DON CORLEON APPEARS IN AMERICAN PRIMETIME

Platinum producer extraordinaire Don Corleon is back in the limelight, as the featured guest musician in the hit American television series, Girlicious, airing tonight on the CW Network (9 PM EST).

Donovan Bennett, known to the masses as Don Corleon, has been putting his indelible signature on the top sounds emanating from Jamaica to the world, and is best known for crafting chart-topping tunes for dancehall icons Sean Paul and Elephant Man, but that's just the beginning of his realm. He's produced Billboard hits for pop princess Rihanna, and talented R&B mainstay Keyshia Cole, who regularly treks to Kingston, Jamaica to work with Don in his Vendetta Studios.In fact, Don reveals the track featured on Girlicious was first composed for Cole. "I made it for Keyshia's last album but it didn't make it, but Ron Fair at Geffen Records loved the track and wanted to save it for something good. So I got the call and went to L.A. (Los Angeles) last year and we did the show."

The featured song on tonight's episode of Girlicious is titled "Leave You Alone," with music by Don Corleon and lyrics by Pressure, who just saw the release of his second album, Love & Affection, on the Don Corleon Records label.The Corleon track was used as the centerpiece in a vocal expression challenge for the girls, who are competing to become the next Pussycat Dolls, a female burlesque singing act that eventually landed a record deal, which made them and their lead singer Nicole Scherzinger household names.

Click here to view the clip as Nicole joins Don Corleon in the Geffen Records studio to teach the girls, and the millions who tune in tonight, how music is properly done.

Also, click here to listen to the latest productions from Don Corleon, before you see it on TV!

‘GANGSTA’S DO DEM OWN TING’ IN BROOKLYN

The ‘Gangsta Ras’ Munga Honorebel and Dancehall’s latest gangster lyricist Demarco will journey into the belly of New York’s gritty garrison on April 11th to make their Brooklyn debut at C-PAC. ‘Gangstas Do Dem Own Thing’ will feature the two Jamaican chart-toppers alongside Brooklyn’s reigning Dancehall ‘garrison gaad’ Fats.

Captivating the industry with a Hip Hop infused Dancehall swagger, Munga’s “Bad From Mi Born,” and “Earthquake” were two of 2007’s street anthems that propelled him to the forefront. Following up with tunes like “Take My Place,” and “Wine Pon It,” Munga continues to rank at the top of the new generation of Dancehall stars, making him one of the most sought after performance headliners. Demarco, who’s “Fallen Soldiers,” hit the top of the Dancehall charts in early 2008, has recently been announced as one of the nominees in the Caribbean Urban Music Awards’ ‘Best Newcomer’ category. Both artists will be joining Brooklyn-bred artist Fats, also know as Fatta, whose “Real Bad Man” has become a staple on the radio and in the streets of Brooklyn.

Following on the heels of the success of the Brooklyn debut of Mavado, Serani, and Bugle, dubbed ‘On the Rock,’ promoter Johnny Wonder of 21st Productions is predicting that ‘Gangsta’s Do Dem Own Thing’ will be another sell-out show.

“Most promoters have their shows in Queens or Manhattan and forget about Brooklyn,” states Wonder. “They forget that it’s Brooklyn that really sets the trend around here in terms of Dancehall, Hip Hop, and all forms of urban music. If you want the cutting edge in music in New York, especially Dancehall, come to the hood. Come to Brooklyn.”

‘Gangsta’s Do Dem Own Thing’ featuring Munga Honorebel, Demarco, and Fats will be held on Friday, April 11th at C-PAC in Brooklyn. The event will be hosted by Noah and Steve Austin, and music will be provided by Massive B, Thunderbolt, Gully Squad, Noah, and Tek-9 Movements.

SHERYL LEE RALPH JOINS THE CAMPAIGN TO SEND ‘TEAM JAMAICA ON THE ROAD TO BEIJING’

Athletic support agency Team Jamaica Bickle is pleased to announce that award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph has joined the ‘Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing’ campaign to raise funds for Jamaican high school athletes participating in the annual Penn Relays Competition in Philadelphia, and Jamaica’s track and field athletes competing in the XXIX Olympics in Beijing.

“Sheryl Lee Ralph has always been a strong supporter of many social and entertainment related causes in Jamaica and the Caribbean, as well as the United States,” states Team Jamaica Bickle founder Irwine Clare. “TJB heartily welcomes her endorsement of this campaign, and thanks her for making this very meaningful commitment.”

Ralph, a Tony award-nominated actress and singer of Jamaican decent, will be joining Jamaican-American international model Camille McDonald, as a spokeswoman for the ‘Team Jamaica Bickle on the Road to Beijing’ campaign.

The ‘Team Jamaica on the Road Beijing’ Reggae Charity Concert, presented by TJB in association with VP Records, will be the campaign’s first major fundraising event. Set for Sunday, April 20th at the Walt Whitman Theater at Brooklyn College, renowned Lover’s Rock crooner Richie Stephens, and new Roots sensations Etana, Duane Stephenson, and Jah Melody are among the event’s featured performers.

“Team Jamaica Bickle and VP Records are challenging more of our A-list Reggae entertainers to give back to Jamaica by raising funds to give our athletes a chance to represent ‘brand Jamaica’ at the 26th Annual Olympic Games in Beijing, China this August,” Clare states.

Endorsed by BET Networks, the staging will be aired on BET and BETJ this spring.

With a fourteen year history of providing educational and athletic assistance to promising Jamaican high school athletes competing at the annual Penn Relay competition in April, this year Team Jamaica has also vowed to financially assist Jamaica’s qualifying track athletes set for the Olympics in China this August. All donations will be made in the memory of Jamaican track and field legend, Olympic gold medalist Herb McKenley.

Major corporate sponsors of the ‘Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing’ Campaign include Victoria Mutual Building Society, Grace Foods, Jerk Q’zine, Vincent Hosang Family Foundation, Western Union, Digicel, Jamaica National, TransContinental Shipping, Dennis Shipping, the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations, and the Door Restaurant. Community partners include JAMPACT and Jamaica Organization of New Jersey.

Media supporters for the ‘Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing’ Reggae Charity Concert include BET, Irie Jam Media, Link Up Media, Caribbean Lifestyle Magazine (CLM), Caribbean World News Network, and a host of other independent broadcasters.

MS. TRINITI SET TO BLAZE STAGES THIS SPRING

Fusing Hip Hop, R& B and Soca, in a ‘Ragga’ Dancehall style, Ms. Triniti’s unique cross over single “Wi Burnin (Woy Yoy Yoy)” has been making waves on urban music stations across the world, making her one of the most sought after Caribbean music performers and landing coveted performance spots beside some of the music industry’s heavy-hitters.

Hip Hop fans will get a taste of Ms. Triniti’s ‘Ragga Hop’ style this month at Urban Network Magazine’s 20th Anniversary Entertainment-Marketing Summit in Los Angeles, CA and WDKX’s 34th Anniversary After-Party in Rochester, NY where she will be performing alongside leading Hip Hop acts Lil’ Wayne, Trina, Dem Franchize Boyz and Bun B.

In May, Ms. Triniti will be touring the West Coast with popular Soca-Pop-Rock combination band the Kes Band, after traveling to the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ in April. Due to the overwhelming success of her albums, Ragga Hop (2006), Do or Dare (2006) and Essential Ragga Hop (2008), in Japan, popular demand has warranted the release of a greatest hits compilation, slated for an April 23rd release.

