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| QUEEN OF STAGE AKA SPICE |
Bust out the whips and chains. Rihanna gets dirty on the set of “S&M,” the new single off her latest album Loud. In the behind-the-scenes footage from the Melina-directed video, RiRi, clad in pink body latex, spins around in a chair and plays naughty games with hostages before putting on a red clown wig and clutching a blow-up doll. Ow!
Source: www.rap-up.com
Nicki Minaj and Drake's brand new music video "Moment 4 Life" is premiering tonight on MTV, but before the epic video is even released, we have some amazing pictures from the set of the video. The shots feature a gorgeous Nicki Minaj decked out in a series of gowns and the hot Drake sporting tuxedos while lounging around a fantastic opulent mansion.
It looks like our favorite will-they-or-won't-they couple are even getting (gasp!) married in the uplifting, seize the moment song, off of Nicki's platinum album "Pink Friday."
Source: globalgrind.com
Check out these photos from the video shoot on the next pages, courtesy of Derick G.
· The Jamaican star talks skin bleaching…
The Jamaican native decided to send a statement to VIBE.com to express his feelings on the matter, saying:
"I'm my own man, and as such I do my own thing. When black women stop straightening their hair and wearing wigs and weaves, when white women stop getting lip and butt injections and implants, when bald men stop getting hair transplants, and when people stop getting nose jobs and cosmetic surgery then I'll stop using the 'cakesoap' and we'll all live naturally ever after. Until then, f**k you all."
Source: www.mtv.co.uk
Nicki Minaj has been enjoying the scenery overseas. The "Roman's Revenge" rapper decided it was a good idea to hold an impromptu photo shoot in front of Buckingham Palace. Too bad for her, palace guards decided that wasn't going to happen.
Needless to say that doesn't stop a Young Money rapper. Nicki Minaj tweeted "Trying to take a picture by the Buckingham Palace." She added, "Got chased by the police the 1st time but the paps helped us get pics from a different angle of the palace. Lmaoooooooooo. #moment4life"
Source: globalgrind.com
· I-Octane Heads To New York For Promotion of “My Life” Tour
NEW YORK, NEW YORK: The entertainment community in New York is bracing for the arrival of reggae firebrand I- Octane whose sizzling performances have ignited the audiences in Jamaica and sparked a demand for his soothing brand of dancehall reggae on the international scene.
I Octane will be heading to New York later this month for a whirlwind press junket which will begin with a press conference and "meet and greet" at the popular Caribbean eatery, Negril Village restaurant.
The press conference, which is exclusive to members of the media fraternity, will be moderated by Pat McKay of Sirius Satellite Radio, and begins at 6:30 pm. Then at 8 p.m, there will be a “meet and greet” where the artiste will be able to take pictures with his fans and sign autographs. The singer will round out the night with a performance at "Wah A Gwaan" Wednesdays in Brooklyn, New York at Club Temptations.
I-Octane had a marvelous year in 2010 where he scored three number one hits with the breakout hits, Lose A Friend, My Life and Puff It. Last year, he copped several major awards including Stone Love culture artist of the year, Jamaica Observer male singer of the year, Jamaica Star People's Choice Award male singjay of the year and Hitz 92FM Male Reggae Artist of the year. He also earned a contract with Digicel that affords him the distinction of being the company's “Brand Ambassador”.
Widely regarded by music critics as the new face of 21st century reggae, Octane is poised to take his music to the next stratosphere as the demand for his music grows internationally. He will make the first step towards meeting this demand when he embarks on a two-month tour, dubbed the “My Life” tour, later this Month and which will include shows in the United States, Europe and Canada.
During this promotional run in New York to promote the tour, I-Octane will conduct radio, print and television interviews, make appearances and do a few performances in the Tri-state area. Octane is slated to appear on radio stations such as Sirius Satellite Radio, WBLS 107.5FM, Irie Jam Radio 93.5FM, Linkup Radio 93.5FM, Hot 97 (NYC), 105.1FM, Hot 97 (Boston) and others. Additionally, the singer will host Upscale Crowd's weekly party at Rebel Nightclub in Manhattan on Saturday, January 29, 2011.
