It was a weekend of electrifying performances from the artiste, Mr. Vegas. The singjay who has been busy scorching things up across the Caribbean and the USA yesterday, (Tuesday), returned from a series of ICC World Cup Twenty20 Cricket-related performances.

To commence his weekend, Mr. Vegas alongside Shaggy, Fayan Lyons and the Forever Blessed crew, which includes singer, Natel, dancers, Boricia and the Jamaican "Michael Jackson" gave an intense performance at the ICC World Cup in Guyana on Friday.

"That show was great. After each performance, you could hear the thousands in the crowd roaring for more from the artistes. It was an amazing feeling," said Mr. Vegas about the performances at the matches which took place in Guyana between Pakistan, South Africa, Australia and India.

Sunday May the 2nd may very well be a date that is remembered in the minds of the Guyanese people, (specifically the City/Town of Linden) for years to come, because apart from the week long City/Anniversary celebration that included everything that one could be desire when it came to entertainment, sound clash, beauty contest, cricket matches and so on, all of that was simply not enough, because in a manner that could be considered, being summoned by royal decree, the presence of the Money goddess was requested, and in true goddess fashion, she responded to the call and stood tall.

With an audience numbering close to 3,000 dancehall patrons inside Guyana's MSC Ground, Macka Diamond not only answered the call like the champ years have proven her to be, but came, saw, and conquered, leaving Guyana literally begging for more.

"When extra police affi come fi keep off di people dem, yuh mus know," says Macka, in reference to her after performance experience that came with much needed reinforcements to keep her over zealous fans at bay.

Dancehall sinjay, G-Whizz was the talk of the town after his performance in Atlanta last weekend.

"The show was great! We shell it dung man. I love performing and entertaining my fans so having them enjoy what I have to offer is a good feeling," said G-Whizz.

After returning to the island on Sunday, G-Whizz immediately made his way to the Curry Festival in St. Ann, where he performed at the concert staged later that evening.

This weekend, G-Whizz, whose correct name is Garland Rowe will be unveiling the video for one of his latest singles, Tomorrow. Tomorrow, an inspirational track, was the brain-child of Whizz, who thought a follow-up of sorts to his hit single, Life, was necessary.

"People encounter problems everyday and feel down sometimes, and sometimes you just want someone to encourage you. Sometimes that's not even a friend, it can come from music. That's what I want to offer through my songs. I'm hoping the video and the song will touch and encourage people," he said. The video for Tomorrow will be premiered on TVJ's Entertainment Report tomorrow night (Friday).

TO DOWNLOAD TOMORROW CLICK HERE

Dancehall artiste, Mr. Vegas gave nothing short of an explosive performance at the "I am Blessed" gospel concert held at the Evanda Child High School in Bronx, NY, last weekend. In fact, anticipation about Mr. Vegas' performance was so high, that many eager patrons had to be turned away from the already overflowing venue.

The venue which was filled to capacity roared with excitement and praise as Mr. Vegas belted praise and worship songs to the crowd. He says, "The experience was a tremendous one. Even though I was the performer, I felt so blessed being there and giving thanks to God for every blessing He has bestowed on me. The song, I Am Blessed was my testimony about all the difficulties I've been through and something I know others out there can relate to and likewise, I hope the show was a blessing to others."

Mr. Vegas will be donating his payment from the concert to the Martha's House Children's Home, for children living with HIV/AIDS. "The home was demolished last year by fire and there are still a number of things that they need for completion. So this is my way of helping them and reaching out," said the singjay whose correct name is Clifford Smith.

Mr. Vegas is currently in Guyana to perform at the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup match. He returns to the island on Monday.

The all drinks inclusive old school party, Yesterday Best of the 90's will embark on a school uniform theme for its next staging

The event which is set to unfold on Saturday May 8 at the Mas Camp village in New Kingston, will feature a number of attractions which will no doubt keep patrons entertained throughout the night.
According to Gyete Ghartey of GLK Entertainment, promoters of the popular old school party series, Yesterday will be embarking on charitable projects for its next staging. Said Bartley 'We are utilizing the school uniform theme and the school that is most represented at the party, will win a desk top Dell computer for the school'.

Patrons have grown accustomed to the kind of entertainment and energy delivered at Yesterday parties, and the May 8th staging will be no different. Three of the island's top selectors have been commissioned to spin the hits to keep patrons dancing all night long.

Sponsors for Yesterday Best of the 90's include Durex Condoms, Intech, Jus Farms, CVM-TV, Irie FM, and Superior Auto Parts.

Since leaving the island last month, singer Romain Virgo has been doing extraordinarily well on his promotional tour of the US.

He has already racked up interviews with some of the USA's leading media houses and personalities catering to the Dancehall industry, ranging from: Vibe Magazine's Rob Kenner, of the 'Boomshots' section; Pat McKay of Sirius radio; Hot 97 Boston; Choice 102.9FM, Datz Hit Radio 103.1fm, Vibe 105.1fm and more. In addition, Romain also did a 'meet and greet' with an outpouring of fans at the Irie Jamaica Style Restaurant in Boston. The event was hosted by Hot 97's DJ JKool.

Watch the "Who Feels It Knows It" Video here!

Dancehall singjay, G-Whizz known for one of the biggest anthems of last year, Life, performed at three shows in England last weekend and all three earned him encore performances. TO DOWNLOAD GWHIZZ'S NEW SINGLE TOMORROW CLICK HERE

This was quite an achievement for G-Whizz, because, though his music has transcended cultural barriers, this was the artiste's first time in England. The three shows in Leeds, Eastham and Leicester, each outdid the other and proved that he is definitely one of the industry's finest to watch for the future. Each show's lineup also included Razz from "Razz and Biggie" and Serani.

In the wake of announcing their 35th anniversary celebration tour, Third World embarked on a rigorous schedule for 2010 that has them traveling to Spain, Belgium, Poland and Australia. In typical Third World fashion, the reggae ambassadors set the tone for what fans could expect when they performed to sold-out crowds in St. Thomas and British Virgin Islands on March 26th and 27th respectively.

No strangers to the Virgin Islands, a place that is a second home to the group, the band was welcomed with open arms. And even though the band performed on the island four months earlier, media outlets requested that the band make themselves available for radio and television interviews and fans clamored to purchase tickets - a true testament of their loyal fan base.

Fresh Fridayz is no doubt still one of the hottest parties alive and one of the few parties where patrons can party "til a mawnin".

Last night (March 19) The Building was on fire as the resident DJ Scientist raised the roof off The Building with his usual "out of this world mix"…combined with creative chattering which helps to keep the audience alive. The other members of the popular Arif 'Supa Coop' Cooper (Fresh Team) gang Krazy Dean and Dr. Cee also had the audience rocking.

"How him get suh hot from wha day," said one female patron while her friend crabbed onto the railing and gyrates her waistline to Mavado & Stacious' Come Into My Room.

Scientist is definitely a "research" away from being the next top selector as long as he can continue to maintain the musical energy each week at Fresh Fridayz.

Scientist is one of the many selectors who have fought for their space in this competitive music industry and Scientist will definitely be ranked amongst some of the top gunz Inna 2010.

Slot machines were not the only things being played at the Acropolis Gaming Lounge last Friday night. Drums were being struck and guitars were being strummed as well. It was as though members of In-Digg-Nation manipulated the very air in the building. For all the net worth of the venue, the priceless energy could not be purchased. Protoje, stepped on stage at around 8:30pm to let the crowd know that it was going to be ‘Dread.’

"The entire performance was one of the most memorable occasions in the history of Acropolis,” said Brian George, President and CEO of Supreme Ventures, which owns the establishment. "The size of the crowd speaks for itself but what is more significant is the positive vibes that Protoje generates on stage."

With the high-riding single Ears Hard in his arsenal, reggae artiste Vybrant took to the stage at Magnum Follow Di Arrow ready to stamp his name indelibly on patrons in the audience… and he did just that. The smooth-sounding vocalist stepped out at the event, held at the James Bond Beach in Oracabessa, St Mary, armed with the sweet sound of reggae music.

As he launched his high-energy stint on stage, his lyrics - laced with positive messages and melodic harmonies - found its way into the hearts of patrons, who caused the performer to “go even harder” when his much-hoped for ‘forward’ was realised.

“Follow Di Arrow was very good for me and it was a very good experience. Anywhere I can get to express myself through music and anywhere I can give people a chance to enjoy themselves in music and please the audience, I always enjoy myself,” said Vybrant, whose real name is Andre Johnson, of the concert, which featured acts like Bounty Killer, Assassin, Mavado, Macka Diamond, Stacious and more.

The current season of the Coke Zero/RETV High School Tour kicked off on Tuesday March 2 at the Tarrant High School in Kingston.

From the moment the tour bus with the entertainers arrived on the school’s compound, loud screams pierced the air.

The entertainers knew they had a mission, which was to promote the message of Abstinence Mek Sense. The message rang throughout the proceedings, as students hung on to every word.

Tour ambassadors DJ Nicholas, newcomers Denyque and Makeida, Raine Seville, Timberlee, Tifa, I Octane, Etana, QQ and Ding Dong, kept the students on a musical high.

Ministry of Education representative Matthew Mothersill delivered a presentation about safe sex and the importance of abstinence. This was well received by the students.

Giveaways from sponsors and entertainment from fellow students at the institution also added to the entertainment package.

The Coke Zero/ RETV School tour is presented by RETV in association with Three Sixty Marketing. Sponsors include Claro, Mothers, Tastee Cheese, Really Great Yogurt, and Act II Popcorn.

Captain Barky who is a member of the famous dancehall duo Captain Barkey and Wicker Man is known for his witty lyrics and his hilarious stage antics. Over the years he and his partner in crime Wicker Man have scored numerous hits as a duo, they have also done several successful solo projects. Captain Barkey’s hits include songs such as Bun Fi Bun, Go Go Wine, Pose Gal Pickney, Anti-Christ and Go Go Macarena.

Captain Barkey seems poised for more solo success as one of his latest singles titled She Nah Lef Joe on Truck Back Records’ Steel Frog rhythm is getting crazy rotation on radio stations both locally and abroad; it is also causing quite a stir in the dancehall.

Captain Barkey is also receiving strong rotation with other singles such as Care Yuh Pickney which was produced Delly Ranx on the Shaolin Temple rhythm and Mek Yuh Bumper Roll done in tandem with Gyptian, this single was produced by Don Sniper on his Jamaica Live Soca rhythm.

Captain Barky and Wicker Man are booked to appear on the annual Follow Di Arrow stage show which will take place on Saturday the 27th of February at James Bond Beach in St. Mary.

