Articles Tagged: Jamaica
011, I was charged for murder by way of a statement which indicated that I had ordered Lenburgh McDonald to murder Barrington ‘Bossie’ Burton. Weeks later, said witness gave a statement to the Public Defender saying that he was physically assaulted and threatened by the police to say that I was involved in ‘Bossie’ Burton’s death. Days later, he gave another statement to the Public Defender saying that since he recanted the first statement, he has been getting death threats via calls to his phone.”
“Days after my first murder charge, I was charged with another murder (Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams). In this case, the police (by way of a Senior Superintendent who was later charged with “attempting to pervert the course of justice” in a separate incident) campaigned every Monday morning on a certain TV station claiming they had DNA evidence, which came back 7 months later as negative. They also led the public to believe that they had video tape of me and my co-accused murdering Williams. I would like to add that the police made a lot of damaging remarks against me. A most notable one would be “since his arrest, the community is a safer place.”
“On Saturday, February 16th, 2013, my lawyer Ms. Valrie Neita Robertson showed me a document produced in a bail hearing by the prosecutor signed by a high-ranking member of the J.C.F which states that three cell phones were found in my cell during a search on January 22nd, 2013. My bail was denied based mainly on this blatant lie by the Jamaican police,” he said.
011 and January 22nd, 2013. I have been in custody since the 30th September 2011.”
“P.S. I have written to INDECOM twice, one letter was delivered by my common law wife in early February and one by attorney-at-law Miguel Lorne on or about February 20th, both in 2013, and whilst the true record of the search as it relates to “what was found where” is at the Horizon Remand Centre, I doubt I will get the same equitable outcome at the Gun Court Remand Centre because only their fellow officers (police) work there.”
“Everything as it relates to my case is a fabrication, everything is fabricated. Don’t know whose corn I may have stepped on in the past but it is now coming back to haunt me.”
Snoop launches new web series entitled Noisy Jamaica: Dancehall.
Jamaican producer Codine Williams says that although the show was her idea, it was fueled by Snoops 2012 trip to Jamaica to record his latest album and film his Reincarnated documentary.
“It is about the culture behind dancehall. The music and everything surrounding it,”
With 10 episodes so far featuring artistes like Tommy Lee, Popcaan, Gaza Slim, Konshens, I-Octane, Spice and Tifa.
The webisodes touch on many topics including Vybz Kartel‘s murder trial, his influence on dancehall, women in music and fashion.
While the first episode is about Vybz Kartel, subsequent shows will include a shopping spree with Tifa, a drive with Konshens, and performances by Spice and Popcaan at Sumfest.
“At the moment, we are showcasing it world-wide. We have offices in 34 countries over the world and YouTube is worldwide,” she noted and said that plans are in the works to film additional episodes for the series.
While the first webisode has already garnered over 13,000 views on the Noisy channel on Youtube, many are skeptical about the new series which depicts yet again the gritty dangerous side of the genre.
Preparations are underway for the 2013 staging of REBEL SALUTE.
The annual event will this year feature two days of conscious vibes at Richmond Estate in Priory, St. Ann.
Rebel Salute is celebrating its 20th year on Friday January 18th with live performances from Aswad, Etana, Tarrus Riley, Marcia Griffiths, Tony Rebel, Luciano, Errol Dunkley, General Trees, Protoje, Chronixx and more.
On Saturday, January 19th with The Abyssinians featuring Bernard Collins, Sizzla, Richie Spice, Busy Signal, Chezedek, Ernie Smith, Mighty Diamond, I-Octane, I-Wayne, Queen Ifrika, Iba Mahr and Cali P among others.
Meanwhile, children from 0-12 are free.
Busy Signal arrives back home in Jamaica earlier than expected.
According to reports the singjay arrived quietly over the weekend.
The artist is said to be happy to be back on the island and thankful for all the love and support he has received during these trying times.
A tweet on the artiste’s Twitter page confirmed that he is back and well, “@Busy Signal: Guess who is back! God is GOOD“
Busy was extradited to the US back in May to face charges of failing to appear in court.
He served 6 months in a Minnesota prison after being convicted of absconding bail.
