stricken Country

Ai Irisawa, chairman of Recovery Japan and other interested parties, all spoke about the March 11 Japan earthquake and tsunami and what could be done through Recovery Japan to assist the victims in Japan.

Over 10,000 persons have been found dead and more than 17,000 have been reported missing since disaster struck the country. Recovery Japan will be staging a number of charity events. Among the activities planned is the Kingston Rock Concert on April 24, featuring Lukie D, Konshens, Carl Dawkins, Junior Reid and more at Studio 38

Morgan Heritage Family Replace Luciano at Miami Reggae Festival

Morgan Heritage will be replacing Luciano and the Jah Messenger band tour package with Warrior king and Bonnie Casey at the Miami Reggae Festival to be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011.due to unforeseen conditions. Luciano’s Management have been unable to resolve pressing immigration issues as it relates to the artist being able to travel to or perform in the United States. “The late delivery of this news will cause much disappointment to all the supporters waiting to see his appearance for the festival.” stated Alfonso D’Niscio Brooks, event producer.

The Harder They Come Remake

The 1972 Jamaican movie classic The Harder They Come will be remade using the production companies of United Kingdom-based Zingu Films and Canada-based Conquering Lion with producer Justine Henzell.The original film was written and directed by Perry Henzell, Justine’s father. Conquering Lion’s producer Damon D’Oliveira described the remake as “a re-imagining that will move to contemporary reggae and reggae-influenced grooves.”

In an interview, D’Oliveira said “The Harder They Come was the first film to bring the real Jamaica to the world, and that spirit informs this new version.”

The original film starred Jimmy Cliff, Janet Bartley and Carl Bradshaw. Its plot involved a Reggae singer pushing his sin

ging career in the city, but finding it harder than he thought.

Producer Justine Henzell said that for the first time, she is confident that they will have a team that will simultaneously honor the original while creating a new narrative worthy of the legacy.

The new remake will be set in Jamaica and London. The screenplay will be written by Chris Salewicz who also wrote Third World Cop.

The draft script will be ready for Cannes and the principal photography will begin in 2012, according to the producers.

Ryno Headlines International Night at Dominica’s Mayfest

With the Trinidad & Tobago Easter festivities now behind him, dancehall deejay Ryno (Blak Ryno) is all set to make his official debut at the annual May Fest 2011 in Dominica.

Ryno appeared as the headliner for International Night on May 1st at the Marigot Fisheries Complex. Fellow Jamaican act Voicemail performed as did local bands: X-Plus Band, Burning Flames and Triple Kay International among others.

The May 1st activities forms part of the larger four-day event now in its 5th staging and is organized by the Marigot Development Corporation. The festival is also the largest village tourism and musical undertaking in Dominica.

Shabba Ranks to perform on Best of the Best Weekend 2011

Reggae artiste Shabba Ranks has officially been added to the Best of the Best Weekend 2011 concert at Bicentennial Park from May 26 to 30. The event will see top acts in reggae, hip-hop, dancehall and soca, such as Stephen and Damian “Junior Gong” Marley, DJ Khaled, Vybz Kartel (who will appear with his band live via satellite from Jamaica), Tarrus Riley, Alison Hinds, Trina, Assassin, Etana, Sanchez, I-Octane, Ace Hood, Stephen McGregor, Chino, Richie Loop, Demarco, Gappy Ranks, Romain Virgo, Big AC and ZJ Liquid.

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry: Over 75 Years

Lee “Scratch” Perry is releasing an album and starring in a documentary called The Upsetter. The film takes a biographical look at the eccentric mastermind behind dozens of classic reggae and dub songs by Gregory Isaacs, The Clash and Bob Marley.

New Singles On iTunes – Vybz Kartel – Sophia Brown – Christopher Martin

Vybz Kartel releases Coloring Book on iTunes.

Sophia Brown – Lovers Rock
Sophia Brown Lover’s Rock Reggae compilation from her Music Mecka Records now available on iTunes. In heavy rotation throughout Europe it features Sophia Brown, Gin-jah and Fire Star.

Chris Martin EP Still Going Strong: Christopher Martin EP, featured on Itunes for the fourth week running. Included in this release are several mixes of his latest hit I’m an African (coincidentally, martin recently returned from a series of shows in Kenya) as well as the anthem This Year. This is truly an all around enjoyable release from one of Jamaica’s rising stars.

Chino to release self titled album

Reggae and dancehall artiste, Chino, will release his self-entitled United States album Chino in five weeks.  “It won’t be just one genre and that’s in an effort to cater to not only the US market, but also the European and Caribbean territories,” he said.  The album will be available online and in stores on May 24

UK Ska Festival Showcases Jamaican Talent

Veteran organist Ansel Collins of Double Barrel joined forces with Dave Barker in England to headline for two nights at The London International Ska Festival on The Clapham Grand Theatre in London.

Reuniting for the first time since the 1970s, Dave and Ansel Collins are also celebrating the 40th anniversary of their United Kingdom number-one song, Double Barrel.  Dave Barker, a session vocalist, and Ansel Collins, an organist-keyboards player, were working for producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry in Kingston, Jamaica in the late 1960s, and joined forces in 1971, for Double Barrel.

Released on Techniques Records, part of the Trojan Records label, it topped the Jamaican and UK charts in March of that year. It was the first record the celebrated drummer, Sly Dunbar, ever played on.

The London International Ska Festival featured 37 bands and DJs from 11 countries, showcasing the very best Ska has to offer from its roots in American rhythm and blues, to the Jamaican originators, their progression into rock steady and Reggae, through 2 Tone and right until today with 21st century Ska sounds.  Other artistes included Ken Boothe, Bob Andy, Marcia Griffiths and the English Beat just to name a few.

Ras Penco “Be  By My Side” Hits Canadian R&B chart

Reggae star Ras Penco breakout single “Be By My Side has single recently peaked at # 8 on the  popular R&B top 100 countdown s

how in Canada. “The video for “Be By My Side” is also receiving rotation play on popular MUCH Music TV in Canada. The video is also in rotation on BET Jazz. Ras Penco’s song ‘Thousand Miles Away’ was in rotation on VH1, and Bet Jazz, Sly a Robbie to release tribute to Japan

Sly and Robbie to release tribute to Japan

Rhythm twins Sly and Robbie have released their tribute to Japan song, titled Sly & Robbie with Friends: Let Us Pray – Another Song For Japan for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that occurred on March 11th in Japan. Kaz Asonuma from the Sly and Robbie camp said a large group of musicians including T.O.K, Cherine Anderson, Belinda Brady, Leba, Pam Hall, Savone, Scantana, UNITZ, KGN 21, Robbie Lyn, Danny Browne, Rory Baker, Bulby York and Shane Green along with the Japanese classic strings players. One hundred per cent of the proceeds will be going towards Japan. The song involves the Japanese Classic Strings Players who recorded their part at one of the biggest studios in Japan – the Onkyo House, which provided free studio times for the song. The song will be made available on iTunes soon.

Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne Featured On Barrington Levy Upcoming Album

Reggae veteran Barrington Levy’s upcoming album titled “It’s About Time,” will be his first studio album in two decades. The album release date is unknown. He recently completed a major tour of the US with Stephen Marley and is expected to start shooting his roles in the upcoming movie Gangster.

Shaggy’ Charitable Ambitions & International Humanitarian Award

Save Bob Marley, Shaggy is reggae’s most commercially successful artist. Known for his philanthropic work through his ‘Shaggy Make A Difference Foundation’ he is the recipient of this year’s 2011 International Humanitarian Award by the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) their 7th Annual Peacock Soiree at Jungle Island in Miami, Florida.

Shaggy told Peter Bailey of NBC Nitecap that his involvement with charity in Jamaica is by “chance.”“I don’t think you being a person with any kind of conscience could see what I saw and did nothing about it,” he said. Shaggy is the brain behind the ‘Shaggy and Friends Concert’ since 2009, which has drawn international stars such as Boys to Men and Macy Gray to the shores of Jamaica.

The event was hosted by former American Ambassador to Jamaica Sue Cobb and the president of the American Friends of Jamaica. Proceeds from the 7th Annual Peacock Soiree will go to benefit Jamaican charities in education, health care and economic development. The Jolly Boys provided the entertainment. Shaggy also hosts his annual Christmas treat at the Bustamante Hospital for Children

Bunny Wailer, Maxi Priest, &the Commodores for St. Kitts Music Festival

The St. Kitts Music Festival is a showcase for several musical genres including rhythm and blues, jazz, hip-hop, Reggae, soca, calypso, gospel and contemporary music. Bunny Wailer and British reggae acts Maxi Priest, former UB40 lead singer Ali Campbell joins the American R&B group the Commodores in the line-Up to perform at the 15tt annual St. Kitts Music Festival which will take place from June 23 to 25.                               Bunny Wailer has been named by Newsweek Magazine as one of the three most important musicians in world music while Maxi Priest is considered to be one of the most successful reggae fusion acts of all-time.

Could Vybz Kartel to Take Legal Action against the State – For loss of Income?

Deejay Vybz Kartel is threatening to take legal action following the cancellation of his Coloring Book Party at the LIME Village in the Sunshine City, Portmore Jamaica.  He received a permit to stage the party prior to the event only to have it revoked at the last hour. Kartel was told by the Greater Portmore St Catherine South police that based on the headline act; there was the strong possibility that the show would attract criminal elements.

The Greater Portmore St Catherine South police, according to a published report declined to comment on the revocation of the permit. Vybz Kartel stated in a interview with OutAroad.com. “I will be suing them for loss of income in a court of law”. The other acts scheduled to appear were Macka Diamond, Lady G, Terror Fabulous, Venjance, Macho Kid, Johnny, Amanda Cat and Kibba Ranks. Late last year Kartel‘s Gaza events that took place in the Buildin Night Club including the Gaza Celebration Party were ended prematurely by the police.

Peter Tosh revival continues

Legalize It and Equal Rights, Peter Tosh’s landmark albums for Columbia Records, will be reissued June 21 by Columbia/Legacy Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music International.

A statement from Columbia/Legacy said Legalize It: Legacy Edition and Equal Rights: Legacy Edition, revisit two of the most powerful statement albums in popular music, complete with liner notes, previously unreleased demos and out-takes from their recording sessions.

It is the second time in 12 years that Columbia/Legacy will reissue the albums, which were first released by Columbia Records in 1976 and 1977, respectively. They will coincide with the 40th anniversary of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) of which Tosh was a supporter.  A public service announcement Tosh did for NORML in 1976 will also be broadcast on radio this year. Columbia/Legacy are to re-release seven-inch vinyl singles of Legalize It and Equal Rights.

Tosh, a founding member of The Wailers group along with Bob Marley and Bunny ‘Wailer’ Livingston, was murdered at his St Andrew home in September 1987 at age 42.  Legalize It was his first most ambitious project since leaving The Wailers in late 1973 following an acrimonious tour of Britain.  The album contained the ominous title track, Burial, Brand New Second Hand and Igziabeher.

Tosh secured the deal with Columbia through Lee Jaffe, the American harmonica player who had befriended The Wailers in the early 1970s.  In a May 2003 interview, Jaffe said Tosh had a controversial concept for his major label debut.  “He had written a song, Legalize It, and I felt from an American point of view that was a big issue and would draw a lot of attention,” Jaffe recalled.  It was Jaffe who took the photograph of Tosh in a ganja field in the town of Bluefields, Westmoreland, the singer’s home parish.

Interestingly, CD two of Legalize It: Legacy Edition is Tosh’s final mix which was presented to administrators at Columbia.  One year later, the equally provocative Equal Rights was released. In addition to the title song, it included The Wailers standard Get Up, Stand Up, Downpressor Man, Stepping Razor, African and I Am That I Am.

The Columbia/Legacy reissues come at a time when there is a Peter Tosh renaissance.  Roots singer Bushman recently covered several of his songs on the Bushman Sings The Bush Doctor album.  Last year, Tosh’s son Andrew, paid tribute to his father with Legacy: An Acoustic Tribute To Peter Tosh. That set was nominated in the Best Reggae Album category at this year’s Grammy Awards.  Peter Tosh left Columbia after the release of Equal Rights and recorded for Rolling Stones Records, EMI America and Capitol Records. The last of the three released No Nuclear War, his last studio album, in 1987.  No Nuclear War won the 1988 Grammy for Best Reggae Album

Lupe Fiasco, Sean Paul Headlines UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival

Lupe Fiasco and reggae sing-jay Sean Paul will headline the 25th Jazz Reggae Festival at the UCLA campus during Memorial Day weekend. The three-day concert Jazz Reggae Festival (May 28-30th) is looking to make this year’s event its biggest celebration to date. The Festival will be held at the UCLA Intramural Field. Fiasco will perform on May 29, Jam Day, while Sean Paul is scheduled to hit the stage on May 30, Reggae Day.

Bob Marley & the Golden Age of Reggae Photo Exhibition – 7th April – 15th May, London, England

Proud Camden presents Bob Marley & the Golden Age of Reggae, an exhibition of photographs by celebrated photographer Kim Gottlieb-Walker. This exhibition is a stunning visual record of the “golden age of reggae” to mark the 30th anniversary of Bob Marley’s death this May.

During 1975 and 1976, renowned underground photo-journalist Kim Gottlieb-Walker and her husband, Head of Publicity at Island Records Jeff Walker, documented what is now widely recognized as the Golden Age of reggae. Over two years of historic trips to Jamaica and exclusive meetings in Los Angeles, Kim took iconic photographs of the artists who would go on to define an era and captivate a generation. During 1975 and 1976, renowned underground photo-journalist Kim Gottlieb-Walker and her husband, Head of Publicity at Island Records Jeff Walker, documented what is now widely recognized as the Golden Age of reggae. Over two years of historic trips to Jamaica and exclusive meetings in Los Angeles, Kim took iconic photographs of the artists who would go on to define an era and captivate a generation.

Proud Galleries has worked with Kim Gottlieb-Walker to create an exhibition of candid and intimate photographs of the artists and producers who brought the reggae sound to the international stage, including Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Toots Hibbert, Burning Spear, Lee “Scratch” Perry and, of course, Bob Marley. This exhibition includes never-before-seen photographs and is a stunning photographic record of one of the most exciting moments in recent musical history, with a warmth and intimacy born out of the respect between Kim Gottlieb-Walker and the artist.

I-Octane featured in Vibe Magazine

Cultural reggae act I-Octane is featured in the international April/May issue of VIBE Magazine.

Marie-Claire — fusing reggae with opera

Italian-trained, Dominican-born, and Bronx-bred classical soprano singer Marie Claire in Jamaica working on a groundbreaking musical album project, it is a fusion opera with reggae, dancehall and hip hop to create this new sound. The album is titled ‘Dreamland’.

The government of Dominica and the Dominican private sector along with some business interests in the United States are funding the production of the album this dream project.Bob Andy one of Jamaica’s finest singers/songwriters along with musicians/producers, Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith and Glen Browne lend their musical talent and expertise to the project. Andy contributed the song called Constellation. This is the first time Claire, who made her debut at Carnegie Hall with the New York Grand Opera Company is actually singing an original song blending the two genres, mixing opera with reggae.    Marie Claire has chosen Bob Marley and the Wailers’ Rasta man Chant (Fly Away Home) complete with Nyiabinghi drummers to be included on the album to be treated by her operatic virtuosity.