Ms. Triniti’s Trinidadian and American roots, and British up bringing have inspired an eclectic sound that fuses an array of European, American and Caribbean styles into one distinctive ‘Ragga Hop’ sound. Often toted as the Caribbean answer to Beyoncé, her versatility as a singer, Dancehall deejay, and Hip Hop emcee coupled with her multi-cultural ethnic background, gives her an exotic edge over the average musical diva.

“My sound isn’t just Soca or just Dancehall, or just Hip Hop,” states Ms. Triniti. “My heritage is a fusion of different cultures; my music is a fusion of the different sounds that have influenced me culturally. Each musical genre has its own style, pattern, and attitude that make them unique. I have brought them all together to make something incredibly unique.”

Born to a Trinidadian father and American mother, and raised between the U.K. and the Caribbean, Ms. Triniti’s unique style is a rhythmic multi-cultural melting pot. The Caribbean’s answer to Beyoncé, Triniti is a soulful songstress, sassy singjay, and hard-hitting deejay wrapped in an irresistibly exotic package. Her previous single “Love it Like That” featuring Cham was featured on his highly successful cross-over album ‘Ghetto Story,’ while “Bongce Along” peaked at #5 on Jamaica’s Top 30 Singles Chart, earning her a nomination for ‘Best New Artist” at the Excellence in Music and Entertainment Awards in Jamaica.

Recognized by some of Reggae, R&B and Hip Hop’s heavy hitting producers, Triniti has worked with everyone from Grammy nominated dynamic duo Sly and Robbie, to Lenky Marsden, the man behind Sean Paul’s mega hit “Get Busy”, and R&B singer/producer Mario Winans. After a brief stint as a Sony/Columbia recording artist in 2003-2004, Triniti launched out on her own with her company Trini Girl Music LLC. She has toured with Sean Paul and Ja Rule, and opened for Shaggy, Elephant Man, Kevin Lyttle, Beenie Man, and Maxi Priest among others, performing throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Europe, and Japan.

MARK KENNY: BRINGING AUTHENTIC JAMAICAN TALENT TO THE MASSES

The phenomena of Rising Stars and Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall have created a level of enthusiasm and an anticipation rarely seen in the history of television talent shows in Jamaica. Many do not know who the brainchild of these two massively popular shows is and even more interestingly, that he is not a native Jamaican.

Born in Dublin Ireland, Mark Kenny has been an ardent fan of Jamaican music and culture since the 1970s. The professionally trained pianist became a convert to reggae after listening to the group 'Culture' who are credited with influencing the development of Punk Rock music in the 1970s. Kenny has developed a sophisticated appreciation of Jamaica's music and culture which is manifested in his work with Digicel Rising Stars and Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall.

Kenny began his television career in 1990 as a producer with Animedia, one of Ireland's largest animation companies at the time. He excelled and went on to produce one of Ireland's most popular talent shows: Your're a Star. It was after observing his work on the Your're a Star talent competition that in 2004, Digicel and Newcom solicited his help in bringing true Jamaican talent to the masses. This collaboration gave birth to the Rising Stars competition.

After four immensely successful seasons and becoming the most popular show on television, Kenny decided to take Jamaican television to another level and in 2007 launched Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall.

Executive producer, Mark Kenny explains: "I noticed that a lot of Deejays would audition for Digicel Rising Stars and not make it into the finals because the format does not cater to dancehall. We thought it would be a good idea to have a show that is dedicated to dancehall 100%. I also noticed that female driven dancehall and male driven dancehall is different, so it would be interesting to have a king and queen rather than both sexes competing against each other."

Mark Kenny has a keen eye for talent and over 18 years of experience in knowing what people like to see on their television. Both Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall and Digicel Rising Stars have given numerous Jamaicans, from all walks of life and all corners of the island, the opportunity to showcase their talent and become recognised Jamaican artistes.

Kenny explains how Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall is achieving its mandate to 'buss' new talent: "Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall has shown that there is strong dancehall talent in Jamaica that has not had a platform for exposure. Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall is now that platform. To see the performances on stage, to see the set and the overall production is a dream achieved. Since we began airing on TVJ we have grown from strength to strength and there is enough talent out there for Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall to go on perpetually."

After bringing two very popular shows to Jamaican television, Mark Kenny has big plans for the future. He plans to continue the success of Digicel Rising Stars while making the second season of Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall, to be aired in November 2008, bigger and better. He also plans to bring other television shows to Jamaican television while at the same time exposing Jamaican culture and talent to the world.

Sanjay's Lonely Breaks new Ground

Sanjay's new single, Lonely has been doing very well locally and internationally. The song on the Renaissance 'Legal Riddim' has been receiving good airplay both locally and internationally with regular spins on BBC 1Xtra, Big Up Radio and 876radio as well as continuous rotation on local radio stations.

Lonely has broken new ground for Sanjay as he now has a burgeoning following in Germany and England. The video of Sanjay's Lonely is also a regular feature on reggae cable stations, boasting a more regular than usually rotation on Hype TV, RE TV, local TV stations and international reggae oriented stations in New York, Miami and Germany.

Sanjay has been getting and overwhelmingly positive response from the reggae market for his transformed image. The artiste, who cut his hair in the video for Lonely, sees this as validation for the considerable amount of work he has put in to ensure his work is always of a good quality.
"I am receiving good reviews for Lonely both internationally and locally. I am pleased with the responses so far and I would just like to let the fans know that they can expect bigger ad better things from Sanjay" – Sanjay, Recording Artiste

Click here to watch the video

Danger Zone Continuing to Bring Unification Through Music

The Danger Zone Music Group emerged in the year 2000 out of a need to provide positive and quality music to the masses. Headed by CEO Delmar Drummond aka 'Della Danger' and with the Danger Zone Sound System as its nucleus, Danger Zone has over the last 6 years maintained a presence in the in the local and international music market churning out high quality music and managing some of the top reggae and dancehall artiste this side of the reggae and dancehall world.

Danger Zone currently has six top flight artistes on its roster, lead by Ce'Cile and Jah Cure, Danger Zone's success has proven that it has the level of professionalism and expertise to manage the careers of two of Jamaica's most popular talents. Not to be outdone are the other artistes on the roster; Cutty Corn created waves last year with his breakout hit Lucky Day and has shown that he staying power with singles such as No Boops on the 'Solidarity Riddim' and Call Me on the 'Payback Riddim'. Cutty Corn has also been a regular on the local and international music scene with recent performances at the Real Ting Café in Jacksonville Florida, Island explosion, Magnum GT Taylor's Christmas Extravaganza and Guinness Sting 2007.

Another of the artistes signed to Danger Zone is veteran artiste Jigsy King who has maintained a presence on the Dancehall scene for many years. Jigsy King came on the scene with his smash hit Rail Up right out of the gate in 1993, his second big hit, Gal A Fuss Gal A Fight established him as a rising star, and the song's combination of the 'matey' phenomena with gritty commentary confirmed him as one of the best songwriters in dancehall till today. Recently Jigsy King has been busy both in the studio and on the stage with current hits such as Pon Di Ends, Plant It and Show Off on the 'Journey's Riddim' as well as Extra Clip on the 'Sting 93 Riddim' produced by Scatta.