By Ralston "Tori-Shae" Barrett

There was hardly any space to be found inside the Negril Escape Resort last Tuesday night as dancehall superstar Shaggy performed to a packed house at the weekly Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series. Shaggy’s performance took the series to a new level, his act was indeed a very exciting one; no wonder he is such a revered star world wide. From the moment he touched the stage at 10:45 PM Shaggy treated the audience to a very energetic set that included hits such as Boombastic, Oh Carolina, Sexy Lady, Church Heathen, Fly High, Sweet girl, Angel, Summer Time, It Wasn’t Me and Strength Of A Woman. During his set Shaggy was joined on stage by Rayvon to deliver several of their chart topping duets.

The patrons could not get enough Shaggy even after he returned to the stage for a well deserved encore they still wanted more.

Before Shaggy's performance the audience was treated to some decent performances by up-coming artists Mr. Peck, Escapade and Terry Wonder. Next week's show will feature top flight reggae act Jah Cure who will be making his second appearance since the series began last November.

Not even the threat of rain could dampen the vibes inside the Negril Escape Resort last Tuesday night, as Tarrus Riley who was making his second appearance on the Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series rocked the house. Tarrus Riley gave another awesome performance inside the same venue where kicked off the series of concerts last November. Singing hits such as Lion Paw, Start A New, Beware, Good Girl Gone Bad, Contagious, Stay With You, She’s Royal and We Got It Going On he could do no wrong. His hour long performance also featured his now customary clash with his musical director saxophonist extraordinaire Dean Fraser and when his act came to an end the patrons begged for more. Tarrus willingly obliged and delivered a few more songs and they still demanded more but that was not to be as it was time for the show to come to an end.

By Ralston "Tori-Shae" Barrett

The Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series will come to an end on the 9th of March 2010. The series kicked of on November 17th last year ad has been very successful as every Tuesday since its inception hundreds of patron have come out to support the weekly concert series which is held at the Negril Escape Resort. The concerts have featured some of reggae’s top acts such as Richie Spice, Sanchez, Tanya Stephens, Tarrus Riley, Freddie McGregor, Julian Marley, Jah Cure and Chaka Demus & Pliers. Also the production standards for the series have been very high as the chief organizer and promoter of the series Carey Wallace CEO of Negril Escape, ensures that every aspect of his productions are dealt with in a very serious manner.

There are four concerts left in the series; next Tuesday’s concert will be headlined by Tarrus Riley. Also on the bill for that concert is promising new artist Protoje and Negril based deejay Mr. Peck. The following Tuesday will see international reggae superstar Shaggy in the house along with long time stable mate Rayvon. The last two shows which will be held on the 2nd and the 9th of March will feature Jah Cure and Wayne Wonder respectively.

The red carpet at the 2010 Youth View Awards saw major stars and celebrities coming out in their numbers. But while the photographers snapped away and television crew jockeyed for interviews with the stars, DJ Shine kept the vibes flowing with an avalanche of hits.

From the opening of the red carpet until the awards show got underway, it was DJ Shine whose musical artistry kept the teenagers and stars rocking as they made their way into the National Indoor Sports Centre.

So pulsating was the vibe from some of the latest hip hop, alternative and rap tunes, that some patrons hung on the outside of the venue chilling with friends, even while the awards show was underway.

Since making their debut three years ago popular sound system Darkcide International continues to make major strikes in the Jamaican music arena. Last week the Kingston-based sound returned from a month-long tour of the United States.

Kicking off their tour the sound made stops at several radio stations across the U.S. where they once again unraveled their musical artistry to the millions who tuned in for their return after leaving a lasting impression last December.

On the second leg, Darkcide International did an extensive sweep of all the hot spots in the Florida area including popular promoter Karim Hype's birthday celebrations at Club Revolution, Hollywood later that night it was onto Star Struck in Hialeah playing alongside compatriots ZJ Liquid, Tony Matterhorn and Youth View Wards Nominee for Sound of the Year - Coppershot Disco the following week the team marched into Truck Stop, Club MVP, Jimmy’s, Ibiza, Sosta Lounge, Ginger Bay, The Matador before culminating their Sunshine state leg with a beach party at John U Lloyd Beach, Ocean Drive.

By Ralston "Tori-Shae" Barrett

Reggae star Spanner Banner has been working hard to regain his former status in the local music industry since he returned to Jamaica a few years ago. The prolific hit maker was residing in the UK for over three years hence his absence from the local music scene in the earlier part of this decade. Despite all the obstacles he has faced in his bid to achieve this goal, Spanner Banner has stepped back into the local spotlight wit his recent number one hit single Rolling Stones.

His return to the local musical landscape has found favor with fans and music industry insiders alike. Therefore it comes as no surprised that he has copped the award for Biggest Come Back Artist of the Year in the Excellence in Music & Entertainment Awards (EMEs) which was held last night at The Gardens at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

Rising reggae/dancehall artist Timmi Burrell was in fine form when he performed at the Excellence in Music & Entertainment Awards (EMEs), which was held on the 4th of February 2010 at The Gardens at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. The dapperly dressed young man was the first performer in a segment of the awards show dubbed the Tribute To Studio One and he got things off to a very good start with a splendid rendition of Horace Andy's timeless classic Skylarking, which was produced by the great Jamaican producer Clement 'Sir Coxsone' Dodd who founded the Studio One studio and label in the 1960s.

Judging from the response of the audience his effort was well appreciated. The main man behind the EMEs Richard Burgess was very pleased with Timmi Burrell's performance; "Timmi got the show off to a very fine start I must say, he is certainly poised for great things", said Richard Burgess when asked for his thoughts about the budding artist's performance.

WATCH: Timmi Burrell's Take You On A Journey

By Ralston "Tori-Shae" Barrett

Two days after his brothers Stephen and Ziggy picked up Grammy Awards in the Best Reggae Album and the Best Children's album category respectively, Julian Marley played to a full house at the Negril Escape Resort at Negril One Love Reggae Concert show which was held on Tuesday February 2, 2010. It was Marley Magic all the way as Julian Marley rocked the house in fine style.

His nearly two hour long performance saw him reeling of songs such as Father’s Plce, Harder Dayz, Boom Draw, Awake, Lion In The Morning and Loving Clear along with several of his father’s timeless hits. The huge audience sang along, screamed and applauded right throughout his performance.

The show was opened by Ras Noble, Power Drill and Iron Head all these acts gave a good account of themselves.

The next show in the Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series will feature veteran lovers’ rock singer John Holt along with Richie Melody and the Uprizing Band.

Once Ago the east was dominated by Bounty Killer with his then annual Saddle To Di East show. However with the absent of Bounty's Saddle To Di East - DJ Sparks has made it her "call of duty" to keep the sparks gashing from Rockfort to Morant Bay.

Patrons came out in their numbers to witness DJ Sparks "shell dung" Yankee Plaza, Morant Bay last weekend along with DJ Keino. Sparks' selection had the dancers from the east in a "State Of Mind"(Jay Z) as they "Skip To Ma Lou" and shouting out "Mi Life Soon Sort Out" by G Whizz.

Party-goers from di East of Jamaica will have another thriller with Sparks as she will be heading back for the upcoming Carnival season.

Apart from having fans zipping to the groove of her sparkling mixes on ZIP FM from Sunday to Wednesday. Music lovers from Turks & Caicos can now experience Sparks' "Zippin Feelin" every Friday night from 10pm to midnight on Radio Turks & Caicos.

Sparks will also be one of the Emcees for The Settlement Press Launch this Friday Feb. 13.

Fresh from his recent stint at the Coke Zero Presents Sean Kingston in concert where he kept patrons busy prior to the on stage performances, disc jock and selector DJ Shine was in top form recently in Linstead.

At the event Party on the Farm, DJ Shine alongside toaster Jon Jon had patrons scrambling for space in the already jam packed venue, to groove to the latest musical treats.

After digging into his catalogue of goodies, Shine unleashed a healthy dose of party music comprising tunes from Ding Dong, Sizzla and Elephant Man among others.

Party on the Farm, a birthday celebration for promoters Omar Perrin and Comar 'Frankie' Campbell, was held at Jus Farms, Time and Patience in Linstead.
The event saw a large turnout of patrons who also partied to music from Kurt 'The Party Animal' Riley and 3rd Dimension.

By Ralston "Tori-Shae" Barrett

An overwhelming amount of patrons came out to see topflight reggae artist Richie Spice in performance on Tuesday the 19th of January at the Negril Escape Resort. The event was the weekly Negril One Love Reggae Concert Series, which is proving to be quite a hit amongst music lovers in the western end of the island. On Tuesday night Richie Spice delivered that could possibly be the performance of the series, which has had some very memorable performances so far from the likes of Sanchez, Tarrus, Riley, Jah Cure, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Etana, Freddie McGregor and Queen Ifrica.

By Ralston "Tori-Shae" Barrett

Cultural deejay Junior X’ career has been in an upswing mode since he got signed by the US based record label Revolutionary Entertainment in 2009. His controversial hit single The Pill (Revolutionary Entertainment) has signaled his return to the local music scene after a brief hiatus.

His recent performance at the Pepsi Rebel Salute showcase at Port Kaiser’s Sports Club, is proof that he is in indeed ready for the big stage. Although his set was short it was very entertaining as the always positive deejay treated the Rebel Salute crowd to lyrical gems such as The Pill and his latest single Gangster Life before closing his performance with his big hit song Plead My Cause.

Junior X is currently getting ready to drop the video for his latest single title Gangster Life which was produced by Dennis Livingston of Revolutionary Entertainment. He is also working on his soon to be released debut album.

Fast rising deejay Tyrical who has been nominated by the Excellence in Music & Entertainment Awards in the Break through Artist of the Year category, gave a delightful performance at the just concluded Pepsi Rebel Salute which was held on Saturday night. Clad in a yellow outfit Tyrical came on stage sometime after 10PM singing his big hit tune Want My Own, which immediately drew a very positive response from the large audience.

The very creative deejay showed off his versatility by performing a reworked version of Reggae King Bob Marley’s classic No Woman Nuh Cry, entitled No Haiti No Cry. His passionate tribute to the people of the earthquake stricken country was all also a winner with the audience. He closed out his short but entertaining set with Ghetto Prayer and World Lock.

Tyrical is currently enjoying good rotation on radio stations both locally and abroad with new singles such as Want Mi, Too Close, War Inna Reggae and Bless Mi Soul.

Ralston Tori-Shae Barrett

Two months into the inaugural staging of the Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series it has been proven that the weekly concert series is indeed a winner. So far the series has been bringing a lot of traffic to the One Love Drive formerly known as the Westend Road on a weekly basis. Last Tuesday's staging which featured reggae artists Alborosie and Duane Stephenson continued the trend of success, as hundreds of patrons filed into the Negril Escape resort to witness what turned out to be another wonderful concert.

