Beenie Man rightly proclaimed himself, King Of The Dancehall, a couple years ago and no one in the battle-based culture batted an eye-lash. Why? Because when it comes to chats and riddems, Beenie Man is the alpha and the omega. That is, the 33-year-old Kingston native, born Moses Davis, but better know 'round the world as Beenie Man, is the dancehall movement personified.

Releasing his first record, "Too Fancy" at the tender age of 7-years-old in in '81, Beenie has not only been at the forefront of the genre ever since, but has been largely responsible for growing it into the international phenomenon it is today. And it is exactly this legacy which his latest release, Undisputed, serves to maintain. "This album is all about the title," he says. "It wasn't a concept, but more of a theme. Each song had to live up to that name." And with production by the likes of Scott Storch, Don Corleon (Elephant Man, Sizzla) and Tony Kelly (Sean Paul, Wayne Wonder), and appearances by Akon, Brooke Valentine and reggaeton artist Voltio, Beenie ably completed the task of crafting an LP worthy of such a bombastic title. The lead single, "Hmm Hmm" is vintage Beenie at his best with infectious choruses and unforgettable melodies.

However, is it really any surprise that the man behind over 1000 songs would be able to make an LP with such a cocksure title? "Music is in me since I was little," he says. "My uncle had a DJ set up and I got my start doing that before I was 6 years old." Perhaps in part due to the fact that he still spins to this day, since childhood Beenie has had his finger on the pulse of . Consequently by 7 he had recorded his first single, and by 10 he had released his first long-player, The Invincible Beenie Man. Throughout the '80s he

continued to record, perform and DJ. In '92 Beenie made a splash at the famous Reggae Sun Splash by going after rival Bounty Killer in what would become an infamous back-and-forth. Though the following year they would squash it and record a split album, Gunz Out.

Shortly thereafter Beenie release a remake of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry", titled "No Mama, No Cry", which was produced by legendary tracksmen Sly and Robbie. It was during this collaboration that Beenie was enlightened to the Rastafarian doctrine and eventually converted. A slew of national hits ensued through out the mid nineties, including "World Dance" and "Slam." But it was in 1997, on the strength of his crossover smash of his Grammy-nominated Many Moods Of Moses and it's single "Who Am I?", that Beenie exploded as an international superstar. And in doing so for himself, he opened ears and doors for everyone in his genre around the world, but especially in the . Around the same time Beenie made his acting debut in the critically acclaimed Dancehall Queen. He then went on to The Doctor and Y2K, in '98 and '99, for VP Records. Both considered dancehall classics in their own rights, solidified his core base. Virgin records responded to Beenie's breakout success and signed him. Art And Life, his debut on the new label, truly broke him stateside. Monster hits like the Neptunes produced "Girls Dem Sugar" featuring Mya, and the Wyclef-guested, Saalam Remi produced "Love Me Now" took him to the top of the pops.

From there Beenie continued to churn out hits at home and abroad. "I still do singles, and DJ," he says. "Because it is important to never lose touch and stay in what's going on. And I still love it, as well." His 2002 set, Tropical Storm only further solidified him in the with it's brilliant collaboration with Janet Jackson, "Feel It Boy". However it was his latest, Back-To-Basics, which is arguably the closest thing dancehall has seen to a summer-blockbuster-esque album a la Get Rich Or Die Trying. The LP yielded hit after hit after hit. Undeniable anthems like "Dude" and "King Of The Dancehall" served to coronate Beenie as truly undisputed in every sense of the word.

"I've broken down every barrier and broken every record," says the man who's been nominated for 3 Grammys and won multiple MOBOs in the , in a tone of absolute humility, referring back to Undisputed. "So this album is just one more step forward." Was there ever any doubt?

When 50 Cent was sentenced for his role in a melee at a May 2004 concert, judge Robert Kumor told the rapper, "You're a cross-cultural entertainer; you have an obligation to people in society."

That obligation might soon include the G-Unit member forking out big dollars to two women who were injured in the scuffle.

Fiddy lept into the crowd at the Springfield, Massachusetts show in search of an unknown individual who had doused him with water. In his attempts to locate the responsible party before being pushed back on to the stage by security and police officers, 50 jostled with several people, two of whom are now pursuing compensation.

Donna DeJesus, 25, and Taneka Nesbitt, 27, have filed a civil suit against 50 and are seeking an undisclosed amount of cash.

DeJesus claims that 50 punched her in the face during the brawl, while Nesbitt claims that he pushed her down, which caused her to undergo knee surgery.

In the 2005 criminal trial, 50 avoided going to jail for assault and battery and was instead sentenced to a number of probationary terms. He was forced to enroll in an anger management program, undergo random drug testing and ordered to make an anti-violence public service announcement.

ChartAttack.com Staff
—Scott Bryson

Freddie McGregor will head to Trinidad this weekend for the premiere of a documentary he helped to produce that highlights the charming historical and cultural similarities between Jamaica and the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

The documentary will premiere on August 31st.

"The documentary is about Trinidad and Jamaica as twin islands in the Caribbean, and attempts to highlight similarities in music, culture and so on. We shot scenes in Trinidad, and in Jamaica, we also interviewed personalities like Sparrow, Byron Lee, Kitchener's son, well-known steel pan people, and also visited an AIDS orphanage, the Cyrell Ross home for children. These are some of the other things we are taking on, apart from music. I am trying to launch into other areas where we, as artistes, can contribute positive things, and this is a personal ambition of mine," McGregor told YardFlex.com.

McGregor, who has had a very successful Summer highlighted by two number one singles, 'Real Slave Master', and the Willie Lindo-produced 'St. Ann's' which appears on the Big Ship label. The

latter single is distributed by All Access.

"Before I went to Japan to do Reggae Sunsplash, 'Real Slave Master' was #1 and 'St. Ann's' was #2 , and by the time I came back, the singles had reversed positions with St. Ann's going #1, and 'Real Slave Master' slipping down the charts, so things are going well on the South Florida charts. The single, St. Ann is a really good song and is in heavy rotation in Jamaica as well."

Carlington Wilmot Photos

Hanging out with Mr. Lex a.k.a The Prince in Kingston is quite an experience. We cruised with him through the Corporate Area over the weekend, listening to him vibe Busta Rhymes's 'Big Bang' CD, and talk about dancehall, his upcoming divorce and his beef with artistes such as Cobra, Bounty, Beenie and even Elephant Man.

The thugs respect him, some of them asking an oft-repeated question: 'deejay, when yu a just get vex and run the place again'. But it is the girls, oh the girls, who adore him. One thing is obvious though, the deejay is a magnet for females. They ogle him, flirt openly with him, walk up to him to ask for autographs, and slip him their numbers, before they walk away giggling. He's one of the more engaging personalities, a breath of fresh air when compared to dancehall's tired cocktail of characters. What can we say? In Jamaica, it's good to be the Prince.

