Buju Banton’s Rasta Got Soul US Tour will begin September 12 in Philadelphia, and over 30 dates have been confirmed. This despite a few cancellations which resulted from pressure from gay rights loby groups.


“We are definitely playing and we are working to replace the canceled dates,” Buju’s publicist said.


The team notes that is primarily concerned with setting the record straight on the inaccurate portrait of Buju being painted by certain organisations.

According to Buju Banton’s management, the artiste “was 15-years-old when he wrote Boom Bye Bye in response to a widely publicised man/boy rape case in Jamaica. It was not a call to violence. The song was re-released on a popular dancehall rhythm in 1992 and caused a huge uproar after receiving commercial radio play in the States. Following much public debate back then, prominent gay rights leaders and Buju decidedly moved on. For the record, it is the only song he ever made on the subject, and he does not perform it today.”


Buju does not advocate violence. There has never been a shred of violence at any of his live shows. Buju’s consistently positive messages of peace, love and enlightenment have never been lost in the music.

His 1995 Grammy-nominated album ‘Til Shiloh marked a spiritual and musicSal transformation that yielded the classic narratives “Untold tories,” “Wanna Be Loved” and “Murderer,” which personified the horrific increase in gun crimes in Kingston’s inner city. His Grammy-nominated Inna Heights (1997) garnered him numerous comparisons to the late, great Bob Marley.

A spokesperson from Bonner Corner Stone Music says the tour has really taken off. “It has been a while since both artistes have toured the west coast of America, so we expected that the tour would do well”. “We have had numerous request for both artistes to do shows in that part of the states but we opted to wait and now the time is right as Spanner Banner has a new album out and Richie Spice is getting ready to drop a new album early next year as well.”

The tour will wrap up September 25 in Boulder, Colorado. However, the week leading up to the end of the tour will see Richie Spice and Spanner Banner heading over to Canada for a few dates.

Canada’s capital will soon be blessed with the up beat one drop reggae rhythm, set to flood Lebreton Flats Festival Park at the second staging of the Ottawa Reggae Festival. Plans are in progress to saturate the place with full blown Reggae vibes on August 21, 22 and 23, 2009 and the spotlight will be on the strong contingent of Canadian talent.

It will be big things in a city that is used to the ‘grand and impressive”; where more than 6,000 reggae lovers flocked the inaugural annual festival last year. “That was supposed to be a one day show that was extended to two days by popular demand,” Danielle Vicha, Festival Director, told Yardflex recently. The success of 2008 influenced the festival’s current expansion allowing more artists to be featured over three days this year.

We want to offer more opportunities for Canadian artists to perform, ”Vicha said. “There will be a nice blend of Canadian artists representing the music community.”

Some of these artists have been blazing up Canada and abroad for some time; they include: Reggae artist, Tam – T, R&B singer, Lady Shelz, Reggaeton sensation, El Neggro and Haitian rap artist J Creole.

While focusing on its mission to promote Canada’s cultural arts and diversity in the Nation’s Capital, with 75 percent Canadian Content, the festival features Grammy winning Shaggy and stellar international performers like, Tanya Stephens, Pressure, Baby Cham and Daniel.

As was the case in year one, there will be something to attract everyone. Festival President, Benjamin Williams said, “There will be a kids’ zone for families with a baby changing station…[as well as] front stage accommodations in the Heineken VIP Lounge for persons with disabilities for no extra charge.”

The different genres to be showcased include Reggae, Dancehall, Reggaeton, Soca, Kompa, World Bear, R&B and Hip Hop. A dub poetry showcase will feature performances by Nth Digri, Doretta Charles and Manchilde. Some of Ottawa’s hottest Dance Crews like: Dy-Verse and Full Clip, will strut their stuff.

“There are so many great performances,” says Vicha, But best of all there is only one stage so you won’t miss a thing”

Missing any part of this volunteer driven event produced by the non-profit Ottawa Reggae Festival group, will be unfortunate for Reggae and music lovers in general. So all who plan to be in the region, should secure their tickets now. Friday and Saturday passes are $35 in advance and $45 for Sunday. Weekend passes can be purchased for $85. VIP tickets for the Heineken Lounge are on sale for $200, offering patrons first-class service, private bar and front stage seating. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.ca.

Visit, www.ottawareggaefestival.com for more information.

By: Jaide



The 2009 Montreal International Jazz Festival’s historic moments continued this week with a two pronged celebration of Jamaican musical rifts.

On July 6 the festival collaborated with the talented team of Swiss filmmaker Stascha Bader and Montreal based sound producer MossMan to launch the world premier of the documentary, Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. This was followed up with an absolutely amazing reunion with some of Jamaica’s most indomitable singers and musicians who threw a blast of a Rocksteady party on July 7 at the Jazz Festval’s free GM stage.

Nothing like this has ever taken place, neither the formal documenting of Rocksteady’s birth in film nor a reunion of many main Rocksteady ‘players’, performing for a crowd of approximately 150,000 strong.

“From the stage it was like a literal ocean of people,” Deborah Cole, Publisher of Yardflex Inc. stated, as she expressed her amazement at the massive turnout and outpouring of love and appreciation for Jamaica’s top cultural export – its music. “It seemed like the crowd went on for blocks and blocks,” she said.

That crowd was there to witness first hand the great performances of musicians and singers who started this genre some four decades ago. Singers like, Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths, Stranger Cole, Ken Boothe and Leroy Sibbles joined some of the original musicians from that era to unleash a steady and vibrant journey through the golden ages of Jamaican music. From stroller pushing parents, to youth and seniors – the audience was diverse in every way. Many joined in when prompted to sing along, much to the amazement of some artists who finally realized the boundless qualities of Rocksteady and Reggae music.

There was such warmth and a genuine spirit of ‘One Love’ on that Jazz Fest night when the rainstorms eased up to give Rocksteady lovers a chance to rejoice and remember.

Stascha Bader’s documentary carries the joyous momentum on, as it is jam packed with not only vintage tracks in Rocksteady and Ska, but also some previously untold stories from the talented few who ‘built’ the cultural phenomenon embraced by so many today.

Performers in the movie include: Hopeton Lewis who at age 16 became the first man to record a Rocksteady song. His tune “Take It Easy” slowed down the energetic Ska rhythm and marked the beginning of what became the Rocksteady era Lewis is now a Gospel-Reggae singer in New York. Dawn Penn, who is currently a community worker in London, is also featured in the documentary. Her Rocksteady song You Dont Love Me Anymore, No No No, was re-recorded by many other artists and became a world hit time and time again. Wilburn Stranger Cole narrates much of the movie that documents not only the musical changes in Jamaica, but also tells the audience about the 1960s in Jamaica, a roller-coaster decade when the island was transformed politically, socially, economically and culturally. Ken Boothe, Derrick Morgan, Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt are also in the movie.

Musicians featured include: Earnest Ranglin, Sly Dunbar, Jackie Jackson, Gladstone Anderson, Hux Brown, Lloyd Parks and Scully Simms among others.

Rita Marley makes a special appearance in the film; and she speaks candidly about her first experiences with the late great Bob Marley in Trench Town. Some audience members were overheard expressing disappointment however, at Mrs. Marley’s dialogue that included what she described as her experiences as a garbage rummaging child in that poverty stricken ghetto. Jamaican born, Liz Smyth said, “In Jamaica sane people do not eat from the trash as a rule…it is the land of wood and water…and we share with our less fortunate.”

Movie tickets are on sale now through Admission Network and are also available in person at the Musée d'art contemporain or by telephone from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 514-847- 6212. Until July 12, during the film’s run, tickets can be purchased at the Musée until 9 p.m.

4 movie screenings daily from July 4 to 12

2p.m. and 7p.m., with French subtitles
4p.m. and 9p.m., in original English version
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Film length: 98 minutes.

Admission
Adults: $12
Children (age 13 and under): $8
Seniors (age 65 and over): $8

Free admission into the Museum’s exhibitions until July 12 with the purchase of a ticket to the film.

Whitney Houston's new album will be released worldwide September 1, 2009 on Arista Records. This is Whitney's 7th studio album. Since her 1985 self-titled debut, she has built an illustrious career that has generated over 170 million combined worldwide sales of albums, singles and videos. Cited by the Guinness Book of World Records as music's "most awarded female artist of all time," with an unsurpassed tally of 411 awards, inclusive of 6 Grammy Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, 23 American Music Awards and 16 Billboard Music Awards... Whitney remains a singular force in music today.

Songs for the album have been produced and written by Black Eyed Peas singer Will.I.Am, songwriter Sean Garrett and R&B singer Akon.

Angela and Vanessa Simmons, Mary Mary, and Comedian LiL JJ Fashionably Inspire the Youth at the P. I. S. E
9th Annual Celebrity Fashion Show

(Carson, CA) Hosted by Comedian LiL JJ, the 9th annual Positive Images of Self Expression (P.I.S.E) fundraiser brings together fashion and philanthropy as entertainers encourage youth to be their best by supporting the Performing Arts School’s vital youth programs.



Positive Images of Self-Expression (P.I.S.E) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 full service performing arts school for inner city youth. Founded by former Alvin Ailey dancer Imani Hayward, and teacher/youth counselor Lanet D. Love, the program is also ran by professional dancer Ms. Myisha Richmond who has worked with well-known choreographers Tony Basil, Marguerite Derricks, Hinton Battle, Dave Scott and Fatima Robinson.


For the past 11 years, P.I.S.E has been foremost in helping inner city youth change their lives through the arts. Their program includes: dance, acting & drum classes, voice lessons, modeling and etiquette. P.I.S.E is a dynamic organization serving children ages 5 to 17 years of age.

The 9th Annual Celebrity Fashion Show will allow the participating youth to showcase the fundamentals learned in the program’s stellar curriculum while raising funds to support their school. Hosted by teen Comedian Lil JJ of Nickelodeon’s Just Jordan., Angela and Vanessa Simmons (Runs House) will be on hand with their Pastry’s Brand as participating fashions featured in the show with other designers, Woven Culture, PISE Couture, Deeply Rooted Apparel, D4G Elegant Faux Furs, Brandi Michelle, as well as other celebrities on hand to show their commitment to the youth program including: gospel sensation Mary Mary, Reggie Hayes (Girlfriends), Dee Dee Davis (Bernie Mac Show), Denyce Lawton (House of Payne), Tatyana Ali, Kyla Pratt (Hotel for Dogs), Model Isaac Sullivan (Sean John), Lil C Note (Heroes), Carla Jeffery (Southland), Raven Godwin (Just Jordan), Trenyce (American Idol) and more to be confirmed.



For the programs directors, the element of dance has grossly impacted their lives and their commitment in teaching the youth to be the best they can be. Passing on her life’s motto, Myisha Richmond instructs the young people by offering, “Whatever is troubling you, dance it out and let God do the rest!”.



The red carpet affair will take place Sunday, June 7th, 2009 at Carson Community Center - 801 E. Carson St, Carson, CA 90745. Festivities begin at 3pm. For more information on the organization and to donate to the school, please visit www.pise.org.

Media:
For press credentials please email Octavia at thawrite1@gmail.com or call 310.605.5472

Poor Lil Kim seems that trouble just follows her wherever she goes. The latest according to a TMZ report is that the rapper, who has already served time for not snitching, was unknowingly driving a stolen Bentley for months before it was taken from her New Jersey home last year.


According to the website Lil' Kim claims the silver Bentley was a gift from music producer Scott Storch, but the Repo man wasn't trying to hear that sob story when they towed it away.Turns out, Storch had stopped making payments on the expensive car and decided to give it to Kim instead of returning it to the Broward leasing company he got it from. The lease was for $85,000, according to the Sun-Sentinel, but the car was probably worth a lot more.Bad move because now Storch is facing grand theft auto charges and is set to appear in court next month.Meanwhile, Lil' Kim is trying to survive the next round of cuts on "Dancing With The Stars."Word of advice for the sexy rapping felon: next time someone offers you an $85,000 gift, get a receipt.

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Man power?

What can be expected when you have a wife as hot as Beyonce…well ask her husband Jay-Z! According to a report posted on the gossip site mediatakeout.com they caught wind of a pretty interesting rumor. According to a snitch, Beyonce is going to be SCRAPPING her latest video for the song Broken Hearted Girl.

Word is that Beyonce’s husband Jay Z doesn’t think that the video, which contains a love scene between Beyonce and the above gentleman, is in keeping with Beyonce’s image.

For us, we think that’s crossing the line when your husband is interfering with your creativity and career…while he does his thing. Let’s hope these are just rumour…cause no woman wants to have that kind of controlling man in her life…even if they are loaded.

T.I. getting ready to serve is jail sentence
According to international gossip website MediaTakeOut.com today is time to pay the piper. TI will be sentenced today and he’s expected to do a little less than a year in prison. Here’s how the Atlanta-Journal Constitution is putting it:

* According to the plea agreement, T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., will be sentenced to one year and a day.

* The extra day means T.I. can carve 15 percent off of his sentence with good behavior. Under U.S. Bureau of Prison rules, inmates can earn such credit only if they are sentenced to longer than a year in prison.

* T.I. should serve an estimated 298 days — or a little less than 10 months. He is expected to get credit for the two weeks he sat in jail after his arrest and before posting a $3 million bond.

CA$7.75m of cocaine, ganja from Jamaica were seized by Canadian Officials

CA$ 7.75 million worth of illegal drugs were found on flights which flew out of Jamaica on March 13. They were seized at the Pearson International Airport in Toronto. CANADIAN Border Services yesterday said they believe the drugs were set to end up in the hands of organized criminal networks based in that country.

According to reports from Canada Border Services Agency the drugs, a kilogram of cocaine along with marijuana, hashish and hash oil, were found by a trained sniffer dog.

Its was stated by the officials that they could not say for sure if the organized criminal gangs for which the drugs were intended, were Jamaican.

Well a lot of people were speculating on how long this Hollywood romance would last, would it survive the fickle world of entertainment or would the pressure of their demanding lives tell on them? That’s the big question regarding Beyonce and Jay-Z’s marriage.

Well according to gossip web site Mediatakeout.com, it could very well be falling apart at the seams.

The site claims that rumours are already surfacing of trouble in Jay-Z and Beyonce’s marriage. The site reported a while back that they were already spending nights apart even when they were both in New York. Now there’s fresh rumour that they’re spending night apart even when they’re in the same club!

According to the site one of their readers ran into the couple at the 40/40 Club in New York and the newlyweds were apart for the entire night! The snitch further reported that Beyonce seemed angry the entire night and didn’t socialize with anyone.

Wow...we hope these are just rumours...and these two will find a way to patch up their differences.

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In a recent interview with BellaOnline, secular singer Mary J Blige has declared that she too will be making a gospel album, sooner rather than later.

We all know that Blige is not a Christian but you could say she is definitely a work in progress.

She has been known as one to always connect with God through her music, as in few of her songs she gives him thanks and acknowledges God's presence in her life. Songs such as 'Testimony', "Work In Progress (Growing Pains)," and "Work That," to name a few.

We at YardFlex anticipate the production and release of this album, and hope to see other artistes both locally and internationally following in her footstep.

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Oh boy the rumours have been swirling regarding the reunion between Chris Brown and Rihanna. Since her photo was published in on TMZ many were outraged some wanted Chris Brown’s blood. We even watched the Oprah show as they discussed the relationship, the abuse and the conclusion was that it would be a bad signal of Rihanna went back to Chris.

The another set of rumours started, that Rihanna has patched things up with Chris and they are now back together. The latest rumour takes the cake though.

According to gossip web site www.therundown.tv Chris Brown and Rihanna tied the knot in Miami last weekend when he stopped by Diddy’s mansion, this from their named source Star Magazine. Below is the story as posted on their website.

“To the shock of many, Rihanna reunited with Chris Brown over the weekend — but they did more than that! The couple had a tearful face-to-face meeting at Diddy’s $14.5 million Miami mansion, during which an emotional Chris apologized, begged for forgiveness and proposed to her on the spot.

“All she’s ever wanted was to be with him forever,” a source tells Star. “Rihanna is looking for the husband-and-two-kids deal before she turns 25. She believes in fairy tales, and she wants to live hers with Chris. She was totally up front and confessed to him, ‘I can’t live without you.’”

The pair wasted no time making Rihanna’s fairy tale come true. They even called a minister to the mansion on exclusive Star Island!

Source: Star Magazine!”

Wonder what else will pop up!

According to one of source, Lauryn Hill is pregnant with her 6th child. We are just wondering whose is the father...rumors has it that its Rohan Marley.

We are not assuming anything at this time, we will keep you guys posted, as the story progress.

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Continental Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J. crashed in Buffalo at about 10:20pm Thursday night killing 50 people.
The commercial commuter flight which was coming in for landing crashed into a house in suburban Buffalo, about five miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport killing all 49 persons on board and one in the house. Two others in the house escaped injuries.
Witnesses claim to have heard the familiar sounds of the place flying overhead but it was unusually loud and making sputtering and odd noises.
No mayday call was reported from the pilot who was unaware of any problems with the aircraft. Communications with air traffic control was normal but when the controller tried to contact the plane with landing instructions they received no response. Repeated attempts were to no avail. Eventually ground control in Clarence was contacted. After the crash, two pilots were heard on air traffic control messages saying that they were picking up ice on their wings.
The plane which was carrying 5,000 lbs of fuel exploded on impact. One house was destroyed and twelve evacuated.

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Fourth grader, nine year old Lim Ding Wen of Singapore writes applications for Apple's popular iPhone. The latest, a painting program called Doodle Kids has been down loaded 4,000 times from Apple's iTunes store in two weeks.

Lim said that he wrote the program for his sisters who are 3 and 5 years old. This program allows users to draw pictures with their fingers by touching the iPhone's touch screen then clear the screen by simply shaking the phone.

Lim who is fluent in six programming languages started using the computer at the age of 2. Since then he has completed 20 programming projects. His father, Lim Thye Chean, chief technology officer also writes iPhone applications.

Lim Ding Wen is presently in the process of writing another iPhone application which is a science fiction game called "Invader Wars".

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Olympic historian, swimmer Michael Phelps admits to engaging in "regrettable" behavior and showing 'bad judgment' after British tabloid runs photo of him appearing to smoke marijuana. He is unlikely to face any punishment as the drug is banned 'in-competition' only.

"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said in a statement released by Octagon, his management firm, and posted on his Facebook site. "I'm 23 years old, and despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public...it will not happen again."

Marketing experts said the incident should have minimal effect on Phelps' multimillion-dollar sponsorships because of his quick apology.

Phelps has never failed a drug test during his career and was one of several American athletes who volunteered to undergo additional testing to dispel any suggestions that he might be benefiting from performance-enhancing drugs.

This isn't Phelps' first public stumble. In 2004, when he was 19 and a few months removed from winning six gold medals at the Olympics in Athens, he was pulled over by authorities after rolling through a stop sign and charged with driving while intoxicated. Phelps publicly apologized, calling it an "isolated incident." He agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors that sentenced him to 18 months of probation.

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Fifteen years after Prince released his hit “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”, an Italian Court of Appeals has ruled it was plagiarized from a song penned by two Italians.

The long legal process could even go on for more years, as the case is now set for what is termed a “third degree” in Italy, which will see it get a final ruling. This step normally takes a few years to be completed.

For now, Prince has been ordered by the Court of Appeals to refrain from distributing the song in Italy and he also faces an order to pay all royalties collected so far to the Italian songwriters and their publishers. That order for royalty payments will only go into effect once the final ruling confirms the Appeals court’s findings.

According to the Court of Appeals, songwriters, Bruno Bergonzi and Michele Vicino wrote the song, “Take Me to Paradise;” and Prince’s “Most beautiful Girl In The World” resembles the Italian’s tune in a big way. The court ruled that Prince’s song “borrowed heavily” from the Italian release.

Bergonzi told Billboard.com that the song penned by him and his co-writer, hit the streets in 1983 and was featured on compilations that got global distribution. According to the report, he said, “"When we first heard Prince's song we immediately took action, but this case has been dragging on for 15 years and it isn't over yet, such is the slowness of the Italian legal system. We only decided to go public with our story now."

In 2003, the Italian’s claim was thrown out of court by a sentence that rejected it. This recent ruling is against that original sentence.

In fact it is not such a recent ruling, as it was handed down in December 2007 and registered in February 2008. Bergonzi and Vicino have only decided to go public with it now, while they wait for further court proceedings.

Barack Obama claimed that as a child he collected Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comic books - so now Marvel Comics is featuring him in a bonus story.

Joe Quesada, Marvel Comic's editor-in-chief said that it was "...really cool to see that we had a geek in the White House."

The story begins with Peter Parker, Spider-Man's alter ego, taking photographs at the inauguration ceremony when he spots two identical Obamas. Realising that the future president needs his help he knocks out the imposter and saves the real Obama who thanks him by giving him a fist pump.

The bonus story is available in Marvel Comic's Amazing Spider-Man #583, featuring Obama on the cover.

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It is reported that Fantasia Barrino, an "American Idol" winner owes a Florida credit company $65,000 which she borrowed to pay owed back taxes to the IRS in 2006. She made a payment of $10,000 and has not paid the rest.

Larry Goldman, an attorney representing the credit company, Broward Energy Management, said that they have been trying for an entire year to get in touch with Miss Barrino but she has not responded to court documents and no lawyer has been to court to represent her. Due to this the financial company won the rights in court last month to auction off her house for the balance.

Since then Barrino has made no payments and filed no documents, but Goldman said he has since spoken twice with Barrino reps who said that they would be in touch. His clients are wondering why they just won't pay.

Barrino's attorney, Gary Greenberg declined to comment.

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Christiano Ronaldo, the winger who helped the UK’s Manchester United win the Premier League and Champion League titles last year, was involved in a car crash last Thursday.

The New Years day accident could have had a very serious outcome, but Ronaldo came away with no injuries, after his sports car hit a roadside barrier.

Great Manchester police released a statement saying that no-one was injured in the collision, according to Gulf News.

Ronaldo, who also helped United win the 2008 Ballon d’Or crashed his Ferrari in a tunnel near Manchester airport.

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The New Year brought in many changes as people did the customary resolution making. A big change also took place in Massachusetts, where the State Executive Office of Public Safety and Security released information causing significant shifts in marijuana possession laws there. As a result, since January 1, 2009, small amounts of marijuana possession have been decriminalized, making getting caught by police in Massachusetts with less than an ounce, punishable by a civil fine of $100. Anyone caught with these amounts will no longer have a criminal record as they won’t be reported to the state’s criminal history board.

Unlike resolutions made on the first day of the New Year, the new marijuana possession law in Massachusetts is not going to disappear whimsically. However, Emily LaGrassa, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Martha Coakley, reportedly said the Legislature could at some point amend or repeal the new law. This is a step they have taken on some previous initiatives passed by votes

Law enforcement officials are reportedly not at all enthused about the new measure. The Herald News reported that they are strongly opposed to the law that went in effect on January 1st.

It was in November that the wheels began to really turn on this law when, with 90 percent of the state’s precincts reporting, the Question 2 proposition, which is how the proposal was titled, was overwhelmingly approved with a favorable 65 percent to 35 percent.

Ecstatic about the whole thing, the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy, expressed their joy for the people. Chairwoman of that committee, Whitney Taylor said “The people were ahead of the politicians on this issue; they recognize and want a more sensible approach to our marijuana policy." She said the general public wants to see more mobilization around very serious crimes instead of marijuana possession. Taylor said now the punishment will fit the offense.

Concern for potential consequences of such a law and how it will impact on especially high schoolers who experiment have been floating around. Some feel the law will send them a message that smoking marijuana is okay. There was no mention made however of the many unsavory indulgences introduced to said young people, supporters opined.

For the moment the law stands and law enforcement officers are training up and preparing themselves to be professional about the whole thing, whether they are in favor or not. Some have expressed the need for by-laws that would curb public marijuana use, as is the case with alcohol.

One hitch for the marijuana users is – police will continue to check for drivers under the influence of marijuana.

A biographical film entitled “Notorious” is getting ready for its January 16th release date and previews of the movie have at least one important character in an outrage.

Lil Kim is not pleased with the way she is portrayed in the film that tells the life story of the late rapper, Notorious B.I.G, known also as Biggy Smalls.

As one who played a key role in the past life of ‘Biggy’, Lil Kim is now saying enough is enough.

She told, Hip-Hip Weekly that she has had enough and puts the blame for what she sees as an offensive portrayal of herself, on the mother of Biggie’s child, Faith Evans and Biggie’s own mother Voletta Wallace, who both approved the portrayal.

Its reported that while Faith Evans was involved in the production, the film was produced by Sean “Diddy” Combs and Voletta Wallace. Lil Kim had minimal input into its creation.

The queen of sultry Hip-Hop told Hip-Hop weekly, "I've had enough and I'm about to expose them both... I've been quiet for a long time. I'm very disappointed in Faith. There's nothing Faith or Ms. Wallace could do to stop me from reppin' B.I.G. all day. I'm gonna always do that... It's time for Ms. Wallace to be exposed."

Lil Kim’s character is portrayed in the movie by Naturi Naughton.

German condom manufacturer, Condomi, has given the term ‘scantily clad’ new meaning, as they’ve designed shopping bags that radiate an extremely laidback view on sexuality.

The bags have images of women and men dressed in little or no clothes from the waist down, but with their private parts discreetly and interestingly positioned at the handles of each bag. When shoppers carry these bags, it appears as if they are clutching the ‘naughty body bits’.

Seeming as if they were created as mood prods, the line of shopping bags have the ability to get patrons of the Condomi condom stores in the mood to test out their ‘hot’ new purchases. Keeping the bag around the house for recycling purposes – as the new trash receptor or tote for various articles, could also serve as a gentle reminder to re-visit Condomi and its steamy, sexy products.

Reactions to the artwork on these shopping bags have been varied, with many just loving the designs and describing them as quite hilarious. Some people have however expressed the idea that these bags may put shoppers in some parts of the world in trouble with the law.

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Many cultural legends left us this year, among them were some of the world’s greatest icons like: Byron Lee Miriam Makeba, Shirley Campbell, Michael ‘Mikey Dread’ Campbell, Isaac Hayes, Cedella Booker and Joe Gibbs.

With only a few days left before 2008 draws to a close, the world is unfortunately still racking up those numbers since more great ones have passed on.

Famous for her role as Cat Woman in the early television series of “Batman”, Eartha Kit died on December 25th at the age of 81. A huge inspiration for aspiring Black actors and actresses, she ‘purrrrred’ her way into many hearts throughout her career.

On December 24th, Jamaican film maker, Dickie Dobson, passed away. His 1970 film, “Countryman” became very popular internationally and he was honored at the staging of the first Reggae Film Festival n February 2008. Dobson was associated with every film project of the Island Jamaica Film and Music team that included Perry Henzell and Chris Blackwell.

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Another shooting of a victim out to have fun; this time in South Philadelphia, is raising eyebrows at the level of anger that is triggering these actions or reactions.

A furious man pulled out his gun and wounded a man in a movie theatre because he was being disturbed by his father and son chatter.

According to reports in the Inquirer Daily News, police say a man identified as James Joseph Cialella Jr., is being charged for allegedly pulling out a 380 caliber gun and shooting the victim in the arm. His formal charges are for attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons violations.

Calling it truly frightening, police said that after arriving at the Riverview Theatre at around 9:30PM, the victim informed them of a man who sat close to him who told him to be quiet, before throwing popcorn at his son .

It is alleged that Cialella got up to confront the family after words were exchanged, and as he also got up, to protect his family, the victim was shot once.