Duane Stephenson, who hit stage about 10:39, opened his performance with a beautiful song titled Love In The City, which instantly drew a positive response from the audience. He continued to rock the house with hits such as Real Ghetto Pain, Let Love Live, August Town, Give A Helping Hand and Little Cottage In Negril. At the end of his nearly hour long performance he earned a well deserved encore.

By Ralston "Tori-Shae" Barrett

Queen Ifrica delivered a dynamic performance at the Negril One Love Reggae winter series Concert that was held at Negril Escape Resort on Tuesday January 5, 2010. Despite the threat of bad weather that was looming on the horizons, patrons came out in their numbers for the event. Queen Ifrica who replaced Luciano as the headliner for this event appeared on stage at 11PM dressed in a camouflage outfit and delivered an hour-long performance that was just absolutely stunning to say the least. Accompanied by her backing band the C Sharp Band she treated the audience to a musical feast which consisted of hits such as Daddy, Mi Ah Mi Love, Far Away, Lioness On The Rise, Randy, keep it to yourself and Montego Bay. For her encore, she performed a Spanish version of Daddy.

Junior X was also in fine form his half an hour set was well received by the Negril audience. He treated the audience to a very inspirational performance that featured hits such as The Pill, Freedom, Gangster Life, Plead My Cause and Free Up Yourself. Opening acts were Justice Merchant and Gregory Steele.

The next show in the series will be held on Tuesday the 12th of January at the Negril Escape Resort and will feature Italian reggae sensation Alborosie and Duane Stephenson.

Out A Road recording artiste Ikaya made a successful Sting debut on Boxing Day at the Jamworld Entertainment Complex in Portmore.

She made her stage entrance on stage chanting the single Amber Alert which earned her a lot of love from the hard to please Sting crowd.

"It was really something, to see," a pleased Ikaya said, adding that from there it was smooth sailing.

Performing in the Vixens of Dancehall slot Ikaya then performed her hit single Good Up Good Up but it was the 'mix up' song that really had the crowd going and that was Headline where she took digs at Lisa Hype.

Fast rising deejay Tyrical delivered an impressive performance at the recently held Sting 2009 showcase on Boxing Day, at Jam World in Portmore. Tyrical has been knocking on the doors of the local music industry for some time now. His performance at Sting shows that he has finally arrived into the mainstream.

Like a seasoned veteran the talented Rastafarian deejay took the sting stage and delivered an impressive set. Performing popular songs such No Guerilla War, World Lock and his current hit Want My Own it seems he could do no wrong, as song he delivered received huge forwards from the massive Sting audience in the wee hours of the morning.

Tyrical's next major performance will be at Rebel Salute which will be held on the Saturday January 16th 2010 at Kaiser's Sports Club in St. Elizabeth.

Queen of Reggae Marcia Griffiths delivered a musical treat at the Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series concert which was held at the Negril Escape Resort on Tuesday December 29th. The large crowd that came out in support of the vent were treated to a very exciting performance which saw her singing numerous hits from her vast catalogue such as Dream Land, I Wanna Be Closer, I Shall Sing, Am I Really Here In Your Arms, Deep In My Heart, Truly, Stepping Out Of Babylon and Love Is Automatic. Clad in a beautiful red the gracious Queen led the audience like the Pied Piper she had them singing, dancing screaming for more even after she did her encore.

The opening acts King Samuel, Invada and Edge Michael also delivered enjoyable performances. Ras Shiloh who was not officially booked for the concert did a cameo performance which was well received by the Negril audience. The Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series is growing from strength to strength and continues to be one of the highlights of the entertainment in Western Jamaica.The series not only highlights great reggae music it also highlights other aspects of Jamaican culture such as arts and craft and our local Cuisine.

Sounie Productions recording artist Ruffi-Ann promised to deliver a fiery performance at Sting 2009 and she made good on her promise. Coming on stage at some time after 1 AM clad in a sexy red and black out fit Ruffi-Ann, was in a no nonsense mood. Not even a lyrical barb from former rising stars contestant Face who performed earlier could get her upset. She came to entertain in a positive way and that she did. She had the Sting crowd giving her forward for songs such as Save The Juvenile, Ghetto Youths Unite and Lyrical War.

Ruffi-Ann is currently ready to shoot a video for her latest single Ghetto Youths Unite which is on the Fearless Productions label.

Talented new singjay Michael Paul Davis aka Don Sniper made a good impression at the recently held Sting 2009 concert, which was held on Boxing Day at Jam World in Portmore. Don Sniper who was making his second appearance on the greatest one night show on Earth delivered a short and spicy performance. His act was well received especially by the ladies who went wild when he delivered How Many which is on his popular Hice It Up Rhythm.

Don Sniper has been enjoying some amount of success in recent times with the release of his Hice It Up rhythm, which features songs from Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, Nitty Kutchie, Harry Toddler and himself. He is looking for even more success in 2010 as he plans to drop his debut album and several recording projects in the upcoming year that will feature the top acts such as Vbz Kartel, Beenie Man and Lady Saw.

Jamrock Entertainment Management, the promoters of Red Stripe Bold Barcode have labeled the fourth staging of the party series as the biggest one night party held in Jamaica. Staged at the New Kingston Golf Academy on Saturday December 26, the party drew a full house, as patrons came out in their thousands.

With turntable technicians DJ Shine, ZJ Johnny Kool, ZJ Chrome and Code Red in command, the flight was an interesting musical journey.

During his stint, Johnny Kool blazed a musical furnace which went into high gear with tunes from Vybz Kartel, Mavado and some of the latest dancing tunes.

When the flames were extinguished, DJ Shine spun his musical wizardry and raised temperatures to alarming heights. Assisted by his hype man, John John, the duo held the crowd spell bound as they obeyed their instructions to party like there was no tomorrow.

ZJ Chrome also represented and had patrons going into overdrive with his musical selections, while Code Red didn't disappoint.

The Magnum 10 Long 10 Strong Anniversary concert finale in Junction, St. Elizabeth was a blast. The event, which was staged on Saturday night, featured the likes of the Magnum girls, Shady Squad, Swatch International, DJ Nicco, Lady Saw, I-Octane and KipRich who made a stellar comeback fresh from spending months in the USA.

Antics on the show ranged from a 'fluffy patron' facing off with a slim diva; patrons being called up to replicate the new '10 Long 10 Strong' dance, which consists of mainly hand movements. Two men simply had no clue what they were doing - one man lounged unto the ground and did a quick grind, while the other did similarly odd gyrations. Another crowd favourite was an elderly man who was called to the stage by KipRich. The man who said he had drank several Magnums that night was asked by KipRich to give one of the Magnum girls a "Magnum wine". It was simply hilarious, though the man stood his ground and was able to not only wine, but lift and Magnum girl Boricia around the stage.

The musical talents of DJ Shine and DJ Karymza were in full effect at last Friday's staging of Drinkxx, the drink inclusive party which took place at the car park adjacent to Rib Cage on Constant Spring Road.

Both selectors proved why they have been in demand in recent months, as they pumped up patrons with a deliciously appetizing brew of current dancehall, hip hop, rap and dance tunes.

Prior to DJ Shine's near one-hour stint on the turntables, DJ Charm worked up a nice set, while TNG Muzik then took the party up a notch with their brand of entertainment.

By the time DJ Shine took over, it was pure musical madness as patrons did the latest dance moves including Skip to Ma luu and the over hyped 'daggering'.

Top-flight reggae artist Jah Cure delivered a tremendous performance at the Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series show, which was held at the Negril Escape Resort on Tuesday Dec 15. The fifth show in the series saw a multitude of reggae music lovers coming out for the event. Taking the stage at 11 PM much to the delight of the screaming audience Jah Cure delivered what may very well be the performance of the series so far. In an hour long performance which saw him belting out hits such as Father We Need Your Blessings, Woman I love, Girl a Weh Yuh Deh From When, Run Come Love Me, Behind These Prison Wall, Longing For, You'll Never find, Call On Me, he totally mesmerized the hundreds of patrons who filled the very attractive venue. The audience simply could not get enough of Jah cure even after two encores they were still screaming for more.

The show was opened by upcoming roots reggae artist Dubkore who delivered a wonderful performance. Backed by his backing band the Pikkie Head band Dubkore delivered songs such as Little Love Story, Hail Madda Earth, Dream Girl and Pon Di Verandah. His high-energy set earned him two encores. He was followed by Savanna-la-mar based deejay Gransonn who also did well. Negril based Garnett Silk sound alike Anthony was also in good form.

By Ralston Barrett
Tori-Shae's

Controversial female deejay Spice delivered a blazing hot performance at the opening of John Wayne's HQ, which took place last Saturday in Comfort, Manchester.

Dressed in a very sexy outfit she took the stage sometime after 1 AM and delivered a very spicy performance. Her sexually charged performance was laced with hits such as Nuh Fight Over Man, Right There, Hype and Ramping Shop. There was never a dull moment during her performance, which was well appreciated by the audience. Each song she performed received huge forwards and her stage antics, which included bringing a man on stage to dagger, were also well appreciated especially by the ladies in the crowd.

Upcoming acts such as Timmi Burrell, A.S.K, Ninja Princess, Sophia Squire and Mystic Soul all gave creditable performances, despite being constantly interrupted by the overzealous MC Reggae Rogers. The man simple could not help himself every time an artist was performing he could be heard speaking into his microphone. He also attempted to interrupt Spice’s performance several times as well but was warned off by the saucy deejay who told him, "a my performance mi wi wheel up mi tune dem when mi want to."

However, the event was well supported and enjoyed by all in attendance.

The community of Bull Savannah in St. Elizabeth felt the effects of DJ Shine's musical artistry recently, as the selector left no stones unturned in his quest to keep patrons entertained musically.

It was the third staging of the Con-Fusion party promoted by N-Nigma Entertainment, and the large turnout of patrons left the event with a satisfied look on their faces.

The musical high at the party was maintained by Delta Force selectors Ratty and Bones, who took patrons on a journey through some of the latest joints.

A cameo performance from dancehall artiste Laden and up and coming artiste Sniper King added to the night's proceedings.

MAGNUM CONCERT FINALE TO SWEEP ACROSS JUNCTION

It has been a phenomenal four weeks of the Magnum '10 Long 10 Strong' cross-island anniversary concert series and the finale promises to be even better.

It's hard to imagine that four weeks of perfectly-executed fun, can be topped, but Junction, St. Elizabeth will be proof that Magnum Tonic Wine had pulled out all the stops for the upcoming show.

