Alborosie – “BOB MARLEY is the King”

During an interview with Oufah a few days before leaving for the long awaited South American tour, the MOBO award winner revealed that his inspiration through music has been encouraged by reggae legend Bob Marley. ‘I owe all my success to date to Bob Marley, he has paved the way for many aspiring reggae musicians like myself,’ he says. Alborosie who now resides in Jamaica, is originally from Italy and believes that the work of Bob Marley reaches and impacts the lives of many people around the world. ‘Bob Marley is THE KING of reggae, without his music I would probably be back in Italy or somewhere else in the world, but not in Jamaica,’ he added. With the upcoming premiere the Marley documentary, Alborosie encourages Jamaicans to go out and take part in the historic film presentation. His final words to Oufah were, ‘Rasta and Non Rasta, Bob would love us to Unite – ONE LOVE!’ The Official movie for the King of reggae Bob Marley premieres in Kingston Jamaica on April 19, 2012 at Emancipation Park at 7pm. Click here to view the Marley Movie Trailer

Alborosie’s 2 TIMES REVOLUTION South American Tour Now on!

Dates and locations as follows: 12.04.12 LIMA (Peru) / Centro de Convenciones Embarcadero 41 14.04.12 SANTIAGO DE CHILE (Chile) / Chimkowe — Festival Siempre Vivo Reggae 15.04.12 BUENOS AIRES (Argentina) / Niceto 16.04.12 BUENOS AIRES (Argentina) / Niceto 18.04.12 MAR DE PLATA ( Argentina) / Abbey Road 20.04.12 CORDOBA (Argentina) / La Vieja Usina 21.04 12 SAN LUIS (Argentina) / Palacio de los Deportes 22.04.12 ROSARIO (Argentina) / Pugliese 27.04.12 BELEM (Brasil) / Parque dos Igarapes 28.04.12 FORTALEZA (Brasil) / Barraca Biruta 29.04.12 SAO LUIS (Brasil) / Trapiche 05.05.12 MARACAY (Venezuela) / Parque Carlos Raul Villanueva — Festival Full Reverberancia Click here for more on Alborosie

Human to Hero: Champion Blake bids to steal buddy Bolt’s sprint swag

Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake announced himself as an Olympic contender when he won gold in the 100 meters final at the 2011 World Athletics Championships in South Korea.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Jamaican Yohan Blake is the current world 100 meter sprint champion
• Blake took gold at the 2011 World Athletics Championships in South Korea
• The 22-year-old trains with Olympic champion and 100m record holder Usain Bolt
• Blake aiming to challenge Bolt for gold at the London Olympics this year

(CNN) – Everyone expected Jamaican flags to be flying high after the 100 meters final at the 2011 World Athletics Championships — but no-one predicted that Usain Bolt would not be performing his customary celebration rituals.

The world’s fastest man had to watch as his training partner Yohan Blake took his title in South Korea, with the Olympic champion having been disqualified for a false start.

The furore over Bolt’s predicament completely overshadowed the achievement of his 22-year-old compatriot, who became the youngest world champion since U.S. sprint legend Carl Lewis was crowned in 1983 aged just 21.

They are firm friends as well as training partners, but when the starting gun sounds at this year’s London Olympics, there will only be one thing on Blake’s mind — scooping another one of Bolt’s titles.

Human to Hero: Sprinter Yohan Blake

Bolt won the 100m and 200m events in record times at Beijing 2008, and earned a third gold in the 4x100m relay, but Blake is closing the gap on his idol with personal bests last year.

CNN’s Human to Hero show caught up with the boy from St. James as he turns his attention to performing on the biggest stage of all.

Early days

Blake’s sprinting career took off in his early teens when he was spotted running at his school in Spanish Town, and he made a big impression at the Carifta Games — a Caribbean track and field meeting for young athletes.

Yohan Blake: Fast Facts

Event: 100m, 200m 4x100m relay

Hometown: St James, Jamaica

Age: 22

Honors: 100m world champion, 4x100m relay champ

Olympic appearances: 0

Daily routine: Up at 6.30am, train for five hours, bed at 1am

How do you relax? Read, play cricket, dominoes, go to the beach (with girls)

Calorie intake: 4,000 or 5,000 a day

“Somebody just saw me running, went up to my school principal and said ‘You’ve got a new track star there,” and from there it started, from the age of 15 or so I started running,” he says.