Also petrified were the theatre goers, there to see “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button “, who reportedly scattered for safety.

At the end of all the ruckus, Cialella sat down to continue watching the movie and was arrested a short time after when police arrived and took his weapon.

With quite a few American ‘drug war’ veterans whispering unsupportive stuff about ‘the high life’ in President elect Barack Obama’s ears, advocates for either legalizing, decriminalizing or legislating medical marijuana use, are super anxious about what is to come.

Well at least one writer believes decriminalization will come, but not until Obama’s second term and he states in the Esquire Newsletter, that the marijuana controversy closely resembles prohibition issues of days gone by.

Drawing reference to Franklin D Roosevelt (FDR) and his big move that saved the United States banking system back in the day, the journalist said FDR’s legalization of beer, soon after being elected could be likened to the reaction from placing a stick of dynamite inside a log jam. Stubborn blockages became cleared.

Clearing the way for less pile up of non-violent prisoners, as well as the path to boundless economic fortification; a move that would mimic stepping in the shoes of FDR within the 2008 context, could prove beneficial, but it is not as if Obama hasn’t considered and ultimately shelved the idea on easing up pot laws.

In fact he told Rolling Stone Magazine this summer that he believed in making a shift to a public health approach on the issue, “I would start with nonviolent first-time drug offenders. The notion that we are imposing felonies on them or sending them to prison, where they are getting advanced degrees in criminality, instead of thinking about ways like drug courts that can get them back on track in their lives - - it’s expensive, its counterproductive and it doesn’t make sense.”

Will boosting the economy by freeing up marijuana add up to dollars and ‘sense’ to Obama? Many are waiting to find out, following research reports from Harvard University that conclude, the legalization of marijuana would generate between US$10 and $14 billion in savings and taxes for that government each year. For this research paper entitled, “Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition,” Dr Jeffrey Miron of Harvard revealed that 300 top economists endorsed these conclusions.

Still, Camp Obama has remained steadfast in its response to the legalization of marijuana issue. They continue to say plainly, “President elect Obama is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana.” Moving this mountain will prove even more labor intensive for advocates, since at least two of Obama’s top people are drug war supporters, even though in 2004 the President elect himself said, the war on drugs had been an “utter failure” and that America should consider decriminalizing pot.

Definitely a point needing serious attention, as US jails have historically been and continue to be burdened and forced to cause an unnecessary stream of suffering as a result of marijuana related crimes for possession, that approximately 85,000 Americans are serving jail time for at this moment, according to reports.

While experiencing heightened inner rage, a recent divorcee plotted and executed vicious murders at a Christmas Eve party being held at the home of his former in-laws in California.

The rejected ex, who had no history of violence or law breaking, reportedly went to the home of his ex-wife’s parents dressed up as Santa Clause and proceeded to kill at least 8 party goers, by gunshot and by a blaze that he started, before leaving and ending his own life.

Married for just about a year, the man identified by police as Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, reportedly knocked on the door to his in-laws home on Wednesday night at around 11:30pm and proceeded to shoot the 8 year-old girl who opened the door to let in Santa. She was shot in the face.

The 45 year-old, who was said to be livid about a divorce settlement handed down to him just last week, went on a shooting rampage, firing randomly at the close to 25 people present. His actions sent the guests scattering in what was described as a stampede-like state of panic as they attempted to escape from the house, located on a cul de sac in the quiet Covina neighborhood east of Los Angeles.

Police said, first there were gunshots, then Pardo began spraying the place with a strange homemade device that contained flammable liquid. The mayhem soon turned to a blazing and bloody confusion and investigators are still trying to figure out who died and how.

Still not sure if Pardo’s ex-wife or her parents were actually fatally injured, investigators returned to the scene today to sift through the ashes some more. On Thursday, after the fire was extinguished, two charred bodies were found in the living room area of the home and later on Christmas day, another five bodies were located. None of the dead or missing have yet been identified and only post mortems will determine whether the victims succumbed to gunshot wounds or the fire.

Witnesses told police that after the shooting, Pardo hastily took off the Santa gear, got into his car and drove off. He was later found dead from a single shot to his head at his brother’s house, about 25 miles away, police revealed in a press conference.

Offering their viewers an insight into alternative world views, Britain’s Channel 4 television station has traditionally hosted an alternative to the Queen’s Christmas Day Speech. This will be the 16th year that Channel 4 will be broadcasting the alternate message at Christmas and this year’s speaker is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose speech will be given in Farci with English sub-titles. Unlike previous years when the alternative messages were aired in the day around the same time as the Queen’s, this one will be broadcast during the night.

According to BBC world news, the very controversial speaker will be seen describing the general will of nations to viewers; and in his view that desire is to return to what he calls, “human values.”

Mr Ahmadinejad leads one of the most powerful states in the Middle East and he is extremely influential, Dorothy Byrne, head of Channel 4 news and current affairs explained. She told the BBC, “As we approach a critical time in international relations, we are offering our viewers an insight into an alternative world view.”

In his speech the prominent Middle East leader is said to congratulate the British as they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, saying that society’s woes are historically caused from a population that frequently turns away from the teachings of the prophets of God, including Jesus.

He reportedly goes on to blame some governments and world powers for being indifferent in regards to the teachings of ‘the divine prophets’.

Holocaust center director, Stephen Smith of Newark, Nottinghamshire sees Mr. Ahmadinejad as deceptive in his speech, since his message of peace counters previous oppressive views of his. Smith cited the Iranian leader as having referred to the Holocaust as, “the myth of the Jews’ massacre” in December 2005 and as having supported the execution of gay people in Iran.

“In Iran we don’t have homosexuals like in your country,” he told students at New York’s Columbia University last year, when questioned on the harsh treatment of gays in his country.

Ben Summerskill, director of Stonewall, a gay rights group in Britain has actually found some good in having such a divisive speaker give the alternative Christmas message. He reportedly said that the Iranian leader should celebrate his chance at being able to speak freely without repression, in spite of his often offensive and ridiculous views. “It is an important way of reminding him that there are some countries where free speech is not repressed.

Channel 4’s first alternative message was delivered in 1993 by Quentin Crisp, a gay man. Others to have experienced giving the alternative Christmas message have been: Bridgett Bardot, former X-Factor Judge, Sharon Osbourne and Major Andrew Stockton, a British soldier who lost an arm fighting in Afghanistan.

Earlier this month a Catholic priest in a city in northern Italy came under fire from parents who were upset that he told their children there was no Father Christmas.

It was at a mass for children that the parish priest, Father Dino Bottino spoiled the fun for their kids, the moms and dads lamented.

The priest is from The Sacred Heart Church in Novora, and according to BBC news, a local paper ran complaints sent in by many of the offended parents. “You’ve ruined my children’s Christmas,” one mom is reported to have said.

Father Bottino was unapologetic nonetheless and stated it was his duty to tell the children the reality. He said, “I told the children that Father Christmas was an invention and he had nothing to do with the Christian Christmas story. And I would repeat it again if I had the chance.”

Not only did Father Bottino dash dreams of the Italian Father Christmas to the wind for the children, he also informed them of the non-existence of the kindly witch called Befana, who provides presents on January 6 to Italian children.

The good father had no idea the great amount of scorn that he would have to face, but he felt justified in differentiating fables like Cinderella – which is how he considers the story of Father Christmas - from the reality of Jesus.

YouTube is no longer the place to go if you feel like having a listen to Warner Music Group artists. Following recent failed negotiations with Google, the owners of YouTube, the music conglomerate pulled all their videos from the popular video sharing website.

Artists like, Diddy, Missy Elliot, and Lupe Fiasco have been yanked; and their videos taken off YouTube makes up a reported 20 percent of the market.

In a statement, Warner Music said they are working to find a resolution with YouTube that would help get their artists’ content back on the site. The label said, "Until then, we simply cannot accept terms that fail to appropriately and fairly compensate recording artists, songwriters, labels and publishers for the value they provide."

MTV and MySpace still carry Warner Music Group videos.

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K-Salaam & Beatnick came on the scene running with their July 2008 album/DVD release titled, “Whose World Is This” – on the VP Records label. The Minneapolis based dynamic producing team have managed to raise themselves to a higher ground in reggae music and as such they’ve acquired a devoted and enormous fan base.

Giving their listeners what they want is a hard and fast philosophy of the duo whose classic debut compilation album that features tracks with Kardinal Offishall, Young Buck, Buju Banton, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Sizzla, Trey Songz and more, will be followed up shortly by a complimentary album, “The Common Remix – ‘S.T.O.R.Y.’ (Stories Told Over Remixed Years”), a collection of classic Common songs remixed with the hottest new production team's innovative style.

It has been hard work since topping the charts, with K-Salaam and Beatnick hosting and being DJ at many major shows around the world. Spinning and scratching alongside artists like, Tony Youch, Just Blaze, Kardinal Offishall, DJ-Scratch, Q-Tip, The Machine and EPMD, K-Salaam has been blowing up huge events while his multi-talented other creative half, Beatnick, consistently churns out amazing productions.

Their free musical offering is just one small example of current endeavors, as the duo presently have projects on the burner with Lil Wayne, Young Buck, Pharoah Monch and Collie Buddz.

The complimentary download is available here:

http://www.zshare.net/download/52170587091fa19b/

Rihanna appeared to be feeling rumbly in the tummy and exited the stage while performing with Chris Brown at the Acer Arena, Sydney, Australia earlier today.

It was during the “Umbrella” tune that Ri Ri began clutching her tummy. She made her way over to stage left where she stumbled off stage. Some reports say the 20 year-old hot number fainted, however her reps have a different take.

According to E-Online, Rihanna’s representative said it was very hot at that venue and Rihanna needed to go off stage to sit, have a drink of water and collect herself.

Rumors did begin to fly about a possible pregnancy. On the contrary, her rep says, Rihanna is in very good health and will be performing at her next show tomorrow.

Chris Brown finished off the song, while his darling ‘collected herself’ backstage.

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According to BET news, Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother were found shot and killed inside her mother's home in Chicago on Oct 24th in the afternoon.

A huge search is now on, accourding to CBS 2 Chicago, for a suspect named William Balfour who wears braids and may be driving a 1994 white Chevy bearing license plate number X584859. Balfour is being sought along with Hudon's 7 year old nephew, Julian King who was last seen wearing a tan jersey with a number 5 and tan slacks.

Police records identify Balfour as having listed Hudson's mother's house as his place of residence in the last year. He is also reportely on parole after serving time for attempted murder.

Confirmation on the death of 57 yar old Darnell Hudson came from a spokesperson of Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church - the family's house of worship.

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The preliminary hearing of Dennis Pamplin — estranged husband of Opposition MP Pat Gordon-Pamplin – has been postponed for another month.

Yesterday Pamplin did not make an appearance at the southern District of New York court house where lawyers agreed to rollover the hearing until October 15.

Pamplin is charged, along with a second man, Brian Henry, of plotting to ship $15 million of cannabis to Bermuda.

Blurb

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Dirty underwear once worn by Michael Jackson went up for auction on September 10, 2008.

Confiscated in 2003 as part of evidence in a case where child molestation charges were launched against the 50 year-old pop star, the pair of white 28 inch Calvin Klein briefs went up for sale on eBay with a reserve price of $1million. The then District Attorney for Santa Barbara, Tom Sneddon seized the underwear from the singer’s home to get DNA samples. Jackson was later acquitted of all charges.

Not the only article once owned by Jackson that is up for grabs, the underpants joins an item of memorabilia obtained by New Jersey businessman, Henry Vaccaro in a bankruptcy case.

Vaccaro is offering Jackson fans a chance to purchase a used tube of skin-bleaching cream as well as a handwritten note from Jackson to ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley in which he explains why he is asking for an annulment.

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According to talk on celebrity news websites, Oprah Winfrey is presently caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place as many of her show’s staff are in favour of her featuring Sarah Palin, McCain’s running mate, on her famous talk show; but her endorsement of Barack Obama forces her to scoff at the idea.

With tons of requests pouring in through Oprah’s website to have Palin on the show, as well as a staff that is divided on the idea, Oprah appears to be leaning towards blocking the Palin idea completely.

Sources reportedly said the talk show magnate has in the past refused to have other high-profile Republicans on her highly rated show. Justice Clarence Thomas was once denied the opportunity to showcase his autobiography on the Oprah Show.

While neither Oprah nor executive producer Shari Salata have made any comments on the issue, sources say they may be adamantly against the proposed feature of Palin even though an executive has reportedly warned Oprah of possible unseemly repercussions if the Republican running mate is banned from the show.

The question of what is Oprah afraid of, has been posed. However it is obvious that her tremendous support for Obama may deem a Palin feature on the Oprah Show inappropriate. Some however think that Oprah is afraid that Palin will look too good and cause voters to sway from supporting Obama.

What do you think?

Nature recently granted one woman in Egypt the blessing of septuplets; and 27 year old Ghazal Khamis was the second woman to ever bring 7 babies into the world safely on August 16, 2008.

On Monday in Pakistan, nature sent another uncommon blessing to a woman there who gave birth to a baby boy who has two heads attached to one body.

Delivered by cesarean section at a clinic in Keshobput, the 12 lb 1 oz baby has been moved with his mother to a larger hospital to protect the family from curious onlookers.

His mother’s gynaecologist, Dr Mohamad Abdul Bari said that the child has one stomach and is eating normally with his two mouths. The doctor explained that while the baby was born from one embryo that experienced a developmental anomaly, he has a full set of limbs and one genital organ.

Named Kiron, the baby is still undergoing tests so physicians can determine whether he has one or two sets of vital organs. His 22 year old mother is in no immediate physical danger, except possibly from the large crowds of over 150,000 who have flocked to see her and her new bundle of joy.

Movie extras injured while on the set for Tom Cruise’s production company, United Artists, have launched an $11 million lawsuit against Cruise and his partners for serious injuries incurred.

Reports from Berlin state that during the making of the World War II flick, "Valkyrie" in August 2007, the extras fell out of a period German army truck as the side panels flung open when the truck swung around a corner.

Cruise and business partner Paula Wagner was sent a letter by lawyer for the plaintiffs, Ariane Bluttner, that outlines the case brought against them and the MGM fostered United Artists and stipulates her client’s legal demands as being $11 million.

Originally due for release in July this year, the film will land in theatres in December instead. It was originally banned from production in Germany by the government there and was later given the go ahead following much national discussion on issues including the Scientology movement of which Cruise is a part.

Based on the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, put together by senior German military during the war, "Valkyrie" was shot at the Berlin site where the conspirators of the plot were executed. Cruise plays, Claus von Stauffenberg, the plot’s ringleader.

Failing a satisfactory out-of-court settlement, Bluttner stated she will submit a claim to the United States courts where United Artists is based; and this could mean additional punitive charges for Cruise and company.

El Socorro, Trinidad and Tobago was a horror scene Monday morning when a couple was attacked and shot by a gunman at their apartment. The husband, 38 year old Nicholas Tavernier and his 41 year old wife, Sharon Henry died in the hospital shortly after arriving.

Officers investigating the case suspect the double murders occurred as a result of an argument Tavernier had with someone and say an arrest is imminent.

The police reported that the husband and wife were getting ready to leave their home at around 4:45 AM when Tavernier was pounced on at the front gate by several men. A fist fight ensued, during which Tavernier was shot.

Both victims worked in the field of security, with Henry being an employee of Amalgamated Security Co. Ltd. And Tavernier, a security manager with a Auto Village in El Socorro.

His wife ran straight into the assailants upon hearing the ruckus outside and was shot while trying to rush back into her home. Her daughter found the couple in pools of blood and called police.

The outspoken Madonna has ruffled feathers in the Republican camp of the United States, following her publicly disclosed analogies of John McCain and Adolf Hiltler.

Linking the President hopeful to such insidious characters as Hitler and Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, has sent McCain in a fury.

In her opening night of a current world tour at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, Madonna had images of McCain, Hitler and Mugabe featured alongside scenes of devastating global issues like global warming.

The 50-year-old Madonna ended the opening song with more soothing images of Al Gore, John Lennon, Mahatma Gandhi and Barack Obama - the democratic Presidential hopeful.

Originally a supporter of Hilary Clinton, Madonna appears to have transferred her allegiance. She has succeeded in completely annoying not only McCain, but his supporters as well.

Senator McCain’s spokesman told reporters, "The comparisons are outrageous, unacceptable and crudely divisive all at the same time. It clearly shows that when it comes to supporting Barack Obama, his fellow worldwide celebrities refuse to consider any smear or attack off limits."

Other celebrities throwing support behind Obama include, Stevie Wonder, Robert de Niro and Oprah Winfrey.

No stranger to smear tactics himself, McCain has tried to portray Obama as having little substance. One of the Republican’s television advertisements shows images of Obama alongside, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.

With multiple mega hits, numerous stage appearances and other endorsement deals, Barbadian singing star Rihanna is said to be going broke.

It was a shocking revelation for the 20 year old who rose to the top of world charts steadily over the past few years following her first hit, "Pon de Replay" and others like the European favorite, "Umbrella".

According to recent reports the soulful diva, who ought to be financially secure all things considered, checked her bank account and there was supposedly only a $20,000 balance. Appalled and furious she hurled accusations at her business manager, Patricia Williams, who was instantly fired.

Williams has denied any wrong doing and passed the buck to manager and owner of Rebel One Management, Marc Jordan, who she claims has been looking after Rihanna’s finances with her. Disclosing that Def Jam does not properly fund the artist, Williams said Marc has had no choice but to put money made from third party endorsements and live appearances towards Rihanna’s album and music videos.

The sacked business manager said she does not want to discredit Jordan in any way, but explained that his strategy of spending Rihanna’s money heavily in production and promotion, was aimed at getting her broken into the world market thus improving album sales. Although she has supposedly made over a million, her management claims the bulk of it has gone to making Rihanna a super star.

Williams said the downside of that move was Jordan’sdecision to keep Rihanna in the dark on how her musical projects were being funded. As a result, Williams says, she is unfairly being dealt the blaming cards.

In her defense, Williams has pointed to the very expensive productions that include the repackaging of "Good Girl Gone Bad" that became "Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded," the making of "Take a Bow" and the new "Disturbia;" all completely funded with Rihanna’s resources.

Following all that expense, Williams reportedly said, "And now she expects to find money in the bank"?

Williams is of course disgruntled and out of a good job…so her explanations may be tweaked if even slightly.

Rihanna being broke is a tough pill to swallow and Caribbean fans hope for the very best for their star artist.

The Yonkers-bred rap artiste DMX, born Earl Simmons, was arrested for the sixth time this year for skipping a court date on Tuesday.

On Thursday afternoon, Miami police apprehended the 37 year old rapper while he was leaving an area Wal-Mart department store.

He was to appear in the Arizona courts to answer to charges of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

DMX has other charges pending in the Arizona courts from animal cruelty to impersonation.

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Michael Misick and estranged wife in cat fight

It is reported that on Tuesday, the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Michael Misick released a statement that he was separated from his wife LisaRaye McCoy-Misick.

LisaRaye returned to the TCI to negotiate devorce settlements and decided to confront Misick at his mansion on Wednesday night, where a number of government officials, including the Minister of Health and Education, Lillian Been-Boyce witnessed their violent altercation which resulted in both Misicks seeking medical attention for multiple bite wounds. Both filed police reports against the other.

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Bernie Mac, the actor and comedian who teamed up in the casino heist caper "Ocean's Eleven" and gained a prestigious Peabody Award for his sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show," died Saturday at age 50.

"Actor/comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital," his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement from Los Angeles.

The comedian suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease.

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In an effort to resurrect his diminishing fan base and dying career, Usher has fired his entire management team, as well as his publicist, and has rehired his mother Jonetta Patton.

Former manager of Tyra Banks, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez, Benny Medina says that "...It is a completely new day and time in music now...(Usher's) audience, demographic and musical direction has changed. Records like Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" are the type of phenomena that "Yeah" was in 2004."

Others, not being as discerning in their remarks, say that Usher would have better luck if he fired his wife, stepped up his dancing and forget the "I'm living a private life" thing.

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The Jacksons to be honoured as BMI Icons

The members of the Jackson 5, Jackie, Toto, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael including younger brother Randy, who joined the group in 1976, will receive the BMI Icon award at the 8th Annual Urban Music Awards at the Wilshire Theatre, Beverley Hills, Los Angeles on September 4.

The BMI Icon is awarded to artistes who have had "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." Past awardees have been artistes such as James Brown, Little Richard, The Bee Gees, to name a few.

Other top R&B and hip-hop songwriters, producers and publishers will also be recognized for their contribution through out the year.

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Rocsi cosy with friends husband

After accusing Turks and Caicos Premier Michael Misick of rape in March of this year, it was reported that BET's Rocsi of '106 & Park' (Raquel Roxanne Diaz), was seen 'canoodling' with her accused rapist and husband of 'friend', actress LisaRaye, while LisaRaye was in New York.

It was also reported that Rocsi played hostess in the Misick's home during LisaRaye's absence.

According to that crooked ass "Jacob the Jeweler", Wyclef owes him a small fortune.

Last month jeweler Jacob Arabov began federal prison sentence after being convicted of laundering millions of dollars for the Black Mafia Family. Now Arabov, known for providing bling to numerous Hip-Hop stars, has filed a lawsuit against rapper Wyclef Jean. The man and his company Jacob & Co. claim that the artist owes over $300,000 in outstanding bills.

The New York Daily News reports that a lawsuit was filed yesterday and Jacob & Co. accused Wyclef of purchasing $765,000 worth of watches and jewels between March of 2002 and January 2006, but still has a balance of $319,680.

The 43-year-old jeweler pled guilty to falsifying records and giving false statements in a federal case. He was sentences to 30 months behind bars.

It's hard to believe anyone can spend over $700 gees on some freakin' watches. But then again, we wouldn't put anything past this corrupt jeweler and his shady record keeping.

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A white- Jewish congressman, who is up for re-election this year and an advocate for the US apologizing to minority groups for past mistreatments, and a sponsor for Memphis blacks, is pleased as the US government will be taking a vote in the House of Representatives to offer a formal apology to the black Americans for "enslavement and racial segregation".

The US has officially recognized that "lingering consequences" from slavery and segregation continue to haunt black Americans, as they embrace their first black presidential nominee, Barack Obama.

The US government has apologized for the abuse of ethnic minorities twice in the past: in 1988 they apologized to the Japanese Americans for WW11 and the Hawaiians in 1993.

Once the apology is passed, the Senate will need to approve it before George Bush can sign the measure into law.

The apology states; "An apology for centuries of brutal dehumanization and injustices cannot erase the past, but confession of the wrongs committed can speed racial healing and reconciliation and help Americans confront the ghost of their past."

Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina and Alabama states have each approved apologies for slavery.

In a video statement, a Muslim separatist group, claiming to represent the Turkestan Islamic Party, confessed to being responsible for a series of fatal explosions in several Chinese cities and have threatened the Olympic Games, due to begin August 8.

So far the groups boast of previous terrorist activities have proved to be unfounded, as the incidents mentioned had nothing to do with terrorism, stated head of Wenzhou municipal public security bureau.

However, Chinese authorities have alleged that extremists from the restive northwestern region of Xinjiang - known as East Turkestan were targeting the Olympics. They claim that they have unearthed a plot to attack a football venue in Shanghai and have broken up 12 terrorist groups in Xinjiang. Since then they have boosted security by stationing a 100,000 anti-terrorist force in Beijing and have installed explosive detectors at airports in Xinjiang.

On the video, the groups leader, Commander Seyfullah, stated that "Despite...repeated warnings...to (stop) the 29th Olympics in Beijing...the Turkestan Islamic Party volunteers who have gone through special preparations have started urgent actions...Our aim is to target the most critical points related to the Olympics." He also urged Muslim spectators not to attend the games, "Please do not stand together with the faithless people."

The Minister of Public Security said that already they have thwarted two plots to kidnap athletes, journalists and visitors to the Olympics Games and to blow up hotels, government offices and military targets in Shanghai, Beijing and other cities.

Chris Brown's Mom Feels Rihanna used Vodoo on her son.

We need to do some thorough investigation to find out if voodoo is a common practice in Barbados. It has now come to our understanding that Chris Brown's mom is worried that sexy Rihanna has been using voodoo on her son.

According to her the relationship is moving way too quickly, so she feels that Rihanna must have done something to make her son fall so deeply for her.

Well, if Rihanna has strong Caribbean blood running through her veins "she know weh fi do fi hold har man, She nuh need nuh voodooo fi do dat".

This is hilarious!

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If Jamaica thinks enforcing some sex laws is daunting; they would have a heck of a time dealing with the following.

http://media.www.ecollegetimes.com/med

1. Oral sex is illegal in 18 states, including Arizona.

2. In Virginia, it is illegal to have sex with the lights on.

3. It is illegal for husbands in Willowdale, Oregon, to talk dirty
during intercourse.

4. Sexual intercourse between unmarried couples is illegal in Georgia.

5. Engaging in any sexual position other than missionary is illegal in
Washington DC.

6. In Connorsville, Wisconsin, it is illegal for a man to shoot off a
gun when his female partner is having an orgasm.

7. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, it is illegal to have sex with a truck
driver inside a toll booth.

8. Having sexual relations with a porcupine is illegal in Florida.

9. It is illegal in Utah to marry your first cousin before the age of
65.

10.Sex with animals is perfectly legal for men in Washington state,
as long as the animal weighs less than 40 pounds.

In Italy a new ruling by the Supreme Court of Cassation has sided with the Rastafarian religion's treatment of marijuana as a sacred sacrament.

The news from Rome hit the streets Friday morning, as a case brought before appeal judges against a reggae musician sentenced to 16 months in prison by a lower court in Perugia, was overturned.

Virtually unheard of in Roman Catholic Italy, Rastafarians were presented to the court as a faith that allows its members to smoke even 10 grams of marijuana daily.

In the ruling the Court of Cassation stated, "Members of the Rastafari faith were entitled to have in possession 'abundant' amounts of marijuana since smoking is an integral part of their religion."

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A Straight Pride Parade will roll out on August 31, 2008 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, just one day ahead of the annual Caribbean Labor Day Parade.

In a press release sent out recently by members of the reggae community, who have organized this event as a response to gay groups coming down hard on some dancehall music; the parade was justified as being, "...a chance for Heterosexuals to gather together and proudly embrace their sexuality. The Parade will also allow reggae and dancehall fans who are in New York City for the Labor Day celebrations to get together and celebrate reggae, dancehall and family in love and unity. Adults are encouraged to bring their children along for the celebrations, as the event will be family oriented."

Not only have gay groups launched massive global advocacies against what they call reggae's long history of gay intolerance, they have also been successful in hitting artists hard, in the pocket, by pushing for show cancellations. Their aim is reportedly to stop reggae and dancehall artists from promoting anti-gay violence, harassment and bigotry through lyrics.

The release said further: "Gay friends and gay relatives must be left at home or worse kept in the closet."

Reggae Rising Musical Festival will take place on August 1 - 3 at Dimmick Ranch and French's Camp, Piercy, California. The festival will feature three full days of reggae music from reggae stars from across the globe.