Danger Zone is also nurturing new talent and has two of the most exciting new prospects on the dancehall scene. Rass Fraser and Mickey Pelpa are two of the young artistes on the Danger Zone Label, both are honing their skills and are destined to take the reggae world by storm.

Danger Zone Records is known for putting out quality music and over the years has released numerous tracks and tunes that have won the hearts of both local and international reggae fans. The latest riddim from Danger Zone is the 'Journeys' Riddim', Produced by Jigsy King, Della Danger and Cecile. The Journey, features Journey by Jah Cure, Cecile's Ride or die, Plant It by Jigsy King featuring Ce'Cile, Show Off by Jigsy King & Tony Curtis, and Poochie Loo by Cutty Corn.

The Journeys Riddim follows on the successful heritage of Danger Zone which in 2007 premiered two hit riddims with numerous hit songs stemming from them. The 'Jamdown Riddim' won the Best Reggae Compilation Album at the recent RIAJAM awards giving Della Danger the Executive Producer's Award. Danger Zone also premiered the 'Payback Riddim' which featured a good mix of 19 tracks featuring some of Jamaica's hottest dancehall names.
Danger Zone continues to make good strides in the music industry. With top notch production and proven experience in artiste promotion and management, Danger Zone is destined to continue bringing unification through music.

A Diamond on the Pulpit

Maybe it’s a trend, but it seems that after all the excitement, ray-ray and passa-passa, the arms of the Lord always seem to be the place of refuge for most of those in the field of entertainment who decide to turn over a new page. Internationally, rappers such as Ma$e, left BadBoy Records to follow the Lord, only to be drawn back years later. Rapper DMX has flirted with the idea openly, and locally, the likes of Papa San, Lt. Stichie, Chevelle Franklin and Carlene Davis, have all walked away from illustrious careers to take up their cross and follow the Lord.

Dancehall recording artiste Macka Diamond seems to be the latest entertainment personality to be trodding this path. Just recently Macka was the specially invited guest of Prophet/Pastor Arthur Duncombe, of The City of Praise, in Nassau, Bahamas, to speak to the women of his congregation.

The request in itself seemed strange, said, Leesah Larmond of DiamondDistrict Ja., who initially refused to take the booking for the artiste, on the basis that it just didn’t seem morally correct for her artiste to be placed in such a compromising and strange situation. “I mean, let’s be reasonable, we are talking about Macka Diamond, and these people where talking about having her come and address a congregation of Christian women, it just didn’t seem right …” However, with the Pastor himself calling and making his intentions clear, Leesah eventually saw it his way.
The conference was based around the fact that in the Bahamas, too many women in the church seem to be losing their husbands to women who are not of the fold. That alone made it a bit intimidating, said Macka, who didn’t want to be looked upon as the object of these women’s problems. But ….they needed someone from the secular world who would not be afraid or timid to talk about issues of sex without the frills and fandangles, and after much contemplating, Macka decided to accept the challenge.

What Macka however soon found out was that although they may sing a different tune, like her, they (all the women in congregation) all want the same things; contentment, happy family life and the list of usual desires on most women’s wish list. That in itself was not strange, but what was, was the fact that the church actually reached out for a dancehall artiste, one who they believed knew a thing or two about holding on to a man.

“Who me?” asks Macka with a smile when asked if she was going to write the ‘How to Hold a Man advice book,’ “no sah, dat too much fi me, mi wi leave it at fiction, but the advice thing dey pon ah level wha kinda tricky, suh mi ago leave it alone.” That being said, it sure didn’t stop Macka from stepping up to the plate like the professional she is and answering the question like she had a degree in the field of Relationship Counselling. In Macka’s own words, it wasn’t so much about the advice, but more so speaking from a personal standpoint, listening to the issues the ladies in the Bahamas are having with their husbands, and basically saying if it was her in the situation, this is how she would deal with it.

“It wasn’t like I was trying to be all professional with it, I was just doing me, telling them how I feel and how I would deal with things, that was all Macka did, well,” Macka pauses and flashes a wide smile before saying, “dat and show dem di wine wha fi use hold dem man, because dem say dem hear bout it and wanted to learn it.” Macka blushes and says, “mi nuh really know it mi self either anuh, but mi jus show dem how fi do Hulla Hoop.”

“We all can learn from each other, age or status making no difference,” says Macka, when questioned about the strange nature of the request to speak to a congregation of Christians. “In some way you could say it strange yes, but in a next way, remember sey we jus went and speak to the students at Jose Marti High School, we spent a day over the Christmas holidays with the blind children at Salvation Army, so we are not strangers to different types of audience, plus most people who are now saved, once wasn’t, so although they may not listen to my music any more, they know me, and I am proud to know that a church can call my office and request my presence to speak to the ladies of their congregation, dat big” says The Money Goddess, sounding like she has her sights set on something for prime time, after the well attended and well received church event saw even the ladies of the congregation sticking around to take pictures and chit-chat with Macka.

Ziggy Marley, increasing AIDS/HIV awareness

Ziggy Marley, the eldest son of the late reggae musician Bob Marley, is using his musical success and influence to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS, and he is also working to alleviate poverty and political strife in Africa.

Recently, H&M asked Marley to design a T-shirt for its Fashion Against AIDS campaign ( http://www.designersagainstaids.com/), which includes Rhianna, Good Charlotte and Rufus Wainwright. Marley's shirt is emblazoned with the phrase "Love Is My Religion" in the Rastafarian-inspired colors of red, green and gold. According to Ninette Murk, founder and director of Designers Against AIDS, Marley's was one of the top three best-selling shirts.

Marley has lent his support to a number of grassroots causes and his voice to the Jamaican jellyfish character in the 2004 animated film "A Shark's Tale." In 2005, Marley's dreadlocked image was featured in a series of ads for the Aldo Shoes Fight Against AIDS campaign.
"I like to involve myself in positive things, so this is something that is important to me," Marley said by phone from Los Angeles.

Born David Nesta Marley in Trenchtown, Jamaica, in 1968 to Bob and Rita Marley, Ziggy released his first album, "Play the Game Right," with the Melody Makers - which includes his siblings Cedella, Sharon and Stephen Marley - in 1985. As one of the most popular touring acts on the reggae circuit, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers recorded 10 albums and received three Grammy Awards. In 2002, Marley released his first solo album, "Dragonfly," which introduced his eclectic style, combining roots reggae, jazz, African, alternative and R&B, which he calls Ziggymusic. Marley earned a 2006 Grammy for best reggae album for his second solo release, "Love Is My Religion."

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Sister to Sister Mediathon

Females opening their arms and offering assistance to other females is the theme of ‘Sisters to Sisters’, an all female mediathon scheduled for Sunday April 13.

Launched at Women’s Centre Foundation of Jamaica Head Office on Thursday, March 7 the mediathon aims to assist in empowering females. Proceeds of the event will go towards building shelters for battered women across the island and also towards the Women’s Centre Foundation of Jamaica. The mediation recognizes International Women’s Day which is celebrated worldwide on March 8 under the theme ‘Financing for Gender Equality.’

