CHRONIXX CANCELLED JUNE 9TH, 2013 HARTFORD PERFORMANCE

Hartford, CT (May 29th, 2013) Last night is was brought to our attention via email that reggae artiste Chronixx will not be able to honor his commitment to perform at the West Indian Social Club of Hartford, CT on Sunday June 9^th, 2013. This comes after months of preparation & promotion & days; after we were forced to postpone the original date.

When we were contacted just days before the original show we were told by Chronixx’s management; that the issue would be resolved in time for the new date. We printed new materials bought more ads.

Just to receive a brief email saying 'oops sorry' we can't make that one either? We were informed by His management that the issue to file the required travel documents is the result of 'feet dragging' and waiting until the last hour to handle what should have been done earlier.

Chronixx ‘s management approached us about staging this event, we poured our hearts & time into promoting not only the event but the artiste. We received nothing but unprofessional conduct from taking a month to receive advertisement vocals to this latest unfortunate series of events.

On behalf of Bigga Yard, DNZ Productions & Billionare Ent we would like to offer refunds to all ticket holders & extend our humblest apologizes for any inconvenience caused by this lack of consideration on the part of the artiste.

We strive to bring quality events to CT & will continue to do so. We are seeking legal

Counsel for compensation.

Thanks for your patience and understanding with this matter.

For information and questions please feel free to contact us at:

divanikkiz@gmail.com.

Sign:

Nicole Y Duhaney 

CEO DNZ Productions

I-OCTANE LIVE PERFORMANCE @ REGGAE REBEL SALUTE 2013

Reggae star I-Octane leaves footprints across the US.

JAMAICAN reggae star I-Octane continued to blaze a trail across North America with back-to- back shows in the United States (US), recently. 

The first stop was at Club Warehouse in the DMV (Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia) metro area on May 17, and the second in West Palm Beach, Florida, at The Palace the following night.

“When we say ‘ruff up road’ or ‘do road ruff’, there are multiple meanings, but this is the literal meaning of it, when we go from handling the business in Jamaica, then travelling to spread the vibes and touching the people in different places”, said I-Octane, who has amassed an impressive slew of hit songs in a few short years.
His mission on this tour is to connect and develop a deeper relationship with his audiences as he builds his name as a brand that is synonymous with not only reggae and dancehall music, but Caribbean culture as a whole.

He is currently playing at venues that cater to the Caribbean diaspora throughout the US, and spends much of his time in the communities, bonding with his fellow Jamaicans and other Caribbean people.

Digicel/Busta brand ambassador I-Octane says he is exploring how the people of the West Indies co-exist in various cities, while maintaining the subtleties that make their heritage so unique.

“It’s interesting in these places that the people naturally have done what CARICOM and other (integration) initiatives in the Caribbean have failed, and that is to bring unity among each other,” said I-Octane.

In DC, the singjay who always preaches the value of education in his music, visited Howard University where he met with members of the Caribbean Student Association at their newly minted Caribbean tree on the campus.

President of the association Maygn Wells explained that the Caribbean tree and the plot where it stands represent a place where students of Caribbean heritage bond in a spirit of camaraderie in their shared ancestry.

The association has been active since 1944 and boasts a large membership that includes Dr. Eric Williams (first prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago), Dr. Keith Mitchell (former prime minster of Grenada), Percival Broderick (former deputy prime minister of Jamaica) and the Honorable Dr. Ewart Brown (the premier and former minister of tourism and transport of Bermuda) among many other notable professionals.
In West Palm Beach, aspiring mogul and the show’s promoter Leighton ‘Frass’ Williams, formerly of Hype TV in Jamaica, organised a meet and greet, where I-Octane discussed his ambitions to be an ambassador for Caribbean culture, specifically in the reggae and dancehall realm, carrying the torch and exploring various avenues to push the boundaries and raise the bar for artistes like himself.

He told media, “I come into each market a day or two early and hold a vibes with the people. Wherever I go, I make sure I go into the community, support the local Caribbean business, if time permits, play some football with the warriors on their garrison like we did last week in Connecticut and just reason with my people, in general, to get a feel for their trials and triumphs in their new homes.”

“It’s important that I gain new fans, but they have to come in an authentic way, I want them to see the support I get from my base and understand why my core audience is attached to me. Essentially, my goal is not to cross over, but have the new people who are now getting introduced to my music and my movement to cross over to us.”

The energetic Rasta performer continues to garner rave reviews for his live shows, which have evolved to include a string of new hits while incorporating the classics which caught the ear of his loyal fan base and broke him on the scene five years ago.

“I’m most proud that my show has become interactive, and I love that the people get a chance to see different sides of me. I consider myself one of the most well rounded artiste’s reggae music has seen in quite some time and I look forward to my fans, new and old, growing with me,” he said.

