I-OCTANE RE-SIGNED AS DIGICEL BRAND AMBASSADOR

In picture: Ray Alexander (Octane's Manager), Tahnida Nunes (Sponsorship Manager), Kerine Miller (Octane's promotions Manager), I-Octane & 'Biggz' (Octane's Road Manager) celebrate with a toast!

…following breathtaking performances at Rebel Salute, Chug It, over the weekend

Kingston, Jamaica - Reggae/dancehall star I-Octane proved once again that he is indeed a force to be reckoned with.

He proved just that when he stepped onto the Rebel Salute stage over the weekend, wowing the audience, many of whom could hardly contain their excitement for the reggae star.

In one of the best performances of the night, I-Octane reminded fans why he is one of the top emerging acts in Jamaica.

The energetic artiste was true to form and every song he performed incited a frenzy within the crowd.

With a structured set that gradually gained momentum, I-Octane fired off an onslaught of hits including his most recent single, Gal a Gimme Bun, Bad Mind Dem a Pree, More Love and We Love the Vibes.

And indeed the crowd did enjoy ‘the vibes’ as Octane’s high energy set saw fans singing along with every tune he delivered. I-Octane paced his set well, pausing at intervals during his performance to speak with fans.

According to the artiste, it is always a pleasure to perform for his fans.

"It was a good night, I fulljoyed myself. Bless up all the fans for their support and big up Tony Rebel," he said.

After an exceptional response to his set, the reggae star also made an appearance at the popular Chug It event which was held in Portmore on Sunday.

I-Octane could do no wrong for the eager crowd. Seeing the musical thirst of the audience, I-Octane wasted no time in showcasing his vocal ability, electrifying the beach with his heart pounding performance.

To top off a great weekend and week, I-Octane, after a successful two year partnership with telecommunications giant Digicel, has been re-signed as one of their brand ambassadors. He did a 15 minute set in front of a small audience along with the Riddim 2000 band at the re-signing event held inside the Big Yard Studios.

SELECTOR - ZJ ELEKTRA

Reggae singer, Tanice Morrison, bats for empowerment

Kingston, Jamaica - Talented singer, songwriter and music teacher, Tanice Morrison, can be as quiet as the proverbial church mouse, but when she has something to say, she articulates loudly, clearly and passionately.

As a female in the male-dominated world of reggae music, and also as a class-room teacher, one of Tanice’s burning concerns is empowerment, or rather the lack of it. Therefore, with her microphone in one hand (and a stick of chalk in the other), Tanice has started an inspiring musical journey of upliftment.

Among her current singles is one whose title is self-explanatory, Rather Be Me. The chorus gets straight to the point as it cries out, “Love me or leave me/ I’d rather be me.”

“We live in a world where the youth especially are trying to find themselves and everybody wants to be like the other person. Unfortunately, in the quest for self-knowledge they somehow end up losing their values, their sense of morals and, ultimately their souls. We need to learn to love ourselves, place value on who we are, set goals and then aim to achieve them. In the video for the single, we tried to make this message as impactful as possible, especially for young people who are having issues about their looks and who are trying to fit into society,” Tanice explained.

For the song and music video, she teamed up with the choir from Vauxhall High School, an institution at which she taught, and Tanice noted that the youngsters made such a huge impression on her that she will definitely be doing more work at that level with children.

With regard to women in the business stepping to the fore and making definitive statements, musically and otherwise, Tanice was quick to point out that a lot more needs to be done. “As females making this journey together, we need to unite and make our voices ring out loud. We need to give each other strength because it is by nurturing each other that we will be able to stand alone and stand firm without this kind of unity and empowerment, female artistes will always be lower paid than their male counterparts and the imbalance will always exist,” declared Tanice, whose mother, Keturah Duffus was a Studio One artiste.

Tanice, who recalls being surrounded by a lot of music at an early age, entered several  competitions including the Red Label Wine Song Competition (1997), where she advanced to the finals as the sole female contestant.

While in college, she was introduced to highly respected musician, Jon Williams, for whom she recorded some radio jingles, one of which was Red Stripe Light’s first radio advert. In 2002, another opportunity came for her to audition for Sir ‘Coxsone’ Dodd at Studio One Records and this translate into her recording her first original song, Old Hurt, which was officially released on the Studio One label in 2003.

Arriving at a crossroads in her professional life, Tanice reluctantly retired from the classroom in order to focus exclusively on making music for the world to appreciate. Over the last couple of years, she has matured vocally and lyrically and she is wasting no time in proclaiming the message in her music.

In 2010, she released an album, No Limitations, which, as the title suggests, is a full course meal which explores the totality of this vibrant and multi-talented singer christened Tanice Morrison.

CHECK OUT HER MUSIC VIDEO BELOW

I-OCTANE LAMENTS ABOUT 'GETTING BUN' IN NEW SINGLE

Kingston. Jamaica - He confesses, "mi nah spen nuh time wid mi gyal an mi gyal a gimmi bun," something that quite a few artistes within the music industry may easily be able to identify with. Does anyone in particular come to mind?

Nevertheless, I-Octane's latest single, 'Gal A Gimmi Bun' is a song that artistes and fans in general should be able to relate to, as it touches on a topic that is like common assault in today's society.

In the single, I-Octane takes on the role of none other than an artiste who is kept busy with his work, doing shows and tours all across the world, but in the process, is denied the opportunity to spend quality time with his female companion, which ultimately leads her to become unfaithful.

The single, which is produced by Seanizzle Records and Black Shadow, will certainly captivate the attention of listeners, as I-Octane confesses that the song, "is a true life story for many, as people all over the globe experience it."

However, despite the seriousness of the situation, Octane says, "it's a really fun song," and the way in which the message is brought across, "everybody weh hear it say it mek dem laugh."

