Kingston, Jamaica; GHETT'A LIFE, Chris Browne's new feature film wrapped up its principal photography today in Kingston, Jamaica. Browne, best known for THIRD WORLD COP, directed and produced this film from a script he wrote in 2001. The screenplay won the 2006 Hartley Merrill International Screenplay award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France.

GHETT'A LIFE, is an action packed drama that introduces newcomer Kevoy Burton as Derrick, a teenager from a politically divided inner city community.  Derrick's dream of becoming a great boxer, unites those around him. In addition, the film boasts a cast of experienced Jamaican actors including Chris McFarlane, Winston "Bello" Bell, Teddy Price, Munair Zacca and Carl Davis and features for the first time in a Jamaican film, Jamaican born Canadian-based actress Karen Robinson.  Emerging talent O'Daine Clarke, Kadeem Wilson and Lisa Williams also shine in leading roles with boxing legend Lennox Lewis and local boxing luminaries Shrimpy Clarke and Carl Grant adding immensely to the project.

The Team behind GHETT'A LIFE included top notch local film crew supporting acclaimed cinematographer, Bobby Bukowski. Bukowski's last film "The Messenger" was nominated for two Academy Awards. Ghett'A Life's Line Producer, Natalie Thompson said "We are very pleased to have been able to complete the filming of Ghett'A Life on schedule. We owe our deep gratitude to the residents of Rose Town, Craig Town, Allman Town, Grants Pen, Mountain View and South Side for their support and cooperation over the past six weeks and a huge thank you to our tireless crew and cast."

This US$1.2 Million project was fully funded by Jamaican investors through Private Equity Funding raised by Pan Caribbean Financial Services Limited.  "This is a great project and we hope it heralds more investment in this niche of our exciting entertainment industry." said Donovan Perkins, President & CEO of PanCaribbean.

The film will now go into post-production before being screened at film festivals internationally in early 2011.  Release is scheduled in Jamaica for Summer 2011.

Kingston, Jamaica:  Reggae singer Spragga Benz has released his new album Shotta Culture is now available on iTunes. The 17 tracks album was released on itunes on Tuesday, August 31, it includes 11 high quality music videos and a full length documentary.  The album also features a multitude of collaborations with artistes like Stephen Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Swizz Beats, Jazmine Sullivan, Nas, Wayne Wonder, Sizzla Kalonji and Queen Ifrica among others.

"This album that I`m putting out right now is geared towards enhancing, protecting and preserving my dancehall culture, so the beats that we use go back to the foundation of dancehall during the developmental stages," commented Spragga. "Shotta Culture is geared to take dancehall reggae back to the foundation of reggae music, back to the real sound of authentic reggae."

This Saturday, September 4, THE STAR will be hosting a live Digicel Rising Stars concert atThe Gleaner's parking lot, 7 North Street. The show which will begin at 4 p.m. will feature the Top 5 Rising Stars contestants: Dalton Harris, Jermaine Michael, Camaley, Toni Blair and Nekorah Phillips. In addition, past competitors such as Cameal Davis, Natel and Brown Suga will join them.

Special guest artistes who have been dubbed as some of the 'rising stars' in the industry will be creating pandemonium on stage with their throng of hits. They include: I-Octane, Khago, Tifa and Wasp. Musical juggling will be provided by Coppershot, DJ Liquid and Boom Boom. The evening's emcee will be Kool 97's Jody-Ann Gray.

All patrons have to do to be admitted is, bring a copy of all THE STAR newspapers from Monday, August 30 - Friday, September 3.

Amidst reports of an alleged altercation between popular sound system selector Boom Boom and dancehall deejay Blak Ryno. The artiste has issued a statement distancing himself from the incident and allegations and it read.

“ It has been brought to my attention that Boom Boom was attacked by a group of men said to be aligned to me at the popular street dance Uptown Mondays, this is rather unfortunate. Though I was at the event with a few friends on the day in question, it was only for a short period of time and I left the venue long before the melee unfolded and went straight home. Contrary to rumours, there was absolutely no physical or verbal exchanges between me and Boom Boom. As for the men who allegedly attacked him, neither do I know them nor are they affiliated to me or my camp in any way.

Presently I am focused on rebuilding my career and making good music for the masses. Being involved in verbal or physical confrontation is not the direction I am looking to take my career.”

In closing Blak Ryno whose given name is Romaine Anderson said fans can look out for a video soon and his new single ‘Feel Like Sey’ on the Swaggy Swaggy Rhythm produced by G-Jay Production among other upcoming projects.

(Kingston, Jamaica) --  September heralds the back-to-school season, but that doesn't mean the fun has to end just yet, nor does it mean you have to choose between buying your high schooler's biology books and seeing some of your favourite stars.

This Saturday, September 4, THE STAR will be hosting a live Digicel Rising Stars concert at The Gleaner's parking lot, 7 North Street. The show which will begin at 4p.m. will feature the Top 5 Rising Stars contestants: Dalton Harris, Jermaine Michael, Camaley, Toni Blair and Nekorah Phillips. In addition, past competitors such as Natel and Brown Suga will join them.

Still, that's not all. Special guest artistes who have been dubbed as some of the 'rising stars' in the industry will be creating pandemonium on stage with their throng of hits. They include: I-Octane, Khago, Tifa and Wasp. While juggling will be provided by Coppershot, DJ Liquid and Boom Boom. The evening's emcees will be FAME FM's DJ Nicco and Kool 97's Jody-Ann Gray. All that, free of cost.

All patrons have to do to be admitted is, bring a copy of all THE STAR newspapers from Monday, August 30 - Friday, September 3.

Tuff Gong Distribution releases Live Forever - Bob Marley’s historic last concert in Pittsburgh on Thursday, September 23 to mark performance Anniversary Kingston, Jamaica :- At the time, everyone in Pittsburgh’s Stanley Theatre knew they were witnesses to history.  Bob Marley stood tall and proud on stage and beckoned them to “Get Up, Stand Up”, and they responded loudly with “wo yo yo yo”.  Later they discovered the history they witnessed, was in fact Bob’s last performance.

Live Forever encapsulates the pure energy of the fateful performance by Jamaica’s most legendary son.   The original live recording, captured on tape by Marley’s engineer Dennis Thompson, has been lovingly preserved and remastered for the 30th anniversary album release exclusively in the Caribbean.  Adding to the distinctiveness of the collection worthy album, is the special eco-friendly packaging. Bob had ascended to the pinnacle of his career when he took the stage in Pittsburgh; he had just completed a successful European run on his Uprising Tour and he had played on sold-out bills in New York’s Madison Square Garden; simply put, he had arrived.

Everything about the concert was a reflection of Bob – the superior production, the masterful collection of musicians and the eclectic range of songs emphasising the complexity on the man turned superstar.  As widely respected journalist Patricia Meschino alluded to the Live Forever album liner notes, “He was an anointed African freedom fighter celebrating an independent Zimbabwe, a visionary reggae emissary, straight from “yard”, on Jammin’, and an exiled leader inciting the movement of Jah people on Exodus. A compelling ghetto griot, Bob warned of the impending consequences due to the continual marginalization of the poor on Burning and Looting and Dem Belly Full; he was a purveyor of peace decrying War and insisting on No More Trouble and a progressive spiritualist glorifying the Natural Mystic. Effectively resolute in his desire to chase those Crazy Baldhead out of town, and in his excoriation of The Heathen, he was also a quintessentially cool roots-rocker, skanking to Carlton and Aston Barrett’s deeply grooved drum and bass cadence on the instrumental break of Rastaman Vibration. An irresistible suitor who coyly asked Is This Love? Bob was also a vulnerable, absolutely riveting romantic in his passionately conveyed rendition of No Woman No Cry.

