By Kaylia Williams

At the young age of seventeen, Stephen McGregor was defined by the music industry and the media as 'Di Genius' and is now dubbed as one of the greatest producers. A son of one of the greatest reggae icons, Freddie McGregor, Stephen wrote his first song at age five while attending Vaz Preparatory entitled School Don Rule. The song, which was about staying in school received airplay both locally and internationally in 1995.

At the age of ten Stephen began to take his music more seriously by going to the studio with his father, who he emulates, as well as by watching the masters around him. He mastered five instruments; the drum, bass, violin, piano and the guitar, and completed his first production Dutch Master, featuring the likes of Fambo, Natural Black and Da'Ville. Since the Dutch Master, Di Genius continued with a positive vibe, making him one of the top producers in Jamaica.

While still attending Ardenne High School, Stephen kept working at his music and released the hard hitting Cartoon Riddim at the tender age of fourteen. This brought his career and Big Ship onto the high seas, as the rhythm sailed through the different airwaves daily.

Since then, Stephen has shown his competence as a producer over and over again. YardFlex asked Di Genius how he manages to vibe these hard hitting beats and produce unifying sounds. He explained that the vibe came naturally not only from his surroundings but also from the feeling within him at the time. Recently he has received an award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Music and his Red Bull and Guinness Riddim entered the Billboard Charts with the Mavado hit Weh dem a Do. Locally he has already released two rhythms for the summer Dark Again and Party Time and boasts of more to come.

By: Joseph Cunningham

It's in the genetics. This famous adage applies to Reggae's hottest current 'blood-line', Jimmy and Taurus Riley.

Taurus Riley is the hottest crooner in Reggae music and his father is a living legend. Yardflex caught up with Jimmy Riley during a recording session, and he obliged to give an impromptu interview. "I am an artiste with history. This makes me more than just another singer," he said. He then proceeded to tell the tale of his musical journey.

His career started while still a student at St. Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) in Jamaica, with a group called The Sensations. Jimmy reminisced on how he formed the group after being denied entry into another boy group called The Techniques. He said, "This was a group formed and led by Slim Smith, who was my best friend at the time; however I did not take the group seriously until I turned on the radio one afternoon and heard their song being played."

Although Jimmy had already formed his own group, he still wanted to sing with his friend, Slim Smith. Fortuitously for young Jimmy there was a split among the members of the Techniques, and he got his wish. Jimmy along with Slim Smith and Lloyd Tyrell then formed The Uniques.

Recording with Duke Reid, a leading producer at the time, gave Jimmy Riley national attention, as the group scored a number 1 hit with a song titled My Conversation. The song started a meteoric rise for Jimmy's career, as The Uniques became a leading group in the country with a total of three songs on the local Reggae top ten chart simultaneously.

However, tragedy struck while the group was at the heights of its popularity when its leader, Slim Smith died in a motor vehicle accident. At this point Jimmy reunited with The Techniques, comprised of Pat Kelly and Winston Riley, continuing with the group until he embarked on a solo career. The loss of his best friend had a devastating effect on him, so Jimmy migrated to the U. S.

After being encouraged by fellow artistes not to 'sit' on his musical talent, he took the trip back to the Jamaica. This proved to be the real start of his musical legacy. He joined the Taxi Label, a camp of artistes comprising the likes of Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Black Uhuru and others. The late 1970s going into the early 80s is the period known to be the highest point of Jimmy Riley's career. Four number one hits in succession made him a bona fide star. He said, "In the same way that you see my son Taurus breaking out, that was how I took over the airwaves." He had close to ten number one songs during this period. During this period he had developed a close musical relationship with Sly Dunbar, working together on many projects that gave Sly his initial recognition as 'top-flight' producer, locally and internationally.

After touring the world and becoming an official international Reggae star, Jimmy took a hiatus during the late 80s, living in Miami, Florida.

At the start of the 1990s he returned to Jamaica to commence another episode of his legacy." When I returned to Jamaica a number of persons asked me what did I intend to achieve. Persons in the music industry said it was Dancehall time," he recalled. However with a smile on his face he said he recorded a song titled, Its Gonna Get Rougher, which went straight to number one. At this point he said he was given the alias,' Done di place' by fellow artistes. "They said that whenever Jimmy Riley comes around he takes over," he said while laughing.

Jimmy Riley said that one of the principles that he has adopted throughout his career is, 'Quality over Quantity'. "I do not have 40 or 50 album like most people," he asserted. To date, the musical icon has only completed six albums whilst doing innumerable singles. His career was as good as gold all over again, when he voiced on one of Reggae music's all time greatest projects. His mega hit Love You Too Much to Ever Stop Liking You, in collaboration with Wayne Wade, is arguably what made him the legend he is today. On that same rhythm are songs like Garnett Silk's, Oh Me Oh My and Tinga Stewart's, Inside my Heart.

Jimmy Riley is currently working on a new album that will be a combination of old and new singles, being produced by Sly and Robby. Further he revealed that he is also completing an album with Harmony House, of which the great Beresford Hammond is CEO. Current songs voiced by Jimmy Riley are getting steady rotation on the airwaves, chief among them, My Girl and Taking time to Praise Him.

In conjunction with Taurus, Jimmy Riley will appear at Roots Bamboo in Negril later this month, and the Port Royal Festival in late August where he will share the stage with Brian McKnight.

Beenie Man recorded a slew of hit songs throughout the 90's that captured the dancehall arena, dancehall fans were busy learning and practicing the new dance move "World Dance", which was followed by more hit songs such as "Defend It" and "Dis Unu Fi Hear", "Damsel Ship", "Suzuki", "Ole Dawg", "Slam", "Ketteh Drum" and many more.

His performance in the music industry landed him the title DJ of the year in 1994, the same year that these singles were released. This was a significant year for Beenie Man; he also released his debut album which was titled "Blessed" which included a grip of hit songs.

By now, Beenie man had gone international; his songs were blazing the clubs and radio stations in England. The following year was even bigger and more successful for Beenie Man; he was doing major collaborations with Dennis Brown, Triston Palmer and Mad Cobra. In fact his biggest collaborations for that era were with Lady Saw for the song "Healing" and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" that he did with Third World. This was another fantastic year for Beenie Man and he was back in line for DJ of the year for the second consecutive time...

This upcoming summer season has shaped up to be a very busy one for Beenie Man. He's currently schedule for a European Festival Tour at the end of June and runs during the month of July where he's also confirmed for Sumfest - Mo-Bay, Good Year Oval - St. Thomas, Connecticut and Miami. Currently, he has a lot of videos and songs in rotation both on the Cable Stations, Radio Stations and on the Charts.

