Jamaican singer, Millie Small, the artiste who lit the fuse for the 1960s ska explosion, has died at the age of 73 after suffering a stroke. The star was most famous for her hit single ‘My Boy Lollipop’, which reached number two in both the US and the UK in 1964. It remains one of the biggest-selling ska songs of all time, with more than seven million in sales. Island Records founder, Chris Blackw... »
Beenie Man’s daughter Desha Ravers says she thankful to be alive following a car crash. It was only four days ago that Deshagaye ‘Desha Davis‘ Davis shared a few glam shots next to her Honda Fit motorcar that she worked tirelessly to secure almost two months ago. Sadly, photos of her silver car began circulating online once again, but this time it was badly damaged. A clearly shaken Desha also too... »
MORE than 100 entries have been submitted for Poem For Life, a contest initiated by Ian Lewis of the Inner Circle band and his son Abebe. Submissions opened April 27 and closes May 18 when the Top 10 poems—inspired by the coronavirus pandemic—will be selected by a social media panel. The winning entry, which will be introduced at a yet-announced date, will be recorded as a song by Inner Circle. Ab... »
Did Lil Boosie just let it slip that he once bought cocaine from DJ Khaled? Baton Rouge rapper Boosie Badazz revealed in a recent interview some pretty interesting news about his time on tour several years ago. The rapper’s thick accent has always been something to carefully translate and sometimes funny, but this time it has incited a debate online between two sets of people who think they heard ... »
The 2020 Reggae Sumfest, which was booked for mid-July, has officially been dropped from the itinerary due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After announcing that there was news to come, pretty much-prepping fans for the cancellation of Sumfest, the festival promoters have finally made the call ,Joe Bogdanovich Chairman, and CEO of DownSound Entertainment, affirmed on Monday that due to the pandemic, the ... »
Dexta Daps has been released from jail. April 30 is proving to be a day of jubilation for the Seaview Garden’s singjay, who was recently released from custody. Peter Champagnie, the attorney at law who represents the entertainer, revealed to the Jamaica Star that no formal charges were laid against his client, whose real name is Louis Anthony Grandison Jr. Dexta Daps was arrested by law enforcemen... »
lippa Mafia’s brother is currently on Jamaican soil. Andrew Davis, more popularly known as Flippa Mafia or Flippa Moggela along with his two brothers, Roger and Kemar Davis, were sentenced on drugs and narcotics-related charges almost four years ago. However, at least one member of the drug cartel is back on the island. Roger Davis was among the 46 Jamaicans who had been deported back to the islan... »
Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said officers should not allow masqueraders to wine on them during Carnival, adding that people have also tried to wine on him but he refused. Speaking at Thursday’s police briefing at the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) headquarters in Port of Spain, Griffith commented on a viral video of three women wining on a police officer on a motorcycle during Car... »
IT will be no laughing matter in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in Half-Way-Tree, today as actor/comedian Garfield “Bad Boy Trevor” Reid and deejay Elephant Man make scheduled appearances. Reid and co-accused, Keneil Smith, are charged with breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act, Noise Abatement Act, the Emergency Powers Act and Spirit Licence Act. They are currently on $100,000 bail ... »
Barbadian singing superstar Rihanna says her Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) is expanding support for the COVID-19 global response. CLF said it has collaborated with Twitter & Square Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey and Jay-Z’s Shawn Carter Foundation (SCF) in releasing US$6.2 million in grants for COVID-19 rapid response efforts in the US and the Caribbean, among other places. It said ... »
Dancehall artiste Dexta Daps will have another shot at securing his freedom when he appears in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Monday, April 20. The artiste’s lawyer, Peter Champagnie, filed a writ of habeas corpus on Tuesday but the the artiste remains incarcerated because the arresting officers were absent from the hearing. “To be fair to them, the officers did not appear ... »
Aidonia and other dancehall artists are urging fans and locals to stay inside and follow government ordered protocols. The COVID-19 situation in Jamaica started off under the guise of ample control, but it quickly flared up into a massive outbreak after citizens started defying rules put in place by the government to protect them. A lot of celebrities have taken it upon themselves to use their pla... »
