BY RICHARD JOHNSON Observer senior reporter EVERY so often, the entertainment industry is rocked by the brutal murder of one of its own. Four years ago, this month, O’Neil Edwards — a third of the dancehall group Voicemail — was shot at his home in Dunhaney Park, St Andrew. He later succumbed to his injuries while at the Kingston Public Hospital. To date no arrests have been made... »
Bus driver Keron Brown displays his list of traffic tickets with fines amounting to $84,500. (Photos: Bryan Cummings) Motorists wait outside the Police Traffic Department on Elletson Road, Kingston, to clear their outstanding traffic tickets, yesterday. (Photo: Joseph Wellington) THE Ministry of National Security is working closely with several agencies and ministries to design a new traffic ticke... »
Beefs in dancehall are at an all time high, but some of us are wondering if it is helping the industry or damaging it. History shows that beefing can either hurt or build an artist career. But why some artists are staying clear of beefing while others live for it. Let’s take a look back at some famous feuds in dancehall history. The early 1990s feud between Shabba Ranks and Ninja Man saw both arti... »
Tommy Lee Sparta camp is vehemently denying that he is the one crying in the leaked audio. Fans of the “Uncle Demon” deejay are claiming that the impersonator in the audio clip is none other than dancehall deejay Gage. Folks inside Tommy Lee’s circle says Gage often sound exactly like Tommy Lee and is known to bite his style. But reps for Gage told Urban Islandz that the upcoming deejay has nothin... »
Jay Z may have already forgiven Solange Knowles for attacking him inside a hotel elevator in NYC last weekend. According to reports, the hip-hop mogul and his sister-in-law were spotted jewelry shopping at Mr. Flawless jewelry store in New York City on Tuesday. Mr. Flawless told TMZ they he personally waited on Jay Z and Solange when they walked into his famous jewelry store. The two spent roughly... »
Justin Bieber keeps getting himself in more legal trouble. The Canadian pop star is reportedly under investigation for attempted robbery after a woman filed a police complain with the LAPD. The woman told TMZ that she was out Monday night at the Sherman Oaks Castle Park at a miniature golf and a batting cage with her 13-year-old daughter. She said Bieber crew and some other guys got into a fight a... »
Vybz Kartel post conviction saga continues to rain down a lot of negative press for the embattled dancehall deejay. Now Kartel’s former protege Tommy Lee Sparta has been drawn into the saga after an audio clip of the Mobay deejay crying was leaked online. In the clip, you can hear an emotionally shaken Tommy Lee in a telephone conversation with producer Elvis Redwood telling him about an ordeal wi... »
Tessanne Chin returned to the stage that catapult her career on the world stage last night. The Jamaican songstress performed her debut single “Everything Reminds Me Of You” live on The Voice season 6 on Tuesday night to loud cheers from the audience. Tessanne’s vocals was on point as she belted out the lyrics to the catchy single with lots of neon lights in the backdrop. Tessanne Chin won season ... »
If an individual has a valid B1/B2 tourist visa but wants to study in the US, they will need to apply for an F-1 or M-1 student visa. If an individual has a valid B1/B2 tourist visa but wants to study in the US, they will need to apply for an F-1 or M-1 student visa. Q: I plan to apply for a student visa in order to study my undergraduate degree in the US. If I apply for a student visa, will my B1... »
Tommy Lee Sparta has remained tight lipped about a leaked audio of himself crying about threats from Vybz Kartel over a new contract and royalties. In the audio, Tommy Lee could be heard speaking with producer So Unique telling him about an encounter with a man name Slim that Vybz Kartel sent to confront him. “Him a say everything good and me go back around him and he fired a shot in my head back,... »
Tommy Le Sprata is now embroiled in the ongoing Vybz Kartel post conviction saga. Urban Islandz obtained an audio footage of the former Portmore Empire deejay in a phone conversation with So Unique where he can be heard crying. Tommy Lee was discussing an incident where Vybz Kartel send Slim to rough him up for money. “Him a say everything good and me go back around him and he fired a shot in my h... »
Jay Z has 99 problems and now Solange Knowles is one of them. Beyoncé sister Solange is violent and she unleashed on Jay Z in an elevator last week. In this bizarre news, TMZ obtained video footage showing Solange physically attacking the rap mogul who is her brother-in-law. The incident reportedly went down last week at the Met Gala after party in New York City at the Standard Hotel. In the video... »
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A case involving copyright issues regarding some songs by international Reggae icon Bob Marley is set for the Chancery Division of the High Court in London on Tuesday, May 13. Being described as “the landmark trial” by Music-news.com, those involved are plaintiff Cayman Music, and Chris Blackwell’s Blue Mountain Music, the defendant. According to music-n... »
