Veteran dancehall artiste Frankie Sly has stepped into the simmering fallout between Buju Banton and Wayne Wonder, releasing a pointed new single, Dutty Heart, that lays bare old wounds and highlights broken friendship. There have been tension between Buju Banton and Wayne Wonder amid renewed questions over the authorship of the 1993 hit Murderer. Frankie Sly insists it was a collective effort, ma... »
Four Jamaican athletes, including Olympic champion Roje Stona, have been denied approval to switch allegiance to Turkey following a ruling by the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel. Also affected are Rajindra Campbell, Jaydon Hibbert and Wayne Pinnock, all of whom had submitted requests to represent the European nation in international competitions. The decision, announced on Thursday, follo... »
The Reform UK political party has pointed out that it would block visas for nationals of countries pursuing slavery reparations, including Jamaica from Britain if it enters government. The proposal would apply across all visa categories, including work and visitor permits. Party leader Nigel Farage has backed the stance, while home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf described reparations demands as “i... »
New champions were crowned at this year’s GraceKennedy ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships,. Edwin Allen High School dethroned defending champions Hydel to secure their 11th title, while Jamaica College (JC) got the better of defending champions Kingston College (KC) to claim their 23rd. It was wire-to-wire victories for both teams, who led from the opening day. After 4... »
The management and legal representatives of Buju Banton have issued a formal statement rejecting what they describe as false and defamatory claims circulating on social media, as tensions continue to build Buju and his longtime friend Wayne Wonder. In a legal notice distributed to media houses on Monday, attorneys representing the Grammy-winning artiste, born Mark Anthony Myrie, stated that the al... »
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – Design consultants are currently on the island engaging with key stakeholders to obtain the requisite inputs necessary to inform and finalise the concept design for the redevelopment of the National Stadium, says minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, Olivia Grange while addressing the official launch of the 2026 ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Athletics... »
Reggae Sumfest 2026 will not be held at its home in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay. Instead, the festival heads to a new venue, Plantation Cove in St Ann for this year’s staging, for what the organisers say will be a one-off, one-night event, even as they emphasise that MoBay is its home. “A Taste of Reggae Sumfest [will be] a special one-night experience that will take place at Plantation Cove. It’s... »
Dancehall artistes Vybz Kartel and Mavado are set to share the Reggae Sumfest stage on July 18, 2026, at Plantation Cove in St Ann. The former dancehall rivals who led a pivotal period in Jamaica’s dancehall history, the Gully and Gaza clash at Sting, are set to share the stage once more. This was announced by the event’s organisers in a social media post on Friday. “A decade of rivalry… a lifetim... »
At the start of 2026, Jamaica recorded 33 murders for the month of January, the lowest figure logged since the country began keeping disaggregated monthly crime data in 2001. The number mirrors a notable shift in the island’s crime pattern at the opening of the year. Compared with January 2025, when 74 murders were recorded, the latest total represents a 55 per cent reduction. In numerical terms, ... »
The wife of a pastor at a mid-sized church says she ran a secret women’s group inside the church without her husband’s knowledge for several years, highlighting that all sort of sexual activities would take place in the compound of the church without most people of the church knowing. According to the wife, the group operated under the appearance of prayer, counselling and women’s ministry session... »
Jahneil Ballentine, the son of incarcerated Dancehall artiste Ninjaman, reportedly fell unconscious in his prison cell and later was diagnosed with a stroke Ballentine, 38, is currently being held at the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, where he was moved to the facility’s medical dorm following the incident. Correctional sources have indicated that arrangements are being made to transfer h... »
Jamaica will be represented by three bobsleigh sleds at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina after confirming qualification through the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation rankings. The latest quota allocation sees the island matching its participation level from Beijing 2022, with entries confirmed in the monobob, two-man and four-man events. Mica Moore earned Jamaica’s pla... »
What would Dancehall look like without the influence and endeavours of Bounty Killer in the genre? Well, as a starter, there would be an absence of at least 10 artistes who we have grown to love over the years. He has been directly influential or indirectly influential in the career of over a dozen popular artistes, starting with ‘Scare Dem Crew’ which was originated in his home community of Seavi... »
A day after Vybz Kartel’s 50th birthday, former member of the Gaza Crew, Sikka Rymes who was labelled as the Gaza vice-president up until a few years ago is continuing his condemnation of his former boss and crew members including Shawn Storm and Mad Suss. In an interview released on Thursday, Sikka details that he initially was working with Shawn Storm, bringing him food items and doing other dee... »
Bounty Killer has been consistent in recent weeks about his support for Masicka and lack of support for members of the Gaza circle including Tommy Lee Sparta who he had a lyrical feud with in the past. Days before Christmas, he answered to a comment of someone asking him, if himself and Vybz Kartel are on good terms, he stated, “I would like to know as well bcuz I said I rather Masicka over Tammy ... »
Organisers of the long-running Rebel Salute music festival announced that the event will not be staged in Jamaica in 2026, citing the far-reaching impact of Hurricane Melissa on planning and logistics. The decision was confirmed in an official statement released Wednesday morning, December 24. According to the organisers, the scale of disruption caused by the hurricane made it impossible to meet t... »
Jamaica has received a contingent of military engineers and medical professionals from the Republic of Ghana to assist with ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts following the impact of Hurricane Melissa in late October. The team, 54 in total, comprising 49 army engineers and five medical doctors, arrived on the island on December 18. The group was welcomed at Norman Manley International Airport... »