The album also includes live renditions of: Uprising, Coming In From The Cold, Work, Zion Train, Redemption Song and Could You Be Loved.  The entire concert, from his opening song to the final applause, spans the special double CD album. Live Forever is Bob’s last live recording from his final concert.  This definitive Marley album, special double CD in eco-friendly packaging is a limited regional release which becomes available through Tuff Gong Distribution on September 23, 2010.

(Kingston, Jamaica) With her musical career growing from strength to strength, fast rising singer / songwriter Ishawna is this week officially announcing her arrival into the Solid Agency camp a strategic move she says will give her a more visible presence in the industry.

"Joining Solid Agency is a good move for me, alot of people know the name Ishawna but not the face so coming to Solid was really to generate more interest in me and my music through Promotions and Bookings. I have complete faith in Sharon Burke and her team".

Amongst the list of new projects Ishawna is said to be working on is the highly anticipated video for her "Good Love" single which is featured on Don Corleon's "Feminine Riddim". "Right now we just waiting on the treatment from the video producers and once we get that we will start work on the video. Other hot tracks my fans can listen out for are "Who's That Girl" on Jam 2 "Sugar Cane Riddim", i have something on Baby G Badda Dan Riddim called "Legendary", "I Am The One" on the Generation Edge Riddim and "Not So Sure" on the Beech Root Riddim from Fagan Fraternity".

In other news Ishawna who will be celebrating her 24th birthday in September has commenced promotion of her annual earth strong celebration which will be held on September 25th at the Coruba Beach Club in Port Henderson. "The theme for my party this year is "Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous" and it promises to be a star studded Beach glamorous affair hosted by Ms. Kitty"

Kingston, Jamaica -- Dancehall producer, John John has re-released a slew of dancehall tracks which will be marketed digitally by the revolutionary digital distribution company, 21st/Hapilos and made available to fans on September 7, 2010

John John Records is known for their dedication to authentic dancehall beats and voicing top veteran acts in the industry and the five projects are no different. The albums are compilations of 'oldies but goodies' and they include: Dancehall Hits Volume 1 featuring: Bounty Killer, Junior Cat, Terror Fabulous, Major Mackerel and more; Dancehall Hits Volume 2; Dancehall Hits Volume 3 - Splur Ting Excursion; Dancehall Hits Volume 4 and Dancehall Hits Volume 5 - Pop Style, featuring Terry Ganzie, Mad Cobra, Sanchez, Louis Culture and more.

Johnny Wonder, executive vice president of 21st/Hapilos Digital Distribution says, "The tunes are dancehall classics and have been digitally remastered for the normal consumer and the record collectors just the same. All the tracks will be marketed by 21st/Hapilos via every major online outlet including Amazon, iTunes and others. These are five great must-haves."

Among the projects that 21st/Hapilos Digital Distribution have spearheaded are: ZJ Chrome's CR203 Records' Smokin' Riddim, Wayne Marshall's single, My Heart, featuring Mavado, Troyton Records' Compassion Riddim, Chimney Records' Sex Appeal, Shabba Ranks' new single, Drive Dem Crazy produced by John John Records, Pleasure Riddim by Cash Flow, Mavado's hot single, Messiah produced by Chimney Records in addition to Seanizzle's One Day Riddim and more.

(Kingston, Jamaica) -- Dancehall artiste Spice may have done the single Jim Screechie but she's making no secret about her plans for this Saturday's Jamaica Day concert in Downsview Park, Canada.

Spice who is known for her superb stage presence and excellent stage show lyrics says, "I will be the only dancehall artiste on the show. There are reggae artistes like Richie Stephens, Marcia Griffiths and others on the lineup, but I am the only dancehall artiste. It will be a clean family show, so I will be doing a great 30 minute clean set that the entire family can enjoy."

Upon her return to the island next week Sunday, Spice will be getting ready to shoot the video for her new single Jim Screechie which was produced by the Equinoxx label on the Jim Screechie riddim. The video will begin production next week Saturday.

(Kingston, Jamaica) -- It's going to be quite the experience this weekend in Japan, as Chino, Stephen "Di Genius" and other members of the Big Ship family prepare to set the stage ablaze at the Yokohama Reggae Bash.

The concert which will kick start Chino's two week tour of Japan to promote his newly-released Japan album, Never Change, is slated to take place this Saturday, and is the annual brainchild of the Mighty Crown Sound System selectors. For this its 16th year, Chino who is currently in Japan says, "This will be the first show to kick off the Japan tour and I'm going to make my set as enjoyable as possible. This concert usually has more than 40, 000 people in attendance and my fans here have been extremely supportive so I really want to make it a great experience for them."

The support Chino refers to, is releasing his sophomore album, Never Change, a few weeks ago and having it debut at the number 7 spot then later that day the album rocketed its way to the second position on the Japan Reggae iTunes chart. After the Yokohama Reggae Bash, Chino will continue on to Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Kobe, Fukuoka and other spots in Japan. Fans can keep up with Chino and Di Genius as they make their trek across Japan at their youtube video blog, (vlog), "BigshipBlogs".

Kingston, Jamaica: German Journalist Felix Lill has been awarded the 2010 Austrian Sports Journalism Award in the Print Category for a story on sprint champion Usain Bolt that he filed from Kingston, Jamaica.

According to Lill, the award "was really surprising for me because I had submitted my work for the under-25 category and eventually ended up winning the adult's prize. That is to say, I am the youngest award winner in the history of this award."

Lill said the focus of the story was on Bolt's "achievements, his character and his meaning for his country, Jamaica." The award winning story was produced between Bolt's "two amazing world record runs in Beijing 2008 and Berlin 2009."

The interview with the sprinter was facilitated by the organizers of Reggae Marathon through Race Director Alfred "Frano" Francis, while Lill was visiting Jamaica to cover the 2008 staging.

Good Times is set to stir good memories at the Mas Camp on August 28. The summer edition of the popular Good Times party series hits Mas Camp just before the back-to-school season and thus is aptly themed, Good Times: Retro University. The Saturday, August 28 event is likely to reunite friends anxious to relive that last fling before buckling down for the new academic year.

The Quorum, producers of the long running party series, have promised a special surprise for this staging, but won't reveal the secrete. "We have built a reputation on delivering the best music and we have never revealed the details on the music prior to the party; no need to start now," said The Quorum Executive Member Jerome Hamilton as he deftly avoided the question. In the past, Good Times has been know to import DJ, have live performers and combine the hottest young DJ's with experienced "turntablists". Regardless of who will eventually take the spotlight on the late August night, history suggests they will be good.

Moving from the stage to the bars, Good Times regulars are familiar with the large, easy access bar set up. Multiple well stocked bars with well trained professional staff are being constructed around the venue for the convenience of the patrons. Heineken Bucket Deals mean fewer trips to the bar and more time on the dance floor.

Pulsating music and flowing Heineken are trademarks of Good Times, but so too is the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre. Since the first party in May 1996, The Quroum have donated part proceeds from the series to the upkeep and development of the facility formerly known as Mona Rehab. Residents of the facility are often in the crowd rocking to the music of "19 something" alongside the patrons that make the donations possible. Good Timers are also encouraged to bring gifts for the children at centre. Items left in the drop box at the gate are gathered and delivered to the only facility of its kind on the English speaking competition.

Tickets for the party can be picked up in advance for $800 at locations such as Gym for Life, Music Mart, Cuddyz, Total Service Station, Genus Pharmacy, and L.G Brown Service Centre. A delay will lead to a $1,000 fee at the gates, which open at 9 PM. In association with party sponsors Mack D's Auto Sales, and Just Call Courier Service, Heineken Good Times take place at Mas Camp in Kingston on Saturday, August 28.