The mediathon has an ambitious but attainable goal of ten million Jamaican dollars, in addition to the mandate of raising awareness of significant issues affecting women. To date a number of ‘sisters’ in the entertainment business have reached out in support of the event. Confirmed ‘sisters’ include: actress Leonie Forbes, veteran singer Marcia Griffiths, newcomer Etana, conscious deejay Queen Ifrica, dancehall diva Ce’cile, songstress Tessanne Chin, multi-talented Cherine Anderson, rising stars judge and singer Nadine Sutherland, dub poet Cherry Natural as well as the L’ Acadco dancers.

These independent and creative women will lend their talents to motivate women around the country to stand up for themselves and their rights while encouraging the broader audience to pledge funds towards the target. The mediathon will be staged at the studios of the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC) and will be broadcast live on various television and radio stations. The programme for the April 13 event, which starts at 1 PM, will include a showcase of music, dance, poetry and more.

At the launch Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sport Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange noted that women had come a far way yet many still face the day to day trials of domestic and sexual abuse. She recognized that the government’s contribution alone is not enough, stating: “in order to effectively implement programmes and initiatives that will help to empower our women and girls, adequate human and financial resources will have to be secured. This highlights the need to carry out work to promote gender equality. It also points to the need for partnerships with other organizations and collaboration among various stakeholders to meet gender equality goals.”

The Minister closed by noting that one organization already on the ‘Sisters to Sisters’ initiative is Food for the Poor. Food for the Poor will assist in the work of the Women’s Centre Foundation of Jamaica as well as in the furnishing of the shelters for battered women. The initiative is confident that many more organizations will follow to assist in achieving the targets.

TEAM JAMAICA BICKLE MAKES ‘NO APOLOGIES’

At Thursday's press launch for the ‘Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing’ fundraising campaign, Team Jamaica Bickle President Irwine Clare made no apologies about their intent to utilize the entertainment and business fraternities in a major fundraising campaign to raise funds for Jamaica’s athletes competing in the XXIX Olympic Games in Beijing in August.
“I make no apologies; our bottom line to provide financial support for our athletes,” Clare stated matter-of-factly. “Team Jamaica Bickle has issued a mandate to raise no less than $25,000 for our athletes this year, and with the support of our Reggae ambassadors, corporate, and individual supporters, we hope to donate triple that amount.”

Rich LaMotte, VP Records’ Director of Promotions, announced that VP Records’ Roots sensations Etana and Duane Stephenson, were the first two Reggae acts to sign on to the ‘Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing’ Reggae Concert, to be held at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, August 20th. Clare also announced that prominent Reggae crooner Richie Stephens, who also heads the Royalty Track Club in Jamaica, has also signed on to concert fundraiser. The two major headlining acts will be announced at a later date.

“Team Jamaica Bickle and VP Records are challenging more of our A-list Reggae entertainers to give back to Jamaica by raising funds to give our athletes a chance to represent ‘brand Jamaica’ at the 26th Annual Olympic Games in Beijing, China this August,” Clare stated as LaMotte nodded in agreement at the press conference, hosted by Ruder Finn in NYC.”

Proceeds from the staging will also go toward supporting Jamaican and Caribbean high school athletes participating in the 114th Penn Relays at the University of Pennsylvania in April, in addition to Jamaica’s track and field athletes going to Beijing. All funds raised will be donated in the memory of Olympic Gold Medal Track & Field legend Herb McKenley.

Team Jamaica Bickle marketing coordinator Wycliffe Robinson announced the Team Jamaica Bickle tag drive, urging local Caribbean businesses to put ‘Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing” canisters in their corporate and business offices, encouraging the general public to make donations to the cause.

Camille McDonald, of America’s Next Model fame, who signed on as a spokeswoman for the ‘Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing’ campaign, vowed to use her celebrity status to attract support from mainstream celebrity, media, and corporate entities. McDonald is of Jamaican parentage.

“BET, MTV, VH1, and other major needs to be apart of this cause, and I am really honored to be part of this initiative and to use my celebrity to make then and aware and supportive,” stated McDonald at the press conference.

Among the guests were Deputy Consul General of Jamaica Lisa Bryant-Smart; Mrs. Sharon Wolfe, wife of Ambassador Raymond Wolfe; Louis Grant, Vice President of Irie Jam Media, Garfield Comrie of Western Union/Grace Kennedy Remittance Services, Ann-Marie Grant, Executive Director of the American Foundation of the University of the West Indies; emcee for the evening Aubrey Campbell, Jamaica Information Service attaché; Sabrina Hosang, Director of Operations, Caribbean Food Delights; Roland Brammer, Vice President of the Union of Jamaica Alumni Association, and New York based Reggae artists Benny Bwoy, Lynx, and Far-I.

For the past 14 years, Team Jamaica Bickle has provided necessary financial support and services to Jamaican and Caribbean high school athletes participating in the annual Penn Relays track and field competition. Support offered by TJB includes subsidized travel and accommodations, meals, ground transportation, and athletic scholarships to outstanding high school track and field athletes. Past Team Jamaica Bickle alums include Olympic Gold Medalist Veronica Campbell, often dubbed one of the world's fastest women; Olympic Gold Medalist Sherone Simpson; World Championship Silver Medalist Usain "Lightening" Bolt; and Olympian Aileen Bailey, sister of Dancehall legend Capleton.

visit http://www.teamjamaicabickle.com/.

In the Photo - From left: Garfield Comrie of Western Union, Team Jamaica Bickle Spokeswoman Camille McDonald, VP Records Promotions Director Rich LaMotte, Sabrina Hosang of Caribbean Food Delights, Team Jamaica Bickle Founder and President Irwine Clare, and Patrick Reid of the Jamaica Organization of New Jersey at the 'Team Jamaica on the Road to Beijing' Campaign Press Launch

Source - Ms. Raine Inc

MAGNUM KINGS & QUEENS OF DANCEHALL: DEVELOPING TRUE TALENT‏

Magnum Kings & Queens of Dancehall continues to showcase some of the best fresh Dancehall talent ever to premiere on Jamaican TV. The new interactive talent competition, filmed live on Saturdays at the Weekendz Bistro and Bar in Kingston, has energized television viewers. The mission of Magnum Kings & Queens of Dancehall is to unearth and showcase authentic Jamaican dancehall talent. The producers and cast have undertaken the task of moulding the contestants into professionals, giving them the advice necessary to tackle the Dancehall stage. The voted King and Queen of Dancehall will be given the tools with which to construct a viable career as dancehall artistes.

During the course of the competition, the contestants have the opportunity to interact with industry insiders, a privilege they would otherwise not be afforded. Magnum Kings & Queens of Dancehall has intentionally sought to use the competition as an avenue to expose potential winners to a level of professionalism they will need to survive in the fast paced and hectic dancehall environment. The cast of Magnum Kings and Queens of dancehall is a group with decades of experience in the dancehall industry who know how to manage careers and 'buss' new talent.

Among the group of judges is Dancehall producer: Cordell 'Scatta' Burell. Since 2001, Scatta has amassed an impressive resume, highlighted by the simultaneous Billboard Hot 100 charting of four songs on his 'Coolie dance Riddim'. Scatta is also credited with the launching careers such as that of Ce'cile and Aidonia.

Also on the judging panel is veteran Dancehall DJ General Degree. Degree was dominant in the mid to late nineties as a dancehall DJ with chart topping hits such as Granny, Yuh Look Good Oonuh, When I Hold You Tonight, Traffic Blocking and Boom to name a few. General Degree has now turned his attention to the business of dancehall and has recently launched his clothing line 'Reh Geh'.