According to Category Manager at Lascelles Wines and Spirits, Gary Dixon, "The finale isn't something that should be missed. We are continuing the trend by featuring a veteran sound and artiste on the show in addition to newer acts in the business. This not only represents our Magnum journey, but the journey of those in our entertainment industry, and what that means, is, there is something there for everyone. So it doesn't matter at what phase you started to enjoy Dancehall, or Reggae, or fashion - we guarantee that there is something there that caters to you as the patron."

Reggae super stars Chaka Demus and Pliers delivered a dynamic performance at the Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series show which was held at the Negril Escape Resort on Tuesday December 8th. They had the audience singing along to every song they performed. Their hour long set consisted of hits such as Murder She Wrote, I Wanna Be Your Man, One Scotch, Bam Bam and She Don't Let Nobody. For their encore they delivered hits such as Tease Me, Twist & Shout and Sweet Memories which is Pliers first single of his latest solo album Sex & Religion. They delivered a truly world class performance that showed why after almost two decades they are still in demand worldwide.

Opening acts were Groove and Ras Slick, who both delivered creditable performances. Next weeks show will be headlined by reggae star Jah Cure.

By all accounts, the December 4th staging of The Seven Year Wish was a major success. Indeed, all the acts were dazzling - Blu Grass In The Sky, From The Deep, Jason Worton, No-Maddz, The Uprising Band and Sheldon Bernard.

Then, as if to say the production was not already very entertaining, Dutty Bookman, master of ceremonies for the night, announced that it was time to "turn up the heat" with Janine 'Jah9' Cunningham and that was exactly what happened. By the time she closed her set, the crowd was in a frenzy and she delivered an encore with "Warning." Such was the build-up to the man of the moment.

It was roughly 1:15am when headliner, Protoje stepped into view with an air of militancy. His ruggedness immediately caught some persons off guard, having imagined him as the clean-shaven singer from the "Arguments" video that hit television screens in April. Live music regulars knew very well what to expect though and Protoje did not fail to deliver the goods. After calling Keida on stage to sing "Jamaican Boy," and appeasing the ladies with songs like "Arguments" and "On The Road," he performed "Try" and had the crowd singing along enthusiastically.

By Ralston Barrett

Dancehall group Que was in fine form last Saturday night when they performed at Holy Childhood High school's annual Barbeque, which was held at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Center. Que touched the stage some minutes after 11 PM and performed songs such as Walk Away and a rendition of 90s R & B group Shai's If I Ever Fall In Love to huge forwards.

Que has been very busy over the last couple of months promoting their current single Walk Away, which features RP. They are currently getting ready to drop a new single titled All Night on the SLock Entertainment label, this song was produced by Jerome Felix of Flava Squad Entertainment. A video will be shot in January 2010 for All Night.

Que will be performing at Junior Reid's nightclub The View on Friday the 11 of December, the following day they will perform at the Alpha Girls High School Barbeque, which will be staged at the Holy Childhood School grounds. They will also be performing at Prendy's on the beach this Sunday.

Chaka Demus and Pliers are undisputedly the greatest dancehall duo of all times. They shot to prominence internationally in the 1990's with smash hits such as Murder She Wrote, Twist & Shout and Tease Me. Chaka Demus and Pliers were the first ever dancehall act to score five consecutive hits on the British charts. They have sold millions of records and have toured the world earning the love and respect of millions of music lovers around the globe.

Chaka Demus and Pliers will be the headliners for the fourth concert in the Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series, which will be held at the Negril Escape Resort on Tuesday, December 8th 2009. Also on the lineup for this event are hometown artists Ras Slick, Groove and the Roots Warriors band. DJ Gemini will provide music.

Admission is US$20 for tickets and US$25 at the gate. Tickets are available at Negril Escape resort, the Jungle Night Club and Sue's Easy Rock Café. Gates open at 7 PM and show time is 8PM. The sponsors of the One Love Reggae winter series are The Jungle Night Club, Negril Scuba Center, Tori-Shae's Productions, VYBZ FM 96.3 FM, LYNKZ FM 96, Western Pressure Cleaners, Island Multi Media Solutions Ltd. and Wow Negril.

Revolution Entertainment recording artist Junior X recently did a ten-day promotional tour of the US. Junior X kicked off the tour with live interviews on air with DJ Roy of IRIE Jam (93.5 FM) and DJ Kevin Crown of Linkup Radio (93.5 FM) on Saturday, November 14, 2009. He followed up with other interviews which included a pit spot at WBLS 107.5 to chat with renowned radio personality Dahved Levy, Sirius/XM Radio, Crossover TV, IRIE Jam Radio (93.5FM) with Andrew D and DJ Face, WRL/Carib Zone with Prince Kalunda, CLMTV with Clem and Culture Jam Radio with Jeff and Bobby, to name a few. Junior X was also featured in Everybody's Magazine and Whereitzat Magazine as well as popular internet sites such as Images Newsletter and Tropical Fete.

On November 23, 2009, Junior X performed to a sold out crowd at JAMROCK Magazine's premiere event, "Rock the Runway." Junior X burst on stage with an unmatched energy that had the crowd singing along to his break out hit Plead My Cause, which received a "pull up" by DJ Kevin Crown. The screams of approval from partygoers fueled the singer's already high-energy performance. Junior X then followed up with The Pill, which is the first single from his upcoming debut album. With the crowd fully entranced, Junior X closed out his set with second single "Gangsta Life," also from his upcoming album.

Last weekend was quite a hectic one for rising selector and fourth place Heineken Green Synergy finisher, DJ Shine. After making his presence felt at the party called N.O.V.E.M.B.E.R, which was held at the New Kingston Golf Academy, Shine, unpacked his catalogue of old-school joints and headed to Heineken Good Times.

It was his first time playing at the popular old school party series, and based on the response of the patrons, Shine didn't disappoint.

He sifted through hits from Donna Summer, Anita Ward, to early 80's nuggets including Jimmy Cliff's Hot Shot, to mid 1990's Beres Hammond selections, which caused quite a stir among the large turnout of patrons.

Patrons, who attended the third concert in the Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series at the Negril Escape on Tuesday night, were treated to a wonderful performance by veteran reggae star Freddie McGregor. As expected Mr. McGregor delivered a slew of hits including Big Ship, I Was Born A Winner, Just Don't Want To Be Loney, That Girl (Groovy Situation), Push Comes To Shove, Fever and Bobby Babylon during his which was over an hour long. He had the audience begging for more when he exited the stage, to their delight, he did oblige their request for more, and they loved every moment of it and did not hesitate to show their appreciation.

Ras Noble who delivered some very strong cultural tunes opened the show. Principal who kept things going in the same vein followed him. Both artists did well and were professionally backed by the Roots Warrior Band.

The next show in the Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series will be on Tuesday December 8. This show will be headlined by legendary international dancehall duo Chaka Demus & Pliers.

The district of Comfort, which is nestled in the cool hills of Manchester, will come alive on December 12th 2009, with the grand opening of John Wayne's HQ. There will be a special event for the opening of this new bar and grill which is owned and operated by Wayne (John Wayne) and Lorna Gordon of New York Entertainment Movement. This event will feature artists such Spice, A.S.K, Timmi Burrell, Sophia Squire, Ninja Princess and Chabe. Music will provided by DJ Smurf of IRIE FM, Magnum Sound, New York Movement Sound and Nite Life.

All community talents are invited to come and participate in this event. There will be lots of giveaways and prizes such as flat screen televisions and cellular phones, there will also be a dance contest the winner of this contest will receive a trophy and a cash prize. Admission is $300. Sponsors for this event include Negril One Stop and Pryce Construction. Part proceeds will go to the Comfort Basic School.

The following week New York Entertainment Movement will also be hosting a treat at the Comfort All Age School for the children in the Comfort community.

The Negril One Love Reggae Concert winter series kicked off on a high note two Tuesdays ago with Tarrus Riley delivering an awesome performance at the Negril Escape resort. The second show in the series was held last Tuesday night at the same venue and was headlined by topflight reggae crooner Sanchez, who delivered a thrilling performance. It was no surprise that hundreds of patron packed into the very attractive Negril Escape resort on Tuesday to see Sanchez just as they did the week before when Tarrus Riley was the main act at the same venue.

The show started promptly at 9 PM. Home town favorite Timmi Burrell was the first act of the night, he got things off to a very good start. Performing songs such as Its My Time, Journey, Children Crying, Why Did You Leave, he gave a very good account of himself. His accapela version his latest single Why Did You Leave Me hit home especially with the females in the crowd. He closed his half an hour set with new song titled She's Calling Me, but before doing so he introduced his brother and Westside Konnection Records stable mate Rexxx who made his presence felt with a number titled Badmind.

Music lovers in the second city of Montego Bay will be in for a special treat next month as Bonner Cornerstone Music will be staging a special concert on Friday December 18th, at the Zinc Shack bar and restaurant on the Montego Bay Hip strip (55 Gloucester Road). This event is dubbed 'The Bonner Brothers and Friends In Concert' (Culture In The City). The famous musical Bonner brothers Pliers, Spanner Banner, Richie Spice and their younger sibling Snatcha, will headline this concert. Also on the bill for this event are guest artists Junior X and Timmi Burrell. Backing for this event will be the All Spice Band.

Music will provided by Current from Techtris sound system. Admission for this event will be $1000 at the gate. Gates open at 8PM and show time will be 9PM.

A spokes person for Bonner Cornerstone Music says this event is the first in a series of events that will be staged to celebrate the Bonner legacy and the company is putting everything in place to make sure that it will be a very special one.

Heineken Green Synergy quarter finalist DJ Shine (the Prodigy) is set to make an impression on party fans this weekend.

Shine will utilize his turntable and musical skills to entertain patrons at the latest staging of Heineken Good Times, which unfolds this Saturday November 28 at the Mas Camp Village in New Kingston.

That same night, Shine alongside DJ Karyzma and Coppershot Disco will keep patrons on a musical high at the Solstice party, which will be held at the Palisadoes Yacht Club.

Last weekend Shine made his presence felt at the Wolmers Barbeque and Hennessey Artistry event. His upcoming dates include Drinxx, 11:59, Recession and Holy Childhood Barbeque.

The town of Negril will come alive on Tuesday the 17th of November when the first event in the One Love Reggae Concert winter series, kicks off at the Negril Escape resort on the One Love Drive (Westend Road). None other than Tarrus Riley, who is without a doubt one of the most popular reggae acts today, will headline this event. Since the release of his sophomore album Parables, he has consistently scored hit after hit and is currently enjoying much attention both locally and abroad with his highly acclaimed new album Contagious.

