Reggae icons Shaggy, Marcia Griffiths, and Ken Boothe will get honored today at Jamaica’s virtual Independence Day celebration. Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Babsy Grange, announced that the three reggae artists will be honored with the Jamaican Reggae Icon Awards at the Independence Spectacular virtual ceremony. “COVID has forced us to change many things, but it will not s... »
Beenie Man and Bounty Killer are among several dancehall celebrities outrages by the recent court ruling paving the way for schools to ban students wearing dreadlocks. The Jamaican entertainment fraternity—artistes, actors, media personalities, deejays—is crying foul at the recent Supreme Court ruling that schools can ban children sporting dreadlocks hairstyles from entering their doors. Citing th... »
Reggae legend Neville Livingston, known as Bunny Wailer has been hospitalized. The 73-year-old was admitted to a Kingston facility last Monday suffering from what his family has described as complications related to a stroke he suffered in October 2018, that affected the right side of his body. Since the 2018 stroke, the ailing artiste has been to Cuba for treatment and has continued his rehabilit... »
Shenseea, Ishawna, Agent Sasco, Konshens, Teejay, Ding Dong, and more all delivered stellar performance at Reggae Sumfest 2020 virtual show. Sumfest has taken to the digital world, and the first performance night was an epic success. On Friday (July 24), Reggae Sumfest Night 1, dubbed “Taste of Reggae Sumfest 2020,” was live across social networking platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and even You... »
Musical icon Peter Tosh’s youngest son, Jawara McIntosh, has sadly passed away. Peter Tosh was a legend in the reggae music scene. He was one of the key members of The Wailers along with the legendary Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer. He later successfully pursued a solo career. The “Mama Africa” singer was tragically shot and killed in 1987, leaving a void in the hearts of those who knew and loved him... »
Jamaican lovers rock singer Dobby Dobson has sadly passed away. Highland ‘Dobby’ Dobson, who was best known for his song “That Wonderful Sound,” died at age 78. According to The Gleaner, the beloved Jamaican singer was residing in the United States since 1979. He died on Tuesday at a hospital in Florida around 4:30 p.m. after contracting the deadly coronavirus. Florida is currently a hotspot for C... »
Tommy Lee Sparta was taken to the hospital after being behind bars for over a week, leaving his kids traumatized. Tommy Lee Sparta is having one of the worst weeks of his career following his arrest last week. Sources confirmed with Urban Islandz on Saturday that the Mobay deejay was rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital in the second city after suddenly falling ill. We’re told that he was trea... »
Gyptian explodes on his ex-girlfriend Danielle after she exposed their secret relationship. 2020 delivers another mind-blowing and unforeseen blow-up, as the usually calm and collected reggae singer Gyptian, goes on a fierce tirade lashing out against his ex-partner, Danielle. This isn’t the first time Gyptian’s love life has been in the spotlight. Back in 2017, the “Hold Yuh” singer created a buz... »
Jah Cure crashed a second AMG Benz. Reggae singer Jah Cure has found himself in yet another sticky situation that should see him forking out huge bucks for vehicular repairs. Yes! The Cure has battered yet another high-end supercar. It’s hard to miss the “Longing For” singer’s Fr3sh Panda wrapped, bright yellow Bi-Turbo 2018 Mercedes-Benz C63 S whenever it is being pushed through the streets of Ja... »
Vybz Kartel is officially a granddaddy to a baby boy name Azeil Palmer. Congratulations are in order for Vybz Kartell and his son who welcomed a baby boy. Multiple sources confirmed that today (July 8) that Likkle Addi’s girlfriend Kayla Smith has given birth to a bouncing baby boy. Back in May, the dancehall community came to a head after a huge uproar following the circulation of photos showcasi... »
Rygin King is still being targeted by the people who tried to kill him even while he is recovering in the hospital. Less than a week after Rygin King was shot, the dancehall artist was paid a visit by an unknown entourage that allegedly wanted to finish the job. On Sunday, the “Tuff” deejay was rushed to the hospital after escaping his attempted murderers and being rushed to the hospital. Accordin... »
Vybz Kartel’s baby mama Tanesha ‘Shorty’ Johnson revealed they had a daughter who died as an infant. Vybz Kartel dancehall’s perennial hot topic is once again living up to his name following the recent release of his latest album “Of Dons and Divas.” This time the one shining the spotlight on Adidja is his common-law wife Tenesha Johnson AKA Shorty. In an interview with DJ Lava, Shorty spilled the... »