Third World Tries A Different Label Approach For New Album

Third World’s 23rd album “Patriots” was released on the band’s newly formed label Third World Music Group, in association with VP Associated Label Group (VPAL), the recently launched subsidiary of the Queens, NY based reggae independent VP Records. Third World is utilizing VPAL’s marketing and distribution; while its bookings are handled by Third World Music Group, and Triple 7 Entertainment LLC is doing the group’s publicity. (Third World secured digital distribution through Jamaica based Zojak Worldwide prior to finalizing their VPAL deal) surged past 3,000. The band has sold 779,000 albums in the U.S. since 1991 according to Nielsen Sound-Scan, although their career total is certainly much higher. They’ve charted 8 albums on the Top 200; their signature hit “Now That We Found Love” peaked at no. 47 on the Hot 100 in 1979. in June, VPAL/Third World Music Group will promote a second single, Stephen and Damian Marley’s hip hop flavored Auto-tuned remake of Third World’s classic “1865 (96 Degrees in the Shade)”.

Reggae Grammy: SAFE

The Grammy for the reggae category could be in jeopardy after the current overhaul undertaken by the Academy. The local music fraternity breathed a sigh of relief last week following the announcement that the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album was not one of the categories being axed by the US-based NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences).

NARAS who presents the annual Grammy music awards recently announced that it will slash the number of its trophies from 109 to 78.  The changes — the first restructuring since the academy founded in 1959 will also revamps the voting process.  There will now be single awards in the best Pop, R&B and Country singer categories, and not broken down in male and female groups, NARAS said in a statement.

Already we see the merger of several R&B and Rap categories as well as the elimination of some international categories. The number of awards currently stands at 78, down from 109, with the changes taking effect at next years ceremony.

Additional changes include the suspension of a category for a year if fewer than 25 submissions are received for that category. This many industry professionals argue may put the Award for the Reggae category at risk. Three consecutive suspensions will lead to the permanent elimination of a category.  The Reggae Grammy was launched in 1985 and saw Black Uhuru taking home the first Reggae Grammy.

Over the years several big Reggae/dancehall stars have secured a Grammy under their belt, including Beenie Man, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Shabba Ranks, Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, Sly & Robby, Ziggy Marley, Damian Marley, among others.  Incarcerated Reggae star Buju Banton won this year Reggae Grammy for his critically acclaimed album ‘Before The Dawn.’In order to save the Reggae Grammy, we will need to submit more votes on the Academy website www.grammy.com

Tune in to Stan Evan Smith’s Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report on radio & the internet online:

(757)-823-9110 WNSB HOT 91.1 FM @ @ 2:15 pm Sun. ‘Caribbean Connection’ w/Lady Cham 1:00pm-4:00pm streaming Live www.westindiantimes.netVibes24/7 Norfolk Virginia

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(770)- 941-1010 WGUN 1010 AM @ 2:45 pm Fri.-Sat ‘SupremeCaribRadio’ w/Barry D 2:30 pm-4:30 pm streaming Live www.biggunradio.com/ Narcross, Atlanta. GA

Read Stan Evan Smith’s Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report Online:

Entertainment Writer, Westindiantimes.net (Norfolk Beach VA)

Senior Music Writer, Jamaicans.com. (Fl.) http://blogs.jamaicans.com /seebreeze/2010/04/

Contributing Editor, Everybodys Magazine (NYC)

Music Writer, Jahworks.org (Oakland CA)

Email: wsmusicworks@gmail.com, Email/IM: Seebreeze66200@Yahoo.com

Facebook: facebook.com/stan.e.smith1, facebook.com/stan.e.smith

Blog: http://blogs.jamaicans.com /reggaebreeze

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Carol Gonzalez Performing@ Team Jamaica Bickle tribute to Olympian Donald Quarrie in NYC

In a performance to honor the stellar career of the five-time Olympian and Jamaican Statesman, Mr. Donald Quarrie, CD, or DQ as he is affectionately known.  International singer Carol Gonzalez joined New York based band Ruff Stuff, Reggae singer Ed Robinson, Johnny Osborne and other entertainers at Sullivan Hall in Manhattan, New York City on Tuesday April 12, 2011. The event was the Team Jamaica Bickle’s annual Penn Relays reception. Carol Gonzalez, the international song bird thrilled the audience with a medley of her hit songs which included: ‘Second Class’ (originally done with Buju Banton), ‘Personal Delivery’ which was also a big hit for her across Europe and the Al Green classic ‘Here I Am Baby’. Gonzalez, as an avid advocate against domestic violence chose to close her set with a track from her 2007 CD ‘The Music in Me’ a crowd favorite—‘How Come, How Long’. Carol challenged her audience to speak out for and support the victims with nowhere to turn–of domestic violence. She cautioned that failure to speak in life-threatening situations can have deadly consequences.

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Judge Agrees To Add Two More Charges To Reggae Artiste Mark Myrie/Buju Banton

Jamaican reggae artiste Mark Myrie, a four-time Grammy nominated artiste known to the music world as Buju Banton is facing four charges instead of two at his retrial on February 14^th 2011 in the Sam M. Gibbons Federal Court in Tampa, Florida. Judge James Moody, whose rulings have mostly favored the prosecution, again ruled for the prosecution by dismissing a motion by Mark Myrie’s defense seeking to have the new indictment thrown out. Banton, who is on US$250,000 bail is subjected to house arrest.

Myrie’s attorney David Oscar Markus appeared confident non-the-less when speaking to the Jamaican news paper The Jamaica Observer saying “…We are going to trial on Monday on the new charges. That’s okay. We are ready.” Mark Myrie/ Buju Banton had originally been tried last September on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm during a drug-trafficking offence.

The charges added to the old indictment are possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offence, this despite the fact Myrie never had a gun, was never physically in possession of a gun, was not at the scene of the crime when the other two defendants attempted to buy cocaine from the US government. Further complicating matters is the fact that the prosecution did not prove the original gun charge in the first trial in September 2010.The second charge is using the wires to facilitate a drug-trafficking offence

The prosecution after failing to convict Myrie in September secured the new indictment with the additional two counts in November 2010. Myrie’s first trial ended with a deadlock six/six hung jury in September 2010. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

Convicted defendants Ian Thomas and James Mack are expected to testify during Banton’s second trial. They did not participate in the previous trial.

Ziggy MARLEY to launch ‘MARIJUANAMAN’

Ziggy Marley is set to become the latest celebrity comic book author after landing a release date for his ‘MarijuanaMan’ series.

The Grammy Award-winning reggae star has teamed with Image Comics to turn his graphic novel idea into reality. The project chronicles the tale of “a noble extraterrestrial champion, who has arrived on Earth to deliver an important message and at the same time save his own planet”. Marley says, “Marijuanaman represents the hope of the future… the hope that we will utilize all of the power that the universe has given us to save our planet.” The book will be in comic stores in April.

Beenie Man’s new album and record deal

Beenie Man is gearing up for another crack at the Billboard charts with a new album titled The King In Control and record deal with the Universal Music Group through his MD Entertainment and VP Records. It will feature rapper Busta Rhymes and a possible collaboration with Trinidad-born rapper Nicki Minaj

Bridgez, the first lady of the Alliance

BRIDGEZ: “Joining the Alliance has played a very significant role in my life.”  Reggae singer Bridgez has joined the Bounty Killer-led dancehall Alliance. Bridgez real name Bridgette Roache, has worked with producers such as Jack Scorpio, Rohan ‘Sno Cone’ Fuller, Stephen ‘Supa Hype’ Davis, Kemar ‘Flava’ McGregor and Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare.

She has a duet w/ singer Lukie D. Her latest musical projects include mixed tape titled Bridgez Crossover and is set to shoot the videos for the songs ‘Fulfill My Fantasy’ and ‘Saving it For You.’

VP Records releases digital EP Changes from Gentleman

German reggae star Gentleman’s fifth studio album in America ‘Diversity’ is out on VP Records. The digital EP, ‘Changes’, which features three hits from ‘Diversity’, was released by indie VP Records on February 22, 2011. The singles ‘Changes’ and ‘Lonely Days’ were produced by Jamaican hit-maker Don Corleon, and the electro-dance fusion ‘To the Top’ w/Jamaican singer Christopher Martin.  The ‘To the Top’ video has recorded five million hits on YouTube since its release in July 2010. The digital EP Changes is available on iTunes and VP Records’ own PlanetReggae.com.

Nicky B: Cooking Up Hits for 2011

Nicky B’s (Nicholas Bennett, son of producer Mikey Bennet) single “Golddigger” w/Elephant Man is his latest attempt at cooking-up sweet sounding music. For 2011 he has collaborations with French rapper Rohff, in a Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor-produced remake of New Edition’s, 1988 mega-hit “If It Isn’t Love” and a European tour with Voicemail in the summer.

Rapper Eve to perform with Lady Saw at EME Awards in Jamaica

Eve and rapper Trina will be inducted as an “International Friend of Reggae“. Eve will be recognized for her collaboration with Lady Saw, which is currently blowing up in Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean. Jamerican comedian Rayzor will also be present at the annual event.

There has also been the announcement that golden-voiced roots singer Jah Cure, the Strong One, Etana and current reggae nominee Andrew Tosh, son of the legendary Peter Tosh will join hip hop’s Diamond Princess Trina as performers at the 7th annual EME Awards.

Tifa, Kartel top 2011 Youth View Award winners

Dancehall artistes Tifa and Vybz Kartel were the big winners at the fourth staging of 2011 Youth View Awards on February 7^th 2011 at National Indoor Sports Centre. Tifa, walked away with four awards and Kartel took home five awards.

The event was hosted by ZJ Bambino and Rocsi from BET’s 106 and Park’s. There were performances from Denyque, Raine Seville, Khago, Munga Honorable, Ce’Cile, Richie and Ikaya.  Voicemail won for best group. Voicemail’s Craig Jackson gave a memorable acceptance speech dedicated the award to fallen member Oneil Edwards. He thanked the fans.

Beenie Man Recovering From Hip Surgery

BBC Documentaries on Caribbean island’s influence on British music

On the 30th anniversary of Bob Marley’s death the British Broadcasting Corporation Four on February 11 aired a series of documentaries celebrating Reggae’s impact on British music, culture and society. The programmes show how Reggae came from Jamaica in the 1960s to influence, over the next 20 years, both British music and society.looking at some of the most ground breaking artists to come out of Jamaica and an investigation of how they influenced British musicians.

The series will start with the documentary Reggae Britannia and includes major artistes and performances from that era, including Big Youth, Max Romeo, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Jerry Dammers and the Specials, the Police, UB40, Dennis Bovell, lovers’ rock performers Carroll Thompson and Janet Kay, bands like Aswad and Steel Pulse and reggae admirers, such as Boy George and Paul Weller. A special Reggae Britannia concert was held at the Barbican centre in London on February 5 and the broadcast of this concert will follow Friday’s opening documentary.
Other programmes in the Reggae Britannia series included the broadcast of a special live recording of the 1973 Reggae Concert at the Edinburgh Festival, which featured the Cimarons, Winston Groovy, Dennis Alcapone, the Marvels, Nicky Thomas and the Pioneers. The series also included the Rise Up Reggae Star programme, and three new artistes who seek to ‘rise up’ from obscurity for their chance at success.
The Reggae Britannia series ended on February 19 with the 1977 Bob Marley Exodus concert. The 6 Music news visited Jamaica and attend the Jamaican Jazz and Blues festival and to check out the state of the local live scene.  Jamaica is still an important place for British artists to play and record and the island’s musical heritage is as relevant as ever.

Stacious and Mavado off to Europe

Stacious is in Europe for a number of shows as the opening act for Mavado. She scored a huge #1 in 2010 w/ Mavado titled ‘Come Into My Ro

om’. My Room’ earned more 2.5 million hits on Youtube. Stacious also has a collaboration w/Fyakin called ‘Lock Me Down’.

New York Irie Jam Radio DJ Banned Vybz Kartel Music

New York’s Irie Jam radio program host/director and club dj, Dubb Master Chris, announced recently that he will not play any music from dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel during Black History Month. Kartel has generated international controversy for both bleaching his skin and advocating bleaching.

Dubb Master Chris, who is light –skinned, explained “Black History Month is a big deal and we as a people should take every opportunity to celebrate our heritage. I feel if I continue to play Vybz Kartel, an artiste who is now very much known for bleaching his skin, it simply sends the wrong message to my young impressionable listeners” Chris said in an interview with Jamaica Star. Chris, who is against bleaching further explained “…I have a lot of respect for Kartel’s music… (and I) respect his talent. He is a great lyricist… however; at times I am disappointed in the direction he decides to take his audience even though that is his prerogative.”  “I strongly believe bleaching is wrong, wrong, wrong! It’s a disgrace. It’s a slap in the face of our heritage, our ancestors and our God. This definitely sends the wrong message to children; I think it leads them to believe that somehow, if they are dark complexion something is wrong with that. It erodes the concept that black is beautiful.”

Chris says he has been playing Vybz Kartel’s music on his radio show since the late 90s with Gal Clown.

Culture Minister Grange to Advocate Bob Marley becoming National Hero

Minister of Culture Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange has announced that she intends to lead the advocacy for the Reggae singer Bob Marley to be declared a National Hero. The order of national hero is Jamaica’s highest honor. Minister Grange told a national radio audience and those gathered at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston to celebrate the late singer’s 66th birthday that Marley was a “great Jamaican” and that she “supported the idea of making him a National Hero.”

The Minister requested that people who believe Marley should be made a National Hero should formally present their case through letters and petitions and that she would advocate on their behalf. Currently Bob Marley holds Jamaica’s Order of Merit, and as such is addressed, The Honorable Robert Nesta Marley, OM.

The Strong One drops ‘Free Expression’

Etana’s sophomore 15-track CD ‘Free Expressions’ hits the stores in Jamaica, the United States,  Europe , the Caribbean and in Japan, one of the largest reggae markets, on February 8.  Etana’s album Free Expressions hits the street tomorrow.

The singer who got married in 2010-and has matured-is hoping that Expressions will do as well as and even better than The Strong One.  Musically she “refused to be lyrically restricted”; and so, Etana played a greater role in the creative direction and selection of the songs on Expressions.  She wrote 12 of the 15 tunes on the album, and was involved the recording and mastering of the tracks. “This time around, I got really involved in the making of the album. For The Strong One there were a team of writers but it’s pretty much all me and my pen in the majority of the songs on Free. That was an experience I enjoyed, and I am definitely more into writing to.”

Stephen Marley & Melanie Fiona Drops ‘No Cigarette Smoking’

Check out the hot new single ‘No Cigarette Smoking’ MP3 by Stephen Marley featuring Melanie Fiona.  This is the second single off of Stephen Marley’s forthcoming album, Revelation Part One: The Root of Life (Universal Records ) – April 2011.  Also available is ‘ Jah Army’ Stephen Marley w/Damian Marley and Buju Banton.

Bob Marley Headed for Top 10

A new Bob Marley live release, “Live Forever: the Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh PA 9/23/1980,” is on course to enter the billboard top 10. If it starts in the top tier, it will be Marley’s first top 10 — and just his second ever — since “Rastaman Vibration” peaked at No. 8 in 1976. (“Live Forever” could actually end up as the highest-charting album of Marley’s entire career.)

