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11:49 pm in Entertainment News by Brian aka Bear
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O’Neil Edwards dies in hospital
8:39 pm in Entertainment News, Featured by Brian aka Bear
O’NEIL Edwards, a member of the singing group Voicemail, has died in hospital.
Edwards was critically wounded after he was shot several times as he attempted to enter his home at Belloc Avenue in the middle class community of Duhaney Park early on the morning of Monday May 10.
EDWARDS… was attacked as he entered his Duhaney Park home
 EDWARDS… was attacked as he entered his Duhaney Park home
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The main suspect in the shooting was found dead in the Chancery Hall community this two days later. Police had attempted to arrest the man earlier that day but he escaped.
Edwards’ cellular phone was found in the dead man’s possession. The body was clad in green short pants, white t-shirt and blue slippers and was found on Lady Hamilton Close with several gunshot wounds.
Tivoli ‘war’ overshadows Kartel/Mavado peace
9:05 am in Caricom, Entertainment News, Featured by Brian aka Bear
THE stand-off between security forces and ‘Dudus’ supporters in Tivoli Gardens, West Kingston, last week overshadowed a significant move towards peace in two other troubled Kingston communities.
Passers-by stood in amazement as residents from Big Yard and Cassava Piece, two long-standing rivals at the centre of a bloody feud, faced off in a busy parking lot off Mannings Hill Road.
Entertainer Mavado (left) converses with Rev Al Miller following the peace talks (Photo: Ingrid Brown)
Entertainer Mavado (left) converses with Rev Al Miller following the peace talks (Photo: Ingrid Brown)
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But instead of trading bullets and harsh words which has been the norm between these warring factions, men, women and children bridged the long-standing divide with firm handshakes, hugs and a friendly smile.
Throngs of residents from both communities walked slowly towards each other, meeting on the imaginable half-way mark in the busy Super Value parking lot to broker the peace deal organised by the Rev Al Miller-led National Transformation Programme (NTP) and the Peace Management Initiative (PMI).
A week prior, members of the NTP and the PMI toured the Cassava Piece community which is aligned to dancehall entertainer, Mavado and Big Yard which has connections to rival deejay, Vybz Kartel. At both communities, residents who had expressed a deep desire to see an end to the constant blood-letting, sealed the deal with hearty handshakes and hugs.
Jennifer, a resident of Big Yard, was emotional as she hugged the young man from Cassava Piece who had threatened her son resulting in him being sent from the area to board elsewhere.
Overwhelmed at what was unfolding before her eyes, Jennifer said she had been praying for this peace for the longest while as the violence between both communities had made it impossible for her to even venture to night services at the nearby church.
“I feel joyous and good,” she said with a big smile.
Not only was she forced to send away her fourth form son, but her six-year-old son and granddaughter had to take the longer route to get to school as they could not pass through Cassava Piece.
“Ah girl was carrying them through there one morning and someone shouted ‘why you bring them through here’,” she told the Observer.
An outward showing of this new peace commitment for both communities will be the staging of a Labour Day clean-up project followed by a peace dance scheduled for today.
They have also pledged to form a joint peace committee to ensure that dialogue continues before a situation escalates. In support, the PMI will establish an empowerment group for the women in both communities.
“You can’t do anything about the past but you can do something about the future,” Rev Miller told the peace meeting, stressing that without peace, prosperity and development could not come to their communities.
Following this persons were given the opportunity to air their grievances in bid to move forward,
“Me heart a bleed right now and me glad we all here to witness what a gwaan because me hear people ah say we fi kill off we one another and that is what them want fi see but it nah go happen,” said one of the players from Big Yard.
Noting that anyone who attempted to break the peace would be removed from the community, he said his side was committed to maintaining the new found unity.
Ivan Shaw, a resident of Cassava Piece and a peace facilitator, said they were committed to controlling the schoolboys and women who play a great role in the beginning of conflicts often started over petty issues.
Deejay Mavado, one of the key persons behind the peace initiative, urged the men to put aside their differences, even as he denied claims that he had been behind the spate of violence.
“Ask them if me ever bring a rifle come give them, but at the same time me nah tell them not to defend themselves,” he said. “We nuh deh here because we fear them or them fear we but is because we want bring back the love,” Mavado told the gathering.
He noted that even if Vybz Kartel, who was absent because of an overseas engagement, did not make it on that day, it should not impact the peace.
“Even if Adi have a show then that nuh have nutten to do with it because me and Adi good,” Mavado said.
Win a VIP Evening with Rising Reggae Singer, Romain Virgo In South Florida
5:00 am in Entertainment News by Brian aka Bear
Up and coming reggae singer, Romain Virgo is scheduled to make a South Florida appearance and performance on Thursday, April 15 at Nova Southeastern University in Davie at 7pm.