By Pat White
MIAMI FLORIDA - The stage was dark, all lights out.......the back-up singers began an inspirational chorus. The audience was on their feet with anticipation as the back-up singers sang and sang. Eventually, a deep, rustic voice joined the chorus, in the still dark stage. The audience recognized the familiar deep...
Source: www.sflcn.com
To Watch Scenes From Buju Banton's Before the Dawn Concert
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By Adrian Frater, News Editor
Reggae's premier crooner Beres Hammond showed off his undeniable class, charisma and versatility in emphatic style at Port Kaiser, St Elizabeth, on Saturday night when he left the audience at Pepsi Rebel Salute 18 in ecstasy with a dazzling performance laced with friendly interactions with the fans.
However, had Beres not been in such fine fettle, the honours for the night could well have gone to either the silky smooth Mavado, who performed out of character as David Brooks; and the red-hot I-Octane, who continues to advertise himself as a major international star in the making.
Beres came, saw and conquered, especially his adorning female fans, who showed absolutely no inhibitions as they screamed and danced while he masterfully belted out songs such as No Disrespect, One Dance, Come Back Home, Tempted To Touch, Double Trouble and Putting Up Resistance as he dug generously into his catalogue of hits.
When Beres departed the stage after several bouts of friendly banter between himself and the audience, along with the crisp delivery of the hits songs Feel Good, Let Them Talk and Rockaway, it wasn't to be his last.
BERES ENCORE The audience demanded more and got the completion of Rockaway and snippets of other songs as an encore.
Mavado was a revelation and must have made scores of new fans with his mature set, which was devoid of his trademark gangster songs.
In fact, the singjay, who was regally clad in a military-style outfit, was more like a seasoned cultural artiste than the gun-lyrics-spewing Gully Gad.
All and sundry reacted with glee as Mavado skilfully wove his way through the lyrics of songs such as On the Rock, Hope and Pray, So Special and Jah Jah is Coming Soon against a backdrop of loud screams of approval from even the very strict turban-clad Boboshanti Rastafarians.
The screams for an encore from Mavado were almost a given.
Although he played almost another full set, to include songs such as Starlight, Again and Again and Messiah as his encore, the fans demanded a second - which, of course, was not possible.
I-Octane, who shared the vast majority of his set with singjay Zamunda, was most compelling and left no doubt that his stocks are rising.
In a most pleasing musical onslaught, the young singer reeled off many hits, leaving some fans all but delirious with excitement.
That state of almost-delirium was caused by songs like My Life, Fake Friends, Mama You Alone, Puff It and Lose a Friend.
Zamunda showed what he was worth, joining in on some of those songs.
Dominant acts
While Beres, Mavado and I-Octane were the dominant acts, they were not the only ones to shine on a night when brilliance was commonplace.
In the early segment, which featured mostly veteran artistes, singers Hopeton James, AJ Brown, the lyrically potent Romain Virgo and the legendary Ken Boothe, along with deejays Lone Ranger, Dennis Alcapone, dancehall standouts Little John, Tristan Palmer and Jack Raddicks all delivered quality sets.
While they both played limited sets, the Flames duo of songbird Queen Ifrika and promoter Tony Rebel also contributed to the rich diet of pulsating music.
Queen Ifrika's performance began with a breathtaking introduction by Broadcasting Commission boss, Cordell Green.
Tarrus Riley and the legendary Toots and the Maytals, provided contrasting performances, which served up exceptional entertainment.
Riley was energetic as he rolled through his catalogue with quality support from two female dancers clad in African garb and saxopho-nist extraordinaire Dean Frazer.
Toots was laid back but meticulous, combining potent vocals with solid instrumental work.
The latter part of the show, which featured Junior X, Spanner Bonner, Fantan Mojah and Chuck Fendah was somewhat lacking in intensity.