However, when he's relaxed, you realize that he may be doing away with his warm-and-fuzzy image as the events in his life over the last few years have conspired to make him wary of the people he had once called his friends.

It would be safe to say he has had a epiphany, the kind that Moses himself could have been party to when he emerged from God's tent, brainburned by His inside information.

"Right now, I just want to get some things off my chest," he said. "What else dem can say about me? Mi wife gi way de tings, bad man no play dat. Dem say me do oral sex, demtry to wreck my career, they can't hurt me anymore, I am a new man," he told YardFlex.com.

People were a bit shocked last year when HYPE TV repeatedly aired footage of an livid Mr. Lex punching selector Foota Hype in his mouth after the selector made a derogatory comment about the deejay's 'tongue'. Lex lost it, and in the aftermath, faced down Bouty Killer and the Alliance crew in a public war of words.

"Him (Foota) no know nutten 'bout me and ah come buy out my argument. Him tink say me and him ah size, I just want to apologize to my fans who were offended by that. But what would you do if you were me, I just feel that if him say nutten like that again, I would do the same thing again," he said.

Lex is firmly focused on jumpstarting his career.

"I am not getting any fight right now, radio has been playing me like crazy, plus I will be working on Sunsplash, that's a good platform for me to do what I do," he said.

He is looking to ink a management contract with overseas-based artiste manager Chris Thomas, but that agreement is still in the embryonic stages. In the meantime, Mr. Lex has been confirmed to perform on World Beat Night at Reggae Sunsplash

"I've cut out smoking two weeks ago, right now, it is a total lifestyle change. Drinking lots of water, eating fruits, I want to be in top condition for the festival," he said.

Lex also has a number of new singles which are in regular rotation on the FM radio such as 'We Say Party' on the Raw rhythm, 'Dem No Build No Gun', the popular 'Bad Inna Dance' on the Gully Slime rhythm, 'Oh Yes' for producers Steelie and Clevie, and 'Reggae's Real' featuring Luciano, and the Las Vegas-based Bonafide band.

He also has a single with Jada Kiss called 'Big Boys' which will appear on his next album. But it is a single that pokes fun on the personalities in dancehall such as Beenie, Bounty and Elephant Man which has the streets buzzing. But Lex isn't pulling any punches. He feels about Bounty Killer the way Patton felt about Rommel.

"Sean Paul, Shaggy, Shabba, those artistes ah run the place in terms of cross over appeal in the international market. Not some of these guys who are making that claim. How yu fi say yu a run the place, and yu de ya every Saturday? Yuh nuh buck dem a airport or nothing," he said with a smirk.

HE ARE WHO HE ARE

"Yu only have to par wid Killa for four months, and yu realize say a pure problem, to him mind, him nuh like see other stars around him, ah just so him mind stay. Kartel ah the smart one, him cut at a early stage so that he could be his own man, and mi respect that."

"When yu par wid him, yu ah fi him yute, me ah mi owna star, mi mek mi owna money. How a man fi tell me where to go, how to dress, and tell me who fi talk to? That is some girl s---t...I'm telling you some of these guys are co-stars, but you cannot blame him, he are who he are, he are the one," Lex said, imitating the Killa's trademark phrase.

"He just collects all the promising yutes dem and turn dem inna co-star too. Still, me and him cool, we have mutual friends, and they are trying to get us to be civil, y'know, and me even talk to him couple of times. But he and I can never be friends, him need fi know that, me no like him, and that's how it's gonna be."

He doesn't have anything particularly kind to say about Beenie Man either.

"I idolize Beenie Man as an artiste but when it come to anything personal, man to man, he is not real, as a human being, him just not 100 per cent real. Him no rate people. Which artiste him ever buss?" he said. "Which one?"

Lex is on the long road back to resurrecting his career. Last year, his first tentative steps back into the business almost ended in disaster at Sting 2005 when he performed alongside Mr. Vegas.

"I heard the boos, and it kinda killed mi courage, but then Vegas jump in a buss the place, and him carry mi in pon the ting, and we just buss the place the real way. Vegas ah mi true friend, General B and Roundhead, friends, but ah just it dat," he said.

To say that Mr. Lex may have lost his bravado is saying a lot. When he was a brash young artiste six years ago, he and Delly Ranks got booed at a stage show at the Jamaica Maritime Institute, but Lex refused to leave the stage even thougha couple of Bigga bottles whizzed past his head.

He simply paused, pointed down in the crowd and said in his ultra-cool voice.

"Lady, you don't have anywhere bigger to throw the Bigga."

The crowd howled with laughter. Then he did his Boogie Woogie song, and exited stage left. Now that's star power!

He jumped into the public spotlight in 1999, and his debut VP album, "Mr. Lex", was released to rave reviews on June 20th, 2000 chock full of hits such as "Ring Mi Cellie", "Divine Reasoning", "Cook", "Get Wid It" and "Yuh Nuh".

But does Lex still have it?

"Yes, of course I do, I have been through a lot. But I am getting my head together again, I am feeling like my old self. If I get half the chance that Beenie and Elephant Man got, you would see real results. Some ah dem deejay ya fi know dem role, Bounty, Beenie dem a co-star, Shabba, Shaggy, Sean Paul, ah dem man de ah the real stars," he said.

Lex is also concerned about the future growth of dancehall stars if it is just the same tired cocktail of characters which represent dancehall.

"We need to have an industry, to the degree where everybody can get hot and move major units. It's big enough for everybody to earn well, nuff people can get hot one time, we don't need all the animosity, it is just the small-mindedness of the so-called icons in the business now. Everybody fi eat a food, why fight against a next man?" he asked.

"Me ah the last yute weh buss outta Jamaican dancehall. Kartel ah de closest one after me, when mi buss, mi buss ah Jamaica, Europe and the Americas one time, same time

Nobody else neva just get hot like that and have the place in a tizzy like that. We need more stars, more deejays, we cannot lock people outta the business."

Rodney 'Bounty Killer' Pryce pleaded not guilty to charges of indecent and abusive language when he appeared in the Yallahs RM court this morning.
He will return to court on October 4th .

In the meantime, the Morant Bay police have said that singer Mavado has failed to respond to a summons issued by the officers relating to his alleged involvement in the use of indecent language at the 'Saddle to the East,' event held in St. Thomas on Saturday night.

"To the best of my knowledge, a representative of Mavado called to say that he would be coming today, but he has not arrived yet. The police put in place special arrangements to deal with traffic and crowd control in the town of Yallahs when Rodney Pryce appeared in court this morning given what transpired with the roadblock over the weekend. We were ready, and there were no incidents," the officer said.