Up to five lucky fans will win a VIP evening with Romain, which includes an up close and personal concert, 5 star dinner at Top Chef Restaurant & Lounge, a night on the town in a limo courtesy of Bond Limousine. Register to win at VP Records Retail Store in Miramar (6022 SW 21st St.), Top Chef Restaurant & Lounge in Ft Lauderdale (1401 S State Rd 7, North Lauderdale), Nova Southeastern University Flight Deck in Davie (3301 College Avenue) or online at CONTEST@VPRECORDS.COM
Registration deadline is April 12 and for more info call, 954-378-4006 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 954-378-4006 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
Watch, the latest video from Romain, “I Want To Go Home”
Source: South Florida Caribbean News
Online Reggae Charts Show Singjays Charting Over Deejays
4:58 am in Entertainment News by Brian aka Bear
Singjays Gentleman, Gyptian and the group TOK are topping the online reggae charts worldwide while hardcore deejays are absent.
These singjays are dominating the major markets of Europe, America and Japan respectively with their new singles and albums. Only crossover deejays Sean Paul, Shaggy and Damian Marley are charting online with catalogue material whilst hardcore deejays which dominate local charts are absent from any of the 22 listed country online charts up to Saturday. Digital music is significant as it accounts for one-third of total music sales and iTunes is the dominant online music retailer followed by Amazon.
TOK’s latest album, I Believe released March 3 in Japan
Gentlemen’s single, It No Pretty released March 26 rocketed to number 1 in Germany and Austria, whilst at # 2 in Switzerland on iTunes Reggae Singles charts. The song with accompanying video shows a mob bludgeoning Gentleman to death, however his wounds are nursed by a pack of wolves. It No Pretty is in promotion of his fifth studio album, Diversity, to be released in Germany on April 9.
Gyptian’s single Hold Yuh is #1 on Amazon reggae singles chart; #2 on the iTunes Reggae Singles chart; and # 78 on the Billboard R&B Hip Hop chart. The song was made two years ago but recently released stateside. It has been five years since Gyptian topped the charts with his signature song Serious Times. Since then he has had minor hits including Mama Don’t Cry, I Can Feel Your Pain and Beautiful Lady.
Now record label VP Records and producer Ricky Blaze have thrown their muscle behind his latest hit Hold Yuh. Gyptian’s forthcoming album is tentatively titled Hold Yuh. “We’re looking at dropping the album around July and if everyone in Jamaica buys a copy, I am sure it can sell a million,” Gyptian told the Observer in a previous interview.
TOK’s latest album, I Believe released March 3 in Japan currently charts at #2 on iTunes Reggae Albums in that market. The single of the same name currently charts at #9 on the iTunes Reggae Singles chart. The quartet is the only non- Japanese act listed in the top 10.
Music stakeholders, including culture Minister of Culture Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange and music entrepreneur Charles Campbell, have lamented the waning influence Jamaican artistes are having within international reggae markets, especially Europe and Japan. Last week, less than 10 per cent of the reggae charts on iTunes were occupied by living Jamaicans — including Damian Marley, Ziggy Marley, Stephen Marley, Sean Paul, TOK, Lutan Fyah and Marcia Griffiths who, combined, had 17 slots out of the 220 chart positions within the 22 listed countries on iTunes. However, the late Bob Marley dominates the charts and currently tops 20 of the 22 iTunes markets.
Source: Steven Jackson – Jamaica Observer
by Bear
Jamaica commemorates World AIDS Day
11:40 am in Entertainment News by Bear
Today, Jamaica joins the rest of the world in commemorating World AIDS Day under the theme ‘Youth: Take the Lead’.
In Jamaica, the campaign targets young people ages 15 to 24, beckoning them to become advocates and agents of change.
Senior Medical Officer of the National HIV/STI Control programme, Dr Kevin Harvey, says the focus is timely as young people are extremely vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.
Dr Harvey points out that HIV/AIDS is still the second leading cause of death for persons 15 to 24 years old.
He stresses the importance of fostering good morals and values among the youths to prevent an involvement in risky lifestyle practices.
To commemorate World Aids Day 2008, the Ministry of Health through the HIV/STI Control programme will be disclosing the HIV/STI statistics at a press briefing set for today.
A World Aids Day exposition to include free voluntary counselling and a testing service using the rapid HIV test will also be a major feature of today’s commemoration.
by Bear
Vybz Kartel and Spice to shoot Ramping Shop video on Tuesday
11:20 am in Entertainment News by Bear
Acclaimed musical director Nordia Rose will reunite with deejay Vybz Kartel to shoot his Ramping Shop combination single with Spice, a song which has created a firestorm of controversy, and dominated headlines in entertainment since its release a week ago.
“This is gonna be one of the classics, both the song and the video judging from all the indications so far. Dancehall is lacking in good production and promotion where singles are concerned. All avenues will be exhausted to ensure Ramping Shop becomes the mega hit that it is destined to be,” Vybz Kartel told one876entertainment.
The video will begin shooting tomorrow in the Corporate Area.
Vybz Kartel has already scored three number ones this year and his Million By a Morning, produced by Don Corleone, is presently at #14 on the Jamaica Music Countdown charts and peaked at #11 on the RE TV dancehall charts. Another single, Life Sweet, is at #19 on the RE TV dancehall charts as well. He is the frontrunner for this year’s Deejay of the Year title.
Kartel’s controversial song, A Wah Do Dem, is also a favourite in the dancehalls all around Jamaica.