With the support of her very own record label, Divas Records, and additional backing from Toasting Music/Universal, the highly respected Grammy winner, Lady Saw, will roll out her latest album, My Way, on September 7.

My Way, the artiste declares, is more than just an album. It is a proclamation of intent, a decision and a reality. It heralds Lady Saw’s newfound independence, having severed ties with reggae label VP Records after her 2007 album, Walk Out, followed swiftly by her decision to launch Divas Records. My Way represents the dancehall pioneer at the height of her creativity as she spits out collabs with local and international artistes and takes the reigns as producer on a number of the tracks.

"After being in the business for over 15 years we know how to do it," the triple-platinum selling artiste assures with her little girl smile that belies the depth of her sometimes over-the-top lyrics. With nine albums under her belt and a secure slot in dancehall/rap history Marion 'Lady Saw' Hall brings her wealth of experience to this project. My Way rolls out an enviable list of high-profile producers, including Tony ‘CD’ Kelly, Danny Browne, Lloyd ‘John John’ James and Stephen McGregor. And it also sees Saw linking with international rapper Eve and homeboy dancer-turned-rapper, Ding Dong.

Lady Saw, who gained notoriety in the dancehall when her potent underground lyrics took on a life of their own and refused to be strapped down, has risen to the top of her game locally and has gone on to gain international stardom with dynamic collabs with artistes such as No Doubt, Gwen Stefani, Missy Elliot, Remy Ma, Trina, Nicki Minaj, Foxy Brown Michael Frantii and Pharrell Williams. It was the No Doubt collab, Underneath It All, that pushed Saw into the triple-platinum selling league and gained her a coveted Grammy award in the process. My Way, a 16-track collection shows off the versatility of deejay Lady Saw and gives a glimpse into her alter ego, Marion Hall. Among the track listings are "Every Way Mi Go", "Party Til December" , "Muscle Control", "5 Minutes", "My Way" and "I Am A Woman" and "Me Hold Yuh," the remix to Gyptian’s Billboard monster hit, “Hold You. Earlier in her career, Lady Saw had done it '99 Ways', this time around she is simply doing it 'My Way'.

Richie Loop is riding an encouraging wave of excitement following his recent performance at the Independence Gala and Street Parade in Kingston. The artiste performed before thousands of people who crammed into the National Stadium to celebrate Jamaica’s 48th birthday. Richie Loop remains elated about the event and considered it an honour to be selected to present his music on such an official scale.

“The opportunity is indeed my most interesting to this date, given that I was able to share in and contribute to national pride, and in one of the most historical venues in Jamaica The National Stadium, I am unsure if I could top this locally,” remarked Richie Loop.

He admitted that this was his first performance in the National Stadium, and probably the biggest audience to which he has performed in his quickly blossoming career. “If I am not mistaken yes it is (biggest crowd). Reggae Sumfest was large but I think the stadium was full so yes! ...it was amazing to hear the stadium welcome me, and listened,” he continued.

Richie Loop performed his new single Party Time, before going into the mega-hit and extremely loved party tune My Cupp. “What was most intriguing was the fact that when My Cupp started all the kids who took part in the parade started to rush the stage… It was alarming at first, but then I thought it is because they love the song, so I enjoyed the entire experience.”

This is one of a string of commendable performances by Richie Loop, and he mentioned that his work is just beginning. He has a few dates on his schedule both locally and internationally, but fans can keep close eyes on his social network pages for exact dates and location.

Richie is also armed for these tour dates with his second single Party Time, which has been getting good reviews in the entertainment circle.

“The second single is just two weeks old, and they (Disc Jockeys) are still focusing on Party Likes it Your Birthday which features myself, Busy Signal, and D-Major. However Party Time is creeping, the DJ’s are saying good stuff, so I am happy.”

Richie Loop has created an amazing buzz about himself since his launch in the business. His infectious single My Cup and the official re-mix are creating mayhem on radio chart lists and in sessions island wide.

Lisa Hyper is Back!! The Controversial Dance-hall Artiste says her music career has been steadily rising. Lisa says her determination is what keeps her afloat,the 21 year old artiste says her 2010 summer is used for rebuilding and the rest of the year will be hectic starting with her birthday bash in November.

she also as a tour lined up for Canada and other shows overseas,the response from overseas is great says the artiste "People come to my shows more than once to see me perform". Her recent success with "Nuh Stress Mi Out" a collaboration with veteran Artiste Beenie Man produced by Sankofa productions is the third collaboration effort between both artistes after singles like "Nuh Kill Mi" and "I am Burning" which were released before gaining limited success,says Lisa.

"Working with Beenie Man gives me positive energy and he is all about the music and nothing will get in the way when it comes to music," she said. She believes this song will be more successful than the other two due to the great responses she's getting so far. "wi a get good Air play fi di single and people on the streets a tell mi sey dem love it," a video will be made soon according to the artiste,and she intends to go all out with the promotions this time around.

Hyper says the song Nuh Stress mi Out came about when Beenie Man approached her manager Nuffy and told him that he had a song and she would be the perfect person to feature in it. Another new single is on the way for Hyper called "Tell Dem Fi Clear Out" on the clear out Rhythm and a video release for her group 21 Bad Gal called "A Our Time." all in all Lisa Hype AKA Lisa Hyper who made it mainstream as a former member of the Gaza Portmore Empire living up to her new name with her head held high it's clear that controversial photos that circulate the Net with her image in 2009 is behind her....LOOK OUT WORLD Lisa Hyper is here to Stay.

Reggae's fastest rising cultural artiste, Byiome 'I-Octane' Muir, is poised to take his career to another level. The artiste boldly staked his claim on Dancehall Night at the recent Reggae Sumfest with a memorable performance and has consistently followed through since, entertaining his fans and silencing all detractors.

Quite in demand leading up to and during the Independence season, the reggae act -- who has been chosen by telecoms giant, Digicel, as one of the faces of the Next Generation -- performed at Eclipse Summer Invasion in Westmoreland, Mandela Park in St Andrew, Ocho Rios Seafood Festival, the annual Denbigh celebrations in Clarendon, the Independence show at Ken's Wildflower in Portmore and Manchester Fiesta in that parish.

It was at the recent Eclipse Summer Invasion in party capital, Negril, that I-Octane again set tongues wagging as he delivered what the audience agreed was a "big" performance. Coming on stage right after Aidonia, I-Octane went straight into a riveting set as he did songs such as Lose A Friend, My Life, Puff It, Mama and Take A Little Time. All these singles have been enjoying massive play on radio and in the dancehall, enabling fans of all ages to sing along with I-Octane word-for-word on many of his songs. As one 12-year-old female fan commented at the recent Stunt Festival at Police Officers Club in St Andrew, "I-Octane a mi boss ... mi know all him song dem."

I-Octane's popularity is undeniable and It has now become the norm for him to be heralded on stage by contagious shouts of approval, which, in many instances are sustained throughout his delivery."When the emcee mention I-Octane name, even the leaves on the trees rail fi him," is how singer Stevie Face once summed it up. Quite happy at the movement of his career, I-Octane, whose ready smile is part of his charm, noted that he is just doing what he does best, "making good music and entertaining fans".

And entertaining fans is exactly what he did when he performed on General Degree's Manchester Fiesta on August 7. Taking the stage after many of reggae/dancehall's big names, I-Octane, who was called up by Konshens, was in a no-nonsense mood. "Nuff man come up here looking forward," he declared, "but I bet I can sing one song and get all five forwards," he challenged the hyped up crowd. I-Octane then the unleashed the song Puff It, whose lyrics contain the word "forward" several times. The crowd loved it.