Both Scatta and Degree are Dancehall icons and over the past few weeks have imparted valuable knowledge to the contestants on how to be true dancehall stars.

Magnum Kings & Queens of Dancehall organisers also invites celebrity judges from the dancehall fraternity to be a part of the live show deliberations. This move has gone down well with both the fans and contestants over the past weeks. Recent celebrities who have appeared on the show include: Ce'cile, Voicemail, Mr G and Serani, all who have gone out of their way to guide the young Princes and Princesses on the right path by giving them varying advice from stage presentation, proper usage of microphones to voice projection.

Magnum Kings & Queens of Dancehall has successfully equipped the contestants with the necessary tools to secure their longevity in the dancehall and teaches them the importance of being professional, unique and innovative, real tools with which true success can be built.

The winners of the Magnum Kings & Queens of Dancehall, chosen by the viewers, will be entitled to a professionally produced video and a single; which will put them on a path to true dancehall stardom. The voted King and Queen of Dancehall will also receive half-a-million dollars (J$500,000) each toward the development of their careers.

Source - Alykhat PR

Lucky Dube - A Lost Legend

World-acclaimed reggae singer Lucky Dube has been shot and killed in a hijacking. Reports rolling in from South Africa indicate that the reggae icon was gunned down in a carjacking in Johannesburg.

Police say the incident took place at at 8:20pm on October 18, when Dube was driving in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosettenville. Apparently Dube was dropping off his son at his uncle's house when two robbers attacked him. "His son was already out of the car. When he saw what was happening, he ran to ask for help," said police.

According to a witness, the hijackers opened the musician's door and shot him twice.
"He was a soft, well-spoken man, and a great friend," said Ivor Haarburger, the CEO of the Gallo Records - Dube's recording company. Haarburger said Dube was the best reggae performer in the world and that he had a bigger following internationally than in South Africa.

Lucky Dube was born on August 3, 1964 in Ermelo, Mpumalanga. He started out as a mbhaqanga singer in 1979 before switching to reggae in 1984, to express his anger against apartheid.

One of South Africa's most popular artists, Dube toured the world singing about social problems and recently played many dates in the U.S., while promoting the release of his 21st album, Respect, which came out in April. Dube was 43 years old.

Source - Headline Entertainment

Date - October 31, 2007

VP RECORDS OPENS IT VAULTS AT 17 NORTH PARADE

For the first time ever VP Records is opening its immense vaults of Reggae, Dancehall and Soca/Calypso to all collectors and music enthusiasts through their new imprint '17 North Parade'.

The history of 17 North Parade begun over 40 years ago, when reggae pioneers Vincent Chin and his wife Patricia moved their record store to 17 North Parade a former ice cream parlour in downtown Kingston. It quickly became the centre of the burgeoning reggae music scene distributing foreign and local music throughout the island.

Above the new store they constructed a recording studio aptly called 'Randy's Studio 17' which became the recording facility of choice for the majority of Reggae's most prominent artists, writers and producers. 'Randy's Studio 17' played host to Bob Marley & The Wailers who recorded parts of Catch A Fire there, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Bunny Lee, Niney The Observer, as well as foreign artists looking for the authentic reggae sound such as Quincy Jones and Joe Cocker.

It is a well-known fact that 'Randy's Studio 17' had one of if not the largest catalogues of Reggae, Dancehall and Soca/Calypso music in the world. These catalogues have been amassed over many decades between the 60s and 90s and are now being made available to the public. Rare tracks, that in the past could only be listened to on vinyl, have now been digitally re-mastered and are available on CD, giving an even better sound than the original releases.

The first set of re-mastered tracks from the VP Records' 17 North Parade vaults were released in early 2007 and include Culture & Don Carlos Roots & Culture (1982), Yellowman & Fathead Just Cool (1982), Toyan Spar With Me (1982) Little John Ghetto Youth (1983) and Zap Pow (1973). These releases are a collectors dream and are a perfect gift for all those who love vintage music.

This is the first time in the history of Reggae and Dancehall that fans can get such a quality supply of local music from 'back in the day' at one place. These tracks are not available anywhere else and boast the quality unsurpassed by today's music.

VP Record's 17 North Parade will release two albums every month in 2008. Collectors can look out for Byron Lee and the Dragonairs and works from great reggae producers such as Augustus 'Gussie' Clarke Donovan Germain, Lloyd 'King Jammys' James, Sly & Robbie and Joe Gibbs who worked with pioneering engineer Errol Thompson.

URL - http://www.17northparade.com/

Source - Alykhat PR
Date - November 1, 2007

Education is No Joke - School Tour

As the tour continues we will be continuing the positive message as we feel this will uplift the student and make the school environment more wholesome.

The No Joke Entertainment and VP Records "Education is No Joke" School tour continued to blaze a trail last week with some of Jamaica's top entertainers visiting their Alma Maters. The main aim of the "Education Is No Joke" school tour is to sensitize students as to the importance of a good education and motivate them to adopt positive lifestyles. With the help of sponsors such as Arctic Ice, the tour has been reuniting some of Jamaica's most popular artistes with their Alma Maters and the impact has been phenomenal.

International dancehall star and Jamaican recording artist Sean Paul, visited his former high school, Wolmer's Boys on Tuesday February 19 and based on reports from students and teachers, the visit was a hit. Sean Paul disembarked the Infinity Tours bus and received a good welcome from the Wolmer's family; he focused his talk to the boys on the importance of a good education. At Wolmer's Sean Paul presented himself as a father figure instilled in the boys the importance of respecting each other. Students had numerous questions for the artiste and Sean answered them with maturity and showed his immense knowledge of the current issues affecting the students.

At Wolmer's Sean maintained the theme of the Wysinco and Logostich sponsored "Education is No Joke" School Tour and emphasized that without a good education there can be no real success. Sean Paul throughout his talk to the boys at Wolmer's credited his success to the good foundation he received at Wolmer's; he emphasized the importance of good values and politeness as keys to success. To top off his visit to his old school, Sean Paul gave prizes to the most improved students, signed autographs and posed for pictures with some of his young fans.

"We are very happy that Sean Paul took time out to talk to us today. This shows us that he cares about his young fans and that he understands the importance of education" - A student for Wolmer's.

The No Joke entertainment "Education is no Joke" School tour has over the past two weeks been bringing some of Jamaica's best known role models who have maintained a positive image in the music to influence students in a positive way. In this light the Cooyah and Hype TV supported tour co-opted the help of Voicemail to deliver their positive message to three schools. On Wednesday February 20 Craig visited his old school Jamaica College, O'Neil dropped by Kingston College and Kevin gave his talk at Calabar High.Voicemail commended the boys of all three schools on their successes in academics and sports but maintained that this good trend must continue.

Voicemail also focused on the need for unity between all three schools and stated that recent incidents between students from the three schools were not positive and put the institutions in a bad light. They stated that even though all members of Voicemail were from different schools they came together to do something positive."We came together and created something positive even though we are all from three traditional rivals. In the end it does not matter which school you are from, you still have work with people from different walks of life to be successful" - O'Neil Edwards, Voicemail Member.