In this photo taken from video by Nigeria’s Boko Haram terrorist network, Monday May 12, 2014 shows the alleged missing girls abducted from the northeastern town of Chibok. The new video purports to show dozens of abducted schoolgirls, covered in jihab and praying in Arabic. It is the first public sight of the girls since more than 300 were kidnapped from a northeastern school the night of A... »
NotNice has produced several of Vybz Kartel’s biggest hit songs including “Benz Punany” and “Dancehall Hero.” But in 2011 the two had a bitter fallout after Vybz Kartel suddenly send his goons to seize NotNice engineering equipments including a hard drive with most of his work. Speaking with Anthony Miller of ER, NotNice, real name Ainsley Morris, says he will never forgive Vybz Kartel for what he... »
Tommy Lee Sparta is one of the first dancehall artists to be deported from another country in recent times. But the Guzu Musiq deejay is taking the Dominican government to court after being deported from the Caribbean island in February. Tommy Lee, whose real name is Leroy Russell, along with three members of his entourage were deported from Dominica on February 24 this year just hours after arriv... »
KINGSTON, Jamaica — An earthquake occurred in eastern Jamaica Sunday night about 8:44. The Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies confirmed the quake as magnitude 3.4. It was felt in the Buff Bay area of Portland as well as sections of St Andrew including Liguanea and Bull Bay. The focal point of the quake was 1.1km and the epicentre was located just south of Bull Bay, the Eart... »
By Denyse Renne denyse.renne@trinidadexpress.com Former acting general manager at the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT) Dayanand Birju has been charged with two counts of fraud. This was confirmed yesterday by Deputy Commissioner of Police Glenn Hackett who said Birju was in police custody. Birju, sources say, was held at his San Fernando home on Friday at around 9.15 p.m. and taken... »
Chris Brown was back in court today for a probation hearing in his Rihanna beating case. He admitted to the judge that he violated his probation. A judge sentenced the R&B singer to serve 1 year in jail but according to TMZ, he could be released in a couple of days. Breezy got credited with 116 days spend in rehab plus another 59 days spend in jail since being kicked out of rehab. That left hi... »
Ce’Cile says she is a single woman but she is not bitter. The dancehall diva recently told the Star that she is no longer with the father of her daughter Christopher Martin. “I have been single for a few months now,” Ce’Cile said. “I can confirm that. There’s no drama or anything attached to it. There’s a time and place for everything, and I guess this time has expired. I lost a boyfriend, my daug... »
Bounty Killer and Mavado beef is far from over as the Warlord just drop a brand new diss track aimed at the Gullyside singjay. The single “Kill & Destroy” was released on the Good Book Riddim, produced by H2O Records. On the hard hitting single, Bounty Killer deejay about helping Mavado making it big in the music business. Lyrics: Bout a you a the man Wa kinda a man mussi the informer one Carr... »
Vybz Kartel aka Addi Innocent, is mentoring his two sons to carry on his legacy while he serve a life sentence in prison. The former Portmore Empire head released a new single “Love Mummy” with his two sons Lil Addi and Lil Vybz. The two young deejays form a group called PG-13. The Bigga Dondon Records-produced single pays homage to all mothers including Vybz Kartel’s baby mother Tanesha “Shorty” ... »
BURT Samuels, attorney-at-law for embattled entertainer Tommy Lee Sparta, said he will be filing a claim with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) if the Dominican Government does not start compensation negotiations, within the next 30 days, in relation to his client’s deportation. Tommy Lee Sparta, 26, whose given name is Leroy Russell, along with three members of his team, was deported fro... »
Mavado responded to Bounty Killer two diss tracks that were released last week and not in a very pleasant way. Bounty Killer, who mentored Mavado in the early part of his career, launched an onslaught against the We The Best deejay when he dropped two diss track. But Mavado says he has no intentions of responding or engaged with Bounty Killer in any lyrical feud. Mavado went as far as calling the ... »
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Ace sprinter Usain Bolt has made an appeal on Twitter for the return of a pair of his signed running shoes that were recently stolen in London. The spikes signed by Bolt and framed for display with a photo of the athlete after he set the 100-metre world record in 2009 was stolen in South London sometime in April. Bolt’s first tweet came at approximately midday and was accompani... »