With the busy Independence season behind him, I-Octane is looking to spread his wings and land on the international circuit in what is anticipated to be a hectic Christmas season.

CE'CILE… I don't think Jamaica knows of half the stuff I've done over the years

ALTHOUGH Ce'Cile has been consistent in churning out hits locally (her most recent include Anything and Black Coffee), she has managed to score most of her mainstream successes outside of Jamaica. Last year, she topped the German R&B Singles chart with Hot Like We and a few weeks ago Talk Talk mouthed its way to number 10. Now Ce'Cile is hoping to strike it big in the UK as her collaboration Gold Dust with DJ Fresh has debuted in the number 24 spot on the UK pop singles chart. The success of the song has made the singer/deejay/producer an in-demand commodity.

"When I learnt that the song entered the charts, I noticed that a lot of producers began to contact me from the UK. So I figure that it must be as a result of the song's success. Even the artiste who was originally supposed to have recorded the song, she even made contact with me," an excited Ce'Cile said in an interview earlier this week.

Gold Dust is the first single off drum and bass and acid music producer DJ Fresh's sophomore album Kryptonite. British recording artiste Ms Dynamite was originally considered for the guest spot on Gold Dust. Asked how the collaboration with DJ Fresh came about, Ce'cile explained "DJ Fresh contacted me via the Internet and he said he would love to do a song with me and that the song was already written." Recorded in 2009, Ce'Cile said she never expected the song to become the hit that it has. "I had no high expectations neither did I expect it not to take off. I have always worked with huge producers in the UK, for example, Stanton Warriors. I did a song like six years ago called Slanty.

I was also hired to do a collaboration with Estelle. I don't think Jamaica knows of half the stuff I've done over the years." Ce'Cile said she has always tried to step outside of the box and do things differently as an artiste. "While everyone was going after America, I've always done the opposite of what everyone did. The people in Germany loved me the first time that I did German Splash and I ran with the love and capitalised on it. I was always working with producers in the UK because I had a publishing deal with Greensleeves as a producer, which I don't think that many Jamaicans realise that I am also a producer," Ce'Cile pointed out. Added Ce'Cile, "I am always excited to work and overly excited by different genres of music. From the beginning of my career I have always told people that I am not a dancehall or reggae or a Jamaican artiste. I am an artiste and I do anything and I can rock anything."

Fresh off a crowd conquering performance at Reggae Sumfest 2010, I Octane has wasted no time in heading back to the place he calls home, the studio to record yet another ode of lamentation, NO MORE.

Working once again with Dj Frass from Frass Records with whom he found a winning combination with "My Life", which has gained presence in the Top position of a number of respected charts, this next generation artiste has penned a rather pensive song.

Tired fi a weep and wail and seeing his friends blood splash in the streets, the deeply penetrating lyrics which addresses betrayal, death and plodding forward beyond the negativity which pervades the society; I Octane has mastered the art of roping his vocals around one's mind. His vocals filled with sincere pain will compel you to do some amount of introspection.

Laid on a haunting beat with backing vocals that ride the instruments like a professional surfer on a big wave NO MORE will move you to tears. Even if a music video is not done for this song, you will be able to visualize the agony and sufferation that is brought about by I Octane's expressed burden because it is a topic to which we can all relate

Dancehall's self-styled Diva Tifa has been extremely active for 2010, recording and performing heavily as she nourishes her quickly blossoming career. She has also been kept busy by being a part of the Digicel Gimme Five Promotion, as well as the Jus Buss Road Shows across the island.

In addition to these and other performances lined up, Tifa's recording activity in recent times has been quite robust, with much of it already receiving rewards.

"I have not been resting since the beginning of the year," she joked. "It looks pretty good career wise. Sumfest was good, was great my performance was good based on what people have been telling me."

In terms of recordings, Tifa has just scored her third top ten single on the Jamaica Weekly Music Chart count down, with the entry of Certified Diva at number 10 last week. Her previous two were Spell It Out and Bottom of the Barrell. In addition, Tifa has now netted her second official remix that will feature a leading North American artist. Just a few months after her remix with Rapper Ludacris titled How Low, Tifa has scored with another remix with Champagne Life featuring Neyo. This track was co produced with Washroom Entertainment along with Alric & Boyd, and is soon to be premiered on Pj Butta's World Chart Show, which is aired in 35 Countries world- wide. Fans interested in hearing the track may also check it out at www.pjbutta.com.

And as that continues to make waves, three more recently recorded tracks by Tifa are lining up to hit the road and generate their own buzz. Naa Stop Shine on the Mento rhythm from Feddaweight Productions out of Miami, Florida was released last week, and is said to be already doing well, and there are upcoming tracks to be released from Ward 21 and Boardhouse Productions. On the Fiwi music label there is the Nex Man Money on the money magnet rhythm, and Move Yu Body for Producer ZJ Chrome. Of this last one, she says "I've been getting good feedback on that one, people are saying that it's the best song I have ever done, it's a party tune and this is not normal for me. The videos for one or more of these will be done in the near future."

As Tifa notes, this is just the tip of the iceberg for her, as she will not stop putting out more effort into her music. "The work continues. Nothing comes easy for me, from I was born I've had to fight so I am in the fight same way," she states. "You know you have to put your all in this or stay out so I have been putting in the work and it's paying off so I'm grateful for that."

Tifa is one of Jamaica's fastest rising female artistes. She has developed a reputation for catchy tunes and properly arranged lyrics. Among her chart riding hits are Spell It Out, Bottom Of The Barrell, and Certified Divas.

Dancehall artiste Mr Vegas has done more than seven weeks of an extensive and extremely successful US and European tour. This week, he prepares to wrap up the final one week stretch of the European tour and returns to the island. A few days ago he performed at the Dour Festival, Belgium, where he alongside his backup singers and dancer, Boricia, gave fans a touchdown performance.

The Dour Festival which attracts more than 160,000 persons over the festival's four days and features electro, rock, R&B and punk artistes, including: Frank Shinobi, Crown City Rockers, Driving Dead Girl and others, has requested Mr Vegas for two consecutive years. This is quite an achievement: not many reggae stars get the opportunity, let alone, twice. This year, the artiste who is known for his extensive catalogue of songs including Heads High, Nike Air, Hot Wuk, I Am Blessed and more was asked to close the international reggae segment of the festival. In fact, after his phenomenal performance, also featuring the 'Jamaican Michael Jackson', Mr Vegas was asked to return to the stage three times. The tour hits Germany for this, its final week. The tour hits Germany for this, it's final week.

Reggae artist Tony Anthony will throughout the month of August take his special brand of reggae to music lovers in several North American venues. On August 6th he will be one of the featured artists at the Jamaica Day Celebrations in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. On August 14th he will perform alongside Beres Hammond, Inner Circle, and Culture when the “For the love of it” tour makes its stop in Toronto Canada. On August 21 he will again perform with Beres Hammond and his entourage at the prestigious and popular Calgary Reggae Festival in Alberta, Canada. Anthony will cap the busy month of August with performances in Sacramento, California on August 27th and 28th.

Steadily becoming a household name in reggae music circles in North America, Europe, Japan, the Caribbean and right here in Jamaica, the singer’s latest single “Torn” can be heard daily on most radio stations across Jamaica. “Torn” is the first single released from Tony Anthony’s album entitled “Million Chance” and has been rising steadily on the Jamaica Music Countdown (Reggae) Chart compiled by Richie B of Hot 102 FM where it sits at number 14.

On the Stampede Street Chart, "Torn" debuted at number 15 on the top 15 reggae singles. Earlier this year “Torn” topped the Canadian Reggae charts and remained number one for eight weeks on the “Rebel Vibes” top ten chart. This is the second time a Tony Anthony single has featured prominently on the Jamaican charts.