“When I was in High School I ran the Jamaican national junior record of 10.11 seconds. I was running at the Carifta Games when I ran 10.18 secs in the semis. And I ran 10.11 in the final, so from there I knew I could do something great.

“I think it’s fate because I believe in fate and that it leads towards good things.”

Heroes

“I really have to look up to Usain Bolt because of what he has done. Just to be his training partner and know what he thinks and know what he can do — I have to look up to him.

“Asafa Powell (100m world record holder between June 2005 and May 2008) started it back in the day, and for a guy to do that to put Jamaica on the world stage and say ‘Look, Jamaica can dominate the world,’ I have to look up to someone like that that even though he did not get a world medal at the time. He has put Jamaica out there.”

Gold in Daegu

Blake posted a time of 9.92 seconds, enough to beat a strong field in the final but still well short of Bolt’s world record of 9.58.

“What happened at Daegu — Usain Bolt is on the world stage and people are always going to look at that,” Blake says.

“But I think I turned people’s minds. It wasn’t a fluke, so I think when they look back on Daegu they’ll say, ‘Oh, there’s a young man who is going to challenge him.’ “

London 2012

What I got at Daegu is what I’ve been working on over the years and it is finally coming true
Yohan Blake

“My first time going into the Olympics, you know, I think it is going to be a breathtaking moment for me. I want to go to the Olympics, have some fun and come back home with some medals.

“When I feel it is a big stage for me as the Olympics is where the big times, the big things really happen because an Olympic medal would really mean a lot.

“It makes more sponsors come out to you, so going out to the Olympics is going to be a really wonderful gift for me, really.”

The competition

“When you have Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell, Usain Bolt and myself lining up for the 100m, I’m always excited because the competition is really good and I want to be the best person on the day, the best person to execute well,” Blake says.

“I think that is what the world wants to see. It’s going to be really interesting, all them guys they come out feeling fit and feeling ready to go.

“Also in the 200m, Water Dix, me, Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay if he is fit, you know I think anything can happen and I think it’s just going to be interesting.”

Work ethic

“I’m a hard worker and I believe in time — things take time to happen and it’s my time and it’s coming out.

“I work assiduously at what I do, I like the heights by a great man. I work at night, always working. And what I got at Daegu is what I’ve been working on over the years and it is finally coming true.”

Jamaican Reggae Boyz defeat New Zealand 3-2

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Local based players Xavian Virgo, Tramaine Stewart and Navion Boyd flew the Jamaica flag proudly down under earlier today when each hit the target to help Jamaica to a 3-2 victory over New Zealand at the Mt Smart Stadium. Chris Wood and substitute Chris Killen replied for the home team in the second half in front of 15,379 spectators, including former Jamaica and West Indies Test cricketer Franklyn Rose.

Virgo, of  Boys’ Town, opened the scoring in the 39th minute when his attempted cross from the right flank caught goalkeeper Mark Paston unawares, as they ball sailed over his head and into the far side netting, much to the chagrin of the partisan home crowd who had ventured into the venue hoping for victory for the All Whites.

Eight minutes after the resumption, Stewart, who was having only his second game for Jamaica at this level, increased the lead when he rifled home from inside the penalty area, after strike partner Omar Cummings and midfield ace Keammar Daley had combined well to create the opening.

But Jamaica hardly had time to savour the celebration when the home side reduced the deficit, courtesy of a well-placed shot by Wood, after the Jamaican defence was caught out of position.

However, substitute Boyd restored Jamaica’s two-goal cushion in the 77th minute when he found the target from a lightning counter attacking move through Luton Shelton, who made the perfect pass when it mattered most, leaving Boyd to do the rest with some degree of composure.

But as Jamaica cruised towards the inevitable victory, Killen headed home from a right side corner to lend some respectability to the final score line, as Jamaica registered their second victory over the All Whites in as many engagements, and their third victory in a week, following 1-0 and 3-0 triumphs over Cuba in Jamaica.

The Jamaican players are scheduled to depart New Zealand early Thursday morning (Wednesday evening Jamaica time) for home, via Sydney in Australia, Los Angeles and Miami, before arriving home on Friday morning.