According to Octane, "It’s been a while since an artiste come out with a song weh fun. Mad Andrew and KipRich used to do fun songs. The music nowadays is violent and hardcore. So mi just decide fi do something different and the feedback has been positive so far."

In addition to this spanking new single from I-Octane, the artiste is also enjoying some heavy rotation on radio since the start of 2013 with singles like 'Wonderful Feeling' (Rasta Love) featuring Queen Ifrica, produced by Young Blood Records, 'Do Road Rough', produced by Markus Records and 'Stay Above Crime' which was produced by So Unique Records.

It’s the Freeway and beyond for singer Droop Lion

Kingston, Jamaica - It has long been accepted that music moves in cycles, and critics are pointing to a powerful revolution in the year 2013, as cultural lyrics seem set to dominate. Among the artistes destined to rise to this momentous musical occasion is a reggae singer named Droop Lion.

Confident and empowered lyrically and linguistically, this Rastafarian standard-bearer has been making his presence felt musically for a minute, and he is eager to made an indelible mark in this music. Droop Lion, who performed at Sting as a member of The Fantastic Four, which also featured Iba Mahr, Chronixx and Jahsent, is the embodiment of this not-to-be-ignored crop of talented acts ready for the spotlight.

His signature single, Freeway, dominated FM radio for several months in 2012, however, in an interesting twist, some person who were gustily singing the song were unable to put a face to the single.

“One of the things that I had to get used to was the fact that people who love the song always express surprise when seeing me in the flesh,” Droop laughed. “They usually say they thought I was older because of my voice and they also comment that they thought I was bigger in body,” the singer with the memorable voice states.

With 2013 opening its doors, Droop Lion is happy that the people are ready to receive him. “I am one of the youths to bring this new paradigm and right now my antennas are up and I am preparing myself to do a good job,” states the singer who pays tribute to Seretse Small, Mallory Williams, Allah and Clive Hunt as some of the persons in the business who have contributed to his career.

Cognizant of the important role of the elders in the business, Droop Lion never shies away from an opportunity to sit at their feet and drink in the knowledge they have to impart, and it is this attitude, that many say, is leading to his inevitable success.

“I want to do the real thing and bring back the music to the real foundation feel.  I want to immerse myself with the elders…they are the roots, they have trod this path before and they know it better than we, so who better to learn from?” he questioned.

Having set the pace with Freeway, another single, which is now receiving some love on the airwaves is, Pray for Them, a song he says he penned after a flood a few years ago, which saw two men being washed away in the Sandy Gully.

For Droop Lion, who pens all his lyrics, he is not short on inspiration as "it's all around".

“I just pray that Jah keeps me balanced so that I can always sing some inspiring songs for people…I want to give solutions to the people,” states the singer, who is represented by Free People Music.

Other standout songs include Lockdown, a song of protest against police brutality, and Long Way Down, a critique of the intelligent political leaders who have failed the nation with their corrupt policies and greed, and the terrible choices that poverty often forces on the downtrodden and deprived.

“Most of the songs are based on the ‘livity’ in society, the common movements which shows that the people’s brains are in a lapse and mek poor choices and sell their souls. I want music to be real, I have to sing about the real issues that take place in the society,” Droop explained.

Born September 15, 1980 in the parish of St. Mary Jamaica, to Inez Aikens and Vivian Brown, Andrew Brown aka Droop Lion grew up in the tough, gritty shanties of Kingston. He lost his mother to gun violence when he was just nine months old. He turned to music to express himself and make a spiritual connection with the universe. At a young age under the guidance of his grandmother, he vowed to stick to the conscious path and not compromise in order to achieve success.

Now ready to harness that success, Droop Lion remain committed, focused and ready to take charge.

Check out his latest Music Video: FREE WAY

BOUNTY KILLER AND I-OCTANE LOCKING DOWN GT EXTRAVAGANZA 2012

Sean Paul facing $US80 million lawsuit by ex-lover

It's been a bizarre start to 2013 for internationally revered Dancehall superstar, Sean Paul, who's facing a lawsuit from an ex-lover who has made a myriad of surprising claims.

Susanne Persson, who claims to be Sean Paul's ex-girlfriend, has sued the Got 2 Luv U singer for a whopping US80 million, insisting that the entertainer had her deported from Jamaica in June 2010 after bribing local law enforcement officials. Persson, a Swedish makeup artist and hairstylist, filed the lawsuit in New York's Manhattan Supreme Court, which includes a self-written book, Irie Jamboree that promises to expose "The Truth about Sean Paul's Cocaine Dealings, Lies, Murders and Erection Problems."

Irie Jamboree depicts a hand-drawn caricature of Persson and Sean Paul in his trademark mohawk. In the book, Persson claims Sean Paul's alleged cocaine issues severely affected their love life.

"Ever since [Paul] started using cocaine regularly, he has had severe erection problems. If it lasts one minute, it is a good day," an excerpt of the book reads.
Persson included her American Airlines itinerary, documenting her June 2010 flight from Kingston to her native Stockholm. A receipt she presented shows that Headline Entertainment, Sean Paul's promotion company, made the arrangements for said flight.

Furthermore, Persson intimated that Sean Paul subjected her starvation, homelessness and repeated suicide attempts, one of which occurred a day prior to her deportation.

"I had tried to kill myself, losing more than one liter of blood from a cut on my wrist,” her court filing read. "I had shown the pictures of the cuts to Sean over the Internet. I feel he should see what he had caused."

Sean Paul has yet to respond to these allegations. However, the singer's lawyer, Tom Tavares-Finson rubbished these claims, stating Sean Paul wouldn't have the authority to have someone deported.

Persson also claims Sean Paul took hundreds of naked pictures of her" obtained under the pretext of a future marriage."

Source: outaroad