BOB MARLEY GRAMMY "TRIBUTE" 2013

Let me first start off by saying, this was a proud moment for every Jamaican, reggae lover and fan, Bob Marley fan, and Caribbean as a whole. Jamaica stamped the official seal of approval on the 2013 Grammys, and for this, we are ecstatic! On the stage was the legendary Sting, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Ziggy Marley, and I think Damian "Jr Gong" Marley was there, but his appearance was so fast I could have blinked and missed it. I'm being sarcastic, he was there, and did a wonderful, quick, performance.
However, as proud as I am that Bob Marley was saluted, I have to be honest and say that I feel the performance was rushed, and poorly executed. Let me elaborate. While Ziggy and Jr Gong Marley represented for their father well, where was Stephen Marley?? As much as I love Rihanna, where was Lauren Hill? Let's be real here, she had the hit re-make of his infamous song "Turn Your Lights Down Low". Bob Marley has 11 (known) children, and to only have 2 on a tribute to him in my opinion was an insult. Now let's be clear, their could possibly be many politics behind why these things didn't happen, but since they didn't, I have the right to speak on it.
There are so many other influential artist that should have been on that stage to tribute the great Bob Marley. For starters, his many other musician children, Spragga Benz... the list goes on. This is no disrespect to Bruno Mars, and Riri, but being of Caribbean decent doesn't seem like enough to grace the stage to pay tribute to a legend such as Bob Marley. There should have been a medley of his hit songs.. why were we drowned with a mere few?
I was told by a facebook follower to be happy with the little "they gave us Jamaicans". I feel differently. Bob Marley gave the world, way more than a little. He gave us his life. And I feel he deserved more than what was given to him last night. As influential as an artist and person as he was, he deserved triple the time that tribute was allotted, and quadruple the artist that paid homage. I was very vocal about my views on facebook and twitter last night;

I was asked "ok you wanted to hear the marley acted a fool then next thing you know dem start talk pure thing and never invite us bk to the grammy ,not a good look sometimes we have to be humble remember that ,,,,,there father is a legend thats enough ."

My response was "Demanding what you deserve and is rightfully due is not acting a fool, it's being assertive, BIG DIFFERENCE, that's mental slavery thinking ... Executives do it in business suits in offices every day all day... because dem a Rasta it's considered "acting a fool" NOOOOOOO MAAM! Granted... I cant say they did or didn't fight for it , or ask for it, I'm just basing my thoughts on what I saw.. But like really, Bob Marley have what 11 kids, all musicians, and 2 alone on the stage for HIS TRIBUTE..."

I can't help but to think back to other "Tributes" on the Grammys and other award shows and the amount of production, time and effort that was put into it. Michael Jackson's tribute was a epic production, worth a thousand words. For this, I am speechless.

Bob Marley deserved more. Case closed, deal done. I will not change my opinion or views on that FACT. I am grateful, and danced to every minute of it. But when will we stop accepting the pittance mainstream America wants to give our Jamaican artist??

-PRGirlAngel

SCORN DEM! The Princess of Dancehall Spice

Grace "Spice" Hamilton has been dominating the dancehall world since her arrival in 2000 on the stage of Sting. From then till now it is clear, Spice has never been phased by controversy, war, propaganda and the ever changing music business. She declared her position as Princess of Dancehall and has certainly held on tight to her tiara. Spice is known for her witty, controversial, lethal lyrics, lyrical war, talking whatever is on her mind "TALK DI TINGS DEM" and undeniable sexiness.

Spice hails from the Old Braeton community in St. Catherine Jamaica. Although she loved music, early on, Spice never had plans on a career in music. At the time she was too busy focusing on school. In fact, Spice graduated fifth form with all of eight subjects. With a career in chartered accounting in mind and plans to go on to sixth form, at some point, Spice decided she would much rather focus on a music career. She then enrolled in Edna Manley School for the Visual and Performing Arts to do voice and drama.

Her big break came in 1999 when she appeared on a show Nuffy had on JACS cable titled "Many Moods of Nuffy". The feedback from her appearance was both positive and pleasingly overwhelming. Her friends convinced her that this was her calling. And she answered the call. Spice quickly went from singing to deejaying.

In 2000 Heavy D from Supreme Promotions caught a glimpse of Spice deejaying and didn't hesitate to give her the opportunity to perform at Sting 2000. That was a career defining moment for the deejay.