Teams: Jamaica – Dwayne Miller, Claude Davis, Damion Stewart (Adrian Reid 88th), Troy Smith, Xavian Virgo, Jermaine Taylor, Luton Shelton, Je-Vaughn Watson (Jorginho James 82nd), Keammar Daley, Omar Cummings Navion Boyd 65th), Tramaine Stewart (Richard Edwards 73rd)

Booked: Wattson (21st), Shelton (37th), Miller 90th+

Subs not used: Jacomeno Barrett, Oneil Thompson, Keneil Moodie, Romeo Parkes

New Zealand – Mark Paston, Winston Reid (Ben Sigmund 45th), Tony Lochhead, Tommy Smith, Ryan Nelsen (Ivan Vicelich 90th), Tim Brown, Marco Rojas (Leo Bertos 74th), Michael McGlinchey (dan Keat 64th), Jeremy Brockie, Kosta Barbarouses (Chris Killen 64th), Chris Wood

Booked: None

Subs not used: Shane Smeltz, Scott Basalaj

Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)

Assistant Referees: Mark Rule, Jan-Hendrik Hintz (New Zealand)

Fourth Official: Chris Kerr (New Zealand)

General Coordinator: Glyn Taylor (New Zealand)

 

Use agriculture to mobilise JEEP — Val Wint

MANDEVILLE, Manchester-People’s National Party (PNP) North East Manchester caretaker Valenton (Val) Wint believes that going the route of co-operatives is an effective way of boosting agriculture and helping to activate the much-touted Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP).

Wint told farmers at the annual general meeting of the Christiana Potato Growers’ Association in Manchester on Thursday that the Government should be lobbied in order that all Jamaicans can make a contribution to help in the development of agriculture similar to how people make payments to the National Housing Trust (NHT).

WINT… Government must find a way of qualifying the traditional farmers.

 

“We see the world is now looking at food security. If we are very serious about it we would love to lobby the Government that all Jamaicans make a national contribution the same way we make a contribution to Housing Trust,” Wint said.

“You make a one per cent or half per cent contribution to the sustainability of farming in this country. The fact is the money would go a far way in providing cheaper loans for you. I don’t know if you know that Housing Trust is one of the richest industries in Jamaica … rich because it is a national endeavour,” he said.

Wint said that agriculture is one of the most competitive industries in the world and if Jamaica loses out on farming, the Jamaican people will “die of starvation”.

However, he said that there are areas in the agriculture industry which need to be addressed in order for “career” farmers to benefit adequately from the resources that are made available to them.

Wint said that the formation of co-operatives prevent persons doing farming as “sidelines”, from benefiting more from government support than the ones who do it as their main source of qualifying the traditional income.

“We really want the assistance the assistance Government to realise that doesn’t go in the wrong they must find a way of direction,” he said.

He said that as much as the persons who do farming on a part-time basis help to reduce the need for imported goods and foreign exchange, “we can’t create an industry that kills the market that takes it as its livelihood”.

Wint said that co-operatives can help the benefits gained from agriculture to be more evenly distributed among persons with varying degrees of skills and resources.

“We want to go back to the kind of co-operatives where all stakeholders benefit in one way or the other. You have some young boys now who are very energetic but they have no land, they have no money, they have no seeds. We want to go back to the days when you can employ them, pay them a small sum to work but they become a part of your co-operative.

“When the crop comes in they are getting their equal share. Some will be contributing labour, some may be contributing the seed and those with the wherewithal, the land, and some… the money. This is something that can work. I look at this as one way of mobilising the JEEP that we talk about. Those of you who have the resources can really pull together those unemployed youngsters. If you can bring them to a cooperative that they trust, then you can find employment for them,” he said.

Wint said that with the collective effort of persons in the agriculture industry and the assistance of government to facilitate affordable money and moratorium on loans farmers will be able to move towards other industries which will enable them to get maximum value from what is produced.

 

Drowned boy’s dad angry at teachers, says he wants closure

 

 

BRYAN’S BAY, Portland — Horace Burke stood on the beach in this town on Jamaica’s north-eastern coast Friday looking out at the same angry sea that had taken his 16-year-old son Shane the day before.

The father’s grief gave way to anger at the teachers who took his son and 39 other students to Shanshy Beach without permission.

Horace Burke (left) listens to a man at the bar at Shanshy Beach in Portland on Friday. Burke was at the beach hoping that a search team would recover the body of his son, Shane, who, along with schoolmate Demel Osburne, drowned there Thursday afternoon. (Photos: Everard Owen)

“This is one hundred per cent negligence,” he fumed.

The elder Burke said he was told that a member of the group alerted the others to the fact that Shane and 17-year-old Demel Osburne were in difficulty in the water.

“Someone said ‘Shane a drown’, and dem say a prank and dem take it for a joke, and two a dem drown,” Burke lamented as he looked across to Navy Island.

