Shaggy was instrumental in Sean Paul’s early career. The dancehall icon says Mutabaruka and Shaggy were the first ones to have shown interest in his musical talent back when he first started out in dancehall. During a recent interview with young DJs Amira and Kayla – two teenage bloggers on their online show Beats and Convo, Sean Paul praised DJs worldwide for the love and support they show to art... »
Kanye West reportedly cut off all communication with his soon-to-be ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Reality television star and executive producer Kim Kardashian from her husband of almost seven years, Kanye West, in February. Unfortunately for the long-admired couple, their relationship deteriorated in the public eye, and as it comes to an end, it seems to have come to a point where they are not even spe... »
Popcaan and Jah Cure beefing, and Foota Hype spilling the tea. International reggae recording artiste Jah Cure seems to have somehow found himself in the middle of another controversy if the rumors circulating are true. On Monday, news broke that the “Longing For” singer may have been involved in an altercation with “Unruly Boss” Popcaan. Popular selector and dancehall commentator Foota Hype, also... »
Jay-Z might be making moves with his recent sale of Tidal to Jack Dorsey’s Square, but that also means that his silent partners are also making a nice chump change with the sale. Jay-Z took home $297 million, but his co-owners also hit the jackpot when the sale was made. Among those who came together with HOV to buy Tidal in 2015 include his wife Beyonce, Rihanna, Damian Marley, Usher, Nicki Minaj... »
Legendary reggae singer Bunny Wailer has dies at age 73 Jamaica’s Culture Minister Olivia Grange confirmed the singer’s passing this morning. His cause of death was not revealed, but multiple sources confirmed that he passed away in the Medical Associates Hospital while getting treatment for an ailment. Bunny Wailer, whose real name is Neville O’Riley Livingston, had been in and out of the hospita... »
Vybz Kartel has donated JM$200,000 to a young boy battling stage 4 cancer. The incarceration of dancehall mogul Vybz Kartel has not stopped his musical output over the last decade, neither has it halted his charitable deeds. American-based DJ Lava’s Chat & Live show has risen as one of the go-to programs to tune into as persons await the resumption of normal outside activities. The show is kno... »
Lionel Richie sent fans scattering this week after he shared a photo of his young girlfriend. Fans couldn’t help but talk about the age gap between the singer, who is 71, and his girlfriend Lisa Parigi, who is said to be 30. The photo, which was initially shared to show his love and appreciation for Parigi for Valentine’s Day, started making the rounds on social media after fans caught wind of the... »
Kim Kardashian has officially filed for divorce from Kanye West while he is still wearing his wedding ring. This news should come as no surprise since things have been trending in that direction for the Wests. TMZ reported on Friday that Kim Kardashian has finally pulled the trigger and filed for divorce while asking for joint custody of their four children. Given that these two celebrities are su... »
U-Roy, the voice that pioneered the sound of reggae/dancehall in the 70s, has died. The Jamaican music legend passed away on Wednesday (February 17) at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) in Kingston. Sources told Urban Islandz that he had recently undergone surgery following an undisclosed illness. U-Roy, whose real name is Ewart Beckford OD, was age 78 at the time of his death. As ... »
Dancehall superstar Koffee turns 21 today! It is uncertain just how she will be celebrating it, especially with such tight Covid restrictions in Jamaica. What we know for sure is that she has posted three photos on her Instagram, one in her mother’s arms as a toddler, a solo photo as an infant, and a recent one of herself. The photo dump was blessed with a simple caption, “21”. The post has now ga... »
Brooklyn-based upcoming rapper Eazi Money says Jah Cure robbed him and he is showing the receipts and posting the voice notes on social media. The “Longing For” singer who has often been a controversial artiste in the Reggae music industry is again back in the headlines for the wrong reasons. This time he is accused of getting paid for completing a verse for a track and failing to do it. Recently ... »
The king of the Dancehall Moses Davis aka Beenie Man who was earlier summons by the St Elizabeth police with regards to illegal parties that were kept in the parish back in November and another on December 31st had his case mentioned in the St Elizabeth Parish Court yesterday. Beenie was brought before the court after he breached the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) and Noise Abatement Act. Mos... »