In 2008 another single "Yuh Nuh Simple" went as far as number five. Since its release a few months ago Tony Anthony’s debut album “Million Chance” has garnered a lot of interest in Europe and the rest of the world. On July 20th the album debuted at number 5 on Netherlands’ reputable Reggae Vibes Magazine Top 50 recommended albums (www. Reggae/vibes.com). The singer is the winner of several CRNA Awards over the years and at the 2010 CRAA Awards he won the award for best reggae vocalist in Canada. The “Million Chance” album is available for sale on the World Wide Web at most popular online stores including “NAPSTER, ITUNES, AOL, AMAZON, JUNO, MP3 and soundquake.com. Fans can check out more about Tony Anthony and his music at (www.Myspace.com/TonyAnthonymusic). Or link him up at (www.facebook.com/TonyAnthony). To book Tony Anthony for performances in Jamaica call (469-1059).

Reggae Sumfest wrapped up its 18th Festival with the biggest turnout for the week of events. The second city where the Festival is being staged was again hit with rainfall from early afternoon, but the clouds lifted and opened the gates to the most celebrated concert night of the three.

The Festival’s excitement peaked at 2 am with the appearance of R&B superstar Usher, who mesmerized and delighted for an hour and a half as he sped through his vast catalogue of hits, and collaborated on stage briefly with Mavado, Elephant Man and Chris Brown.

The numbers that turned out for the Festival’s final night was overwhelming, and resulted in a standing room only affair in the press, VIP, and general admission areas, especially when Shaggy and Usher performed. Earlier in the night, other acts gave a commendable warm up for this main event. Lymie Murray led this pack with a short yet filling set where he introduced his latest body of work, and skillfully incorporated one from Beres Hammond to suit the performance.

QQ got the audience pumped up with the first set of fireworks for the night when he began working the stage. He showed the Reggae Sumfest crowd a promising and maturing side as he shifted smoothly from old to new material. Richie Loop also rose the temperature inside Catherine Hall, when, flanked by his team of dancers, he delivered his club banger My Cup, and followed up with the equally pulsating rock-themed remix for the tune.

Chris Martin continued to maintain the excitement level, despite starting out slowly and prayerfully. He paced his set with timely shifts between his old and new material, but maintained the vibe that was building. Gramps Morgan was a pleaser for the audience, slowing things down a bit in tempo, but still as pleasing to the audience with the quality and power of his voice. Shaggy was brilliant on the stage, beginning on a high with Church Heathen, and maintaining this altitude until the end of his set. Tarrus Riley provided his usual brand of soulful, stirring and spirited Reggae music, rocking the crowd that was by then pumped up from the excitement of Usher. Tarrus however held his own and delivered a commendable performance. The Dean Fraser All Stars then gave a stirring tribute to fallen comrade Sugar Minott, preparing the audience for the entertaining ways of Beenie Man, who brought a fitting and smooth end to the Festival.

Reggae Sumfest again showed why it remains the most celebrated and supported Reggae Festival in Jamaica, and why it still attracts the world’s leading musicians and performers. In its near 20 year history, the show has boasted a superb entertainment package, loaded with the best performances, food, music, and culture.

It came to Jamaica in 2000 having been started in Miami by Alex Chin and Gary Hart and being the first premier all-inclusive event in Florida. Now Negril's largest party, Stages celebrates its tenth year and will treat patrons to a moment never to be forgotten as Absolute Entertainment plans to do what they do best....redefining and exceeding patrons expectations of an all inclusive event.

Chin, the head of Absolute Entertainment said that the event will "truly be all about Jamaica and patrons can expect what Stages has always delivered, a premium, all-inclusive, well-organised and satisfaction guaranteed event".

That's big talk from Chin, however as the man who is credited with introducing all-inclusive events in a tough North American market, he knows what he's talking about. Partygoers can look forward to an air-conditioned club floor, along with raised VIP areas, bungee trampolines, swimming pools, decadent catering, an assortment of talent disc jockeys, and a surprise live performer.

"Come out and expect real Jamaican food, because that's what we're celebrating this year... Jamaica. So we're bringing in the pork man from Ewarton, and the epic curry goat chef from Spur Tree Hill, fish and festival from Hellshire, pepper shrimp from Middle Quarters and even potato pudding like yuh granny used to mek it. Everything authentic and Jamaican will be there," Chin said about the catering.

There's no doubt that he'll have to provide for a lot of patrons, as the event has grown from its 1500-patron mark when it first came to Negril to a record-breaking 6000+ patrons at a single staging. Chin's used to those kinds of numbers, having had to use colossal and iconic venues like the American Airlines Arena and the Miami Dolphin's Stadium when the event was staged in Florida.

Patrons can look out for the likes of the Miami Heats' personal music man, DJ Irie in addition to Black Chiney, Crazy Neil, VJ Elite, Tony Matterhorn, DJ Karyzma and a host of other masters of the ones and twos. Chin says also, the event will feature a special live performance from a popular local act.

"In keeping with the celebration of all things Jamaican, our live performer this year will be Jamaican. That's exciting for us, and we're wrapping up negotiations with the artsite right now, which is sure to please the thousands of people who will come out to Stages," remarked Chin.

The event will take place on Emancipation Day Monday August 2, a move from its usual staple Saturday staging, also to tie in the celebration of all things Jamaican. Stages will be hosted at a brand new venue never before experienced in negril. Persons wishing to go pay $4500 for this premium everything-included event, while persons holding the Appleton Temptation Isle season band will enter free.

Kingston, Jamaica: – Digicel ambassadors D’Angel and I-Octane will rock the Ocho Rios Seafood Festival this weekend, as mobile telecoms giant Digicel moves into St Ann to participate with the annual event that is known to drawn thousands of people.

D'Angel and I-Octane, fresh from tantalising performances at the recently concluded Reggae Sumfest, will also be joined by fast rising dancehall artsite Charley Blacks. Together, the three form the entertainment package of event, which is expected to draw thousands of people to the Turtle River Park on Saturday, August 1. I-Octane is one-half of Digicel’s massive Next Generation campaign that was launched for the company’s partnership with 2010 Reggae Sumfest, while D’Angel was one of the company’s Divas of Dancehall campaign for 2009 Reggae Sumfest.

With Digicel's senior sponsorship manager Shelly Ann Curran saying that the company would be making their presence felt at the event and in the parish of St Ann in a “bigger, better way”, patrons know they will have lots to look forward to. “Digicel is looking to make a big impact on patrons at the Ocho Rios Seafood festival, and we’re planning to do just that. We have some gifts, prizes and activities to last the entire day – so persons must come out prepared to get something from the bigger, better network,” she said.

Persons will be eligible to win a BlackBerry handset, thousands of dollars in call credit and benefit from other activities Digicel will be activating. Also, the now famous Digicel Jus Bu$$ dancers will be on hand to entertain patrons throughout the course of the day, and facilitate the giveaways of several promotional items that have become favourites from footballs to books, bags, umbrellas and more.

(Kingston, Jamaica) -- It's no exaggeration to say Dancehall and Reggae artiste Chino McGregor is somewhat a phenomenon in Japan.

His sophomore Japan album, Never Change, which was released last Wednesday debuted at the number 7 spot on the Japan iTunes Top Reggae album chart, climbed to the second spot later that evening. This is ahead of Bob Marley's Legend album, which remains in the number one position on all iTunes charts with the exception of Germany - where reggae singer, Gentleman holds the number one position - and Japan.

Chino whose correct name is Daniel McGregor and is known for hits including Ruff It Up, Protected, From Mawning (for which a Japanese version was released on the new album) and the newly released Before Dem Gone, Mus Come Back and others, which have also been making steady moves locally.