Miss Universe Jamaica 2025, Gabrielle Henry, has issued her first public statement since returning to the island after sustaining serious injuries during the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Thailand. The 28-year-old shared the message on social media on Friday, thanking supporters and outlining her focus on recovery. “In a time that calls for stillness and healing, I am grateful to be in Jamaica and... »
Sprint legend Usain Bolt has partnered with sponsor Puma to donate J$5 million each to St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) and his alma mater William Knibb Memorial High in Trelawny to aid in their recovery following Hurricane Melissa. Both schools were significantly damaged during the passage of the powerful Category 5 storm in late October. STETHS, located in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, su... »
Wednesday, November 19, 2025, a special press briefing on Hurricane Melissa damages and recovery efforts, hosted by Sen. Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon was livestreamed via JIS. During the briefing, an estimated damage figure in US dollars was provided to viewers, Prime Minister Holness also gave a lengthy speech on recovery efforts and strategies, highlighting that getting back to some form of no... »
journalist Andrew Williams reported that the son of Mavado, Dantay Brooks is in police custody. Notably, Dantay was released from prison this year after spending several years behind bars. Hence, news of his arrest again has been drawing attention online. The caption for the social media post reads, “Breaking Dante Brooks, son of dancehall giant Mavado is currently in police custody.” It continues... »
“This is a powerful major Hurricane, it is heading for Jamaica,” says meteorologist Brian Shields, while talking on the latest updates regarding the system that’s just south of Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa which has turned into a category 4 system is expected to hit the island as a category 4 or category 5 in coming hours, moving slowly from south to north. The entire island is expected to be effect... »
Minister Marion Hall, formerly known as Dancehall artiste Lady Saw, shared deeply personal details about her past during her regular Wednesday livestream. Now a pastor at The Holy Ghost Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ, Hall used the session to speak candidly about her first sexual encounter, which she revealed was a “rape” that occurred when she was in her late teens. Dressed in a white gown an... »
Jamaica’s population is around 2,774,538, representing a 2.8 per cent increase over the 2011 census figure, according to newly released data from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN). However, the national census results reveal that the country’s population growth has slowed significantly, with declining birth rates, higher deaths, and increased migration contributing to the trend. Speaki... »
On Friday, October 3, the home of veteran Dancehall star Sheldon Lawrence, popularly known as Aidonia, was searched during a major police operation in St Andrew. The early morning raid, carried out by the St Andrew North Police at around 5 a.m., formed part of a wider crackdown targeting illegal firearms in the area. Several properties were searched during the coordinated operation, including the ... »
Jamaica’s Sport Minister Olivia Grange is satisfied with the mounting of the statue of legendary sprinter Usain Bolt at Falmouth’s historic Water Square. Jamaica’s Sport Minister Olivia Grange is satisfied with the mounting of the statue of legendary sprinter Usain Bolt at Falmouth’s historic Water Square, which was promised since 2019. While the statue has already been installed, the official unv... »
Former Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is living with dementia. The confirmation came from her husband and long-time confidant, Errald Miller, during a rare and emotional recent interview. The revelation, made on the 17th of September, coincided with Simpson Miller being honoured with one of Cuba’s highest accolades, the Medal of Friendship, presented at the Cuban Embassy in Kingston... »
On Tuesday, September 9, Jamaica tackled Trinidad and Tobago in the CONCACAF FIFA World Cup qualifiers, inside Jamaica National Stadium in Kingston. The Reggae Boyz secured a 2–0 victory and these are the highlights. »
With the general election set for September 3, the political energy across the country is strong as people openly show support for their political party of choice. One party that continues to receive strong backing from many Jamaican entertainers is the People’s National Party (PNP). Over the years, many well known Jamaicans who are not politicians from entertainment, business, sports, and other s... »
With Jamaica’s general election set for Wednesday, September 3, the role of Dancehall entertainers in local politics has once again come to the forefront. While the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is not traditionally known for having widespread support from the top names in Dancehall, the party does have a handful of artistes who have shown loyalty to the “green team.” However, when it comes to the Pe... »
Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that Jamaicans will head to the polls on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. The long-anticipated declaration came on Sunday night, August 10, during a massive Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) rally at Half-Way Tree, where thousands of supporters gathered in a sea of green to hear their leader set the stage for the upcoming political showdown. The announcement follows S... »
Veteran Dancehall artiste, Baby Cham is currently grieving the loss of his Mother. The ‘Ghetto Story’ hitmaker confirmed the news in a series of posts in memory of his Mother on Monday, August 4. One of the posts captioned, “The Most Beautiful Human Being I Know, ONE DON MAMA JENNIE. May Jehovah Prepare A Place For You, I’m Gonna Miss You So Much . One Don, Mama Jennie I Love You With All My Bo... »
One of the many pillars of Jamaican culture is family, some are more about it than others. However, male Dancehall and Reggae artistes, specifically, have been known and stereotyped to have a large amount of children, usually with more than one partner. This was highlighted by a post, recent published on Instagram by Reggae artiste Nesbeth. This post shows a number of Dancehall icons and legends a... »
Vybz Kartel is officially the King of Dancehall. The Jamaican legend received his crown at the 2025 staging of Reggae Sumfest. Almost a year after his release from prison, Vybz Kartel solidified his legacy in Jamaican music as the King of Dancehall. The Queen of Dancehall, Spice, was on hand to crown Kartel early Saturday morning, July 19, on Night one of the iconic reggae festival. The Por... »
Tuesday morning, iconic Reggae singer Jah Cure made his first post on Instagram since 2025, with his previous post being about six months ago in October 2024 when he celebrated his last birthday, dubbing the occasion, the best birthday one could have behind bars. For his new post, he shared a video clip of Vybz Kartel singing to multiple of his songs and shouting him praises for his singing abilit... »