Reggae and cultural sensation Richie Spice exhibits his versatility with the release of his latest studio effort, Soothing Sounds: Acoustic, available worldwide on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 from Tad’s Record.
This 15-track selection presents the soothing sounds it promises with the first ever unplugged acoustic full album from Spice.
Soothing Sounds: Acoustic presents an eclectic mix of musical elements, fusing classic reggae vibes with modern day acoustic rock, Spanish guitar, jazz and African drum beats.
The first official single, an uplifting call for unity entitled “Free,” is currently available on iTunes while enjoying airplay in Jamaica and across reggae airwaves, worldwide.
The second single “Crying,” depicts Spice’s signature chanting-style while conjuring socially-conscious questions, is set for release on iTunes and radio September 25.
Some tracks that standout include ”True Love,” “My Heart” and “My Girl” where Spice puts a new spin on classics from his vast catalog of hits.
Richie Spice enlisted some of reggae’s biggest hit makers on this project, including Mitchum “Khan” Chin who co-produced the album, and Stephen “Lenky” Marsden.
Brothers Spanner Banner and Snatcha Lion collaborate with Spice on the track “More Love.”
“My album Soothing Sounds: Acoustic is completely produced by me and is a personal, close-to-the-heart production,” reveals Spice.
“It took approximately nine months of non-stop work to complete it. I have been toying with the idea for a while, and many of my fans have also been requesting something like this, for a few years now.”
Soothing Sounds: Acoustic offers up the mature side of Spice, and is a very personal projection of the artist within.
“I know I sing with an accent foreign to most, so fans are most times able to sing but not quite overstand the messages behind my music,” Spice discloses. “This album should have existing fans falling in love with my music all over again, new fans actually being able to understand and relate fully to what I am saying, and righteousness and uplifting lyrics being reborn.”
Damian Jr. Gong Marley and Wayne Marshall are prepping to release their first project together. Marley produced Marshall’s soon to be released studio album entitled True Colors.
According to Marshall; Jr Gong came up with the name himself.
“From the beginning of my career I have always used the slang ‘tru tru tru’ so Damian suggested that I call the album True Colours and came up with the concept. This album is really a showcase of my true colours as an artiste. So I decided to work with that title,” Marshall told the Star.
This project is aiming for international success under Damian and Stephen’s own Ghetto Youths International Label.
“Junior Gong now has his own studio, and this is his first project out of that studio. So it’s amazing being a part of the movement from day one,” Wayne Marshall said.
True Colours will feature Jamaican artistes like Sean Paul, Bounty Killer, I-Octane, Vybz Kartel, Assassin and of course producer Mr. Marley.
“This album shows experience and musical growth. I am a tougher artiste musically, and as a person, I am getting better at my craft and I am learning. I guess the music will speak for itself. People will see the experience and the growth and will grow with us,” Marshall said.
True Colors also featured other producers including Baby G and Wash Room Entertainment.
“I believe what they (Marleys) touch turns to gold and we are confident in the project; we believe it’s of the standard of the Grammys and other prestigious awards. We are just hoping that the vibe we feel will transcend to the people,” Marshall said.
In honor and celebration of Jamaica‘s 50th independence anniversary last month Damian Marley,Tarrus Riley, Wayne Marshall and TOK released “Independence” – a dancehall play on the Jamaican national anthem that questions the true meaning of independence.
Listen here:
Michael Dawson, Co-author of Vybz Kartel’s book ‘The Voice Of The Jamaican Ghetto’ plans to write the Ministry of Education declaring that the book should be a textbook and accessible in all schools.
Dawson tells media that schools and others rejecting the book are doing their children a disservice.
However all major bookstores in Jamaica have embraced Vybz Kartel’s book while a few uptown and Christian bookstores and local Universities have rejected ‘The Voice Of The Jamaican Ghetto’.
Still, Dawson says the book is doing relatively well.
The book was officially launched on July 7. 2012
Vybz Kartel who is currently behind bars awaiting trial on two separate murder charges did not attend the book launch.