At last week's staging of Reggae Sumfest on Dancehall night, Montego Bay, the venue came alive to his strong, clear vocals. He performed a plethora of fan-favourites, and an ultra-sexy R&B remix of Ruff It Up which had the ladies in the venue going wild.

Another feature which created a wave of excitement throughout the venue was the emergence of captain of the 'ship', Freddie McGregor, who made a brief entry on his son's set. Then came yet another surprise, from Chino, the lieutenant of the musical ship. When the band started playing the intro for Protected, which also features brother, and one of Jamaica's top producers, Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor, the crowd went wild with anticipation. When Di Genius made his entrance onstage there were thunderous roars from the audience for the enigmatic youngster who is rarely seen outside of the studio, let alone, doing performances. The two, then went into other fan favourites including: Clap It And Drop It, Cyaa Friend Again, Naw Forgive Dem and Cyaa Tek We Life.

Regarding his Sumfest performance and newly released album, Chino says, "I just have to give so much thanks to the fans both here and overseas for their support throughout the years. It's been a long journey and I want to say bless up to everyone who has been there and will be there to see my continuous musical growth."

The 'Raine' continues to go hard in the music business with a brand new video, blazing performances and more to come as the summer slowly winds down.

Raine Seville, real name Loraine Seville, gave a riveting performance at Reggae Sumfest, last Saturday on the Digicel stage. This was her second year on the Digicel stage, having performed on last's year's dancehall night. This year Raine had the crowd in a stir with not only her music but also her stylish outfit from top notch designer Gregory Williams from HOD.

Raine commented, "It was a great way to start off my birthday which was the Sunday after Sumfest and the crowd was very receptive singing along to Drive Me Crazy, dancing to Belly Wine and I'm getting a lot of love for the new song Nah Go Argue."

Prior to her sizzling Sumfest night performance, Raine and deejay Wasp premiered the video for their DASECA produced hit Nutten Nah Gwaan on TVJ's 'Entertainment Report' (Jamaica).

The video which was shot in Kingston and directed by Janelle Dyer - formerly of Scorpio 21 - gave fierce reflection on Jamaica's harsh economic trials and how it affects those from all social echelons. Among those making cameo appearances were: I-Octane, D' Angel, ZJ Liquid and G-Whizz.

Raine added, "It's a realistic video that shows that everyone regardless of your status or wealth, has problems. In the video that's evident with me being the rich girl and all of a sudden debts started reaching my family and we were losing everything. Wasp is the yute from the ghetto who has nothing but trying to make things better. The celebrity cameos are people who most onlookers would expect to always be comfortable and happy however they are making it known also that they have times when 'nutten nah gwaan' for them."

The songstress, also recent guest on 'Quizz, Italee and Friends' at the Village Cafe in Barbican, gave a stellar performance alongside acts including fellow label mate, Bugle. The singer showcased her vocal skills singing popular songs such as Drive Me Crazy and recent hits What To Do on the 'Set It Off' rhythm and the spicy Nah Go Argue on the 'Story Time' rhythm.

The next couple of weeks there will be even more releases from Raine, including those from Chimney Records, DJ Nicco and Starkutt Music. Raine will also be on Alric and Boyd's 'In the Mix' at Christopher's in New Kingston. She said, "The show is where young talents get to promo their music. I'm scheduled to do it but the date hasn't been officially confirmed so keep tuned. Its a great opportunity to showcase my talent and promote my music; it's a more intimate and personal setting with my fans."

Andrew and Wada Blood have become known for their upbeat tracks and the brothers are continuing to provide fans with great music.

The duo, known for songs including: Hustle Til The Day I Die, Hustler For Life (La La La), Beggy Beggy, Irie and others, has released another 'feel good' track entitled Party Every Night also featuring Stein, previously known as Einstein.

According to Wada Blood, "We love doing songs that make our fans feel good. Even if it's talking about a serious issue, it should have that kind of vibe that them juss feel a mad vibe to jump or wave something, like in the case of Irie. Party Every Night is the same thing; just a nice mad party vibe for the fans."

In the meantime, the artistes continue to record songs and do energetic performances both here and overseas

With one week to go before the 2010 Staging of the Premium Summer Party Fullyloaded organizers of the event are ready to bring the capital city of Kingston alive on Friday August 6th.

According to Chris Campbell Promotions Manager for the event this years marks a new era in the shows development. "Fullyloaded means alot to us and year after year we have continued to stage easy the biggest and baddest party and this year we wanted to spread that experience with more people and so came the idea to bring it to the Old Coal Wharf in Port Royal. The venue is really unique in that it's fully paved unlike James Bond Beach and even Fort Clarence. Another change we have made is in how we present the show, patrons can come out this year to a party atmosphere with the top Sound Systems and Selectors bringing musical heaven to earth and then to top it all off we have our special international guest Ricky Blaze on the line up to perform alongside some of our own superstars.

Already the promotional flags of the show have been flying high with an aggressive campaign geared towards having a huge turnout. "As it stands we are happy with our promotions thus far, we are all over the radio airwaves, in the streets our fliers, posters and billboards cant be missed. We started our television roll out earlier this week and online we have a remarkable presence both on the social networks and popular entertainment websites who have been pushing our endorsements across the world, generating even more interest in the show so we are predicting the presents of foreign patrons as well".

Title Sponsored by Guinness, Campbell further stated that rain or shine patrons can expect a memorable experience. "This year we salute our wonderful Sponsors for coming on board, with Guinness being title sponsors we were able to achieve alot and we know rain or shine Fullyloaded 2010 will be an awesome show".

Tickets for the event are reasonably priced at $1000 pre-sold $1200 at the gate while V.I.P tickets range from $2500 to $3000 at the gate.  For those looking to purchase their tickets early they can do so at Total Gas Station in Liguanea, Harbour View, Boulevard and Ocho Rios, LG Service Station, General Food Supermarket, Music Mart in Twin Gate Plaza and the Morgans Harbour Hotel.

The event will be hosted by Bounty Killer, Elephant Man, Jabba and Ms. Kitty.

In its almost five decades of independence, Jamaica has established itself on the world stage as a developing country that is determined to achieve social and economic independence. And, in 2010, even as the nation grapples with the impact of the global financial recession; and strives to adjust its economy, we are confident that by joining forces with Jamaicans around the globe, "we can."

Many Jamaicans at home and in the Diaspora will celebrate this 48th anniversary of the independence of our country, with the hope that we can indeed achieve our aspirations, which will enhance the lives of future generations.

Kingston, Jamaica; Summerfest Productions apologises to all our patrons for the conditions they experienced at Reggae Sumfest due to the challenges brought on by the weather this year. Although we tried, the persistent rain made it very difficult for us to prepare the venue and to keep it dry, and we are very appreciative to the patrons who persevered and braved the weather to attend. Summerfest Productions however does not own the site at Catherine Hall, and rents the venue for the staging of the Festival each year.  While we made efforts to correct the situation as best as possible, the results were still not satisfactory. We want to assure the public that we are taking steps to ensure that there is no repeat of this in the future.

We intend to make sure that the necessary infrastructure is put in place by the owners in time for Sumfest 2011.  If this is not the case then we will not host the event at Catherine Hall, and will seek to secure a new home. Once again please accept our sincere thanks for attending and our commitment to make Reggae Sumfest next year not only enjoyable, but to provide a venue that will be comfortable and secure.

Well Reggae Sumfest Dancehall Night, July 22, 2010 night has come and gone and what a night it was. The underdogs pinned the show tighter than a head of freshly done sewn in weave and raised their profiles by leaps and bounds.

