During the United Nation’s periodic review of Jamaica’s human rights records in Switzerland today. several calls came for the country to change its laws in relation to vulnerable groups. Representatives from the United States, Sweden and Canada, came in today, May 13, for the country to act on laws which are believed to be infringing on the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders. The... »
Vybz Kartel could be forced to wait a few years before getting his first airing in the Jamaica court of appeal. Kartel is currently serving a life sentence after being convicted for murder last year. Sources close to the “Dancehall Hero” deejay told Urban Islandz that the deejay’s lawyers are gearing up for a major showdown and are gunning for a new trial amidst some revelation of juror misconduct... »
What better way to mourn the death of your wife than to have Ishawna bounce her ass-ets on you on stage. Ishawna and her boss Joe Bogdanovich has refueled rumors that they are an item after the above photo went viral on social media last weekend. The Downsound Records head is mourning the death of his wife, Toya, who passed away in Miami last week from her long battle with diabetes. Toya an... »
Jamaica comes in at number 5 on the Homicide Monitor Map by the Igarape Institute of Brazil which reveals the global distribution of homicidal violence. Latin America and the Caribbean dominate the top 10 spots on the state-of-the art interactive map, with three Caribbean countries, namely Anguilla, US Virgin Islands and Jamaica comprising the Caribbean contingent. On Jamaica, the report notes, “I... »
GraceKennedy Company is urging customers to ignore calls or text messages claiming they have won cash and other prizes from the company. The company said “unscrupulous persons’ posing as GraceKennedy representatives have requested that members of the public send cash or phone credit in order to redeem prizes. In a press release the conglomerate advised the public that GraceKennedy does not require... »
50 Cent is being accused of letting his goons pistol whipping a jeweler who wanted to sell him some very expensive jewelry. TMZ is reporting that Robert Marin, who owns LAX Jewelry Co., was in Las Vegas on Floyd Mayweather fight weekend to sell 50 Cent a watch and a chain worth $250,000. Martin said 50 Cent crew invited him to meet up at Mayweather’s gym in Vegas and offer he did not refused. The ... »
Selector Oneil ‘Foota Hype’ Thomas had the mothers of his children on his mind on Sunday, Mother’s Day. In honour of Mother’s Day, Foota Hype took to Instagram and offered shout-outs to his “babymothers” including dancehall artiste Ishawna, who he had a bitter split with last year following accusations of infidelity. “Delivering a child is not easy so if its even for that 1 reason i have to say ha... »
Published:Friday | May 8, 2015 Livern Barrett Jamaican investigators have taken possession of a little over US$300,000 or approximately J$35 million belonging to drug kingpin Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke and are on the hunt for more. The Financial Investigations Division (FID) revealed yesterday that the cash, which was being held in accounts Coke had at two local financial institutions, w... »
After returning home from Las Vegas for his birthday celebration earlier this week, Chris Brown found a naked woman laying in his bed. The singer called the cops who carted off the female to jail. Brown told his fans on Instagram that the female broke into his home and was there for days and even cooked and spray paint his cars and kitchen. 21-year-old, Amira Kodcia Ayeb, was eventually charged wi... »
A member of dancehall group Merital Family was shot and killed in Montego Bay on Thursday night. He is Derrick Edwards, popularly known as Corey. The four-man group – Corey, Duwain Samuels, Noel Mason (Blade) and Trovoy Keneale Bracket – from Flankers was once part of incarcerated dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel’s Portmore Empire and shot to fame in 2010 with the single My Money Ha Ha. Corey’s Faceb... »
Foota Hype has moved on from his estranged ex-girlfriend Ishawna with his new boo who is also pregnant. The veteran sound system selector host a huge baby shower for his expecting baby mother last week at Auto Vision on 8 Hill View Avenue in Kingston. Foota Hype already has a son with Downsound Recording artist Ishawna and now he is expecting a daughter with his new girlfriend. “I have twins, but ... »
Jamaican dancehall recording artiste Toya – wife of popular businessman and CEO of Downsound Records Joe Bogdanovich – has died. It is understood that Toya died early this morning at an undisclosed facility in the US, after struggling with an ongoing illness. The couple have one son together. Toya, who was born Latoya Alicia Jackson, was also managed by her husband Bogdanovich and had a successful... »