Mavado, whose real name is David Brooks, is not bound to report to

the police, and the summons only has authority once the document is delivered, and then the police can then detain him. YardFlex.com will have more details later of the court case.

Check out these photos that we have pool together from various events such as CooYah XL, Appleton ATI Launch, Fully Loaded Launch.etc....

Sean Miller/Freelance Writer
Photos By: Carlington Wilmot

A couple of years ago, dancehall aficionados were scanning the dials of dancehall-reggae FM radio, searching for a new sound, a new energy, and then 'Hollow Point' hit them. Like a thunderbolt.

Known for the hits such as 'Parro Mi Parro' and the current chart-smasher, 'Who Goes', Hollow Point is not just another artless pop deejay hiding behind a hook. He has got the steely determination to make it in this game.

Born Shevon Toriano Stewart, this deejay was raised between the rustic community of Clonmel in St. Mary, and the middle-class neighbourhood of Duhaney Park in Kingston. He grew up in a household where dancehall personalities such as Super Cat, Major Worries, Nicodemus were regular staples in his father’s cassette player.

He explained how he got his stage name:

"The name has no deep meaning, mi de pon the corner ah deejay inna about 1995, and the hollowpoint bullet did just drop, people just know about it, the armorplate that can fly through vest and tear up flesh etcetera, and mi used to write violent, deejay lyrics, so mi friend dem say, how yu love talk 'bout hollowpoint so? Wha' name so? Mi tell dem and the man dem say, 'ah gunshot name mi ah gi yu' and ah so it happen," he explained to YardFlex.com.

HP often bounced back and forth between studios and producers for a little while before his cousin, dancehall artist Chico introduced him to his friend Alozade, who then introduced him to producer Cordel 'Skatta' Burrell who made him a part of his camp for about five years. During that time, he had a number of songs released on the Kings of Kings label in that time period including the successful, 'Sitting By The Window'. After leaving this camp, Hollow Point recorded for a selected few producers including the riddim twins, Steelie and Clevie of Studio 2000. Cool Face, another reputable producer, introduced him to Don Corleone.

HP is now firmly focused on making hits like 'Who Goes' which has strongarmed FM radio like The Undertaker taking a wrestler in a headlock. New releases like 'Real Don' on Chris Goldfinga's (of Hard Drive fame) new joint, as well as 'Easy Skankin' and 'Enemies' on noted producer Don Corleone's 'Gully' riddim look to carry on that trend.

"Ah just crazy new songs out there," he said.

HP has upcoming stage show appearances in Connecticut this Summer, at Capleton's 'St. Mary Mi Come From', and said he "may make a cameo at this year's Reggae Sumfest alongside Munga". But despite all his individual success, he still seems to invite comparisons with deejay Super Cat for his laid-back cool, and dangerous good looks.

"Mi no really find no fault with the comparisons, ah the big top dada, the top dog, from dem even compare me with him, mi glad...Super Cat ah de foundation, dem man de set the ting, and mi plan fi gives the business my all, 100 per cent," he said.

Ya heard him, 'Hollow Point' gives his heart. Now all he needs is the world to give him their ears

"I don't think there's ever been anyone like me that's lasted. And I'm going to keep on lasting." -- Paris Hilton

As Paris Hilton sees it, her main problem is that people don't understand how hard she works. "People are going to judge me: 'Paris Hilton, she uses money to get what she wants.' Whatever," she said. "I haven't accepted money from my parents since I was 18. I've worked my [butt] off. I have things no heiress has. I've done it all on my own, like a hustler."

It was a recent sweltering morning, and the socialite, 25, was speaking at her three-story compound up a winding hill in West Hollywood, within valet parking range of some of the area's hottest nightlife. Fresh from a hair and makeup session that a publicist said cost $10,000, she had descended her marble staircase, passed under the gaze of several poster-sized vanity portraits of herself, breezed by the chrome stripper pole she uses as an exercise prop ("It's great for parties," she said) and settled herself into a white sofa beneath a black Baccarat chandelier.

The professional celebutante and heir to the Hilton hotel fortune released her debut album, "Paris," on Warner Bros. Records earlier this month. Next, Hilton will disseminate what she calls "the brand of Paris Hilton" even more widely, and more lucratively. She has signed off on signature lines of lingerie, shoes, bathing suits, makeup, wigs, purses, an energy drink, a video game and champagne in a can -- all meant to land at the average Middle American mall. She also intends to open several restaurants and has begun developing properties for what she calls a "boutique hotel chain," to be called Paris, that will remain unaffiliated with her parents' worldwide franchise. READ FULL STORY

-By CHRIS LEE
LOS ANGELES TIMES

By: Sean Miller/Freelance Writer
Photo By: Carlington Wilmot

THEY ARE WHO THEY ARE

Mr. Lex believes that the prolonged Beenie-Bounty feud is a ruse to keep them at the top of the dancehall game by choking the rise of other artistes.

"Bounty Killer lucky say him get a hit with No Doubt, and sell platinum, but him struggle fi even sell 50,000 units by himself. But look at Beenie Man, he is the worst at being a cross over Jamaican artiste. How can you be the big man and yu caan sell 250,000 copies and yu a fight to be the king of dancehall? Is a strategy him and Bounty have, every time some other yute get the hype, dem start the war so the focus switch, and pressure de young yute dem," he reasoned.

"That's why yu may never see Busy Signal or Idonia get to that real national level because as the yute dem buss, Bounty carry dem under him wing, and claim say ah him buss dem. So no matter how hot yu get as an artiste, yu will always just be Bounty yute, Bounty's protege, to hell wid dat."

BEEFING BIG TIME

Lex lets loose on who he calls the 'co-stars in the business.

Elephant Man and Kip Rich

"Ele, the half of the hype that Elephant have, the majority of it is me do that. Me give him 500,000 in him hand cash after mi do mi tour inna 2000, Mi give Kip Rich 250,000, and the band members another 250,000, and mi live fi see Elephant get hot and ah run the place and not even look pon me. The man no real. One hand wash the other, if you do good for one, you should return the favour, and even Kip Rich, him ah de biggest wagonist inna the history of dancehall. Me ah go

buss back the place, and show dem how it fi run."

Wagonist is a term in the Jamaican vernacular that means someone who merely hops on to what is already popular or accepted.

LEFTSIDE AND ESCO

"Mi no have no vibes with Leftside and Esco, but dem feel that when me and Mr. Vegas go record 'Taxi Fare', we ah try counteract fi dem song, but there is no animosity, mi not even see dem, me ah star. Me rate dem as two talented yute, who remind me of myself, so mi gi dem dem props, but dem need fi know, mi no counteract man

HIS SOON-TO-BE EX WIFE TUNYA

Me ah try get over it, we have a nice, cool friendship, but mi tink about it, me caan go back de so. Me love har, but she hurt me dog, me have to move on. The divorce soon come through, we ah go split up the things nice and civil, no bitterness."