FRIDAY AUGUST 1st

UB40
Beres Hammond
Tanya Stephens
Cham
Medicine Drum w/ Greg Ellis, Rara Avis, & Wisdom
Blue King Brown
Soul Majestic
Mr. Easy
Opening Ceremonies

SATURDAY AUGUST 2nd

Sizzla
Sly and Robbie
Junior Reid
Turbulence
Mr. Vegas
Mr. Lex
Rebelution
The Rasites
Detour Posse
Reggae Angels
Black Judah
Dread Daze
Lion Camp Showcase w/ Ishi Dube and Jah Sun
Lost Coast Marimbas

Don Carlos
Gentleman
Julian Marley & Uprising Band
Collie Buddz & The New Kingston Band
Clinton Ferron & the Boogie Brown Band
Natural Vibrations
Jade Steel

Sponsor are: Blue Sky Soda, Cornerstone Glass, Corona, Del Reka Distributing, Frey Organic Vineyards, Galaxy Glass, General Hydroponics, R.W. Knudsen, Mendocino Brewing Co., Miller Brewing Company, Pure Anywear, Reed's Ginger Brew, Satori Movement, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Wisdom Creations, Planet Skills, and California Grown.

HIGH ALTITUDE NIGHT CLUB REFURBISHED.

The High Altitude Dancehall Night Club which provides performances by the hottest stars in the industry such as: Baby Cham, Mr. Easy, Mr. Vegas, Lexxus, Ishi Dube, Jah Sun, Soulmedic and Jah Works The Revolutionary, has recently redesigned and upgraded their VIP Lounge which will now feature, not just entrance to the night club, but also shaded seatings, grassy areas with picturesque views of the river, large video screens of the stage, daily happy hour with complimentary appetizers, wine tasting and champagne, as well as state of the art restrooms.

Carifest C.A.R.E.S. scheduled for July 6, New York, has been cancelled. This years event was meant to sponsor the charitable organization Keep A Child Alive (KACA) by helping them to provide medicine and relief to African children orphaned by the AIDS pandemic, as well as increase AIDS awareness in the community.

One of the many speculations for the cancellation of the festival, apart from the rain and fog, was the lack of confidence that the patrons had in the line up of artistes. Many artistes could not be contracted for this event as anti-gay activist groups vehemently protested certain artistes and their lyrics as homophobic in nature and New York would not have them performing in their city.

Other artistes were either pulled from the line up or unable to perform for other reasons such as: making racist remarks about other artistes; namely Eek-A-Mouse, who made racist remarks attacking white Jewish reggae artiste Matisyahu. Another unnamed artiste boasted about his refusal to wearing condoms, which was not in keeping with the AIDS prevention message of the festival. There is also the concern that the Jamaican artistes were not willing to reduce their performance fees for the charitable event.

Unfortunately, the promotion team, Legendary and Alphonso D'Niscio Brooks, were unable to secure the necessary additional time from the Parks Department to facilitate band changes in order to accommodate replacement artistes. Hence, the poor ticket sales reflected the lack of support from the community who was not impressed with the less than 'star studded' line up of artistes.

Reggae Carifest N.Y.,Inc. apologizes to its patrons and assures that full refunds will be made once tickets are returned to the point of purchase.

No plans are being made to reschedule Carifest C.A.R.E.S. at this time.

Source: Brittany Somerset, Intrepid Reporter, Manhattan

The 2008 BET Awards was broadcasted live from Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Tuesday the 24th of June. The show as always had great performances and several surprises.

Everyone will remember Alicia Keys for her performance at this year BET Awards. It was a reunion on stage for three of the top female R&B groups. During Alicia Key's performance of "Teenage Love Affair" she brought on SWV who performed their single "Weak", En Vogue then graced the stage and performed "Hold On" and finally TLC came out sadly without Left Eye and performed "Waterfalls".

Other performances for the night included Ne-yo performing his new song "Closure". T. Pain was very busy at the awards as he was nominated four times for best collaboration and performed all four songs. He performed "Low" with Flo Rida, "The Boss" with Rick Ross, "I'm so Hood Remix" with DJ Khaled and the closing performance was T Pain and Lil Wayne performing his number one hit "Lollipop". Chris Brown performed his single "Take You Down" with Ciara, Usher performed "Love in this Club" and Keyshia Cole performed "Heaven Sent". These were some of the performances for the night.

Kanye West went home with the most awards this year. He received for Male Hip-Hop Artiste and Best Collaboration for his song "Good Life" with T. Pain. Other awardees included Alicia Keys for Best Female R&B Artiste, Chris Brown for Best Male R&B Artiste and Missy Elliot Best Female Hip Hop Artiste. The Viewer's Choice Awards went to Lil Wayne while the Best Gospel Artiste went to Marvin Sapp. These were just some of the awards for the night. All in all this award was unforgettable.

Shaq Loses Deputy Status

Shaquille O'Neal will lose his special deputy's badge in Maricopa County because of language he used in a rap video that mocks former teammate Kobe Bryant.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the Phoenix Suns center's use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in 2006 and promoted him to colonel of his largely ceremonial posse later that year.

"I want his two badges back," Arpaio told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they're fired. I don't condone this type of racial conduct."

Shaq was seen in a video posted on the celebrity news and gossip Web site TMZ.com rapping that "Kobe couldn't do without me." O'Neal skewers the Lakers' star, with whom he won three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002 while with Los Angeles, for not being able to win a championship without him.

"I was freestyling. That's all. It was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever," O'Neal told ESPN.com Monday. A call to the Suns on Tuesday seeking comment from O'Neal was referred to his public relations firm, which didn't immediately respond.

By: Vanessa

The Marley Resort and Spa, West Bay Street ,came alive this past labour day weekend with the sounds of Pliers one half of, arguably Jamaica's most successful duo, Chackademus and Pliers. The resort which is presently closed to the public, is getting geared up for its grand opening, slated for Sunday 16th, June 2008.

Rita Marley, the proprietor, who staged this free concert, was on hand to celebrate with the employees. "It was wonderful. Big up Nassau I love it!" she said as she was seen dancing along with staff members of the resort.

On quizzing Pliers about the resort, he was quite happy to recommend it to everyone. "I love the setting – it is very beautiful. The rooms are very nice. I did not expect anything less. I know Mrs. Marley very well, she is a quality lady with lots of style and she meditates before she does anything. Meditation is quite important."

On looking back at his most successful career, Pliers shrugged his shoulders and smiled as he reminisced about the unusual amount of success that he was grateful to have enjoyed so far. It appeared difficult for him to begin as the road has been a long one, with numerous hit singles and records to his credit.

"We were the second most successful group (Chackademus and I), that Chris Blackwell signed after Bob Marley. "Murder She Wrote" sold over seven million copies. We are also the first Jamaican act to have three consecutive top five hits on the U.K Singles Chart."

The road has been long for the dynamic duo who brought to the world, "Tease Me", "She Don't Let Nobody", a cover for a Curtis Mayfield tune. 'Twist and Shout', a remake of the Isley Brothers and Beatles hit and the recently released "Need Your Loving".

For those who missed out on a great weekend Pliers promises to come back and bring his two talented brothers Spanner Banner and Richie Spice for the official opening of the exclusive Marley Resort and Spa.

Patrons are encouraged to seek information on an exclusive membership package which can be obtained by visiting The Marley Boutique which sits in front of the resort.

Friday the 13 may spell bad omen for some people but certainly not for R Kelly as he beat the child pornography charge in Chicago. It's official, R Kelly was acquitted of all charges after less than 24 hours of deliberation, ending the long ordeal for the singer.

Kelly dabbed his face with a handkerchief and hugged each of his four attorneys after the verdict - not guilty on all 14 counts - was read. The Grammy award-winning singer had faced 15 years in prison if convicted.

Minutes later, surrounded by bodyguards, he left the courthouse
without comment. Dozens of fans screamed and cheered as he climbed into a waiting SUV.

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Photography By: Gavin Henriques

Below are photos of some ladies partying in Miami recently

Photography By: Gavin Henriques

Here are scenes from the event:

Hooray for Barack Obama

Yes people another victory for the di black race. A bet yuh a whole heap a unno neva si dis ya day ya a come. Nuff people a come wid dem negative vibes sey him nah last long inna di house if him win cause dem nuh want nuh black president a rule over dem.

But a just one ting mi haffi sey bout dem deh argument, a which colour delegate help fi meck him seal di right fi run gainst John McCain. Dem fi memba dat!

Di man a gwaan and wi ask God fi be with him and guide him as him campaign fi di real ting now...President of the United States.

Instead a criticize and a look fi obstacle unno pray fi di man and start rally up spport from now fi him. And dose of you who creative come up with some more addictive, catchy song that him name will be ringing on everyone's lips by the time voting come round.

But fi now YardFlex just waan fi big up Obama and congratulate him pon this achiemevement. Wi know more coming, suh hear wha, just gwaan do you ting!

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Ashanti's 'Declaration' Begins Today

Ashanti's fourth album The Declaration will officially hit the shelves today.

The album includes production from A-list producers Jermaine Dupri, LT Hutton, Babyface, Pharrell Williams, Bryan-Michael Cox and more!

"One of the reasons I call the album 'The Declaration,' is because I feel it's important to present all sides of what being a woman is about," she says. "Historically, we've always been relegated to the bottom of the totem pole, whether it's business or the battle of the sexes or just empowering each other. I want this album to make people feel stronger about themselves. I've always used the ups and downs in my own life as well as others close to me as a motivational tool and I hope my music comes off that way. I felt a lot of passion making this record. I loved every minute I was in the studio." Ashanti was quoted as saying to starpulse.com

Ashanti continues "The Declaration" movement by launching a female empowerment site, www.ideclareme.com.

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Ne-Yo Given Community Service Sentence

After pleading no content to reckless driving charges rapper Ne-Yo was sentenced to 24 hours community service.

Shaffer Smith aka Ne-Yo was booked for speeding and driving without a license after traffic cops in Georgia flagged down his Range Rover in February. He entered a guilty plea for the second traffic offense.

According to local newspaper the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Ne-Yo will be performing for the youth group Boys and Girls Club as part of his community service.

During sentencing at a Georgia court on Monday, he was also fined $1,000 and has been ordered to attend a defensive driving class.

50 Cent's home destroyed by fire

The home at the center of a bitter legal dispute between 50 Cent and his son's mother was destroyed by a suspicious fire early Friday morning.

Six people, including his 10-year-old son, Marquise and Shaniqua Tompkins, 50's ex-girlfriend, were taken to a hospital after suffering smoke inhalation and later released. A firefighter also suffered a minor eye injury, officials said. 50, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, doesn't live in the home and wasn't there at the time.

A representative for the rapper said, "Informed this morning while filming a new motion picture on location in Louisiana, Curtis Jackson expressed deep concern over this fire at his property. He is extremely thankful that everyone including his son, Marquise, escaped the burning house safely. He is confident that authorities will be conducting a thorough investigation of the incident and is eager to review their findings."

Suffolk County arson squad Investigators were called to the scene after Dix Hills Fire Chief, Larry Feld thought the blaze suspicious.

Tompkins filed a lawsuit against 50 earlier this year claiming he had promised her a house more than a decade ago, but that since their breakup, he now wants to evict her and their 10-year-old son from the home. Tompkins' lawyer, Paul Catsandonis, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the dispute over the house had become "extremely, extremely contentious in recent days." Although he declined to be specific, he said there was an "extremely dangerous incident" Monday in his Manhattan office, while taking a deposition for the lawsuit.

The dispute was "involving the parties in question," he said, adding that the case was back on the calendar in state Supreme Court in Manhattan on June 10. Catsandonis said 50 paid about $2.4 million for the house last year, one of the largest in the Long Island neighborhood of Dix Hills.

50's ex-girlfriend Shaniqua is making accusation that he is involved in the fire and that he tried to kill his own son.

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America's Next Top Model winner CariDee tries to commit suicide

Rumours are swelling that CariDee English, winner of America's Next Top Model, attempted suicide.

It is reported in The Enqirer that the America's Next Top Model winner, CariDee English, recently attempted suicide by taking an overdose of prescription pills just hours after joining other celebrities for the grand opening of a new Casino.

CariDee was in sweatpants and a cut-off T-shirt sitting on the toilet, saying that she took about 10 pills that she had for depression and anxiety.

She said it was a stupid thing. She was feeling depressed because she was having problems with her boyfriend. She was pretty intoxicated and was slurring her words.

"Security kept making sure she didn't fall asleep," the insider told The Enquirer.

The ambulance rushed the model to Backus Care Center in Norwich Conn, where she remained for several days before being released.

A few weeks ago MediaTakeOut.com reported that, CariDee recently broke up with her boyfriend. She was reported to have been dating model Tyson Beckford.

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Rihanna's "Take a Bow" is #1

Rihanna, has scored her third #1 billboard hit, with the song "Take a Bow".

The song was written by Ne-Yo and production-team Stargate for the re-release of Rihanna's third studio album "Good Girl Gone Bad". "Take a Bow" was released to US top 40 radio on April 15 and to iTunes on May 6 and has since become an a global anthem.

The single is currently on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Also, the song is #1 on iTunes in Canada, New Zealand, United States, The United Kingdom and Ireland, and is #1 on the UK singles chart.

Rihanna is renown for the hits, "Pon De Replay", SOS" and "Umbrella", featuring rap mogul Jay-Z, which won a Grammy Award this year for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

Actor Leon will be starring in a new film about downlow men called Cover. While giving a recent interview, the actor made some interesting statements. Now maybe he's just very understanding but the way he answers the questions makes us wonder if he may be talking about something a little deeper than just the character.

Read excerpt from the interview that was posted on mediatakeout.com:

Let's just start talking about things, knowing who we are and letting women know who their men are sleeping with, if it's not just them. As long as you have a choice it doesn't matter, many women are still gonna be with men who sleep with men. That's not gonna change, they're still gonna be with their man. It happens, 71% of women find out and stay with their man, but at least they know and they've made that decision. That's the only thing that I've ever said with my opinion on it was that they have a right to know.

But on the other side of the coin you have a character like my character [Ryan Chambers, in Cover]. You say, "Be honest and open" [but] are you serious? I'm a famous guy and a ladies man, you think I'm gonna risk my career and family by telling you that I'm on the DL and I see the way you react? You won't even talk about homosexuality in the churches or at home, but I'm gonna sit there and tell you I'm one and have you treat me horribly and take everything I work for? There's the other side of the coin - you want men to be open and honest but you don't give them an open and honest arena to come out in.

Weeelll...what you all think?

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Is Britney Spears pregnant again or not?

The rumours are buzzing over the Internet that Britney Spears may be pregnant for the third time around. But then again it could be that it's her yo-yoing weight back on the rise again but one thing is for certain, her tummy has an 'iffy' look about it. And it that's not the case, then there could be some truth to the rumours that she's pregnant.

Below is a photo of the singer as she arrived for a meeting with her management team in Los Angeles. You be the judge.

By: Jodi-kaye Watson

The talented and beautiful Alana, who is signed to Flaming Star Promotions, is one of the many acts slated to perform at the upcoming International Curry Fest 2008. This singer/songwriter who lives in New York is of Jamaican Heritage.

Fans can expect a high energy performance from Alana, along with her hit song "Happy to be Nappy" and her new single "Taking it Back".

The backing band and show band 'Code Red' can also be expected. This band has been busy playing for Taurus Riley, Gregory Isaacs, Ken Booth, Marcia Griffiths to name a few. The members of the band include: Oniel Burton, aka Rass Baba who is the lead singer, Zemroy Lewis, aka Zimma, who is the leader and bass player, Jason Farmer, aka Jahson, and Peter Williamson, aka Peter Pan both on the keyboard, Duwayne Hoilette, aka Shotta Yut, who is the lead guitarist and Desmond Gaynor, aka Desi, who plays the drums.

So fans better be prepared for these energetic and heartfelt performers.

DJs Targeted in Triple Shooting

Auburndale, Florida - Polk County Sheriff's deputies say they went to The Thunderbird Bar, located on New Hope Street in Auburndale, around 2:40 Saturday morning for a noise complaint. When they arrived, they found two people dead. A third victim died at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

Deputies tell us two of the victims were DJs with the group Poison Dart. They are Antone Geargo Neely, AKA Tony Montana, and Michael S. Rattigan, AKA Chris Rock. The third victim, Kevin Jordache Webster, was a friend of the two DJs.

The suspect or suspects are still at large.

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Xzibit's newborn son passed away last week

YardFlex send condolence to Xzibit who last his newborn son last week. According to blog posted on his myspace his newborn Xavier Kingston Joiner who prematurely entered the world on May 15 succumbed to a weak lung.

"I am telling you this because of the same reason I tell you when I'm having great times, life is too short to be fake. Hold on to your kids if you have them, protect them and show them you love them everyday you wake up and see them, don't take a second you get to hug them teach them and care for them for granted. You can have all the material wealth in the universe but it is NOTHING compared to having your family. I am thankful for all of my blessings and I’m not one to question God’s perfect plan, so I leave you with great love and thanks for the love that was sent earlier on my previous blog to my son. Of course I need to take some time and handle my loss, STAY FOCUSED PEOPLE. Its not promised to any of us," Xzibit posted on his blog.

The BET AWARDS '08 is raising the stakes and promises to be the "hottest ticket on television" for the eighth year running, as the biggest stars in music, sports and entertainment unite in Los Angeles' historic Shrine Auditorium for a night of explosive LIVE performances on Tuesday, June 24 at 8:00 PM. As in years past, the BET AWARDS '08 will continue its landmark tradition of hot performances by some of today's heavy hitters, including Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Lil' Wayne and Nelly. The host, along with additional presenters and performers, will be announced shortly.

BET will recognize the achievements of artistes, entertainers and athletes in 15 categories. Hip hop R&B singer, songwriter and producer T-Pain tops the line-up with five nominations for his collaborations with Chris Brown, Kanye West and Flo Rida, followed by Chris Brown with four nods and rapper/producer Kanye West earning three nominations with his successful third album, "Graduation," in the Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Best Collaboration and Video of the Year categories.

Among the other multiple nominees are R&B songstress Mary J. Blige for Best Female R&B, as well as Video of the Year for "Just Fine," along with Ne-Yo, Flo Rida, Alicia Keys and Keyshia Cole.

Those nominated for the second straight year include Jay-Z and Lil’ Wayne for Best Male Hip Hop; Mary J. Blige for Best Female R&B; last year's Best Male R&B winner Ne-Yo; Angela Bassett and Chandra Wilson for Best Actress; last year’s winner, basketball sensation LeBron James, boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and golfing phenomenon Tiger Woods for Male Athlete of the Year; smash hitter and four-time category winner Serena Williams and b-ball superstar Tamika Catchings for Female Athlete of the Year.

Legendary R&B icon Al Green will be in the house to receive BET's Lifetime Achievement Award. Joining him will be celebrated producer/arranger/composer Quincy Jones, who will be honored with BET's prestigious Humanitarian Award for his outreach to young African-Americans through the Listen Up Foundation, a charity which connects youth with music, technology and culture. In addition, Jones helped launch the We Are the Future project, giving hope to children in poor and conflict-ridden areas.

BET has once again teamed with Cossette Productions, the famed producers of the GRAMMY Awards® and the seven record-setting BET AWARDS shows, to handle production of the telecast. Stephen Hill, BET Executive Vice President, Music and Programming, along with Lynne Harris-Taylor, BET Vice President of Specials, will executive produce the telecast.

BET AWARDS '08 will be sponsored by Dodge, Pepsi, Verizon Wireless, General Motors, P&G, Target, CIROC Vodka and Ford.

Listed below are the nominees and categories for the BET Awards

Best Female R&B
Mary J. Blige
Mariah Carey
Keyshia Cole
Alicia Keys
Rihanna

Best Male R&B
Chris Brown
Raheem DeVaughn
J. Holiday
Ne-Yo
Trey Songz

Group
Danity Kane
Day 26
Gnarls Barkley
Playaz Circle
UGK

Best Gospel Artist
The Clark Sisters
Kirk Franklin
Deitrick Haddon
Marvin Sapp
Trin-I-Tee 5:7

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Missy Elliott
Eve
Kid Sister
Lil Mama
Trina
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
Common
Jay-Z
Lil Wayne
Snoop Dogg
Kanye West

Best New Artist
Estelle
Flo Rida
Chrisette Michelle
Soulja Boy Tell'em
The Dream

Best Collaboration
Chris Brown f/ T-Pain "Kiss Kiss"
Keyshia Cole f/ Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim "Let It Go"
Flo Rida f/ T-Pain "Low"
Kanye West f/ T-Pain "Good Life"
DJ Khaled f/ Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi,
Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross "I'm So Hood
(The Remix)"

Best Video Director
Erykah Badu and Mr. Roboto
Benny Boom
Gil Green
Chris Robinson
Hype Williams

Video of the Year
Ashanti "The Way That I Love You"
Erykah Badu "Honey"
Mary J. Blige "Just Fine"
Alicia Keys "Like You'll Never See Me Again"
UGK f/ Outkast "International Player’s Anthem (I Choose You)"
Kanye West f/ T-Pain "Good Life"

Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Halle Berry
Queen Latifah
Jill Scott
Chandra Wilson

Best Actor
Anthony Anderson
Don Cheadle
Idris Elba
Terrence Howard
Denzel Washington

Female Athlete of the Year
Tamika Catchings
Cheryl Ford
Candace Parker
Serena Williams
Venus Williams

Male Athlete of the Year
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Chris Paul
Tiger Woods

Viewer's Choice Award
Chris Brown f/ T-Pain "Kiss Kiss"
Keyshia Cole f/ Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim "Let It Go"
Alicia Keys "No One"
Lil Wayne f/ Static "Lollipop"
Jordin Sparks f/ Chris Brown 'No Air"
Soulja Boy Tell'em "Crank Dat (Soulja Boy)"

The talented Mickey Spice, born in Kingston, Jamaica is one of the many acts slated to perform at this year's International Curry Fest which will be held on June 15, 2008, in Lauderhill, Florida. Mickey Spice, a versatile artiste, who does a mixture of both gospel and reggae music, is ready to satisfy the patrons of Curry Fest.

Mickey Spice has been around for a while and is still making conscious and uplifting music for fans. He has an album in the making that is slated to be released soon. The name of the album is still in consideration, but regardless, the public can expect an exceptional album.

International Curry Fest 2008 is one of the many shows that Mickey Spice is slated to perform on and has performed in previous years. He has done several shows before, some he is proud of and some he wish he could forget. Regardless, fans can definitely expect the best from this talented artiste.

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Witness Says R. Kelly Is Man In Sex Tape

The former best friend of the 13-year-old girl who allegedly features in the explicit video at the center of the R. Kelly child pornography trial has named the star as the man who appears in the footage, this according to wjbt.com.

Simha Jamison, now 24, testified on the second full day of the singer's trial in Chicago, Illinois on Wednesday, stating she believed her friend Roshona Landfair, now 23, to be the underage girl in the video. And when asked who she believed the man in the video tape to be, she replied, "Her Godfather, R. Kelly."

Jamison told the court she met the Grammy-winner through Landfair, who introduced the star as her "Godfather." Jamison went on to tell the court she recognized the girl in the video as her former friend from her face and a "mullet" haircut the two girls had both sported at the time.

The witness told Cook County prosecutor Shauna Boliker she had previously seen the tape in question in February 2002.

The girl in the video, thought to be either 13 or 14 years old at the time, has maintained that she isn't the female in the footage, and Kelly's attorneys backed up her claims.

On Tuesday, Kelly's lawyers insisted the man in the video bears key physical differences from the star. Kelly stands accused of videotaping himself having sex with a 13-year-old girl, and could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

YardFlex will keep you posted with more news on the trial.

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The real reason Usher's mom was absent at his wedding

Usher is now talking up the things regarding his mom's absence at his wedding. Mediatakeout.com gave a snippet from an interview he did.

"My mother made a decision not to come to my wedding because she didn't really agree with my decision," he explains, declining to specify whether she disagreed with his choice of wife or his decision to fire her. "I don't know why," he offers simply. "She's never told me and I've never asked her." Though he demurs when pressed further for details, he reveals: "It hurt me very much not to see her there 'cause I would've liked for her to be there, not to mention that I paid so much money for her to be accommodated and her behind didn't show up. [Laughs] But just as she's made stands, so have I."

Well YardFlex says good for Usher, no matter how you low your parents there are times you just have to follow your heart. They lived their lives, you have to live yours too!

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Teen actor in upcoming 'Harry Potter' film killed

A British teenage actor playing a minor role in the upcoming "Harry Potter" film was stabbed to death during a brawl in London on Saturday, police said.

According to AP news Rob Knox, 18, was stabbed after he got caught up in a fight outside a bar in southwest London early Saturday, London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

Knox plays Ravenclaw student Marcus Belby in the upcoming film "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince," the sixth installment of the popular series set for release in November. Warner Bros., the studio that is producing the film, said it was shocked by the news.

Knox was one of five young men taken to various hospitals after the brawl, police said. Among them was a 21-year-old who has since been arrested on suspicion of murder. The fight did not appear to be gang-related, police added, but it puts the number of violent teenage deaths in London at 14 so far this year.

Soca king Machel Monano will be performing at the "Official Atlanta Caribbean Carnival" on Saturday, May 24 in Atlanta, Georgia, where he will be preented with the Phoenix Award and named "Caribbean Music Ambassador" for which he states, "I am very grateful"

The presentation will be made during the performance at the Carnival's Festival Village which will feature soca artistes such as; Iwer George, Jamesy P., Problem Child among others, backed by band De Soca Unit.

The Atlanta Carnival festivities will follow the parade of bands, which will be held downtown Atlanta in the Auburn District between noon to 10pm.

Montano will also be headlining the Atlanta Carnival Erupton Concert after the awards ceremony, which will be held at the Atlanta Underground-Gerogia Frieght Depot.

Marie Stewart of Island Coast Entertainment (one of the main promoters said the she was "...extremely excited about Machel Montano's vist to Atlanta."

On May 25, Machel will be in Miami, Florida for the Best of the Best Concert.

Ryde, California, May 20, 2008, This June, summer solstice weekend, June 20, 21, & 22, 2008 marks the 15th Anniversary of the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (SNWMF), an annual world peace and summer solstice celebration. The event takes place in the scenic Anderson Valley in the town of Boonville, California at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds. Some of the world's greatest world, roots, vintage, dancehall, modern reggae and ska artists and sound system DJ's have made their appearances on the Sierra Nevada stages over the years, many of whom make their West Coast festival debut at this hallmark event.

The event takes place at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds, 14480 Highway 128, Boonville, California, 95415, just 35 minutes West of Ukiah. Three day tickets are available now for $135 through mail order at http://www.snwmf.com/tickets.html and at the independent ticket outlets listed at http://www.snwmf.com/ticketoutlets.html. Camping passes are available by mail order and at select ticket outlets for $50, with one ticket required per vehicle. Single day tickets will be available during the week of May 20, 2008. Ticket prices are $55 for Friday, June 20th, $65 for Saturday, June 21st and $55 for Sunday, June 22nd.

SNWMF 2008 LINEUP BY DAY:

Friday, June 20, 2008 - Michael Franti & Spearhead, Maldita Vecindad, SOJA, Rootz Underground, Wisdom, Rebelution In the Dancehall: David Rodigan.

Sunday, June 22, 2008- The English Beat, Tosh Meets Marley, U Roy, Cornel Campbell, Roy Shirley, Stranger Cole, Pat Kelly, The Expanders, Antidoping, Prezident Brown, Chris Murray Combo, Alika, Quinto Sol, Youssoupha Sidibe, Elhadki, Lisa Monet

FESTIVAL HOURS:

Camping gate opens at 9am on Friday 6/20 Gates open 5pm 6/20 music from 6pm to 2:30am Gates open 10am 6/21 music from 11am-2:30am
Gates open 10 am 6/22 music from 11am-10pm For camping, hotels and other information visit our website at www.snwmf.com myspace.com/snwmf or call the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival hotline at (916)777-5550 or email to info@snwmf.com.