Marley’s catalog of work “Legend” some of his greatest hits package could have missed the top 10. The album, which is certified as having sold 10 million in the United States, according to the Recording Industry Association of America initially only reached No. 54 in 1984. Last year in the United States “Legend  sold 253,000, while in 2009 it moved 342,000

Trina to Be Guest of Honor, Comedian Raymond Davis to host at EME Jamaica’s Music Awards

American king of comedy Raymond ‘Rayzor’ Davis has been confirmed as host of the 7th Annual Excellence in Music and Entertainment (EME) Awards which takes place in Kingston on March 12. Davis, a first generation Jamaican who was born in Brooklyn New York, said “I am…honored to be to host of Jamaica’s most prestigious music award show.” “If my mother (who is from Clarendon, Jamaica) was still here, she would be overjoyed that her son… was given an opportunity to host a major event in Jamaica. I have never done anything of this magnitude in Jamaica before.”

Rapper Trina, will receive the International Friend of Reggae honoree award. Previous award recipients were Missy Elliott, John Legend and Akon, reports AllHipHop.com

Tune in to Stan Evan Smith Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report on radio & the internet online:

WNSB Hot 91.1FM @ 2:15pm EST Sunday ‘Caribbean Connection’ w/Lady Cham 1:00pm-4:00pm streaming Live www.westindiantimes.netVibes24/7 Norfolk Virginia

WGUN 1010AM @ 3:00 pm EST Friday-Saturday ‘SupremeCaribRadio’ w/BarryD 2:30 pm-4:30 pm streaming Live www.biggunradio.com/ Narcross, Atlanta. GA

CHRY 105.5 FM@ 10: 40 am Monday ‘Rebel Vibes’ w/Carrie Mullings 10 am-12 pm streaming Live www.chry.fm & Roger’s Digital Cable Channel 94 Toronto, Canada

WPFW 89.3 FM @ 12:30pm ETS Sunday ‘This is Reggae Music’ w/Tony Carr 12am-2:00 pm streaming Live www.wpfw.org Washington. DC

One Caribbean Radio 97.9 FM HD2@ 9:45 pm EST Thursday ‘The Eclectic Mix’ w Chip Smith 9:00pm to 12 Midnight streaming Live www. OneCaribbeanRadio.com  Brooklyn, New York

Read Stan Evan Smith’s Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report Online:

Entertainment Writer, Westindiantimes.net (Norfolk Beach VA)

Senior Music Writer, Jamaicans.com. (Fl.) http://blogs.jamaicans.com/seebreeze/2010/04/

Contributing Editor, Everybodys Magazine (NYC)

Music Writer, Jahworks.org (Oakland CA)

Email: wsmusicworks@gmail.com, Email/IM: Seebreeze66200@Yahoo.com

Facebook: facebook.com/stan.e.smith1, facebook.com/stan.e.smith

Blog: http://blogs.jamaicans.com /reggaebreeze

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New York TV Station to Honor Saxophonist Cedric ‘IM’ Brooks for Black History/Reggae Month

Bronx, NY: As part of this year’s Black History and Reggae Month celebrations, Caribbean Lifestyle TV; (CLM TV) – CIN TV, channel 73, WNYC TV in New York will pay tribute to one of Jamaica’s foremost saxophonists the great Cedric “IM” Brooks at the station’s 4th anniversary gala and awards ceremony on February 28, 2011 in Manhattan.

Brooks is known for his solo recordings and being a member of the internationally acclaimed Skatalites Band. He was admitted to the Bronx Lebanon Hospital in NY in February 2010 in an unconscious state. He remains in a semi-comatosed state at a Nursing Home in Queens.

Linkage Awards kicks off on March 5^th

The 2nd Annual Linkage Award Show for Reggae Disc Jockeys and Artistes will take place on Saturday, March 5th 2011. The Awards will be held in Mount Vernon at The Macedonia Center, 103 West 2nd Street. The Red Carpet Ceremony begins at 5pm and Showtime kicks off promptly at 6:30pm.

Nominees in the gospel categories are Papa San, Hopeton Lewis, Christopher Laing, Jabez, Carlene Davis, and Shelly Thunder while nominees for the Journalist Category include Patrick Maitland (Street Hype Newspaper), Anthony Turner (NA Weekly Star) and Claude Mills (from Jamaica). Nominees for special awards include Johnny Wonder, Derrick Barnett and the Statement Band, Ruff Stuff Band, Isaiah Laing, Ragamuffins Productions and Flames Productions – Tony Rebel. Disc Jockeys from over thirteen radio stations within the tri-state area and Jamaica will be honored for their contribution to the music industry.

Usain Bolt, Jamaican Olympians to be outfitted by Bob Marley’s daughter

Usain Bolt and the rest of his Jamaican track and field teammates will be representing Jamaica at the London 2012 Summer Olympics, sporting a uniform designed by Cedella Marley, daughter of the reggae icon late Bob Marley. “We both break records,” Marley told The Associated Press yesterday in a telephone interview. “Cedella Marley, the first-born daughter of Bob and Rita Marley, is a singer, author and fashion designer. She was picked by athletic apparel company Puma, the Jamaican team’s sponsor, to create the clothes that the athletes will wear on the track, on the podium and in the ceremonies. “I can’t think of a better person to design our Olympic outfits than Cedella,” Usain Bolt said in a statement. Usain Bolt will be defending his Olympic titles in the 100 and 200 meter dashes next year.

Ziggy Marley Welcomes Baby No. 3 with Wife Orly

Ziggy Marley has something new to sing about! The 42-year-old reggae singer and his wife, Orly — who is the former vice-president of William Morris Agency — welcomed their third child together on January 26 in L.A. Named Abraham Selassie Robert Nesta Marley; the newborn joins older siblings Judah, 5, and Gideon, 4. “All are healthy and happy,” Ziggy’s rep tells UsMagazine.com in a statement. The singer has three other children — Daniel, Justice and Zuri — from previous relationships.

New Bob Marley film, by Director Kevin Macdonald

Hollywood Titans producer Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme failed in their attempt to bring reggae King, the late Bob Marley to the big screen.  Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald is directing a new documentary about the Jamaican reggae pioneer. The documentary has been rumored online since the fall. The director has secured permission of the Marley family and will be free to include material from the archives of the spiritual-minded singer-songwriter.
Titled “Marley” and set for a release this summer, the movie will examine the brief, creative life of the reggae pioneer (who died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 36) by interviewing many of the figures in and around him as well as using the archival material. The film will examine “the life, legacy and global impact of a true legend,” said a statement from the producers, Tuff Gong Pictures, Shangri-La Entertainment and Cowboy Films.  Macdonald added in a statement that “what made Bob tick is probably unanswerable, but viewers will certainly feel that they know him a little better after seeing our documentary.” Sources latimesblogs.latimes.com

Sean Kingston Earns Libby Award

Reggae fusion artist Sean Kingston has won the award of the Most Animal-Friendly hip hop Artist in 2010 at the 5th Annual Libby Awards. The award is sponsored by peta2, the world’s largest youth animal rights organization.

Tony Anthony Nominated For JUNO AWARD in Canada

Toronto: Tony Anthony’s debut album “Million Chance” on February 1st was nominated in the “Best Reggae Recording of the Year” category of the 2011 Juno Awards to be held on March 27th in Toronto, Canada.

Released in April of 2010, “Million Chance” has topped several charts including the #1 spot in Jamaica on the Richie B top Ten Album Chart, and the Canadian Reggae Countdown. It peaked at #5 on the Top 50 Recommended Reggae Album Chart in Europe and is currently on the New York and South Florida Top 20 album charts.

The single “Torn” from the album gave Tony Anthony his first #1 hit in Jamaica, and Canada. “Bad News” the second single is #1in Canada, #13 on the Richie B’ JMC Top 25 Reggae Music Chart in Jamaica, #19 on the New York Top 30 Reggae Singles Chart and #16 on the Caribbean Top 30 Music charts in the Virgin Islands.

The JUNO Awards will be held at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on March 27th and televised live across Canada. The event will be hosted by Canadian rapper Drake. Other nominees in the reggae category are Elaine ‘Lil Bit’ Shepherd, Tonya P, Lyndon Johnson (LJX) and Dubmatix.

Beenie Man to do remix with Nicky Minaj/Busta Rhymes

According to a report a remix of Beenie Man w/Fambo’s breakout club banger Rum and Red Bull is in the works with US rappers Busta Rhymes and Nicky Minaj. The ‘King in Control’ album will reportedly feature a remix of Beenie Man’s combination with Fambo, Rum and Red Bull. On major urban radio stations such as HOT 97the single is already generating 500 spins per day.

Richie Spice: ‘Book Of job’. New Album in Stores on March 15

Reggae culture sensation Richie Spice is back with a brand new collection of signature hits on his new album Book of Job, in stores and online on March 15, 2011. This, his fifth studio effort, is packed with 12 tracks of socially conscious roots reggae tunes that have made the entertainer an international staple for reggae lovers worldwide.

Spice chose Book of Job as the title because of his commitment to creating uplifting music, which is as unwavering as Job’s faith was while enduring his many hardships. “A whole heap of things reach Job, he lose wealth, he lose him family, him lose everything, but because he was praising God, he regain,” Spice explains. “It’s the same thing with the music – it is righteousness me declare to the fullest and me nah go switch.”

Teaming up with acclaimed reggae producer Donovan Germain for the majority of the album, including the smash singles “My Life” (“Street Life”) and “Jah Never Let Us Down,” Spice also enlists the talents of other top producers such as Shane Brown for “Serious Woman” and Stephen “Lenky” Marsden on “Yap Yap.”

Tune in to Stan Evan Smith Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report on radio & the internet online:

WNSB Hot 91.1FM @ 2:15pm EST Sunday ‘Caribbean Connection’ w/Lady Cham 1:00pm-4:00pm streaming Live www.westindiantimes.netVibes24/7 Norfolk Virginia

WGUN 1010AM @ 3:00 pm EST Friday-Saturday ‘SupremeCaribRadio’ w/BarryD 2:30 pm-4:30 pm streaming Live www.biggunradio.com/ Narcross, Atlanta. GA

CHRY 105.5 FM@ 10: 40 am Monday ‘Rebel Vibes’ w/Carrie Mullings 10 am-12 pm streaming Live www.chry.fm & Roger’s Digital Cable Channel 94 Toronto, Canada

WPFW 89.3 FM @ 12:30pm ETS Sunday ‘This is Reggae Music’ w/Tony Carr 12am-2:00 pm streaming Live www.wpfw.org Washington. DC

One Caribbean Radio 97.9 FM HD2@ 9:45 pm EST Thursday ‘The Eclectic Mix’ w Chip Smith 9:00pm to 12 Midnight streaming Live www. OneCaribbeanRadio.com Brooklyn, New York

Read Stan Evan Smith Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report Online:

Entertainment Writer, Westindiantimes.net (Norfolk Beach VA)

Senior Music Writer, Jamaicans.com. (Fl.)http://blogs.jamaicans.com/seebreeze/2010/04/

Contributing Editor, Everybodys Magazine (NYC)

Music Writer, Jahworks.org (Oakland CA)

Email: wsmusicworks@gmail.com, Email/IM: Seebreeze66200@Yahoo.com

Facebook: facebook.com/stan.e.smith1, facebook.com/stan.e.smith

Blog: http://blogs.jamaicans.com /reggaebreeze

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Barbee Fashionably Graces the Grammy Awards

Fashionista and Rare Diamond recording artist Barbee is in L.A. during the Grammy Awards 2011 for the first time. Her last appearance at an awards show she stunned Wolf Blitzer of CNN so much, that she ended up on CNN for the Soul Train Music Awards!

Barbee’s “Black Widow” like cat suit left a great impression with the audience at the BET Hip Hop Awards last year. Her elegant sequence dress she wore at the Soul Train Music Awards 2010 garnered wave reviews. Barbee is making her way to the through the Awards show circuit, and enjoying every moment of it. Barbee is not a stranger to awards shows however, since 2008 she has amassed many awards including, winning Best New Artist 2008 for the song “Missing You” ft. Junior Kelly and Best New Collaboration for the song “Give It Up” with Beenie Man at the 2009 EME’s. In 2010 she won Most Promising Entertainer at the International Reggae World Music Awards.

Not only does Barbee take the red carpet by storm, but the half Nigerian, half Jamaican Princess has decided to take her music career to the next level. She has begun recording on her next project developing a new sound with Guerilla Drums and Concept Music Productions that will take world by storm in 2011.

The  Jamaican born Olivia is known for her hit singles “Bizounce”, “Candy shop” and “Wild to Nite” collaborating with Hip Hop artiste 50 Cents and Reggae artiste Shaggy to name a few as well as being the first lady signed to G-UNIT. Now signed to Universal Motown, Olivia is busy as ever with her new reality show on VH1 called “Love & Hip Hop”. Sneak peek will be aired on March 6, 2011 after Basketball Wives on VH1. The regular time slot after her sneak peek will be Mondays at 10pm starting March 14, 2011.

Olivia is set to release her new Free EP titled “Love and Hip Hop”, which will include the club anthem “Lick Salt Shot Lime” and her new single “In Your Shoes” which is a Home School collaboration featuring John Legend’s younger brother Vaughn Anthony. Olivia has a new Web site called www.Oliviaworldwide.com that her fans can visit to know about her upcoming tours and what she is working on. Olivia plans to continue to give her fans great music and take them on a journey with her New Reality Show “Love & Hip Hop”. For booking email bookings@dollazunlimited.com

Jah Cure’s World Cry CD features Keri Hilson, Jazmine Sullivan, Rick Ross, Shyne and Tupac Shakur

Reggae singer Jah Cure ended 2010 with his song ‘Unconditional Love’ being voted Song of the Year. World Cry, his first 2011 CD–to be distributed worldwide by mid-February is a tribute to the victims of the devastating earthquake that destroyed sections of Haiti last January.  The World Cry album features collaborations with R&B/hip hop singer Keri Hilson, R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan rappers Rick Ross, Shyne and Tupac Shakur who has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide.

The Collaborations include: the song ‘All By Myself’ with Tupac Shakur, address the struggles in captivity. Both Cure and Shakur were charged with a similar crime.” ‘Choose Up’ w/ Jazmine Sullivan which describes as “awesome”. Choose Up’ was first offered to Shaggy who said it was too slow. He then sent Sullivan the song and she said she loved it.  The title track ‘World Cry’ w/Keri Hilson is as a result of the two friend’s desire to work together finally paying off.

Rick Ross’s ‘Like I See It’, is Cure’s latest single with him telling the story of life as he sees it Jah Cure says the song is the realization of a desire Rick Ross had to work with him. Before the song was released Ross, who refers to Jah Cure as the next greatest thing, in a tweet and in an interview with worldhiphop.com talked about the song. There is also a remix with Mavado reportedly doing well in clubs and dancehalls in the reggae diaspora.

Barrington Levy, Vybz Kartel & Khago Are Now “Gangsters”

Barrington Levy’s latest released single “Gangsters on Platinum Camp/ Black Roses Records is from It’s About Time. “Gangsters is from the soundtrack from the movie of the same name starring Barrington Levy and dancehall maestro Vybz Kartel and upcoming Reggae star, Khago.

DJ Assassin Wed, Drop Next Album Summer

Dance hall DJ Assassin and his girlfriend Nicole McLaren recently got married. The couple is expecting their first child around April. Assassin has a daughter from a previous relationship.