 A few years later, 2002, Spice toured England with Ward 21 and Baby Cham. Without even a hit record, Spice captured and amazed the fans and earned the respect of Baby Cham. Unfortunately for Spice, she did not have the links to establish herself as the talented deejay she was. Baby Cham later introduced her to Dave Kelly when they returned to Jamaica. She went on to release her first single on the Mad House label, ‘Mi Gone’ on the Pretty Pretty rhythm which did well both locally and overseas. That same year she returned to the Sting stage taking on Elephant Man in the prime of his career with a performance could not be challenged as anything less than a complete TAKEOVER!

Spice went on to later record other songs for Dave Kelly. One of her biggest hits "Fight Over Man" created a rave in the dancehall, and left her permanent mark as the reining Princess of Dancehall.
Spice has went on to clash many other artist on Sting such as Beenie Man, as well has recording many other songs and collaborations with many artist such as Missy Elliot, Maya, Pamputae, Vybz Kartel, Tifa and more.

Currently Spice has found herself in the middle of a war of words from Sting 2012 where she was scheduled to clash Macka Diamond, however Macka Diamond did not show up for the show. She then was accused of making a diss song with Tifa aimed at fellow artist Lady Saw. However, despite the controversy Spice is remaining on top of her game. She has a hit song "Why You Mad?" ft Tifa, still operates her store, Spicey Couture where she sells woman clothes, shoes and accessories. She is a proud mother, still touring, still writing, and expanding her brand. It's clear we have seen greatness but the best is still yet to come from Grace Spice Hamilton. Check out her latest single "Suh Tight"

SPICE - "TIGHT SUH"

http://facebook.com/spice.hamilton
https://www.facebook.com/SpiceOfficially
Twitter & Instagram: @SpiceOfficial
Bookings scorndemproductions@gmail.com or  prgirlangel@gmail.com

 

Christopher 'Dudus' Coke to Serve 23-year US Jail Term

Jamaica's most notorious gang leader, who provoked a virtual state of war in Kingston two years ago when he resisted arrest in the barricaded neighbourhood he ran as his own personal fiefdom, has been sentenced to spend 23 years in a federal US prison.
Christopher "Dudus" Coke, 43, was sentenced by a federal judge in New York after he pleaded guilty last August to charges that included trafficking more than 3 tonnes of marijuana and 30lb (14kg) of cocaine to the US. The drug lord was also ordered to pay $1.5m in forfeiture of profits from his global trafficking operation that was centred on Kingston, Miami and New York.
"With his conviction, Coke is no longer able to traffick drugs in the
US, move guns across our border, or terrorize people, and with today's sentence, he will now spend a very long time in prison for his crimes," said Preet Bharara, US attorney for Manhattan.
Coke's sentencing brings to a formal end his violent reign that last almost 20 years with the complicity of Jamaican political interests. Before he gave himself up in June 2010 he had been on the US department of justice's list of the world's most dangerous drug traffickers.
He ran the neighbourhood of Tivoli Gardens on the west side of Kingston as a sort of walled military encampment within which his rule was unchallenged. Through his gang, the Shower Posse – a reference to its members fondness for spraying people with bullets – aka the Presidential Click, he ran a state within a state.
He had his own small army of up to 200 soldiers, and a makeshift jail in which he dispensed summary justice. He even organised schooling and sustenance for poor local families, rendering him at one level enormously popular.
In a hand-written letter submitted to the Manhattan court asking for leniency in his sentencing , Coke wrote: "I did a lot of charitable deeds and social services to help members of my community. I also host a lot of charity events such as an Easter treat for the elderly persons in my community."
But he was also brutal. Last month evidence was presented to the court in which one of Coke's former henchmen described how the gang leader would go into the jail run by the Shower Posse and dispatch rivals by cutting them up with a chain saw.
He is widely believed to have remained immune from the law for so long because of protection from leading Jamaican politicians. When the US asked for his extradition, the Jamaican government initially refused, only relenting in May 2010.
That in turn triggered a state of emergency in Kingston after the Jamaican army was sent in to Tivoli Gardens. Controversy continues to swirl two years later over the battle in which 73 civilians died .
Going by the names of Dudus, Presi, Bossy and Shortman, Coke was born into a life of violent crime. He inherited control of the Shower Posse from his father, Lester, under whose leadership the gang was alleged to have carried out more than 1,000 murders.
The Cokes have reaped what they sewed, however. Two of Christopher Coke's brothers, a sister and his father all died violently, Lester Coke in a fire that mysteriously broke out in his prison cell as he was awaiting extradition.
At the end of his sentence, Coke will be deported to Jamaica, at which point he faces retribution of another nature.

article courtesy of Ed Pilkington of "the guardian"

We Give You Our New Florida Correspondent * PRgirlangel *

We Give You Our New Florida Correspondent * PRgirlangel *

VYBZ KARTEL CHARGED WITH MURDER

Adijah Palmer, popularly known as Vybz Kartel has a new look, and could possibly have a new life. The deejay was arrested September 29, and has been held and questioned in Kingston since then. Initially, he was to be charged with marijuana possession, which was found in the hotel room where he was arrested in New Kingston. After an ongoing investigation, which included seizing of property, random homes being search, some of which Kartel owned, some of which he frequented, Charges have since been upgraded to murder, conspiracy to murder, and illegal possession of a firearm. One report stated a body was found in one of these homes, half burned, and partially decomposed.