The “Education is No Joke” School ends this week with visits two schools from the corporate area. The tour over the past three weeks has been working hard to fulfil its mandate of bringing a positive message to the young fans of the music. The "Education is No Joke" tour has also been able to lift the spirits of the students by facilitating the surprise visits of some of theirfavourite artistes and role models.

Source - Alykat PR
Date - February 29, 2008

Spice Touring Europe

The bad gal of dancehall Spice having conquered the local scene will now be turning her attention on the European front where she will be on a one month tour with Cham and Pinchers.

With her biting lyrics and lethal performance Spice has really endeared herself to the dancehall massive.Her quick wittedness and charming personality ensures she is a favourite with the massive.But of course all this is not news to her many fans on the European side and certainly not to the man who discovered how sharp she could be on stage when he toured in 2002 with her in England. Baby Cham could not believe the DJ who was without a hit song at the time could mash up the show like a pro!Now with some strong ammunition on her catalogue of songs including Up Inna Di Light on the Gear Box rhythm which is rapidly climbing its way up on the Hype TV Top 20 Charts. The song is now sitting in the #8 position and seems to climb even higher. Her singles Whoa on the Old Axel rhythm and Dun Out on Dem Gal Sitten rhythm are currently receiving heavy rotation overseas on radio and in the dances. Spice other singles that are still 'mashing' up the place are No Gal and I'm Back.

In March its Helsinki, Finland; Cophenhagen, Denmark; several cities in Germany; Geneva, Switzerland; Milan, Italy and Barcelona in Spain. For a full schedule of the tour log unto www.myspace.com/spicemadhouse

Source: Khool Booking
Date - February 29, 2008

Mavado For Soul Rebellion

Dancehall's bad boy David "Mavado" Brooks will be setting his sights on doing good when he headlines the 2008 Soul Rebellion event on March 11th in Negril, Jamaica. Meeting much success with the release of his debut album Gangsta For Life: The Symphony of David Brooks back in 2007 (VP Records), Mavado has since shared the fruits of his labor with his homeland by launching his "Connect Jamaica" charity, where he donates computers to local schools.This made him the perfect candidate for the face of Soul Rebellion - the festival with a cause, where proceeds from each fundraising event are invested back into the local economy in Jamaica.

By targeting the spring break crowd, Soul Rebellion hosts a number of unique events and concerts that are geared towards raising funds to help rebuild local schools and strengthen local communities, long after the tourists depart.

Soul Rebellion 2008 kicks off on Tuesday, March 11 at the Jungle Nightclub in Negril, with daytime activities happening at Travellers Beach Resort.

Source - Rhona Fox Inc
Date - March 7, 2008

Machel Montano set to rock New York

Soca superstar Machel Montano is getting ready to shine in the spotlight once again when he headlines at New York's famed Madison Square Garden (MSG) on Friday, March 28. Montano set industry records by performing two shows on one night at MSG last year May, and both to sold out crowds.

Hailed as the "Prince of Soca," he's back for the highly anticipated encore, promising a show that is "bigger and better," as he returns with a slew of new singles from his upcoming album, due out this summer.Montano maintains his crossover and worldwide appeal by successfully fusing genres, somehow managing to seamlessly blend soca with reggae, dancehall and reggaeton. He recently scored chart-topping hits with the likes of Shaggy, Mr. Vegas, Vybz Kartel and Buju Banton.

A national hero to the people of Trinidad, Montano returned home for Carnival season and is now preparing to spread his new sounds to the rest of the world, New York being one of the first stops.Last year renaming himself Machel Montano HD, he pledges to redefine his identity both as an entertainer and an individual. "Every year I get simpler, and I am getting closer to some complete picture of the sound I've been trying to create," reveals Montano.Fans can hear his redefined sound when he takes center stage at MSG, with his usual fanfare.

The audience can expect more of a Vegas-style show with an abundance of theatrics, masquerade costumes and surprise guests. Last year's performances saw special appearances from Shaggy, Mr. Vegas, and Collie Buddz, just to a name a few. Now Montano promises some major surprises in store for his fans, come Friday, March 28.

Source - Rhona Fox Inc
Date - March 7, 2008

GRILLARAS PRODUCTIONS: TRANSFORMING REGGAE MUSIC WITH REBELMIX

Rebelmix, the Caribbean's leading digital music distributor, and Khabir 'Kabs' Bonner, owner and operator of Grillaras Productions have teamed up to bring a different flavour of reggae music to the fore.

Bonner grew up in Jamaica and has decades of experience in the music industry, working with the likes of Capleton, Chrisinti, Turbulence, Richie Spice, the late Daddigon, Norris Man and many others. 'Kabs' graduated from engineering school in Rockville, Maryland in 1999 and came back to Jamaica to form Grillaras Productions in an effort to change the music landscape and bring a new flavour to the reggae genre. Not only is Grillaras Productions involved in music production but it is also a growing video production company working to
bring quality visual products to the market.

"A successful record producer must be somewhat of a renaissance man- one must be able to write, arrange and be able to get the ultimate performance from each artist both in the recording studio and at centre stage" - Khabir 'Kabs' Bonner, CEO Grillaras Productions.

Grillaras Productions now has three major projects being distributed by Rebelmix via leading digital retailers including the Apple iTunes Store and Yahoo! Music. These include Kab's 2004 debut project, Da Good Times Rhythm, which featured 17 tracks from some of Jamaica's leading artists, including Chezideck, Turbulence, Anthony B, and Capleton whose single "Open Your Eyes" was featured on his 2004 Reign of Fire album. This was followed by Da Real Time Riddim, which epitomized the ability of Grillaras to highlight progressive voices within the Jamaican fraternity of conscious reggae music, and subsequently by Norris Man's soul-stirring album Captura.

"Grillaras Productions was on of the early signings to Rebelmix. We are proud that we have been able to expose Kabs' special talent to a global audience" - Christopher A. Edmonds, President, Rebelmix Inc.
Bonner's latest project is The Bitter Stretch, a solo album from Jamaica's underground sensation U.T. Ras, which features a unique fusion of roots reggae and hip-hop. The Bitter Stretch has been dubbed an epic tale of the multiple and enigmatic challenges faced by present-day urban youth around the globe, and U.T. Ras, in his own unique, offers solutions and positive peer counselling in his message. The album is already available online through the Rebelmix network, and the CD will be available in stores March 2008.

Grillaras is currently working on Jamaican artist and television personality M-DON AKA Macedon's self-titled album, which will be released digitally through Rebelmix in the second quarter of 2008, and should continue to add to Kabs' acclaim and to his reputation as one of the progressive influences now steering reggae music.

Source - Alykhat PR

The Rise Of Equiknoxx

The music industry is the type of business which can strain, or even destroy, the best of relationships. The main reason seems to be people understanding their role within the grand scheme of things as the nature of man is to always to look out their own personal interests. That is why the collective nature of the members of the Equiknoxx label is so surprising.

Who ever heard of five young men coming together to build a business from scratch with each one knowing their function and sticking to it in order to achieve overall success? This is extremely rare as many companies both within and outside of the music industry have been built with a revolving door of principal characters aiding their development.