Lenn Hammond: One Album, Two, #1 Songs

Lenn Hammond is currently holding two #1 songs simultaneously in Canada, Hammond’s ‘How Can You Mend A Broken Heart’ debuted on Italian Reggae Charts in 2010, then began charting in Toronto on CHRY 105.5FM on Radio Dubplate’s Hit List, peaking at #3.

‘How Can You Mend A Broken Heart made its at the #1 spot on CKLN Radio Inc. 88.1FM on Movement’s Top 11 @ 11 and the Canada Wide Reggae Charts, #2, on the Reggaemania’s Top 10 of 2010, #6 on the South Florida Top 25 Reggae Chart, #8 on the New York Top 30 Reggae Chart. The second single ‘Close Again’ w/Louie Culture peaked at #1 on Rebel Vibez’ Top 10 on CHRY 105.5FM.

The Third single Mr. DJ peaked at #23 on Vibes of the Times’ Top 30 of 2010 in Alaska. In Jamaica ‘Take Me Girl’ charted at #1‘s on Bess FM and Riddim Jamaica’s Top Ten Tracks. ‘Not Far From Sunshine’ debuted on Choice FM at #8 Daddy Ernie’s Top 10 SuperJams in the UK.

Chino Set To Release ‘From Mawning’ Digital EP

Dancehall DJ Daniel “Chino” McGregor debuts his Digital EP ‘From Mawning,’ released by VP Records on January 18, 2011. The four-track digital EP contains hits from his upcoming debut album, also from VP Records including the singles “From Mawning” (“Never Change”) to “Protected,”/w his brother, acclaimed producer Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor.
He performed at the Power 105.1 WWPR on February 20 at B. B. King’s in New York City. From Mawning is now available from digital retailers including iTunes and VP Record

The annual New York Top 100 Hits of 2010, compiled by broadcaster Clinton Lindsay, has been released, Reggae artiste Buju Banton, sits at the  # 1 position with ‘A Time And A Place’ and the No. 10 spot with ‘Innocent’ from his Grammy-nominated album Before The Dawn. Innocent is also the # 1 single on both the New York and South Florida singles charts.

A Time and a Place stayed six weeks at #1 during the tracking period January 6 – December 29, 2010 and on the weekly chart for 28 weeks. Gyptian’s crossover hit ‘Hold You’ came in the # 2 spot. The song spent four weeks at #1. Lovindeer’s ‘IMF’ landed in the # 3 spot, while Brooklyn-based Ed Robinson’s hit ‘Our Heroes’ placed him in the # 4 slot, and actor/singer Peter Lloyd’s biggest hit to date, ‘Searching’ came in at # 5 on the year-end compilation.

Rounding out the final top ten at # 6 is ‘Feel Good All Over’ by Sanchez.  Shaggy’s ‘Long Time’ comes in at # 7 while Leroy ‘Heptones’ Sibbles’ ‘Harry Hippie’ takes the # 8 position. The combination of Shaggy and Alaine with For Your Eyes Only came in at # 9.  The New York Reggae chart is the longest running ethnic chart in North America.

Cen’C Love drops ‘Love Letter’ February 9

Lyvstone Music recording artiste Cen’C Love, (daughter of reggae artiste Bunny Wailer) released her debut album titled ‘Love Letter’ on the 9th of February.  The first single off the album ‘Casanova’ and a music video are in rotation on local radio and television. Love also shot a music video for a track called ‘Cystem’, which will be the next single to be released from the album.

I-Octane Wraps Media Promotions In New York & Gears Up For “My Life” Tour

I Octane completed a promotional media blitz in New York City for “My Life” Tour. promotional tour with a press conference at Negril Village Restaurant moderated by Pat McKay of Sirius Satellite Radio. The sing-jay did an impromptu performance of hit singles “My Life,” “Lose A Friend,” “No Love Inna Them” and “Everytime You Touch Me.”

I-Octane interview on Sirius Satellite Radio, Caribbean Billboard Radio with host Chip Smith, Road Block Radio with Banky Hype, Irie Jam Radio with DJ Roy, Reggae Spin with Keveon, Hot 97 Boston with VOG and DJ Kool, E2onair with Judith Kitson and Linkup Radio with DJ Kevin Crown.

Duane Stephenson on Tour in Celebration of BLACK GOLD

Duane Stephenson is completing his fourth tour with The Wailers throughout South America and the U.S. have garnered a positive response with sold out performances for this compelling songwriter and versatile singer.

Drake eyes local rhythms – Rapper wants to record on Jamaican ‘hot’ tracks.

Canadian rapper Drake wants to explore doing some reggae or dancehall songs in the near future. He told the Canadian network MuchMusic during an interview with T Rexxx on the Hip-Hop show Rap City.

Drake puts on a convincing Jamaican accent and sports a Mavado T-shirt, with the artiste’s image on it. Drake revealed that he may be voicing on some local rhythms at the end of his European tour. He explained that he recently spoke to Mavado’s manager, Julian Jones-Griffith, about doing some recording locally. He said, “I wanna do something for Jamaica, because we are supposed to go out there and record after the European tour.” He added, “I was like send me some rhythms that are poppin and I’ll see what I can do. He sent me some rhythms that are poppin, so I’ll see what I can do. You never know.” Jamaica-star.com

Reggae Month welcomes Brittania

A concert featuring some of the big names from that era, as well as Jamaican reggae trailblazers in Britain, is scheduled for Friday at the Barbican venue in London. Old-school deejay Dennis Alcapone; Dave Barker of Double Barrel fame; Ali Campbell, formerly of UB40; Brinsley Forde of Aswad; and Ken Boothe are some of those expected to perform.

Reggae Brittania is directed by respected English film-maker Jeremy Marre, who looks at the impact Jamaican popular music had on British youth in the 1960s. Marre has been producing films and documentaries since the 1970s. He has done feature-length projects on Marvin Gaye, James Brown and Phil Spector.

Bounty Killer assault Charges dropped

Dancehall deejay Bounty Killer was freed of assault charges in the Court in Jamaica.  Bounty was charged with unlawful wounding and assault following an incident in September when his 19-year-old companion, Raquel Smith, alleged that she was attacked with a hammer. Smith missed two court dates.

Last October, Smith had communicated through her attorney, Terrence Ballentine, that she wanted the matter to go to mediation, however, Resident Magistrate Lorna Shelly-Williams had denied the request, insisting that the matter should go to trial. jamaica-star.com

Buju Banton Trial February 14th, What To Expect?

Mark Myrie aka Buju Banton, One of reggae music’s prolific son’s, new trial is set to begin on Valentine day February 14^th 2011. Myrie and his legal team will go all out to secure his freedom but a strong determined opposition from the government team headed by prosecutor James Preston.

Myrie’s lead attorney, David Markus said, “February 14 is Valentine’s Day. We hope the jury gives us some love.” Buju is optimistic and hopeful. He is in good spirits. He is a rock. No one realizes how hard it is to fight the federal government in one trial, let alone two,” he added. His new trial was schedule to take place in December, however, Banton’s legal team requested a February trial so that the artist could spend time with his family and regroup.

The new trial could be even tougher, since the prosecutor James Preston is seeking to slap Banton with additional charges going into the February 14 trial. Should the new indictment stand, Banton will be tried for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense, and using the wires to facilitate a drug-trafficking offense.

The first trial reportedly cost Buju US$450,000

David Oscar Markus, the attorney representing Reggae artist Buju Banton, has hailed his client’s resolve and sense of purpose during his times of trouble.  “The reason Buju hasn’t crumbled is because he is innocent and is a man of faith. He has told me many times that he’d rather serve 15 years than admitting to something he didn’t do. Of course, we plan on winning, so he won’t have to serve another day,” Markus told the Sunday Observer.

Markus served a motion to dismiss a superseding indictment filed by prosecutor James Preston, which added two charges of attempted possession of cocaine, facilitating a cocaine conspiracy by aiding and abetting others using a telephone, and possessing and carrying a firearm.

Markus argued in his motion that the additional charges were filed out of sheer vindictiveness on the part of the United States Government.  “Due process prohibits prosecutors from acting vindictively when exercising their discretion either to bring charges in the first instance, or to supersede existing charges with more onerous ones,” the motion states.  Both defense and prosecution are awaiting the court’s ruling on the matter and to also find out which date in February the artiste’s second trial will get underway.

T.O.K’s Comeback Tour Was A Success

Veteran dancehall group T.O.K recently completed their successful comeback tour of North America to Central America and Africa.

Richie Loop receives 11 Youth View Award nominations

Richie Loop has received Eleven award nomination for the 4th Annual Youth View Awards. He is nominated in the following categories: Favorite New Artiste of the Year, Best New Artist of the Year (Male) via Hitz 92 FM Music Awards for 2010 with song My Cupp, CariVibez 2nd Annual Video Web Awards , each awardee will receive the Global Tower of Recognition. He’s been nominated for two categories inclusive of – Breakout Video of the Year: Richie Loop – ‘My Cupp’ and International Video of the Year Richie Loop-‘Cupp Cupp’ Remix.  Reggae singer Alaine ‘You Are Me’ is #1 on MTV Based Africa Dancehall chart and BBC 1Xtra Dancehall Chart in the UK’

NINJAMAN’S DAUGHTER DISAPPOINTED HE SPENT HIS BIRTHDAY BEHIND BARS

Samantha ‘Ninja Princess’ Ballentyne

Kingston, JAMAICA:  DJ Desmond Ballentyne aka ‘Ninja Man’ has been in prison without bail two years and his daughter, Samantha, aka Ninja Princess’ dream that he would have been able to spend his 45th birthday at home with family and friends did not come true. The Don Gorgon, Ninja’s street moniker spent his birthday with inmates at the Horizon Remand Centre in Kingston.

18-year-old, Samantha, who is a student in Switzerland where she lives, asked her mother, Joy Ballentyne Ninja’s ex-wife to visit her dad on his special day. Joy Ballentyne did. “It’s very hard for me being so far away, but I made sure to look for him before I left Jamaica at the start of January.” When she returned to Switzerland she received a called and was told he had been beaten up in the jail. “I want to get him out of there … it was painful to see my dad like that,” Samantha said.

Mother Joy noted of Samantha. She loves her dad a lot and she is worried about him… “Ninja is a kind guy and he has given away a lot to people, but when he needs help where are these people?” Joy asked.

Samantha wants her father to get bail soon because she intends to do a combination song with him. As Ninja Princess she’s released two singles ‘Can’t Touch Me’ and ‘Don’t Cry’ and also recently completed a music video.  Ninjaman is charged with murder, conspiracy to murder, shooting with intent and illegal possession of a firearm.

The courts repeatedly refused him bail on numerous occasions. He returns to court on February 11.

Jamaican Entertainment Media figure Basil ‘Bagga’ Brown is dead

Jamaican entertainment and television personality Bagga Brown is dead. Brown, who hosted the program ‘Weh Yuh Sey’ on Jamaican television station TVJ passed at the University Hospital of the West Indies where he was being treated for cancer on January 28^th 2011. Bagga Brown was 60 years old. Brown is remembered for his spectacular introduction of Bunny Wailer at Bunny’s only Madison Square Gardens concert in the 1980’s.

Tune in to Stan Evan Smith Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report on radio & the internet online:

WNSB Hot 91.1FM @ 2:15pm EST Sunday ‘Caribbean Connection’ w/Lady Cham 1:00pm-4:00pm streaming Live www.westindiantimes.netVibes24/7 Norfolk Virginia

WGUN 1010AM @ 3:00 pm EST Friday-Saturday ‘SupremeCaribRadio’ w/BarryD 2:30 pm-4:30 pm streaming Live www.biggunradio.com/ Narcross, Atlanta. GA

CHRY 105.5 FM@ 10: 40 am Monday ‘Rebel Vibes’ w/Carrie Mullings 10 am-12 pm streaming Live www.chry.fm & Roger’s Digital Cable Channel 94 Toronto, Canada

WPFW 89.3 FM @ 12:30pm ETS Sunday ‘This is Reggae Music’ w/Tony Carr 12am-2:00 pm streaming Live www.wpfw.org Washington. DC

One Caribbean Radio 97.9 FM HD2@ 9:45 pm EST Thursday ‘The Eclectic Mix’ w Chip Smith 9:00pm to 12 Midnight streaming Live www. OneCaribbeanRadio.com  Brooklyn, New York

Read Stan Evan Smith’s Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report Online:

Entertainment Writer, Westindiantimes.net (Norfolk Beach VA)

Senior Music Writer, Jamaicans.com. (Fl.)http://blogs.jamaicans.com/seebreeze/2010/04/

Contributing Editor, Everybodys Magazine (NYC)

Music Writer, Jahworks.org (Oakland CA)

Email: wsmusicworks@gmail.com, Email/IM: Seebreeze66200@Yahoo.com

Facebook: facebook.com/stan.e.smith1, facebook.com/stan.e.smith

Blog: http://blogs.jamaicans.com /reggaebreeze

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“The spirit of community is the greatest feeling of humanity” –Bob Marley

Bob’s final concert @ Madison Square Garden in 1980

Bob Marley, the uneducated ghetto poet’s story is one of the 20th century’s most powerful and compelling human dramas. A prolific songwriter and musician, of significance and importance, Marley died at age of thirty-six from melanoma cancer. Every aspect of Marley’s brief but extraordinary life has been the subject of the pen. His meteoric rise to international cultural importance and musical significance made him one of the most significant contributors to world culture. Had he lived he would have been sixty-six on February 6, 2011.

Reggae Music’s royal house consisted of Bob Marley, the “King of Reggae Music,” Peter Tosh the “Black Prince of Reggae Music” and Dennis Brown the “Crown Prince of Reggae Music.” While Dennis Brown was reggae music’s quintessential singer, its ultimate stylist and most influential vocalist, Bob Marley, was the Poet Laureate of Reggae Music, and, according to cultural critic Dr. Basil Wilson, reggae music’s Classical Troubadour. No other Jamaican since Marcus Garvey has had such a great impact on the world community’s consciousness with regard to the struggle for human rights, equality and justice as the Marley legacy.

As one-third of the legendary reggae group the Wailers, along with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer his words and lyrics were the Lyric Poetry of Rebellion. Bob’s international recognition and cultural influence made him the symbol in reggae that bridged the divide between the races. His music defined reggae’s form, contents, logic and ethos with its messages of social justice, themes of moral rearmament and freedom for the human spirit. Marley became the group’s most popular and successful spokesperson, though not it is most militant; that role was filled by Peter Tosh.

Marley’s life work was filled with universal and immortal qualities. His music was the embodiment of the revolutionary spirit of human freedom. His visionary music opposed violence, embodied struggle and the celebration of life. It transcended race and class distinctions, geographic boundaries and political and ideological affiliations. The themes of his songs were rooted in the sociopolitical, spiritual and cultural experiences of the oppressed world, and his lyrics were filled with passion and emotion. Marley’s charismatic persona and vocal stage presence commanded the world’s attention. His music intertwined with his Rastafarian ideology expressed cultural authenticity.