For Sean, [the EPIC records joint venture] was almost like a prophecy beginning to be fulfilled. Not only is music his love, it is in his blood. Iconic Reggae artist Buju Banton is his uncle and Jack Ruby, who produced records for Bob Marley and Burning Spear in Jamaica, is his grandfather. Now Kingston says he's looking forward to making music and living out his dream. nephew

After producing an endless array of hit records for the likes of musical heavyweights such as 50 Cent, The Game, Rihanna and Snoop Dogg, production savant J.R. Rotem has turned his attention to one of the most innovative young talents in music, Sean Kingston, the first signing on his Beluga Heights label.

Kingston, a 17 year old native of Jamaica who now lives in Miami brings his very unique triple threat of talent of rapping, reggae chatting and soulful harmonization with the 2007 release of his debut yet to be titled album.

"As an artist, my whole goal is to make powerful and classic music," Sean divulges. "I want everyone to feel me and understand where I’m from and that's what this album will do. The music is all about an authentic Sean Kingston vibe. JR is a talented dude and a dope producer and he saw that I had something different than any other artist out there. Together we're a powerful force.

In addition to J.R., The Runners, Cool and Dre, DJ Felli Fell, and DJ Khaled will be supplying beats. In just a short time, Kingston has already done what few in his age bracket can accomplish - solidify a following in the streets and get people excited about music again.

He has two certified thunder knockers on his hands with "Colors 2007" and the Jamaican remix. The original version is a lyrical brouhaha with Kingston showing he can hang with the acclaimed guest MCs. Miami Mayor Rick Ross and the multi-platinum west coast superstar, The Game. The reggae remix of Colors is a Caribbean hailstorm featuring the legendary Vybez Cartel and the always profound Kardinal Offishall. Both records maintain the same theme of unity and self-reflection.

"That's the whole campaign," Kingston, whose parents are from Jamaica, elaborated. "The song is about representing every flag that you're loyal to - whether it is Jamaica, the States, your block etc. It's a lifestyle record that can be a street anthem no matter where you are. I couldn't ask for anybody better than The Game and Ross to join me on the track. The Reggae version came up because I knew I had to do one special for Jamaica. The first person I thought of was Vybez Cartel. His verse came out crazy. Then Kardinal Official, that's my homie, he really attacked the track."

Kingston's album is shaping up to be as diverse as the colors are on the different flags he talks about.

The melody of "Stand By Me," also acted a muse for the first official single off the album "Beautiful Girls." It is way more than puppy love when Sean lays his vocals on the record, singing about a shattering break up.

"You're way too beautiful girl," he sings about heartbreak. "Girls will have you suicidal when they say it's over."

"I heard the track 'Stand By Me,' one night in the studio, the radio was on. "I asked J.R., did anybody ever flip that? He made the beat the beat right there on the spot and I wrote the songs in a few minutes. It's hard when you're in love and a girl tells you that it is time to end things. I know everyone can relate to that, so that's why I had to write about it."

"Drummer Boy" finds Kingston sticking mainly to rapping over the trouncing pounce of drums, while "I Can Feel" takes it to the party and incorporates a sample of Phil Collins' timeless "In the Air Tonight."

Perhaps one of the most eye opening track however may the song "Prosecutor," where Kingston vents about what he calls the wrongful imprisonment of his sister and mother. "You're lying and there's no way to prove it," he fumes.

Sean says he was inspired to write the record after he saw his family incarcerated when he was just 14 years old.

"I always had my sister and my brother," he began to explain. "My brother was doing his own thing, he was there but he was running around doing his own thing. When my mother and sister went away, it took a lot out of me. My sister went away for four months and my mom been away for over a year. When she went way, I was like 'nah man, this is too much.' I was only 14. I missed her like crazy but I pulled through and used it as my motivation. "Prosecutor" is a defining song on the album for me - nothing fake about it because it touches on something very personal to me. The dope melody that's on there makes me feel even closer to it."

Kingston wants to make it clear that he is no cookie cutter artist that has the songs laid out for him. He comes up with 100 percent of his lyrics.

"Man, it feels good to get that creative freedom," he says. "Not a lot of artists are put in that position. I don't feel that just because I'm a young dude, somebody should write my songs and say 'ok spit it this way.' I think music is better when it comes from the person, when it comes from your heart. I feel comfortable writing my own music and them letting me do it, is a great situation.

Sean talks about J.R. more like a big brother, rather than an Executive Producer of his album. Couple of years ago, Kingston started randomly hitting music industry contacts on MySpace. Although none of the A&R reps responded, Rotem emailed him back. J.R. almost had no choice, "Sean would hit me up at least three times a day!" J.R. says.

"He just had a real distinct sound," Rotem remembers. "I worked with some of the best and I don't see why Sean can’t grow to be one of them. His potential is limitless."

Rotem invited Sean for a meeting in Los Angeles, coincidentally; the young performer was already in the process of moving to California. Shortly after their initial meeting, Rotem had a flagship artist for his Epic records joint venture, Beluga Heights. For Sean, it was almost like a prophecy beginning to be fulfilled. Not only is music his love, it is in his blood. Iconic Reggae artist Buju Banton is his uncle and Jack Ruby, who produced records for Bob Marley and Burning Spear in Jamaica, is his grandfather. Now Kingston says he's looking forward to making music and living out his dream.

"In the future I want to have my own label and work on the business side," he said. "I went to acting school when I was younger, so I want to get into that. I want to get into every aspect of the business. It took me a little while to develop and build my sound, to find out who the real Sean Kingston was. I didn't know if I wanted to harmonize, or to rap. But I found out that I can do it all."

"Wha dem a deal wid?" - The slogan of fast-rising Dancehall artist Flex - can be heard from the garrison to uptown, from radios to buses to school children. Widely tipped as the next member of the Bounty Killer-led Alliance collective, Flex has made a name for himself via rapid-fire lyrics and melodies that hook you on first listen. Born Omar Henry at the Jubilee Hospital, Flex was first raised on the tough streets of Maxfield Avenue, before moving around Kingston, finally settling as a proud resident of Grant's Pen.

"From mi know myself I've wanted to be a DJ," says Flex. "As a youth I used to deejay Lt. Stitchie's song dem like they were my own," he continues, explaining the roots of his lyrical dexterity. His first time on stage was as an 8 yr old, at a community stage show where he deejayed Stitchie's intricate lyrics from start to finish and needless to say tore up the stage.

When Buju Banton burst onto the scene Flex found a new idol and began developing his own lyrics and imitating Buju's gravelly tones. Once Bounty Killer exploded, Flex, like many of the current frontrunners in Dancehall, was influenced beyond the point of no return.

At a stage show held in Cassava Piece '94 he performed and took the accolades of the show along with an area artist named Singing Blacks, who the world would later better know as Mavado. Since then both artists have been sparring, with Flex currently getting worldwide exposure opening for Mavado at stage shows around the globe. Back in the days Flex, Mavado, Terror Kid and Rockilla formed the Mafidi Crew and took it to the streets.

