1Xtra Dancehall Chart 22/03/2007

1. Stephen & Damian Marley - The Traffic Jam
2. Shaggy - Church Heathen
3. Beres Hammond - Give It All You Got
4. Movado - Dying
5. Collie Buddz - Come Around
6. Gytpain - Beautiful Lady
7. Beenie Man - Reverse Di Ting
8. Munga - Bad From Me Born
9. Collie Buddz - Tommorrow's Another Day
10. Richie Spice - Brown Skin

Assistant Manager of Asylum Steals JA$112,000

The assistant manager of Kingston's hottest nightclub Asylum has appeared in front of magistrates to defend himself against the charge of larceny. He is accused of stealing JA$112,000 by the club's manger who called the police after discovering suspicious control sheets for the registers' floats.

Raymond Ramsey told the court initially that he had put the money into the cash registers so that it could be used to make change. He then changed his this to a story about him losing the money.

Ramsey was bailed on JA$50,000 and on surrender of his travel documents. He is sentenced on April 10th.

Source

Red Rat Video Shoots Video For "Hot Girls Holiday"

One876Entertainment reports that Red Rat has recently been shooting a video for the song "Hot Girls Holiday".

“It started at about midday Saturday and went up until about 1 a.m on Sunday and it continued on Sunday. Basically, him and a guy named Perch and both are going on a hot girl holiday, going on a cruise all over the world with girls from all Caribbean islands, the European countries... Most of it was shot in the Jungle, a bar scene and other shots beach buggies all over Negril, but the basic concept is how to make a flex with a variety of females,” road manager Courtney Mac told One876Entertainment.com.

JamdownReport wonders whether this is the song "Hot Girls Holiday" released on Shoe Lane Recs' Shamrock riddim, recorded about two years ago.
Source

QQ - Normal

The Star has an interview with dancehall's youngest star, 12 year-old QQ. It seems that young performer has managed to avoid the all-too-tempting excesses of the dancehall.

Rather than guns, girls and ganja, QQ likes football and PlayStation2.

Hold the front page!!!

Source

Beenie Man - Bruk?

YardFlex.com carries an article pondering whether self-proclaimed King of the Dancehall Beenie Man is in some financial difficulties. Rumours have been around for a while that Beenie is still paying off his wedding, etc.

"He seems to be more concerned with paying his huge bills at this time. The last show I saw him on was Spectrum in January, and I heard that he 'ate' his words and went to Spring Break." they quote one "very prominent professional.

Source

Jamaican Top 20 Singles - March 16th 2007

1. Shaggy - Church Heathen
2. Gyptian - My Fadah Seh
3. Movado - Last NIght
4. Macka Diamond - Hoola Hoop
5. Collie Buddz - Come Around
6. Daville - This Time I Promise
7. Morgan Heritage - Brooklyn & Jamaica
8. Nanko - Loco Amor
9. Lutan Fyah - Save The Juvenile
10. Buju Banton - Driver A
11. Chuck Fender & Cherine Anderson - Coming Over
12. Ginjah - Music Alone
13. Paul Elliot - The Real Thing
14. Erup - Run Dem Head
15. Jah Selah - Lonely Girl
16. Mr Vegas - Nuh Fren From Deh
17. Movado - Dreaming
18. Tesanne Chin - Hideaway
19. Shaggy - Rub-A-Dub
20. Bascom X - Give It A Try

Vybz Kartel Starts "Dub Plate Insurance" Business

The Irish & Chin blog carries an interesting article about how Vybz Kartel is, after voicing a dub for a sound system, 'persuading' that system to pay extra to guarantee against a counteraction.

Irish & Chin claim that Kartel is voicing a particular tune on dubplate, then contacting rival sound-systems and offering them a counteraction. Unless the original sound who voiced the dub pays extra $$$s then Kartel voices the counteraction. In a world where your sound's reputation can be made or lost on a single soundclash event, sounds will be willing to pay the extra $$$s.

US$500 buys you a month's immunity from Kartel's counteraction, where as US$750 will get your 2 months immunity.

Source

Gyptian - Betrayer Or Betrayed?

Gyptian will no longer be releasing records from the No Doubt Records label, which is an imprint of VP Records.

“I will not be signing an album release form for this album and if it is released there will be a law suit... Right now, ah Real Lyfe me a say, mi tell Chris Chin (head of VP Recs) that I will not be working with ‘Flava’.

Right now, ‘Flava’ has nine tracks with me, and he is nowhere close to completing an album so he is going around and trying to buy up tracks with me. The other day, he bought a song from Mr. Wong fi $80,000 and splice a verse on it on a different song….he needs to stop going around and selling out the music,” Gyptian told One876Entertainment.com last week

However Flava says Gyptian signed a two-album deal with No Doubt Recs and two albums he will release.

“I am not sure about the name of the second album yet but it is badder than the first, you see me and Gyptian have a good chemistry that no other producer doesn’t have, so if he sings a wrong note, I can fix it.

However, after this album, me nah do no more work with Gyptian, ah my yute, mi want him to carry on but me cannot do any more work with him after this…if me is Hitler, then he is worse than Peter and Judas, him betray me,” he told One876Entertainment.com.

Source

BBC 1Xtra Dancehall Chart 15th March 2007

This week's dancehall chart with Robbo Ranks.