When the news reached the Reggae world that Matisyahu had been recognized by Billboard Magazine as Reggae Artiste of the Year, it was a shock wave! Well it would only have been just that to those who did not know his history.

Since the release of his 2004 debut, "Shake off the dust...ARISE" and the phenomenal success of last year's "Live At Stubb's".

Matisyahu has continued to bring his uncanny, electrifying fusion of orthodox Judaism and classic Reggae music to you with an incessant touring schedule and unbelievable energy. Now, Matisyahu and the band brings you their sophomore studio album, YOUTH.

Youth is a compelling mix of ancient and modern sounds and ideas. The propulsive title track, with its rallying cry "youth is the engine of the world," draws upon Matisyahu's studies of Chabad Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn - as well as his own tumultuous past.

Born in West Chester, PA and raised in White Plains, NY, the young man formerly known as Matthew Miller would undertake a monumental odyssey before discovering his path - and voice - as Matisyahu (the Hebrew equivalent of "Matthew," and the name he became known by when he became observant). Via adventures in Colorado, Israel, Oregon, and New York City, he not only heard a profound spiritual calling, but also discerned a revolutionary way to share his discoveries and reflections, via the reggae and hip-hop sounds that had long been an integral part of his day-to-day soundtrack.

On YOUTH, Matisyahu explores his musical universe. Produced by legendary reggae and dub producer Bill Laswell, with additional production by Jimmy Douglass and Ill Factor. The character of the album's thirteen new songs span a wide gamut. From the stark acoustic guitar driven track "What I'm Fighting For" to the syncopated African rhythms of "Ancient Lullabye" to the bumping beats, burbling bass, and of "Jerusalem," YOUTH is definitely a creative step forward for the band, one they are excited to bring to their audiences.

"Lyrically, I wanted to expand on ideas that I touched upon on the first album, to get deeper into those things, to get to the essence," he adds of the aesthetic leap forward. "Members of the band wrote the music together, different people brought different things to the table, and everyone contributed creatively." Out of this confluence of intuitive musical interaction (honed via months of non-stop touring), and new ideas waiting to finally be given voice, the heightened dynamics of YOUTH sprang forth. "When we made the 'Live At Stubb's' album, we had been touring for over a year and a half, and we really wanted to capture the energy from our live show."

And, in turn, making that document allowed the band to turn their attentions more fully to writing and fine-tuning YOUTH. "After playing so many shows, we got to shift our focus, artistically, and go into the studio and do overdubs and really paint with all types of colors.

"Bill has an almost Zen-like approach," observes Matisyahu. "He doesn't make you go back and do things over and over again. He does, however, have a great sense, when you're all finished playing, whether that take is 'the one' or not. You get the sense that he really knows what he's doing, but at the same time, he leaves enough space for the creative process to happen."

Regardless of religious affiliation, most artists will tell you that the creative force is special type of divinity that moves through them.

Matisyahu simply seeks to serve as a conduit for the messages of peace and unity that flow through him, to improve the world by sharing his music, and without letting ego or worldly desires interfere in that communication. "That's what I'm aiming for," he admits, "I don't think I've fully gotten there, but that's the goal." And with YOUTH, he makes a quantum leap closer to attaining it.

At the end of 2007, the 'bible' of music, Billboard Magazine, crowned him Reggae Artiste of the Year, this, for having sold the most Reggae records.

By: Michelle Thomas
Photography By: Marie Mendoza

The World Famous Malibu Inn hosted Hawaiian Reggae band, Natural Vibes. The Vibes fuse pop/rock/rap/reggae which comprises their unique sound. The six members formed their group in 1993 and began performing locally. Their hit performances have made them one of the most popular bands in Hawaii, with an emerging fan base. The Vibes are well on their way to becoming the next major international artist from Hawaii with five albums under their belt and multiple achievements on The Billboard Reggae Charts.

Waves of aloha vibes surfed the oceans seas to the mainland, as the Malibu crowd went into hysterics as The Vibes opened with "Natural Vibrations".

They delivered an energetic performance that transported the audience to a tropical paradise. Fans swayed back and forth, danced, and sang along to classic tunes like, "Put A Little Love", "Chronics", "So Nice", "Balls Rolling", "Into Me", and "One On One". Known for promoting brotherhood and respect, they celebrated as vocalist, Peni Pua'auli and a fan took a shot together.

Also, Stay tuned to www.malibu-inn.com for more of your favorite Reggae Artists and more.

For more information on Natural Vibes, visit www.naturalvibrations.com or www.myspace.com/naturalvibrations.

Trinidad's royal reggae empress, Queen Omega, who hails from San Fernando is getting ready for her debut tour of North American tour scheduled for the summer.

She is scheduled to perform at the Caribbean Unity Tour 2008 where she will share stage with top Jamaican performers Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica, Steele, Baby Demus and Grindsman.

The female singer, whose birth name is Jeneile Osbourne, was born to a family of five between four boys. She was given the name 'Queenie' from a very tender age when she started showing off her singing talent. Recognizing her daughter's gift of singing, her mom Deborah encouraged her to go after her dream and pursue a career in music.

While attending kindergarten and primary schools, Queen Omega won several Calypso tent competitions for three consecutive years before being contracted by Trinidad's top producer Kenny Phillips do back-up singing on tracks for some of the biggest names in Soca.

She has performed on a number of shows including Quebec's Reggae Festival, Northwest Reggae Festival, Chicago Reggae Festival and Toronto's Jamaican Days, among others.

Queen Omega has to her credit five albums. Her debut self-titled album 'Queen Omega' recorded for Greenhouse Family, includes her popular singles 'Hypocrites & Parasites', 'All For You' and 'Warning' featuring Capleton and Sizzla. Archie Wonder and Anthony B are also two featured acts on the album.

Her second album, 'Pure Love', was completed and released in 2002. After touring England in 2003, she started working on her third album titled 'Away From Babylon' which was released in 2004 courtesy of JetStar Phonographics Ltd. This album made way for her first European tour, which took her to Switzerland, Belgium, Italy (Geel Festival & Rototom Festival), Siberia and France (Jamaican Sunrise Festival).

Queen Omega's fourth album entitled 'Destiny' is truly amazing and features a dancehall feel with soulful R&B overtones. 'Destiny' is being described by music enthusiasts as one of the best Roots Reggae albums ever recorded by a Rasta woman. It reveals the depth and evolution of Queen Omega's cultural music. Special Delivery Records, in France, produced 'Destiny'.

A fifth album, 'Servant Of Jah Army' produced by none other than the 'Mad Professor' himself, on the Ariwa Sounds label was released in 2006. Her deep song writing ability demonstrates her social consciousness.

The 'Servant Of Jah Army' project is credited with stellar musicians Sly Dunbar, Drumtan Ward, Robbie Shakespeare, Don Chandler, Leroy Mafia, Black Steel, Caroline, Dean Fraser, Stepper, Rico – all recorded at Ariwa Sounds produced By Mad Professor, and engineered by Mad Professor and Joe Ariwa.

8 years for Remy Ma

For shooting a woman outside a Manhattan night club rapper Remy Ma was sentenced to 8 years. The rapper broke down in tears at the news. "I feel so bad for all the physical and mental pain you've gone through," the Grammy-nominated rapper told the victim. "This has taken a toll on us and both our families. I would never wish you harm and I pray the best for all of us."

The entertainer, whose real name is Remy Smith, had faced up to 25 years in prison for assault, weapon possession and attempted coercion for shooting Makeda Barnes Joseph last July in a dispute over money. Smith, 26, begged the judge for leniency for the sake of "my little boy," saying she grew up "surrounded by failure, violence and poverty," but "made something out of nothing" from her life.

State Supreme Court Justice Rena Uviller said she recognized that Smith had had a difficult childhood, but noted the victim had nearly died and will never be the same physically. Uviller called the rapper "a young woman whose anger is out of control."

After the sentencing, Smith's fiancé, fellow rapper Papoose, began screaming in a hallway outside the courtroom. "All you want is money!" he said, apparently referring to the victim. "Lock me up! Lock me up!" he then shouted to court officers, who escorted him out of the courthouse.

The couple had planned to wed last weekend at the Rikers Island jail, where Smith has been incarcerated. Correction officials said they called off the wedding after Papoose showed up with a handcuff key. Smith's lawyer, Ivan Fisher, said Papoose had a key but denied that it could be used to open handcuffs. Papoose, whose real is Shamele Mackie, hasn't been charged. Fisher said the couple still plan to wed.

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'50 Cent Diss Made Me Famous' – Lil Wayne

Bet when 50 Cent called Lil Wayne a whore he never thought the rapper would eventually thank him for it! Yup Lil Wayne claimed that the insult has helped in propelling him to fame.

The 'In Da Club' hitmaker criticized Wayne last year accusing him of taking any job for money.

50 told a radio interview, "A whore sleeps with whoever will pay him. So we gotta call him a whore..." But Wayne insists the insult did him a favor.

He tells Blender magazine, "Man, I have to call him and say thank you. He's catapulted me (to fame). White people know me now. Thank you."

Don't go expecting Lil Wayne to be starting the same war of words anytime soon though as he says "That n---er thrives off that. I am not feeding that tiger. I'm smart. Do you see his size? I'm small. This n---a's the hardest n---a on planet earth. So, no, I'm not dissing 50."

Stephen Marley, Multiple-Grammy winning artist/producer (he holds the Reggae record with six Grammy wins), fresh off his latest Grammy win for Best Reggae Album for his 2007 masterpiece Mind Control, has begun a much anticipated spring U.S. Tour.

The tour will take him to 29 cities, and includes a handful of celebrated Festivals including his spring '08 finale performance on June 13, at the much heralded Bonnaroo Festival, the 4 day multi-stage music and cultural extravaganza held on a 700 acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee.

Marley, who became the third consecutive son from the great Marley musical dynasty to win the Best Reggae Album Grammy, will headline the non-festival shows, tapping Kingston Reggae sensation, Gully Bank Sound to open on the tour. The trek kicked off on May 4, in West Palm Beach at the Sun Fest and includes shows in North Myrtle Beach on May 8, Las Vegas' Hard Rock & Casino on May 23, and Boulder, CO on June 7, at the prestigious Fox Theatre (see entire list of dates below).

Considered one of the most versatile studio and live Reggae performers, Stephen's debut solo release, Mind Control (Tuff Gong/ Ghetto Youths/Universal-Republic), landed at #1 of the coveted Billboard Reggae Chart, and in the upper tier of the Billboard Top 40 Album Chart, as well. Critics raved about the groundbreaking album, with People Magazine calling it a "masterful fusion of reggae and hip hop,'" Entertainment Weekly seconded that notion, calling Mind Control the best Marley album in a generation.

In 2006, Stephen snagged his 5th Grammy award for his triumphant co-production work on brother Damian "Jr.Gong" Marley's acclaimed RIAA certified Gold disc Welcome To Jamrock, making him the most honored Grammy winner of the Marley family, as well as netting him the most Grammy wins of any other Reggae artist in history.

Ottawa Reggae Festival will be held in the capital city of Canada on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at the Lane Braeton Park.

This event will be outlining artistes such as: Half Pint, Snow, Maxi Priest, Collie Buddz, Friendliness & The Human Rights band among many others.

The Ottawa Reggae Festival Inc. run by President, Benji Williams, is a non-profit network that was launched in February 2007, to raise funds and awareness for the Sickle Cell disease and to highlight its effects on our community. What started as a fundraising initiative, has grown to become a flagship event that will unite Reggae fans across Canada and the United States, bringing them to Canada's capitol city - Ottawa. Reggae is the only genre of music known to bring people from all walks of life together.

As Bob Marley sang "One Love, one heart, lets get together and feel alright"

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A 10-year-old girl gave birth recently in East Idaho after being raped by a suspected illegal immigrant who has since been slapped with the charge of rape.

The girl gave birth less than two weeks ago by caesarian section at Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg, Fremont County Sheriff Ralph C. Davis and other authorities said. Officials would not disclose the gender, date of birth or paternity of the baby.

"I wouldn't have believed a 10-year-old could conceive in the first place," Davis said.

A hospital spokeswoman would not discuss the condition of the girl or the baby and would not say whether either was still in the hospital Wednesday.

The story was first came to light by KIDK Television in Idaho Falls. St. Anthony police began investigating on April 28 after medical officials reported a pregnant child, and Guadalupe Gutierrez-Juarez, 37, of St. Anthony, was arrested the same day, Police Chief James Smith said.

"We had good information from witnesses," Smith said. In documents that were filed April 29 in 7th District Court and obtained by The Associated Press, Gutierrez-Juarez is charged with one count of rape. He remained in jail with bail set at $250,000 pending a preliminary hearing May 13. Authorities said Gutierrez-Juarez did not have legal documentation to live in the United States. His home town and nationality were not immediately clear, but police said they had received no complaints about him before investigating the pregnancy.

While a 10-year-old giving birth is highly unusual, it is not impossible, said Laurie Krieger, a medical anthropologist in Washington D.C. "We do know that girls in the U.S. are menstruating sooner," a development which can speed up the production of sex hormones and make pregnancy possible earlier than might have been thought likely, Kreiger said.

Usher got it on in an airplane

R&B star Usher admitted that he once had sex in-flight at 32,000 feet in the air. Yup the singer swapped dance floor for an airplane on one occasion.

Before you start getting carried away in your imaginations it was a private plane and not a charter plane loaded with passengers.

By doing that he joins the 'mile high club' with those who have tried it. Makes those who feel nervous about flying seem petty huh.

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George Clooney Slams Hollywood Wannabe Paris Hilton

George Clooney has hit out against what he term Hollywood wannabee Paris Hilton, claiming that movie fans should not mistake her success for real talent.

According to starpulse the Oscar winner insists too many young stars think they're good actors, just because they are landing roles and making money.

He tells Rolling Stone, "There is a funny thing that happens when you are a young actor. You equate financial success and getting jobs with whether or not you are good at it."

And he singles out Paris Hilton as one example: "And it still happens. That's why there is Paris Hilton. Now I'm in trouble with Paris Hilton."

Already a veteran of the music business and a legend in his country, Trinidad, Machel Montano has been taking his taste of soca rhythms to the masses for decades and is now being recognized internationally for it.

At the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) held on Sunday, May 4th at the Apollo Theater in New York, Montano walked away with not only the most wins of the night but also the most coveted awards of the night. These include the Bob Marley Entertainer of the Year, Most Outstanding Stage Personality of the Year and Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer awards.

"I am totally overwhelmed and very grateful to the fans, the voters, and especially the awards' committee," stated an exuberant Montano. "It's motivation to put in the hard work for bigger and better things to come."

Speaking of hard work this week alone will find Montano on the set in Miami and Los Angeles as he shoots the video for his latest hit, "Defense - The Anthem," with reggaeton star Pitbull and rapper Lil Jon. Then he joins Pitbull, Miley Cyrus, Flo-Rida and Snoop Dogg at the KIIS FM (L.A.'s #1 radio station) concert on Saturday, May 10th. All this while seeing the release of his new album, Wining Season, now available online and in stores.

At a private concert held in Paris on Tuesday of this week pop diva Madonna announced she loves to french-kiss the French! as she ground away at an electric guitar.

According to AP news Madonna put on a high-voltage half-hour show for a privileged 1,500 fans to mark the release of Hard Candy, her 10th chart-topping album. "Who do you love more, me or the Rolling Stones?" she asked the crowd packing the Olympia, a mythical concert hall near the Paris opera, before launching into a ear-popping heavy-metal version of her mega-hit, Hung Up.

"I thought you might say that," quipped the queen of pop, who turns 50 on August 16, as the adoring crowd roared back their answer.

The Material Girl made her stage entrance seated in a black-and-gold fairytale throne, wearing a black satin bodice, satin pants and tailcoat with pink lining, lace-up boots with six-inch heels, and twirling a magician's wand.

Madonna told the concert hall it was "a historical moment" for her to be performing on the same stage as the iconic French chanteuse Edith Piaf, or fellow legends Juliette Greco and Marlene Dietrich. "Why do I have this relationship with France? I'm always drawn to working with French people and frenching French people," she quipped. "Vive la France!"

By: Joseph Cunningham

International Curryfest 2008 will be held on June 15, 2008 at the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida.

It will be the events first staging, and it will bring to the Tri-state area, a Caribbean Flavour. "The event will be highlighted by a display of curry cuisine", says Patrick 'Lexus' Simpson of International Curry Fest. He emphasized that the day will be one filled with togetherness, the kind that will be created by fun, food (curry dishes) and entertainment.

There will be curry cook-offs, which will include the curry duck cook-off and the tassa competition, which will be between Indian descendants, he revealed.

Further, he said that music will be provided by Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, Mickey Spice, Dutchess, Mikal Rustle, backing band Code Red. And, in keeping with the objective to create a community event, there will also be Cricket and Netball matches between Florida based teams comprised of community residents. There is also going to be belly dancing and henna painting.

Sponsors of the event include, VP Records, Western Union, YardFlex, and Cox Radio - Hot 105 FM.

50 Cent Fan Steals Chain During Gig

Rap artiste 50 Cent had his diamond-encrusted chain stolen by super overzealous fans during at a recent concert in Angola.

Hmm, he had better be more careful about how he dangles temptation in front of his fans...as they will do anything to get a piece of him. The "In Da Club" hitmaker, real name Curtis Jackson, was performing in Luanda with his G-Unit crew when one man jumped up onto the stage and grabbed the jewelry from his neck.

In a grainy video footage posted online, the assailant can be seen running off with the chain as 50 Cent and his entourage chase after him.

According to TMZ.com, 50 Cent caught up with the thief and is alleged to have punched him before claiming back his prized chain. A source tells the website, "The chain is around 50's neck right now."

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Arrest Warrant Issued For Foxy Brown

Foxy Brown should have kept her promise when she got out of jail and head straight for the church! It seems she is in need of some right now as a New York Judge issued an arrest warrant for her because she failed to turn up in court to face allegations of assault, in relation to an incident last year.

According to starpulse Inga Marchand aka Foxy Brown is accused of hitting 25-year-old Arlene Raymond with her Blackberry cell phone in Brooklyn on July 30 when a heated argument between the two got out of hand. Raymond was taken to Brooklyn Hospital following the incident, and was treated for loose teeth and swelling around her lip and right eye. Brown was subsequently charged with felony assault, menacing, harassment and criminal possession of a weapon when she turned herself into police. She was released on bail and pleaded not guilty to the counts in October.

But Brown failed to show for her latest court date at Brooklyn Criminal Court on Monday, and, as a result, a judge has called for the star's arrest.

Brown's own defense attorney admitted he didn't know of her whereabouts and had not heard from her recently. Meanwhile, Raymond has filed suit against Brown for unspecified damages connected to the alleged assault.

The hip-hop star was recently released from New York's Riker's Island Prison after serving eight months of a 12-month sentence for probation violations.

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Remy Ma Blames 'Biased Jury' For Assault Conviction

Rapper Remy Ma has lashed out at the New York jury that found her guilty of assault and weapon possession charges in March, blaming racism for her conviction.

According to Starpule Remy Ma is currently being held without bail at Rikers Island prison in New York until her sentencing on May 13. She faces up to 25 years behind bars after being convicted of shooting acquaintance Makeda Barnes Joseph in the abdomen following a row outside a club in the Big Apple.

But the 26-year-old, who is of African American origin, insists she expected the jury to return a guilty verdict, claiming they were biased against her skin color and chosen career path.

Still proclaiming her innocence, she tells DJ Kay Slay, "Just because 12 people say something, who weren't there, does not mean nothing. I'm not even mad at people.

I'm mad at money or what lack of does to people. It's really sad. Ain't (sic) nothing changed, because I'm on the Island...(I'm) still the Queen of NY. Don't be mistaken about a jury that was not my peers. There was no tan (or) dark brown, Black - nothing - on that jury. It's a whole conspiracy against rappers right now so I already knew what it was."

Beyonce's got one hell of a prenup with Jay-Z

YardFlex gleaned that Beyonce has got the mother of all pre nuptials agreement with hubby Jay Z that could result in adding another $25 mil to her already huge net.

Word is that the longer Beyonce stays married to S. Carter, the more money he pays. The thirty-eight year old Carter's net worth is estimated at $300 million.

It is no secret that Jay-Z adores Beyonce, and was pretty much willing to give her almost anything she wanted. The prenup calls for Jay-Z to pay Beyonce $10 million if the marriage ends after two years, and $1 million a year for each further year she remains in the marriage, up to fifteen years.

"Beyonce would be granted access to their private jet and a fleet of cars, which includes a $1 million 1959 Rolls Royce convertible," this according to a tabloid snitch.

Jay's thrown in a few incentives for having children: He's promised to pay her an additional $5 million for each child she bears for him-for her loss of income during pregnancy and child-rearing years."

Damn, talk about a match made in heaven...go Beyonce...this is what we would call a sweet deal.

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Mariah Carey Weds At Her Home In The Bahamas

Wow! News has been circulating on the internet that Mariah Carey tied the knot with Nick Cannon the 27 year old who was cast as her lover in her new video...but is it a real life situation?

According to several published reports, Carey, 38, married Cannon, 27, on Wednesday. If the pair did indeed wed, it would be a whirlwind romance. Word that the two were seeing each other first surfaced in the last few weeks. Last Saturday, Carey was seen sporting a huge diamond ring on her finger at the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of her movie, "Tennessee," in which she plays a waitress. Cannon was at her side at the party. Speculation swirled that the couple were engaged.

Latina.com was first to report that the two got married, at Carey's home in the Bahamas.

Friday's New York Post also has the pair wed and E! Online quoted a relative of Cannon's as saying that he called his family and confirmed the news.

"He called us and told us all about it. We are happy for him. If that is what he wants then we are happy for him," Linda Cannon, identified simply as a family member, was quoted telling E!

Cannon has put out a rap album, but is best known for his role in the movie 'Drumline' and he's featured in Carey's upcoming video for 'Bye Bye.'

The release described it as 'crafted from platinum and features a square emerald cut fancy light pink diamond as the center stone surrounded by 58 intense pink diamonds and two half moon diamonds on each side. 'The total carat weight of the ring center stone is 10 carats is a jaw-dropping 17 carats with a value of $2.5 million.'

Another secret Hollywood wedding...could it be Mariah is taking notes from Beyonce?

Whitney Houston's daughter held knife on her?

If the reports in the National Enquirer are to be believed then they alleged that during an argument with her mother, Whitney Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina tried to stab the legendary songbird before attempting to turn the knife on herself!

The magazine reported that the confrontation took place during an argument which took place a few days before strong>Kristina's 15th birthday. Family friend Ann Davis wouldn't give out too many details, but confirmed that Kristina "tried to stab" her mother with a razor, then started trying to cut herself.

Davis goes on to claim that the incident was touched off over Kristina's reluctance to live with Whitney.

Sources also revealed that Bobbi is getting help as she has landed in a Atlanta psychiatric ward as a result of her actions.

Houston's reps declined to comment.

Whew! You all, if this is true the family really needs help!

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Is Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon Engaged?

Mariah Carey is generating some huge speculations. It seems the presence of a ring on her engagement finger have tongues wagging.

The singer wore a gigantic ring on a very important finger at the afterparty for her film, Tennessee Saturday night and Nick Cannon remained by her side the entire night, PEOPLE reported.

According to the mag, the pair held hands at the Cadillac Lounge at Tenjune. The pair were also spotted canoodling on April 14 in Vegas. Cannon's rep had no comment while Carey's was not available for comment. And while her new album E=mc2 is currently breaking records, she has a really big fan in Cannon. When asked what he loved about Carey he told PEOPLE, "Everything."

Hmm, wonder if we will be hearing anything further on this one.

By: Michelle Thomas

Collie Buddz commanded the stage in Hollywood, CA with his first appearance at the World Famous Roxy. Hollywood fans anxiously stood in anticipation for Buddz to hit the stage as the New Kingston Band opened the show. Once his name was announced, fans went wild. Buddz had Hollywood in the palm of his hand, as the crowd danced and sang along to hits like "Tomorrow's Another Day", "What A Feeling", "Sensimillia", and "Let Me Know". He swooned and hypnotized the ladies with a special dedication to "Gimmie Love" and "Mamacita"

Collie challenged the audience with a money giveaway if someone could recite lyrics to an acapella verse he dropped, although no one was successful. The venue lit up with lighters and cell phones with renditions of Bob Marley's "Stir It Up" and "No Woman No Cry". A lucky fan melted as Buddz' gave his towel away as a memento. He closed out his set with hit single "Come Around". Buddz left fans cravin more and did an encore performance with "Blind To You". Stay tuned to an upcoming interview with Collie Buddz.

Poor Whitney...don't know what happened but YardFlex understands she totally lost it at a Caribbean concert. While performing in Tobago on Sunday she lost her voice and not only that but she kept saying "I love you Trinidad!" the people were like, "this is Tobago!" But the people were like, "This is Tobago!"

The pop diva was nearing the end of a 30-minute performance at the Plymouth Jazz Festival when her voice became so raspy she was unable to hit the high notes of her hit single "I Will Always Love You." And the star's vocal strain was not her only embarrassment of the evening.

The star, who cashed in a reported $3 million for the gig, gave her thanks to the crowd at the show's finale, shouting repeatedly, "I love you, Trinidad," despite performing in the southern Caribbean island of Tobago.

Oh boy according to reports coming out of that part of the island Whitney seemed totally out of it.

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Wesley Snipes gets 3 years for tax evasion

Actor Wesley Snipes, star of such films as Jungle Fever, New Jack City, White Men Can't Jump, and the Blade trilogy, was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison by a U.S. District Court Judge for failing to file taxes to an alleged total of $2.7 million in back taxes.

Snipes was acquitted of felony fraud and conspiracy charges in February, but the law caught up to the Blade star after the courts confirmed Snipes hadn't filed a tax return since 1998. Sources report that Judge William Terrell Hodges revealed to the court that Snipes has displayed a history of contempt with regard to his taxes and handed down the maximum penalty for the charges, as some sources report was an action taken to make an example out of the star given his evasion. In an attempt to stave of incarceration, Snipes offered the government $5 million dollars in an effort to serve time in house arrest instead of prison. Despite Snipes' attempt to make good on his taxes and testimony to his character from the likes of Denzel Washington and Woody Harrelson, the Judge determined Snipes would be sent to prison for his crime.

According to the Associated Press, Snipes admitted to the court via a written and prepared apologetic statement that he indeed made mistakes in his life, "I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance..."

The AP goes on to report that Snipes will still be a free man until the court notifies him of the appropriate time to surrender to authorities. However, Snipes and his lawyers have also let the court know they will be seeking an appeal.

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Snoop Dogg allowed back in England

A British judge has ruled rapper Snoop Dogg can enter Britain after the country's Home Office said his presence was non-conducive to the public good.

Snoop Dogg, whose birth name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus, may be traveling to Britain after the Home Office's ban on him was reversed by an immigration appeals judge, The Times of London reported Thursday.

According to wjbt.com Britain reportedly denied Snoop an entrance visa after he was accused, along with five members of his entourage, of initiating a fight at London's Heathrow Airport in 2006.

The accusations changed Wednesday when Judge George Warr decided the fight was precipitated by decisions made by BA staff and police. Warr supported the January ruling of immigration judge Nehar Bird, who said officials did not prove Snoop's ban from Britain would be good for the public. Warr said no proof existed that Snoop started the fight, dismissing the Home Office's appeal to Bird's January ruling, the Times reported.