“In Jamaica they have freedom to smoke mbanje, varume vanogara vakadhakwa (men are always drunk) and universities are full of women. The men want to sing and do not go to colleges, vamwe vanobva vamonwa musoro (some are dreadlocked). Let us not go there.”
Those were the words that sparked a whilwind of controversy after President Mugabe’s lecture at the Research and Intellectual Expo 2012 at the University of Zimbabwe last week.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller was swift in refuting Mugabe’s comments citing them as “misguided” while insisting that her country has made significant contributions to the arts, education among other sectors.
Jamaican Foreign Affairs minister AJ Nicholson was angered by Mugabe’s statements and demanded an apology from the Zimbabwean President saying such comments were “inappropriate, especially coming from a head of state.”
Despite the disparaging remarks Sizzla says he still plans to perform in the capital Harare for his upcoming Jah Put a Hand on Africa tour slated to begin this October.
“Black people are beautiful and courageous, strong, educated and we should keep our heads up and keep sailing high and be determined towards our goals as Zimbabweans and Jamaicans. I personally took no offence to the statement. Marijuana is a holy sacrament being used in the nyahbinghi churcical chanting and singing is a part of our culture from ancient of days, it’s even in the bible where Psalms of David said we should sing and give praise unto the most high.” Sizzla said when speaking to media on the matter.
This will mark the third time that Sizzla has performed in Zimbabwe as he previously appeared in the south African country for a pair of shows hosted by Robert Mugabe in January 2010 before returning to the island a month later for the Zimbabwe president’s birthday concert.
Mugabe did issue an apology following the recent outcries explaining that he had used a Shona expression which when directly translated sounds offensive.
Reggae Icon Peter Tosh will be conferred Jamaica‘s third highest honor, Order of Merit, in October.
Tosh will receive the honor for his contribution to the evolution of Jamaican popular music.
Other entertainment personalities to be honored with the Order of Jamaica are Bunny Wailer and Toots Hibbert.
Local promoters are crying favoritism when it comes to gaining corporate sponsorship for events.
“A lot of sponsors don’t like to give money to inner-city, when you keep events like … it is easier to get sponsorship. Sponsors (in our case) have come on board for one or two nights but never as a title sponsor,” One Passa Passa promoter told Star reporters.
Passa Passa was last hosted on August 1, 2012, in collaboration with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.
“When you have a good product that attracts a lot of people, brand managers should look into it and decide if they want exposure for their brand or not, because Passa Passa is an international event. It is even going to go on a European tour in months to come. If sponsors do their homework they will know what is happening,” he went on to say.
Promoter Patrick ‘Cue P’ Pinnock, who hosts his event in rural Jamaica had similar complaints. According to Pinnock, Corporate Jamaica is biased towards promoters from their own social background.
“Right now I am looking sponsorship for my event, it is in Porus, Manchester, and they are telling me that it’s far. But I know it is not that it’s because I am not from that circle,” he said.
“Negril is further away from Kingston than Porus, yet sponsors find themselves down there sponsoring events. So, it is all about networking and also hypocrisy on part of Corporate Jamaica,” Pinnock added.
Pinnock is gearing up to host his annual water party in Porus called Splash in October. He believes that upcoming promoters should be given a chance to prove themselves.
“Give young promoters a chance. Give them an opportunity to produce their events. Everything has to start from somewhere so give the youth a chance … I am still searching for sponsorship and building from ground up using my networks to my advantage and building my crowd. When my product is hot, Corporate Jamaica will look at me. When you are not from uptown it is hard for you and when you’re out of Kingston it’s even worse,” Pinnock said.
At least one sponsor disagrees with the promoters.
Lloyd Black, CEO of Impulse Beverages Limited, distributors of Impulse Energy Drink, said he does not subscribe to the uptown and downtown segregation as long as the benefits are mutual.
“I don’t even like to use the word sponsorship in my language. We try to work with the term partnership in which both parties will benefit. Some promoters expect sponsors to give them everything and it is a tough economic climate so there has to be some value coming out of the collaboration. I don’t get caught up in the uptown downtown situation because they are both valuable as it relates to getting out our products,” he said.
“Promoters must ensure that their events are properly organized. The promoter must have integrity and the brand must gain some value from the association,” Black said.