Riley is also known for his exciting stage performances and is expected to deliver another show stopping performance on Tuesday. The memories of his appearance during the One Love Concert summer series at the Negril Escape this past summer, are still fresh in the minds of patrons who witnessed that performance. This event will also feature Dean Frazier and Black Soil, Mystic Bowie, Monday Justice and Cash. Music will provided by DJ Gemini. Admission is US$20 for tickets and US$25 at the gate. Tickets are available at Negril Escape resort, the Jungle Night Club and Sue's Easy Rock Café. Gates open at 7 PM and show time is 8PM.

The sponsors of the One Love Reggae winter series are The Jungle Night Club, Negril Scuba Center, Tori-Shae's Productions, VYBZ FM 96.3 FM, LYNKZ FM 96, Western Pressure Cleaners, Island Multi Media Solutions Ltd. and Wow Negril.

By Olimatta Taal

Sizzla Kalonji and The Fire House Band recently embarked on a ten-week European Tour promoting album, Ghetto Youth-Ology. Already one week into the tour, Sizzla and the crew have performed excellent shows in Rotterdam, Geneva, and Groningen with over thirty more shows to go in Germany, Sweden, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Italy, and France.

Rave reviews have come in from the press in those areas amazed at how great Sizzla performed. The venues were packed to capacity representing all nationalities, genders, and religions sharing the music and love of this prolific Reggae artist. The rich sounds from The Fire House Band have the crowds excited and enjoying the music. The atmosphere is one of joy, peace, love, and unity. The messages in Sizzla Kalonji's music are uplifting, motivating, peaceful, yet urge the youth to strive and work hard for a better tomorrow.

Screams, teary eyes, and chorus like chants, greeted the lineup of musical ambassadors as they made their exit from the tour bus as it came to a halt on the compound of the Mannings High in Westmoreland recently.

It was week four of the RE School Tour, and it was the first time that the tour had travelled to the West.

With the threat of rain hugging the outskirts of the venue, the entertainers which included beat boxer Mixing Lab, dancehall's newest bad girl Stacious, gospel artistes Goddy Goddy and DJ Nicholas, Timberlee, Tifa, D Angel, I Octane, Konshens, Chino, G Whizz, Etana, Queen Ifrica and Alaine, all delivered exciting sets, spliced with the abstinence message.

2009 Heineken Green Synergy quarter finalist, DJ Shine, was in sparkling form at last Thursdays staging of the popular Integration Thursday event.

Integration Thursday 'stress-free' weekly party was created with the aim of helping to unite students from the University of the West Indies and other tertiary institutions, where they combine for an evening of fun and frolic. This prestigious student gathering rocks on a Thursday at the Student's Union, UWI Campus.

Students descended upon the venue from early evening, jamming to the musical delights of the resident sound system. But it was near pandemonium as DJ Shine unleashed his musical best, and had the students on a musical high.

With selections ranging from the latest dancehall to hip-hop, DJ Shine represented and impressed in his half hour presentation.

DJ Shine can be seen in action this Friday October 30 at the Haunting, which will be held at the Pepsi Players Club, UWI, Mona.
His upcoming dates include Heineken Good Times, Solstice, Barcode, 11:59, Xmas Cookout, Holy Childhood and Wolmers Barbeques.

The journey to Titchfield High in Portland was a long one, but as the RE School Tour bus snaked its way through the hills, the musical ambassadors had one thing on their mind. To administer the message of abstinence make sense.

Titchfield High was the first out of town location for the latest stop on the RE School Tour, and the students welcomed it with open arms.

Sponsors Coke Zero, Claro, and the National Family Planning Board smartly decorated areas within close proximity of the stage area with various branding and booths. The students visited each booth either to refresh themselves; trade in cell phones; or to equip themselves with valuable information about sexual behaviour.

Little did reggae star Richie Spice know when he departed the island last Thursday for a show in Bermuda that was billed to feature himself, Serani, Bugle and Konshens along with the Gumption Band and MC Richie B of HOT 102 FM that he would end up doing a full concert. The event was annually held Culture Shock Fest, this year's staging was dubbed 'The Next Generation' was originally scheduled to take place on Friday October 16th at the Somerset Cricket Club grounds in Somerset, Bermuda. However, the event had to be rescheduled for the next day because of the inclement weather conditions that affected the island of Bermuda on Friday.

Unfortunately, Serani, Bugle and Konshens had to leave Bermuda on Saturday as it was said that they all had other engagements to attend in Jamaica. However, Richie Spice decided to stay and do the show along with his younger brother Snatcha who wasn't originally billed for the show.

The overcast conditions didn’t put a damper on the second leg of the RE School Tour. As the tour bus approached the Clan Carty High location, students congregated hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite entertainers.

The entertainers were more than willing to sign autographs and mingle with their fans, but on an afternoon where the threat of rain hovered, the entertainers put their plan into action.

The plan worked as students hung on to their every utterance, as lyrics of positivity, abstinence and matters of the heart as well as social issues pelted like missiles.

Instrumentalist and beat boxer Mixing Lab, Prodigal Son, Timberlee, Goddy Goddy, Alaine, Tifa, G Whizz, D'Angel, I Octane, Chino, Jah Vinci, Konshens and Etana all reinforced to the students the importance of abstinence and staying in school while maintaining good grades and positive attitudes.

King of Flossing, Flippa Mafia, will on Sunday have one of the biggest performances of his career when he joins rap star and Grammy nominee Soulja Boy, along with a host of local stars on stage at the fifth staging of Barefoot Beach Party in Montego Bay.

The deejay is looking forward to the event and, as usual, is committed to entertaining his fans.

"Music Business is all about entertainment and making patrons feel like they have spent their hard-earned money well. Flippa Mafia is the Flossing King and fans can expect lots of fun and excitement," he promised.

The popular RE School Tour kicked off recently at the St. Andrew Technical High School (STATHS).

This new seasons' support was evident in the scope and numbers of the hot-list of popular and up and coming artistes, all uniting for one cause. To spread the message.

The over 700 students were treated to a 2 hour concert of exceptional quality and variety…… the performers delivered some of their well-known songs and a few new ones as well. Wonderfully too was the fact that without prompting or being asked, some of the entertainers adjusted their lyrics to compliment the continuing theme of the tour - 'Abstinence Mek Sense'.

Project Manager, Kandi King said, "The new season of RETV School Tour took-off with a bang featuring more than a few new and exciting elements; we had a record amount of artiste participating, from 12 to 23 and more varied performances; The actual concert extended from one (1) to two (2) hours with new sponsors on board in the form of mobile giant Claro, Mothers Patties and National Family Planning Board joining forces with title sponsor, Coke Zero.

Heineken Green Synergy finalist DJ Shine recently made his debut at the popular retro old school party, Footloose.

During his near two hour stint DJ Shine easily impressed patrons inside the venue, with hits from the 1970's and late 1980's. Tunes from the likes of Regina, Madonna, Hues Corporation, Jimmy Cliff, Donna Summer and the Miami Sound Machine among others, kept patrons busy for an extended period.

Prior to handing over the wheels of steel to heavyweights such as ZJ Liquid and Jazzy T, Shine whipped up a frenzy with R&B delicacies which saw couples grooving to hits from Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight and Michael Jackson.

Renaissance and Expoze Entertainment have teamed up to stage a weekly series Bizarre Fridays at the Plush Nightclub in New Kingston.

Bizarre Fridays is set to get underway this Friday September 25, and according to Delano Thomas from Renaissance, 'Bizarre Fridays will provide something new, exciting and consistent to Friday night club life'.

Thomas pointed out that the hippest and newest nightclub on the block, Plush was chosen as the location for the weekly series, based on the target market and the fresh appeal that Bizarre Fridays will offer.

Photo By Riina Asamoa

Top dancehall deejay Busy Signal can officially claim Europe as his own. Busy Signal recently returned from a two week tour where he gave performances in Sweden, Germany, Norway and Italy. Busy Signal was definitely a welcomed Jamaican act, based on the you tube hits and online posts of his performances almost immediately after each show, and the shocking colour graffiti signage bearing his name on the walls surrounding various cities.

The Uppsala festival in Sweden could be considered the highpoint of his trip to Europe - after giving an hour-long performance to the large crowd, it was clear that they could not get enough of the busy one - who returned to the stage to give an additional half hour.

Busy performed hit after hit including the hugely popular "One More Night" which had the ladies swooning, and the heart pounding hit, "Up in her Belly" and of course "Da style Deh".

Singjay Mr. Vegas will be one of the headliners at urban radio station HOT97's "On Da Reggae Tip" show on Friday September 4th at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan, New York.

The singjay's monster hit song, I Am Blessed, on the Liv Up Records imprint has been bombing the airwaves into submission in the United States over the Summer alongside other big songs on the same riddim
from fellow entertainers Vybz Kartel, Mavado and Serani.

"I am going to make a statement at the HOT 97 show, my single I Am Blessed is in heavy rotation on HOT 97 and other urban stations along the east coast so my fans are looking forward to the performance, and
I am going to give them a high energy set," Mr. Vegas, who just completed a highly successful European tour, said.

A slew of top reggae/dancehall artistes have been confirmed for Philly Summer Fest, to be held on September 7 at the Wall Street Courtyard in Philadelphia, USA.

Staged by the sizzling hot deejay, the King of Flossing, Flippa Mafia, in association with Flip Money Records, Summer Fest is the show to close the summer in fine, floss-as-you-never-flossed-before style.

"It's all about Summer Fest. We have the place locked and it will be pure fun and flossing," Flippa Mafia promised.
He added with a smile, "Don't watch the song-for-song thing with me and Ele. It's all about music and musical vibes. Elephant Man is scheduled to perform on Summer Fest and nothing has changed.”

Among the artistes on the lineup are Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Lady Saw, Assassin, Tony Matterhorn, Ding Dong and Flippa himself.

By Contributor

Following his awesome performances at Reggae Sumfest and A St Mary Mi Come From, Flossing King Flippa Mafia made it three in a row as he rocked the massives at Champions In Action early Sunday morning and left them wanting more.

It was a performance worthy of a King as Flippa demonstrated why he is considered dancehall royalty. In a no-nonsense mood, the jovial entertainer swaggered on stage and got down to the real business of entertaining his ever-growing throng of fans. He was there to give - musically and otherwise - and they were more than eager to receive.

Known for his on-stage antics which earned him the moniker King of Flossing, Flippa went through his repertoire of dancehall hits, including his number one song, Unfinished House. "Mi vehicle cyan dearer than mi house, nor mi rims cyan dearer than mi couch," he deejayed the first line of the song and his fans totally took over.