A preliminary hearing will take place today at the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate's Court, the police said.

A SAD DAY IN REGGAE MUSIC, BUJU BANTON CONVICTED ON 3 COCAINE RELATED CHARGES

Tuesday Feb. 22, 2011, 2:30pm, as Tweets and Facebook updates from various artist and fans of Buju Banton fills time lines, it's clear this has to be the saddest day in reggae music in some time.
Mr. Vegas tweets, "Sad day in music!!!!!!!! Buju guilty",
Macka Diamond tweets, "Sad"
Babyface of King Addies tweets, "DEM BATTTTTTTTTTTTTYBWOY DEM STARRRRRRRRRRRR, TIL SHILOH WE CHANT RASTAFARI'S NAME.....",
Dancehall.mobi tweets, simply "wow".

It's been a long road for Buju in this drug conspiracy trial. The first trial ended in a hung jury, this second one seals Buju's fate.

Jamaica's reggae superstar Buju Banton, real name Mark Myrie, has been found guilty of three cocaine related charges.
A 12 member jury a short while ago delivered the verdict in the Sam M Gibbons building in Tampa which houses the United States Middle District Court, Florida Division.
Buju was tried last week on four charges.
Buju throughout the maintained he is innocent of the charges saying he play no part in any conspiracy to possess cocaine.
In denying the claims against him, Buju, though his attorney David Oscar Markus, argued that the artiste never became a willing participant of the cocaine conspiracy charged in the superseding indictment.
The defence said tasting the cocaine, talking about cocaine and simply being present at the warehouse is not sufficient to find Buju guilty of the crimes charged.
This trial, which began on February 14, was the second attempt of the US government to convict the Jamaican artiste. A first trial last year was declared a mistrial after jurors failed to arrive at a unanimous position.
Buju was arrested on December 10, 2009.
His long-time friend Ian Thomas and a James Mack were arrested the same day when they attempted to by cocaine from undercover detectives in a Florida warehouse. Thomas and Mack pleaded guilty but Buju denied the charges. He said he decided to fight in federal court because he knows he is innocent.
Source:http://go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=26680

ATTORNEY representing Reggae star Buju Banton, David Oscar Markus, has signalled his intention to appeal the guilty verdict that was handed down in the United States Sam Gibbons Federal Court today.Banton was declared guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilogrammes of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offence and using the wires to facilitate a drug-trafficking offence by a 12-member panel of jurors. However he was found not guilty of attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. The artiste hugged Markus when the verdict was read while many of his supporters left the courtroom crying. He has been detained and has had his bail revoked. Banton was arrested at his Tamarac home in South Florida in December 2009, a day after his co-defendants Ian Thomas and James Mack were arrested in a government controlled warehouse in Tampa, Florida attempting to buy cocaine from Drug Enforcement Agents. He was jailed for almost 11 months in the Pinellas County Jail and his first trial in September last year ended in a hung jury forcing US Judge Tom Moody to order a retrial.
The artiste has consistently pleaded his innocence and claims he was entrapped by the US government.
Source: jamaicansmusic.com

Updates as they become available.

DEVA BRATT EXONERATED ON ALL CHARGES!

Dancehall deejay Deva Bratt, was previously facing carnal abuse charges in two separates cases. Deva Bratt was arrested and imprisoned back in 2008 for several months for these cases, and always declared his innocence. At that time him and one time friend and musical partner Vybz Kartel began an all out war. Kartel released a song "I coulda neva tun a raper" dissing Deva Bratt. Upon Deva Bratts release he released a song "Judas" describing how Vybz Kartel had betrayed him in his time of despair. Since, Deva Bratt has separated himself from the Portmore Empire, and formed Krucial Konflict. He is no stranger to building solid musical foundations such as Portmore Empire, and with these charges finally dismissed, he can soar to the heights of no limit. Lyrically, Deva Bratt is one of the BEST artist in Jamaica hands down. He's known as the war personnel, so we'll have to look out for what's next.. Check him out at;
www.facebook.com/devabratt
www.myspace.com/devabratt
www.twitter.com/devabratt