COBRA AND MEAN-SPIRITEDNESS

Cobra is a yute weh mi respect and love, even now. Him ah de first man carry mi go pon tour inna 1996, an across state tour, and me and him became good friends, and mi live fi see him ah try capitalize pon my downfall when Bounty start talk up some oral sex argument 'bout me. As a friend, how yu fi talk 'bout me caan diss Bounty when Bounty ah try wreck my career? Me have him as a big p----y," he told YardFlex.com.

"How the artiste dem so mean-spirited wid dem one another? Jeez, man. When something did happen wid Chicken and de belt a Miami, man put it inna song, when Zebra get jail, how do you even seek to capitalize on another man's downfall? That's why now certain things ah reach Bounty. Angel de wid Beenie Man, but it is not as bad as it seems, it just look bad because of who he is. Check it, J-Lo left Puffy and go de wid Ben Affleck, no biggie, but with him, it's a big deal, it's just his mind. That is something he should have ignored, that's why it look so bad,"

ANGEL'S CAREER

"Is me and Angel do the first combination together, and the first thing Bounty did was tell her say she no sound good, he called the producer to say she was off-key and say don't put that out. What a yute! If my wife can sing like Angel, I would encourage her, hey, it would mean more money coming into the relationship, everybody's achieving. Me respect how Beenie Man did ah try help har."

BIG UPS

Big up journalist Andrew Clunis, artistes like Delly Ranx, Daddy Screw, Earlton Clarke, Steelie and Clevie, WARD 21, Headline Entertainment, Jerome, Carlette, who are like the big brother and sister I never had. Big up Mama Texi, the Arrows family, DJ Wayne, Liquid, Mighty Mike, GT Taylor and Colin Hines.

THIS IS A TWO PART STORY - WE HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY PART-ONE - CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR PART TWO.

September 11 is a date that no one in the Western world will be allowed to forget, well at least for the next couple of decades as it reminds of that unfortunate day some years ago when an airliner crashed into the World Trade Centre, and took the lives of hundreds of innocent people.

That date also has some amount of significance, albeit with more positive connotations, in the reggae-dancehall world as it is the day that the 'Energy God', Oneil 'Elephant Man; Bryan was born into an unsuspecting world. Little did they know that this sometimes-eccentric deejay would one day become one of the most exciting deejays of the 21st century.

For the past four years, thousands of his fans have descended on his annual birthday party to celebrate with the 'Energy God'. However, this year, there is a twist as the party has found a new home in the

resort capital of Ocho Rios, and has been officially renamed, 'Shizzle'.

"Shizzle" takes place on Saturday, September 9, 2006 in the Amnesia car park, and 'Elly' hopes that all his Kingston-based fans will come down to party with him on the North Coast.

"All my artiste friends are coming too," he told YardFlex.com in an exclusive interview. "Bounty, Movado, Busy Signal, Cobra, Ninjaman, too much a dem."
"Even some ah mi foreign friends ah come too," he said, grinning through his platinum grills. "We love all artiste and all ah dem give we back love plus all ah di big sound dem, Stone Love, Coppershot and Renaissance."

Why Ocho Rios, YardFlex asked.
"Well, Ochi is really my second home," he declared. "I spend a lot of time there just cooling out and some of my closest friends live in Ochi and I am building a house there so I am going to be an official resident of Ochi real soon, so this is just my way of bonding with the people who are already my fans and will soon be my neighbours."
"We still going to party in Kingston, we caan leave out the Kingston fans, but the Shizzle is going to be an annual Ochi event."
A spokesman from Big and Mighty Productions, producers of the event, told YardFlex that all the preparations are in place to make this a stellar event.

"We will be creating a real party atmosphere in the car park with tents and lights, and great décor, plus there will be lots of cake and ice cream on the house," the spokesman said.

"SHIZZLE" is expected to become a fixture on the Ocho Rios entertainment calendar, and by all accounts, it's going to be sizzling.
Shizzle!

Robert Murphy
YardFlex Writer

P & L Recording artiste Selah has a thing for the number seven. He believes that it plays an important role in his life so much so that he wears a gold chain with a large number seven pendant around his neck at all times

"The number seven has a special significance in my life from birth because my mom and dad had eight children, I am the seventh one, so I always take #7 as a lucky number, it is significant as in the seventh seal, number seven will always be special to me," he said.

Selah is one of the frontrunners of a brand new genre, one which the critics have dubbed reggae-soul, and he has been scorching the nation's airwaves along with other contemporary artistes like Etana with their phenomenal new sound. Selah's most popular single to date is a refreshing gem of a song called 'Think About It' that become an anthem of some local FM radio stations.

"Reggae soul is a new genre that is set to take over the world, it's powerful," Selah told YardFlex.com.

His name breathes spirituality. Selah is a Hebrew word meaning "pause, reflection", within the context of a prayer or psalms, is similar in purpose to amen in that it stresses the importance of the preceding passage. This word occurs seventy-one times in thirty-nine of the Psalms.

Selah takes his chosen role in music very seriously.

"Every artiste should see himself as a messenger, as a servant to speak to the people, to give them advice and positive messages, that's what I try to do, try to be positive, and inform and uplift the yutes," he said.

He began growing his 'covenant' five years in a move to explore the Rastafarian philosophy of living deeper and he has not regretted it.

"I am a rastafarian, it is not a hair doctrine with me, nuh true yu see me pierce two of mi ears, now a modern time blood," he said, laughing.

Born Chevan Gaunlette Clarke on October 5, 1974 at Brunswick Avenue in the old capital of Spanish Town, Selah attended McCauley elementary and primary school and later spent five years at Spanish Town Secondary School (now Spanish Town High School. He migrated to the UK, but failed to break into the mainstream market because of what he says is 'racism'.

But he has put those bad experiences behind him, and under the supervision of his new management team, P & L Records Ltd., Selah is poised for big things in the 2006. The buzz on Selah is growing.

He was one of a few foreign acts who performed at the launch of the MTV Network Channel "Tempo" dubbed Caribbean Rising, which took place at the James Bond beach in Oracabessa, St. Mary Jamaica in October last year. He was also one of the main acts at the recent B-Mobile High School Tour which sought to promote non-violence in schools.

On August 28th, he will be peforming in London at a show dubbed 'Reggae in the Palace' which will be held under the patronage of the Mayor of London. He also has upcoming shows in Germany.

"I am just giving thanks right now to Jah, I like the direction that my career is heading in, and I have lots of music left in me, reggae-soul is going to be the next big thing," he said.

Selah.

By: Jigga Mattic
YardFlex Reporter

Hours after the end of the 'Saddle to the East 2K6' show in St. Thomas on Saturday night, deejay Bounty Killer was charged by the cops with breaches of the Town and Country Act for using abusive, and indecent language.