The tragic deaths rocked the country Friday after it emerged that the bus carrying the group of St Andrew College students diverted to Portland instead of returning directly to Kingston after a field trip to St Mary to complete a School-Based Assessment (SBA) project.

“My son was destined for St Mary — St Mary Bananas — to do his SBA, and ended up in Portland in tragedy,” Burke said. “My baby mother signed for him to go to St Mary for his SBA. The principal said they had permission to go to St Mary and not Portland.”

On Friday, principal Donovan Isaacs was furious as he confirmed that the signed agreement between the school and parents was for the students to be taken to St Mary only.

Yesterday, the Observer on Saturday reported that the school board will decide this week whether to impose sanctions on the teachers who were on the field trip.

While this will probably bring the closure that Burke seeks, his immediate concern is that the search team will recover his son’s body, just as they did Demel’s.

“All now we caan find my son, so mi still a look out, still a hope fi find him to bring closure to the situation, fi mek him know seh mi love him and want him where mi deh still,” said Burke. “If he is out there I want to find him. After mi bury him, mi really want to hear what happened as mi no hear nothing yet.”

Burke said that at first the information he received about the tragedy was confusing. He said he received a call at about 3:00 pm telling him that his son died in St Mary. After that he heard that it was in Portland.

“I want to bring closure to this. Mi a hear sketchy, sketchy news how him drown,” said Burke.

He described his son as a good boy who always tried to do his best academically, even though he was not a student who got excellent grades.

Despite his grief, Burke had a word of advice for other parents: “Make sure that you have full details of where your children are going and who they are going out with.”

He also pleaded with school administrators to ensure that when they take students out they must all be accounted for and supervised properly.

Yesterday, the search for Shane’s body ended without success.

Elephant Man Arrested on Rape Charges

Hip hop star Elephant Man — The artist behind the 2004 hit “Jook Gal“  — was arrested in Kingston Jamaica Monday on suspicion of raping a woman at his St. Andrew home last month.

According to local reports, police launched an investigation after the alleged victim filed a report.

One Jamaican media outlet says E.M. — real name Oneil Bryan — was questioned with his lawyer present … and after the interrogation, officials decided they had enough information to charge the Dance Hall Artist with grievous sexual assault and rape.

Direc Report – Elephant Man has been released from custody after posting bail, which was set at 400,000 Jamaican dollars … roughly $4,637.95 in American currency

Reggae emerges in California Jah Sun on the Rise!

Reggae emerges in California -   Jah Sun on the Rise!

JAH SUN “Battle the Dragon” Promo Mix by DJ CHILD of P.G.M.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8AJfGCQO7g

From the heart of Humboldt County, California, where the redwoods meet the Pacific, Jah Sun emerges as an artist dedicated to global and social healing. Fusing the sounds of hip-hop, reggae and world music with conscious and uplifting lyrics, he hopes to awaken the human spirit and inspire others to live to their ultimate potential.

 

Jah Sun brings his message of love and unity with a variety of vocal styles. From fierce hip-hop explo- sions, to melodic ballads, rootsy anthems and sensual dancehall licks, he brings something for everyone. Re- gardless of style, the common theme throughout all his music is the consistent message of positivity, love and respect, and kindness to all.

 

Jah Sun has gained great recognition in the reggae industry and other mainstream markets. In 2006, he was nominated for “Hip-Hop Single of the Year” at the ‘LA Music Awards’. In that same year, his single entitled ‘Fyah Dance’ was featured on the fall season premiere of MTV’s hit show, “Laguna Beach”. This momentum continued the following year when FUEL TV’s Vans Downtown Showdown featured singles “The Height of Light” and ‘Nuff a Dem’. To date, “No Bonez No Blood” has received the most international recognition with the highest rotation on radio and television worldwide.

One thing that is for sure about Jah Sun, is that since he appeared on the scene in 2006 he has been one of the fastest rising reggae talent in Northern California, selling thousands of albums and touring some of the most popular festivals in the west coast including: Reggae Rising, Earthdance, Monterey Bay, Seattle Hempfest and Northwest World Reggae Festival. Jah Sun continues to gain new fans every step of the way even in Europe where he has recently captured audiences in major cities in Italy, Sweden and Spain.