His importance as a world figure was obvious in the year of his death when Time Magazine’s obituary section placed him in the company of Israeli war hero/statesman Moshe Dyan, Academy Award winner William Holden, and four- star General Omar Bradley, as one of the important world figures who died in 1981. He’s received important awards including the Jamaican Order of Merit (The third highest honor in Jamaica. England’s British Broadcasting Corporation declared his song “One Love,” from his 1977 album “Exodus,” the anthem of the 20th century, and called Marley the Songwriter of the Century. Time Magazine also selected “Exodus” as the Album of the Century. The New York Times designated his 1974 album “Burnin’” as “the work of art from the 20th century that will survive 100 years into the future,” and placed his album “Exodus” in a time capsule to be opened at the end of this century. Vibe Magazine called “African Herbs Man” one of the 100 best albums of the century. He was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the United States. Bob was also awarded the United Nations Medal of Peace on behalf of Africans. Disney Corp. built a $20 million memorial theme park in his honor at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. With the world heaping such accolades upon him, it would be fitting for the government of Jamaica to consider upgrading Marley national award from Order of Merit given at the time of his death 30 years ago.When he was alive, Marley as a musician was hard news for major newspapers and was the front-page story wherever he went around the world. In Ireland, he shared headlines with Pope John Paul II on the Pope’s visit to that country. Voted the ”hottest band in music” by Rolling Stone Magazine in 1979, the Wailers broke all attendance records set by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in Europe in 1980.

“He is great who is what he is from nature,and never reminds us of others.” “Representative Man”- Ralph Emerson

Poet Ralph Emerson’s phrase “representative man,” best describes Marley, who gave the poor and oppressed an important voice in the international arena of ideas. Through his message of social justice, themes of moral rearmament and freedom for the human spirit, he offered the sufferers of the world’s oppressed hope and promise. Those sufferers were the emotional center of Marley’s art. His message resonates with relevance today, 30 years after his death, more so than when he was alive. At the time of his death, noted Jamaican journalist John Hearne wrote, “He dug for, isolated and refined, delight and comfort to a billion people around the world … his songs of protest against social injustice contained not one word of hate.”

Despite every reason to hate, his songs were a message of love. More importantly, as Hearne said, “Bob Marley dredged so much loving into absolutely original music of his grim, hard, contemptuously treated childhood of poverty and neglect.” His music was rooted in moral rearmament, and at the emotional center of his art was his suffering people and so demanded a discourse between the oppressed and the oppressor.

British white slavery and colonialism bequeathed to Jamaica and the Third world a neo colonial society with an inherent class and color prejudice hierarchy, decidedly against the predominantly African majority. This situation gave rise to the need for an anti oppression black identity which the neocolonial state eschewed. The rise of Rastafari, as a Black Nationalist identity movement, one of the most compelling aspects of Marley’s message, created yet another identity for the nation’s people. Bob’s radical beliefs that “every man has a right to decide his own destiny” because “we refuse to be what you wanted us to be, we are what we are that is the way it is going to” therefore the oppressed should “get up, stand up for your rights” because “life is your right, so you can’t give up the fight” was both a clarion call and meant to strengthen the sense of self-identity that the oppressed felt deep within.

Marley message rooted in his Rastafari beliefs was the driving force behind this new identity. If Marcus Garvey’s message of Black liberation gave oppressed blacks the inspiration and philosophical rationale to fight the vestiges of slavery and colonialism, then Marley’s message of equal rights and justice and his Rastafari message of Black anti oppression, both espoused through reggae music, was the philosophical rationale which informed the new identity.

While Marcus Garvey’s movement was political and Marley’s was rooted in his music, one of Marley’s greatest achievements was situating the issues and concerns of social justice and cultural authenticity–which he sang about in Reggae–successfully in popular culture. Marley made discourse on these issues seem like acceptable dinner table topics. And did it as Mikal Gilmore noted in Rolling Stone Magazine, Marley, through his “mellifluent insurgency… made hell tuneful”… as he sang about “how hell on earth comes too easily to too many.” He did this “like nobody before or since.” Marley’s accomplishments through reggae music and his impact have enhanced Jamaica’s national identity in the international community. Jamaica’s national identity is far more respected and admired because of Marley’s accomplishments.

He also made it easier for Rock icons Sting and Bono to be taken seriously when they sang about human rights and debt relief for poor countries. Judy Mowatt, a member of the I-Threes– Marley’s back-up singers, said, “There is a reservoir of music (that) when you need to refer to a certain situation or crisis; there will always be a Bob Marley song that will relate to it.” He also placed the island nation of Jamaica on the world’s cultural map.

Resting @ Essex House in New York City

Marley and his band, the Wailers spent many hours composing, writing, critiquing the nightly concert performance. They would reason about and exchange ideas on Rastafari, music, religion and philosophy. Bassist Aston Barrett said “We often talked about the intrusion and influence of foreigners into reggae music.” Both agreed that continuing the commercial trend in reggae music was needed (much to the chagrin of some critics) until it had received sufficient international recognition, at which point they had planned to return the music to the Nyabingi form. Nyabingi is an orthodox form of Rastafari that focuses on celebration and reasoning. The return of the music to its Nyabingi origins would, they said, retain and maintain its cultural and spiritual integrity.

“In all his glory, a man is just a man.
In his simplicity, a man is just a man.”- Garnett Silk

He was a man of great complexity, deep convictions and often stirred intense controversy. He possessed an intelligent mind, was a brilliant musician and a thought-provoking lyricist. His ideas were compelling and his personality forceful. Though not formally educated, he was able to critically analyze and interpret the world in which he lived. His bias was decidedly toward the oppressed and poor, but his ideas had universal appeal. He was a man of great moral courage and spiritual strength.

In 1978 Marley was shot in an assassination attempt at his home. The following day, with a bullet lodged in his arm, he performed before a crowd of more than 80,000people at the “Smile Jamaica” concert at Jamaica’s National Heroes’ Circle.

Marley and his message emerge at a critical juncture, the end of neocolonialism. He was a man for his time who some say came before his time. He was a special human being whose story is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit.

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“Everybody saw him as a touchstone when it came to how a reggae song was sung effectively. And he grew up and was steeped in the song of the day. -Dermott Hussey-XM/Sirius satellite radio

Dennis Emanuel Brown (1957-1999)

Had he lived, Dennis Emanuel Brown or D. Brown, as he was affectionately known, would have celebrated his 54th birthday on Feb. 1, 2011. Brown was Jamaica’s third child prodigy after ska/rocksteady legends Delroy Wilson and Errol Dunkley. Brown’s thirty year singing career saw him progress  from ‘Boy Wonder’ to ‘Teen Sensation’, and finally the ‘Crown Prince of Reggae.’ It is time for the government of Jamaica to recognize Dennis Brown’s important contribution as reggae music’s ‘ultimate stylist’ and his distinction of being reggae music’s most influential stylist, with a national honor in recognition of his monumental contribution to the development of Jamaica’s reggae music.

If Bob Marley, who hailed Brown as the best reggae singer in the world, was Reggae’s Classical Troubadour then, Dennis Brown is, as producer and songwriter Mikey Bennett, who produced two albums with Brown, and wrote, arranged, produced and remixed several international hits, including Cyndi Lauper’s “Hey Now” (Girls Just Want To Have Fun), J.C. Lodge’s, “Telephone Love, Gregory Isaacs’ “Rumours” Maxi Priest’s “Close To You,” “House Call” with Shabba Ranks,” and “Grooving to Midnight” with Roberta Flack, reggae music’s quintessential singer or “the reggae singer’s singer.”

His contribution to Jamaican music renders him an important architect of reggae as much as Marley was.  Brown’s vocal stylebook is the most dominant vocal force in reggae. His unique style has shaped and defined what many success­ful singers and sing-jays in reggae, imitated to achieve success and thus defined what a reggae singer is all about; making him, arguably the most influential voice in the history and development of the genre of reggae music. No other singer in history of Jamaican music, save Alton Ellis, had the disproportionate impact, on vocals and singers, the way Dennis Brown did.

Brown’s greatest contribution to the world of music was to shape, develop and define the intimate soul of reggae singing. Yet, though Brown has the distinction of being reggae music’s most influential stylist he is the greatest Jamaican singer to never “hit the big time” in his musical career…That however, is changing.

Though Brown never achieved the international recognition and success of Marley, or had similar record sales, he was nominated twice for a Grammy Award. That award remained elusive as he never won.

However, as the Crown Prince of Reggae, Brown continues to, like Marley, the King of Reggae Music, receive more international recognition after his death than when he was alive. The international success of Nas and Damian Marley’s collaboration album, “Distant Relatives,” released in May 2010, features “Land of Promise,” a Brown rework of his 1980s international hit “Promised Land.” It was produced by British super reggae band Aswad, and has reignited interest in Brown’s music.

In April 2010, National Public Radio (NPR), the U.S. equivalent of the BBC in the United Kingdom, listed Brown among its 50 Great Voices. In 2010, 11 years after his passing Brown’s music also began to chart on iTunes and Amazon. On Amazon in April three songs charted at No. 1 with “Love and Hate,” No. 3 with “Milk and Honey” and No. 4 with “Bless Me Jah.” On iTunes, Brown’s signature concert opening tune,” “Love and Hate’ charted at No. 3.

While Amazon is fourth most dominant online music store in the United States, iTunes is the dominant online music store in the United States. More importantly, digital sales account for one-third of global music sales, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) Digital Report 2010.

Brown was born on Orange Street, a ghetto in the downtown Kingston section of Jamaica on February 1, 1957. His father, Arthur Brown, was a well-known actor in Jamaican theater circles. Very little is known about his mother. Brown attended Central Branch Junior Secondary School in West Kingston. At age 11, he became a child prodigy singer, performing his first concert with the Byron Lee & the Dragonaires band in Kingston. Because of his diminutive size, Brown had to stand on beer crates in order to sing into the mike.

Dennis recorded his first song in 1969. This was the beginning of a 30-year musical career or “a journey” as he described it. On his journey, he sold out concerts in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Central, South and North America and established a reputation as a pioneer of reggae music.

His final concert was in Salvador, Brazil, in June 1999. Brown died July 1, 1999, in Kingston, Jamaica, from respiratory heart failure. He was 42. He was a member of the tribe of Joseph in the Twelve Tribes of Israel, a branch of the Rastafarian faith.

Dennis Brown’s Resting Place @ Jamaica’s National Heroes Park

Brown was given an unofficial burial in the National Heroes’ Circle in Kingston, where he rests with Jamaica’s heroes. At his funeral, then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson promised that a national honor would be bestowed on Brown. The government of Jamaica has yet to honor Brown with a national award for his monumental contribution to the development of Jamaica’s music. It is long overdue.

Leaders in the music industry described Brown’s impact:

Mikey Bennett explained to this writer in a 2000 videotaped interview, the importance of Brown’s vocals to the development of reggae’s unique vocal styling.

“To grasp the importance of Brown’s contribution to Jamaican music, what he did and how he did it has to be understood. Brown’s voice was big, with a gilded edge and his vibrato was unbelievable. His inimitable style, with its slow tremolo gave his vocals an almost perfect tone and timing. He was able to transmit his charismatic personality with his voice, and epitomized a reggae singer”.

Bennett described Dennis Brown as a singer who also possessed “that rhythmic quality to his voice, his tone and timing, the smoothness with which he dominated the (reggae) rhythm track, making every song he sung sound like a Dennis Brown song (original),” and as such his vocals possessed the best Pop/R&B/Soul sensibilities of any Jamaican singer, yet it was totally Jamaican. “It was the perfect bridge between the dominant American Rhythm & Blues and Jamaican singing…(That) if extracted from Jamaican music, would still, have Jamaican singers probably sounding like American R&B singers.”

As reggae singer Freddie McGregor said, “Its tremolo…If you listen to … a church organ, you would always hear tremolo, that sort of vibrato with sounds soulful and deep. That vibrato sound brings out that soulfulness within vocals.”

Bennett said of Dennis Brown on his classical vocal performances, the listener felt that that particular song could never have been done better by anyone or even Dennis Brown on any other occasion so it gave the listener this “moment in time feeling” and this made them feel better for having experienced it.

Singer Richie Stevens, whose career Brown inspired, noted “Dennis Brown was the standard for Jamaican music … he helped carve out that cornerstone of Jamaican music.”

Willie Lindo, who produced possibly Brown’s finest work his “Inseparable” album, said “every singer who came after Dennis Brown, regardless of their pitch, wanted to sound like Dennis Brown.”

Described by Ibo Cooper, formerly of 3^rd World as “Jamaica’s ultimate stylist” Ruddy Manning of the reggae group Home-T 4 noted “when Dennis Brown came he brought a Jamaican style to song.” What made Dennis Brown so attractive and appealing to the young emerging Jamaican singers was the way he delivered a song both on record and in concert.

Unlike most of Jamaica’s leading vocalists of his era who were influenced by R&B, jazz and blues, Brown was inspired by Jamaican ska/rock-steady and like himself, child prodigy, the  late Delroy “saddle head” Wilson.

In an interview at the Ritz in Manhattan in 1989 during his ”Good Vibrations” tour, Brown told this writer that Wilson influenced him in much the same way he (Brown) motivated and inspired the generation that came with him and after him. He spoke of his fascina­tion with Wilson’s phrasing and slurring. He also talked about how, in his early years, he practiced to sound like Wilson. That influence is evident in several of reggae’s premier singers, such as Frankie Paul, Luciano, Richie Stephens, Nitty Gritty, Pinchers, Sanchez, Bushman, George Nooks, Prince Malachi and Maxi Priest.

Priest acknowledged Brown’s influence to Don Cornelius on TV’s “Soul Train” when he was asked who was his greatest music influence. He responded simply, “Dennis Brown.” Priest even verbally rebuked a disrespectful fan during a moment of silence in memory of Brown during his “Spirit of Unity” performance at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, N.Y. Priest deeply respected Brown’s importance.

~~Dennis Brown…Doing What He Did Best~~

Jamaica gave birth to reggae in the 1970s and Brown evolved with the genre to become the most dominant vocal force in Jamaican music. Before his death, he became the last link between the great solo singers of his generation and the emerging one. He dominated the music scene as a hit-maker, and with his uninterrupted longevity and influence, created a solid foundation for reggae singers.

His reputation as a live performer was memorable and won him fans around the world. Two of his most significant career-defining performances were the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1979 and his electrifying performance at Reggae Sun Splash at the Crystal Palace in London in 1983. These tour de force performances helped establish him as a sterling international stage presence.

Though Brown did not achieve the international success of his peers Marley and Peter Tosh, his talents, efforts and dedication won their respect as well as fans. Michael “Ibo” Cooper, former leader of the popular reggae band Third World summed up Brown’s importance to the world of music in a video interview with me this way, “Dennis Brown made his mark on music … his music will have an impact on generations to come; the way Beethoven had an impact on Europe and Fela had an impact on Africa,” Cooper further added, “When the future comes, Dennis will be one of the greatest names in music as a whole.” Brown is just beginning to get the respect internationally, something that Tosh and Marley saw a long time ago.

Brown’s contribution to Jamaican music, though well-known, is still undervalued. However, Brown was aware of his own contribution to Jamaican music. He told Jenny Shadeo, then-host of the  New York TV Show “Viddyms,” “I think I played an important part in establishing the music globally.”

Brown’s accessible, affable personality and his broad and infectious smile endeared him to fans the world over. “Next to Bob Marley… I don’t think we will see a second to him in our lifetime,” said promoter Michael Barnet, describing Brown as “the Michael Manley of reggae music.” He was “charismatic and charming, a crowd-pleaser where he went.”

From the early 1970s to the early 1990s, no other singer in reggae had as many hit songs, or inspired more imitators than Brown. He recorded more than 200 singles and approximately 70 albums during his career. His hit-making ability and his career declined in the mid-90s, as a host of reggae singers adopted his style. By the late ’90s, with his career fading, he continued to tour feverishly, wrote prolifically and recorded nonstop.

