REGGAE & DANCEHALL NEWS 2007-III
all items of the third trimester of 2007 (July, August & September)
Old News
The nominees include two reggae acts. DJ Waxfiend is nominated for Best DJ and Ziggi is nominated for Best Live Act. You can vote at the Dutch Urban Awards site under the "Vote" button.
Renowned blues and reggae musician Corey Harris is one of a select few to receive a five-year grant from MacArthur Fellowships. Please read the full Harp article here.
Winner in the best reggae category is US newcomer Sean Kingston. The show was hosted by Shaggy and Jamelia. For a full listing of the winners please check the MOBO site here.
Female Belgian reggae singer Mika who has been featured on our website before, is threatening to sue that other Mika, the British male pop-star, over the use of the name. Mika, girl, we support you to the fullest. Please read the full The Sun article here.
Elephant Man has physically attacked Sean "Diddy" Combs of Bad Boy records, the issue being money of course. Please read the full Media Take Out article here.
Mr G, formerly known as Goofy, has announced that he will pick up his performing and recording activities. After having spent some time doing production he recently parked his behind the scenes work and went back to his basics. Please read the full Jamaica Gleaner article here.
To promote his new album Hot It Up Mr Vegas has, prior to his official album tour, recorded an unplugged session for MTV's Caribbean Tempo station. Please read the full Tropical Fete article here. Or visit the official Tempo site here.
Today, September 11 2007, marks the Ethiopian Millennium year 2000.
The Marleys are about to sue Universal Music and Verizon Wireless over their announcement to make Marley ringtones available. Please read the full Jamaica Observer article here, or read the Billboard article here.
And the nominees are; Collie Buddz, Sean Kingston, Shaggy, Stephen Marley and Tony Matterhorn. You can vote at the MOBO site under the "Awards" button. The show is to be held on 19 September and it will be co-hosted by Shaggy.
Check out this slideshow of pictures taken on Jamaica after hurricane Dean passed over. Please click here.
One of the founding members of the Skatalites, guitarist Jah Jerry passed away last Monday at age 80. Please read the full Jamaica Observer article here.
Reporter Heath McCoy of the Canadian based webnewspaper hfxnews, has the guts to say what we as reggaelovers know to be true. I for one hope that these kind of articles get written more often. Please read the full hfxnews.ca article here, you can also leave a comment.
If you want to read the reactions of Perfect, Warrior King and Shaggy on the Italian Rototom festival and on European gigs in general please read the full Jamaica Gleaner article here.
The OD (Officer in the Order Of Distinction) has been awarded to Burning Spear, Johnny Moore, U-Roy, Luciano and Carlene Davis. Shaggy, Byron Lee, Count Prince Miller and Theodore Miller will be awarded the even more prestigious CD (Commander in the Order of Distinction). The awardees will receive their awards on Jamaica's National Heroes day, October 15th. Read the full Jamaican Observer article here.
Jamaicans all over the world celebrate Jamaican independence today. Exactly fourtyfive years ago (in 1962) Jamaica gained it's independence from the United Kingdom.
Bob Marley's 'One Love' and Peter Tosh' 'Psalm 27' will be added to the official Hymnbook of the Jamaican Anglican church in it's next reprint later this year. Read the full Jamaica Observer article here. Or read it from the official Anglican Communion website.
Jah Cure has finally been released from prison. Read more about the early morning scene at the Tower Street Correctional Facility in this article by the Jamaica Observer.
Jah Cure has finally been released from Jamaica's Tower Street Correctional Facility better known as the General Penitentiary. To top things off, one of his first apearances will be on Sunday the 12th of August at the Sundance festival in Eersel, the Netherlands.
Dancehall recording hottie Macka Diamond has finished her first book. Titled Bun Him!!!, Macka's first novel will be released on August 21. The story is about a ghetto gyal who scores a well-off man twice her age who is unable to satisfy all her needs. The novel is already dubbed Jamaica's first dancehall novel. Read the full Hardbeatnews article here.
What could have been a step towards greater acceptance of dancehall music is turning into a farce. Read the full The Daily Pulp article here.
Veteran singer Half Pint will be heralded by the city of Hartford, Conetticut (USA) when he visits the city on August 11th in order join the festivities of the West Indian Week. Half Pint has not recently released any new music but is ready to storm the charts once again with the release of his much anticipated new album No Stress Express. Read the full Jamaican Observer article here.
The fourth hunted artist signs the Reggae Compassionate Act. After years of pressure Buju Banton has finally yielded to gay rights activists, let's hope he is more serious about it than Beenie Man who very recently denied signing the deal. Read the full The Guardian article here.
Allthough the internationally awarded deejay now denounces violence against gay people he refuses to even pronounce the word gay and comments on the Reggae Compassionate Act as a truly European affair. After returning from his European tour, endorsed by the act and by which Beenie made a bundle of money, last friday he denied ever signing the act. Read the full Jamaica Observer article here.
Contrary to prior updates, Danny English was released on a bail of $750,000 on tuesday June 17th. A preliminary enquiry is sceduled for September 18th. Read the full RJR article here.
Dancehall performer Danny English was arrested on Friday 6 July for fifteen sexual child molestation charges. Danny English is suspected to have molested a now fourteen year old girl over the last three years. He was denied bail on the tuesday following his arrest. Danny English denies the charges. Read the full RJR article here.