"He was arrested at about 6:15 this morning, and brought to the station. He was charged with one count of using indecent language, and one count of abusive language. He will appear in the Yallahs Resident Magistrate's court on Wednesday. So far he is the only deejay charged," Woman Corporal Georgette Aiken told YardFlex.com yesterday afternoon.

Bounty Killer was offered station bail in the sum of $50,000.

Details on exactly what transpired at the stage show were sketchy, but a source at the stage show confided that: "What happened was that Idonia cuss a bad word, and the police come onstage and accuse Sizzla of being the one who cursed. They surrounded him, and Sizzla tried to avoid them, and because the action stopped, the crowd grew restless and start throw bottles onstage"

"Killer come onstage and was able to quiet the crowd, saying 'wah do dem BC police yah, how dem caan find Shanika Anderson killer and dem waan come terrorise we?' And then in the morning now, on the way home, the police had a roadblock and they arrested him. It took a little while but he eventually got bail," the source said.

Killer had resurrected 'Saddle', his signature celebrity stage show, and joined forces with the non-profit organization Upliftment Jamaica, in a commitment to raise funds to aid in the transformation of the impoverished communities of Jamaica with quality education, health, and social welfare programs in addition to creating economic opportunities.

BOUNTY'S BRUSHES WITH THE LAW

Earlier this year, Pryce was arrested by police and charged with assaulting the mother of his child, 33 year-old Julie Rambally in a May incident. He has appeared in court to answer the charges, and the case is still before the courts.

This is not the first time that Bounty is being charged with using indecent and abusive language. In August 2004, the Killer was stranded in Port-of-Spain,Trinidad for three days after his passport was seized by the police there. He was reportedly taken off the stage at 'Summerfest 2004', a concert staged at the Queen's Park Savannah on Saturday night, for using obscene language during his performance.

In September 2001, Killer was sentenced to do 240 hours of community service for using indecent language at the Champions in Action show on August 18 at Fort Clarence Beach in St Catherine. Once oustide, he unleashed a slew of expletives in a scathing attack on former Prime Minister P J Patterson and Acting Deputy Superintendent of Police Cornwall "Bigga" Ford. News reports at the time quoted him as saying "Bigga Ford and de prime minister a play b...o c....t palitics wid me. A because me play a West Kingston man session why de p...y c...t man dem de pon me, but dem caan mek me stap, for a nuh fe dem b...o c...t mouth. Me naw go stap, mek dem b...o c...t go wey," the deejay told a crowd supporters who had gathered around his car.

A story published in the New York Post on Sunday disclosed that reggae star Tanya Stephens has sued rap diva Lil' Kim's for plagiarism.

The suit was filed in a suit filed in Manhattan federal court last week. According to the story, the suit alleges that L'il Kim flew Stephens to New York, asking her to sing on one of her albums and belting out by heart the very song she pilfered to show what a big fan she was of Stephens, according to the suit.

Stephens and her representatives from the Royalty Network were shocked when they first listened to Lil' Kim's late-2005 album, "The Naked Truth."

The writer of the article, Janon Fisher wrote that "the lyrics of Kim's track "Durty" match almost word for word with Stephens' song "Mi and Mi God" recorded in Jamaica and released in 1997, they say. Kim reached out to Stephens in 1999 and flew her up to have her sing on one of her albums. She gushed over Stephens when they met in the New York recording studio, telling her that she was a "big fan" and

that she owned several of the reggae artist's albums, the suit says. Kim even sang her favorite Stephens song, which she knew by heart. It was "Mi and Mi God," according to the lawsuit. Stephens then sang with Kim, but the vocals never made the album."

Lil' Kim's lawyer and agent did not respond to messages requesting comment, the article said.

The Brooklyn-born Kim, a k a Kimberly Jones, even sings the tune with a West Indian accent, the suit alleges. The lyrics are so duplicative that Stephens is claiming she should own the song and receive all past and future royalties.

To add insult to injury, Lil' Kim is one of Stephens' biggest fans, she claims in the complaint.

Kim's album, "The Naked Truth" shot to No. 3 on the hip-hop charts and rose to No. 6 on the Billboard chart. It was nominated for album of the year for the BET Awards.

This latest legal predicament comes after Kim was released from a federal prison in Philadelphia on July 3. She had served 10 months for lying to a grand jury about a shooting that erupted outside radio station Hot 97 in lower Manhattan when her posse clashed with rapper Foxy Brown's. She completed house arrest on Aug. 3.
SOURCE: New York Post

It was with great fanfare that Atlantic Records announced the signing of Tego Calderón in June 2005. He was the first major-label signing of a reggaeton artist, the Caribbean style (a combination of hip hop, dancehall, salsa, bomba, and merengue) that had already become a mixtape and urban-radio hit, and now looked poised to take the rest of America by storm.

Around that time, I profiled Mr. Calderón for a magazine. We spent the afternoon driving from a photo shoot to an interview with Hot 97 DJ Angie Martinez, where he talked about his forthcoming album, "Subestimato/The Underdog." Our transportation was a deluxe SUV - compliments of Atlantic - wallpapered in a huge image of Mr. Calderón's afroed profile on the side. With the window rolled down, he chain smoked Marlboros and signed autographs at stop lights all the way downtown.It appeared the underdog had the world by the tail.

Now, a full year after the original release date, his album is finally seeing the light of day. I won't pretend to know the minds of record executives or the specific causes for the delay, but I have a

theory: The record isn't at all what Atlantic signed on for.

What made Mr. Calderón so attractive, what set him apart from the rest of the emerging reggaeton stars, was his ability to move seamlessly between the worlds of Spanish and English, reggaeton and hip hop.Whereas stars like Daddy Yankee and Don Omar sound soft with their sing-songy styles, Mr. Calderón is pure street. Like Tupac, Biggie, and Jay-Z, he is gifted with an instantly recognizable voice - in his case a sultry, syrupy baritone - that flows easily over any beat. His reputation in America owes as much to mixtape appearances - on 50 Cent's "P.I.M.P.," Fat Joe's "Lean Back," the Game's "Love Them Hoes," and Cypress Hill's "Latin Thugs" - as to his own songs. No matter whom you match him up with, Mr. Calderón seems to get the better of his American counterparts.

That's what makes "The Underdog" so baffling, as much to listeners as to the record label. Instead of stuffing it with top-shelf beats and name-brand rappers, Mr. Calderón has instead taken the opportunity to explore his afro-carribbean roots and to showcase salsa, dancehall, and reggaeton talents even less well known than himself (among them Voltio and Chyno Nyno).

