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

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

Island Girlz

Fresh talent with hit potential and cross over appeal! Well get ready, Jamaica’s newest buzz is here. The vocal group is called Island Girlz!

Island Girls in the last 4 weeks have been heard across Jamaica on Jenny Jenny’s RJR radio program, Nationwide radio, Kool FM and KLAS. In addition they debuted on Smile Jamaica and did their first concert to a smiling crowd at the ever popular Ewarton Jerk Festival. Their sound is a fresh mix of reggae yard sounds and r and b. The melodies are unforgettable and their appeal will be from Kingston to New York to London.Island Girlz are Tiffany and Savanna.

Tiffany is exceptionally talented at 12 years old. Her voice has a hip new R and B feel with is mixed in to her Jamaican roots. Tiffany has the presence and energy of a performer who is bound to reach into audiences and make them smile.

Savanna at nine years shares a progressive level of talent and charisma that will come across in a big way. Savanna shares the vocals with Tiffany. Both singers sing lead and harmonies.
Savanna is active in her new found music career with piano and singing lessons underway. She also recently won the child actress role in the film Better Mus Come being currently filmed in Jamaica. The film is being produced by Firefly Films and is targeted for release in early 2008. Savanna is also the child actress in Sanjay’s new video Man of my words.

Tiffany and Savanna created the group less than 6 months ago. They started straight in the recording studio. The duo has recorded half dozen songs and is releasing two tracks immediately. The initial tracks are Promise us love-lover over and Save your Dollars.

Source - Headline Entertainment

JAVAUGHN: Youngest Protégé signed to the Marley’s Camp

Javaughn is considered a child prodigy in Reggae music. Although in his early teens, Javaughn already masters three instruments (keyboards, drums and bass guitar), has years of stage experience (both locally and internationally), and is armed with the resounding vocals and sound confidence that have landed him a record deal with the Marley’s Tuff Gong/ Ghetto Youths Label.

With his father being a musician, music teacher, songwriter and singer, it seems Javaughn’s destiny was etched in stone before he was even born. His father recounts memories of playing his own instruments and singing to Javaughn’s pregnant mother, and recalls some healthy kicks from baby Javaughn in response to the music.

Born in Portland, Jamaica in 1992, at age two, Javaughn started playing around with the keyboard, and three years later started playing the drums and bass guitar. He describes the situation as; “It was never hard for me because talent runs in the family, it was just natural.”
By the time he was four, Javaughn’s exposure started from his singing with the Sensation Band from Port Antonio, where he rose rapidly as a child star. He moved around in musical circles and did regular Sunday night stints at the Dragon Bay Hotel in Port Antonio, as well as other hotels along the coast. These gigs only stepped up his reputation as a solid cultural singer, and soon, word spread about his talent and he was being booked for some of Jamaica’s major concerts. The list includes Sting in 1999, East Fest in 2003, Stars R Us, Welcome To Jamrock, and consecutive years at the Bob Marley Tribute Concert in St Ann. He has even traveled overseas to perform at UNIFEST in Miami in 2004, and at other shows in New York.

Expectedly, with the early talent comes exposure. Thanks to his association with Junie Star of Prime Time Entertainment, he and his father were introduced to the Marley family. The meeting instantly bore fruit, as the Marley’s spotted the talent and gave a listening ear. Before long, he started working with the Ghetto Youths production entity, developing more range in his vocals, and learning the rudiments of recording. The studio and stage work has been steady since joining the unit. He has completed a 10 track album entitled, SuperStar that is scheduled for a November 20 release under the Tuff Gong/ Ghetto Youths Banner.

Javaughn’s life expectedly gets hectic, but his father insists he does school work to complement his music. He attends Fair Prospect High (Grade 10) and has been playing these instruments in the school band since he entered the school, and seems set to do so up until he graduates. He enjoys playing football, building rhythms on his computer and watching television in his spare time. “I haven’t had any major challenges yet in the business, Javaughn explains. The best thing about my life so far is working on the album. Outside of everything though, I’m just a normal person.”

In five years, he sees himself walking to a podium, and collecting his own Grammy award, then entering production afterwards. He has used his own words as a guide in life: “You can make it as long as you have talent. You will have producers looking out for them, so just try.”

Source - Headline Entertainment