Tragedy struck in the dancehall spectrum this Sunday evening when dancehall artiste Rygin King was shot in a targeted attack. Rygin King had a near-death experienced this weekend in Westmoreland, Jamaica, when he was injured in a shooting attack that happened while he was driving back to his destination after a funeral. Urban Islandz reported that the deejay, whose real name is Matthew Smith, was ... »
Dancehall star Rygin King is currently hospitalized after being shot. Law enforcement sources confirmed that late Sunday evening that the Mobay deejay was among at least three persons shot in a shooting incident in Westmoreland. We’re told that a female company believed to be Rygin King’s girlfriend was shot and killed, while another male was injured in the same shooting incident. The danceh... »
Vybz Kartel has a new album out and he did a candid interview with Billboard, his first in four years. This is quite a busy time in the life of dancehall artiste Vybz Kartell. He has just released a new album, and he has also applied to take his murder case to the Privy Council. Billboard was able to catch up with the prolific dancehall deejay to discuss his murder trial, his upcoming Privy Counci... »
Popular dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel and his three co-accused have officially applied to appeal their sentences at the Privy Council in the United Kingdom. Adidja Palmer, Vybz Kartel’s government name, was convicted in the 2014 of the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams three years prior. He was convicted alongside, Shawn “Storm” Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St. John. The tria... »
Condolences to Shenseea from the Urban Islandz family on the loss of her mother, biggest supporter and closest confidante. Prayers are up for singjay sensation Shenseea as her mother passed on, the shattering reality already taking an emotional toll on the talented songstress. “Mommy my heart is BROKEN Mommy broken i never knew I had this much tears until this day! I ask God for strength just stre... »
Everything is not love, apparently. L’Acadco founder and lead choreographer L’Antoinette Stines has filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit against music superstars Jay Z and Beyonce for her work on a 2018 album by The Carters called ‘Everything is Love’. Stines, a Jamaican artiste claims the superstar duo took her work, used it on a key portion of the track, ‘... »
Bounty Killer was forced to defend his girlfriend from trolls who compared her to his ex D’Angel It was clearly a family affair for legendary dancehall artiste Bounty Killer and pulled out all the stops to ring in his 48th birthday celebration. After all, it’s now only two more years until the big 5.0. The likes of Popcaan, Koffee, Wayne Marshall, Kemar Highcon, Selecta Rolexx, Bling Dawg, and eve... »
Music industry sources say this year’s crop of Jamaica Festival Song contest entries include songs from music heavyweights such as Buju Banton, Toots Hibbert and Freddie McGregor. “The finalists will be announced on Wednesday; it’s going to be a really interesting battle. Freddie McGregor has a great song, Toots has a wonderful song, and Buju Banton is coming hard as well; this y... »
Covid-19 couldn’t kill the vibes for the star-studded affair that was Bounty Killer’s birthday bash. The ‘poor people general’ who has had an eventful, productive year toasted to his 48th in elegant style among old & new friends and several generations of Jamaican entertainers. Kemar Highcon, Selecta Rolexx, Bling Dawg, and rival turned parry Beenie Man turned up for the Friday ni... »
Dancehall giant Bounty Killer and Konshens were among protesters in Kingston last weekend protesting for racial equality. ‘Fed up’ with colorism, and the covert biases crippling Black progress worldwide, Bounty Killer and Konshens joined scores of Jamaicans in protest before the US embassy last weekend. The “Living Dangerously” deejay was there not only as the ‘poor people’s governor’ but as the c... »
Seems there is a new Gaza beef between Vybz Kartel’s baby mama Short and his proteges Lisa Hyper and Jodi Couture. The Portmore Empire/GAZA has always been a place of controversy, but Vybz Kartel’s physical presence has always kept the critics at bay. Sadly, the Worl’boss’ imprisonment seems to have left a whole bunch of holes unplugged and the ladies of the GAZA are finally filling in the p... »
Several Jamaican entertainers have expressed solidarity with protests raging in the United States against last week’s police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who pleaded for air as a white Minneapolis officer jammed his knee into his neck. Dancehall star Spice joined peaceful protesters in the streets of Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday. “What do we want? Justice! When do we wa... »
Beenie Man released a new song amidst his Verzuz battle with Bounty Killer. Dancehall artiste Beenie Man is really maximizing on the recent attention that he’s garnered from the Verzuz battle. Together with Bounty Killer, Beenie Man produced several memeable moments during the recent Instagram Live session which reached millions of people across multiple continents. In addition to Bounty Killer gi... »