Since the day Tyrical introduced them to Bounty Killer, according to Flex, their future started to look bright. "Killer was the only artist who used to take time to school we," remembers Flex, who can be considered as a foundation Alliance member.. "He said we had crazy lyrics but taught us about how to construct verses, choruses and how to bring melody into the ting. Killer even put us in Dave Kelly's studio to voice, on Saddle to the East and It's Tha Party. Julian also carried us to crazy shows from back then."

Having co-written hits for fellow Grants Pen resident Predator, with whom he also travelled extensively, Flex's time has now arrived. "Murderer," on Delly Rank's mammoth Red Bull and Guiness riddim and backed up by a hardcore video was an instant hit.

Follow-ups "Kill Kill Kill," "Sunday Morning" on the Powercut, "Buss mi gun" and a new track on Steven McGregor's Tremor soundbed has seen Flex acquire a new army of fans.

Supremely confident on stage and with plans to expand into production and stage shows with the newly-formed Fagan Fraternity, Flex shows every sign of maintaining his current momentum for a long time to come.

Born Christopher Palmer and raised in the Mountain View area of Kingston, Mr. Lexx has been performing, as he says "since the day I was born". A former student at Kingston's (now defunct) Fox Drama School, Mr. Lexx is an accomplished actor who has appeared in several plays and earned a Best Actor award in 1992.

Mr. Lexx also distinguished himself as one of the finest dancers in Jamaica when he joined the popular dance troupe Squad One but for the past seven years he has pursued an extremely promising career as a deejay whose electrifying stage performances are enhanced by his vast experience in dance and theatre.

Mr. Lex has done video collaborations with Artistes such as Vegas, Taxi-Fare and Wayne Wonder with CNN, Anything Goes. This VP Recording Artiste has done shows in the Caribbean, United States, Europe and Japan.

By: Joseph Cunningham
Photo by: Carlington Wilmot

Not many artistes out of Jamaica can claim having been on the Billboard Top 25 Hip-Hop R&B Sales chart. E-Dee has however, been doing just that as he is featured on Ms Triniti's newest smash "Bongce Along". The 25 year old artist out of Clarendon, Jamaica is experiencing a breakthrough in the US market since spending the last five weeks as a chart topper. Already in Japan he is ready for his second full-length CD release and has appeared on four compilation CDs out of Japan. With two videos in rotation on Hype, CVM and Irie-FM in Jamaica, and US radio picking up his single "R U Ready" and "Between the Sheets" E-Dee could soon step into the international mainstream.

Born Everton Dennis, E-Dee was the youngest of eight siblings. His musical career began in the church, where he sang in the choir. His mother was very religious and did not allow E-Dee to listen to music other than gospel because she considered dancehall/reggae to be profane. So E-Dee's early musical experience was steeped in gospel. Suddenly his mother passed without warning when he was 12 years old and a young E-Dee had to grow up quickly. Working hard to earn money for his school uniform and books, E-Dee learnt dedication and focus very early, having to take care of himself. Applied to his musical career, that diligence brought E-Dee to his dreams. After completing his secondary education he moved to America to pursue his music career and to study to become an Actor. While in the U.S. E-Dee's steady exposure to Hip-Hop and R&B began to influence his writing, infusing the American slang with Jamaican Patois E-Dee's sound began to evolve.

Ending up in Los Angeles, E-Dee began performing at showcases. Word soon got out about this 6'5" rapper from Jamaica that was building a following. It wasn't long before promoters began putting E-Dee on the bill of major festivals. With two CDs selling strong in the streets, E-Dee was soon sharing the stage with the biggest names in Dancehall/Reggae including Sizzla, Wayne Wonder, Ce'Cile, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Beres Hammond, Lady Saw and the list goes on. Not to be ruled out as only a dancehall/reggae favourite his cross-over appeal has landed him shows opening for Hip-Hop artists D-12 and Ja Rule and got him collaborations with Capitol recording artist Houston.

In 2004 platinum record producer Qmillion sought out E-Dee to collaborate with Junior P. and Ms Triniti on the song "Hot Again" which was one of E-Dee's four collaborations with Ms Triniti on her debut album Ragga Hop. Qmillion was so impressed with E-Dee's talent that he immediately signed him to Unseen Lab Recordings and began recording a full length CD with E-Dee. During the recording of the album E- Dee headed to New York to film a cameo appearance in the urban action film "The Party" starring RL from the R&B group Next, and Darryl Hammond from Saturday Night Live. This work led to him landing a lead role in the upcoming feature film "Overkill" co-starring Malik Yoba due for release in 2008. E-Dee is also featured on the soundtrack of the 2007 movie, "I Think I Love My Wife" starring Chris Rock. On this collaborative effort he is joined by Black Shakespere and Terence Yoshiaki, a founding member of the Black Eye Peas. While many dancehall CDs focus on the subject of women, E-Dee's 18 song album entitled, "JA 2 LA 2 DI WORLD" takes you along his life's journey, touching on many subjects from the struggles of surviving in Babylon, to jealousy and envy of haters in the industry, to party life in the clubs on the dancefloor, to love and relationships, to the last song on the CD dedicated to his mother, "Mamma".

The first release from the album is the double single "R U Ready" an up tempo club banger and "Between The Sheets" a lovers-rock reggae version of the Isley Brothers hit. The double single is gaining momentum around the U.S. topping regional charts in Connecticut, Los Angles, Miami and more. The music video for "R U Ready" shot in Compton, California, will be serviced to BET and other outlets this fall and features a cameo appearance by Amorossa from The Apprentice and The Surreal Life. The sound of E-Dee's album "JA 2 LA 2 DI WORLD" represents a new sound in dancehall/reggae, influenced by Hip-Hop and R&B that is appealing to a whole new market as well as dancehall's traditional fans. Energetic, exciting, emotional and raw this artist is poised to be the next Jamaican to capture the attention of music lovers around the world and take dancehall/reggae to the next level. 2007 brings the release of his second single "Revolution" featuring "Irie Love" an adaptation of the classic hit by Dennis Brown. The reworking of this song with additional lyrics by E-Dee hits the streets this spring and the early response in clubs is - pure shots.

Natalie Storm is a multitalented Singer, D.J, and Songwriter who believes the universe is hers to conquer. Born Natalie Cole in rural Jamaica, she moved to Kingston as a child. She grew up listening to, and being influenced by the sounds of Skeeter Davis, Smokey Robinson, Madonna, and the dancehall female artists like Mumma Nancy and Lady Patra. She attended the Franklyn Town Primary and Holy Childhood High. It was in school that she decided to make a career of music. After joining the Holy Childhood choir she successfully auditioned for the Cathy Levy Players.

While in school, Natalie was approached by a producer seeking female singers for an all girl reggae group. The producer was Computer Paul Henton and the group was M.B.C. The group released one album in Japan.