At 25 tracks, there's a little bit of everything here. "Los Maté," the first single, showcases the pixilated boomtick-ticka-tick-boom beats that have come to define reggaeton during the reign of super producers Luny Tunes. The Latin rhythms and Santana-sounding bent guitar notes of "Mardi Gras" recall the stoned funk of Cypress Hill. "Bad Man" is a straightforward reggae track with choruses by dancehall MC Buju Banton.

Mr. Calderón's first love - before rap - was Latin jazz. He was trained as a percussionist, and you can hear his affinity for the music on songs like "Llevatelo Todo" and "Slo' Mo." "Chango Blanco" does away with rapping altogether, as he sings a classic samba over a hipshaking beat of congo, piano, trumpets, and an all-male nightclub chorus.

By MARITN EDLUND
www.nysun.com

By Sean Miller/Freelance Writer
Photos By: Carlington Wilmot

Tanya Stephens has never been accused of being afraid to speak her mind. She believes firmly in the mantra: "tell the truth and shame the devil".

She is one of the exclusive acts for the rebirth of Reggae Sunsplash this year, and in a surprising move, chose to spurn this year's Reggae Sumfest show. She sat down with YardFlex.com this month to voice her opinions on her personal life, her music and the state of dancehall-reggae.

"Sumfest people dem no have nah no manners, and dem hype fi no reason 'cause dem tink dem a star," she said. "Gourzong a little bit too big fi him breaches, mi caan stand dem, dem no have no manners. Everytime they call, they're disrespectful, condescending, dem belittle you. Nuff artistes run back at them, oh please put me on, but for what? Nobody nuh buss offa Sumfest."

Stephens, who is riding a high on the international scene where her amazing voice and intelligent, socially conscious songs have made her

a bona fide reggae star, said he is actually looking forward to appearing at this year's Sunsplash.

"I'm happy to see Splash back, and honestly, they have way more manners, so I am looking forward to working with them," she said. Stephens will be performing at the Richmond Estate venue on August 5th.

Tanya has been focusing on the release of her upcoming album, 'Rebelution' for VP Records, the followup to the critically acclaimed 'Gangsta Blues' which spawned the hit, "It's A Pity", on the German-produced "Doctor's Darling" riddim.

Her album, which hits stores on August 29th, is almost exclusively produced by her partner/lover, Andrew Henton of Tarantula Records, but there are a few guest producers such as Ainsworth 'Big A' Higgins, Barry O'Hare and the rookie producer, Sherkhan from Tiger Records, a French Caucasian living in Jamaica.

TANYA BELIEVES DANCEHALL IS OVEREXPOSED

But even after over a decade in the business, Tanya is not satisfied with the quality of the overall dancehall product coming out of Jamaica.

"Right now, dancehall reggae is overexposed, it is the most promoted music as a genre, check it, nobody no out there promoting rap as a genre, or hip hop as a genre, artistes come out and promote dem album, and that's that. We need to work on our product...and stop worrying about marketing and worry more about production. We can’t be like 'hey, I am over here, look at me, look at me', then when everybody look at you, you have nothing to offer them," she said.

Too much people have an MPC machine, she added.

"Our industry spits on the talented people, the hype is what everybody subscribe to, so a little man who come with a really good song, you probably hear it one time if you hear it at all. If you hear it one time, and love it, you don't know where to get it because the jockeys don't even call dem name when dem play it," Tanya complained.

This sort of caustic commentary is de riguer for the writer/singer of tunes like "Big Ninja Bike," an exuberant deflation of men who don't deliver on sexual promises. But that is Tanya being well, Tanya.

ON HER RELATIONSHIP WITH PARTNER ANDREW

Tomboyish growing up, Tanya has blossomed into a full-blown sex bomb. During the interview, she was dressed in a figure-hugging blouse, and the buttons were open enough to offer a glimpse of her, ahem, 'assets'. She has also blossomed in love, sharing a steady relationship with Andrew Henton, the son of producer 'Computer Paul' Henton.

"We set high standards, we pressure and push each other, because we want the best product out there. I am my own worst critic, and I cannot give anyone ammunition to use against me so I shot it up myself, remove all the bullets, heal the bullet wounds...remove all the offensive parts," she said.

Not that Tanya gives a damn if anyone finds her candor and wit offensive. She even had some harsh words for the media, saying they were no longer trendsetters, but 'wagonists' when it came to exposing new artistes.

TANYA LOVES 'DUTTY WINE'

She loves Matterhorn's 'Dutty Wine' which at the time of the interview, was the number one song in Jamaica.

"It is well written, a classic, when I first heard it, I wondered, who this? Because it was pop-sounding and up-tempo. Matterhorn really did a good job with it. And you know Matterhorn did born hype, so you can imagine now," she said, laughing.

Even though she is in a better place spiritually, Tanya has not buried the hatchet with fellow deejay Lady Saw with whom she had a very public falling out a few years ago.

"Me and Saw no have no relationship. Full Stop. I don't wish her no ill will, but we will never have a relationship," she said.

Look out for Tanya's lead single, 'These Streets' which has popped up on the South Florida and New York reggae charts. It is 'rebelutionary'.

Word on the street is that Jay-Z and Beyonce plan on spending $3 million on a lavish wedding slated for November.

According to these guys, the wedding is set to go down in the Caribbean island of Anguilla:

Beyonce Knowles is pulling out all the stops for her wedding. The Dreamgirls star is set to wed rap impresario Jay Z, and the lavish event will come with a $3 million price tag, according to Star magazine. The former Destiny's Child member is planning a late November wedding on the Caribbean island of Anguilla. Guests will dine on $300,000 worth of caviar as well as lobster and truffles and will wash it down with $200 bottles of Dom Perignon.

I'll keep my hands crossed on this one until it's validated elsewhere. Not saying that there's no truth to it, it's just that these marriage rumors have been going on forever. You'd think that by now celeb-gossip media would have upgraded the conversation to how

many kids these two have had together.

Speaking of which, what are you thoughts on Jayonce's latest collaboration, Upgrade U, taken from B'Day?

YARDFLEX GIRL OF THE WEEK

Christine Otherwise known as ANASI, a versatile and exotic six (6) feet tall model from Toronto, Canada.
Says she's interested in doing BIG things in the modeling industry because her look is different, unique and marketable.

ANASI's background is the development of a mixture of Chinese-Jamaican with a bit of Cherokee. She's also an amateur boxer and a fitness enthusiast. Salsa dancing is one of her passions which she trained for years; and she's also a lover of playing the violin.

She considers herself a woman of many talents, who is blessed with a total package of brains and beauty. She majored in Marketing and Human Resources at Humber College and has worked in the corporate world in various capacities. She has worked with one of the World's Biggest Corporation and Heavy weights - Microsoft Canada.

In 2002 she finally opened her own consulting employment firm called Phoenix Management Solutions. ANASI still continued to work in a full time capacity and conducted her own business on part time basis.