By Pen2paper Creative Concepts
OutAroad.com

Negril was totally transformed into the party capital of the world, over the past weekend(August 5-9, 2009). The eastern city saw droves of party enthusiasts, either supporting their ATI or Dream Weekend events, utilising almost a seven-mile strip, at will to soak sun, sand, sea, liquor and music... The veteran weekend pulled out large numbers of partygoers, which saw patrons entering venues as early as 2pm and leaving as late as 5AM. Even though the weekend had Seven Top Events, our team only made it to five, two of which we had received what is known as the "The Experience".

After battling hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic back and forth, it was worth the frustration as Colours and Stages delivered. These two parties can definitely be dubbed as the weekend's best. Colours - with its difference in musical styling, and authentic beach feel, as well as Stages, an event which surpassed all levels of expectation, in terms of decor, physical settings, and numerous VIPs, upper level DJ VIP Area, Bar on the water, internal club with its own DJ, tremendous dance spaces and numerous bars and booths - not to mention one of the best DJ line ups for the weekend.

Which brings us to "The Experience"- what was it? (Dj Karyzma & Kruddy)... they blew all the patrons and us over the ATI weekend into another dimension. They absolutely took the weekend and their respective events by storm while juggling alongside much respected DJ's such as Kurt Riley, Renaissance, Tony Matterhorn and Black Chiney to name a few.

It was last Thursday morning August 6th 2009 when the King of Flossing, Flippa Mafia hit the stage at St Mary Mi Come From to perform for a crowd that was eager for him.

Flippa was called on stage by fast-rising deejay, Assassin, who had the crowd hyped up with a great performance. He announced Flippa, and St Mary erupted when the slim built, always smiling entertainer ran on stage. Flippa took the musical baton from Assassin and surged forward with a performance that really announced his arrival. It wasn't about the champagne-popping, because there was none and it was only after he received his well deserved forwards that he sprinkled a few $500 bills into the crowd.

But, honestly, his performance was all about his songs and his ability to engage his fans. With the ever popular Unfinished House now sitting comfortably at the number one spot on Richie B's prestigious Jamaica Countdown Chart, it was easy to see why the single is in this coveted position. As the band struck up the riddim, the massives at Gray's Inn shouted their approval with screams, lighters, by blowing horns, dancing and singing the words of the song.

Montego Bay is still buzzing from the incredible performance that the I Am Blessed artiste delivered at the UDC Old Hospital site on Independence Day August 6th 2009.

Mr. Vegas hit the stage at about 12:30 a.m. with his backing band, Thugz, and got an immediate ovation from the crowd with his number one hit, Taxi Fare. He then segued into the unapologetic Sucky Ducky, and another cheer went up from the crowd. He paused to speak to the audience a bit before doing Hands Up and the venue literally rocked as did Nike Air and Heads High back to back, the crowd cheering him on he turned up the tempo.

After revving up the audience to a high, Mr. Vegas changed pace and showed his versatility with the one-drop hit, Do You Know, which had lighters flickering quietly as he mesmerized them with his ice cube clear vocals.

Mr. Vegas then pumped up the adrenaline level in the venue with his dance segment, featuring some of the biggest dances to have emerged in dancehall in the past three years. Joined by his two female dancers, he immediately went into Tek Weh Yuself, and then Raging Bull. He then dropped his loner's anthem, Mi Nuh Waan No Friend From Dem with the crowd cheering his every move, before he closed strongly with his monster number one hit, I Am Blessed.

New reggae/dancehall artist Khago is rapidly emerging as the find of 2009 where new artists are concerned. The talented young man who is now under the guidance of artist manager extraordinaire Paul "Bankylus" Giscombe is no stranger to the local music scene. In 2006 he placed third in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's annual Popular Song Contest with his entry Only If You Know for which he also won best video prize in the competition. The following year saw his re-entry in the competition with a song titled Been There which won him the second place prize. This song received favorable rotation on radio stations island-wide, its accompanying music video also received a lot of attention. His performance on the JCDC road shows that year earned him a lot of admiration from the public.

Khago's next move was to take his career to the next level; therefore he focused on making the necessary steps to become a professional recording artist. Since then he has recorded songs for producers such as Sly & Robbie, Kemar "Flava" Mcgregor, Ewan Mcrae of Flava Squad Entertainment and radio DJs Marlon Young & ZJ Sparks.

Things did not work in favour of international recording artiste DåVille, as he would have wanted to, but he still went on to give an excellent performance at Reggae Sumfest International II on Saturday, July 25, despite a minor furor on stage.

The singer, known for several popular songs including his most recent chart topping hit single 'Missing You Right Now' and the promising 'Never Gonna Cry' single, performed for 20 minutes, but was not pleased as he didn't get the chance to give fans the additional treat he promised.

Apologising for losing his cool, DáVille said he had planned a special performance paying tribute to two special persons - the 'king of pop' Michael Jackson and his former road manager Robert Bogle (who died last year from sickle cell), but when he saw that the props he had invested in was not to be, he said he felt ‘dissed’ as no one told him that his elaborate presentation would not have been possible.

It was DáVille's second time performing at the annual Reggae Sumfest. The first was in 2007 when he delivered well among the impressive lineup.

Smartly attired in Gucci and making a bold fashion statement, the King of Flossing, Flippa Mafia, made the Reggae Sumfest stage his own on Dancehall Night, Thursday, July 23.

It was in front of a capacity crowd at the Catherine Hall venue in Montego Bay that Flippa got his Sumfest baptism and came up a better man, more in demand for stage shows, both locally and overseas after proving that he can hold his own with the best of the best.

The flossing champ, who had earlier stated that he wasn’t sure whether or not he would actually do his champagne-popping, money-throwing routine, actually was able to balance his act nicely and give fans a total flossing and musical experience.

Coming from successful overseas gigs, Mr Dem Yah & Dem Yah delivered his set with ease and expertise. Those who didn’t know his songs listened attentively and rocked as the no-nonsense deejay wasted no time in reeling off songs from his ever-growing repertoire, including Bout Dem A Floss and Look Alike.

It appears as though there is nothing stopping the 'Fyah Muma', Queen Ifrica now, as she continues to blaze a fiery trail with her captivating and peppery performances, the latest being Reggae Sumfest's International Night 1, staged on Friday, July 24, in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay.

Reports in a local newspaper described Queen Ifrica's performance as 'one that stunned thousands of patrons with one of the better performances the night produced' as she 'served her audience a course of musical satisfaction for a good half-an-hour.'

On a night when Queen Ifrica shared the stage with many local talents, and top international acts like R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan, Keri Hilson and Ne-yo, she still managed to give an outstanding performance, as she had the audience fully engaged with some of her hottest singles, among them, Brown Skin, Welcome to Montego Bay (the place of her birth), I Am Ready To Go and Daddy. Ifrica also did a tribute for the late 'King of Pop', Michael Jackson, when she did an excellent cover of Man in the Mirror.

Mr. Vegas closed the Dour Festival show in Belgium with a high-energy, rain-soaked performance that captivated the large crowd which had flocked to the site for the final day of the annual four-day music
festival.

Barefoot and soaked as the skies opened and a deluge descended on the festival site, Mr. Vegas had the festival-goers jumping, raving and cheering for well over an hour. Once he took off his shoes and socks, and waded into the crowd to show the fans how to do the Raging Bull, he had the audience mesmerized by his onstage antics.

With the competent backing of his band, Mr. Vegas wowed the audience with a slew of hits such as Hot Wuk, Tek Weh Yuself and Nike Air. And he got one of the biggest forwards of the night with his 1998 Billboard chart hit, Heads High. The crowd also roared its approval or the gospel-tinged I Am Blessed before Mr. Vegas exited to cheers and screams from the well satisfied audience.

The festival featured megawattage reggae names such as Israel Vibration, Anthony B, and Buju Banton, but over 34,000 stood and waited for Mr. Vegas to bring a fitting climax to a festival that had thrilled and captivated huge crowds for over four days. It is clear that Mr. Vegas' fan base is bigger than what most reggae writers, journalists and industry insiders give him credit for. And his ability to rock a show in pouring rain merely underlines his strength as a performer on the European continent.

By D. Quinn

After starting an 11 week world tour in late June, I sat down with Cherine Anderson and her manager Patrick Lindsay for a few words. Anderson wrapped her final show in the European leg at the Rock-Zottegem Festival in Zottegem, Belgium, sharing stages along the way with artists like The Pretenders, Tracy Chapman, Bunny Wailer, Lenny Kravitz, Moby, and Katy Perry, among others.

"We have orchestrated a deliberate strategy I call muziklink," says Lindsay, who also manages Sly & Robbie, "where we seize every opportunity to expand Cherine's audience base playing to reggae, hip-hop, alternative and rock audiences. We have been able to accomplish that by our collaboration with Michael Franti & Spearhead and his management." Lindsay is very focused on the growth of Cherine's career and has been a visionary in the fusion of her music and audiences with that of other music genres. The singer is undoubtedly a major highlight and critics and entertainment journalists worldwide are now taking notice.

Anderson started her European run playing to very receptive audiences. Audiences were treated to hits like "Kingston State of Mind", "Coming Over Tonight" and "Good Love" from her current EP The Introduction-Dubstyle, as well as brand new songs like "How Many More" and "Ring Di Alarm". Both of these new songs were greatly enjoyed by the crowds.

Dancehall's Firefly Tifa Brown recently did the show "Rock With Squeeze" in New York City. She gave an electrifying performance, holding the crowd for half an hour, in true TIFA form. People were really impressed. David Squeeze, the promoter for the event, said that "I was highly impressed, that an artiste so young in the game could electrify and captivate an audience this way". DJ Max Glazer spun for her. She sang all her hits plus more, and ended with a tear-jerking rendition of "God Blessed." Dancehall Diva Macka Diamond also performed. Other celebs were in the building and also Industry executives, including Michael Rose. It was known that T-I-F-A rocked Sob's Café and converted the audience into major fans by the end of the night.

After her return to Jamaica, Tifa performed at both Queens High and Meadowbrook High Barbeque, where she delivered songs "Crawny Gal," "Bottom of the Barrel" excellently, but it was the single "Spell It Out" that had the students singing every word, every line of the song. The catchy single is said to be Tifa's biggest single yet.
Tifa's mega hit single "Spell It Out" is currently positioned on the Jamaica Music Countdown at number 11, its number 11 on OutAroad.com Top 20 Hot Singles Chart, 19 on the RE TV countdown, and it just entered the E-strip and Hitlist at number 5.

Mr. Vegas kicked off his I Am Blessed European tour on July 13th with a rousing
performance on a show dubbed Summer Reggae Fest at Fort de Saint Pere in France.

Vegas, who had performed in France earlier this year, arrived at the
venue at about 1 a.m. and hit the stage about 10 minutes later.
Working on tracks, Mr. Vegas showed why he is one of the most in-demand artistes on the European show circuit each year with a high-energy set that had the audience in a flag-waving frenzy.