I-Octane is currently working on a documentary to be released with his forthcoming album. Exclusive content such as clips from the documentary, videos, free music downloads and merchandise can be viewed on his new social-media hub. itsioctane.com.

Droop Lion tastes success on debut European tour

Kingston, Jamaica: - The year 2013 is certainly looking to be the breakout year for rising reggae entertainer, Droop Lion. The Freeway singer made his exciting debut in Europe in April, to much acclaim, and the series of shows continues throughout the month of May.

Continuing with a performance in Amsterdam on May 15, Droop Lion moved on to Rotterdam, Reims, Colmar, Paris and Guyancourt, soothing fans with a combination of his trademark “big voice” and his riveting lyrical content. The Rastafarian artiste has been eliciting rave reviews from critics and fans alike all over the continent, as he has kept his vow to let his music do the talking.

“It is a joy to be here in Europe on tour singing for the people and building up a fan base. Being on tour gives you a new appreciation for the power of Reggae music and it ignites a new passion within to be the best Reggae ambassador that you can possibly be,” Droop Lion noted.

“The energy level is incredible – both on the road while travelling in the tour bus from one city or country to the next and also when we reach the venues to perform. Everyone is in harmony and Jah is definitely our guide. Give thanks to Capleton for inviting me to be a part of this mystical, musical experience and also to the Prophecy Band for providing the music,” the young Lion stated.

Droop Lion’s European trip climaxes on May 25 with a stop in Helsinki, where he is scheduled to wrap up his nine-city tour at the Wildlife Festival, held annually in Finland. Wildlife Helsinki takes place from the 24^th to the 26^th and, this year, the Prophet Capleton is the headline act for the Saturday night. Droop Lion has been the opening act for Capleton on this tour.

The reggae singer makes his return to Jamaica at the end of May and will go straight into studio to continue the production of his debut album, on which he is collaborating with ‘A’ list producers, musicians and artistes.

Droop Lion savoured his first taste of success with the single, Freeway, which he followed up with the soothing 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. Other standout songs in his steadily growing repertoire include Lock down, a protest song against police brutality, and the thought-provoking Long Way Down.

CHART WATCH - HYPE TV TOP 20 DANCEHALL/REGGAE MUSIC CHART - MAY 10TH, 2013

Duane Stephenson takes on Brazil with the Wailers

Duane Stephenson

The continent of South America is regarded as rich, fertile soil for the planting of reggae music, so it was with a “special joy” that singer, Duane Stephenson, packed his bags and journeyed with the Wailers to Brazil at the end of April.

An eight-city tour, which started in Curitibra and spanned through the capital Brasilia, Salvador, Porto Alegre, and on to Brazil’s famous Rio de Janiero, among other cities, was the perfect way for Duane to spend 12 musically exhilarating days. Duane had received his South American baptism on a previous sojourn to that continent, which had also included performances in parts of Central America, all of which helped to lay the foundation for his memorable return visit.

Despite putting in some hard work at building his career there, even Duane himself has confessed that he was surprised at the vibrant welcome he was given by his growing fan base in the Americas.

“At all of the shows, I did my own solo set which lasted for 35 minutes each, and I must say that the response was fantastic. Although the official language of Brazil is Portuguese, the fans knew my songs and were singing word-for-word. It’s a wonderful feeling to plant seeds and go back and reap the fruits,” a very appreciative Duane explained. 

  

He added that the album that is still doing amazingly well for him in that territory is his debut, August Town,  however, reggae music lovers in Brazil have started to rock to some of the singles from his sophomore offering,Black Gold.

According to Duane, his best memory of this trip was his performance at the Bahia Café Hall in Salvador to a sold-out audience that just could not get enough of his music.

“This is not just great for me, it feels good and looks even better for reggae music. Singers like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff are the real icons down there, but Ky-mani Marley also has a huge fan base and Tarrus’ music is becoming increasingly popular. So, it is shows that reggae definitely has a future and so too dancehall because artistes like Shaggy, Sean Paul and Busy Signal are being embraced by South American fans. It’s up to us to nurture this emerging market,  stamp our name on it musically and really help it to grow. In the long run, we will all benefit,” the reggae singer declared.

VYBZ KARTEL NEWS: POPCAAN AND TOMMY LEE BETRAYED ME - WORLD BOSS

Vybz Kartel has denied allegations that he was attacked behind bars.

Addi Di Teacha said, "I want the fans to know that I am physically okay. I have never been stabbed, kicked, punched or beaten and I did not try to commit suicide. Jail is undoubtedly, unquestionably the worst place to be on this planet called Earth, but as it relates to my encounters with the correctional officers at the institution, I have no complaints,"

Vybz Kartel also said he has had great support from his family and his common-law wife (Shorty) and babymother during his tribulation; but he is disappointed in some of his former colleagues.