Actor Orlando Brown has resurfaced

According to AP, Orlando Brown, a star of Disney Channel's "That's So Raven."

The 20-year-old actor and aspiring musician disappeared Tuesday morning without word. He re-emerged Wednesday and issued a lengthy statement.

"It was wrong for me not to inform my manager...about my whereabouts, especially when I am usually so routine and big on communication, but I felt a little lost and needed to get away," Brown said in a statement released Wednesday by his publicist, Elayne Rivers.

Brown went on to say he was upset at "how we as entertainers are so disrespected at times" after an incident at a nightclub where he had expected to open for the headlining act.

"I felt that that was my chance to prove that I was talented and I was really excited," Brown said. "When I was told that I couldn't perform...that really hurt. It got a bit overwhelming and I needed to be alone."

He apologized to his friends and fans and thanked them for their support, wrapping the page-long statement with "I have no further comments."

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Rapper Treach being questioned by cops

Naughty By Nature rapper Treach has been questioned by police in relation to shootings in Newark, New Jersey.

According to wjbt.com the hip-hop star - real name Anthony Criss - was taken in for police questioning on Tuesday after he was spotted driving erratically in the city. When cops pulled him over, they found him wearing a bulletproof vest - although no weapon was found in his Hummer.

A gun was later retrieved near the spot where Treach had been stopped, although it is unclear whether it belongs to the star.

The 37-year-old was detained for several hours by Newark authorities who are investigating a double murder, after two men got into an altercation and shot and killed each other. Five other people have also been wounded in separate incidents across the city in a violent 24-hour period between Monday and Tuesday, reports AllHipHop.com.

It is currently unknown whether Treach is under official police investigation in relation to the shootings.

Rapper Kanye West has begged concert-goers at his recent Sacramento, California gig for forgiveness, after he gave a shout out to the city during his show-- but accidentally called out 'Seattle', this according a report on Starpulse.com.

The "Stronger" singer was performing at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento as part of his Glow In The Dark Tour on Friday, when he made the slip up during the song "Good Life"...just two days after playing in Seattle, Washington.

West only realized his mistake when the audience failed to respond to his shout out, and he admits he tried to pretend as if nothing had happened by mumbling the words for the remainder of the song.

In a new internet blog post titled 'Please forgive me Sac-Town', he writes: "I can't believe I bust a spinal tap! It's no excuse for this I wish I could sink in a black whole (sic). When I said Seattle and there was no crowd response I was up on my spaceship platform thinking damn... I think I just said the wrong city!!!!! I kind of muffled the words so I was praying nobody really caught it. I guess all those hours that me and Phill spent making my mic clear as possible back fired on me! We had a lot of problems with the video servers on the first 3 songs and that completely threw me off! Hey, I'm not perfect. Hope everybody had a good time. I'm a man, I can say it... I'm sorry."

On Wednesday Santo Miami Beach, 430 Lincoln Road it will be a Miami Live night like no other when Trina takes center stage at the club.

Promoters Abebe Lewis and Michael Madd (the blogger) are promising a great party which will include a taste of Caribbean and American mix. "Basically it will be a mixture of everything. American Idol/American Unplugged..." Abebe assured.

Motivated by his dad Abebe Lewis the son of Inner Circle's bass player Ian, he certainly knows how ensure that music lovers get their full dose and party in style.

That's what Miami Live is all about on a Wednesday night, good music, lots of fun and a chance to enjoy the best musical offering that Miami has to offer.

This Wednesday, it will be an All White Affair with Trina and the idea came about because the promoters wanted to "show her some love" after she sold 42,000 copies independently in her first week with the only investor being Ted Lucas, CEO of Slip and Slide Records, South Florida's #1 Independent label.

Patrons coming out to ensure Miami Live can expect a great performance from Trina and the promoters are hinting at some special surprise...with a mischievous grin Abebe teased, "you will never know who will be at Miami Live if you ain't there. It could be anybody from Madonna to Usher."

You really don't want to take that chance of missing out! The next attraction at the club will be sponsored by Bad Boy's P. Diddy who takes charge of the month of May...so patrons really can't afford to miss a Wednesday as they never know which night he and his gang...Danity Kane and Day 26 will be passing through.

As the duo look toward the future they are gearing up for their own reality show on BET...well if their campaign pays off that is.

Foxy out of jail!

Rapper Foxy Brown is out of jail! Fans greeted her on Friday as she made her exit outside Rikers Island where she was.

According to reports Foxy said the first place she wants to go is church. "I've fot to get on my knees" she was quoted as saying. But things didn't go according to plan, the rapper instead went shopping in Harlem, had some soul food and was driven to her childhood home in Brooklyn...according to reports.

Her mother, Judith Marchand, presented her with smiley-face balloons and the two hugged outside the family's home in the Prospect Heights neighborhood. A VH1 crew captured the reunion for an upcoming reality show."I did almost a year in prison, a year in prison, just because my name is Foxy Brown," she said.

Brown, whose real name is Inga Marchand, was sentenced in September 2007 to a year in jail for violating the terms of her probation after she was accused of hitting a woman with a cell phone. She was on probation for an August 2004 attack on two manicurists at a Manhattan nail salon. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in the 2004 incident.

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Mariah ticks off fans

Fans of Mariah Carey booed the pop superstar at an autograph signing on Thursday when she showed up two hours late and left before signing albums for devotees who had waited eight hours to meet her.

The singer, who was promoting her new album E=MC2 at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles, left tired fans fuming when she stopped signing and "went home."

Carey fans, who waited in line to meet their heroine, have flooded the Internet to slam the diva, claiming she showed up two hours late and didn't stay around long enough to meet and greet the 1,000 devotees who were promised time with the singer.

One angry fan says, "The first 1,000 people who bought her album from (record store) FYE got a guaranteed meet and greet (wristband), but she left with more than a hundred people still waiting. Some fans booed and others even trashed their copies of Mariah's new CD and yelled profanities at her."

Sunday April 20th is set to be a big day in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as 'Reggae Symphony' will bring a fusion of genres to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

Billed as an evening of 'Classical Reggae', the night will be filled with stellar melodies from some of Reggae's mightiest icons. Reggae pioneer John Holt, O.D. and Grammy nominated, reggae ambassador Freddie McGregor are slated to perform and they will be accompanied by the silky-smooth sounds of The New York Symphony Reggae Strings Orchestra as well as the accomplished Lloyd Parks and We the People Band.

Under the distinguished patronage of the Consul General of Jamaica for the Southeast United States, Mr. Ricardo Allicock, the black-tie event is being presented by main sponsors, County Line Chiropractic Centers.

Thrilled to be associated with this South Florida debut, CEO of County Line Chiropractic Centers, Dr. Robert Hochstein said, "We anticipate an entertaining evening of the highest calibre which we all will enjoy."

Reggae Symphony boasts a 2001 beginning that saw a sold-old crowd respond with great enthusiasm at the London Apollo. Produced by Riddims Marketing Inc. and Big Ship Music Inc., that show fused the two legendary voices of John Holt and Freddie McGregor with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, making harmonious waves.

It created such a stir, that demands were high for the show to be staged in New York and it traveled from London, England in October; again playing to a sold-out crowd.

John Holt, who has maintained his thousand bolts of energy throughout the years, is best remembered as the lead singer of The Paragons. One of his most famous hit songs, "The Tide Is High," was made more popular by Blondie.

Freddie McGregor sits at the helm of 'Big Ship Music Inc.' and is best remembered by a slew of hits including, "Big Ship" and "Push Come To Shove." He is currently working on his first film project that aims at unifying the cultures of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The indomitable Lloyd Parks brings decades of driving rhythmic experience to this wonderful event with his top of the line band.

This reggae classical fusion has definitely made a mark in music history and if previous audience responses are any indication, the South Florida presentation will absolutely blow you away.

Tickets are available at all five County Line Chiropractic Centers, the Broward Center Box office, online at www.browardcenter.org and at selected Caribbean outlets.

Support for this performance is provided by Jamaica National Money Transfer, Air Jamaica, HOT105 FM, Elegant Affairs, Whiz Communications, Infinite Markets and FUNSATION4.

Please note it's a formal affair.

According to a new report from Smoking Gun posted on E! online the gangsta-posturing rapper, who has extolled his bad-boy past in hit albums like Trouble and Konvicted, is more hoodwinker than hoodlum.

The investigative site has dug into the rapper's claims, first spouted during his promotion for his 2004 debut, Trouble, that he served four and a half years in a Georgia prison in the 1990s as the "ringleader of a notorious car theft operation" and owned four chop shops frequented by "celebrities and drug dealers." Upon following up with many of the detectives that worked his case, the Smoking Gun reports that the hip-hopster was merely busted in 1998 in suburban Atlanta for driving a stolen BMW and ended up being held in a DeKalb County jail for five months before prosecutors dropped all charges against him.

While rising to the top of the hip-hop heap, Akon told tall tales of getting ratted out by lower-ranking peeps in the underworld, facing upwards of 75 years in the joint, having to fend for himself behind bars as a "150-pound inmate" who "fought almost every day for two years" and being feared by fellow convicts. The stories ended up being fodder for many of his hit tracks, like "Locked Up," which helped him sell millions of albums and gave the 35-year-old emcee the kind of street cred accorded bigger rivals 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and the late masters Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G.

While Akon has been arrested on six occasions, only one was a felony—a gun-possession rap to which he pleaded guilty and received three years' probation. The rest were all minor exploits that, aside from the car stunt, did not lead to any significant jail time.

Akon recently touted his fabricated résumé on VH1's Rags to Riches program in February, asserting that he was once a carjacker who "used to literally snatch cars from people and they would be traumatized for months."

While the chart-topping, Grammy-nominated performer, whose real name is Aliaune Badara Thiam, has apparently exaggerated his past misdeeds, he does have his share of real recent troubles. In December, he was arrested and charged with harassment and endangering the welfare of a child in Fishkill, N.Y., at a June 2007 concert. He allegedly called a teenager up onstage for throwing a pretzel at him and then tossed the young fan headfirst into the crowd. Two months earlier, Akon took lots of heat for having simulated sex with a 14-year-old girl he pulled onstage during a show in Trinidad. He subsequently apologized, saying he didn't realize she was underage.

Looks like Ashanti may be ready to open up about what went down between her and rapper Nelly. According to mediatakeout.com Ashanti is expected to directly discuss her relationship with Nelly - and how it made its way into the lyrics on her new album The Declaration.

A source from Ashanti's camp told the web site that Ashanti's looking to come clean about everything. "Ashanti's been very guarded in the way she discusses her personal life - and I think that's hurt her. In her new album "The Declaration" she's not afraid to open up and let fans into her life."

After the question was asked whether Ashanti's new song "The Way That I Love You" was about herself and Nelly, the insider told the site directly - "Yes!!" Here are some of the lyrics to the song:

After all of these times that we've tried
I found out we were living a lie
And after all of this love that we made
I know now you don't love me the same

Everything you did, and everything you said and
And now I'm standing here looking like damn..
I thought it was you and I
Now all I got to say is why?

Marilyn Monroe sex reel sells for 1.5 million dollars

According to a report in the New York Post a 15-minute film clip of late movie legend Marilyn Monroe giving oral sex to an unidentified man was sold Monday to a businessman, who chose to remain anonymous, for 1.5 million dollars.

The film is a copy of a 1950s black-and-white 16-millimeter clip owned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, whose first director Edgar Hoover tried but failed to prove the man in it...who never shows his face was US president John F. Kennedy.

According to the daily news, the clip was sold through an intermediary identified as Keya Morgan, who apparently found it while filming a documentary on Monroe, who died in 1962.

Kennedy, who was rumored to have had a sexual relationship with Monroe at some time, was assassinated in 1963.

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Rob Lowe's Nanny takes him and his wife to court

The Nanny diaries have now hit the courts and the public are now wind of the allegations.

Jessica Gibson filed a sexual-harassment lawsuit against Lowe and his wife, Sheryl Berkoff, Monday, one week after the actor filed a preemptive civil action against the employee, citing breach of confidentiality.

According to E! 24-year-old Gibson, who is being represented by camera-friendly attorney Gloria Allred, filed her 18-page complaint in Santa Barbara court. Among the more damning allegations, Gibson claims she was sexually assaulted, battered and harassed by both Lowe and Berkoff and, to top it off, wasn't properly paid for hours and overtime she worked.

Per court papers, Gibson claims the former West Wing star repeatedly exposed himself to her and inappropriately touched her, alleging that he "placed his hand inside Gibson's pants in order to touch her crotch" several times between September 2005 and January 2008. She also alleged that in December 2007, the 44-year-old "grabbed Gibson's buttocks without consent."

As for Berkoff, Gibson said the 46-year-old makeup artist walked around the house naked, made vulgar comments and frequently discussed her sex life with the allegedly unwitting nanny.

In the wake of the filing, Gibson and Allred both turned up on the Today show Tuesday to further advance their cause. Gibson said she twice tried to leave the Lowes' employ, only to return each time asking for more hours. She kept working, and coming back, because of her fondness for the Lowe's children and her fear of celebrity retribution. "I love the children, I needed the job, and I always thought it would get better and I was scared," she said.

She finally resigned for good on Feb. 24, informing the couple via email.

Animal rights group PETA has sent Beyoncé Knowles a fake fur throw as a wedding present.

The singer tied the knot with rapper Jay-Z last week and the group gave her the fashion item in the hope that it will change her attitude towards wearing fur.

According to digital spy.com, a statement from the group read: "From all of us at PETA, we wish you much happiness in your life together. Please accept this faux-fur throw with many good wishes and a hope from us that together, you'll be a fur-free couple!"

Beyoncé was previously attacked by PETA for wearing a mink coat to the premiere of The Pink Panther. The group had also tried to force her to watch a video of an animal being skinned.

PETA Vice President Lisa Lange said: "Celebrities know that the easiest way to keep PETA off their backs is by keeping fur off their backs. Time will tell if Beyoncé is truly committed to being fur-free."

Now it is clear that we are heading for trouble with this gay war...when the church gets involved and gets on the side of the immoral struggle.

Adding yet more fuel to the fire that is the Anglican Church's debate on homosexuality, the head of the Anglican Church has backed a church school's decision to deny gay students' request to bring same-sex partners to a school dance.

Several gay students at the Anglican Church Grammar School 215 had requested to take their partners to the Year 12's end of year dance. Current policy dictates that one can only attend with a member of the opposite sex, however.

The headmaster, Jonathan Henman, had said that tradition was only opposite sex couples went to the dance, although he was open to discussing the issue with students. However, he believed the dance was to emphasize interaction between members of the opposite sex. For now, the policy still stands.

Anglican Archbishop Phillip Aspinall said he was behind the headmaster's decision to deny same-sex couples entry to the dance.

Aspinall said: "I have no personal objection to a school deciding to allow boys to take friends who are boys or girls to take friends who are girls to school formals."

He added: "But I understand in this particular instance the school has decided that its approach is to emphasize the interaction of young men and young women and providing them with an opportunity to do that in this kind of formal setting. And I have no objection to that either. I think that's a reasonable and legitimate approach."

Britney Spears in minor Car accident

Britney Spears' motoring misfortunes continue. The pop star was involved in a minor traffic accident late Saturday, but no one was injured and no vehicles were damaged, authorities said.

Spears was driving her 2008 Mercedes on the eastbound Ventura Freeway just east of the 405 freeway about 8:20 p.m. when the mishap occurred, said California Highway Patrol Officer Patrick Kimball.

Spears was in stop-and-go traffic when her car struck a 2006 Nissan in front of her that had stopped. The Nissan then pushed forward into another vehicle. No damage was noted to any of the vehicles.

The CHP took a report and no one was cited.

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Foxy Brown to be releaed next week

Rapper Foxy Brown will be released from jail April 18, after serving eight months at New York's Rikers Island, this according to her manager.

They had her on continuous lock down just because she is a celebrity. They were trying to break her spirit," Chaz Williams said.

According to Reuters News, Williams revealed that Brown, born Inga Marchand, is in talks with a couple of television networks for a potential documentary and reality show on her life. Upon her release, Brown will also prepare for the release of her oft-delayed album, "Brooklyn's Don Diva," now due May 13. "She's going to get on top of her career again. She's ready to hit the ground running and do anything she needs to do to get her career back on point," Williams said.

Brown was sentenced on September 8 to a year in jail for violating her probation after several arrests, including an altercation with two nail salon employees in August 2004 and assaulting a neighbor with a BlackBerry.

According to mediatakeout.com, Hon. Michael Misick, Premiere of The Turks & Caicos, is being investigated for the sexual assault of a woman.

Details are still sketchy, but the American woman who is making the allegations claims to have been assaulted over the weekend. While it's not clear, the woman may have been a celebrity friend of the Premiere's actress wife Lisa Raye Misick.

Last night Premiere Misick addressed the allegations directly - vehemently denying them.

Below is a video with an an official statement that Premiere Misick offered with respect to the rape allegations that mediatakeout.com exclusively reported to you earlier.

Allison Hinds continues her reign as an undisputed Queen of Soca with recent nominations for two separate prestigious Caribbean music awards.

Following the November, 2007 release of her Salaam Remi produced debut solo album, "Soca Queen," Alison picked up four nominations in the categories: 'Best Soca Artist' and 'Best Calypso Act' for the first annual Caribbean Urban Music Awards 2008; and 'Best Music Video (Roll It Gal)' and 'Best Calypso/Soca Entertainer' for the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA).

Both ceremonies are uniquely positioned to glean the people's choice; with voting opportunities for the Urban Music Awards and IRAWMA currently open at www.urbanmusicawards.net and www.martinsinterculture.com respective

Fans of Allison Hinds are urged to log on, register and make your vote count.

On April 26, the Caribbean Urban Music Awards will hold its inaugural Caribbean ceremony at James Bond Beach in Ocho Rios. Allison and other nominees were short listed from an impressive 1.5 million hopefuls, spanning the globe.

IRAWMA gets underway on May 4 at the world famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York. Caribbean and World Beat music lovers have for years flocked this one of a kind award show that is the longest running of its sort in the world. Voting for IRAWMA ends online by April 20.

27th INT'L REGGAE AND WORLD MUSIC AWARDS (IRAWMA) AT APOLLO THEATER IN NEW YORK CITY ON MAY 4, 2008

(Chicago, IL/New York, NY) – April, 2008 – Dr. Roland Rose, who has served the Jamaica, New York area for several years, is the Best Female Vocalist category sponsor of the prestigious 27th Annual International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA), produced by Martin's International & Associates, LLC. The Caribbean-oriented event, which is dedicated to health awareness, returns to Harlem at the world famous Apollo Theater, located at 253 West 125th Street, NYC, on Sunday, May 4, 2008. A VIP reception begins at 6:00 pm and general admission is at 7:00 pm.

Dr. Roland Rose located at 108-25 Merrick Boulevard; Jamaica, NY 11433 has been practicing medicine in the Jamaica, New York area for many years and servicing quite a few patients with great success. Today, Dr. Roland Rose and ACE Medical Rehabilitation, PC continues the same great services as the previous Rose Chiropractic Health & Wellness, PC to many more patients locally as well as throughout the world.

"IRAWMA executives and its media partners warmly welcome Dr. Roland Rose on board with great anticipation of a partnership that will last for years to come servicing the chiropractic needs of national and international patrons of the 27th IRAWMA," said Ephraim Martin, founder of IRAWMA.

The official announcements of the nominees were made recently to a packed house in the Jonkanoo Lounge at the Hilton Hotel in New Kingston, Jamaica. Special guest artists, celebrities and media personalities such as Miss Jamaica World 2007, Yendi Phillips, Ce'cile, D'Angel, Norma Brown Bell - RJR, Lovindeer, Copeland Forbes, Claudette Kenlock - Hilton Kingston, Winford Williams, Candice Bucannan, and Milk of CVM-TV were on hand to announce the 2007 nominees.

Leading with IRAWMA's most nominations for 2007 is Tarrus Riley, with a mega seven (7) nods, including Best Male Vocalist and Best Song, for the female anthem "She's Royal." Gangster DJ Mavado has five (5) nods from IRAWMA for Best Male DJ, Best Album, Best Recording Artist(s), Songwriter of the Year, and Community Service.

Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Steven Marley, Shaggy, and Sean Kingston all received four (4) nominations, while Kymani Marley, Junior Reid and Soca star Machel Montano each received three (3) nominations. Reid, competing against himself, is nominated twice in the same category...Best Crossover for his hits with Alicia Keys and rapper MIMS.

Other nominees include: Ziggy Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Rihanna, Jay Z, Kanye West, Wyclef Jean, King Sunny Ade, Sly and Robbie, Youssou N'Dour, Toots & the Maytals, Beres Hammond, Daddy Yankee, Marc Anthony, Shakira, Angela Kidjo, Femi Kuti, and Jah Cure.

Ephraim Martin announced that the preliminary list of performers are Beenie Man, Kymani Marley, Shaggy, Doug E. Fresh, Macka Diamond, Tarrus Riley, Etana, Junior Reid, Queen Ifrika, Dean Fraser and Friends, D'Angel, Cecile, Mutabaruka, Freddie McGregor, Dwight, Shelia Hylton, Duane Stephenson, and Winsome Benjamin. Machel Mantano, Buju Banton will be among the presenters for the star studded event. The full list of performers and presenters will be announced soon.

Other IRAWMA representatives at the press conference were Directors Clifton Edwards and Austin McBean, Randy Connor, as well as Jamaica representatives Karlene Levy and Teddy Laidley.

Music lovers traveling from overseas or outside the state of New York are advised to secure their tickets now as seats are limited. EARLY BIRD TICKETS are available at the following prices: VIP PLATINUM $125, VIP GOLD $99 and GENERAL ADMISSION $53. TICKETS CAN BE ORDERED AT WWW.TICKETMASTER.COM, 212-307-7171, OR AT THE APOLLO BOX OFFICE, 212-531-5305.

Sponsors and prospective partners for this highly anticipated event include: Dr. Roland Rose, American Airlines, Carib News, JAMROCK Magazine/LinkUp Media, Carib News, Sam's Caribbean Market Place/Sams24-7.com, Dennis Shipping, Atlas Vacations, Transcontinental Shippers, CVM-TV, Keeling Records, J & L Tax Consultant, NY Liberty Star Newspaper, Street Hype Newspaper, African Spectrum Newspaper, Ideal Health - Toni Haynes, Uptown Juice Bar, Baba Roots-USA, Eye Collection Clothing, SARFMRADIO.COM, Bennett Bridal/World Class Limousine, D. Wilshire Tux and Limo.

Music retailer iTunes recently announced the removal of several songs promoting anti-gay violence from its online store after protests led by Egale and Stop Murder Music (SMM).

According to pinke.biz the songs- by Jamaican artists TOK, Elephant Man and Buju Banton - have been removed from the Canadian version of iTunes' online store. Not only that, but iTunes went another step forward and removed the albums featuring the offending songs on their own initiative. Other albums by the artists will still be available.

Akim Larcher, founder of SMM, calls the decision a victory for gays in the Caribbean and Canada. He said: "iTunes is exercising its corporate responsibility by pulling this murder music and raising the bar for other retailers and distributors to do the same."

Egale and SMM hope that other music retailers will follow iTunes' lead and refuse to stock music with lyrics like the one's featured by Elephant Man: "Dance wi a dance and a bun out a freaky man" (meaning join our dance and burn out the queer man).

"We are extremely pleased with this decision. We have also contacted HMV, Archambault Inc, and Amazon.ca and we are optimistic that they will follow iTunes lead," said Helen Kennedy of Egale Canada.

Human rights activists have become increasingly concerned with the plight of gay men and women in the Caribbean. Music promoting the murder and assault of gays has become distressingly common, and homosexuals face violence in everyday life.

Toni Braxton hospitalized

Platinum selling multiple award singer, Toni Braxton was hospitalized Monday night after suffering from chest pains, according to a report from People.com.

"We wish Toni a quick recovery and would like her to take the time she needs to regain optimal health," said president of
Flamingo Las Vegas, Don Marrandino. "We are looking forward to her return at the end of the week."

Braxton took Tuesday night off, and was not scheduled to perform Sunday or Monday night in her show.

The singer suffers from the heart condition pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart. This year, Braxton became a spokesperson for the American Heart Association.

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Swayze 'Thrilled' With Cancer Treatment

Good news for all the fans of Patrick Swayze. He has been responding well to cancer treatment and his family is thrilled and grateful for the positive response the actor has shown towards his treatment.

The actor was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year and is undergoing chemotherapy.

Patrick Swayze is responding well to his treatment for pancreatic cancer and remains optimistic about his recovery. He and his wife say, "We can't help but feel that all the prayers, meditations and good thoughts sent his way by everyone has made a difference. Thank you!"

A March 17 article published in the The Los Angeles Times...written by writer Chuck Philips, has been retracted. The article claimed Sean "Diddy" Combs and industry vet Jimmy Rosemond had prior knowledge of a 1994 ambush on Tupac Shakur.

In the article Philips insinuated that Combs and Rosemond had organized the attack on Shakur because they were angry that he had rejected an offer to sign with Combs' Bad Boy Records label.

The Smoking Gun, a Web site that specializes in uncovering news from legal documents and court filings, questioned the article, saying that it believed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation documents used by the Times were forgeries.

The Times immediately launched an investigation, which led to an apology on March 27 from both Philips and his supervisor, deputy managing editor, Marc Duvoisin. The story has since been removed from the Times Web site, and comments made by Philips in two online chats as well as a blog were also retracted.

In the retraction, the LA Times, said, "To the extent these publications could be interpreted as creating the impression that Combs was involved in arranging the attack, The Times wishes to correct that misimpression, which was neither stated in the article nor intended."

Rosemond's attorney Jeffrey Lichtman released a statement Monday saying his client is "pleased" with the retraction, he added, "We hope that in the future the Times recognizes that fabricating scurrilous accusations in an effort to sell newspapers completely undermines their credibility and guarantees that any profits made from selling such garbage will be disgorged in litigation."

Ray J moves from sex tape to new album

LOS ANGELES - Ray J is cruising down the Hollywood Freeway in his black Lamborghini when fans in a passing car recognize him. The singer/actor/sex-tape star slows down so they can snap a photo. In an interview with AP news Ray J said his main goal right now is to get his music out there and to put his acting skills back on track. "I really know how to sing and create and put things together that entertain...be it controversially or be it from music or acting," he told the web site.

The infamous sex tape, which also shot Kardashian to a new level of notoriety, was made in Cabo San Lucas on the socialite's birthday five years ago. Ray J says the two had been a couple for "four years off and on," and insists the video was made strictly for private purposes.
"We were just having fun, letting it all hang out," he says. "But I didn't think they were going to see it actually hanging out," he told AP.

He says he doesn't know how porn purveyors Vivid Entertainment got a hold of the video, but he and Kardashian filed lawsuits after its release. Both reportedly settled for multimillion-dollar sums. The experience and its aftermath inspired his new music. He says that Lil' Kim lured him into the studio, and his mom and manager, Sonja Norwood, urged him to release the album on his own Knockout Entertainment label.

Musically, things are looking good so far. The album's single, "Sexy Can I," is a legitimate hit, currently sixth on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and the video is getting play on MTV and BET.

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Rob Lowe -- The Bitch Set Me Up!

Wow...such strong language, but it's safe to say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Rob Lowe says he's about to be blackmailed by a former employee and he's not taking it lying down.

According to tmz.com Lowe claims that a woman who worked for him for seven years just demanded $1.5 million in hush money, otherwise she's going to accuse him of what he calls "false terribles." Taking the first swing, Lowe, in a column on the Huffington Post, reveals two text messages the woman in question left for his wife, which don't suggest any "anguish" or unhappiness. Rob even asked his Rabbi for advice on how to deal with the situation. It's a shonda!