Every year on February 6, we celebrate the birth and life of a music and world culture legend. Born Robert Nesta Marley in St. Ann, Jamaica, on February 6, 1945, the iconic being that is Bob Marley was destined for a life of world renown and insurmountable accolades. He is undoubtedly the most famous person in the history of the human race to have had such a profound and immortal influence on the ... »
Tommy Lee Sparta was remanded in custody on Wednesday when he appeared in court. The Montego Bay-deejay appeared in the Gun Court in Kingston via Zoom video conference due to COVID-19 restrictions. The artiste’s attorney was unable to secure bond as the judge ruled to remand him in custody until his next court hearing set for March 24. Sources told Urban Islandz that he is gearing up to fight for ... »
Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival fans will have to wait a little longer for the event’s return to the local entertainment scene. Organisers announced Friday that the event, which was originally scheduled to be held virtually from January 28 to 30, has been rescheduled to March 4 to 6, 2021. This is in part due to COVID-19 concerns which prevented some international artistes from participatin... »
Mavado’s son Dante Brooks is to be sentenced in March after being found guilty of murder. Dante Brooks and Andre Hinds were convicted for the June 2018 murder of Lorenzo Thpmas in Home Circuit Court in Kingston on Wednesday (Jan. 27). The two men who pled guilty to the charges they faced were convicted for illegal possession of a firearm, shooting with intent, and arson. According to the Office of... »
Majah Hype was arrested and placed in jail in Cobb County, Georgia, on Thursday night. A copy of the charge sheet released on the internet shows that the popular comedian, whose name is Joseph Nigel Theron, was booked around 9:30 PM on felony kidnapping charges, one count of simple battery, which is a misdemeanor, and felony terroristic threats. The document also shows that Majah Hype was born in ... »
Beenie Man helped Dwyane Wade celebrate his 39th birthday in dancehall style. Beenie Man is proving that age is just a number and that he is still a very much requested entertainer. The veteran deejay recently shared that he was invited to be a guest performer at retired NBA player Dwyane Wade’s birthday celebration yesterday, Sunday, January 17. Early this morning, January 18, Beenie Man shared a... »
Beenie Man and Krystal Tomlinson announced their breakup. Beenie Man and Krystal Tomlinson are no longer together, as the politician and motivational speaker confirmed via her social media account that she has parted ways with the King of the Dancehall. They were previously engaged to be married and have a two-year-old daugther, Xiah. In January 2020, the couple had teased that they planned to ma... »
The verdict in the trial of Dante Brooks, the son of Dancehall Deejay Mavado, is expected to be handed down by the end of the month. Brooks’ Attorney-at-Law Peter Champagnie QC said the trial began on January 11, 2021, and is still in the prosecution stage. “The prosecution is still presenting its case, and the main witnesses are still being cross-examined. I can’t say for sure how long the trial ... »
Reggae Month 2021 is on despite the ongoing pandemic that has forced the cancellation of many similar events. Things look hopeful for the month-long celebration of one of Jamaica’s most famous creations. It will be organized by the Reggae Month Secretariat. That group is a collective of members from Jamaica’s ministries of tourism and culture, gender, entertainment and sports, and the Jamaica Regg... »
DELAWARE, United States (CMC) — United States President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday tapped a Caribbean American voting rights advocate for a senior US Department of Justice (DOJ) position. In a national television address, Biden named Kristen Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who grew up in Brooklyn, New York, as assistant attorney general for civil rights. If confirmed by the US Senate... »
Attorney-at-law Donahue Martin, who along with Queen’s Counsel Tom Tavares-Finson are representing dancehall entertainer Tommy Lee Sparta, has shared that their client did not appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Wednesday. “The short answer is the matter never went to court,” Martin told THE WEEKEND STAR. “The registrar called yesterday (Wednesday) to indic... »
The police are describing as a major success the result of a case in which a 35-year-old man, considered to be a major player in the lottery scamming scheme, was stripped of property valued at close to eight million and US$6,230. The man identified as Algrando Stewart of a Brissette Road address in Cambridge, St. James was also ordered to pay over $13 million to the crown following his guilty plea... »
The current coronavirus pandemic has forced many promoters around the world to get innovative. Many popular shows in Jamaica, like Reggae Sumfest and the Jamaica Festival Song Competition, have followed suit and added their own special touch. This will also be the case for the organizers of Rebel Salute. The show’s organizers, which is usually a two-day reggae festival, have officially announced t... »