♫…The Hit Maker…♫

From his first hit song “No Man Is an Island” in 1968 to his last hit song “Stop Fighting (so early in the morning),” Brown worked with all the major producers in reggae and crafted hits for them. The conventional wisdom was that all a producer had to do to get a hit song was to voice Brown on a rhythm track.

His association with major reggae record producers dates back to his early years with the Studio One Record and its creator Sir Coxsone Dodd. Dodd describes Brown as “God’s gift” because he could sing everything. He worked with the leading producers of the day, such as Derrick Harriott (“Black Magic Woman”); Bunny Lee; Willie Lindo, (“Inseparable”); Lloyd Charmers; Gussie Clark (“Foundation”); Bennett (“Death Before Dishonor); Niney (“West Bound Train”); Joe Gibbs (“Money in My Pocket’); King Jammy; and Sly and Robbie (“Sitting and Watching”).

The ’70s to late ’80s were Brown’s most dominant and commercially successful era. His career went international, with his songs competing with each other on ethnic charts in cities in the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. As one of the most sought-after reggae acts for live shows and recordings, he commanded what was then a staggering $25,000 to $35,000 per show (working three nights a week) and a percentage of the gate receipts.

He signed a recording contract with Herb Alperts’ A&M Records in the United States, which produced three of the finest reggae albums ever made. “Foul Play,” “Love Has Found Its Way” and “The Prophet Rides Again” received critical acclaim. In major cities such as New York, he played mainstream venues like the Red Parrot and the Apollo (two sold-out shows the same night).

Brown received his first Grammy nomination in 1994 for his album “Temperature Rising” and his second — of which this writer had the honor of writing the liner notes — posthumously for “Let Me Be the One” in 2000.

The rich musical legacy of Dennis Brown is a testament to his gift as an artist and the music genre he helped pioneer. His music will live forever. February 1, 2011, which would have been Brown’s 54th birthday, should be the year he’s honored for his contributions to Jamaican music and culture. Brown should be given a national award.

Happy Birthday, Crown Prince

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Stan Evan Smith, Senior Music Writer for Jamaicans.com

This report is complied from Stan E Smith’s 2010 Entertainment News, Commentary & Reggae Reports which are heard weekly on radio & internet radio and online on:

WNSB Hot 91.1FM (VA), WGUN 1010AM (Atlanta. GA), WAEC 860AM (Conyers GA), CHRY 105.5 FM@ (Canada) One Caribbean Radio 97.9 FM HD2 (NYC) And                                    

Read daily online @Westindiantimes.net (Norfolk VA), Jamaicans.com. (Fl.) http://blogs.jamaicans.com /reggaebreeze

This monthly listing is a general overview of some of the important events that occurred in the reggae/dancehall music industry for 2010. Some events may have been left out; however, this is not meant to be the definitive report or analysis of these events–just a snapshot.

Important Mention:

-Gyptian’s ‘Hold You’ peaked at #2 on Billboard’s Reggae album chart and #34 on Billboard’s R&B Hip Hop album chart, #4 on Billboard’s Heat-seekers chart; #69 on Billboard’s Canadian Hot 100; #31 on Billboard’s R&B Hip Hop Songs chart; and #77 on the Billboard Hot 100.

-Dec 09 Sean Paul Billboard Reggae Artiste of the year/decade Paul beat Matisyahu and Bob Marley & the Wailers for second and third respectively

Important Events -January 2010:

-The year 2010 opened with Shaggy’s Make a Difference Foundation hosting Shaggy and Friends concert at Jamaica House which was held on January 2,2010 with performances from acts such as Joe, Boyz II Men and Mario, Beenie Man, Machel Montano, Ding Dong, CeCile, T.O.K, Toots Hibbert, Sanchez, Baby Cham, Alaine, Queen Ifrica and Mavado.

The Bustamante Hospital For Children received $31 from the Shaggy-Make a Difference Foundation in 2009. The Shaggy and Friends concert raised about $29 million and was able to give the hospital $31 million.

-Killer issues public apology for his Anti Gay Tirade at Shaggy & Friends Benefit

.-Reggae singer Jah Cure and R&B/hip hop singer Keri Hilson record ‘World Cry’. He copped five nominations at the 2010 Excellence in Music and Entertainment Awards (EME).

-Artistes join Haiti recovery effort: Promoters Tony Rebel of Rebel Salute and Walter Elmore producer of Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, donate part proceeds from their events to those affected by the earthquake in Haiti.

-Artistes Aid Haiti Recovery: Several musicians and artistes collaborated on Listen2theCall, which featured Toots Hibbert, Sly & Robbie, Marcia Griffiths, Maxi Priest, Diana King, Luciano, Barrington Levy, Beres Hammond, Beenie Man and dub poet Mutabaruka along with more than 25 others. Proceeds from the sale of the song went to the relief and rehabilitation effort in Haiti.

-Diana King releases song ‘Black Bodies” for Haiti:

-Buju Banton donates US$1000 along with clothing to Haitians earthquake relief victims.  He pleads not guilty to conspiracy and gun charges and is held without bail

-Barrington Levy’s single ‘No War’ gets 500,000 spins on hip hop website

Important Events -February:

-German authorities ban music, by reggae artist Baby Cham; Bounty Killer; Capleton;

Elephant Man; Sizzla, TOK as they claim that lyrics advocate murdering homosexuals.

-Reggae Month celebrated: Official Reggae Month celebrations of Jamaica’s music culture scale down for 2010. Featured events included the Dennis Brown Birthday Special on Irie FM, and the week-long celebration of Bob Marley’s birthday in Negril, Shaggy, Steel Pulse, Sly & Robbie perform at Raggamuffin festival in New Zealand

-Sizzla arrested on gun charges in August Town

-Kymani Marley writes book entitled “Dear Dad: Where’s The Family in Our Family Today?

-Third World’s 35th Anniversary; group launches their 22nd album “Patriots”

-E2onair internet radio is launched by reggae singer Ed Robinson & Michelle Arthurton in New York.

-Gay group GLAAD protest Capleton reggae concerts.

-Jamaica Reggae Producer Phillip Smart sues a South African MTN: US-based, Jamaica-born reggae producer Phillip Smart sues a South African telecommunication MTN telecommunication company for alleged copyright infringement for allegedly adopting his sound recording Of his song `Hot This Year` in radio advertisements promoting the FIFA World Cup. MTN used the song for six months on radio in of his song `Hot This Year` their advertisements without his permission

-Stephen Marley Wins (2010) Reggae Grammy “Mind Control” (Acoustic) beating – Buju Banton “Rasta Got Soul”, Gregory Isaacs “Brand New Me”, Julian Marley   “Awake”, & Sean Paul “Imperial Blaze”

-Capleton dropped from Ragga Muffins Festival set for Feb 20.

-International Reggae Conference, University of the West Indies, Mona.

-Mighty Diamonds Received Ragga Muffins Festival Award Of Recognition, Long Beach, CA.

-Jimmy Cliff received Linkz FM Lifetime Achievement Award in Jamaica.

Important Events -March

-DJ Flippa Mafia jailed for illegal entry into USA

-Sing-jay Mavado officially release from reggae Indie label VP Records.

-Jimmy Cliff inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  According to Rolling Stone Magazine Jimmy Cliff stole the show at the ceremony, belting out “The Harder They Come.”

-Singer Luciano unable to travel abroad after a shoot-out between a gunman and police officers at his home and he is accused of harboring a fugitive. Luciano maintains his innocence

-Buju Banton’s defense filed an emergency motion for bond (bail) with the federal courts. Buju’s lawyer says he has lost lbs 40.

-Jamaican Government set to crack down on tax delinquent artistes

-Reggae DJ Louie ‘Gangalee’ Culture got shot in Jamaica

-President and CEO of Universal Music Group Distribution, Jim Urie, added Busy Signal’s cover of the Phil Collins hit ‘One More Night’ to his annual compilation album

Important Events- April:

-Ky-mani Marley begins 27 city book tour April 8-30.

-US Visas revoked for Bounty, Beenie, Mavado, Aidonia and Ricky Trooper.

-Bounty Killer arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend and denied bail.

-Ziggy Marley working on movie song with controversial theme

-Sean Kingston and Sean Paul nominated for Best Reggae Video at the 2010 Japan MTV Video Music Awards (VMA)

-Vybz Kartel banned from St. Lucia, Barbados, Guyana and Grenada.

-Jah Cure arrested by police in Jamaica and appeared in court on ganja charge.

-Reggae’s Crown Prince, the late Dennis Brown named one of National Public Radio’s (NPR) 50 Great Voices. He was named among Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald. Dennis Brown’s music charted on iTunes and Amazon charts, three songs *#1 with Love and Hate, *# 3 with Milk and Honey; and *# 4 with Bless Me Jah on Amazon, fourth most dominant online music store in the US,  Love and Hate # 3 on iTunes chart, Digital sales account for one-third of global music sales.

-DJ Mr. Lexx’s sexual Rape case dismissed in New York – he is summoned to community service.

-Jamaican artist Black Ryno blocked from entry by police in Trinidad. Officials claimed his music influences and ignites gang behavior.

-Mr Lexx got robbed in NY of his US$4500.00 Gold chain.

Important Events –May:

-International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA): Queen Ifrica wins four

awards, Soca star Machel Montano (three), Reggae singer Gramps (three) at the York College Performing Arts Centre in Queens.

-Government of Jamaica Investigating Ban on Dancehall Artistes by CARICOM Countries

-Tanya Stephens releases her seventh album, ‘Infallible’ for free online

-Mad Cobra Shot 3 times in his hometown of Portmore, St. Catherine.

-Jamaican music figure Norman ‘Sid’ Bucknor died of cancer in the U.K.

-Ricky Trooper investigated by the US Authorities for brandishing a gun in his YouTube video tirade.

-DJ Busy Signal launches his clothing line.

-DJ Mad Cobra’s house sprayed with bullets.

-Oniel Edwards of dancehall group ‘Voicemail’ died from multiple gunshot wounds.

-Buju Banton’s Trial date pushed back to September

-MTV launched official dancehall chart show.

-Reggae singer Tessanne Chin & Michael Anthony Cuffe Jr. engaged.

Important Events -June:

-DJ/Author Macka Diamond launched her book ‘The Real Gangster’s Wife’ in June for Caribbean-American month, at the South Regional Broward College Branch of the Broward County Library in Florida.

-Dance hall Sing jay Ding Dong barred from entering Trinidad and Tobago.

-DJ Beenie Man surrenders to police in Jamaica and is arrested and charged for allegedly ation on a case by case basis) assaulting L.A. Lewis.

-Karl Young, the founder of the world’s first all reggae radio station IRIE FM in 1990 and ZIP FM in 2002 Died.

-Bob Marley inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame.

-Caribbean American Cultural Conference staged by the Caribbean American Caucus at the Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn on June 18th and 19th.

-Reggae AMPPS 1st Annual Dinner Dance in New York:  Honorees were Pat McKay (Radio Broadcaster, XM Radio), Anthony Downbeat Rockwood (Soundman), Howard “Sir Tommy’s” Mapp (Soundman), Sharon Gordon & Carlyle McKetty (Coalition To Preserve Reggae), Junior Forbes (Caribbean American Cultural Conference). The Hon. Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke.

-Bounty Killer Freed of Assault Charge

Important Events -July:

-Brooklyn Music Festival: Gregory Isaacs’ latest US show.

-Gyptian’s ‘Hold Yuh’ peaked at # 31 Billboard R&B Hip Hop Singles chart

-Corporate company Red Stripe Beer returns to sponsorship of live music events in Jamaica after they withdrew their support in 2008

-Dance hall reggae veteran Lincoln ‘sugar’ Minott died of heart complications in Jamaica.

-Singer Alaine launches her own record label 1thirty1 Record Label

-Buju Banton celebrated his 37th birthday in Florida jail.

-Jamaica Association of Veteran Artist Award (JAVA) First Year Inductees To The Jamaica. Music Hall of Fame:  Clement “Coxone” Dodd, Lord Flea, Louise Bennett-Coverly, Vere Johns, Count Ossie, Alpha Boys’ School, The (original)  Wailers, The  Skatalites , Olive Lewin, Arthur “Duke” Reid, Ernest Ranglin and Derrick Morgan.

-DJ Elephant Man’s benz seized by Jamaican tax authorities for $10 million in taxes owed.

-I-Octane hailed as the best performing act at 2010 Reggae Sumfest in Jamaica.

-NY’s Irie Jam media cancels annual Irie Jamboree reggae festival.

-The deejay/singer duo of Chaka Demus and Pliers sues UMG for more than US$10 million in unpaid royalties and accountability for record sales in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan.

-Deejay Bounty Killer honored for his contribution to Jamaica’s music at Reggae SumFest

-The New York base Putumayo Record, a world-beat music company released Tribute To a Reggae Legend, a 12-track album tribute set to superstar Bob Marley featuring artistes from Africa, Brazil, Canada, and the United States.

-Donna Hope-Marquis Ph.d, popular dancehall author and lecturer, released her second book featuring the realities of dancehall culture touchy topic of sexuality in the dancehall with Man Vibes: Masculinities in Jamaican Dancehall.

Important Events-August:

-Sugar Minott Buried.

-Great Britain Trojan Records reissued ‘Everything I Own’ by singer Ken Boothe. The single ‘Everything I Own’ hit #1 on the British national chart in 1971 and Boothe‘s ‘Crying Over You’ also entered British Top 20 chart.

-Gyptian’ ‘Hold You’ peaked #3 on Billboard Heart seekers Songs Chart

-Gyptian joins Damian Marley & Nas on their Distant Relatives 2010 US Tour.

-Lady Saw, Partners with Toasting Music to Release New Album, My Way

-The #1 UK Dancehall & Reggae artist Gappy Ranks (Greensleeves Records and Publishing) introduced to US market via VP Record release.

-Gaza DJ Popcaan arrested in a big brawl at the airport in the Bahamas.

-Jamaican Producers Jam 2 Productions, Jammy James (Jam 2) & Camar Doyles (Flavaunit) sue Hulk Hogan daughter for failing to neither compensate nor credit for production work on her “The Redemption” album.

-Bounty Killer’s Range Rover and Land Cruiser seized by Tax Dept for $ millions in taxes.

-Buju Banton Trial begins and ends in a hung jury.

-Jamaica court ordered the eviction of the Bunny Wailer’s Millennium School operated the in Mona, St. Andrew, Jamaica, for failure to pay over more than JD$1.2 million in rent owed.

-Diana King launches the ‘Think like a Girl Music’ record label and inks licensing deal with Warner Music Japan!

-The Wyclef Jean, Barrington Levy, Shaggy and Snoop Dogg, collaboration on

“Murderer” made history as first ever track to be featured by iTunes on both the Hip Hop and Reggae pages simultaneously.

-Gyptian records remix of Travis McCoy’s mega hit single ‘Billionaire’

Important Events -September:

-Vybz Kartel’s “Clarks” featured on Canada’s ‘You Think You Could Dance’.

-Bob Marley School for the Arts Institute Hosts The Reggae Music & Technology Expo and Reggae Walk Of Fame Induction Ceremony 2010 at Cinema Paradiso, Fort Lauderdale, on September 10-11, 2010

-Bob Marley Named # 11 on VH1’s Top 100 Greatest Artists of All Time

-Bob Marley’s family loses copyright case against Universal Music Group (UMG).