Hmm, let's see how this one plays out...interesting!

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Naomi Campbell banned from British Airways

Super model Naomi Campbell didn't stop throwing her tantrums until she received her reward - being banned from British Airways! Well that has not been confirmed as yet though.

Her ban resulted from she was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

According to a Reuters report, the 37-year-old, released on bail pending an investigation into the incident, said she hoped the row with the airline could be resolved "amicably."

BA said it had not made any announcement regarding Campbell. When asked about a report in the Mirror tabloid saying she had been banned, a spokesman said:

"We don't comment in detail about matters relating to individual passengers.

"All incidents of abuse against passengers or staff are taken extremely seriously by BA and will not be tolerated. We deal with cases on an individual basis and will take whatever action we feel is necessary."

Campbell's spokeswoman in London added: "Naomi has been flying with British Airways for nearly 30 years and has been a good customer. She hopes this can be resolved amicably."

Well from our side, it's time she stopped behaving like a spoilt brat and act her age!

It's official! According to E! Online, Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z, a match made in musical heaven, tied the knot in New York on Friday, just three days after setting tongues wagging by taking out a marriage license and hours after what appeared to be the signs of lavish (and possibly nuptial) party preparations compelled dozens of reporters and photographers to gather outside Jay-Z's Tribeca loft.

There has been no official confirmation from the couple yet, although all signs point toward holy secret matrimony. Alan Nierob, Beyoncé's publicist, said he had "no comment" on the matter.

The intimate affair was attended by about two dozen friends and family members. Among those present: the parents of the bride and groom; Knowles' kid sis, Solange; Jay-Z's mother, Gloria Carter; former Destiny's Child mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams; and Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, who has collaborated with Jigga. Most were dressed in white. Also present: the Knowles' family minister from Houston, who presumably officiated.

According to various media reports, the Roman numeral IV was also prevalent throughout the party, in honor not only of the wedding month and day (4/4/08), but because the number holds special significance for the couple, each of whom was born on the fourth of the month—September for Knowles, December for the man born Shawn Carter.

The duo's well-seasoned wedding rumors picked up speed on Tuesday, when People reported the superstars obtained a marriage license in Scarsdale Village, New York. Adding to the deafening wedding buzz leading up to the vow swap was the descending of likely wedding guests on New York, chief among them Rowland and Williams. The particularly giddy twosome posted a video online Thursday evening from what they teasingly referred to as an "undisclosed location," later revealing it to be the Four Seasons.

Knowles, 26, and Jay-Z, 38, have been together for nearly six years.

Don't expect much of a honeymoon, though. The rapper, on the verge of signing a whopping $150 million music deal with Live Nation, has concerts scheduled for Saturday in Greensboro, N.C., and Sunday in Washington, D.C.

Mariah Carey has surpassed Elvis Presley's record 18 number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100, this with her new single, "Touch My Body."

She reaches a once-in-a-lifetime career achievement as she is now the only active recording artist in the 50 years of the Hot 100 (which began in 1958) with the potential to surpass the Beatles' all-time high of 20 number one hits.

"Touch My Body" is number one with an all-time record-setting debut week at number one on the Billboard hot digital songs chart; and a Hot 100 airplay radio audience exceeding 115 million. The video is now at number one on the Yahoo Music Video Chart.

The first single from Mariah's highly anticipated hot new album titled "E=MC²," "Touch My Body," will be available in stores as of April 15. Pre-orders are now underway for "E=MC²," with iTunes customers receiving "Touch My Body" instantly with their pre-order.

"Touch My Body" was produced by Mariah Carey, C. "Tricky" Stewart, and fellow Island Def Jam artist The-Dream. Other guest producers joining Mariah on "E=MC²" include Jermaine Dupri, DJ Toomp, Stargate, Will I Am, Bryan Michael Cox, Nate "Danjahandz" Hills and James Poyser. The album is executive produced by Mariah Carey and Antonio "LA" Reid, Chairman, Island Def Jam Music Group.

As the 11th studio album of her career, "E=MC²" follows "The Emancipation Of Mimi," Mariah's worldwide 10 million selling number one album, that generated three Grammy awards - including Best Contemporary R&B Album, two number one singles, and countless more honours during its 18-month stay on the charts. Released April 12, 2005, 'Mimi' was an industry phenomenon for the mega-platinum award-winning superstar. Soundscan's biggest-selling album of the year, it brought total sales of Mariah's albums, singles and videos to over 160 million worldwide, making her the top-selling female recording artist in history.

What's with Naomi Campbell, at her age one would think she would start exhibiting a more mature behavior, nope here she goes in another spat, again! Following her run in with the police at Heathrow airport she is now on bail .

According to AP news Campbell, 37, left the airport police station just after midnight. London's Metropolitan Police said she was released pending further inquiries and told to report to a police station in late May.

The London-born supermodel was arrested late Thursday on suspicion of assaulting an officer after police were called to a disturbance at the airport. Since Terminal 5 opened last week, more than 28,000 bags have been separated from their owners. Witnesses said Campbell was aboard a British Airways plane due to depart for Los Angeles when she became involved in a dispute because one of her bags had been lost. During the dispute, Campbell allegedly spit on the officer. Campbell's spokeswoman, Annabel Fox, said Campbell was traveling to the U.S. to attend a memorial service and had boarded the plane when she was told one of her two checked bags was missing.

British Airways "decided to resolve this by insisting she leave the flight and then called the police to forcibly eject her," Fox said. Campbell has a history of assaulting assistants and employees. In 2000, she pleaded guilty in Toronto to an assault charge for beating an assistant while making a film in 1998. Under an agreement with prosecutors, Campbell expressed remorse and was released without punishment or a criminal record.

In January 2007, Campbell pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault for throwing her cell phone at her maid in a dispute over a missing pair of jeans. She was ordered to do community service and attend a two-day anger-management program.

Not even a jail cell can stop the course of true love. According to a report on AP news The Grammy-nominated artist aims to marry her fiance, fellow rapper Papoose, at the city's Rikers Island jail while she awaits her sentencing for shooting a friend she suspected of stealing $3,000, lawyer Ivan Fisher said.

"They're much in love," Fisher said. "They're very committed to each other, and they had intended to marry one way or another." Remy Ma, whose real name is Remy Smith, was convicted last month of assault, weapon possession and attempted coercion in the July 2007 shooting after a party at a Manhattan nightclub.

The 26-year-old performer is being held without bail until her sentencing, set for April 23. She faces the possibility of up to 25 years in prison. About 200 weddings are performed each year at Rikers Island, which offers chaplains and chapels, said city Department of Correction spokesman Stephen Morello. Only two guests will be permitted, and the couple won't be allowed to wear rings with protruding gems. The Brooklyn rapper, whose real name is Shamele Mackie, also attracted attention with a track called "50 Shots," in which he vented his anger about a fatal 2006 New York City police shooting of an unarmed man who was hours away from getting married.

Photography By: Gavin Henriques and Max James

Lil' Wayne and Baby were among the artists that heat up BET's 7th annual Spring Bling which was held at Singers Island, Riviera Beach. West Palm Beach, Florida. This was the second year at this venue.

It was a three day event, with Sunday's event being hosted by 106 & Park's Terrence and Rocsi. There were performances by Lil' Wayne, Baby and Jim Jones gracing the stage on Sunday. Fun and entertainment was not restricted to stage performances as the hilarious couples competition had ladies blind folded and then they were asked to feel for their partner.

As if that were not enough laughter generating activity there was also lind folded chest painting competition, again the ladies were blind folded and asked to paint the picture on their men chest...the men were giving instructions and describing the pictures to the women – maad!

Jim Jones took to the stage, and performed his hit single "Ball Out." It was fever-pitched excitement when Lil Wayne and Baby performed songs such as 'Stunting like my daddy', 'Duffle Bag Boy', 'Pop Bottle.' It was even more crazy vibes when Lil Wayne did his latest single "Lollipop." They also called on stage Miami's own superstar DJ Khaled who lively up the crowd with hit after hits and repeatedly shouted "We The Best."

There were over 3500 people in attendance with the majority being college students. BET's Spring Bling provided laughter, entertainment and a whole lot of excitement.

Will Jayz and Beyonce be tying the knot soon?

It seems as if things are heating up between Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z, according to a report on people.com they have taken out a marriage license in Scarsdale, New York.

The pair obtained the license, which is valid for 60 days in New York State, on Tuesday morning (April 1), according to the report.

At press time, reps for the artists had no comment or could not be reached.

A source reportedly told UsMagazine.com on Tuesday that the couple have told friends they would like to marry in May after Jay-Z's tour with Mary J. Blige ends. "Jay is trying to pull it together quickly and on the fly to keep it private," the source told the site. "They really wanted it to be private." New York's Daily News reported this week that while Beyoncé was out of town filming for the Etta James biopic "Cadillac Records," Jay met with her younger sister, Solange, in Miami. Sources reportedly told the paper the two discussed Jay's proposing to Beyoncé and asking for her manager/father Mathew's consent.

Beyoncé, 26, and Jay-Z, 38, have been a couple since 2002, and marriage rumors have long been rampant. The couple rarely discuss their relationship publicly. Well let's see if this latest rumour on the celebrated couple pan out.

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Did Jailers Contribute to Sean Levert's Death?

Is there foul play in Sean Levert's death...well according to TMZ the singer was physically restrained by jail guards right before he died. Staff at the Cuyahoga County Jail said that Levert was "out of control" and "hallucinating," forcing them to place him in a restraining chair, because he was a danger to himself. The jail's warden Kevin McDonough says Levert was cooperative and "went willingly" when jail staff bound his wrists and shackled his feet.?

The Cuyahoga County Coroner reported that Levert's body showed no signs of physical trauma, nor do they suspect foul play. They are currently awaiting toxicology results those will take four to six weeks to come back. Sean reportedly suffered from high blood pressure. In a statement issued yesterday, the Levert family says "There is no song that can capture the loss that we have in our hearts." The family is reportedly asking the FBI to investigate what happened.?

Rihanna and Chris Brown both walked the orange carpet at the Kids' Choice Awards. Separately. "We're not in a relationship or anything," Brown was reported to have said to the Associated Press before Saturday's slime-filled ceremony.

Rumors have been swirling for weeks the R&B singers are dating, but Brown was quick to squash such gossip, insisting he was single and Rihanna was just a friend. The 18-year-old "Kiss Kiss" crooner, clad in a custom-made orange hoodie emblazoned with a blingin' Nickelodeon logo, later collected a trophy for favorite male singer.

Rihanna, 20, bypassed the press line before the awards ceremony, strutting down the carpet in a polka-dot corset top.

Wow...after all this time they just see fit to deny the rumours! Makes you wonder huh.

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Wow, I think Jamaican artistes should take a page out Wyclef's book and set the trend for a better Jamaica.

Check this out:

Wyclef Jean has recorded a radio message asking people in the country to give up crime. "If you love Wyclef that means you love Haiti," he said in Creole in a short ad run by local stations in the nation. "So you should not be raping women, kidnapping people and children. There can be no excuse for doing so." "I reject these evil practices," said Jean in his message, in which he also urged Haitian men to respect women's rights.

Jean, 35, was made a roving ambassador for Haitilast year by President Rene Preval. His message was supported by the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas. Kidnapping is rife in the Caribbean republic, with 36 people abducted in the capital city Port-au-Prince during March alone.

Jean was born in Haiti in 1972 but moved with his family to New York when he was nine years old. The award-winning musician provides humanitarian aid and assistance through his Yele Haiti foundation.

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Photography By: Marie Mendoza

Colin Harper, also known as Collie Buddz has a rock-solid foundation in reggae - and its power to connect ghetto reality with the highest heights of human aspiration.

Born in 1981, Collie was immersed in the sound system culture since the age of 6. "I used to come home from primary school and my brother would always be on the turntables, playing his new 45's an' I'd just be there vibesin," he revealed.

The evolution of dancehall and the sound-clash culture, into a movement of it's own in the late 1980s and early 1990s set the backdrop for young Collie's discovery of his own identity; and the dancehall kings of that generation, Buju Banton, Bounty Killer and Beenie Man, served as his primary influences. "Back when Beenie and Bounty used to war lyrically, seeing clashes wit' Kilimanjaro an all the sound-man an' everything...the whole music scene for me took on a new meaning. Clash thing an' lyrical war became a part of my daily life from early out."

The daily operation of trading lyrics in schoolyard clashes quickly gave way to more serious combat as, "...people started sayin 'Ay, Buddz got some lyrics!" From an early age, some of the local sounds on the island wanted to get me on dub plate," says Collie, who stepped into the first of many vocal booths at age 16 to voice customized dubs for some Bermudian sounds. "Sounds was always trying to buss local artists in Bermuda." Consistent encouragement from the various sound men and engineers he encountered on those dub excursions led Collie to maintain a musical focus and eventually trek to Florida for a degree in audio engineering, a path that ended behind the boards of his own Bermudian studio, jointly run with his older brother (Smokey) and Sneek Success from one of Bermuda's founding sounds, 'Newclear Weapon.'

Building riddims for other artists only expanded his love for writing and voicing his own lyrics however. "I used to make these beats an none of the tunes came out how I pictured an artist sittin on de riddim, so I decided to start to get in the booth myself again and spit some lyrics. Unless my brother engineerin' for me, I'm runnin from the board to the booth, back to the board!" Like boot camp for a one-man army, that experience molded the signature vocal style that defines Collie Buddz – a songwriter who can lay his own riddim, sing the hook and chat on the verse.

"I build de riddim first and while I'm building it I don't try an' think about lyrics 'cause I'm trying to focus on the riddim, yunno? I make it sound as best I can and then for a day or two I rest my ears then start de writing process. I come up with a melody firs' and get that down, then start with the lyrics." The skill with which he compartmentalizes multiple roles in the studio also extends to his
easy movement between styles.

A falsetto that combines the singsong lover's rock appeal of a carnival crooner like Rupee with the deeper emotional catch of Bob Marley or Sizzla, Collie's voice sits with equal comfort over the jump-up pace of ragga-soca, 4/4 hip-hop beats or an achingly slow one drop. Most strikingly on tunes like "My Everything" he finds both the drive of dancehall and the bluesy edge of roots in a frenetic polyrhythm built around the Latin horns of David Bowie's "Let's Dance" an up-tempo track that could be just as at home in a Trinidad carnival as in a UK discothèque. "Some tunes I create are just to show that I could do anything I put my mind to," he explains "to show the versatility of my style."

"Nowadays when I go to put on a CD, its old tune: Alton Ellis, The Meditations, The Heptones, Skatalites, Jacob Miller, Eric Monty Morris; love the rockers music. From that I start to teach myself some of the history of this music, that's where I started to come a little more versatile with the singin'...the foundation just straight reality, yunno. I like dancehall, but de foundation and conscious tune really what me love."

Born in New Orleans but raised in Bermuda, dancehall singer Collie Buddz was entranced by the urban music of his island home. He favored dancehall the most, but soca and hip-hop were important too, all of which exploded out the speakers of his DJ brother. His brother was also involved in recording Collie's demo track, "Come Around", an infectious song that blew up in Europe and topped the charts in the U.K. before it came to Jamaica.

As the marijuana anthem was climbing the JA charts all the way up to number one, rapper Busta Rhymes cut his own, unauthorized remix, which increased the track's presence on urban American radio. Guest vocals on a remix of Beyonce's "Ring the Alarm" began his relationship with the Sony label. A guest appearance on an American rappers Lil' Flip latest album kept spreading the Collie Buddz name on the streets. Everything was in place as his second single, "Mamacita," and his self-titled debut album were both released by Sony in the summer of 2007.

Prodigy, one half of the hip-hop's legendary platinum selling duo, Mobb Deep, has agreed to be the first Urban artist to be featured in the Sansa advertising campaign for Sandisk's ShopSansa.com online e-tail store.

Prodigy, one of hip-hop's most prolific lyricists said "I am excited to be working with Sansa, a SanDisk creation and ShopSansa.com. The Sansa brand is known for being a leader in digital entertainment and producing cutting edge products. I am proud to be associated with ShopSansa.com." Peter Kuys, Chairman of AAO Music adds "Prodigy has a real connection to the Sansa products and to ShopSansa.com. As an artist providing music is a big part of his life and is Prodigy's motivation and inspiration."

The television campaign will feature the legendary hip hop artist's latest release H.N.I.C. Pt. 2 and cross promote the exciting new Sansa FUZE. The television commercials featuring Prodigy and promoting the ShopSansa.com store will be featured on MTV, BET, VH1 and many other Comcast cable networks.

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By: Janice Dayle

Examining poverty, gun, crime and community, in the multicultural Canadian context, the award winning film, "A Winter Tale," is rooted in reality.

As the Frances-Anne Solomon written and directed film sets out to delve beneath the surface of a rough Toronto inner city 'skin', it succeeds in highlighting the inner lives of Black men; often portrayed in media as, "monsters."

In Montreal for a special screening tonight as part of the weekend festival, Kasserian Ingera, "A Winter Tale" tells the story of a community responding to a bullet that virtually shattering the spirit of their region.

Following the sounds of deadly shots meant for a drug dealer, a
ten-year-old lays dead on a downtown Parkdale, Toronto street.

Broken and filled with grief and suspicion the community's hellish pangs are addressed as social worker, Gene Wright, galvanizes six Black men to make a pact; forming a support group in the hopes of getting things 'right.'

Peter Williams, the Vancouver based star of stage and screen, who hails from Jamaica, brings Gene Wright to life in the movie; and says, "The film has a universal appeal...the beauty is people in it are treated as individuals and not stereotyped." He told YardFlex that while not expected to influence immediate changes in Canada's ivy coloured walls of establishment, "It [the film] is giving voice to people who are actually living the experiences in these multicultural places we have formed in Canada."

Driven to explore the inner lives of Black men after media reporting of a huge rise on 'black on Black' violence in Toronto, Frances Anne Solomon employed the amazing technique of improvisational workshops in creating the film. "All the actors lived together in close quarters on three occasions...we were presented with different scenarios to act out in improv style...the brains behind the whole thing - Francis Anne Solomon would videotape; and go away and write the scene," Williams told YardFlex.

This under-used, but ingenious technique brought out some real life experiences, "It helped the film get a sense of realism," Williams expounded.

With a star-studded cast that includes Michael Miller and Leonie Forbes, the film has been described as "Pure Fireworks," and will be continuing its global tour - soon to touch down in Jamaica.

As part of Quebec Canada's, "Action Week Against Racism," the festival, Kasserian Ingera [which means – and how are the children]; runs at Edifice de la Grande bibliotheque, 475 de Maisonneuve Est on March 28, 29 and 30. Admission is free.

"A Winter Tale" begins at 7:00pm tonight.

Songwriter sues Kanye West

A wacky songwriter-producer in Maryland says that Kanye West is diggin' his gold, lifting his tune "Volume of Good Life" for the Kanye smash hit "Good Life."

According to TMZ.com In a rambling lawsuit filed in Maryland District Court, Dayna Staggs (aka D'Mystro) is suing Kanye and his record label, Roc-a-Fella for copyright infringement. Staggs says that West "didn't obtain a license to use "Volume of Good Life" for his tune, and points out that Kanye was "only at the age of 6 or 7 years of age [sic]" when his song was written. ??D'Mystro is also peeved because Kanye's song "contains vulgar and offensive" images and "harms the reputation" of his much cleaner song. He wants 85% of all world sales of the proceeds from the music that uses his work, though he doesn't explain how he came up with that number. Kanye's label hasn't returned a message seeking comment.

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Nate Dogg Pleads Guilty To Trespass and Battery

Former Death Row recording artist Nate Dogg won't be packing heat for the next ten years!?? Website TMZ reported that Nate, who is Snoop Dogg's cousin, pleaded guilty in Orange County, Calif. court on March 20 to aggravated trespassing and battery stemming from a domestic violence complaint back in 2006. Dogg was sentenced to three years informal probation, must complete a domestic violence/batterers treatment program and can not own a weapon for 10 years. What's a guy to do without his piece?

In 2006, Nate was charged with five misdemeanors; aggravated trespass of a dwelling, battery, annoying telephone calls, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime and violating a protective order. The protective order came from a previous domestic violence incident after breaking into a Huntington Beach home where his ex-girlfriend, Jane Doe, her new boyfriend and her mother resided. Nate then punched the boyfriend in the face and left.

While three of the five charges were dropped, Nate's ex and her boyfriend both filed restraining orders against the hip hop artist. It hasn't been an easy couple of years for the 38-year-old. In December 2007, he suffered a stroke and spent time recovering in a medical rehabilitation facility.

They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and ain't that the truth where Lindsay Lohan and her ex-boyfriend are concerned.

YardFlex understands she went ballistic after a photograph from a sex tape the pair allegedly made surfaced on the web.

Reports claim the actress made a series of phone calls to Best, the son of late football legend George, after a blurry clip from the video of the pair made appeared online.

A source, claiming to have overheard Lohan, said the actress was furious.

"I can't believe you would ever f***ing do this to me, I should have listened to everyone. I should never have f***ing trusted you," Lohan is quoted as saying in The Sun .

Lohan was forced to leave a second voicemail message to finish her attack on Best, saying: "It's everywhere now, all over the net, everyone's seen it, how f***ing could you?"

A representative for Best has denied that he appears in the tape.

Shareena Swinscoe, age 16, made her first appearance on the cover of a major publication when she posed for Britain's "PRIDE" magazine.

Winner of Pulse's Caribbean Model Search (CMS) – UK, she is being touted as Britain's next top model. Photo shoots were conducted by one of Europe's top photographers, Ayo Banton.

He expressed great optimism while speaking about Shareena's potential. "She's going to be huge! She has a great look and takes direction really well. She's a little shy and still learning how to move, but in a couple of years she will be amazing."

Reminiscing on the experience, Shareena told reporters, "The shoot was so long, it lasted from 10 am until 6 pm., non-stop. I got on really well with all the crew and I think the pictures are great. I definitely want to reach for the stars in modeling. I really enjoyed the professional environment and all the styling and costumes we tried. This has given me so much experience."

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First there was the late Lucky Dube, then 2 Face exploded on the scene with Africa Queen...and now here comes Samini as he confirms his hold on African music by winning 2008 Hip Hop World Award for African Artiste of the Year.

Samini without a doubt is one of the most consummate young African artists of our time. His refined tone and dashing looks have won him the hearts of many ladies across the continent. This has propelled his brand of dancehall rhythms infused with African beats to amazing heights and resulted in recognition across the globe. At the age of 26, he has won several Ghana Music Awards, a MOBO award for Best African Act in 2006, and at the just ended Hip Hop World Award, he clinched the award for Best African Artist. He is currently the music icon for MTN, the leading telecommunications company in Africa and the Middle East.

Samini, formerly known as Batman, has come a long way and he is certainly not going anyway. In this video interview I had with him, he expressed his gratitude for winning the Hip Hop World Award in Nigeria and agrees that this recognition means that he has to work harder for even greater recognition. Watch this space for an exclusive interview with the "Sexy Don Dada" as he is more affectionately known by his female fans in Ghana.

Wasn't Me!
Reports circulating that Young Bloodz rapper Sean Paul was involved in the double rape charge is not so! Sean Paul's only link is that the real culprit was his former manager.

Jeremy Geffen, the manager of D12 and former YoungBloodz rapper Sean Paul, was arrested and charged in Los Angeles Monday with drugging and sexually assaulting two 16-year-old girls.

According to the Associated Press, Geffen is being accused of giving two teenaged girls cocaine and raping them in 2006 and 2007. While he was being held on $2 million bail pending his arraignment on Thursday (Mar. 20), his lawyer Danny Davis is optimistic. "I strongly respect my client's presumption of innocence," he told the Los Angeles Times after Geffen's arrest last week. "I like to think I specialize in cases of innocent clients, and that is why I am attracted to this case." Hit with 14 felony counts including rape by use of drugs, rape of an unconscious person, and furnishing cocaine to a minor...Geffen is looking at 20 years in prison if convicted.

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Born in Asheville, North Carolina, and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Roberta Flack discovered her earliest musical influences from the church. The local AME Zion Church gave everyone the opportunity to get out of the house, but, as Roberta recalls, the music "didn't have the raunchy, wide-open, free, spontaneous, full-of-life thing that you could hear at the Baptist Church down the street." Whenever she could, she'd sneak over there to hear such gospel luminaries as Mahalia Jackson and Sam Cooke with the Soul Stirrers. At home, Roberta's father repaired an old upright piano, and she began to pick out tunes while sitting on her mother's lap. When she turned nine, she began taking piano lessons, and also started to listen to a wide range of popular music, R&B, jazz, blues, and pop.

As she moved into her teens, Roberta's listening gravitated towards classical music, and her piano playing developed rapidly. At 13, she won second place honors with her performance of a Scarlatti sonata in a statewide contest for black students. At the same time, her scholastic excellence enabled Roberta to regularly skip grades, to the point that she had to be "left back" for a year to allow her physical and emotional development to catch up with her stellar academic advancement. Classically trained on the piano from an early age, Flack received a music scholarship at age 15 to attend Howard University. After several years as a high school English teacher, Ms. Flack was discovered while singing at a Washington, DC club by jazz musician Les McCann. This resulted in her being signed to Atlantic Records.

Reminiscing, McCann said, "Roberta was doing a benefit for the Inner City Ghetto Children's Library Fund, and I was in the crowd. I was stunned by what I heard; her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I've ever known. I laughed, cried, and screamed for more...she alone had the voice!"

With a repertoire of more than 600 songs, Roberta played 42 of them for Atlantic producer, Joel Dorn, in three hours. In November of 1968,she went into the studio and laid down some 39 song demos over nine hours. Three months later, she recorded "First Take," her debut album, in a mere ten hours at Atlantic Studios. Among the songs she cut was "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". Roberta recalls those studio sessions, remembering it as a "very naive and beautiful approach...I was comfortable with the music because I had worked on all these songs for many years." "First Take" was released in June 1969, followed by her first single, the Eugene McDaniel's composition, "Compared To What."

A year later, she released her second album, "Chapter Two," produced by Joel Dorn and King Curtis, arranged by future-collaborator Donny Hathaway, and with laudatory liner notes by Jerry Butler. Another McDaniel's composition, "Reverend Lee and Jimmy Webb's", and "Do What You Gotta Do" both became singles from the album; which included material as diverse as Bob Dylan's "Just Like A Woman," a Buffy St. Marie composition and the then-contemporary Broadway hit, "The Impossible Dream." Roberta confesses, "I didn't know how well my first album had done; it was enough to get me to do the second album, which was a continuation of the music I'd worked on and perfected."

In 1971, encouraged by Jerry Wexler, Roberta and Donny Hathaway collaborated on "You've Got A Friend". Again, her peerless interpretation of the contemporary pop hits won her critical acclaim. Later that year, she performed in Ghana as part of the star-laden Soul To Soul Festival. Her friend Les McCann was there with Eddie Harris, as were and The Voices of East Harlem. For this once-in-a-lifetime event, Roberta performed "Freedom Song," "Trying Times" and "Gone Away." The album of the event was released on Atlantic (as was the videotape of the concert, fifteen years later). Capping off this busy year, Roberta's third album, "Quiet Fire," was released. It was arranged by Roberta herself and yielded the single, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow."

Internationally hailed as one of the greatest songstresses of our time, Roberta Flack remains unparalleled in her ability to tell a story through her music. Her songs deal insight into our lives, loves, culture and politics, while effortlessly traversing a broad musical landscape from pop to soul to folk to jazz.