His most recent project is the recording of his newest album “Battle the Dragon” which he says was inspi- red by “the state of the world” in this current time. He explains that people are constantly battling with different elements from “the rebellions in the middle east, the riots in London and even our own – Occupy Wallstreet”, the album is an expression of how we should combat these negative situations as “it is evident that the world is ready for a new paradigm.”

Battle ‘the dragon’ can mean different things to different people, but he believes the “the dragon is an illu- sion that we are not all one people, and that we are separate from the earth and each other.” Jah Sun ex- presses great passion in the execution of his work, using personification and imagery to tell his story. In his opinion, the victory in the battle can only be achieved when people realise that that they are in fact connected to the world and each other. “I feel this is the only way to restore harmony to the earth and her children,” he said.

 

Like his recent records, the current album will feature collaborations with some of the biggest names in reggae including MOBO award winner Alborosie from Italy, Gentleman from Germany, J Boog representing the Pacific Islands, Gappy Ranks out of London and Mr. Perfect from Jamaica – the original home of reggae music. According to the Cali native, the artistes featured were carefully selected and their contribution symbolises the enormity of reggae music’s impact around the world.

“On this album I wanted to show how the music and message from Jamaica has spread all over the world. I wanted to feature guests from all over the world to show the unity in the music,” he explained. This is the fourth album recorded by the artiste since his debut in 2006. “Battle the Dragon” is scheduled to be released in 2012. The newest singles are currently available on itunes including tracks from his pre- vious albums ‘Height of Light’, ‘Stronger’ and ‘GRAVITY’ .

www.jahsunmusic.com

                                                             www.facebook.com/RoyalVibesMusic

Jayharno ‘Jayday Vol 1. Interview On (Ma Gash Radio) LIVE

Jayharno Jayday Free Download

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DUDLEY, THE ACTOR

 

TO say Dudley Thompson lived a full life would be an understatement. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, was a respected lawyer and committed Pan-African, senator, government minister and ambassador.

He also did a bit of acting.

THOMPSON… played Police Commissioner Bowles in Marijuana Affair

The affable Thompson, who died last Friday in New York City at age 95, had a cameo in the 1975 film, The Marijuana Affair. He played police commissioner Bowles.

Filmed in Jamaica, The Marijuana Affair was directed by American William Greaves and produced by Jamaican boxing promoter Lucien Chen.

It starred Bahamian actor Calvin Lockhart, as well as Jamaican stalwarts Charles Hyatt, Carl Bradshaw and Basil Keane. Mark Ricketts, owner of the Island Premiere and Review Centre in Fort Lauderdale, told the Observer he

bought rights to the film from Chen two years ago.

The Marijuana Affair was shown at his 60-seater venue in October to enthusiastic audiences. Ricketts commented on Thompson’s performance.

“He didn’t have a major role but he did his thing.”

At the time, Thompson was a senior member in the ruling People’s National Party, led by socialist prime minister Michael Manley. The Marijuana Affair’s plot zooms in on corruption among government officials and high-ranking members of the police force.

Lockhart, who lived in St Mary for several years, played Richard Farrington, an American detective investigating the drug trade’s influence on violence in the country. Early in his career, the charismatic Lockhart was seen in some circles as the next Sidney Poitier. He was best known to Jamaican movie fans for his roles in popular ‘blaxploitation’ flicks of the 1970s.

Bradshaw co-starred as Boy Blue, Hyatt played Preacher and Keane had the role of Deacon. Bradshaw and Keane co-starred in The Harder They Come three years earlier.

The Marijuana Affair had a brief Jamaican run at the Harbour View Drive-in. Ricketts plans to release the film on DVD this year.

Winston Riley is dead

RECORD producer and songwriter Winston Riley is dead.

Riley died in hospital yesterday from the effects of a gunshot wound he received last year. He was in a coma since he was attacked and shot in the back of the head in November last year.

Riley…died in hospital yesterday

Winston, who was the father of Fame FM disc jockey Kurt Riley, had being plagued with a series of violent attacks. He was shot in August last year and later stabbed five times in September.

Kurt Riley told the Observer this morning that his father’s grieving relatives could not figure out a motive behind the attempts on his father’s life.

“Unfortunately Daddy didn’t wake up so we could talk to him to find out if there was something he was not telling us. He was a straightforward man, who was allergic to hypocrisy,” he said.

Winston Riley produced the late General Echo’s The Slackest album on his Techniques label in 1979, and was instrumental in the development of the careers of Sister Nancy, Buju Banton, Cutty Ranks, Lone Ranger, and Frankie Paul.