After sometime as group leader and writer Natalie decided in late 2006 to pursue an alternative course. She left the group and began to record material with some of the top producers in Jamaica and across the globe. These include, Swatch International, Flabba (MO' Music) and New York based Stretch Armstrong (who has produced for Nelly Furtado, Lil' Kim, Wu Tang Clan).

Her first single on the Swatch International label titled "Best Friend" has just been released and getting strong radio play both locally and overseas. The video has been getting maximum exposure on HYPE TV, RE TV and Music Plus. The dance music remix of her Hot Love single featuring Jigsy from Danger Zone is being played at dance clubs all across Europe. She has just recorded a new single "Talk Di Tings" on Swatch International's Slackas Riddim which is taking dealing with the dances and clubs wicked. A video for this hot single is being prepared for the road. She will be on the HITZ FM street party showcases which will be held across Jamaica throughout the year. Natalie will also accompany Swatch International as one of their featured artists on selected Passa Passa dates throughout North America, the Caribbean and Europe.

Big things continue to happen for this multitalented songstress as she has started to produce other artistes including Peter Lloyd and Cezar among others. The new generation of Jamaican music has arrived. And it has come by Storm. Natalie Storm.

Blackrose is an East African artist who is widely in love with Jamaica. I love Jamaica because of the reggae music, people, talents and dancing. I had been growing up watching much of VHC1, MTV there I discover some of my favourite artists like Janet Jackson, Kylie Minogue, Neneh Cherry, Mc Hammer and more. By age of 8 I was exposed into reggae music. My bigger brother Anil Mohamed owned several reggae records and his favourite was Bob Marley. I loved the music of Bob Marley too we use to listen to his tracks often. As the years went by I got to know Maxi Priest, Patra, Shaba Ranks and Diana King. That was when I was 12 years I started to learn me dancing Dancehall/ Reggae Muffin as it was called those days. Then right then I started composing my own songs.

I was singing to my friends and family for fun. While at school in Uganda I won a singing contest by singing Patra's song "Worker Man". The artist who held the contest was known by name of Shanks Vividee and I was to attend to any of his show by mentioning Patra`s name. It was just one simple call I made at one radio station one day in Tanzania. I was to send shout out to my friends and the Dj asked me to hang on he will talk to me after he set the song I request on air. Anxiously I waited and there he was on phone again John Delinga. He though I had a sweet voice and he was wondering if I could sing. I admitted yes I could and it is one of my dreams. Right there and then I was invited to open the concert for different artists from Tanzania. I cried loud said "I have songs but no instrumental". He assured me that would not be a problem at all can be fixed by using other artist beats that goes with my song.

The day came and i went to club Bilicanas in Dar-es - Salaam. I made a performance that night and people came to me after asking me whose song was that I performed. I told them it was mine. They were very pleased and asked me to pursue my music career further. I didn't know how to continue.One day I met the assistant manager of Clouds Fm and asked me to join into the music project. I went there with my music book with almost 80 songs by age of 16. We selected "Sijui Niseme" and the song was recorded with Mj Production and released year 2000. Lucky enough I was people loved the song and encourage me to do more songs. I went to record other songs with Don Bosco studio unfortunately somebody I gave all money to pay for my recording stole it. Then I got stuck right then. I had to work hard to collect some cash and my sister Cleopatra contributed big time into my album. Then I got a chance to record with Bongo records I made about 7 songs with them. But I didn't release the material. I was not only focused into music though I did several shows and covers on magazines like Femina. I had to study and that was in another country in Uganda. Later on I moved to Norway and continue studying Fashion Design until today. Fashion is my passion just like music.

In Norway I entered singing competition Idol unfortunately I didn't go further throughout the competition. Then there I met a man called Pal Gazchmann contributing his business card for his recording studio. Trondheim studio that is the one am working with today. I work with great producer known as Conor Patric, Idd Aziz the drummer from Kenya, Sonny the guitarist and more. Now at the age of 25 then I realize everything for sure has it own time to be done. I feel so much stronger now and matured to do my music the way i want. I have made songs in Swahili and English. Into my album which will be released in late June will have Reggae, Dancehall and pop all available in Swahili and English. You just going to love the songs into this album.

Internet is people's best friend. I had it much easier to advertise my music through different websites. I came across myspace and there I met so much wonderful people. Not mentioning Jamaican friends. I then got lucky to feature with Konshens from Jamaica in one of my songs Sugar into Melting Sugar. Konshens he is so talented and am so glad to work with him. I hope someday it will be with Buju Banton or Cecile. I traveled to I still continue working with my album to make it with the Baddest sound. All I want to do is make people dance and connect. I traveled to East Africa for Christmas holiday and did some promotion in Zanzibar and Tanzania. At myspace website is worldwide thing and am so glad for having internet today makes it somehow easier to artists. Keep spreading them roots of Blackrose with love and support. One of my hugest dreams is to perform in Jamaica and dance reggae and dancehall all night long.

'The man who thinks he's larger than life' the title of the Taurian's first album formerly introduced Omar Riley a.k.a Taurus Riley into the music industry in 2001. The name Taurus Riley originated from him being ruled under the sign Taurus and the style he first came on the scene with, his friends said he fired musical shots with the fast pace that he would deejay, both were combined hence the name Taurus Riley.

The new musical sensation got hands on experience from his dad Jimmy Riley who is a veteran in the music fraternity, he shared, that life was always in the studio and traveling with his dad and so he was exposed to the music and to other veterans which he looks up to such as Beres Hammond and instrumentalist Dean Frazer.

At age ten he started fooling around with different instruments and just created a vibe vocally; his mother was his motivator as she insisted on him to pursue his talent, his father was also adamant but mainly his mother.

What you see is what you get from the musical sniper as his career did not take off as he would wanted but some how he says he fired a musical bullet which connected in April of 2006, he describes the feeling to be overwhelming as he didn't expect such a great response to his music, he shares that he tries to make his music to empower people and to uplift. His hit single 'Stay with You' which brought him on the scene was doomed to be a chart topper, for him, he said he visited his heart for another hit because 'Stay with you' was not an original, however his old track 'Larger than life' from his first album was reintroduced and the love is overwhelming. 'BeWare' is another track that is conscious and is well received across the airwaves both locally and internationally.

The introduction to his 15 track album 'Parables' produced under Dean Frazer Canon Production was launched in the heat of his career, on October 21st of 2006, fans were introduced to the musical shooter as they saw how well he used words emphatically. He explains that "Parables the name of the album had to be used because of the versatility and creativity he displayed, parables is also a track on the album he states that the nursery rhymes, we grew up on has meaning behind them, therefore I saw the need to play with the nursery rhymes a little to educate the youths of some of these things we face each day. For example the three blind mice... Are the big guys that put price on the rice". In other tracks he speaks on humanitarian topics such as bleaching, the lack of jobs and racism still being exercised in our societies. From talks with VP Records the distributors of the album, it is well received both here and abroad. Taurus expresses the love and respect he has been receiving from is fans, throughout all, his recognition and achievements he maintains his goal in music which is not to preach to people but to uplift youths and to increase peace and love in societies.