Entrance into the venue was smooth and signs were clearly posted for VIP ticket holders, persons with armbands and persons purchasing tickets at the gates. Parking was hassle free as was the traffic flow post the event. Security detail littered the venue and parking lots and adequate checks were done to ensure that no weapons were allowed into the venue As per usual the venue was a plethora of well decorated sponsor booths trying to out bevy one another in an attempt to woo the many patrons at the venue and quite frankly they succeeded. The usual fare of local food vendors was present both on the periphery and backstage and craft vendors were tactically located near the entrance of the venue. Due to the heavy down pouring of rain earlier in the day the grounds at the venue was a soggy mess and an unwanted stunt ground for many women who had worn slippers, that aside the venue was an eye pleaser. Some celebrity sightings were Ms Universe, Yendi Phillips who was in good spirits, Annmarita Golding, the P.M.’s daughter, Minister Of Information, Daryl Vaz, Chris Martin, Beenie Man, Bescenta, Charly Black, Harry Toddla.

The first artiste we saw on stage was Tifa who made no bones about spelling it out; then came Dancehall’s Bad Gyal, Ce'Cile who worked a very good set, considering she performed earlier than was scheduled. The inclusion of Mr Budget! Twitter, Spectacular! Tanto Blacks enhanced her routine when she performed her big hit Coffee, the crowd heartily drank it all up. Dressed by Uzuri D'Angel worked a greatly improved set which playfully incorporated The Shady Squad dancers into her routine. Ding Dong belted out the energy required for the hard to please crowd and did not leave the members of his Ravers Clavers family behind. Performing at Sumfest for the first time without recently slain member O’Neil, to whom the night was dedicated, Kevin and Craig dressed in clean fitting white suits trimmed with black walked on with a choir and kicked off their set with Praise His Name, an inspirational song (1st performed at O’niel’s memorial service). Images of O’niel were interspersed throughout the performance. Swiftly reminding the audience what Voicemail is known for, the duo moved into a dance set with Craigy Dread and others before delivering some of their hit ballads. Shortly before the end of their set Craig did a nouveau piece encouraging the audience to make a change in their lives by looking at themselves in the mirror. Often overlooked in the group and often described as a filler, Kevin stepped to the plate to close out their segment with a rare solo piece which encouraged the audience to say what they needed to say to a loved one before they lost them, it put them in a somber mood.

GT Taylor, one of the emcees for the night asked for the patrons to put up their lighters for a minute in tribute to O’Neil, Sugar Minott and Karl Young, founder of Irie Fm (the first Roots Rocking Reggae Radio and #1 station on the island) and Zip Fm. At about 12:04 am one of the young gunz of 2009 came blazing onto the stage fireman style in an eye catching attire by former Atlanta based now relocated to Jamaica designer, Mr Spokes. Showing why he cyan be cooled, Khago formerly Chicago caused torches to flare in tandem to his lyrics. Nah Sell Out Mi Fren Dem on Seanizzle’s One Day riddim brought him a double encore. For a young performer, his use of stage and energy was phenomenal.

The Gangstress Stacious came into her room on the big stage, all dressed in her self-designed ‘goodas’ outfit. It was, however, the daggeration moves with the midget that had the crowd railing with howls of excitement. Putting a different spin on things, the Gangstress handled the midget hoisting him around her waist and giving him a real gully wine. Clean crisp and dressed like a young captain, Chino sailed onto the stage and wasted no time launching into his hit songs. It was his varied rendition of Ruff It Up (Acoustic style) while seated and pretending to play a guitar that made the ladies really look. From Mawning got the biggest response in his set. When he brought on the Captain of the Ship, veteran performer and his father, Freddie McGregor, he almost was overshadowed. As if that were not enough, the patrons got a treat from one of the busiest Jamaican beat makers in the business, Di Genius. Clad in black, which provided a good contrast to Chino’s white and gold outfit (both designed by Romeich) his Nah Fren Again and Cyan Forgive dem earned him encores.

Sprinting onto the stage for his set was the hilarious and witty Kiprich aka Kippo. His ‘A Wanna Know Where Bruce Is’ using Foreigner’s I Wanna Know What Love Is melody earned him forwards. What can really be said of Kiprich is that he does not need to have a hit song to be able to tear down a venue. He then jumped into a medley of his hits which was well received, but strangely when he ‘styled’ the gays there was hardly much of a response as would normally happen in previous years. Maybe the times are changing. Peppered and charged up, Spice dressed all Lady Gagaesque found great favour with two extempo songs on both the Hold Yuh Riddim and Mad Collab Riddim. Instead of singing ‘a weh u get dat new clarks deh dawdie’ she put her twist to it ‘a weh u get dat big **** deh dawdie’. She had the ladies in a chokehold with that. The real clincher in her performance however was when, the Fluffy Diva from Flecthers Land aka Pamputtae posed the Fluffy vs Slimmaz challenge. It took Spice’s set to a whole new level. Dressed in lace and a body suit Pamputtae jumped, bubbled, rolled and rested on her head top fluffy style, but it was the alternate vibrating of her left and right posterior cheeks that had the crowd screaming. Miss Kitty, one of the emcees also got involved and showed them that big girls do possess di action. Another young gun to the business, Konshens played on the girls conscience with Good Girl Gone Bad that earned him an encore. He has come a far way in terms of his use of stage and delivered a tight set. Keep an eye on this performer.

Next up was the man who produced Digicel's Riddim (The Next Generation Riddim) for Sumfest, none other than prolific beat maker cum artiste Demarco. He spewed out the hits with a strong vocal delivery some of which got a good response, but part of the problem with Demarco’s performance is that he has to work around the stage, albeit Sumfest’s stage is a big one to master. It was not until Love a Come Down that he got a monsterous response, even involving his drummer and a female dancer while he took over drumming duties. When Lord Evil aka Idonia held onto the microphone and shouted in his grovelly voice, Bad People Deh ya Move, the crowd did indeed move. Dressed like a vampire from Romania, in full black and a long flowing coat lined with purple silk he sank his teeth into the crowd, moving spit fire style, delivering hit after hit after hit. He called Aisha out to do Heart Is Hers and showed them all that he not only can get 'em, but can grind 'em. Giving the slowest most pulsating wine on Aisha while rhyming his lyrics, Idonia had women biting and licking their lips. Not leaving out Jahova he acknowledged the Messiah to close. He was a crowd pleaser.

At 2:41 am the crowd was bowled over by the young man from Clarendon who many say stole the show. One of two Digicel Ambassadors, I Octane lived up to his name. Dressed in Purple and White, he was in a no nonsense mood. His performance elicted the buzz of vuvuzelas, the rage of a bonfire, torches flaming all around the venue, lighters and phone lights on almost every hand in the venue. His energy was immeasurable and the sequencing of his songs so well put together that he had the audience eating out of his hands. A surprise act in his set was Zj Liquid (son of St James and Red Stripe Ambassador), walking out with Chant A Psalms and quickly moving into Wifey Walk Out Matey Stand Up, his addition amped up the set even more. No doubt Digicel is going to look into doing Bigger Better things with I Octane after this performance. Up next came one of the most intelligent and well spoken artistes in the business Agent Sasco aka Assassin. The second of the Digicel Amabassdors, dressed like a general he led the charge in his set giving an impressive, high energy and educative set. It is clear that he has spent a lot of time working on how to deliver his huge catalogue of hits and it has paid off. Fresh off the confiscation of his convertible Mercedes by Jamaican Tax Authorities and introduced almost in the same manner by emcee Miss Kitty, the Energy God exploded unto the stage at about 3:30 am and as predicted addressed the issue before swinging into his set of feet swagging tunes. A guest appearance into his set by ‘di gyal dem’ selecta Tony Matterhorn which saw them switching back and forth between hit songs had the ladies bending and vibrating uncontrollably. It was a bit evident though that his recent debacle with the tax authorities did affect his energy somewhat, this in comparison to recent years.