He worked for an hour, doing a set peppered with dancehall hits Tek Weh Yuself, Raging Bull and Hot Wuk. The Raging Bull song in particular appeared to energize the audience and as he performed it, the energy level of the audience spiked as if an electric current was running through it. Vegas added old-time dancehall favourites such as Heads High, which is a guaranteed forward in some areas of Europe, and Nike Air which got a loud roar from the audience. He closed his well-received set with his most recent chart-topper, I Am Blessed, and then exited the stage to a rousing round of applause to make way for Buju Banton and his Til Shiloh band.

Let us forget 'Zagga' and all that he professes to have done in terms of flossing. Right now, as it stands, if you look up the term flossing in Google, chances are you will find a picture or some information related to the Flossing King, Flippa Mafia.

So, it was not surprising that the flossing champ took things to another level when he headlined Flossing Pon De Gaza on July 4th in Club Intrigue, Atlanta.

Actually, Atlanta is one of the States to which Flippa has the keys and he locked the city with a performance that was a great prelude to his impending Reggae Sumfest performance scheduled for Thursday, July 23 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Flippa, eager to please his fans, kick started his show with the hugely popular Bout Dem A Floss and went through his repertoire with ease and expertise. At approximately 4:30 am, he brought his set to a close with Look A Like, which also brought the curtain down on the show.

Also on the bill were artistes Black Ryno and Shawn Storm.

fBy: Pen2paper Creative Concepts
OutAroad.com

For one reason or another 2009 as been the year when most artistes and producers alike seek to make a name for themselves but, a lasting impression through extensive work and promotions. As the surge of new talents has been amazing, this year and we are only midyear. Flava Squad Entertainment is no different, the name is relatively new here in Jamaica, however they have been around for quite a long time. Not only have the Flava Squad Team dabbled and garnered expertise in music production but events management and promotions as well.

Flava Squad Entertainment has under their belt nine (9) years of production experience, however they recently relocated to Jamaica in February, to 50 Dumbarton Ave. Kingston 10, formally Natural Bridge Records, the move home, as seemingly proving to be a positive one, as a normal day, isn't quite so normal. A bevy of new and veteran artistes can be found either working assiduously in the studios, waiting in the lobby for their studio sessions or hanging out in the studio yard, vying or writing lyrics. The move home has proven to be a more effective means of getting the projects completed and recognised. Just last week, Flava Squad Entertainment & Production Studios unleashed their latest riddim "ADDICTION", a one-drop soft tuned melodic rhythm featuring thirteen tracks.

The contest to make an appearance in Mr. Vegas' Sassa Step video is heating up with almost 2,000 votes tallied between five finalists culled from hundreds of videos submitted by dancehall aficionados all across the globe.

At this point, the competition is being led by an ultra-creative video by Ruby Red out of Taiwan leads with 638 votes while Skatty Natty from London is a close second with 564 votes. Ruby Red's video flirts with disqualification because it is four minutes long, a time span she uses creatively doing the Sassa Step in the airport, on bikes, in a gym, and she even does an acrobatic upside down version in front of what looks like a monument in Taiwan. Ruby Red also gets literal in the video by doing the move on a set of steps, and then pushes the envelope further by doing it on a pedestrian crossing. Skatty Natty from London appears to the best technically sound Sassa Stepper showing off her dainty moves for the camera in her backyard, but perhaps loses creativity points because she is limited to a narrow area with an old bicycle in the background. Nevertheless her addition of some old Bogle moves to her Sassa Step moves boost her chances of winning.

With two performances in the United States recently, Mr. Vegas showed his appeal in two key and vastly different age and income groups, one is the coveted demographic of Hispanic under 17 teenyboppers and the other is that of the loyal over 30 Jamaican reggae-dancehall lovers. The performances came back-to-back in New York and showed the incredible currency and continued appeal of Mr. Vegas after 10 years in the business.

Performing on Tuesday night, June 30 at the East Manor club in Queens, Vegas gave a dizzying performance in front of a screaming crowd of 1,500 Hispanic teenagers, many of them not more than 16 years old. With songs such as the Billboard chart-burner Heads High, Pull Up, Hot Wuk and Hot Gal No Fight Over Man he had the teenagers in a literal frenzy throughout most of the performance, each song provoking a crescendo of screams. Security guards had to prevent some over-enthusiastic girls from jumping onstage to do a booty dance-off during the Hot Wuk segment.

Some even tried to shed their clothing and had to be restrained from
doing so and escorted out of the club by security personnel. Mr. Vegas has always had an incredible appeal with the Hispanic psychographic, and has appeared on several Reggaeton mixtapes, especially after his Pull Up song inspired Pitbull to score a major US chart hit with Culo which has a similar melody.

Long-established stage show Champions in Action returns to Jam World Saturday August 15 with, as always, a line-up that fits the show's name. Subtitled "Bigger and Better this Year," Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Mavado, Vybz Kartel, Sizzla, Capleton, Anthony B, Elephant Man, John Holt, Etana, Assassin, Spice and I Wayne are the confirmed acts, with more icons of Jamaican music about to be added.

"We will be having just the right amount of artists this year," said a Presidential Click spokesperson. "We will be giving patrons exactly what they want, with each artist having enough time to give their fans what they want."

Known for staging shows with memorable performances and incident free events, promoters Presidential Click, will as usual be giving part proceeds to their annual back-to-school treat for inner city children across political boundaries of West Kingston.

Its the first stage show of this magnitude in the Corporate Area since Sting and one patrons are eager for.

Trinidadian fans are still talking about the marquis performance that Mr. Vegas delivered at the Sting nightclub last week Saturday. Mr. Vegas took his set old school with a couple of Bob Marley and Dennis Brown songs before cranking up the energy with his early hits such as Nike Air, then finally going full throttle with Raging Bull, Tek Weh Yuself and Hot Wuk as he had the 700 strong audience partying up a storm.

Dancer Mystic showed up mid-performance to show the Trinis how to do the latest Jamaican dance move, the Sassa Step, but the Trinidadian males made woeful attempts at learning the dance, and provided comic relief for the audience. Mr. Vegas closed his entertaining set strongly with his runaway hit, I Am Blessed, marking a successful night for the Jamaica and Barbadian-based promotions company, Big Links Promotions. Earlier, Rastafarian firebrand Lutan Fyah had opened the show with a blazing set full of hits such as Save The Juveniles and St. Jago De La Vega.

New York Entertainment Movement recording artists A.S.K did themselves proud at the recently held Cycle Fest, which was held at The National Heroes Circle on Sunday June 22nd. Introduced on stage by Ity & Fancy Kat the group which is comprised of the sultry sounding female vocalist Ashari and high energy deejays Kusi & Sample Heights stepped on stage and delivered a short but spicy performance. Which featured their hit song They Should Know and To Live & Strive In JA. The delivery of both songs was met by huge forwards from the audience.

The group is currently enjoying good rotation on radio stations both locally and abroad with their latest single To Live & Strive In Ja. The accompanying music video for this song is also doing very well, its currently racing up several local video charts. It is currently number two on RETV's MVP charts, number 3 on TVJ's Fi Wi Choice charts and number six on Suzie Q's Video Ally Top Ten charts. A.S.K is getting ready to begin work on their debut album for New York Entertainment Movement Records.

Mr. Vegas will be leaving the island on Thursday to head to Trinidad to perform at the Sting Nightclub on June 20, 2009 in the town of San Fernando where throngs of people are expected to turn out to hear the dancehall singer deliver his talismanic hit, I Am Blessed.

Mr. Vegas still holds the pole position on the HYPE TV and the Digicel Caribbean Top 30 charts with I Am Blessed. The video for the single is also in heavy rotation on Synergy TV, one of the largest cable video stations in the island, and the video recently hit the #1 spot on Synergy TV's video chart as well. Mr. Vegas will be accompanied by his dancer, Mystic, who will be making her first appearance in Trinidad.

Chart topping international reggae singer, DáVille, took time out to send an inspirational message of encouragement and hope to the youths of Jamaica, when he performed at 'Unified Unplugged' recently at the Denim Lounge in Brooklyn, New York.

An impassioned DáVille said, "The children must be a focus for us as they are our future."

He recalled his days as a youth and some of the obstacles he had to overcome to achieve success.

DáVille and Fashozy Records have made a commitment that as part of their philanthropic focus, they will donate time and resources to help uplift the youths.

Backed by the New Kingston band, who were opening acts of the night, DáVille treated his New York fans to an energetic entertaining performance as he dished out his current chart-topping songs, 'Missing You Right Now' and 'Never Gonna Cry'. Fans were also taken down memory lane with some of their favourite hit songs such as 'On My Mind', 'In Heaven', 'I'm In Love With You', 'My Grade' and 'Fling It Up', among others.

When the smoke cleared in the Giants stadium Sunday night, Dancehall had taken another huge step into the mainstream courtesy of Mavado, Serani and Elephant Man, all of whom represented different aspects of Dancehall music very well to around 50,000 patrons.

All 3 acts did very well on the main stage, Serani's greatly-improved stage presence shone, with his crossover hit No Games proving to be the monster it is. Mavado, representing the hardcore side of Dancehall, stalked the stage commandingly, and was given a great response to hits such as "Whe Dem a Do?" "On the Rock" and "So Special." Elephant Man lived up to his Energy God moniker and had the whole stadium signaling the plane!

"We got huge exposure from this show," said Mavado after his performance. "The on-air promotion HOT 97 gave us in the run-up to the show was priceless, as well as being able to sing in front of so many people on the same bill as Mary J Blige, Jay Z and so many others. Its the first time I've performed in front of such a huge crowd and I was very pleased at the response."

The 'fyah muma', Queen Ifrica, recently returned from a blazing hot performance at the BVI Music festival, held at the Cane Garden Bay Beach in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, last week.

There, the female sing-jay delivered a healthy dose of her popular songs, as she performed favourites from her upcoming 'Montego Bay' album, like Coconut Shell, Lioness On The Rise, Daddy (original version) and Daddy (in Spanish), which earned her the biggest forward for the night.

Queen Ifrica, who had entered the stage at 11pm, paused during her fiery set and asked the audience if she could sing in Spanish, the response, a resounding "yes"! She started the first verse and it was pulled up at least five times, as screams went on for at least a minute.

Keep It To Yourself was her final tune and the audience sang as Queen Ifrica left the stage. Despite their cry for more, the time just didn't permit.

The female artistes all gave stunning performances at the IRAWMA awards held in New York City (Sunday 3rd May 2009).

