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... »
Beenie Man’s fiancéé Camille Lee celebrated her birthday recently and the festivities involved a grand dinner attended by close family members and loved ones. The ‘Girls Dem Sugar’ seemingly made the speech of the night, one that lasted for multiple minutes. Scenes from the occasion were shared to social media in a 4 minutes and 56-second video that had a caption, written by Camille, “Thank you to... »
Buju Banton gave a short and spicy performance at ‘Rise And Toast’ party, where he called out the prime minister and continues the saga about packages being stolen by authorities. Banton who is a known supporter of the People’s National Party, used the occasion to respond to a speech he heard from the Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Andrew Holness regarding videos of various people handing out care packa... »
Dancehall artiste Squash, born Andrae Whittaker, is set to be sentenced in Florida on Monday, 24 November 2025, but new details emerging from his legal proceedings reveal that his father was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to court filings submitted by Squash’s attorney, Samuel Rabin, the elder Whittaker was taken into custody on 5 September inside the lobby o... »
Bounty Killer via his Bounty Foundation in association with Dj Khaled’s ‘We The Best Foundation’ and his Manger pooled together to raise 8 million JMD which was donated to four different hospitals affected by Hurricane Melissa in four different western parishes. The following hospitals received two million dollars each: The Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth, Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospi... »
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... »
The Government of Jamaica has placed the preliminary estimate of damage from Hurricane Melissa between US$6 billion and US$7 billion, equivalent to roughly 28 to 32 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) for the 2024/2025 fiscal year. Prime Minister Andrew Holness provided the update in Parliament on Tuesday, noting that the impact of the Category 5 system would likely slow economi... »
As many notable Jamaicans within the entertainment industry rally to help those most in need following Hurricane Melissa, Vybz Kartel is the latest to step forward with plans to assist many Jamaicans who has suffered from the devastating impact of the category 5 system that has so far left 19 person dead on the island. Romeich, Ding Dong, Spice, Jahvy, 450, Shaggy, Sean Paul, Bounty Killer and Fli... »
Jamaica is facing widespread devastation following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, one of the worst Hurricane the island faced, with preliminary assessments estimating damages between US$5 billion and US$16 billion. The Category 5 storm made landfall on Tuesday, October 28, leaving a trail of destruction across several western parishes, including St Elizabeth, Manchester, Westmoreland, Hanover, ... »
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... »
20 years ago, on January 20, 2005, Gerald Levy, more popularly known as Bogle, was shot and killed. Following his death, multiple rumours began circulating, and several theories remain today. The Jamaican dancer was the originator of several culturally iconic Dancehall moves like the Wacky Dip and the Willy Bounce. According to a newly released video on the true-crime podcast Watson’s World, befor... »
The Jamaican sprint legend and his family are mourning the death of the family patriarch. According to the Jamaica Observer, Wellesley Bolt passed away on Monday, March 31, following a lengthy battle with an unknown illness. Usain Bolt has not yet released a statement confirming his father’s passing, but sources told Urban Islandz he is saddened by the news. “He (Usain Bolt) and the entire family ... »
Dancehall artist Kiprich is wanted by police amid a flare-up of violence in St. Catherine. Kiprich, whose real name is Marlon Plunkett, was named among almost a dozen men as persons of interest in a bulletin released on Friday (February 7) by the St Catherine North police division. It’s unclear if the dancehall veteran has turned himself into the police yet. However, law enforcement officials are ... »
In a startling revelation, two prominent Jamaicans—a celebrated entertainer and a renowned athlete—discovered in 2024 that they were not the biological fathers of the children they had been raising. This revelation has reignited debates on paternity fraud and its emotional and familial consequences, prompting calls for legislative action. Heroy Clarke, Member of Parliament for St. James Central, h... »
Retired Olympic legend Usain Bolt is still grappling with the loss of millions of USD from 2023, following his involvement with the fraudulent investment firm Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL). Bolt was one of more than 70 reported victims in a scheme involving tens of millions(USD) in fraud that spanned more than a decade. Being the most vocal of the victims, on Saturday morning, Bolt revealed ... »