The embattled DJ said, "Despite being denied bail recently, and being betrayed by Popcaan and Tommy Lee whilst going through the darkest hour of my existence, I am unparalleled in my determination to remain positive. I do a lot of reading and writing and usually try to exercise."

"I would like to thank all my fans who have been behind me in my time of peril and unjust prosecution. Thanks for your continued support of my music, making me the recipient of Youth View's Deejay of the years 2011 and 2012 as well as Portmore Awards 2012, plus voting countless songs to the number-one spot on the reggae/dancehall charts worldwide," he added.

Kartel has been in custody since September 2011 and he is to return to Court on May 27.

ZJ ELEKTRA CREATED A STIR IN CONNECTICUT

ZJ Elektra from (ZIP103FM, Jamaica) represented for the Jamaican massive and Caribbean Community at large at her latest stint "Man a Suffer 2 Long" in Hartford, Connecticut last Saturday, May 4.  Elektra's elektrafying set created a stir at the West Indian American Center. Live performances were also done by I-Octane and Higher Boukie

I-Octane delivers electrifying performance in NY

International reggae/dancehall superstar I-Octane capped off a triumphant return to the New York stage with an electrifying performance at SOBs Hot 97’s Who’s Next showcase. 

I-Octane began his day as a guest of Hot 97’s top rated morning show for a half-hour interview with hosts Cipha Sounds and Shawnee Culture where they discussed everything from his humble beginnings to the future of reggae music.

The interview was filmed for Hot 97’s TV component and can be viewed on their YouTube channel: HOT97NY. 

Later that night, I-Octane started his headlining performance side stage with an acapella version of Stay Above Crime before taking centre stage to a rousing applause where he jumped right into No Love Inna Dem, proclaiming “respect to Hot 97 for the opportunity, but we need more reggae music on the station so we can further globalize it”.

He continued to sing hit after hit, sending the crowd into a frenzy with classics such as My Life, Lose A Friend and Once More as well as his latest hits, Love Di Vibes, L.O.V.E.Y.O.U., and finally his most current hit, Gal A Gimme Bun, which is currently taking New York by storm.  

To show unity amongst Jamaican performers, the energetic I-Octane invited Ding Dong and Christopher Martin to the stage to perform It’s A Celebration, a collaboration between them and Konshens. This move prompted Hot 97 executive, Karlie Hustle, to tweet how impressed she was that Octane “brought the openers on stage with him to celebrate the art together.” 

As the show came to a close, Octane expressed positive vibes about his performance, stating that “Hot 97 continues to show their support of reggae and dancehall music and we appreciate their efforts to push the culture forward.”

CHART WATCH - HYPE TV TOP 20 DANCEHALL/REGGAE MUSIC CHART - APRIL 26TH, 2013

ZJ Elektra takes her ‘A’ game to Connecticut for her debut this weekend

KINGSTON JAMAICA -Even her fingers are a-dancing as ZJ Elektra meticulously prepares to launch a musical onslaught on Connecticut, where she has been booked for a double date this weekend.  Actually, it will be the Zip jock’s debut in that US state, and since debuts are supposed to be special, Elektra has vowed to give Hartford two nights in May that they are not likely to forget in a hurry.

Come Friday, patrons who attend Sunset Friday at Sunset Café in Hartford, will experience a sunset like no other as the ultra savvy Elektra flexes her musical muscles and totally locks the city.  It is almost redundant to say that the electrifying Elektra, whose latest mixtape is wreaking musical havoc in the dancehall, plans to take her ‘A’ game to Sunset Café.

According to the promoters, the buzz on Friday’s event is through the roof and many of Elektra’s fans – both male and female – are ecstatic at the opportunity to experience her live.  Also showcasing their musical dexterity will be DJ Prince Paul, Monsta P and Bob Steel, while Kwesol has been assigned hosting duties.

On Saturday, Elektra zips across to the West Indian American Centre in Hartford for the show that Connecticut has long been holding its breath – ‘Man A Suffer Too Long’, featuring the man of the moment, I-Octane.  Certainly another blockbuster event, Elektra is quietly savouring the run-up to what could be a defining moment in her career.

“When you are billed for a show overseas, there are two magic words on the poster that you have to live up to – ‘From Jamaica’. It’s as if you are expected to create ‘Jamaica’ in that space for as long as you are playing the music. And it doesn’t matter whether you are playing dancehall, reggae, jazz or R&B, as long as you are ‘from Jamaica’, you must bring Brand Jamaica to the turntable. But as selectors we know the score and we know how to entertain – what to drop when and how. Hartford will be absolutely Elek-trifying,” the ZIP FM jock stated with a mischievous smile.