Barbee was at her best and gave a fantastic performance, but what seems to be the focal point of the night was her well designed outfit. Barbee's outfit was however the most daring of them all. It was teasing, flirty and playful, throwing caution to the wind. Taurus Riley was heard to comment that she always brings flavor to the Red Carpet with her beauty and elegance. A "special gem" was how Bobby Clarke of Irie Jamboree described her, vowing that he definitely had to have her on his show this year.

To her credit, she did not leave the show immediately as her fans were waiting patiently to be greeted and more so to get a singed autograph from the Diva of Fashion. Afterwards several reporters from various media houses such as the New York Times, representatives from a few Caribbean presses to name a few bombarded her. New York certainly loved Barbee.

Reggae balladeer and chart topping artiste Da'Ville 'rocked' SOB's in New York last Monday evening, giving fans a performance that won't be forgotten. Hosted by David 'Squeeze' Annakie, this intimate Reggae affair with Da'Ville filled the venue to capacity. One lucky lady was drawn on stage where she received a dance with Da'Ville, giving her a night for her memory books!

"The vibes at 'Rock With Squeeze' were really nice! The performance was a reflection of what I was feeling from the fans!" said Da'Ville. After the performance, fans were greeted by Da'Ville who posed for pictures, answered questions, and signed autographs. One fan was quoted as saying "This has been the best Monday of my Life!"

NEW YORK, NY (RHONA FOX, INC.) - International soca star Destra Garcia successfully launched her latest studio effort, HOTT, in Manhattan last Saturday, April 25, 2009. A sold-out crowd packed SOB's, as New York City's premier nightlife promotions team - Upscale Crowd Entertainment and Caribbean Fuse - presented the launch of her sixth album to longtime and new fans.

The versatile vocalist, songwriter and performer did not disappoint the packed Manhattan venue. Without her Atlantik band and joined by only two of her dancers, Destra drove the crowd into a bacchanal frenzy. With rags, flags and shirts waving in the air, she thrilled them with her soca staples like "Carnival" and "Bonnie & Clyde," and new hits from the album, including the title track "Hott," and "Bacchanal."

HOTT is a brilliant introduction to who Destra is, for those who are unfamiliar with her, and is a must-have addition to the 'Destra' collection for
fans and soca-lovers everywhere. "I think this album shows growth as a performing artist - a combination of my musical styles and versatility - past, present and future," discloses soca's ultimate female ambassador. Boasting 10 sizzling tracks, HOTT is poised to take soca fans by storm as Destra brings this indigenous sound of the southern Caribbean to music aficionados around the world.

Kingston, Jamaica (Pen2Paper Creative Concept) - Reggae on the Hill, took place at Farley Hill National Park, no doubt one of the largest Reggae festivals in Barbados and even the entire Caribbean Region. Dancehall and Reggae's newest rising star - Konshens got a chance to wet his feet, by being booked for the largest day of the three day festival, alongside veteran acts such as Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Morgan Heritage and Queen Ifrica to name a few. According to the singjay the show was a great success for everyone, it began and ended as scheduled, was incident free, completely sold out with crowds amounting to more than 30,000 people and more importantly, all the artistes who were booked showed up and gave good performances.

Konshens was highly anticipated as a result of his growing fan base formed by the success of not only his hit track "Winner" but that of the surprising love of the track "Fair-weather Friends" shown by the Bajan people, the song demands huge respect in Barbados and is virtually unknown in Jamaica. The start of his set saw the fiery "Rasta Imposter" single which also quickly made the entire hill into a resounding choir. He looks back at the experience with much joy, as all his tracks were gobbled up by the receptive Bajan crowd with special connections in tracks like "Don't Waste The Talent" and a special treat for the ladies, when he went into the crowd to handpick a Bajan empress with the track "Looking For Me".

Contributed Article

IPC Entertainment does it again and again bringing quality music productions mixed with top fashions from the hottest clothing store in Jamaica JORDU, 7th Ave Plaza, shop #15 Kingston

Warrior Love, Jah Jah blessing, Wrong Address are some of the selected hits Etana popped off at JORDU Live, Live Entertainment Live Interaction production by IPC Entertainment.

The full acoustics sound production coordinated by IPC Entertainment was solid giving fans the vibe of an Etana show usually staged at larger venues.
Congos beating like heartbeats surrounded inside the venue JORDU Fashions, the sweet melodies of Etana's backup vocals made the vibe natural and Etana's strength was felt by her dedicated fans from JORDU Live, Live Entertainment Live Interaction.

JORDU Live, takes it further with the hot steamy fashion show produced by the store owner Yhordanka, giving the fans and Jamaica more reason to keep the shopping popping at JORDU, 7th Ave plaza, shop # 15.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - The show that promises to be the 'best of the best' is indeed that. The 2009 line-up for its third undertaking on Sunday, May 24th at Bicentennial Park in Miami sees nothing but stars!

Billed as the "Best Caribbean Show in North America," Best of the Best has grown into an international music festival, which music lovers journey from around the world to savor each year. Presented by Miami's premier promotions company, JBJ Entertainment, this year's roster showcases artists that are at the top of their game, in their respective genres, in Caribbean and urban music.

Dancehall star Mavado is enjoying amazing crossover success with his current album sitting pretty at #76 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-hop albums; it's the only Caribbean album on a Billboard mainstream chart. "Last year I didn't get to make it to the show," says Mavado. "So this year, Best of the Best is going to get the very best of Mavado."

Also enjoying tremendous mainstream airplay is Serani, whose single "No Games" comes in at #67 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-hop chart this week. "With all the positive things happening in my career recently, Best of the Best is dropping at the right time," reveals Serani. "I'm 100% ready to celebrate with all my fans cause it's going to be one big party!"

Last night will forever be a night to remember as top dancehall group TOK switched things up a little, much to the delight of their fans.

Craigy T, Flexx, Bay-C and Alex made an encore appearance at the famed BB King Blues Club and Grill in Manhattan, where throngs of people showed up, filling the venue to maximum capacity, for what turned out to be one of the most memorable nights in New York City.

The event was none other than the R&B Showcase for radio heavyweights Power 105 FM, who invited the Jamaican act to hit the stage alongside the likes of Bad Boy's Day 26, Ginuwine, Pleasure P (of Pretty Ricky fame) and newcomer Young Steff.

Super-group TOK is back in the US, following a series of successful, sold-out shows in Canada. All venues were full to capacity, with eager fans requesting that they return up north to do encore performances.

While in Canada Craigy T, Bay C, Flexx and Alex were invited to do a photoshoot with famed photographer Doro Saiz.

Now back in New York, the group will be busy with a series of meetings with VP Records to finalise details on the release of their new album.

Aptly titled "Our World", the album is scheduled for release in Japan on June 16, 2009. The Western Hemisphere on the other hand, can expect to get the opportunity to witness "Our World" by late summer.

For more information, check out T.O.K's new and improved Myspace page for new music and tour dates! myspace.com/tokmusic

Rhona Fox Inc.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - The Best of the Best International Music Festival is back and this year, its promise of being "the best of the best" delivers yet again. The premier concert event in North America returns on Sunday, May 24, much to the delight of fans, many of whom make Miami their destination on Memorial Day weekend each year, to savor the best in Caribbean entertainment, and in mainstream urban entertainment as well.

Presented by Miami-based music and lifestyle promotions outfit, JBJ Entertainment, Best of the Best sets the stage every year as the ultimate showcase of the best acts in Caribbean music. With a solid Caribbean foundation spanning dancehall, reggae, lover's rock and soca, the festival also thrills fans with the top artists in hip-hop, rap and R&B. Past years have included the likes of Akon, Busta Rhymes and Wyclef Jean.

This year proves to be no different as the show is hosted by one of the biggest names in music today, T-Pain. The star-studded lineup also includes Rick Ross, Jeezy, DJ Khaled, Beenie Man, Mavado, Elephant Man, Bounty Killer, Serani, Wayne Wonder, Capleton, Destra, Tony Matterhorn, Spice, Kip Rich, Flippa Mafia, Christopher Martin, Cocoa Tea, Ras Penco, Ce'Cile and The Stones.

In its fifth installment, co-promoters Budafuco and Jabba invite music aficionados from around the country and beyond to journey to Miami for this consummate Memorial Day celebration. "We've made every effort to bring together the best acts in music right now, for one day, on one stage. The diversity of this festival in music, culture and cuisine is unrivaled, so everyone is in for an amazing time."

New York based dancehall artist Sugar Bear and The Big Bad Mighty Young Hawk from New York have recently returned home fresh from two incredible and memorable performances in Okinawa, Japan. The talented Dj 'tore down the house' at two separate venues to the delight of sold out crowds consisting of his growing Japanese fan base and U.S. soldiers of Caribbean origins(from a nearby U.S. military installation).

Sugar Bear's songs 'Roll It Up', 'Powers', 'Hot Girls', 'Ride Ei Good' and 'Jamaica Mi Born' that led him into an 'on the spot' freestyle - 'Japan Mi Born' which had the crowd in a mad frenzy. His overall performance went very well among the culturally diverse crowd, further showcasing his ability to reach the masses with his music.

Sugar Bear was humbled by the warm response he received in Japan and negotiations are already being undertaken by Jamone Entertainment to have him return to Okinawa along with Young Hawk and also the possibility of exploring new venues in Fukuoka.

Music, fashion and more. JORDU LIVE takes it to another level with Reggae Rockstar Tessanne Chin packing the house with her hits and fans. Tessanne Chin is the "real ting" says Princess Ellis from IPC Entertainment. The exclusive event hosted at the prestigious clothing store JORDU, 7th Ave Plaza Shop #15 Kingston Jamaica has consistently delivered the vibe Jamaica has been looking for. Tessanne Chin, the soulful reggae rock star, was totally awesome, like every rockstar should be. Her passion for music had the fans of JORDU Live wanting more, singing her hit "Broken Melody" verse after verse. JORDU LIVE was hot with entertainment from recording artists Kady Blu, Ricardo Suave, Sidra and Black DICE just before the reggae rock star Tessanne Chin took over the stage. Only at JORDU Live will you experience live Entertainment and live Interaction.

JORDU Live Showcase

JORDU Live showcase features new artist who will be selected by the power of their lyrical content, appearance, performance energy, use of the stage and by crowd response for an exclusive performance with a major headline artist, local and international. Application fee is $2,000 JA. Artist if you think you got what it takes to perform next to the greats in the music business, step up to the next level, and step up to JORDU LIVE.
Authenticated by IPC Entertainment give them a call for details 1-876-891-3639.

Next on the Exclusive JORDU Live will be ETANA the strong one on April 25th, Only presold tickets are available at JA$1,200 inclusive of complementary drink. Tickets are only available at the clothing store JORDU, 7th Ave Plaza Shop #15 Kingston Jamaica.