-Bounty Killer arrested for assaulting a woman with a hammer. Woman then withdraws charges

-Tuff Gong Distribution announced the release of the 30th Anniversary of Bob Marley’s Live Performance album ‘Live Forever’

-Mavado signs endorsement deal with LIME.

-Judge declared mistrial in Buju Banton’s drug case.

-Dancehall DJ Ninja Man seeks judicial review on bail application after two years in police lock up.

-Norma Dodd, widow of the father of Jamaican music, legendary producer Clement ’Coxson’ Dodd, dies

-Island Records celebrates its 50th anniversary with the release of the book, The Story of Island Records: Keep on Running

-Trojan Records announced the release of Harder Road To Travel, a two-CD retrospective of the singer Jimmy Cliff’s work.

Important Events -October:

-I-Octane inked endorsement a deal telecom giant Digicel to represent the Digicel brand.

-Head of Shocking Vibes Entertainment Patrick Roberts’ BMW X5 seized for $millions owed in taxes.

-Reggae singer/songwriter Duane Stephenson performs at the World Food Program in honor of the United States Secretary of State, Hilary Rodham Clinton at the George McGovern Leadership Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

-Reggae singer/songwriter Duane Stephenson opening act for The Wailers on US tour

-Gay rights group, The Gay Liberation Network, planned to protest Capleton’s October-9 concert in Chicago.

-Don Corleon Record’s digital album “Major & Minor Riddim” which features the single “Let’s Do It Again” by J. Boog peaked s at #1 on the iTunes Reggae charts in Japan and New Zealand, and climbed on the best-selling reggae songs on the iTunes US charts.

-Chaka Demus has life saving operation.

-Buju Banton granted bail in an immigration court with severe restrictions and house arrest.

-Gyptian wins Music Of Black Origin (MOBO) Award, the equivalent of the US Grammy, for Best Reggae Act in England.

-UK Exhibition on the life of Ska legend Laurel Aitken

-Gregory Isaacs, Reggae Singer/Songwriter, Dies in UK at 59.

-Jamaica’s Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture launches Reggae Marathon 2010 (Half Marathon and 10K races) to promote the development of new events to bolster Brand Jamaica. Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Turnkey Productions, (producers of Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival) and a calendar of activities with Turnkey Productions, local and overseas organizations.

-Dancehall-reggae artists Busy Signal, Gramps Morgan, Bunji Garlin, Etana, Konshens and the Alliance brand launched online store; They merchandise a range of dancehall reggae street gear on reggaemerch.com.

-Jamaican Music Icons Ernie Smith and Big Youth honored by US Congress and Coalition To Preserve Reggae in NY.

-Renowned Music sound system Merritone celebrates its 60th anniversary.

-A new film, A Dance For Grace, puts Jamaica’s reggae dancehall troupes at the center of its optimistic plot.

Important Events -November:

-Reggae singer Ed Robinson releases “Our Heroes”.  It was added to VP’s Reggae Gold.

-German reggae artiste Gentleman and Jamaican reggae singer Chris Martin’s single ‘To the Top’ surpassed four million views on YouTube

-Sonia Pottinger, part of Jamaica’s the Big Three with Coxson Dodd and Duke Reid; Jamaica’s first and most success female producer dies.

-Toots & the Maytals appears on NBC’s Jimmy Fallon show in NY, and join an all-star list of musicians from New Orleans in a special Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute performance to Fats Domino at the Playhouse Square’s Palace Theatre in Cleveland.

-Dancehall sing-jay Serani’s ‘Skip to My Luu’ hit added to Hot 97’s daytime rotation on the #1 radio station HOT 97 in New York. This is his 3rd single added to the station’s rotation in two years.

-Buju Banton out on bail.

-DJ’s Mavado and Vybz Kartel held in jail over night in Jamaica.

-Rita Marley honored with Marcus Garvey Lifetime Achievement Award at the 17th Annual Caribbean American Heritage Awards Gala hosted by the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington DC

-Bayside Rocks Festival: Salutes Bunny Wailer, Steel Pulse, Toots & Maytals, Midnite, Cultura  at Bayfront Park, Fl

-Judge denies Buju Banton’s request to perform at live concert on Dec.26.

-Gyptian wins Best Reggae Artist Award at Soul Train Awards in Atlanta beating Vybz Kartel, Damien Marley, Jah Cure, Mr. Vegas and Gramps Morgan.

-Gyptian joins Mary J Blige’s UK tour.

- A collection of portraits, performances and personal shots by photographer Kim Gottlieb-Walker are now on exhibition in New York. Bob Marley and the Golden Age of Reggae

-Duane Stephenson completes first half of South American Tour: Peru, Argentina, Uruguay and Ecuador.

Important Events- December:

-54th Annual Grammy Awards – Best Reggae Album Nominees:  Before the Dawn: Buju Banton, Revelation: Lee “Scratch” Perry: Made In Jamaica – Bob Sinclar and Sly & Robbie, Isaacs Meets Isaac: Gregory Isaacs & King Isaac, An Acoustic Tribute To Peter Tosh – Andrew Tosh

-Dancehall DJ Busy Signal Drew 50,000 at his First concert in Gambia while another 10,000 left outside waiting to get in.

-Grenadian church leaders launched a protest against Christmas Eve concerts featuring Jamaican artistes Beenie Man, Mr. Vegas, Assassin and Jahvinci

-President/founder of Jamaican Association of Female Artistes (JAFA), and Entertainment lawyer Sandra Alcott, died on December 30 in Jamaica.

-Reggae/Dancehall artiste Chino McGregor’s song ‘From Mawning’ (Never Change) is the #1 purchased and downloaded track/ringtone on Japan’s most established ringtone site

-Judge gives Buju Banton the go ahead to perform at concert Jan 16 in Florida.

-Prosecution Fights Buju defense motion to have the gun charge against Banton dropped.  His lawyer David Markus claimed that the charge is `multiplicitous` and `without merit, ` and should be denied.

-Co-chairman of the Reggae Grammy Committee Roger Steffens predicts Gregory Isaacs will win 2010 Best Reggae Album Grammy

-Reggae music keyboardist pioneer Glen ‘Capo’ Adams, a member of the Hippy Boys and the Upsetters, (Lee ‘scratch’ Perry) two of the most influential bands in reggae history died in Jamaica at age 65. Adams wrote Mr. Brown according to Producer Bunny Lee Glen brought that great organ shuffle to reggae

-Dubtonic Kru wins the Jamaican leg of Global Battle of the Bands competition

-Zola Burse, (Tour Manager) died in Florida

-International Reggae singer Buju Banton placed under house arrest at his Tamarac, Florida home

-A 15 member group of disgruntled musicians, including respected lead guitarist Lebert ’Gibby’ Morrison, and bassist Donald ‘Axeman’ Dennis, formed an organization Protest Now And Save Reggae (PNASR) against a distinct media bias toward dancehall music in Jamaica have to push for a level playing field for other forms of reggae music. They release a song, ‘Reggae Rescue From Freefall’, to help push their point. It will be distributed to all local media and, based on response (airplay, etc); results will be sent to the Broadcasting Commission, the independent body that monitors airwave standards

-Lady Saw’ open Diva Records, her recording studio in Jamaica. Kriss Kelly, Chanel and

Temptress are some of the artistes Lady Saw is working with on her label. After a seven years absence Lady Saw’ returned to the ‘Sting’ stage show December 26

Online Music Store iTunes, the dominant online music store in the US listed her latest album. ‘My Way’, is her first 100% control of songs and production, on The Best of Reggae for 2010

-Shaggy hosts Christmas Gala at Bustamante Hospital for Children where they handed out gifts, gave brief performances, and spread much cheer among the children, their parents and the staff.

-Vybz Kartel’s “Gaza 2.0″ album sold 6000 units (VP Distribution)

-Morgan Heritage keyboardist and singer Gramps announced decision to become a professional football player.

-17 North Parade, a division of VP Records announced the release date “Steely and Clevie historic compilation album, the Digital Revolution featuring their top hits (release date January 25, 2011).

-Sister Carol celebrated thirty years in the music business as a solo artist on Dec 5, 2010 with a showcase held at Sullivan Hall located at 214 Sullivan St in New York City. Sis as she is affectionately known released her new single entitled “Mother Earth” and new video.

-Tarrus Riley & Dean Fraser, Jamaican jazz pianist Monty Alexander for World —Festival of Black Arts and Culture in Dakar, Senegal on December 19

-Wayne Wonder Gets Release from VP Records

-Home Circuit Court judge denies Ninjaman’s application for bail on the grounds that the witnesses in the case were being threatened. Ninja man has been in custody on gun and a murder charges for the March 16, 2009 murder of Ricardo ‘Ricky Trooper’ Johnson

-Dancehall group T.O.K, along with the LIVE WYYA BAND does a special concert performance at the International Conference Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe.

-Black Eyed Peas sampled Barrington Levy’s ‘hit ‘Here I Come’ on the track ‘The Coming’ their latest CD ‘The Beginning.’ This is the 40^th time ‘Here I Come’ has been sampled

-VP Records’ Dennis Brown compilation The Crown Prince of Reggae: Singles 1972 to 1985 debuted at #10 on Billboard Magazine’s Reggae album chart

-Reggae artists Tifa, I-Octane, Ce’Cile and Chino lent their voices to the World Aids Day concert at National Heroes Park in Kingston

-Toots performed for 40 million viewers in the UK on BBC 2′s Jools Holland Hootenanny show.

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12.11. – 12. 17.2010

Get Ready For Release of Final Bob Marley Performance

CaribWorldNews, NEW YORK, NY:

According to published report in CaribWorldNews (Dec. 17, 2010) May 11^th 2011 will mark the 30th anniversary of the passing of reggae legend, Robert Nesta ‘Bob’ Marley. The Marley family is planning to mark the occasion with the release of a 2CD/3LP/digital collection, ‘Uprising, the upcoming Bob Marley & The Wailers – Live Forever’ collection the singer’s final recorded performance on February 1.

The performance was taped at The Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA on September 23, 1980 and featured many of Marley’s finest tunes including No Woman No Cry, Jammin, and Is This Love to name a few. There was a 30^th anniversary reunion celebration at The Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA on September 23 2010.

Rita Marley, who has dedicated herself to keeping her late husband’s legacy alive, noted: `To hear that music today and to be able to share it with a new generation shows that Bob is as relevant today as he was 30 years ago. ` Adapted: CaribWorldNews.com

Reggae Tour Manager extraordinaire Zola Burse Dead

Music industry Tour Manager Zola Burse who worked with several reggae artistes from Beres Hammond, Maxi Priest, and Roberta Flack, died Tuesday morning in a Fort Lauderdale, Florida hospital at age 69 from a diabetes-related illness .

Mervis Walsh, manager to singer Beres Hammond, told The Jamaica Sunday Gleaner that Burse was a “special man”. Ill-health had forced Burse to leave his duties as Hammond’s tour manager in July.

Zola’s hard work, commitment and knowledge of the music including artist tour management, artist tour production and booking made him the best in the business.

Zola Burse had his start in music in 1972. He was involved with STAX Records and he became involved with music production, stage coordination, and artist tour management. In 1982, he began to do stage coordination for the Grammys, American Music Awards, and Soul Train Music Awards.

He worked as a production man with the Reggae Sunsplash but was best known as tour manager for various reggae acts including Hammond, Maxi Priest, Big Mountain and Buju Banton.

From 1985 to 1995, Zola was coordinator for BRE conference. In 1984, he became the Production and Tour Manager for Reggae Sunsplash USA. He worked for Reggae Sunsplash Jamaica from 1984 until 1997, the Spirit of Unity tours. In 1997, Zola had the opportunity to serve as Production Manager for JAMPRO at MIDEM the night that Jamaica presented to the world the best music that they had to offer.

Zola Burse is the latest reggae personality to die this year. Singers Sugar Minott, Gregory Isaacs; Keith Stewart, and producer Sonia Pottinger, also died. Zola Burse is survived by four children.

Adapted: YardFlex.com Jamaicaobserver .com

Sister Carol

Reggae Cultural chanter and actress Jamaican-born Carol East aka Sister Carol celebrated thirty  years in the music business as a solo artist on Sunday Dec 5, 2010 with a showcase held at Sullivan Hall, located at 214 Sullivan St in New York City.  Sis as she is affectionately known has a new single entitled “Mother Earth” and a brand new video which premiered at the Dec 5 show.

Her upcoming CD called “Togetherness” will feature Sister Carol and Friends and collaborations with various artistes. Sis along with her band the Yellow Wall Dub Squad will be performing at the Pai Reggae Festival in Chieng Ma, Thailand on Jan 23^rd 2011. The festival runs from Jan 20-23, 2011.

Tarrus Riley & Dean Fraser for World Festival of Black Arts and Culture

According to a published report in Outaroad.com, Jamaican reggae singer Tarrus Riley and saxophonist Dean Fraser have been invited as special guests to perform at the World Festival of Black Arts and Culture in Dakar, Senegal on December 19.  Also slated to perform at the event is Jamaican jazz pianist Monty Alexander. This will be the third staging of the festival.

In a release to the media, Riley said he was looking forward to performing at the festival. Said Riley, “Just going to Africa is a feeling that I can’t find words for, and to sing for the people will definitely be an honor and my pleasure”.

The World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures

Initiated by Senegal’s first President Léopold Sédar Senghor, the first edition of the World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures was held in Dakar in 1966. World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures is an international Festival which is entrusted by the African Union to the current President of the Republic of Senegal, his Excellency Abdoulaye Wade.

The first Festival brought together people from all generations and disciplines in order to make the rest of the world aware of the struggle and persistence of Black peoples in the face of colonization. In 1977, Nigeria hosted the second edition. The 2010 Festival conveys a new vision of Africa as free, proud, creative and optimistic. Adapted:  Outaroad.com

Wayne Wonder Gets Release from VP Records; releases new singles

Grammy nominated reggae singer Wayne Wonder whose career was temporarily on pause for nearly two years, has finally secured his release from VP Records.  Wonder is very relieved and ready for the New Year. “It was quite unfortunate that the dispute with the record company (VP) escalated… the work is continuing.”

Working with top reggae and dancehall producers he’s released a few new singles, and he is now wearing the producer’s cap. On his own Singson/Nyamcash label Wayne produced ‘If I Ever’ which debuted at #4 on the iTunes Reggae Charts.

Wayne has also teamed up with dancehall group, T.O.K. on ‘Girl Dem Follow’; which was produced by Stephen ‘Di Genius’ McGregor on his Winnings riddim. Wayne did six shows in Japan from December 18 to 26 in Tokyo, Zurich, Kyoto, Alchi, Ibaraki and Numazu.

Wayne Wonder’s career exploded in 2003 with his album ‘No Holding Back’ and the single ‘No Letting Go’ on Atlantic Records. No Letting Go peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop chart in America. The album No Holding Back received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album in 2003, a MOBO Award in the UK, three BMI Urban awards, leading to a live performance on NBC Television’s Saturday Night Live. The follow-up single and video Bounce Along reached #12 on the UK pop charts.