On February 6 each year, celebrations and tributes ring out around the world in memory of the Honourable Robert Nesta Marley, born on this day in 1945. Succumbing to a menacing cancer at the age of 36, he was prematurely taken from us on May 11, 1981. Lauded with several accolades that include Order of Merit in Jamaica, Bob Marley was crowned The King of Reggae Music by a fan base that spans the four corners of the earth.

The powerful force guiding young Bob Marley from very humble beginnings in Nine Miles St Ann and Trench Town's inner city, through to his being not only a colossal artistic success, but also a steadfast proponent of social justice and human rights is relentless, and lives on in the long legacy of compelling tracks left for the world to reflect on and enjoy. In a 1979 European interview Marley noted he was driven to speak out against weapons, wars, the corrupted or programmed, like those who create actual or virtual weapons to overthrow others. "Scientists still studying and not listening to what I am saying, but if they are not creating things for good, but creating weapons to overthrow people, they will get overthrown with it too," Marley opined. He went on to say the needy shall not be forgotten and the expectations of the righteous shall not perish.

Embracing Rastafari spiritual philosophy, Bob Marley brought its teachings to the world mainly through his music. "I don't have any religion, Rasta is life - I am what I am…I am a Rastaman," Bob once declared to an interviewer. With messages of peace, love and truth being the main components of his pulsating sound, doors to success opened globally for Bob, whose first major impact on the Jamaica music scene in 1964 was as a member of, The Wailers - comprised of, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston.

Burning a trail for Jamaican music with the revolutionary sounds of their first singles, "Simmer Down," "Soul Rebel" and "400 Years," as well as with debut albums in the early 70's, "Burnin" and "Catch A Fire," The Wailers commanded attention, and have retained that stance from the day they came on the scene until today - amidst many changes.

After a brief alliance with Lee "Scratch" Perry and around 1969 Alan "Skill" Cole, one of Jamaica's all time favourite star football players returned to Jamaica from his global football stints and regrouped with his friend Bob Marley. "What had been a cordial friendship since meeting at a football game in my early teens, grew into a close connection, that could only have been described as a binding relationship...we were closer than brothers...we were one blood," Skill explained. They formed Tuff Gong Records and from there releases kept coming, Skill said - and then Island Records came along. Being a strong support behind the stage front scenes was a pleasure for Skill, whose invaluable input was greatly appreciated by Bob.

It may have been the commonality of their love for football coupled with dedication to each other and similar values and principles that caused Skill and Bob to mesh so well, but their friendship grew only to become cemented in Bob’s last days. Skill, who stuck with Bob - physically and as a super source of emotional support, particularly during his final days on earth, recounted Bob's brave battle with a killer disease called, Melanoma or skin cancer.

"It started in 1970 while Bob played football in Boys Town. He got a rough tackle that left him needing rest for two weeks," Skill recounted. Flaring up again in 1977, the injury was diagnosed as the deadly Melanoma - one of the most aggressive skin cancers. Skill spoke of the treatments and side effects that initially involved removing Bob's toenail and placing him on a strict diet. In describing the shocking manifestation of Bob's illness on stage, Skill said, "When he collapsed in Central Park, he fell into my hands...from there I was with him every step of the way on his road to what I hoped would have been recovery."

Chemotherapy, that seemed to be more hurtful than helpful ensued and Skill described Bob's trip to Germany as one built on the hope of new and more natural treatments that had emerged. Making the trip with his brother, Skill spoke of the dismay that overcame not only him, but everyone around Bob, when his hair fell out. Facing the inevitable was like harsh defeat, leaving solace only in the prolific legacy of music amassed by Bob and The Wailers.

Skill lost a brother, Cedella Booker, Bob's mother, a son and Rita Marley, Bob's baby mothers and his children lost their soulmate and father on that fated day in 1981. However, like the song, "Natural Mystic," whether on February 6 or not, the undeniable truth in Bob's messages serve to somehow continually inspire our world, that is in dire need of an influx of peace, love and harmony.

Bob's numerous awards are listed below:

• 1976: Band of the Year (Rolling Stone)
• June 1978: Awarded the Peace Medal of the Third World from the United Nations
• February 1981: Awarded Jamaica's third highest honor, the Jamaican Order of Merit
• March 1994: Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• 1999: Album of the Century for Exodus (Time Magazine)
• February 2001: A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• February 2001: Awarded Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2004: Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #11 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time..
• 2005: Posthumous Achievement Award
• "One Love" named song of the millennium by The BBC
• Voted as one of the greatest lyricists of all time by a BBC poll.

There's this old black and white photo of Stephen Marley; it's a portrait of the lion as a young man. He's standing against a wall of bamboo rocking short hair and an '80s-style I-Threes t-shirt-puffed up and proud the way only a rebel youth can be. But there's something else in the image-something about the intensity and focus in Stephen's face even as a teen-that shows in an instant that having the last name "Marley" has nothing to do with being the son of a musical icon or an heir to a throne. It does, however, have everything to do with being an individual with a purpose.

Stephen hammers this point home with the release of Mind Control-his highly anticipated solo debut. Music heads have been up on his work for years, whether for collaborations with R&B stars like Erykah Badu or his part on the dancehall burner "It Was Written", and especially after Chant Down Babylon, the platinum-selling star-studded Bob Marley tribute he produced. But Mind Control represents a new stage in Stephen's evolution, one that brings together the genius of his production and his wise and soulful voice with hip-hop beats, smoky bass and winding keyboard runs. This is the sound of a man coming into full realization of his powers-and his legacy.

"It's a blessing to not have to stagger through life. I was born firm and conscious," explains Stephen, who was first heard on record at age six as part of the family's group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. All the Marley children share the politics and passion of their father, so Stephen needed no introduction when he stepped up to become the de facto musical hub of his father's recordings and the family's various projects around age 18. "It was a special experience but at the same time it was nothing new, because I grew up around it-so I had it," he continues. "But even though I had it, I still had to man it. And even if it's anticipated, it come when it come."

Now the wait is over, and perhaps the most surprising thing about Mind Control is just how rooted in the real world it is. Never content to simply rehash the sounds and themes of the past, Stephen uses the full length of the album to balance his range of ideas as a songwriter, musician and a man. The lead single "Mind Control" opens the album with a slow-burning groove that builds to a brushfire as it calls out the unseen social forces that still subject us to mental slavery; "Chase Dem" is even more explicit about the effect of political corruption on our lives. Stephen is never dragged under by bitterness, however: "Inna Di Red" is a poetic mystical soul search that escapes the shackles of everyday strife, while the album's title track is a family roll call that shows the unity of the Marley clan in the face of struggle.