Chuck Fendah, for instance, must have regretted performing alongside Fantan Mojah, who somewhat stifled him by hogging the show and trying to grab all the time for himself.
Special mention must be made of United States-based female deejay Sister Carol, singer Nadine Sutherland, comical deejay Professor Nuts and the dazzling Stevie Face, who all created significant impact while playing limited sets.
Source: jamaica-gleaner.com
ANTICIPATION is said to be running high as all concerned with the historic Buju Banton Concert in Miami, move to pull out all the stops and ensure a great show on Sunday January 16, 2011.
The embattled international Reggae star is poised to make his long-awaited return to the stage at the highly anticipated Before The Dawn Concert taking place at the Bayfront Park Amphitheatre in downtown Miami.
"The concept is to reunite with the fans and thank them personally for the tremendous level of support they have shown to me during these turbulent times," explains Buju. "I look forward to touching the stage once more and coming together with the masses in a spirit of togetherness, harmony, unification and solidarity."
Fans around the globe who are unable to make the trek to Miami for this historic event will have the unique opportunity to watch the show online. Gargamel Music and Rockers Island have partnered with New York-based Webcast provider CMX Events to produce a High Definition (HD) Before The Dawn Concert Webcast. The pay-per-view programme will stream live on the Internet from 5:00 pm -- 10:00 pm on Sunday and be available for a period of 24 hours after the show.
Banton, who is currently out on bail and awaiting a retrial, has not performed live in over a year. He will be joined by some of Jamaica's music's elite: Stephen Marley, Wayne Wonder, Shaggy, Gramps Morgan, Freddie McGregor, Nadine Sutherland, Tarrus Riley, Dean Fraser, Everton Blender and many more surprise guests.
An excited Nadine Sutherland told Splash that she can't wait to share the stage with her long-time friend, Buju Banton. "I can't do anything but support my friend. We have come from so far — from our days at Penthouse and Madhouse. I will be leaving straight from Rebel Salute and heading to Miami," she gushed.
"I am very excited about the performance, the rehearsals have been so much fun, working with Buju's Til Shiloh Band, a group of guys who I have worked with and toured in the past. I will be performing one new single, The Universe Song, which is my song for the occasion," Sutherland disclosed.
Nadine Sutherland and Buju Banton have collaborated on two singles, the hugely popular Wicked Dickie and What Am I Gonna Do. The two were also part of the ensemble who voiced the 90s mega hit Anything For You.
Source: jamaicaobserver
New York, NY (January 10, 2011): “As my career begins to grow and I begin to gain international recognition, I am pleased to know that Destine Media has retained Triple 7 Entertainment as my publicist.” This was the quote given by I-Octane on Friday, January 7, 2010, when Destine Media made it official that Triple 7 Entertainment would serve as publicist for rising star I-Octane.
Destine Media, who handles I-Octane’s oversees bookings and promotions, cites “Making the decision to have Triple 7 Entertainment as part of the team, was a concerted effort to assist in enhancing I-Octane’s career in order to gain notoriety in the international market. We look forward to working with Stacey and her team.”
Stacey Bethel, CEO of Triple 7 Entertainment, adds, “I am simply overjoyed. I first saw I-Octane perform at Reggae Sumfest in 2009 and was immediately blown away by his energy on stage and talent. However, I had no foresight that my boutique agency would be working with him anytime soon or at all. To say that he is a great addition to our roster of clients that includes Third World Band and Delus, is an understatement.”
Triple 7 is already busy putting together a media campaign promoting I-Octane’s “My Life Tour.” The tour, which begins on February 4, 2011 in Dallas, Texas will end on April 24, 2011 in Canada. Other stops on the tour include shows in Boston, California, Florida, Connecticut, New York and Europe. Prior to the tour, I-Octane will travel to New York City at the end of January to do radio, television, and print interviews as well as in club appearances.
For more information, please email Destine Media at info@destinemediagroup.com or Khool International at khoolray@gmail.com. To schedule an interview, please email media@triple7entllc.com.