ANASI's zodiac sing is Scorpio. If you know anything about a Scorpio woman, you will know the drive and ambition she possesses.

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A 'YARDLFEX GIRL OF THE WEEK'

By: Claude Mills

DJ Roshane 'Shane-O' McDonald has switched camps from producer Rohan 'Sno Cone' Fuller's Wasp Nest to the rising dancehall powerhouse, P&L
Records.

It was reported a few weeks ago on YardFlex.com that the Billboard-topping producer 'Sno Cone' had cut all ties with the DJ with whom he had forged a close relationship since Shane-O was 11 years old.

"Me neva really have no falling out with 'Sno Cone'. Me deh a New York and see it pon a website, so all now mi no know wha a gwaan, or wha really gwaan. Me send Cone message pon him phone, him no reply, and him no call me back," said Shane-O, whose 'Lightning Flash' hit on the Applause rhythm went to number one on the RE TV and Richie B charts last year.

"The last call a me mek dem, and he never gave a reply, so me feel a way to go back around there, and me have a family to take care of. So mi need to promote mi career right now; every man a man, mi a hold my

corner...me do nuff fi him, and him do nuff fi me, a just so life go," Shane-O reasoned.

However, former manager and mentor Rohan 'Sno Cone' Fuller hit back with revelations of his own.

"What Shane-O can do for me? Mi read an interview that him say 'him do nuff fi me'. What Shane-O can do for me when is my money spend to buss him inna Jamaica? Mi no mek no money offa 'Lightning Flash', and it go #1 here. How him fi send me text? Ah big man ting me ah deal wid. Mi rate the man like a son, and mi neva expect this. Deejay like Spragga, Wayne Wonder and Assassin come and see the yute round me, and know say mi have him like a son, and the man just switch pon me through him have some lickle people inna him ears ah tell him tings," Sno Cone said.

"I don't have a problem with Shane-O moving on. Mi nuh vex. It's just that he still doesn't understand the business. When you spend money on an artiste to build him up, how can he feel like he can just walk away and switch because some little man a tell him tings? And these young artistes do this when it is time for the producer/manager to recoup money they have spent...these young artistes don't understand the business. When him gone, that nah go break or make me," 'Sno Cone' said.

During the interview, Shane-O hinted that financial considerations might have played a role in the severing of ties with his former mentor and producer. Sources close to the camp have even hinted that Shane-O had wanted 'Sno Cone' to purchase a motor vehicle for him.

"If no money no spend pon your career, yu not going nowhere as an artiste. Right now a money, friend and family run the business and if you don't have anybody doing exclusive tracks with you, and working with you in the studio, yu not going anywhere," Shane-O said.

Sno Cone laughed at this comment saying that money was not the significant thing in the music industry.

"If Bill Gates and Donald Trump come and spend several billions out of dem personal billions, and you no have no hit tune, or song weh the people dem accept and endorse, dem ah go waste dem money. Anno money count, is solid work, well put together lyrics, melody and belief in yourself that counts; money is not the problem, you ah de problem," he said.

In the meantime, despite all the brouhaha, P & L Records' executives are pleased with their latest acquisition.

"He signed the contract last week," Keona Williams, chief operations officer of P&L Records, told YardFlex.com. "It will be a three-year management and booking contract, and we are expecting a mutually beneficial relationship because we believe that Shane-O is an excellent artiste with a lot of potential, and great
things are ahead in his future."

SHANE-O TO RETURN TO SCHOOL?

The move to P&L Records is quite surprising for dancehall lovers who are well aware that there was ongoing friction between DJ Schoolboy, one of the signature acts of P&L, and Shane-O, to the extent that there was even a mix-tape where they exchanged verbal disses.

"He and Schoolboy used to have a beef, but they have since made amends, and now they even hang out together, so we're excited about the prospects for the future," Ms. Williams said.

For his part, 18-year-old Shane-O has a number of new singles out which will be distributed by P&L Records, including 'Life Difficult' and 'No No No'. Singles that have already been released include 'Filla Pop' on the Galore rhythm, and 'Fly Di Grill' on the
Build Back rhythm.

"I wish him all the best still because mi no bad mind, and he is his own man a mek his own decisions. He needs to go out there and sort himself out, and write the real tunes, not the gun and the slackness
songs that he is doing now. Him start off good, he must not let the wannabes and the distractions lead him astray. May God be with him."

In the meantime, Shane-O has promised to return to
school during the next school year.
"Mi sorry KT [Kingston Technical], but I had to stop from school, too much pressure. Mi plan to go somewhere else and do six subjects and conquer dem because me anno duncehead," he said.

Damon Dash Music Group proudly announces the release of a brand new album from dance hall legend Sizzla. The Overstanding is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, October 3. The Overstanding will be marketed and distributed by DDMG / Kalonji Records.

Sizzla Sizzla emerged during the latter half of the '90s, and quickly became one of the leaders of the modern dancehall movement. Along with Buju Banton and Capleton, he helped lead dancehall back to the musical and spiritual influence of roots reggae, favoring organic productions and heavily Rastafarian subject matter.

Sizzla's first success came with the release of Praise Ye Jah in 1997. Widely considered one of the top modern dancehall albums of its time, Praise Ye Jah was quickly trumped by the release of Black Woman & Child that same year. The title track was a smash hit and

became something of a cultural reggae anthem.

Damon Dash Sizzla continued to release a string of successful albums including Be I Strong in 1999, the spiritually driven, hip-hop influenced Bobo Ashanti in 2001, and Da Real Thing in 2002, where he concentrated on softer, mellower, more romantic material. With a catalogue of over 40 albums to his credit, Sizzla remains one of the most if not the most widely respected figures in all of dancehall reggae. The Overstanding hits stores Tuesday, October 3, 2006.

Other albums already out this year are Waterhouse Redemption (Greensleeves), Ain't Gonna See Us Fall (VP).

'You a-go tired fe see me face,' is the opening line of one of reggae icon Bob Marley's greatest hits, 'Bad Card'.

And that assertion may just well turn out to be true as Jamaica's central bank has released a commemorative coin of Bob Marley marking the 60th anniversary of the reggae icon's birth.

The $50 denomination bi-metallic coin manufactured in 2005, is the second minted coin of the reggae icon. Made of silver and gold, the coins are currently being sold for $6,000 (US$100; euro80). According to a release from the BOJ, �the coins were minted by the London-based British Royal Mint, a 1,100-year-old company that manufactures collector's items, and provides coinage for Britain and 100 other countries, including Jamaica.

The coins are now available to the public in 2006 and can be purchased directly from the Bank of Jamaica's banking department. Bank of Jamaica has issued similar coins in the past, commemorating the national heroes; 2004 triple Olympic medallist Veronica Campbell; and one for the University of the West Indies, Mona's 60th, among others.

.