Krave The Band made its Kadooment debut in Barbados’ Crop Over festival in 2014 as an ultra-premium, star-studded experience and, based on its 2015 launch on May 2 in Barbados, band leader Avery Hackett intends to keep it that way. Reigning Miss Universe Jamaica, Kaci Fennell, was the final model to hit the stage, wearing a stunning individual piece entitled ‘Diamond in the Rough’. Also modelling ... »
Suge Knight will not be getting no help from Floyd Mayweather to get out of jail. The former Death Row Records head is still sitting in a Los Angeles jail on a murder charge. A judge set his bail at a whopping $25 million before reducing it to $10 million. “My understanding is that Suge is going to be bailed out this coming week,” Matthew Fletcher (Suge Knight Lawyer) told the New York Dail... »
Floyd Mayweather baby mama Josie Harris wants a chunk of his big pay day because she is suing him for a whopping $20 million. Mayweather could bank upwards of $200 million from his fight against arch rival Manny Pacquiao last Saturday night. But just two weeks before the big fight, that turned out to be not so impressive after the hype, Mayweather did an interview with Katie Couric where he reveal... »
International dancehall star Sean Paul has high praises for American television personality Nick Cannon, who is on the island directing his highly-anticipated ‘King of The Dancehall’ movie. Sean Paul spoke to Loop News on the weekend after shooting a scene for the movie. “Being in the ‘King of The Dancehall’ movie shoot was amazing – getting to perform “take it low” which is on my own full speed R... »
Reggae artiste I-Octane will kick off the first leg of his school tour under the theme ‘Uplifting the Island’s Children’. The first stop will be at the Marcus Garvey High School in St Ann on Tuesday, May 5. Aiming to host what he calls ‘a school tour with a difference’, I Octane wants to use the opportunity to interact with young minds in a meaningful way and give them a life-changing experience. ... »
More details are beginning to surfaced surrounding the controversial guilty verdict in Vybz Kartel’s high profile murder case. Accused corrupt juror Livingston Cain was back in the Jamaican high court last week for his ongoing trial on charges to pervert the course of justice after he allegedly tried to bribe the jury forewoman and other members. Cain’s defense attorney Valerie Neita-Robertson gri... »
Gully Bop has no love for Gutty Bling or Alkaline at least from what we’ve seen in this video. Bop was having a good time with some friends drinking and smoking while on tour in the UK when he launched into a rant about Gutty Bling and Alkaline. “One big idiot boy from Jamaica bout him name Gutty Bling, I don’t even know the boy from anywhere talking about him want to manage me,” Gully Bop rant. “... »
Legendary soul singer Ben E. king has died at the age of 76. The singer is best known for his classic hit “Stand By Me.” According to TMZ, King passed away on Thursday at his home in New Jersey. Details surrounding his death are not known but he suffered from some sort of heart condition. The single “Stand By Me” made it to Billboard Top 10 in 1961 before returning to the music chart in the 1980s.... »
A corrupt juror in Vybz Kartel’s high profile murder trial, Livingston Cain, was reportedly angry with other jurors after he was not selected to be the foreman. Cain was back in the Jamaican high court today for his ongoing perverting the course of justice trial. The corrupt juror was arrested moments after the verdict was read in court and charged with one count of attempting to pervert the cours... »
Police officers dealt the defense a big blow today in the Vybz Kartel corrupt juror trial. On Wednesday cops told the court that they were unable to provide cellphone data critical to the case. The prosecutor in the trial said that she received the letter for the police department this morning but could not provide any more details. Last month, a judge made a ruling in the ongoing juror corruption... »
Barbadian authorities have launched an investigation into an incident involving St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves at the Grantley Adams International Airport. Gonsalves was reportedly headed back home from Guyana and was due to connect on a LIAT flight when he was not recognised. He was ordered by a female G4S officer to return for further screening after his bag went off during his initia... »
Dubai is fast emerging as a hot spot for Jamaican music. Much of this popularity can be credited to Beachfest, a monthly dancehall/reggae event. First held in 2013, Beachfest is the brainchild of promoter Kenya Don, a Kenyan native who has booked reggae acts for shows in Africa for close to a decade. On Saturday, deejay Elephant Man will perform on the latest Beachfest which takes place at XL Beac... »
St Ann’s York Castle High emerged winner of the National Secondary School’s Debating Competition, edging St Mary High to take the title. The moot for the final was “This House believes that payola is an appropriate tool for advancing in the music industry.” York Castle opposed the moot. The USAID-funded National Integrity Action (NIA) partnered with Burger King and other sponsors in staging the 20... »