In 1972, are-release of her song, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," from her first LP, zoomed to number one and remained there for six weeks, becoming that year's biggest hit. She followed with a string of hits, including "Where Is the Love"(a duet with former Howard University classmate Donny Hathaway), "Killing Me Softly With His Song." "Feel Like Makin' Love," "The Closer I Get to You," "Tonight I Celebrate My Love" and "Set the Night to Music." Deservingly, In 1999, she received a Star on Hollywood's legendary Walk of Fame. Roberta is also an outspoken participant in the AEC (Artist Empowerment Coalition) whose primary goal is advocacy for artists' rights and control of their creative properties. Through it all, she always comes back to the music, which is why it is not surprising that Roberta was asked by VH1 to participate in its "100 Greatest Love Songs" and "100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll" television events. Roberta's latest release was her 2003 Christmas album, "Holiday", a timeless collection of seasonal favorites, a Roberta classic or two, plus a few goodies thrown in for good cheer. For 2005, "Songs From the Neighborhood", an all star tribute to the music of the late Fred "Mr." Rogers, showcases Flack's inimitable vocal talent, as she sings the signature classic and theme song to Rogers' beloved T.V. program, "What a beautiful day in the neighborhood." Roberta Flack continues to perform to appreciative audiences around the world and is currently involved with two very exciting recording projects - an album of Beatles songs due out later this year, and an album for a talented group of musicians she is developing called The Real Artists Symposium. Very active as a humanitarian, she recently opened the Roberta Flack School of Music at the Hyde Charter School in the Bronx, which will provide music education to underprivileged students free of charge.

American actress Halle Berry gave birth to a baby girl Sunday March 16, 2008 and "is doing great," her publicist Meredith O'Sullivan told reporters. The Oscar winner reportedly delivered the baby at Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles on Sunday morning.

Berry, 41, and father Gabriel Aubry a 32-year-old Canadian model met while shooting a Versace ad in Los Angeles two years ago.

Halle, told Oprah Winfrey on her show last year that playing a mother in her latest movie, "Things We Lost in the Fire," helped convince her that motherhood was for her. "I think it validated that I was meant to be a mother because every day I dealt with the character as a mother and thinking as a mother," Berry said. "It let me know that I must be a mother."

Berry won the best-actress Oscar for her role in the 2001's "Monster's Ball." She also won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her role in 1999's "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge." Berry had said she and Aubry don't plan to marry, but feel fully committed to each other.

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Michael Jackson has refinanced Neverland ranch in time to save his famed California spread from a public auction that was scheduled for later this month.

Jackson's attorney, L. Londell McMillan, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the pop star has worked out a "confidential" agreement with Fortress Investment Group, LLC. The deal allows him to retain ownership of the famed property in Los Olivos, Calif.

"Neverland and MJ are fine," McMillan said. An auction date had been set for March 19 because of $24.5 million the singer owed on the 2,500-acre spread northwest of Santa Barbara.

A source close to the singer who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter said it's not clear whether Jackson will keep Neverland. Jackson has not lived there since his acquittal on child molestation charges in 2005.

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Juvenile missed his daughter's funeral on Saturday when, Jelani, 4, her mother Joy Deleston, 39, and sister, Micaiah, 11, were all quietly laid to rest in James Island, South Carolina.

According to MediaTakeOut.com Juvenile, whose real name is Terius Gray, did not attend the funeral. No explanation was given as to why he didn't attend.

Jelani, her mother and sister were all allegedly murdered by her brother Anthony Tyrone Terrell Jr. He's been charged with 3 counts of murder and aggravated assault and is being held without bond at the DeKalb County jail.

Don't judge him too, maybe he could not deal with the pain of seeing his daughter laid to rest. Still YardFlex wish for the rapper strength through this difficult time.

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Mario Winans, RAP producer and gospel singer — nephew of Broadway star Benjamin "BeBe" Winans, is refusing to support his 3-year-old son, says his ex-lover Janel Bennett.

According to Janel who was in an eight-year relationship with Winans before she had her son Jordan, she was evicted from her home in Miami because Winans wouldn't pay child support.

The jilted mom says she is homeless and living with friends on the South Side of Chicago, where she works as a cocktail waitress.

In 2005, the Miami Herald reported, "A DNA test shows a '99.99 percent probability' that Winans is the biological parent." Documents filed in a Miami-Dade, Florida court last January 2 stated, "Mario Winans is obligated to pay Janel Bennett $4,500 per month due on the first of each month as child support."

Janel told reporters, "He hasn't paid me. I just wanted support, and I was on disability and Medicaid and welfare just to have the baby." She said that after telling Winans she was pregnant, he disappeared from her life. Friends of Winan's confirmed that his current girlfriend, Joy, the mother of his toddler daughter, Sklyar is known publicly as his "wife." Janel added, "Joy lives in a 16-bedroom mansion and her daughter wears mink coats and Seven jeans, and my son doesn't have boots to wear in the winter."

She claimed Winans has only seen Jordan once, and "doesn't send Christmas cards, doesn't send him birthday cards, nothing." Bennett met Winans — who leapt to fame in 2004 with his track, "I Don't Wanna Know" — in 1997 through their mutual friend Sean "Diddy" Combs. Winans and Combs worked together at Bad Boy Records and Bennett was working on fashion consulting for Combs' clothing line, Sean John.

Janel said that for a while, Winans was sending her some money, but "he stopped paying last year...by the end of August 2007, I lost the house and moved to Chicago...I just want him to do right by Jordan...It would be so simple for him to call me so we could work something out."

Described in New York's Daily News as, "violent," five members of an eight man marijuana selling Bronx gang face maximum life sentences in prison after being convicted by a Manhattan federal jury on drug and gun charges recently. The other three face 25 years each, having pleaded guilt.

The court heard how Anthony Patterson, described as the gang leader, was in charge of huge weekly shipments of marijuana, valued at as much as US$1 million.

Between 1997 and 2004, the group of eight transported around 2,000 pounds of "herb" each week from California to New York, unloading it on dealers who would flood the streets. Patterson was in charge of getting the cash back to the West Coast to purchase more, once the weed had been sold.

According to The Daily News, The John Shop Crew opened a recording studio and launched John Shop Records from the illicit profits of selling marijuana. Superstars like Sizzla and Wyclef Jean have reportedly been featured by this record company.

Wow! Having a baby has never been so sweet. According to TMZ J-Lo has sold her baby pics to People mag for a cool $6 mil...she got the mag to agree to stop calling her J.Lo!

A source told the website that J.Lo made the deal and threw in the moniker clause as well. We're also told J.Lo instructed People, in addition to the loot and the name thing, that her hubby, Annie Leibovitz wannabe Marc Anthony, has to be the one to shoot the photos.

Reps for People and mom were mum. Hmm, that's all we will say.

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By: Joseph Cunningham

He is Haitian and is a hot Reggae artiste based in New York City. Bigga Haitian hails from a 'fiery land,' often characterized with turmoil. The general decline of political "correctness" in Haiti sometimes seems to be so tragic, that all good news associated with the country is refreshing.

Known as the first Haitian singer to break into the Jamaican reggae scene, Bigga Haitian has torn down national and cultural walls, paving the way for the next generation of Haitian artists.

A veteran of the stage for more than 20 years he has been featured with reggae legends like: Shabba Ranks, Beenie Man, Sizzla, Capleton, Cocoa Tea and Junior Reid, to name a few. Bigga broke into the hip-hop scene in the 90s, opening up for the Ruff Ryders, Lil' Kim, and Jay-Z at New York City's Randall's Island. Today's most talented Haitian artists, such as Wyclef Jean and Mecca - also known as Grimo, credit Bigga as an influence.

Today, the Haitian 'musical ambassador' continues to excel with the debut single "Gi Me Da Weed," from his soon to be released album, "Sak Pase" that is currently making waves. Produced by Brett, Marc, and Yvad (recent lead singer of The Wailers), "Gi Me Da Weed" is receiving strong support in clubs and on radio, achieving airplay on over 30 stations across the United States and Europe and generating huge sales on three continents. On the strength of the single, Bigga's profile elevated in 2007, when he was invited to perform with such reggae luminaries as Buju Banton, Shaggy and Capleton. He also headlined the Lake Worth Reggae Festival, an event that drew over 10,000 people.

Born Charles Dorismond in Port Au Prince, Haiti, Bigga comes from a musical family. His father, Andre Dorismond, was the lead singer of The Webert Sicot Group, pioneers of Haitian dance music known as Kompa. Bigga immigrated to New York City at the age of 8 and grew up amidst the pulsating rhythms of reggae music in the vibrant Jamaican community of Flatbush, Brooklyn. In 1981, Bigga saw Admiral Bailey perform his hit tune "Big Belly Man" at Manhattan's Reggae Lounge and realized in that instant that he was destined to become a reggae singer. It was at this moment that reggae sensation Bigga Haitian was born.

Many of New York's most notable venues have hosted Bigga's legendary performances including SOB's, The Apollo Theater, McCarren Park Pool, B.B. King's, The Lion's Den, and Galapagos Art Space. He has also performed at festivals in Jamaica and the Caribbean, including a show hosted by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell.

Bigga's first album, "I Am Back" features a remix of his dancehall anthem, "Haiti A Where Me From," which was a number one single on the Haitian charts, and is still a staple of Haitian radio to this day. He followed this success with his second release, "Binghi Mon," which includes "Tribute to Patrick Dorismond," featuring Barrington Levy's "Murderer" anthem. "Tribute…" was produced by Jah Life, who also produced the original Barrington Levy recording. Bigga recorded two singles, "Red Carpet" and "Sexy Body" at Freddie McGregor's studios in Jamaica which were originally released on McGregor's Big Ship Records and later featured on Doctor Dread's RAS Records compilation Best of the Best, Vol. 5 Freddie McGregor Presents: Best of Big Ship 1. Bigga has also recorded tracks with artists like: Yvad, Ken Boothe, and Denroy Morgan.

Houston gospel singer and radio host Yolanda Adams is under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service. The agency has asked a federal judge to force the entertainer to turn over documents after she failed to show up for an appointment last month to explain her financial affairs.

According to Bossip.com the agency is trying to determine her tax liability and how to collect on the debt. According to filings in Houston federal court, the IRS probe stems from two million-dollar mortgage loan applications. A 2005 Ocwen application said Adams earned $40,000 a month and listed $8 million in assets — including an $800,000 trust account, $4.9 million in other personal holdings and jewelry worth $1.5 million. That document said she owned a Lexus and a Hummer. A subsequent Chase home loan application listed $3 million in assets, including a business worth $1.5 million, a Mercedes-Benz and a Range Rover. She owns a home worth more than $2 million in Houston's Royal Oaks Country Club subdivision.

Yolanda just remember the lyrics of your song 'Never Give Up' ...that's how these tax people are.

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Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday will be celebrated with a big shebang at London's Hyde Park and will be hosted by Will Smith.

The 'Gettin Jiggy Wit It' singer and wife Jada Pinkett Smith are fronting the celebrations, which have been organized by the former South African president's AIDS campaign 46664.

According to digitalspy.com acts rumoured to be playing the event on June 27 include Razorlight, Keane, Queen and Annie Lennox.

It is understood that organizers have also asked U2, the Spice Girls and Sir Paul McCartney to play the concert.

It is reported that US rapper Eminem is keen to come out of musical retirement to perform at the show as well.

"Will Smith is a big fan of Nelson and wanted to help out," said a source. "Nelson is so inspirational and so many artists want to be involved.

"We think it will be Mr. Mandela's last official international public appearance, which will make it more special.

"Eminem's up for it too. People will be surprised. He's not someone you'd expect to play a Mandela charity gig."

45,000 tickets will be available for the gig, which will be sold via an online registration system.

By: Elizabeth Smith

Bayfront Park Amphitheatre, Miami, Florida was "corked" on Saturday, March 1st as about 14,000 strong came out for the 15th annual Caribbean Festival put on by Bob Marley Movement of Jah People and 103.5 The Beat.

A great show, with top performances from a solid line up that had the huge crowd completely engaged and often going off in a frenzy. Referred to often as 'the Marley Fest,' this was a showcase of some of reggae's finest.

Gentleman delivered spectacularly, setting a spiritual tone with his like aura and content. Following in that same groove Capleton blazed the place, stirring up patrons who showed him loads of love. His was such an intense musical offering, it was difficult for the crowd to let him go; and Capleton's freestyling went on for at least 2 minutes after exiting the stage.

It was a sizzling event that kept topping the boiling point with each act that appeared. Javaughn, who is a brilliant new artist under the Damian "Junior Gong" Marley wings, kept the groove steady, alongside heavyweights, Richie Spice, Tessanne Chin and of course the 4 Marley brothers featured on the bill.

Sky High introduced the Marleys, and Ky-mani, Julian, 2008 Grammy winning, Stephen and "Junior Gong" simply "ripped up" the stage.

As Junior Gong wailed the lyrics, "Christ fed the multitude with only one loaf of bread...poor people there is something for you... don't let the pressures of the system get upon your head...," the entire amphitheatre roared. He performed "One Loaf of Bread" and alternated with Stephen doing 2 songs each to a very receptive and zealous audience.

The show ended with the wholesome and healing sounds of "One Love."

We love a fighting spirit and that's exactly why we are rooting for actor Patrick Swayze. A pilot television series starring Patrick Swayze is still in contention to become a series, despite the actor's recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, the network A&E has confirmed.

The actor's doctor is very optimistic about his prognosis and says he is responding well to treatment.

So if the show, entitled The Beast, is picked up, the actor hopes to be a part of it, his representative Annett Wolf said. "Patrick is continuing his normal schedule during this time, which includes working on upcoming projects."

In The Beast, Swayze plays what has been described as a seasoned but unorthodox FBI veteran, is "in contention to become one of the new drama series on the network," cable network A&E said. "However, at this time all of our thoughts are solely with Patrick and his family. We are all wishing for a speedy recovery to a truly gifted actor."

Swayze has been undergoing treatment at Stanford University's cancer centre and is under the care of oncologist Dr. George Fisher. In a statement, Dr Fisher contradicted reports the actor was terminally ill with just weeks to live. "All of the reports stating the time frame of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic."

However, pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest types of the disease. The National Cancer Institute estimates there will be 37,680 new cases of pancreatic cancer in 2008 with 34,290 deaths in the US - only five percent of patients live more than five years after diagnosis.

YardFlex is happy to hear more encouraging news instead of what was previous reported on another internet site.

Rihanna bans umbrellas from UK tour

Rihanna has banned audience members from bringing umbrellas to her latest UK tour, this according to a report on digitalspy.com.

The singer has responded to a series of umbrella-related accidents at European shows by confiscating the items from fans before they enter arenas.

The amnesty was enforced at her gig in Aberdeen on Monday. A fan told the Daily Star: "I always carry an umbrella with me as the weather is dodgy and snow was predicted to fall.

"I couldn't believe it when I had mine taken off me during a bag search on my way inside the venue."

Security guard Andy McDonald, said: "We don't normally ask people to leave an umbrella outside. But we were taking precautions over a potential accident.

"We were told that Rihanna's song features dancing with umbrellas on stage. We didn't want the crowd following her actions and someone getting their eye poked out."

Merchandise stalls at the concert only sold official Rihanna branded umbrellas once the show had finished.

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Whitney Houston stepping up again

You go my girl Whitney. Looks as if all it took was for her to shake off Bobby and things would start happening for her again!

Whitney Houston is to be paid $2.78 million USD to perform for an hour at a charity event in London. That's some major comeback swag.

The troubled star has been lined up by billionaire philanthropist John Caudwell to give a rare one-hour performance at the Cauldwell Children Legends Ball at London's Battersea Evolution arena on May 8. Mr. Caudwell thinks it is important to raise the profile of the Cauldwell Children charity and stars such as Whitney Houston are the sort of people he's hoping to attract.

Whitney, who has battled an addiction with alcohol and drugs - has made few public appearances in recent years and also has a reputation for failing to turn up for shows.

Are Will and Jada adding to the family?

Are Will Smith and Jada Pinkett thinking about another addition to their family? Well if mediatakeout.com is to be believed then there could very well be some credence to that story.

According to a Los Angeles based adoption broker, the entertainment industry's first couple is "exploring" the idea of adopting a child from China.

The broker said, "Will and Jada are among a number of Hollywood couples looking into adopt in China."

But don't expect baby pics anytime soon. The source also told revealed, "adopting a child is a long process, and from what I understand, not much has been done on their behalf."

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The Game jailed for gun possession

The Game has begun a 60-day jail term for firearm possession. The rapper, real name Jayceon Terrell Taylor, pleaded not guilty to gun possession, making criminal threats and brandishing the weapon at a Los Angeles "school zone" last September, this according to digitalspy.com

Taylor was convicted last month and given jail time, three years probation and 150 hours community service. He handed himself in to an LA correctional facility on Sunday.

The incident took place during a basketball match at Rita Walters Educational Complex when the rapper punched Rodrick Shannon then threatened him with a gun following a heated exchange.

The Game has reportedly been working on a new album, titled LAX, with Dr. Dre.

Rapper Juvenile is shocked and devastated by the shooting death of his 4-year-old daughter, the girl's mother and another child, his manager, Aubrey Francis, told The Associated Press on Saturday.

The bodies of Juvenile's daughter Jelani; her mother, Joy Deleston, 39; and Deleston's daughter Micaiah, 11, were found Thursday night in their home in Lawrenceville, Georgia, which is near Atlanta. Deleston's 17-year-old son, Anthony Tyrone Terrell Jr., is being charged with the murders. He was arrested Friday.

"It really shocked him and devastated him to the point where I've never seen him before," Francis said of the rapper, according to the AP. "Right now he is relaxing and trying to grasp everything of what has happened."

Deleston, 39, was an actress who appeared in locally produced films, as well as a seven-and-a-half-year veteran of the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Police have not announced a motive in the killings.

Terrell waived his first court hearing, where he would have been formally notified of the charges against him, on Friday, a Gwinnett County Magistrate Court clerk told the AJC. Defense attorney Lyle Porter, who could not be reached Friday, has been assigned to represent him.

Because of his age, prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty against Terrell. A preliminary hearing will be set next week in Gwinnett County Superior Court, prosecutor Danny Porter told the AP.

To lose a child is a hard blow and YardFlex sends out condolence to Juvenile...we hope he will find the strength to go on.

Well, well, well. First the big man Jay Z was upset with Rihanna because she hugged him and he claimed he didn't want Beyonce to be offended by it...poppyshow.

Well now the latest news we are hearing is that he is not pleased with the way Rihanna has been parading her relationship with Chris Brown and the amount of publicity it is receiving.

The excuse YardFlex understands that Jay Z is using, is that they have two different fan bases and bottom line, she could be hurting her marketability.

Can you believe it, he had the gall to meet with her and discuss her
relationship with Chris.

Yeah right, hmm, we have to wonder if it is more than meets the eye!

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By: Janice Dayle

Ushering in the 90s with the first eclectic Caribbean music radio programme to be aired on commercial radio in New York, the indomitable Dahved Levy marked the beginning of what literally became 'Caribbean Fever,' with radio audiences and his colleagues alike.

Filling YardFlex in on the day he was invited to mainstream radio at WBLS 98.7 KISS FM, the trailblazing Barbadian born Levy said that besides his strong command of reggae, soca and the general music scene, "It was the catch phrase 'Rocking You' that really got me recognition."

One night, as the seasoned young concert promoter and college radio
personality hung out with Programme Directors (PD) backstage at a KISS FM sponsored Bobby Brown and Shiela Easton concert, opportunity knocked; and Levy was in the right place at the right time. "Red Alert was late," he explained, "and the PD at KISS at the time said to me – 'You know what, you always talk a lot of crap; go up there on stage and bring up Bobby Brown.' – and I did." Neither Levy nor the PD had any idea what was about to transpire.

"I said – Madison Square Gardens, this is Dahved Levy – and the entire crowd shouted in unison; ROCKING YOU, ROCKING YOU. This was my trademark phrase used in my many radio commercials and at that moment I realized how well known I had become," Levy expounded. And he was not the only one amazed at the instant recognition from the audience that evening, the PD was also blown away to the point where he wasted no time to offer Levy his first mainstream radio spot saying, "Dam...you start your own radio show on Monday morning."

Levy has been blazing a trail ever since on commercial radio, taking his penchant for bringing the cultures of the Caribbean and all music to the world - on a fast ride to the top. In a short four weeks his brand new KISS FM show went number one for its time slot, prompting other mainstream radio programmers to take notice and begin including Caribbean programming in their content. In short, Levy's impact on the airwaves influenced the huge acceptance Caribbean culture now enjoys in media.

Consistent in bringing the heavyweights in Hip-Hop, R & B, Reggae, Soca and Dancehall together on stage and in broadcasts for New York audiences; the quick witted and lyrically fit Levy has been unmatchable in both areas.

He became the first radio announcer/DJ to host three separate shows on different radio stations simultaneously in the New Your market; since 1993 saw him pile on commitments at 105.9 FM WNWK and 107.5 WBLS FM & 1190 WLIB AM.

On other historical notes, Levy became the first person to not only start the ball rolling for that triggered Shabba Ranks' huge success; he also was the first promoter to bring Beres Hammond and Buju Banton to Madison Square Gardens and Radio City Music Hall and partnered in producing the only annual All Star Mothers Day Festival that featured Reggae, Soca, Calypso and R&B, at both venues.

"I got into promoting early and as a student at City College, did parties at Red Zone, alternating two days with Bad Boy's Puffy," Levy told YardFlex in his charismatic, striking tone. A successful fundraiser for the newly expanded City College radio station further opened Levy’s eyes to not only his own immense capabilities, but also to the lucrative possibilities of the music business; and his party planning got more serious and intense.

Levy had come a long way from his childhood days in the Caribbean and England, where he also spent some formative years. He reflected on those youthful days when he would make a habit of mimicking radio announcers and pretend to be a pilot addressing his passengers from the cockpit. Convinced that he would one day be on radio, Levy said, "I even entered and won a Franky Crocker sound alike contest when I first came to live in the US."

Known as the radio personality 'without borders,' Levy makes every effort to not only satisfy his diverse audience but to also completely understand his programme content by immersing himself in the cultures he presents through travels and research. Presenting with no hype, no profiling, but just plain humility and eloquence Levy continues to deliver first rate cultural information because he says, "I am a citizen of the Caribbean and I love all of what the Caribbean has to offer."

Continuing with his multi-tasking busyness, Levy is currently engaged in preparations for the highly anticipated Madison Square Gardens, Machel Montana headlining show; coming up on March 28, 2008. He will also be presenting Buju Banton on Mothers Day this year. Check out his global activities at www.caribbeanfever.com

Boy George has pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning a male escort by chaining him to a wall, this according to a news report on bbc.co.uk.

The singer and DJ, whose real name is George O'Dowd, is also accused of assaulting Audun Carlsen during the alleged incident on 28 April last year.

Prosecutors claim the 46-year-old former Culture Club frontman chained Mr. Carlsen up at his home in Ravey Street, Hackney, east London.

He was released on bail until a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court in November.

Oh boy , we wonder how this one will eventually play out in court.

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By: Elizabeth Smith

'He was born in Jamaica, grew up in Canada and plays like he's from
Georgia,' is how Grammy winning Blues icon, James 'Blood' Ulmer describes Jamaican born drummer, Aubrey Dayle.

After decades of honing, developing and flaunting his powerful drumming skills on international stages and in major studios, accompanying numerous stellar musicians, Dayle returned to Canada from his New York City base and launched the astounding contemporary jazz ensemble called, My id.

Tomorrow night, February 27, at the Revival Music Lounge in Toronto, My id will appear in a special concert that features: Living Colour guitarist and multi-Grammy winner, Vernon Reid, who joins the electric Toronto based band in what may seem like somewhat of a reunion for himself and Dayle. Reid, who is known for his guitar virtuosity and ground breaking work in rock, jazz, fusion and R&B, has worked with some of music's most talented including: Mick Jagger, Bill Frisell, Carlos Santana, Public Enemy, Garland Jefferies and James Blood Ulmer.

Dayle toured and recorded with Reid on the James 'Blood' Ulmer Grammy nominated CD project, "Memphis Blood: The Sun Sessions" and "No Escape for the Blues: The Electric Lady Sessions." His debut CD as 'front man' where he composed, arranged and produced the tracks for My id also features Reid with his striking guitar rifts.

Entitled, My id, the CD features, Allman Brothersbassist, Oteil Burbridge, singer Hassan Hakmoun and includes social commentary with spoken word pieces on health and human rights.

Following a tradition where contemporary music has been a voice for a community of people who need to express their frustrations, challenges and triumphs in a way that is sophisticated and subtle, yet effective – Dayle fuses the award winning theatrical voices of his sisters to bring multiple issues of importance to the fore. Dayle says he patterns a custom from Africa that facilitated communication through drumming, music, theatre and the arts. My id continues this tradition in a way that will help us examine and re-examine our ever emerging global community.

Dayle has also been drummer on tour and in studio with musicians like: Garland Jeffries, Sonny Rollins, Peter Gabriel, Hassan Hakmoun and John Popper Band.

A portion of the ticket sales from tomorrow's show will be donated to Lupus Canada (www.lupuscanada.org). Dayle has Lupus which is an incurable disease. Normally the body's immune system makes proteins called antibodies to protect the body against viruses, bacteria and other foreign material. With Lupus, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues and makes antibodies directed against itself. Despite the stress of being a working musician traveling to a new city daily, Dayle has found a way to balance his lifestyle and his illness to continue his passion for making music.

In explaining the band name he says, "The id is: the unconscious source of psychic energy derived from instinctual needs and drives and therefore My id becomes: the conscious musical illustration of my instinctual needs and drives.

for more check My id at www.myspace.com/myidmusic

On November 4, 2007 at University Hospital, Hamilton County, Cincinnati, an 11 year old gave birth to a baby girl.

The troubling part of this tale of children having children is that the newborn's DNA matched that of her 11 year old mother's "step-dad." This new 'child mom' was impregnated by her own mother's boyfriend when she was only age 10.

An intense investigation was set off following the baby's birth, that in itself was shocking to the Department of Job and Family Services, because the child's mother was so young.

On Wednesday, prosecutors were in Hamilton County Dependency Court to
discuss the future of both children at what is called a status session
where an update on both mother and baby was disclosed.

While court was in session, Lockland police were in Columbus talking to Michael Chaffer, the 40 year old, whose DNA matches that of the newborn. In jail for an unrelated matter, Chaffer now faces charges for impregnating and sexually molesting a girl under the age of 13, Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor, Lee Slocum said.

"Unfortunately sexual abuse is pretty common in the cases we see," JFS Director, Moira Wier said, "But it is unusual and extremely sad to see a case where a 10 year old becomes pregnant." She added, "This is an example of why everyone in communities need to be extremely vigilant about watching for the signs of abuse and [notifying authorities.]"

The University Hospital notified JFS of the birth because the mother was so young. The baby and her 11 year old mom were allowed to remain at home while the JFS investigated, but there was a condition; that no men be in the home. However, despite this order, on January 4 Chaffer was found in the home by a social worker and found in violation of the JFS order. He was arrested on a charge of obstruction of official business, as he got in the way of police entering the home.

JFS promptly removed both infant and her adolescent mother from the home.

Dressed in a T-shirt hoody, jeans and sporting a ponytail, the new mom spoke about school, music and Disney video games as she sat beside her mom waiting for the hearing to begin. As prosecutors chatted about the possibilities of her losing her baby, the 11 year old wiped away tears from her eyes.