"It is apparent that there is a consistent plan by some to create chaos around Beyonce's B'Day album release on Sept 5 in the US. First, it was a petition against the single, "Deja Vu", then a rumor regarding conflict between Beyonce and Rihanna, seizures caused by the "Ring the Alarm" video, putting out a single to compete with LeToya's album and now to add to all the ridiculous rumors, is my plan to postpone the release of her B'Day album. What will be next? Beyonce's cut off all her hair? Dyed it green? Maybe she's singing the songs in reverse with some hidden subliminal message!

Unfortunately what it shows is that anyone can go on the internet and create rumors and the media in some cases will pick up these stories and run with them which influence the consumer's perception.

Beyonce has sold over a 140 million records as an artist. Over half sold outside of America. 2500 responses for a petition on the internet (which really represents often the same people responding 2-3 times) go online with a petition regarding "Deja V u", and it's national news? Think about that for a minute. 140 million records sold versus 2500 responses about a

video. Does that really equate to a major concern? The answer is No!

I couldn't be happier with where "Deja Vu" is on the charts. It's a Top 10 song on Billboard 100 and #1 on this week's R&B charts. Mid week numbers in the UK is trending at #1 for the "Deja Vu" single for this week. Records have broken in Japan regarding ringtone sales of "Deja Vu." It is one of the most ever streamed videos at Yahoo. "Ring The Alarm" was added to TRL on its first day of airing and it is on the R&B charts this week which gives Beyonce two singles on the charts at the same time.

Our plan is to have three singles on the charts together. For this album we have a unique strategy. Rather than concern ourselves with purely chart positioning we are focusing on the combine audiences who are listening and are aware of the singles on the album. That strategy is based on the combine belief of Beyonce, SonyBMG and Music World. This is unique, creative body of work on B'Day (spelling corrected B'Day) and every song is a potential single.

After all what do we know? Some weeklies reviewed "Independent Women" and gave it a "D-" and Beyonce's first album "Dangerously in Love," a "D".

And just for the record, Beyonce's success or failure for me is not based on the number of records she sells. For me it's based on how proud I am that she is a genuine good person (Ask anyone who's worked with her). That she always has a kind word for others. That she is respectful and honest. That she gives back to her community and that she has so much love for her family. That she has grown to be such a leader. And lastly, she has the confidence not to be bothered by these planned distractions."

By: Claude Mills

The body of Joseph 'Culture' Hill will return to Jamaica on Sunday. His family will return on Tuesday. The funeral will be held on September 9th at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in downtown Kingston.

"We have two confirmed dates for events marking Joseph's life, the funeral date will be on the ninth at the Holy Trinity Cathedral (North Street), and prior to that, a going home celebration at the Ranny Williams Centre on the 8th in the open grounds, and which will be free to the public. The public can come and havea wonderful evening in celebrating Joseph's life. A number of artistes who have expressed an interest, we have not solidified the lineup yet, but we are looking at 6 p.m to 12 midnight," Lloyd Evans, a member of the six-member committee which has been put together to carry out the wishes of the family, told YardFlex.com.

Buju Banton, who is a grand-nephew of Joseph Hill, has definitely expressed an interest in participating in the celebrations marking the singer's life.

"We are looking forward to a really joyous celebration on Joseph's life. Jospeh is so well loved, people from all over the world have been flocking to the website.

At home, we did not know the treasure we had in Culture, how mobs and mobs of people flocked Culture, and how immensely popular from Brazil to Kenya to Ghana. He was named chief of a town in Ghana, I want people to know the value of this man," Mr. Evans said.

It was reported last week Saturday that Hill and his band, Culture were in the middle of a European tour when Hill collapsed outside the band's tour bus in Berlin, Germany. Early reports suggested that he had died of complications arising out of 'liver failure' because of Hill's reported alcohol abuse in the past, but there has been no official release regarding cause of death.

The band's most recent album, 2003's World Peace, was its 30th album.The current European tour will continue on with Hill's son Kenyata taking on lead vocals as a tribute to his father. Culture had last performed at the Bob Marley 61st Birthday Celebration in Ghana and during this year's Reggae Sunsplash 2006.

Photos By: Carlington Wilmot

Beenie Man the King of the Dancehall is certainly not a lonely king anymore, Moses - found himself an Angel
CHECK OUT THESE BREATHTAKING WEDDING PHOTOS

Spragga Benz is one of the most talented deejays to emerge from Jamaica's shores. He has carved a distinguishable niche for himself in the dancehall industry, and remains respected locally and internationally for his rich and constant supply of hits throughout the years, and memorable performances at leading Dancehall and Reggae events.

From his days of voicing classic raw dancehall cuts such as Jack It Up, to more conscious cuts like Brighter Days, Spragga has proven to the world his ability to give incisive commentary on the topic of the day, or deliver tracks that sum up various situations in Jamaica's diverse culture.

Capitol Records bought into the talent, and signed him back in the 1990s. Since then, Spragga has demonstrated over and over that he has the mettle to maintain a dominant presence in an often cut throat dancehall market.

Observant, witty, forthright, and unapologetic on certain issues, Spragga has delivered chart toppers that are still favourites today. Machine Gun Kelly, Born Good Looking, A-1 Lover, Warrior Cause (with Elephant Man), Inna Mi Style (with Ilano) and Run Tings are all solid dancehall anthems that still govern the turntables whenever they are played in the sessions.

Spragga has not stopped there either. He has stretched his talents into film, starring in Brooklyn Babylon and Shottas. Adition to these exploits, he is mentor and leader of the Red Square crew, a talented team of dancehall artistes on the verge of breaking out of their creative shell.

West Indies skipper Brian Lara, a man considered a primadonna by critics and fan, is set to make his Bollywood debut soon.

According to T&T news reports, Lara is set to appear in the million-dollar production of 'Dulha Mil Gaya,' or 'I Found A Husband.' The film is to be produced by Viveck Vaswani and and Mudassar Aziz and is slated to be shot in Trinidad, the hometown of the batting legend, later this year.

"I can tell you he (Lara) will be part of this film," T&T Newsday quoted Aziz as saying. Lara is set for the tri-nation series next month that will see the Windies taking on both India and Australia.

Source: Hardbeatnews.com

Downsound Records did a three day shoot for two videos, Nanko's 'Loco Amore' and the 'Sika Medley' last week which involved scenes shot over two days in the parish of Portland, and culminated in an exciting alcohol-fueled, girl-crazy finale at the Asylum nightclub in Kingston on day three.

The HWT-based music outfit shot the Sika Medley at the Asylum nightclub on Tuesday. The video features the artistes Harry Toddler's 'Beggy Beggy', I Maroon's 'One Woman Kill Nature', Nanko's 'Step Up In the Club', Lion's title track, 'Sika' and Natalie's 'Big Things', Millennium 'Dig It