However the Equiknoxx label is different as the five members have differing parts to play and each understands the importance of the other. Nicholas Deane, Derrick Coffie, Omari Fearon, Ricardo Martin and Gavin Blair have regarded each other as friends from their days at Wolmers Boys School and for some of them their introduction to music began from that point. Gavin, for instance, was known as “Cassette Blair” while in school for his mix-tape business. This came out of his having to dub off music from the radio for his half-sister in New York who had in fact paid for Gavin to deliver to her Stone Love cassettes but he ended up “nyaming it off” the money. Derrick always had affiliation with the various sound systems and their owners who were originally from Wolmers from Felony to Chromatic. The others came to music a little later in their life. Nicholas, for instance only started production after gaining experience touring Canada as DJ in his second year of college.

Since ’99 they have been building tracks for artistes with their most famous compositions being Step Out by Busy Signal and Walk Out on Beenie Man’s Undisputed album. However in 2008 and beyond, their focus will be building up their name in the industry by getting more credit for their work beginning with Drop The Needle a single on Rihanna’s Bajan labelmate Shontelle’s album Shontelligence. So serious is their focus that Equiknoxx has recently completed the building of their own state of the art studio which has made production for the group much easier plus giving them the potential to help aspiring artistes achieve success. Equiknoxx is a prime example to everyone that sometimes maintaining friendships can successful business relationships.

Source - Headline Entertainment
Date - February 29, 2008

Audiomaxxx Shutdown

Following a year-long investigation by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), the RCMP has shut down Audiomaxxx. com Ltd., a major alleged music counterfeiting operation in Winnipeg, and filed criminal charges against four individuals.

Raj Singh Ramgotra, the principal behind Audiomaxxx, was among those arrested during a raid yesterday at the organization, which for three years has allegedly manufactured pirated compact discs and hard core pornographic videos, and distributed them throughout Canada, the U.S., Europe and Jamaica. More recently, Audiomaxxx’s offerings have also included allegedly pirated digital downloads.

In addition to the arrests, police seized an enormous volume of suspected counterfeit goods. This includes more than 200,000 music CDs and DVDs, numerous movie DVDs and hundreds of thousands of blank discs. Police also seized five CD/DVD burning towers, each with 12 burners, which together are capable of burning well in excess of 10,000 CDs and DVDs a day. The raid also netted several computers and hard drives, two commercial CD printers, four colour copiers and other office equipment.

In the past 10 years, the raid closest in scale to the action against Audiomaxxx involved the seizure of about 10,000 counterfeit music CDs and DVDs – one-twentieth the volume netted yesterday.

More than 10 police officers were involved in yesterday’s raid. “We sincerely thank the RCMP officers who have worked so hard to bring Audiomaxxx to heel, and to the federal prosecutors who have worked closely with them,” said Graham Henderson, President of the Canadian Recording Industry Association. “Today’s arrests send out a clear message that commercial piracy will no longer be tolerated in Canada.”

Audiomaxxx is suspected of being one of Canada’s leading music counterfeiters. In Toronto alone, approximately 30 percent of the pirated CDs seized allegedly originate from the operation. CRIA estimates that, at minimum, Audiomaxxx has been shipping tens of thousands of allegedly pirated CDs each month.

CRIA has received dozens of complaints concerning the operation from artists, music associations and music labels around the world, including numerous small, independent labels. In the past, when faced with demands by rights holders to cease its activities, Audiomaxxx has consistently ignored the demands or failed to fully comply.

The operation appears to be highly developed, with a significant catalogue of allegedly pirated CDs and music downloads offered for sale via the website www. audiomaxxx. com, including copies of tracks by famous artists like Shania Twain, Lionel Richie, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and Nelly Furtado.

“The RCMP has again demonstrated that it stands side by side with artists and rights holders in the fight against intellectual property crime,” said Randy Lennox, President and CEO of Universal Music Canada Ltd. and Chairman of CRIA. “CRIA has a longstanding partnership with the RCMP and other police forces in fighting piracy, and today we have taken a big step together to stop one of the most flagrant examples of its kind in Canada.”

Audiomaxxx's alleged piracy affects not just famous artists, but also new and independent artists - largely in the reggae, soca and hip-hop community - who are struggling to build careers. For example, Vancouver’s Utopia Records, one of the many independent labels to voice concerns, has seen new artist albums appear on the Audiomaxxx website on the day an album is released in stores or even before the legitimate launch date.

“The harm done by music piracy is especially troubling when it undermines a promising artist's burgeoning career,” Henderson said. “We will continue to work with police and lawmakers to give these artists, and the organizations behind them, the opportunity to succeed.”
CRIA began investigating Audiomaxxx as part of an ongoing program to deter music counterfeiting and piracy. The operation came to CRIA’s attention because of the large volume of suspected counterfeit products openly offered for sale on the Internet and the owner’s failure to stop selling these products after the issuance of cease-and-desist orders.

Since CRIA began dedicated anti-counterfeiting operations more than a year ago, the association and police have seized more than 400,000 CDs and issued 80 cease-and-desist orders against retailers of illicitly copied music.

The Impact of Piracy and Counterfeiting on Canadian Artists and Rights Holders
Piracy and counterfeiting exact a steep toll on artists and rights holders in Canada. This is reflected in significant music sales declines since the advent of widespread unauthorized file-swapping in 1999 and the proliferation of CD and music DVD counterfeiting in recent years. In that time, retail sales of pre-recorded audio products (CDs, digital tracks, etc.) declined by 47 percent, from $1.3 billion in 1999 to $703.7 million in 2006.

For the 11 months ended November 2007, net wholesale shipments of CDs, music DVDs, and other “physical” recorded music formats dropped 16 percent to 37.9 million units from 45.1 million units in the year-earlier period, while the related net wholesale value dropped 20 percent to $382.4 million from $476.3 million.

A 2007 national POLLARA survey found that purchases of counterfeit goods such as music CDs displace legitimate commerce. About half of those who bought counterfeit music, movies or software would have purchased the genuine version had they not purchased a copy (for music, the figure was 43 percent; movies, 45 percent; and software, 44 percent).

In a later release, the below correction was made.

In the CRIA media release of March 6, it was erroneously reported that RCMP had filed criminal charges against four people in connection with the RCMP investigation into Audiomaxxx.com Ltd. CRIA has received information that no one has been charged with an offence in respect of this matter.

In the same media release, it was also reported that Raj Singh Ramgotra was among those arrested. CRIA cannot confirm the identities of any of those arrested and therefore retracts its statement to the effect that Mr. Ramgotra was arrested. CRIA regrets the error.

Source - Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA)
Date - March 6, 2008

Oh where or where has my BACKAYARD gone, oh where oh where could it be?"

"Weh the new issue deh yo?"

"It's been a while since I've seen BACKAYARD magazine!"

These are just a few friendly comments from well-wishers and genuinely concerned subscribers emailing and calling to find out where BACKAYARD has gone? Realistically, BACKAYARD is always around-- at the clubs, launch events, reggae shows, even the 'round the way Bar Mitzvah if there's free food and reggae there-- no worries though, the new issue is here and, yea, we have Elephant Man on the cover.

The funny thing about being away from the lime light for a while is that you get a chance to look at the world objectively, give new beginnings a chance, and focus on your craft, whatever that may be. The flipside of literary dormancy is the high expectancy of top-grade quality accompanied by the familiar taste our subscribers adore.

So one might ask, "Why is Elephant Man on the cover of BACKAYARD?" Well, why not?! It seems like when an artiste or anyone goes 'cold turkey' and takes a vacation from their art, the masses assume that they have sunken into a deep whole with Elmo the Ostrich to keep them company.