FOR PROMOTIONS AND BOOKINGS
UNITED STATES
RONNIE TOMLINSON
DESTINE MEDIA
347-497-8874
MEDIA AND PUBLICITY IN US
TRIPLE 7 ENTERTAINMENT LLC
201-981-6960 (U.S.A)/ BBM:218F8E8D
876-475-5841 (JAMAICA)/ BBM:24A6C98B
SKYPE: STACEY.TRIPLE7
JAMAICA
RAY ALEXANDER
KHOOL INTERNATIONAL
876-877-5956 (JAMAICA)
954-603-7751 (U.S.A.)
Written by Sean Miller 
Why is dancehall not selling on iTunes, and blowing up the Billboard charts? And why, in the last decade, are fewer singles crossing over to move major figures in the US market?
Gyptian, an underground reggae artiste, spared Jamaican music blushes last year with the provocative breakout hit, Hold Yuh that became a global hit, hitting the Billboard Hot 100 at #78. The VP Records’ single is currently charting on iTunes top-10 reggae singles charts. It is No 3 in France, No 3 in Canada, No 4 in Denmark, No 8 in Switzerland and holds the ninth spot in the US. His success mirrored that of Wayne Wonder who had a monster hit with No Letting Go in 2003. Jamaica’s top deejay Vybz Kartel had an OK year as well and the buzz worthy single, Clarks, was a beast on the Internet and even made it to an episode of ‘So You Want to Dance Canada”.
But why is the music industry unable to repeat this sort of success with regularity?
Some schools of thought believe that the problem lies in how we market reggae and dancehall, and in the lack of a proper management structure for our local reggae and dancehall artistes. Others contend that the music is not well produced and some of the beats are sub-standard and the artistes off key. Still others believe that the major labels are intrigued by dancehall and reggae, but just don’t understand it because of the bad experiences they’ve had with “damagers” and hustlers who don’t practice ethical business practices and worse, do not respect contracts. These powerful men subscribe to the ethic that “if I don’t understand it and I can’t make any money off it, why fuck with it?”.
Radio play in the US is heavily correlated with album sales and thus, the major labels monopolise it. The labels rig request lines, dangle incentives and tips to disc jocks and even throw wads of cash at programme managers to push their artistes. The result is that the same handful of artistes are the ones who get play at several stations all across the US, especially since most of them are owned by one major organization. The labels control the stars that people want to hear so it is increasingly harder to get a breakout hit from an independent or an underground source like dancehall. But even if the payola factor is removed, it still comes down to good music. The best songs are the ones that get on these stations, and more often that not, artistic integrity is sacrificed to meet radio play criteria, so you can a lot of watered-down hip hop and R & B that is radio friendly. Street music is not selling on iTunes, and dancehall and reggae music fall into this sub-genre of underground music.
That’s what dancehall and reggae have to go up against. But, then again here is a thought. Maybe the music we are producing and using to represent us just isn’t that good. The aggressively mediocre taste of the Jamaican public has condemned our artistes to failure on the international stage because much of the music that is produced should never have been allowed to limp off the studio floor and onto the radio. A number of our top artistes seemed to have pledged an allegiance to singing quite horribly and to utterly entertaining effect just to get air play on local stations.
Mavado and T Pain
Beginning at least three years ago, and because of the T Pain Effect, a number of songs were auto tuned to the point of comic relief, and a lot of artistes did not practice any sort of self-censorship and quality control so much of the music represented a singing style between drunken bawling or a nasal whine better suited for spitting and not singing. Now, a lot of people are abandoning auto tune, but they are still singing badly. Who needs auto tune anyway when you can just sing really badly in a really high pitch.