Hamilton court prosecutors want a court designation that the 11 year old girl was abused. They allege the mother did not care for her daughter by allowing Chaffer near her. Prosecutors also argued and won for the infant to be taken from her young mom because they say a sixth grade student is too young to care for a baby.

The baby is now in foster care, while her child-mom is being taken care of by relatives. Her mother is not allowed to see the baby and can only see her daughter when supervised by social workers.

A Mount Clemens, Michigan man who was convicted of the second-degree murder/dismemberment of his wife received a sentence of at least 50 years behind bars last Thursday.

A jury that was unable to unanimously agree that Stephen Grant's actions were premeditated, spared the 38 year old a charge of first –degree murder last December.

Macomb County Crcuit Judge Diane Druzinski, agreed with the prosecution's recommendation of a 50 – 80 year sentence for the killing and called Grant's actions of not only choking his wife Tara to death, but then following up by cutting her corpse up in a machine shop, "demonic, manipulative, barbaric and dishonest."

An additional 10 years were added for mutilating the body and it is to run concurrently with the longer sentence.

What was most amazing for the judge, who made note of Grant's façade while handing down her sentence, was the way he went so far as to grieve in public, crying on television camera, begging for his wife to come home; after he had already killed her.

He is "evil personified," prosecutor, Eric Smith said, as he fought the defence's argument for a 15 – 25 year sentence.

Macomb County Sheriff's department reported during his trial that; on February 14, 2007 Grant contacted them saying his 34 year old wife, who worked as an Operations Manager for a construction firm, was missing. He told them that the last time he saw her was on February 9 when they had argued about her frequent business trips.

The following month deputies served Grant with a search warrant for his home and after letting the officers in, he borrowed a friends pickup truck and drove away.

A guilty conscience took over Grant, whose wife's torso was found by the deputies, in a container in the garage.

Knowing the deputies would discover his gruesome and wicked works, Grant hid in Wilderness State Park and was found hiding under a tree, wearing only a shirt, slacks and socks in freezing weather.

Evidence presented during the trial included a graphic 3 hour confession given by Grant while being treated for frostbite and hypothermia at a hospital. Testimony at trial time also came from the Grants' nanny, who testified that Grant had sex with her the night before strangling his wife.

Stone-faced - Grant showed little emotion during the sentencing, and seemed a little troubled when Tara's sister, Alicia Standerfer spoke of the current struggles the Grants' 2 children are enduring. She said, "he is Satan in the flesh...I don't believe he loved Tara or his children."

Jennifer Lopez gave birth to twins early this morning, making the singer and husband Marc Anthony the proud parents of a boy and a girl after one of pop music's most closely watched pregnancies, People magazine reported.

Lopez' manager, Simon Fields said the musical couple's babies were born at 12:45 a.m. Friday on New York's Long Island, the magazine's Web site reported. The location was not identified.

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Rihanna signed a deal back in July with Gillette insuring those legs of hers for a million dollars.

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The "Rihanna Day" ceremony was extraordinary. It started off when the Minister of Culture for Barbados, Mr. Steve Blackett read a proclamation before a packed crowd and a live TV audience which made Rihanna an official Ambassador of Barbados for Youth Affairs.

But that's not all, MediaTakeOut.com has learned that along with the title, Rihanna was also granted a piece of land in the exclusive and ritzy Apes Hill of Barbados.

Then, after the formal part of the ceremony was done, MediaTakeOut.com learned that Rihanna's boyfriend Chris Brown was invited on stage to help the Bajan superstar cut a birthday cake.

It's official, these two are our new favorite couple.

Don't forget guys, MediaTakeOut.com was the first news source in the world to tell you that they were a couple ... now do you believe us.

Coming on board the drama musical "Cadillac Records" as an actress proved to be not enough for Beyonce Knowles as she adds "executive producer" title for her involvement in the movie. According to Hollywood Reporter, the 26-year-old "Bootylicious" singer has signed on for the role of the film's executive, this according to accessshowbiz.com.

Before joining the film as executive producer, the co-star of Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls", has agreed to portray 1950s' singer Etta James for the Sony BMG Films' movie. She joined the rest of the cast that include Adrien Brody, Columbus Short, Cedric the Entertainer and Tammy Blanchard.

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Uh Uh, Kanye West was a big flop at a concert in Australia. According to mediatakeout.com readers from that part of the world reported on his performance on February 18.

Check out the report:

If you want to know how Kanye West's concert went in Perth, Western Australia at the music festival "Good Vibrations", it was crap. He is getting the worst reviews.

He just sort of came out and did his thing, there was no feeling about it. I think there was also something wrong with the sound because it was hell quiet and you could hardly hear him over the music.

People in the crowd were booing and leaving and paying no attention and hell bagging him out. Cypress Hill played before him...they were awesome. I'm a huge fan of Kanye but I was so disappointed.

He had an amazing stage set up and light show, but it meant nothing. On the radio here this morning it's all about how disappointed everyone is, and people are ringing in etc.

Oh boy, poor Kanye, they coulda show him some love from down under man.

Organisers of Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebrations have started negotiations with the Spice Girls to play one final gig in his honour, this according to Digital Spy.

The girl band recently cut short their reunion world tour, and Posh Spice Victoria Beckham said earlier this month that she was finished with the music industry.

However, officials believe the girls may be tempted to perform together one final time in tribute to the former president of South Africa.

A source told The Mirror: "Nelson is desperate for them to perform one last time - and he's confident it will happen.

"He first met the Spices in 1997 and called them his 'heroes', so he has deep admiration for them."

Other stars rumoured to be playing the concert include Jay-Z, Robbie Williams, The Rolling Stones and Rihanna.

The event takes place in London's Hyde Park in June.

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In case you were wondering who the chick is in Kanye West's new "Flashing Lights" video bashing him with the shovel, here she is, Rita G. Rita is so popular that she sells used thongs on the internet:

Worn Undies with my personal scent - Only $24.95!

I've lost count of all the emails saying "I would pay any amount of money for the g-string right off your butt." Well, here's your chance. I will wear each pair of panties long enough to transfer my 'natural' scent, but these are limited, not mass-produced. So order them now. I might not be offering that many of them!

That's hilarious.

In response to an article on www.articlesofinfo.com, Juanita Bynum would like to make it very clear that she is not in counseling with Bishop Thomas Weeks III, nor are there any talks of reconciliation as stated in the false article written by Doug Campbell.

As Dr. Bynum has stated in the past, she feels that reconciliation with her estranged husband could be a tremendous testimony to the body of Christ; however that is not the case at this time.

After severing all ties with the Weeks Family, Juanita Bynum Ministries received a request from Bishop Week's uncle, Bishop Leo Smith to speak at his conference in Barbados this June. She also received an invitation from his grandfather and aunt, Bishop Thomas J. Weeks, and Dr. Gwendolyn Weeks to speak at their 2-Day Prayer Revival in Boston. Dr. Bynum has always honored her ministry and has great love and respect for the Weeks family, and after much prayer she accepted both invitations.

As Dr. Bynum's publicist I say this "After all is said and done, Juanita Bynum is an anointed woman of God, and called to be a voice to the nation. She is genuine in her relationship with God and understands it is impossible to maintain bitterness and love in the same heart. She has handled herself with dignity and integrity throughout this unfortunate ordeal, and as she moves forward she will continue to do no less. Dr. Bynum is treating these invitations as she does all others; an opportunity to minister to God's people. Her acceptance of the invitations are in no way a step towards reconciliation."

Arnold finally lost his virginity!

Man, when I watched the '40-year-old Virgin' I never thought I would be reading about a real life case. You remember that cute little guy from 'Diff'rent Strokes' Gary Coleman well he says he has finally found true love with his red head Shannon Price — and finally lost his virginity. The 40-year-old, 4-foot-8 Coleman secretly wed the Utah woman, who's 22 and 5-foot-7.

According to bossip.com Gary said all that mattered to him was "I never got the opportunity to be romantic or feel romantic with anyone. I don't have issues with age, I have issues with intelligence. She's more intelligent than I am, and that's what matters to me."

And as for Gary's wife Shannon here's her view, "He was 10 feet tall to me because he was sweet. He lets his anger conquer him sometimes. He throws things around, and sometimes he throws it in my direction."

Mmm, wonder what the wedding night was like!

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50 Cent's baby mama got a pay cut
Curtis Jackson aka 50 Cent took Shaniqua Tomkins to court after refusing to agree to her requests for more money for the upkeep of the 10-year-old.

Tomkins previously asked for $50,000 a month but was granted just half of that sum - $25,000 a month - when the court viewed her and her son's expenses. But that figure was reduced further earlier this week, and Tomkins will now only receive $6,700 a month, this according to bossip.com.

Well...at least the court smiled on a celebrity for a change.

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OJ in the news again

OJ's trailer chick Christine Prody was rushed to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Miami Feb 11 after she collapsed at a local gas station. Police were alerted by hospital authorities after doctors found she was bleeding from her brain — and also had numerous large bruises and abrasions on her face, arms, legs and buttocks. O.J. says Christine's injuries are self-inflicted and explained that the 32-year-old woman went on a drunken binge and fell down. Investigators said from the damage to Christines's body, they believe she was beaten. One detective said he has never seen such severe bruises on a woman before. Police detectives questioned OJ at his home, and are conducting an ongoing investigation into what happened to Christine.

Oh boy, I really hope she fell and that OJ would not be crazy enough to land himself in trouble again!

Lenny Kravitz has been admitted to hospital in Miami suffering from severe bronchitis, his spokeswoman confirmed to digitalspy.

The 43-year-old was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital yesterday morning suffering from "extreme dehydration and fatigue".

Kravitz had been suffering from the flu since January and a series of respiratory infections have led to bronchitis.

The musician's spokeswoman said: "Doctors were unable to control it with outpatient treatment and advised the singer to check into the hospital. He was taken yesterday morning to the emergency room at Mount Sinai Hospital in Miami for immediate treatment."

Kravitz has been forced to postpone his upcoming European tour in support of new album "It Is Time For A Love Revolution."

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"I'm going on record as an artist who is able to critique Amy Winehouse. I think she has a great talent, but I don't agree with the Grammys giving her those nods. I think it sends the wrong message, that even in the midst of her stupor of drugs she can get nominated for all these awards."

"It's a slap in the face to musicians and artists who work very hard that they turn around and give it to someone who really obviously doesn't have a grasp of what she has. I've been in this business over 25 years and I sacrificed five years of my own life on drugs and almost lost my life because of it. So I take great offense to almost see someone getting glory out of being in the position that they're in – she needs to get her life together and embrace her craft, she will lose it if she doesn't get it together."

Wow that was a comment singer Natalie Cole made at the Grammy Awards. Hmm, that's tell it!

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Wow, looks like Jay Z doesn't want Rihanna under his umbrella! According to mediatakeout.com there were fireworks at the Grammy's afterparty at Los Angeles steakhouse STK. According to one of website's spies Jay Z confronted Rihanna about the infamous hug - and then all hell broke loose. Below is insider's eyewitness account:

I saw Jay Z and Rihanna arguing. I couldn't hear what it was about, but it must have had something to do with her hugging him when she won [the Grammy}.

Jay Z was trying to be really cool about it, but Rihanna got all loud and dramatic. She was like, "I didn't mean to embarrass you ... Why are you saying that to me." And she said it so loud that people around could hear.

Everyone went over to see what was going on and the paparazzi started taking pics of the two of them. All I saw was Jay Z putting his head down and looking like "What is this [EXPLETIVE] doing to me."

I didn't see Jay Z say another word to her all night. And believe me, I was watching them. I bet you Jay Z wished he never made Rihanna his jump off.

Give us a break here, so what if she hugged him...he is acting like a hug means she was looking him, phew! Talk about being petty.

One of America's largest and best Reggae Festivals is about to get underway in Los Angeles on this upcoming Saturday and Sunday, February 16 and 17. The 27th Annual Ragga Muffins Festival - to be held at The Long Beach Arena on Ocean Boulevard, continues its tradition of not only featuring Reggae's top brass, but also of honouring Bob Marley, recognising him for being one of the champions of human rights and world peace.

This year's festival will feature international artists who exemplify the spirit of Reggae as it was manifested and championed by Bob Marley. Capleton, Sly & Robbie, Anthony B, Rootz Underground, Cultura Profetica, Cherine Anderson, Soul Majestic, Idren and more to be announced will fill Saturday's line-up that will also feature New Orleans born; Bermuda raised Collie Buddz.

Alpha Blondy who offers a Reggae beat with a distinctive African Cast is set to spice up Sunday with other giants in reggae: Midnite, Sly & Robbie, Anthony B, Queen Ifrica, Gentleman, Gregory Isaacs, Ed Robinson and the man known in some regions as 'Monsieur Royal' Tarrus Riley. The Los Angeles based Aggrolites and many more will also appear.

It promises to be another family friendly weekend with free admission granted to those children 12 years and under who are accompanied by an adult. Tickets are on sale and scorching hot as the highly anticipated festival prepares to roll.

Activities will include a chance to experience the largest North American Crafts and Food Fair along with a Children's Activity Space filled with things to enjoy like: face painting, story-telling and more.

Go to: www.raggamuffinsfestival.com ; www.raggamuffins.org for more information

Hmm, exactly what would life be like without black people? For those who want to belittle the contribution of blacks then this humorous story should be an eye opener...read and learn!

A group of people was fed up with African Americans, so they joined together and wished themselves away.

They passed through a deep dark tunnel and emerged in sort of a twilight zone where there is an America without black people.

At first these people breathed a sigh of relief. At last, they said, No more crime, drugs, violence and welfare.

All of the blacks have gone! Then suddenly, reality set in. The "NEW AMERICA" is not America at all-only a barren land.

1. There are very few crops that have flourished because the nation was built on a slave-supported system.

2. There are no cities with tall skyscrapers because Alexander Miles, a black man, invented the elevator, and without it, one finds great difficulty reaching higher floors.

3. There are few if any cars because Richard Spikes, a black man, invented the automatic gearshift, Joseph Gambol, also black, invented the Super Charge System for Internal Combustion Engines, and Garrett A. Morgan, a black man, invented the traffic signals.

4. Furthermore, one could not use the rapid transit system because its procurer was the electric trolley, which was invented by another black man, Albert R. Robinson.

5. Even if there were streets on which cars and a rapid transit system could operate, they were cluttered with paper because an African American, Charles Brooks, invented the street sweeper.

6. There were few if any newspapers, magazines and books because John Love invented the pencil sharpener, William Purveys invented the fountain pen, and Lee Barrage invented the Type Writing Machine and W. A. Love invented the Advanced Printing Press. They were all, you guessed it, Black.

7. Even if Americans could write their letters, articles and books, they would not have been transported by mail because William Barry invented the Postmarking and Canceling Machine, William Purveys invented the Hand Stamp and Philip Downing invented the Letter Drop.

8. The lawns were brown and wilted because Joseph Smith invented the Lawn Sprinkler and John Burr the Lawn Mower.

9. When they entered their homes, they found them to be poorly ventilated and poorly heated. You see, Frederick Jones invented the Air Conditioner and Alice Parker the Heating Furnace. Their homes were also dim. But of course, Lewis Lattimer later invented the Electric Lamp, Michael Harvey invented the lantern and Granville T. Woods invented the Automatic Cut off Switch. Their homes were also filthy because Thomas W. Steward invented the Mop and Lloyd P. Ray the Dust Pan.

10. Their children met them at the door-barefooted, shabby, motley and unkempt. But what could one expect? Jan E. Matzelinger invented the Shoe Lasting Machine, Walter Sammons! invented the Comb, Sarah Boone invented the Ironing Board and George T. Samon invented the Clothes Dryer.

11. Finally, they were resigned to at least have dinner amidst all of this turmoil. But here again, the food had spoiled because another Black Man, John Standard invented the refrigerator.

Now, isn't that something? What would this country be like without the contributions of Blacks, as African-Americans?

By: Joseph Cunningham

Bishop Weeks and his estranged wife Evangelist Juanita Bynum are reported to have met behind a locked courtroom door, along with a group of attorneys, to discuss whether Bishop Thomas W. Weeks III, would agree to plead guilty in Fulton County Superior Court to felony charges for allegedly beating, stomping, choking and threatening to kill Bynum at an Atlanta hotel parking lot on August 21 last year.

They met for over five hours, according to a report from an article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

After the meeting they are reported to have slipped out a back door. No one involved in the meeting would discuss details. The couple's divorce is pending in Gwinnett County Superior Court.

Bishop Weeks, a 40 year-old senior pastor of Duluth's Global Destiny
Church and its international ministries, still claims that he never harmed his wife.

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'If you don't stand for something, then you will fall for anything' and no one knew that more than Rosa Parks the woman who refused to give up her seat to a white man on December 1, 1955. Tired and weary from a long day of work no one was gonna get Rosa's seat...enough was enough!

Rosa Louise Parks was nationally recognized as the "mother of the modern day civil rights movement" in America. Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white male passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, December 1, 1955, triggered a wave of protest December 5, 1955 that reverberated throughout the United States. Her quiet courageous act changed America, its view of black people and redirected the course of history.

Mrs. Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley, February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. She was the first child of James and Leona Edwards McCauley. Her brother, Sylvester McCauley, now deceased, was born August 20, 1915. Later, the family moved to Pine Level, Alabama where Rosa was reared and educated in the rural school. When she completed her education in Pine Level at age eleven, her mother, Leona, enrolled her in Montgomery Industrial School for Girls (Miss White's School for Girls), a private institution. After finishing Miss White's School, she went on to Alabama State Teacher's College High School. She, however, was unable to graduate with her class, because of the illness of her grandmother Rose Edwards and later her death.

As Rosa Parks prepared to return to Alabama State Teacher's College, her mother also became ill, therefore, she continued to take care of their home and care for her mother while her brother, Sylvester, worked outside of the home. She received her high school diploma in 1934, after her marriage to Raymond Parks, December 18, 1932. Raymond, now deceased was born in Wedowee, Alabama, Randolph County, February 12, 1903, received little formal education due to racial segregation. He was a self-educated person with the assistance of his mother, Geri Parks. His immaculate dress and his thorough knowledge of domestic affairs and current events made most think he was college educated. He supported and encouraged Rosa's desire to complete her formal education.

Mr. Parks was an early activist in the effort to free the "Scottsboro Boys," a celebrated case in the 1930's. Together, Raymond and Rosa worked in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP's) programs. He was an active member and she served as secretary and later youth leader of the local branch. At the time of her arrest, she was preparing for a major youth conference.

After the arrest of Rosa Parks, black people of Montgomery and sympathizers of other races organized and promoted a boycott of the city bus line that lasted 381 days. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was appointed the spokesperson for the Bus Boycott and taught nonviolence to all participants. Contingent with the protest in Montgomery, others took shape throughout the south and the country. They took form as sit-ins, eat-ins, swim-ins, and similar causes. Thousands of courageous people joined the "protest" to demand equal rights for all people.

Mrs. Parks moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1957. In 1964 she became a deaconess in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME).

As a role model for youth she was stimulated by their enthusiasm to learn as much about her life as possible. A modest person, she always encourages them to research the lives of other contributors to world peace. The Institute and The Rosa Parks Legacy are her legacies to people of good will.

Mrs. Parks received more than forty-three honorary doctorate degrees, including one from SOKA UNIVERSITY, Tokyo Japan, hundreds of plaques, certificates, citations, awards and keys to many cities. Among them are the NAACP's Spingarn Medal, the UAW's Social Justice Award, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Non - Violent Peace Prize and the ROSA PARKS PEACE PRIZE in 1994, Stockholm Sweden, to name a few. In September 1996 President William J. Clinton, the forty second President of the United States of America gave Mrs. Parks the MEDAL OF FREEDOM, the highest award given to a civilian citizen.

The Carnival has been marred with violence, as five men, among them the brother of attorney Wayne Sturge, were killed in separate incidents during last Friday's Soca Monarch competition and J'Ouvert morning, this according to the Guardian News out of Trinidad.

Their deaths have pushed the year's murder toll to 50. Several others were stabbed and robbed during the Carnival celebrations. It was only last week that Police Commissioner Trevor Paul announced that no one would spoil the mas, while Tourism Minister Joseph Ross said tourists had nothing to fear.

Nicholas Sturge died at Port-of-Spain General Hospital on Sunday, after he was stabbed during Friday's Soca Monarch at Queen's Park Oval.

Sturge, 25, of Greenhill Village in Diego Martin, died after suffering from multiple stab wounds to his back, detectives said.

A report said Sturge was at the competition around 5 am on Saturday when he was accosted by two men who attempted to rob him.

Sturge struggled with the men and was stabbed in the back. The men disappeared in the crowd.

Sturge was taken to hospital, but succumbed to his injuries.

Three other patrons were stabbed at the Oval and taken to hospital for treatment.

Up to late Monday evening, one party goer was listed in critical condition. The other two patrons were treated and discharged.

Former Laventille Executive Council member Sheldon "Croc" Scott, of Picton Road, was killed on Sunday night at Fatima Trace in Laventille.

Police said Scott, described as "Most Wanted and notorious," died around 9 pm.

A report said residents heard several loud explosions. On checking, Scott's body was found in a pool of blood.

Macdonald Padmore, public relations officer of the Laventille Executive Council, said men were killing for fame or a stupid cause.

Padmore said peace talks would be held after Carnival.

Wayne Sherry, 40, of Prizgar Lands in Laventille, was found dead on Sunday night on Sixth Street, Beetham Gardens.

A police report said Sherry left home with a female companion to find transport for her around 10.15 pm.

Beetham residents reportedly heard several loud explosions and called the police.

When officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force responded, they found Sherry's body on the road.

His body bore multiple gunshot wounds.

Police list of Carnival stabbings, shootings

* Aaron Ganish of Laventille, shot around 4 am in Port-of-Spain.

* Adison Gaines, 18, of Laventille shot in Port-of-Spain.

* Gary Lawrence of Aranguez, shot in Morvant.

* Indra Maraj, 47, of St Joseph, was shot in her left foot at George Street, Port-of-Spain.

* Camille Durham, 17, of Cocorite, stabbed in the back at Roxy Roundabout, St James.

* Marcus Phillips, 22, of St Augustine, stabbed in the back around at a St James bar.

* Kareem Forde, 19, of Upper Laventille, stabbed in the left arm in Port-of-Spain.

* Rose White, 25, of Petit Valley, was stabbed in her back on Frederick Street around 4 am in Port-of-Spain.

* John Pierre, 17, of Barataria, was stabbed about his body on Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain.

* Sheldon Charles, 20, of Laventille, stabbed in Port-of-Spain.

* Ravi Seecheran, 17, of St James, suffered injuries in an attempted robbery in Port-of-Spain.

* Marcus Phillips, of Barataria, stabbed on Alfredo Street, Woodbrook.

* Kiuro Brawaithe, 23, of Gonzales, stabbed on Broadway, Port-of-Spain..

* Marcia Phillips, of Barataria, stabbed on Alfredo Street, Woodbrook.

* Anthony Butler, of Morvant, stabbed on Greaves Street, St Clair.

* Curtis Simon of Beetham Estate, beaten in Port-of-Spain.

* Ralph Cupid, 25, of Carenage, stabbed on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain.

* Anita Nicolas, 21, of Woodbrook, beaten on her head in Port-of-Spain.

* Shelly Ann Downes, 25, of John John, suffered head injuries in a fight in Port-of-Spain.

* Robert Mitchell, of Port-of-Spain, beaten on Queen Street, Port-of-Spain.

By: Janice Dayle

February 7 is Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in the United States and in honour of this occasion, BET Networks announced, the airing of a news special, titled, STIGMA: THE SILENT KILLER.

Designed to examine the role stigma plays in the spread of HIV/AIDS among Blacks in the US and Caribbean, this special airs on Thursday, February 7 at 8:00pm ET/PT.

Part of a longstanding "BET Rap-It-Up" campaign - the Emmy Award winning public education partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation - the news special examines not only the negative impact of stigma on prevention efforts, but also explores the challenges facing Blacks living with HIV.

The roles played by: religious leaders, the media and entertainment industries, in encouraging stigma and discrimination are highlighted as are real explorations on personal relationships among families affected by HIV/AIDS.

The show will feature up close and personal interviews with political and religious figures, public health experts, entertainers and people affected by HIV/AIDS, including Dr. Kevin Fenton, Director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB prevention; Phil Wilson, Founder and Executive Director of the Black AIDS Institute; and Ainsley Reid, CEO and Co-Founder of the Jamaican Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS.

For up-to-the-minute information, footage and photos about the special, please visit our press only website http://www.bet.com/pr .

What's with these rappers? Is it the lyrics, or the bad man image they portray? Whatever the reason they have to get their acts together.

On the heels of Lil' Wayne's felony arrest on gun charges earlier this month, 50 Cent was recently kicked out of a mall in Scottsdale because members of his crew were allegedly packing heat.

According to eurweb.com police said security at Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall stopped 50 and his entourage asking that they remove their guns from the mall's premises.

The group quickly complied with the orders.

Later that same day, 50 Cent was back in the headlines for reportedly reducing Paris Hilton to tears during a pre-Super Bowl event.

According to the New York Post's Page Six, Hilton was hosting a party in Scottsdale for 944 magazine, where 50 Cent was one of the headliners. After 50 Cent said her name in one of his songs, Hilton tried to join the rapper onstage to dance, only to be met with 50 barking at her to "Get the f*** off the stage."

Witnesses said the outburst prompted Hilton to start crying, which was captured on film by photographers at the event.

Ouch 50, you need to show more respect to women!

It was rumoured some time ago that R&B singers Chris Brown and Rihanna had rekindled their romantic relationship, now there’s more. According to one of Chris Brown's very close friends, he and Rihanna are IN LOVE.

Chris' pal sent mediatakeout.com a text message last night with new details of the two's relationship. The insider told them, "Rihanna's new "Love" tat is for Chris [Brown]. He's getting a similar one soon. Dem 2 in luv."

And it doesn't stop there. The website has EXCLUSIVELY learned that the two artists may be planning on moving in together. According to a Los Angeles real estate broker, Chris Brown's apartment in the Hollywood Hills is going up for rent. Tells the broker, who's also one of our faithful readers, "I hear [he's] looking for a bigger place for himself and his significant other."

Things seem to be moving pretty fast for these two. All we have to say is that they make a mighty fine couple.

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Many times we pray and ask God for homes, cars, jobs etc and even children, but are we prepared to take the responsibilities they come with? Think about it.

We have to put our emotions aside and our dreams most times; while all our efforts and endeavours are focused on making our children's lives ok. I guess this is not the case for some people...because 33 year old Shanell Monique Mosley, who was very fortunate to give birth to eight children, took up herself and flew to Africa to marry a man she met on the Internet.

Now it is reported that she left her eight children with little food and no money on December 31, for Nigeria, telling her 15 year-old daughter she would return in a month. Mark you, the children are ages 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 15 and 16; how can you leave eight kids behind to fly across the globe to hook up with some virtual stranger you met on the internet in Africa? This is beyond crazy.

Her 9 year-old son told authorities he and the baby ate a still-frozen
pizza for breakfast on the morning they were discovered home alone. There were no diapers, baby food or formula for the infant, no sheets on beds and fruit was rotting in a basket.

She was arrested by authorities as she got off an Air France jet Monday at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and charged with child endangerment and child abandonment for leaving the children in squalid conditions.

I hope she gets a chance to think carefully about her actions.

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