Wayne’s inspired version of Hold Me Now (originally recorded by the Thompson Twins) appeared on the 2004′s successful 50 First Dates (starring Adam Sandler / Drew Barrymore) movie soundtrack and was produced by No Doubt’s Tony Kanal with a video directed by Gil Green for Madonna’s Maverick Records label. Wayne also anchored the hit track Anything Goes (w/ CNN: Capone & N.O.R.E and Lexxus) for the Def Jamaica compilation which received a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album. Wayne headlined an extensive world tour with his Entourage Band in 2004-05 performing in North America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Africa.  Adapted: Outaroad com

Sean Kingston for Zimbabwe Tour

NEW YORK, NY:

Jamaican-American rapper, Sean Kingston, used YouTube to announce a planned tour of Zimbabwe in April next year. The 20-year-old Kingston, who shot to fame in 1997 with ‘Beautiful Girls’ (Suicidal) is slated to perform in Harare, the African country’s capital, on April 23rd. The singer has also been nominated for a Grammy this year for his single with rapper, Nicki Minaj.  Adapted: CaribWorldNews.com

Actress/singer Sheryl Lee to sing with Gay Men’s Chorus

Los Angeles, LA,

Jamaican American actress, Sheryl Lee Ralph, is set to perform with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles at its annual holiday show on December 18th at a matinee and evening performance at Glendale’s Alex Theatre.

Lee Ralph’s, stage, TV and big screen credits include the original Broadway production of Dream Girls, for which she earned a Tony Award nomination, starring roles in the Disney movie  Oliver & Company, The Mighty Quinn w/Denzel Washington, Mistress w/Robert De Niro and she also had roles in The Flintstones, Deterrence and Unconditional Love. Ralph was the star of the UPN 9 hit TV series ‘Moesha.  Full story: CaribWorldNews.com

Rihanna’s X-Factor Performance Draws Criticism

LONDON, England

According to a published report in CaribWorldNews (Tues. Dec. 14, 2010) pop princess, Bajan singer Rihanna’s strip tease performance on the X-Factor may have gone too far according to critics.

After an excellent performance of her new single What’s My Name the Grammy winning star added a stripping scene to her set. Rihanna took of her gown and pranced around on stage in her underwear, while performing several suggestive dance moves. Her army of dancers performed in a similar way. The parents of the show’s young viewers and media watchdogs were chagrined.

It was reported that Rihanna’s performance was followed by a totally sexually simulating performance from Christina Aguilera. As a result of the performances, ITV is facing a huge backlash after thousands of viewers protested about what they called lewd performances on the X Factor finale.

Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator’s code states that `children must be protected by appropriate scheduling from material that is unsuitable for them;  that any discussion on, or portrayal of, sexual behavior must be editorially justified if included before the watershed and that material that is unsuitable for children should not, in general, be shown before 9pm or after 5.30am. The ITV show aired between 7 and 9 p.m. on Saturday night.  Adapted: CaribWorldNews.com

Wyclef, Donna Karan, and Kim Teams up to help raise more money for Haiti

CaribWorldNews, NEW YORK, NY:

According to published report in CaribWorldNews (Dec. 15, 2010) Haitian-born, Grammy Award-winning artiste Wyclef Jean will join the team of Kim Kardashian and fashion guru Urban Zen founder Donna Karan to help raise more money for over one million Haitian earthquake victims still living in tents.

Jean will perform at ‘The Truth’ event in New York City. Slated to be in attendance are film, music and television celebrities Forest and Kiki Whitaker, Spike Lee, Erykah Badu, David Arquette, Maria Bello, Gary Dourdan, Michael Stahl and Jimmy Jean-Louis.

The event is a multi-media exhibition and auction of film images and artworks by Haitian, Haitian American and Haitian inspired artists. Kardashian, Karan and music mogul Andre Harrell are hosting The Truth. The Premier Exhibition and Auction will raise funds to give Gifts of Love packages to the Haitian people this holiday season and into the New Year.

The packages will include vital supplies: shoes, solar flashlights and whistles to offset night attacks and rapes on women living in the Haitian camps.  Cholera relief supplies will also be added as a critical component in these ‘Gifts of Love. ’Adapted: CaribWorldNews.com

Richie Spice – New album ‘Book of Job’

Reggae singer Richie Spice completed production on his Book of Job album on VP Records. ‘Book of Job’ will be Spice’s fifth official album for the label and it is scheduled to be released early next year. Several of the album tracks — ‘Black Woman’, ‘Legal’ ‘Find Jah’ and ‘Mother of Creation’ are reportedly receiving strong rotation both locally and abroad. A music video for Black Woman is now being aired.

Richie Spice will in the Bahamas to perform alongside US Rap star Rick Ross and Vybz Kartel on Sebas Christmas Party to be held at the Wyndham Nassau Resort & Crystal Palace Casino in Nassau Bahamas. Spice is also booked to appear on the13 Warriors segment of Sting 2010 on December 26^th in Jamaica.  Adapted: jamaicaobserver.com

No bail for the Ninja

DJ Ninja Man and his son Jahniel will spend their second consecutive Christmas behind bars, in police custody on gun and murder charges for the March 16, 2009 murder of Ricardo ‘Ricky Trooper’ Johnson. Clayton Dennis and Seymour Samuels were also charged in relation to the matter.  Lawyers representing the father and son failed to obtain bail for the men when they appeared in the Home Circuit Court in Jamaica.   The two were denied bail on the grounds that the witnesses in the case were being threatened.

Ninjaman will return to court on January 14, 2011, when another attempt will be made to secure their bail.  Adapted: jamaicaobserver.com

T.O.K & LIVE WYYA BAND HEAD FOR ZIMBABWE

Dancehall group T.O.K, described by the New York Times as “the best Dancehall group out of Jamaica” along with the LIVE WYYA BAND left Jamaica on December 18 for Harare, Zimbabwe for a special concert performance there at the International Conference Centre. The tour will make stops in Addis Abba, Ethiopia and will end in Costa Rica on December 24^th before returning to Jamaica on Christmas Day.

Both groups will be making their first appearance on that continent. The Live Wyya Band, a self-contained group; will be the opening act doing a 45-minute-set before providing musical backing for T.O.K

The Live Wyya Band will be using the Zimbabwe concert as an opportunity to promote their latest CD entitled “Spread the Love”.

Richard Browne, son of Tarrus Riley’s bass player Glen Browne, will accompany T.O.K in the capacity of Musical Director. The tour was organized by veteran manager and tour organizer, Copeland Forbes, who’ll accompany the 13-man reggae outfit on the historic tour of the Motherland and Costa Rica. Adapted Reggae E-Guide

ANTHONY B – TOURING NORTH AMERICA, HAWAII AND CANADA ON HIS OWN – JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2011

Anthony B just finished a successful six-week European tour, and Africa, a spot date in Costa Rica and another one at the Grenada National Stadium, in Grenada. January and February 2011 he along with his band, the Untouchable band are slated to tour North America, Hawaii and Canada. Adapted Reggae E-Guide

Bounty Killer Says “Bleaching Is A Disgrace to the Black Race” – Entertainment Report

Recently Beenie Man attacked Vybz Kartel concerning his song Dancehall Hero saying it’s disrespectful to him and the elders in dancehall industry. However the latest attack comes from the Alliance leader Bounty Killer who’s upset about the soon to be released Vybz Kartel’s Cake Soap. Adapted Outaroad.com

Nicki Minaj Concert Costs Raise Eyebrows in Homeland

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: LOS ANGELES, CA

According to published reports in CaribWorldNews (Dec. 9, & 16 2010) the opposition political party in Trinidad and Tobago is harshly criticizing the high cost of Grammy nominated Trinidad & Tobago-born rapper Nicki Minaj’s ‘Localize It’ concert in October;  held at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Saint James, the rapper’s hometown.

According to Trinidad and Tobago’s Sport and Youth Affairs Minister, Anil Roberts, the government spent over $869,000 on the concert.  A figure that has opposition MP Amery Browne calling for an audit.

The concert was organized by Roberts, who said the expenses included over $300,000 in fees to Minaj and her agent, $150,000 for advertising, $75,000 for the venue, infrastructure and stage, $60,000 to produce the fashion show, $60,000 for the Hilton Hotel where Nicki and her entourage stayed, $40,000 for the local acts, $32,000 to the Copyright Organization of Trinidad and Tobago and $26,000 for ‘cultural acts’.

He said T&T had benefited tremendously since the staging of the concert.  There had been several presentations on US television networks. But so far Leader of the Opposition Dr Keith Rowley is joining Browne in calling for an audit. The Nicki Minaj concert was held on October 30th.

‘These questions may be answered in or out of the Parliament but what is undeniable is that the taxpayers of T&T deserve to know from where the $900,000 came and in whose pockets the concert proceeds have gone’, said Rowley in a statement.

Minaj Celebrates 26^th Birthday

Nicki Minaj made a red carpet appearance with celebrity friends and family to celebrate her 26th birthday at TAO in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 9^th. Among the guests was Lil Wayne of the Young Money label, as well as Amber Rose and R&B singer Cassie.

Minaj was born on December 8, 1984, in Trinidad and Tobago to Indian and Afro Trinidadian parents. She lived with her grandmother in Saint James until age five, while her parents went to live in Queens New York where Minaj relocated when she migrated to NY City. Adapted: CaribWorldNews.com

Heptones choose Toronto for reunion!

According to a published report in Jamaicaobserver.com Reggae group The Heptones’ historic reunion will take place in Toronto, Canada on January 15, 2011, at the Jamaica Canadian Centre. Beginning their recording career in Kingston in 1965, the group released hit singles on the Studio One label such as Fatty Fatty, Sea of Love, Pretty Looks Isn’t All, Ting A Ling, I’ve Got The Handle and Party Time. They were also signed to Island Records.

They also recorded several instrumental sessions which were released on the Studio One imprint as the Soul Vendors and Sound Dimension. Leroy Sibbles, founder of the Heptones, played bass on Alton Ellis’  I’m Still in Love and the Abyssinians’ classic Satta Massagana.

“This is the best way to start the New Year. We’re really looking forward to performing for the Toronto audience in the New Year,” said Leroy, who lived in Toronto in 1980, from his home in Jamaica.

The Canadian-based artistes include Uncle Jonny, Ammoye, Nadeera, Tony Anthony, Mr. Cool and Jimmy Reid. Live music will be supplied by DJ Wiz International, Massey Sound and Barry Culture. The show will be hosted by Delroy ‘Speedy’ Sterling from 105.5 CHRY FM and Natasha Von Castle, Canada’s Music Queen from 88.1 CKLN FM. Adapted: Jamaicaobserver.com

iTunes Charts “My Way” on Best of Reggae 2010

Lady Saw closes 2010 in high spirits. 2010 is the year she walked out and did it ‘My Way’. Online powerhouse Music Store iTunes has listed her latest album, My Way on The Best of Reggae for 2010; fulfilling Lady Saw’s desire to create an album with 100% control of songs and production.  My Way, an empowering and explicitly electrifying album has left a lasting impression on listeners with sensational tracks and dynamic collaborations. Adapted:outaroad.com

Buju Prosecution Fights Gun Charge Motion

MIAMI, FL.

According to a published report in CaribWorldNews (Dec. 10, 2010) Jamaican-born reggae singer Buju Banton is slated to be performing tracks from his new Grammy nominated album, Before the Dawn at his January 16^thconcert in 2011.

The concert comes as prosecutors voiced their opposition to a defense motion to have the gun charge against Banton dropped. Markus claimed in his motion that the charge is multiplicitous and without merit, and should be denied.

Prosecutors say the court’s earlier rulings should remain in force and the defendant’s motion should be denied. The court is expected to rule on the matter shortly. Banton, who has maintained his innocence, had his first court trial end in a hung jury. He is now out on bail and scheduled to return to court for a second trial early next year.  Adapted: CaribWorldNews.com

Roger Steffens -Gregory Isaacs will win 2010 Best Reggae Album’ Grammy

According to a report published in the Jamaicagleaner.com, Roger Steffens, the co-chairman of the Reggae Grammy Committee is predicting that Gregory Isaacs will win the ‘Best Reggae Album’ category at the Grammy Awards for his entry ‘Isaacs Meets Isaac’ on February 11, 2010 in Los Angeles.

Isaacs Meets Isaac is a collaboration between King Isaac a Zimbabwean singer who teaches at a Michigan College and Gregory.

Steffens said “Gregory will be a shoo-in… (and) is the sentimental favorite” and further noted that Gregory’s long career merits the honor, saying “It’s got great human interest appeal.” Peter Tosh’s win in 1988 for ‘No Nuclear War’ was also considered a sentimental favorite after he was murdered in September of 1987 by gunmen at his St Andrew home.

This is Gregory Isaacs’ fourth Grammy nomination. Like fellow 2010 nominee, Buju Banton, Isaac also received a Grammy nod in 2009 for the album, Brand New Me.

The other nominees are Before The Dawn by Buju Banton, Revelation by Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Andrew Tosh’s Legacy – An Acoustic Tribute to Peter Tosh, Made In Jamaica by Bob Sinclar, and Sly and Robbie’s One Pop Reggae.  Adapted: .jamaicagleaner.com

Barrington Levy’s ‘Here I Come’ sampled by the Black Eyed Peas

According to a report published in the jamaicaobserver.com Barrington Levy’s hit Here I Come has been sampled by multi-platinum selling pop group the Black Eyed Peas.

The sample can be heard on the track ‘The Coming’ on Black Eyed Peas’ latest CD ‘The Beginning’ which was released late November.

According to Levy LEVY… the Black Eyed Peas went to my publishing company to get permission to sample the song. They are happy and I am happy

Here I Come has been sampled at least forty times an excited Barrington Levy told Splash earlier this week. “The Black Eyed Peas went to my publishing company to get permission to sample the song. They are happy and I am happy.”

Levy is happy the Black Eyed Peas has embraced his work and had a word of advice for today’s dancehall artist. Levy said, “I do hope that my fellow Jamaican artistes will do music that 20 years later, other artistes can endorse it.”

Levy recorded ‘Here I Come’ in 1983, it was produced with producer Paul ‘Jah Screw’ Love. It was released on the Time One Records label.

Levy is currently working with the US-based Platinum Camp on a film project between his Black Roses production and Platinum Camp for a movie titled ‘Gangster.’ He recently recorded the track ‘Gangster’ w/dancehall DJ Vybz Kartel that will be featured on the soundtrack of the movie. The movie is being shot mostly in the US, but the scenes with Vybz Kartel will be shot here in Jamaica”.

The movie is set for release within the next seven months. The single will be released in late January. Adapted: jamaicaobserver.com

Tune in to Stan Evan Smith Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report on radio & the internet online:

WNSB Hot 91.1FM @ 2:15pm EST Sunday ‘Caribbean Connection’ w/Lady Cham 1:00pm-4:00pm streaming Live www.westindiantimes.netVibes24/7 Norfolk Virginia

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WPFW 89.3 FM @ 12:30pm EST Sunday ‘This is Reggae Music’ w/Tony Carr12am-2:00 pm streaming Live www.wpfw.org Washington. DC

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Read Stan Evan Smith Weekly Entertainment News / Commentary & Reggae Report Online:

Entertainment Writer, Westindiantimes.net (Norfolk Beach VA)

Senior Music Writer, Jamaicans.com. (Fl.)

http://blogs.jamaicans.com /seebreeze/2010/04/

Contributing Editor, Everybodys Magazine (NYC)

Music Writer, Jahworks.org (Oakland CA)

Email: wsmusicworks@gmail.com,

Email/IM: Seebreeze66200@Yahoo.com

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Blog: http://blogs.jamaicans.com /seebreeze/2010/04/

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