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... »
Foota Hype is still incarcerated in the United States. Apart from being a dancehall disc jockey, Foota Hype is also known for his regular social media commentary on the hot topic floating around in the news, especially when it involved Jamaicans. The latter is one of those things that has surely been missed by his social media followers since he was arrested by United States Immigration and Custom... »
Dancehall artiste Oneal Byran, better known as Elephant Man, is currently being investigated on the basis of false declaration to immigration, following his return to Jamaica. A whistleblower in the form of an immigration worker sounded the alarm to the public by releasing a recording describing what the Elephant Man allegedly did. The public immediately called out the deejay for his actions, prom... »
Jamaica’s carnival celebrations have been postponed by six months to October as a safety measure against the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the island. Kamal Bankay, Chairman of the Carnival in Jamaica stakeholders committee, made the announcement on Friday, after the number of COVID-19 cases in the island quadrupled overnight to eight. Bankay said the road march, originally s... »
Dancehall veteran, Lady G, is carrying out the finishing touches on her tell-all book chronicling her 30-year musical journey, which is set to be released before the end of this year. According to Lady G, the book, which has no definitive title or release date as yet, will reveal what she describes as the “good and bad side” of the music business. Nevertheless, she says she wants readers to walk a... »
BY HOWARD CAMPBELL Observer senior writer Roy “DJ Roy” Walters of Irie Jam Radio (third from left) with (from left) Kabaka Pyramid, Christopher Ellis and Vershon at Tuff Gong studios in Kingston. Irie Jam Radio conducted a series of artiste interviews as part of its Reggae Month activities in Jamaica. A four-man team from Irie Jam Radio in Queens, New York, visited Jamaica in February to report on... »
Pharrell Williams and Buju Banton might have some new music on the way. The late 90s and the early 2000s were glorious times for both hip hop and dancehall music. Big facts. The era produced timeless tracks that are still bumping in the clubs to this day. While the artistes are the ones who are usually praised in the public domain, it is the early grunt work of other persons such as the producers ... »
Rap superstar Lil Kim recently underwent a series of new plastic surgery procedures, according to new social media reports. And yesterday, MTO News obtained pics of Lil Kim’s new and improved face and body. Social media reports say that Kim recently had a Brazilian Butt Lift, and some new lip injections. Lil Kim, real name Kimberly Denise Jones, is one of the greatest female rappers in histo... »
Soca superstar Machel Montano invited thousands of fans to watch him get married in a grand finale concert. Machel Montano is well known for his annual concert event in Trinidad called Machel Monday. The exciting yearly extravaganza that has been ongoing for the last decade came to a ceremonious close this week when Machel hosted the final staging and ended with a wedding on stage in front of his ... »
Social media personality Amari “DJ Mona Lisa”, known for her tumultuous relationship with dancehall star Gully Bop, is calling it quits with the deejay. Why? She has given her life to Christ. “I am over Gully Bop. He is not trustworthy but I will always care about him,” she said. She got baptised over two months ago after going through a particularly rough patch in her life. “I ... »