1. Stephen Marley & Damian Marley - The Traffic Jam
2. Shaggy - Church Heathen
3. Collie Buddz - Come Around
4. Beres Hammond - Give It All You Got
5. Movado - Dying
6. Beenie Man - Reverse Di Ting
7. Collie Buddz - Tomorrow's Another Day
8. Richie Spice - Brown Skin
9. Gyptian - Beautiful Lady
10. Morgan Heritage - Love You Right

"Traffic Jam" still lock the dances.

Source

3 Dancehall Duets Make Vibe Magazine's Top 50

Three Jamaican combination tunes have made it into Vibe Magazine's 50 Greatest Duets chart, carried in the February issue of the magazine. They are

• "Hot Gal Today" by Sean Paul & Mr Vegas (Number 42)
• Shabba Ranks ft Krystal - Twice My Age (Number 38)
• Terror Fabulous ft Nadine Sutherland - Action (Number 19)

Source

Sound System Promoters: Bribes Or Vibes

Sound-system promoters are finding it hard to make a living due to Jamaicas 1997 Noise Abatement Law, which makes it illegal to produce disturbance-causing noises after the time of 2am.

Since many Jamaican party-seekers only arrive at a dance bout 2am, the promoters face three choices:

1. Lock off the system and disappoint the late-comers
2. Run the system past 2am and face the rath of the police
3. Run the system past 2am and bribe the policemen with money to look away

"You have to pay them (the police) when dem come fi lock it off. Yuh haffi fi gi dem a ting fi mek di dance gwaan. They come and ask fi money and seh dem wi lock off the dance. Sometime yuh gi dem a J$10,000." says one promotor quoted by The Star.

"The law needs to be amended. It's an old act, it needs to be amended. There are some things in the law from 1887, when the police force was established, that are still in effect from then. Development and technology improved and advanced so it needs to be amended, if not, educate the people and enforce that two is two right across the board" The Star also quotes Dennis Ennis, promoter, as saying.

Source

Anthony B - Has New Son & Trial For Ganja Dealing

Anthony B is currently of mixed emotions - joy @ the birth of his new (and first) son, "This is my fourth child but this is yet my first son so I am excited."

However the singer has also been charged with possession, and dealng in ganja"This is my fourth child but this is yet my first son so I am excited."Anthony B claims the police are wrong. He says that he had gone down to the studio to record a tune for the "Overcome Dem" rhythm when the premises were raided by the police. The case returns to courrt on 32st March 2007

Source

Daville's "On My Mind" Album Retail Release in April

Maybe THE hottest property in reggae at the moment, Daville, will relase his new album "On My Mind" in April. The album will include a remix of "On My Mind" featuring Sean Paul (as reported in the Jamaica Observor March 2nd 2007). Expect big things from the album!

Source

Why them latch Sean Paul onto that track?! The song already a massive tune, after a year the hype round that tune already over. So why re-release... a Sean Paul rap gonna sound horrible over such a wicked tune...

QQ Names Top Five Inspirations

Dancehall youngster QQ has named his top five admired artists. They include

Michael Jackson (He is the best performer in the world. He is the greatest performer I have ever heard)

Jah Cure (He knows how to format each song. His voice is good)

Beres Hammond (He has the tone of voice)

Bob Marley (He teaches us about peace and love. )

And erm... Celine Dion (Her music is wonderful. She can take the high notes and the low notes)

Source

Jamaican Top 20 Singles - March 9th 2007

1. Shaggy - Church Heathen
2. Gyptian - My Fadah Seh
3. Collie Buddz - Come Around
4. Movado - Last Night
5. Morgan Heritage - Brooklyn & Jamaica
6. DaVille - This Time I Promise
7. Macka Diamond - Hoola Hoop
8. Nanko - Loco Amor
9. Chuck Fender & Cherine Anderson - Comin Over
10. Buju Banton - Driver A
11. Lutan Fyah - Save The Juvenile
12. Tesanne Chin - Hideaway
13. Erup - Run Dem Head
14. Paul Elliot - The Real Thing
15. Ginjah - Music Alone
16. Jah Selah - Lonely Girl
17. Vybz Kartel - Hot Fuck
18. Movado - Dreaming
19. Mr Vegas - Nuh Fren From Dem
20. Shaggy - Rub A Dub

Movado Signs With VP Records

The Star reports that Movado and his new Cassava Piece Records label have signed up for a three-album deal with reggae-heavyweight VP Records. The deal will be a big boost for Movado's already expanding career, particularly in the US. The first album "Gangster For Life" is expected in the summer.

"They are committing a lot of marketing money to promote Mavado. They have some big budget videos lined up and there are a lot of exclusive tracks on the upcoming album. The album will also be accompanied with a DVD which will take a look into the 'gangsta' world." Movado's manager is quoted.

Producers that have worked on the album include Daseca (Chrome, Anger Management, Bill Back, Madd Guitar, 100 Watt, Wipe Out riddims), Stephen McGregor (12 Gauge, Ghetto Whiskey, Breaking News, Power Cut, After Dark riddims), amongst others. With producers like that on the project the first album looking BIG.

Source

BBC 1Xtra Dancehall Chart - 08/03.2007

Traffic Jam is still top of the charts!

1. Stephen & Damian Marley - Traffic Jam
2. Shaggy - Church Heathen
3. Beres Hammond - Give It All You Got
4. Collie Buddz - Come Around
5. Beenie Man - Reverse Di Ting
6. Richie Spice - Brown Skin
7. Morgan Heritage - Love You Right
8. Elephant Man - Bring It
9. Movado - Dying
10. Mr Vegas - Hot Wuk

BBC 1Xtra Dancehall