Featuring cameos from roots-rock star Ben Harper, hip-hop hero Mos Def and younger brother Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, it's a collection of songs that range from conscious critiques of society ("Mind Control") and politics ("Chase Dem"), to the sweet and open-hearted ("Hey Baby"), to the simple and fun (the sexy, club-rocking, Latin-tinged grinder "Let Her Dance," which features Maya Azucena & Illestr8).

The softer and sweeter side of Stephen is also on full display in the album. A smooth, smart slab of hip-hop featuring a dose of Brooklyn flow courtesy of Mos Def on the album's first single, "Hey Baby," is based on a song Stephen would sing to his children to keep them from being sad while he was on tour with The Melody Makers: "Hey baby/ don't you worry/ even though the road is rocky/ I'll be coming home to you again." The hypnotic "Lonely Avenue," is a sweet, harmony vocal- and organ-soaked take on the Ray Charles classic-done Marley style. "I'm a big fan of Ray," says Marley. "I couldn't tell you the first time I heard him, but I could tell ya what I remember is hearing him and feeling him in pain." Blending modern sounds with classic roots vibes, Mind Control finds Stephen carrying the Marley legacy even further into the future with such samples as the smart piece of the Martina Topley Bird song "Sandpaper Kisses" heard throughout "You're Gonna Leave."

The album includes a trilogy of sorts ("Officer Jimmy Interlude," "The Traffic Jam," featuring Damian, and "Iron Bars," featuring brother Julian Marley, Mr. Cheeks & Spragga Benz) inspired by the few hours that Stephen and Julian spent in a Tallahassee jail in 2002 for marijuana possession: On "Iron Bars"-the song in which he sings "Let me out!/Let me out!/I'm an angry lion!"-Stephen asks himself, "What am I doing here, among the wolves? For some herb? It's like I'm a murderer. Ya know what I mean? Ya make me feel like I'm a murderer, for some herb, where, ya know, it's my culture."

Mind Control "has more magic than 'great songs,'" says Stephen mischievously. "But it has a little magic in it, still.' And perhaps more than anything that's the secret to this Marley's auspicious solo debut: the magic created when diverse roots combine in an artist's singular musical vision-when a blistering electric guitar solo slides into a bluesy harmonica riff and Stephen's wails let me out, let me out/I'm an angry lion on "Iron Bars", a collaboration with brother Julian and longtime friend the rapper Mr Cheeks-the only guest artists on the album. With the release of Got Music? that lion is out-and he's roaring.

www.myspace.com/stephenmarley
www.stephenmarleymusic.com (coming soon)

Dancehall quartet, TOK, has proven that they are consistent hit makers. Powerful harmonies, soaring leads, sinewy deejaying, tunes that hit, studly appeal, plus a canny album production that goes way beyond the usual "string together proven tunes with new tunes as filler" M.O. all the ingredients are in place and they translate into BREAK-OUT, big time.

Although former schoolmates, TOK has created a place in the Dancehall industry, which they share with no one else. Singjays, Craig "Craigy T" Thompson, Roshaun "Bay C" Clarke, Allistaire "Alexx" McAllister and Xavier "Flexx" Davidson give the group its unique edge. Starting off as a Jamaican R&B group they saw the need to appeal to the massive Dancehall populace. So Craigy T and Bay C worked assiduously to hone their deejay-ing skill.

TOK has been a member of the Dancehall fraternity for over a decade. They have successfully released two albums, the critically acclaimed, My Crew, My Dawgs and Unknown Language. Their second album, Unknown Language, was certified gold in two weeks in Japan, which went platinum shortly after.

The group is well-known for their chart toppers: Eagles Cry, Footprints, Bad Man, Galang Gal, She's Hot, Hey Ladies and Gal Yuh A Lead.

Now two albums deep, the still untitled third album is well on its way. Working with the best of the best Dancehall producers, the album, slated to be dropped later this year, is guaranteed to be a hot one. With songs like, Hotta, Bounce, Get Insane and Live It Up, the new LP is highly-anticipated.

By: Shilo Evans

The Rt. Hon. Robert Nesta Marley O.M...musician, humanitarian, prophet, reggae icon, and legend. Bob 'Tuff Gong' Marley has been called many different names by the millions of us worldwide who love him, but for his offsprings, the title of 'father', 'dad', or 'daddy', is the most significant role...the most important title Bob Marley ever wore.

Even if you've been living under a rock for the past three decades or so, you will know who Bob Marley was/is, and everything that he stood for. There is no need for me to go into the biography of the Gong, so I will leave the root for now, and head directly to the branches.

"My music will go on forever. Maybe it's a fool who seh dat, but when mi know facts, mi seh facts.
My music will go on forever." - Bob Marley

He didn't lie.
It's no secret that Bob Marley's children have all worked hard, and the Marley name, the Marley legacy, will always be alive and on the forefront...in music, fashion, charity, everything. The name lives on.

"Dem a go tiad fi si mi face." - Bob Marley

The Marley name has always sparked interest and curiosity in many. Some out of genuine love and care, and others because dem just bad mind and love chat. Ky-Mani Marley, one of the offsprings of the Tuff Gong, has always peaked the interest of fans. I'm not sure if it's because of his warm friendly persona, the genuine smile, the laughter from the belly like his dad, the down-to-earth always mingling with his supporters attitude, his exceptional musical and acting abilities, or it could just be the shower scene from the movie 'Shottas'.
Whatever it is...Ky-Mani Marley has a lot to say, and he said most of it in our two and a half hour conversation yesterday.

Ky-Mani stated facts and dispelled myths and rumors. The fact that many feel as if he was born with a gold spoon in his mouth is also something Ky-Mani spoke about. [Nothing could be further from the truth.] After listening to him speak with heartfelt emotion about his childhood, it's apparent that the only thing Ky-Mani had an abundance of while growing up...besides his health, was love. Family love. A mothers love. A fathers love. Sometimes that's all a soldier needs.
If you don't know...ask somebody. Don't assume.

Born on February 26th, in Falmouth, Ky-Mani spoke happily about his childhood in Jamaica. Although very young, he roamed about freely and innocent, with no worry of danger. Growing up in humble surroundings, Ky-Mani felt so much love, being poor was never a factor...he didn't realize it. To him it didn't matter.

"People see the name Marley and think everything is everything cause my father is the King Of Reggae. Everything is good now, but it wasn't always this way."