The zinc fence mentality of Jamaican music often means that the best talents don’t collaborate with each other, so instead of a hardcore dancehall artiste linking up with a top notch reggae singer to do a collab with an awesome 16 bar with hard-hitting lyrics and a banging chorus, we have one person doing everything and making a mess of it. And what happened to the great producers who actually can tell when a singer is off-key, or if certain words are not pronounced right? Even great artistes have a problem getting certain letters right, but which of these new producers will tell Elephant Man that his lisp isn’t working, or that Tarrus Riley can’t pronounce a certain word right? Have the veteran producers been swallowed whole by a small army of teenagers who can download a copy of Fruitiloops into a laptop, or hijack some Steely and Clevie drum patterns into his MPC?
Give me a fucking break!
Source: one876entertainment
Nicki Minaj and Drake
The new year started off on a high note for Nicki Minaj and Drake. While both stars were hosting separate parties in Miami for New Year's Eve, Drake couldn't wait to cozy up to the pint-size, neon-haired Nicki. "Right after the clock struck midnight, Drake left his party at the W South Beach and dashed over to Nicki's Moët & Chandon-sponsored bash at Mansion," a spy tells us. The singers, who have collaborated on songs before, "were dancing and cuddling all night." The duo partied until 4 a.m. and then were spotted leaving together.
Drake's last high-profile romance was with fellow singer Rihanna. But Nicki and Drake have been linked together in the past, especially after Drake jokingly tweeted that the two got married. "Please refer to @nickiminaj as Mrs. Aubrey Drake Graham and don't stare at her too long," Drake tweeted last August. "She's finally mine."
Listen to the two rap together on "Moment 4 Life" below.
Photo Credit: WENN
Source: www.lifeandstylemag.com
2010 was filled with blockbuster releases from the likes of Eminem and Kanye West, two albums from Lil Wayne, and the hot-selling debuts of Young Money’s Drake and Nicki Minaj. But 2011 is shaping up to be even bigger. This year will see the return of pop juggernauts Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, the teaming of rap kings Kanye and Jay-Z, Lil Wayne’s eagerly-awaited Tha Carter IV, and an album a decade in the making, Dr. Dre’s Detox. But don’t forget about the rookies. The stage is set for Roc Nation’s Willow Smith and J. Cole to take over with their much-buzzed-about debuts. Rap-Up.com spotlights 10 albums that have us excited for 2011.
Kanye West x Jay-Z – Watch the Throne
Yeezy and Hov on the same track isn’t anything new, but the promise of a joint album has hip-hop heads salivating. Leave it to two of rap’s brightest stars to put egos aside and join forces for what is poised to be one of the biggest releases of the year. After appearing together on a handful of tracks as part of ‘Ye’s G.O.O.D. Friday series, the dynamic duo capped 2010 with the first leak from their collaborative LP—“That’s My Bitch” featuring La Roux’s Elly Jackson—proving that not only is Watch the Throne on the way, but that they’ve got some serious heat in the vault.
Beyoncé – TBD
How can Beyoncé top 2008’s ambitious double disc I Am… Sasha Fierce? According to the 29-year-old, she’s outdoing herself by creating her own genre for her as-yet-untitled fourth album. Incorporating more live instruments into the mix, B has teamed back up with frequent collaborator Ne-Yo, who shares that “nobody will be in Beyoncé’s lane after this album,” and “Sweet Dreams” producer Jim Jonsin, who wants to explore an ’80s electro sound. 2011 is slated to set the bar even higher for the unstoppable singer.
Lil Wayne – Tha Carter IV
Fresh off doing his bid, Lil Wayne has kept a low profile after becoming a free man in November. But after breaking his silence with the dizzying Bangladesh-produced “6 Foot 7 Foot” featuring Cory Gunz, Weezy proved that his time out of the booth wasn’t spent idly. Though originally due upon his release from Rikers, the highly-anticipated offering was pushed into the new year, with producer Dow Jones of Tha Bizness telling Rap-Up TV that it will flip the game on its head. “Carter IV gonna change your life,” he said. “It’s something that you ain’t never seen before. We thought Carter III was incredible and he took it a couple steps up.”