BY RICHARD JOHNSON Observer senior reporter HE 2020 voyage of the Love and Harmony cruise is the latest event to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic. Organisers have taken to social media and announced that the cruise will now take place next year with the same line-up of acts. “It’s going to be a rough week but I know one thing for sure, God makes no mistakes. We will be back bigger and... »
Dexta Daps’s lead attorney, Peter Champagnie QC, will be seeking to get his client released today when he appears in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in Half-Way-Tree. The dancehall singjay has been detained at Hunts Bay Police Station in Kingston since last Wednesday. “I’m seeking the court’s intervention because he has been there for an extended period of time. I’m... »
NEW YORK, United States — Veteran Broadcaster and Radio personality, Gil Bailey died in the United States this morning. His death was a result of the coronavirus, multiple sources have confirmed. Bailey, who with his wife Pat hosted the Gil and Pat Bailey show was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican Government. He is credited with paving the way for many of those in Radio here in New ... »
Minister Marion Hall, formerly queen of the dancehall Lady Saw, is speaking out after her application for an O1 US visa was denied. In 2015, Marion Hall relinquished all connections to the secular world and became a devoted lady of the Christian faith. While she is not regretting her decision and his steadfast on her mission to spread the gospel, it seems others are now questioning her social stat... »
Foota Hype has been released from jail due to his risk of contracting COVID-19. Thousands of inmates across the US have been released from jail over the past few weeks as the deadly coronavirus pandemic continues to spread. Federal and state government officials have moved to released individuals behind bars who are considered low risk to the community. Last week, we saw a federal judge releasing ... »
Dexta Daps remains in police custody despite not being charged. Singjay Louis Grandison, more popularly known as Dexta Daps, was taken into custody yesterday (April 8) and spent last night at the Hunt’s Bay police station as he awaits questioning on shooting and gang-related charges. The dancehall singjay was not charged with a crime, and as a result, his attorney Peter Champagnie is calling for h... »
This is how Beenie Man’s Best Reggae Album Grammy Award became the gift that keeps on giving. On a reflective note in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Billboard.com scoured their archives, harking back to the early 2000s, with a weeklong celebration of the iconic and historically rich year in music. The first listing to be released featured staff picks of their 100 greatest songs of the 2000s, w... »
The dancehall community is reacting to Vybz Kartel losing his appeal case, and some fans are now blasting his defense attorney, Valerie Neita-Robertson. Social Media erupted last night when it was announced to the public that the results of Vybz Kartel appeal would be revealed on Friday, April 3, 2020. Fans went crazy, predicting the best outcome and how they would react if the deejay were release... »
Vybz Kartel suffered a crushing defeat as the Appeal Court handed down its verdict today. The day has finally come for Vybz Kartel to hear his fate, and though his appeal was basically denied, he might be out sooner than initially thought. Attorney for incarcerated deejay Vybz Kartel was on the receiving end of a vital phone call today from the Court of Appeal. According to the judge, he is allowi... »
Incarcerated dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel will hopefully be a free man soon. Breaking news interrupted our typical day to announce that there has finally been some development in Vybz Kartel’s appeal case. The deejay is reportedly scheduled to appear in court tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. to hear the final verdict. It has been a long-awaited decision for the dancehall star who stood trial for ... »
Famed reggae radio station Irie FM is currently off the air. Irie FM is one of Jamaica’s leading radio stations whose mantra is fixated on the promotion of authentic reggae music. Sadly some listeners, both users of the FM band and those who connect through the station’s paid platform reported hours of dead air, which resulted from an internal strike. The strike was initiated on Tuesday evening fo... »
Vybz Kartel found himself in serious trouble after correctional officers searched his prison cell and uncovered a cellphone, which is a banned item. Vybz Kartel fans are running to his defense as authorities launched an investigation following news that he was live on Instagram. It’s no surprise that “Kartel” was trending on Twitter all of last night. What else would you expect after the incarcera... »
Elephant Man is looking at some possible jail time for lying to Immigration about COVID-19 A few days ago, dancehall deejay Elephant Man took to social media to share his side of the story about what happened at the Sangsters International airport that eventually led to him being sought after by the Minister of Health and law enforcement. Elephant Man also apologized profusely in his videos for fa... »