At age eight, Ky-Mani and his mother, Anita Belnavis, former Ping Pong champion of Jamaica relocated to Miami to live with his grandmother and other family members. After arriving at what was to be his new home, Ky-Mani remembers thinking to himself, "this can't be it!"
The neighborhood left much to be desired, and Ky-Mani found himself growing up very fast surrounded by violence and drugs in the vicinity. He soon learned that life wasn't going to be as easy as he thought, but through it all, his mother taught him well, and he credits her with the man he is today.
"As tough and poor as I grew up, I loved it. It helped to build my character, and build my love for people."

Shilo
Tell us about the relationship between you and your mom.

Ky-Mani
Anita Belnavis is a strong woman. Militant in action and thinking. Hats off to her. She is way beyond just a mother to me. She was a single black woman raising a boy, and she taught me about everything. She gave me this militant mind. Teaching me to never back down from anything. She told me that anything that came my way I should face it. Our relationship is somewhat like brother and sister. No matter how tough the struggle was...my mother always worked it out. Anything I needed, she provided it for me...my shoes and clothes were always clean. I love that woman!
She might have been the Ping Pong champion of Jamaica at one time, but she never liked the limelight. My mother molded me. She gave me strength in everything, to face anything.

Even with the music, I didn't really want to do music, but my mother made sure I took guitar lessons, piano lessons and even made me practice the drum. She kept me active. Even though sometimes taking those lessons to me was like taking medicine, I now wish I had taken some of it a bit more seriously.

Shilo
I know and you know that Bob Marley is your dad...but when did you realize that your dad wasn't just any ordinary everyday dad. Your dad was Bob Marley the Icon, the Legend?

Ky-Mani
The magnitude of that didn't hit me until about seven years ago. I always knew he was a great man...a great musician. However, I never really realized how great he was until I started traveling the world. Going through places like Germany in little neighborhoods where everyone, even babies were wearing Bob Marley t-shirts, or going to countries in Africa and everyone greeting you with a Bob Marley memorabilia to be signed...even people who lived in the jungles, living by nature...they all knew the Gong.

I remember one time in Sweden, this young man, about twenty-four years old, came to me and broke down in tears. Apparently he had been going through some tough times and had also lost his dad. He told me he had contemplated suicide, and had had the gun ready to take his life. Someone had given him one of my father's cd's and he started listening. He said the more he listened to my father's words, the more his burdens lifted. He said the Gong saved his life. Yes my father was a musician...but it was more than that. He was like an angel to me. A gift. His music is timeless. Gong Marley music is always relevant. You never hear anyone saying they going to listen to some old Bob Marley tunes. Every Gong Marley tune is timeless. Always current.

Shilo
What is that one memory of your dad I have heard you speak about?

Ky-Mani
Jah blessed me. I have one memory of him. How I captured it [at 4 years old] is only Rastafari know.
My father, Stephen and my father's friend came to pick me up one day in Falmouth. Then all of us, and my mother went to Nine Miles.

When we got to Nine Miles, me and Stephen went into the bushes to play with my father's sling shot. The sling shot got lost, and Stephen said, 'yu inna trouble now, yu loss daddy slingshot!' I said, a nuh me loss it, and I started to fret. When we left the bushes and went back to the house, I saw my father standing in the doorway leaning up holding on to the column. I marched right up to him, walked up the bricks that formed the steps, looked up and said, daddy, mi loss yu sling shot. My father looked down at me and laughed. I have always remembered that...and I don't know why.

I never realized asking Ky-Mani to speak about his father's death would be so hard for him. When asked if he remembered where he was when he got the news that shocked the world, it was with tremendous emotion that Ky-Mani took me through that memory.

"Don't worry about a thing, every little thing, is gonna be alright." - Bob Marley

Shilo
We all remember that day in 1981 when the news about your father's passing made headlines worldwide.
Can you tell me your recollection of that day?

Ky-Mani
I was at the Center in Falmouth. I was five years old. A big man come up to me and said, 'your mother say to come home now!'
I didn't know why, but I went home. When I got to the house, everyone was sitting watching the tv, which I found strange cause no one really watched tv in that house. No one was talking, but everyone was crying. Someone said to me, 'yute, yu father jus died'. I didn't even know he was sick. From that day my life changed. I hold on to the memory of me walking up to him and telling him about the sling shot. I hold on to the memory of the way he looked down at me and laughed. I miss him, and I love him. I vision him sometimes. Sometimes he will be serious, but most times he is usually smiling. My father was a great great man, and a loving father.

Shilo
B.O.B---Bond Of Brothers
How is the relationship between you and your siblings?

Ky-Mani
The relationship between me and my brothers and sisters are perfect.
It's like a fairytale people find hard to believe. We're always together. As long we not on tour, we're together. We eat together, in the evenings we play ball together, and in the nights it's the studio. Ziggy is the eldest son...hats off to him and nuff respect to him. Stephen is the man. His mission is to keep the family as a unit. Ever since he was young, Stephen always placed emphasis on the family bond. Musically he keeps everything working. He won't stand for nonsense either.

My sister Cedella is the eldest. She is Bob Marley's first born. The mother bear. She is always fighting for family, and we all turn to her with our problems. She is very firm...but with so many brothers she had to be. I love her nuff.
I would gladly give my life for anyone of them, anytime. My brothers and my sisters. We support each other.

Shilo
I know if I have heard people making comparisons with Bob Marley and his sons...I am sure you have heard it also.
Do you feel pressure being the son of Bob Marley? Let me clarify...do you feel as if pressure is put on you to act a certain way or achieve certain things because of who your father is/was?

Ky-Mani
I love being compared to my father. There is no one else I'd rather be compared to. It shows I am on the right path.
The only pressure I feel is when people try to tell me what I should be singing about. Telling me I should sing this or that.
Take 'Shottas' for instance...I got heat from some people who thought that I should not have accepted the role.
Some said because I am Bob Marley's son, the movie was too violent a movie for me to be in. The movie is real. It's an eye-opener. It shows some of the things that goes on in the real world. It's art imitating life. We not glorifying violence. My character at the end of the movie ended up with nothing. I might have left on a boat with seven million dollars in a bag, but my childhood best friend was dead, police was hunting me, my woman was dead, and therefore I had nothing. It's teaching the youths that the life-style should not be glorified.

Photo Courtesy of www.celebrityplus.net

You can read part two this Saturday

Photo by: Carlington Wilmot

The recording company Fearless Records has released the latest Fyakin single, 'Free the Rasta', to local disc jockeys which is getting a lot of love from FM radio.

Fyakin is the flagship artiste of the Fearless Records camp as it seeks to establish itself as a force to reckon with in the industry in 2007.

"We are trying to focus on Fyakin right now, we're not going to overwhelm ourselves with too many productions and we like the feedback we're getting from everyone so far on the 'Gun Season' rhythm with the duo, Serenity. However, we feel that Fyakin is going to be the next big thing," 'Fearless', head of Fearless Records, said.