But just like Elephant Man, BACKAYARD has been through a few hurricanes and emerged with positive developments. We might not be signed to 'Bad Boy Records' like some people, but we finally have our new issue out and so does Elephant Man.

Source: BACKAYARD Magazine
Date : February 29, 2008

In order to do anything great you have to have a wide base.

Now, that is one truth that cannot be disputed however the real trick it seems is acquiring that base in order build something worthwhile. Pyramid Entertainment Management Inc is one company which has used this method with great success. Started in 2003 by Santia Bradshaw and Jerome Hamilton, Pyramid specializes in artiste management and bookings for artistes from various genres which include soca, reggae and alternative music.

Pyramid is not only concerned with the development of the Bajan culture but the culture of the wider Caribbean, as they were the ones responsible for hosting the Barbados Music seminars in 2006 and 2007, in Barbados, specifically aimed at artiste development, innovations and other issues which affect the regional music industry.

More recently, Pyramid has through several ventures in 2007 made significant moves to promote the many artistes on their roster. Early in the year, the Pyramid company launched the Pyramid Music Group, a music content label which has the added responsibility of producing music videos and entertainment programmes. The group’s first video production was the incredibly successful Woman By My Side by Pyramid artiste Peter Ram. Since then their production credits have included: Beautiful Surprise by Philip 7, From this Day on by Kitorah, Soca Junkie by Mr. Dale, Pumpin by Peter Ram, Nah Going Home by Biggie Irie, Caan Wait and Girls Gone Wild by Lil Rick. The last five soca videos were actually done by Jamaican video director Jay Will who chaired the promotional tools / media workshop at the music seminar in February, 2007.

Pyramid also, with the help of Sesame Flyers International, created the Pyramid music truck specifically for the 2007 New York Labour Day parade. Based on the overwhelming success of that venture for the 2008 edition of the T & T carnival, Pyramid Entertainment with the help of the mas band Tribe unveiled the Pyramid "All Star" music truck. This again proved to be a brilliant move by the group as their truck was one of the stars of the T & T carnival with many observers, regional and international flocking to the "All Star" truck for a chance to be near the truck’s featured artistes: Biggie Irie, Mr. Dale, Peter Ram and Trinidadian guests Bunji Garlin and his wife Faye-Ann Lyons.

The Pyramid group has also erected a 20’ X 8’ double sided billboard on the east/west corridor of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway which reads “From Carnival to Crop Over" and features images of four of the Barbadian superstars on the Pyramid roster, Biggie Irie, Lil Rick, Mr. Dale and Peter Ram. This is a move that could not only help these artistes but the general festival culture of Barbados as even the visitors to the island will be made aware of these artistes and their music.

Overall, Pyramid Entertainment Management Inc has shown itself to be a company which is probably the only one of its kind in Barbados and the Caribbean. Never before has a regional company tried to innovate the concept of artiste promotion and development in this way both within the region and beyond. Pyramid seems to be clearly determined to use the base they have created for their artistes to springboard the culture of the Caribbean to the international success it has been denied for years. I for one hope they succeed.

Source - Headline Entertainment

Date - February 29, 2008

Daybreak for Kari Jess

Showtime Marketing ( showtimemarketingco@gmail.com ), the Managers for Dancehall/reggae artiste Kari Jess are pleased to introduce you to his latest track entiled 'Gyal dem mi waan'.

The Track was recorded by Stephen 'The Genius' Mcgregor for the Big Ship Label. It has found itself on the Daybreak riddim which boasts some of the industry's heavy hitters. The Song itself is quite infectious with a chorus that has you singing it after the second line. This song shows yet again that kari jess is definately an artiste to keep your ears open for.

Showtime Marketing is encouraging you to listen to the track and visit his myspace page ( www.myspace.com/karijess ) and prepare yourself to be thrilled and entertained by his lyrics and superb delivery.

Source - Showtime Marketing/A.I.M Inc.

Date - March 7, 2008

Marley Brothers Shine at Smile Jamaica

The Marley Brothers delivered a spirited and lively set at the historic combined Smile Jamaica-Africa Unite concert. The long night into the morning was marked by countless notable performances in honour of Bob Marley and his vision.

A feel of eager anticipation gripped the crowd that gathered at the beach minutes to the 8pm scheduled show time as images of Bob Marley and Rastafari on flags floated in the wind bringing a mystic touch to the venue. Crowds trailed in throughout the night awaiting the best in International and local acts. 2 Face Idibia from Eastern Nigeria soulfully hailed his African Queens as he expressed his deep love for Jamaica and Bob Marley.

Veteran Bunny Wailer gave one of his most energetic and appreciated performances in a while blazing with his older hits. It was when American soul crooner John Legend took the stage that the venue came together as one to hear Legend wow the crowd. Women flocked to Legend’s glowing white appearance like moth to a flame as he melodically sand Save Room, Ordinary People, Stay With You and more even inviting one lucky lady on stage as he serenaded her. Legend’s skills on the piano were not lost as well with a huge grand piano placed in the centre of the stage as teased the keys.

After a slight break Barbadian singer turned pop icon Rihanna looked daring in a short green and gold number. Rihanna looked ecstatic to be on the Jamaican stage as she caressed the mic, flipped her short hair and gave a little whine now and again. Rihanna entered on stage to her rendition of Bob Marley’s Is This Love before going into tracks from her Good Girl Gone Bad album. Singing Breaking Dishes and Shut Up and Drive Rihanna went into her International hit song with Jay Z Umbrella that did not fail in having audiences singing along.

While the concert was going good an extremely long band change had some patrons filing out of the venue having seen the two International acts. Close to an hour later Ziggy Marley embraced the Jamaican stage after a five-year absence. Ziggy was in his element playing his guitar and singing songs from his Melody Makers days to his latest solo effort Love Is My Religion.

Some patrons were well into Ziggy’s performance while others rocked and some obviously wanted the show to continue. Ziggy gave more than half an hour’s worth of songs before making way for his brothers at minutes to 5am. Ky-mani, Stephen, Julian and Damian then hit the stage as patrons again moved towards the stage. Singing songs from their father such as War, Roots Rock Reggae and others the brothers were excellent.

It was when Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley took over the mic that the venue exploded with energy. Damian and Stephen got together for Traffic Jam, Beautiful and The Mission that had hands flying in the air. He also touched on Pimper’s Paradise and Welcome to Jamrock before welcoming Mykal Rose on stage for their song Shoot Out. The energy on stage at this point was explosive as they wined down and droves of patrons left the venue after the Marley’s performance.

For those that stayed after 6am there were more surprises from spectacular artistes. The showings from the remaining artistes were short with many performing about three tracks each. Elephant Man performed to recorded tracks, with Chris Brown as his surprise guest. A smiling Brown took off his shirt to showcase his toned body to the pleasure of the women. Short but electrifying stints then followed from Spragga Benz, Etana, Lutan Fyah, Richie Spice and Tarrus Riley who mixed Bob Marley’s music into his song Backbiter.

Sizzla gave a more extended showing at the end, combining with Capleton to close off the concert. As Bob’s legend continues, Smile Jamaica will return on February 28, 2009.

Source - Headline Entertainment
Date - February 29, 2008