Willow Smith – TBD
The 10-year-old starlet busted onto the scene in 2010 with her catchy single “Whip My Hair,” and it didn’t stop there. Will and Jada Pinkett’s talented tyke became a cultural phenom following the track’s release, earning her a deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and co-signs from artists including Rihanna, Rick Ross, and B.o.B. Her debut is set for a tentative March release, giving her plenty of time to nab a hopeful guest appearance from pop’s biggest star. “[Somebody] I would really want to work with on a song would be Lady Gaga,” she previously revealed. “She is amazing! She’s just so amazing, she’s a free person. She’s a free girl, baby.”
Chris Brown – F.A.M.E.
Whatever troubles Chris Brown faced in 2009, he tried to overcome with his undeniable talent. The 21-year-old not only performed a moving tribute to Michael Jackson at the BET Awards, but he linked up with Tyga for one of the hottest mixtapes of the year, Fan of a Fan. The tape spawned the chart-topping hit “Deuces,” which was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the Grammys. Breezy is building off the momentum by putting in work on his fourth album F.A.M.E. (Forgiving All My Enemies), led by the singles “Yeah 3X” and “Look at Me Now” featuring Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne. With a planned collabo with Bruno Mars and production from Boi-1da, the set promises to be a F.A.M.E. monster.
Lupe Fiasco – Lasers
Included on Rap-Up.com’s most anticipated albums last year, Lupe Fiasco hit a snag settling on a solid release date for his third album Lasers. Fans went to war with his label Atlantic Records for balking on its release, putting pressure on the imprint to set the album free by staging a protest outside its New York City headquarters. The conglomerate buckled, putting the ball into motion on the oft-delayed LP. Now, the Chi-town native is in the thick of promotion for the album ahead of its March 8 release, delivering the video for the lead single “The Show Goes On” on Christmas Day.
Drake – Take Care
Coming off of his smash breakout mixtape So Far Gone, Drake delivered on the hype with the release of his well-received studio debut Thank Me Later. Soon after its release, the Young Money rapper revealed that he’d already began work on his sophomore project Take Care. Drizzy previously told Rap-Up.com that he’s put in studio time with staple producers Noah “40” Shebib and Boi-1da, as well as soul sampler 9th Wonder, and shared with GQ that he’s going with a less-is-more approach this time around. “For Take Care, I’m trying to find a way to make my raps shorter but catchier. I’m trying to condense my thoughts down to 16 bars. And it’s coming out more potent,” he said.
J. Cole – TBD
Roc Nation’s flagship MC was supposed to release his much-anticipated debut in 2010, but the LP failed to materialize in time. Instead, the North Carolina native tided fans over with his Friday Night Lights mixtape and debut single “Who Dat,” showing that though his album has yet to surface, his skills haven’t gotten rusty. J. Cole told Rap-Up.com that the album will feature production from No I.D., Brian Kidd, and a Grammy contender from Danjahandz, and that while he didn’t have it on lock, he was hoping that his boss Jay-Z would lay a verse for the project. Jigga feature or not, 2011 is shaping up to be “Villematic.”
Pop’s reigning queen ruled 2010 with cuts from her Fame Monster mini-album, gaining even more exposure by rocking zany outfits including a dress made of meat at the MTV Video Music Awards. Spending most of ’10 on the road, the eccentric star finished off the year by announcing a May 23 release date for her new album Born This Way, preceded by the first single’s debut on February 13, the same day as the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. After conquering the world, can Gaga do it all over again?
Dr. Dre – Detox
Dr. Dre’s third opus has reached mythical proportions since the producer-rapper announced its existence over a decade ago. After a few unfinished songs found their way online in 2010, Dre shocked the industry by dropping an actual single from the album and confirming its 2011 release. The Good Doctor ignited the project with “Kush” featuring Snoop Dogg and Akon, followed by the Joseph Kahn-directed video in December. Though it’s unclear who from the extensive roster of artists he’s worked with will make the final cut, Detox is ready to go from fiction to fact.
Now that you’ve seen our list, which albums are you most looking forward to this year?
Source: www.rap-up.com