He might have had his US Visa taken from him but the Gully God aka Movado gave a truly international performance. Giving prime attention to the ladies at the commencement of his set, he showed why a him the ‘gyal dem a mad ova’, when he brought Stacious into his set for Come Into My Room, the chemistry between them elevated the crowd to another level. Not doing away with his gangster ways he did a medley of his badman hits and other tunes which set off torches and lighters. He made mention of the peace between Gully and Gaza. Most astounding was his unbelievable energy and use of the grand stage which hardly left him breathless; it seemed almost as if he had been in training with Usain Bolt. A true Alliance member he acknowledged The General, Bounty Killer and brought other Alliance Members Flexxx and Wayne Marshall into his scintillating set. Rehearsals for the Gully God have definitely paid off with huge interest.

Come 4:34 am the General of the Alliance, Bounty Killer darted unto the stage and in his first song he acknowledged his son Vybz Kartel. In true Warlord style he launched into a war catalogue and ran the hits that made him famous over the years. Visibly upset over the crime in Jamaica he made a poignant statement to which the crowd agreed; it alluded to the fact that the dutty shotta dem name waste sperm, dutty germ. Big up police weh a do dem work. He brought on Angel Doolas and praised him for writing Book Book Book and said he was one of his best friends. He said they were honoring him on that night he would not ‘gwan too mad’, but as the sun rose he chided the engineering for not setting the microphone with a proper mix. He also addressed the Government saying they imposed a State of Emergency, but they needed a State of Urgency cause poor people more ‘feduperer’ to which the crowd cheered merrily. Truly confounding was when the Killer asked the gangster dem if they knew about punaany the place was quiet. He had to ask it again. He then brought up Bugle followed by Elephant Man to do their hits on the Mad Collab Riddim. The final artiste he bought on stage was young talent Pattexx. While Bounty's set was a bit long, the audience was tolerant because he was being honored. It was his time, even Beenie Man was in the crowd acknowledging him. Johnny Gurzong and Robert Russell presented him with a plaque, which placed a smile on his face. The Killer made a statement to the effect that he has done things in the past of which have not approved, but he was a good boy. They all agreed. A video tribute was then played while the band exited.

At 5:34 am the man who had a great deal of controversy surrounding his improbable performance at Sumfest due to his recent lock up was getting ready to close Dancehall Night at Reggae Sumfest. A newscast announcing his arrest followed by another newscast announcing his release was played, at which point Vybz Kartel was escorted on stage in his prison attire complete with handcuffs and tie head by a police officer. The place went into an uproar. His entrance was the best at Sumfest and the start of his set was excellent. He gave a good performance considering he was in lockup for close to 2 weeks. A number of persons started walking out on his performance, but that could have been due to the time of day and the long hours of standing, since they could not lie down on the traditional 'reggae mat' on the soggy ground. Overall Dancehall Night at Reggae Sumfest was okay, Band Changes were much better than in previous years, but the Mixing Engineer could have done a better job on the microphones.

Top Canadian Reggae artist Tony Anthony is heartily becoming a household name here in Jamaica. The singer known for his prolific song writing plus his sweet and powerful voice latest single “Torn” can be heard daily on most radio stations across Jamaica.

“Torn” is the first single released from Tony Anthony’s “Million Chance” album and has been rising steadily on the Richie B’s Jamaica Music Countdown Top 25 Reggae Singles Chart and currently sits at number 14.

On the popular Stampede Streets Chart “Torn” debuted at number 15. Earlier this year “Torn” topped the Canadian Reggae charts and remained number one for eight weeks on the “Rebel Vibes” top ten charts.

This is the second time a Tony Anthony single has featured prominently on the Jamaican charts.In 2008 another single “Yuh Nuh Simple” went as far as number five on the Jamaica Music Countdown Charts.

Since its release a few months ago Tony Anthony’s debut album “Million Chance” has garnered a lot of interest in Europe and the rest of the world. On July 20th the album debuted at number 5 in the Netherland’s reputable Reggae Vibes magazine top 50 recommended albums (www. Reggae/vibes.com). Tony Anthony is the winner of several CRNA Awards over the years. At the 2010 CRAA Awards he won the award for best reggae vocalist in Canada.

The “Million Chance” album is available for sale on the World Wide Web at online stores like “NAPSTER, ITUNES, AOL, AMAZON, JUNO, MP3.soundquake.com, and most leading online stores.

Fans can check out more about Tony Anthony and his music at (www.Myspace.com/TonyAnthonymusic). Or link him up at (www.facebook.com/TonyAnthony). To book Tony Anthony for performance in Jamaica call (469-1059).

Vocalist Chevaughn Clayton better known as Chevaughn currently on tour with Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff last weekend left Canadians with what could go down as one of the most memorable performances of the 2010 Ottawa Bluesfest in Ottawa.

The festival which ran from July 6th – 18th saw some of the biggest and most eclectic names in entertainment gracing the stage from Black Eye Peas to new rap sensation Drake. However it was the final evening of the festival that turned out to be one of their best. Reggae and Ska legend Jimmy Cliff accompanied by Chevaughn and his band gave an energetic performance that belied Jimmy’s 62 years.

After lengthy encores from the 30,000+ attendees the band left the stage one at a time, beginning with Jimmy Cliff himself and ending with his bass player. It was an understated end to a soul-reaching set, and a peaceful warm up for this year’s festival closers Weezer.

Earlier in the week the team made one of several stops in Winnipeg at the Winnipeg Folk Festival garnering rousing applauses from the approximately 20,000 patrons for another mystical reggae influenced set.

Now on U.S soil the team will embark on a thorough sweep of the mainland with concerts in Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Seattle, Oregon, Portland and Las Vegas among a plethora of other towns and cities.

Chevaughn's latest single 'Summer Break' with Bugle and Razz & Biggy continues to enjoy upward mobility on the various charts across the Caribbean diaspora.

D'Angel continues to show why she is a force to be reckoned with when she made her entrance on Sumfest - Dancehall Night over the weekend.

The Dancehall fashionista dressed in a gold and red ensemble courtesy of acclaimed designers Uzuri International took centerstage at 11:30pm following a commendable set from Ding Dong.

Despite the soggy grounds, that did very little to stop the thousands who came out to witness performances from some of the frontrunners in local entertainer and D'Angel like a true professional did not disappoint.

Opening with the upbeat numbers ‘Hot Gyal A Road', 'You Are My First' and 'Baby Daddy', the latter two featuring her estranged husband Beenie Man and Vybz Kartel respectively. D'Angel quickly found favour with her audience and soon invited members of the Shady Squad dance group to join her on stage for 'Come Over' affording them the opportunity to showcase an array of spine bending dance moves. This was followed by the very inspirational ‘Stronger’ before delving into a medley of her other material from her growing catalogue.

At the end of her fifteen minutes the very tight and well co-ordinated set was well received and garnered her several nods of approval from the large gathering at Catherine Hall, Montego Bay.

"It was a great show, my set was well executed and I accomplished my goal which was delivering a good performance" – D'Angel said. When asked what was different from her previous appearances she added "This year it was more about connecting with the audience and delivery and less about elaborate choreography and fanfare. I also want to laud the organisers for the high level of professionalism they bring annually to the staging of the festival".

In early August, D'Angel is booked to appear on a number of events including Manchester Fiesta, Little Ochi Seafood Festival, Radio Jamaica (RJR) 60th Anniversary and Splashy Connection in Little London, Westmoreland.