In the meantime, Fyakin is growing from strength to strength. He was booked on GT Taylor's Magnum Xtravaganza on Xmas Day 2006 and he recently performed his popular single, 'They Don't Know' at a dance in Waterford, St. Catherine. You can check out Fyakin’s profile at myspace.com/fyakin.

The Portmore-based Fearless Records has also signed a bunch of talented artistes to its roster such as Serenity, Confident, Jah Lonzo and Rattigan. On the Easy rhythm, the singles which have been gaining attention on FM radio are Jah Lonzo's 'Free', 'Suffering' by Rattigan, 'Stress' by Confident and 'Gun Season' with Serenity, a duo of two girls.

"I have always been around the business, I am friends with a lot of artistes, when they come to the US, I would pick them up as friends and carry them around, then I got into the sound system game. The sound system was introduced to me by Cobra, who gave me two dubs, and suggested why yu don't build a sound fi yourself. I thought about it, we came up with a name, came up with Fearless and Cobra sort me out with my first set of dubs. So I was in teh business for a while, and I was by Wong studio, and a guy by Capone introduced me to the girls, Serenity. They did a song for me, and I tried it and I just got deeper into it," Fearless explained.

Fearless believes in 'bussing' young artistes and is willing to go against the conventional wisdom of established producers who choose to work almost exclusively with popular acts.

"People feel I am different from other producers, especially with the girls, who have experienced things with other producers who try to trick them and get into their pants, or try to exploit them. So i was different in that way, and people just gravitate towards me. I want to work with just young artistes who I know are good, talented and need the break and the producers always focus on the big artistes, so I didn't like that, so I tried this approach, and now, ah just pure young artiste mi ah push," he explained.

He built the Fearless Recording studio in August of last year. It is located in Old Braeton in Portmore.

"People say it is one of the best in Portmore and Kingston and the artistes gravitate towards it, Frisco, Cobra, Bascom X, Guidance, all of them have gone there and say it is excellent...right now, mi just have the love for the music and hopefully, something can come out of it," Fearless said.

Wayne Wonder is a staple in the Dancehall industry. He has established himself to be one that is sure to be around for a long time.

In the Dancehall realm, it is probably rare that singers are highly-respected, but when you are as talented and artsitic as Wayne Wonder, it is hard not to be. Whether he is cooing of a new found love or if he is lamenting about lost love, his sound and style are distinctive and definitely fancied.

Wayne Wonder has been a consistent hit maker from the 80's. His catalogue includes hits like Joyride (with Baby Cham), Keep Them Coming, No Letting Go and I Still Believe.

Wanye Wonder Wayne has worked with a slew of talented Steve "Lenky" Marsden and Tony Kelly. He has also collaborated with the best in the business like Buju Banton, Baby Cham as well as rapper Foxy Brown and Kanye West.

Currently, Wayne Wonder is in the studio working on his next album, Forever, which is scheduled to be released later this year. He has also done two new music videos for his new singles, You and I Don't Give A Damn, which is in rotation. His website, www.waynewonder.com, has been redesigned and updated, so fans can log on for cool information.

Wayne Wonder is a mainstream artiste who specializes in bringing a blast of fresh air to the Dancehall industry with remain true to himself and his fans. His aim is to entertain and give maximum satisfaction and he won't stop making music until this mission is accomplished!

After one decade, six albums, two of them multi-platinum, five #1 hits, and eleven top ten singles world wide, Grammy winning Big Yard recording artist Shaggy is still on the grind. Making music that celebrates his culture and being an ambassador for Reggae music has always been the driving force in the heart of Jamaica's only living Diamond-plus selling artist.

In the early 1990's Shaggy entered the scene with his deep throaty remix of the Ska classic 'Oh Carolina', the first major Reggae record to come out of the dancehall underground. Soon after, the steady dub rhythm of the platinum selling Boombastic solidified Shaggy as a dancehall hit-maker winning the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

When Hotshot dropped in 2000 no one could have predicted that this was going to be the album to set Shaggy totally apart from any artist on the dancehall stage. Hotshot, the best-selling album in 2001, sold over 13 million albums world wide and topped the charts in the US, UK, Germany and Australia simultaneously. The album was seven times platinum certified in Canada and six times platinum in the US. Hotshot rocketed to the top of the charts with two phenomenal singles, "It Wasn't Me" and "Angel", which featured Big Yard proteges Rik Rok and Rayvon, respectively.

Fall of 2005 found Shaggy releasing Clothes Drop an album that gave his audience chart topping dancehall singles like "Wild2Nite" and "Ready Fi Di Ride". Steady contributions to the dancehall are what keep Shaggy current. He is one of very few Reggae artists who always have a fresh new record pulsing through the dancehall market. And fall 2006 being no exception, he released one to keep the masses guessing with "Reggae Vibes", a well-received tune that finds Shaggy taking on the role of singing. "Vibes" is the first song to ever feature this famed deejay singing, just more proof that with Shaggy's ingenuity anything is possible.

To date, Shaggy has sold over 20 million albums, but he doesn't take that achievement lightly. Knowing that records are meant to be broken, today we find Shaggy in the studio putting the finishing touches on his eagerly anticipated but still untitled album due in 2007. "Church Heathen" on Big Yard's new Heathen riddim is the hottest new song in heavy rotation on Jamaican radio and in the clubs, and this single is just a taste of what's to come. In his new project Shaggy is going full circle, pulling together the original crew for collaborations that include artists such as Redd Foxx and Screechy Dan, alongside side Rik Rok and the ever-solid Rayvon. For production, the project boasts the creative excellence of Sting International, Robert Livingston, Tony Kelly, Christopher Birch, and Dave Kelly. Working from his strong foundation and always expecting the best, Shaggy is doing his part to make good music, make a difference and prove that the 'world is just one big yard!!'

Photo by: Carlington Wilmot

Even though he is still in his teens, Fyakin is creating a wicked vibe in the dancehall with a number of songs including 'They Don't Know' for the Fifth Element label, and at least three songs for Fearless Records: 'I Know You Love Me', 'Free the Rasta' and 'Yodding in the Streets'. A video was shot for 'I Know You Love Me' which is getting love from radio disc jockeys across the island.

Fyakin has lived in the community of Portmore since 2003, and has developed a growing fan base in that community, even while he has been able to grow closer to his mother who was absent from his life for several years.

"It feel joyful more time to be with her certain way, we ah uplift her certain way, and ah try ease off the pressure offa her," he told YardFlex.com.

Fyakin has performed at a number of stage shows include Blazay Blazay, Kulcha Shock, Calabar Career Day, Gaynestead Career Day, the annual Garverymeade Barbecue, the Village Cafe, the annual Stone Love Anniversary dance, and the Cooyah launch in Annotto Bay.

Fyakin is not your garden variety singer with delusions of grandeur bubbling up in the stem of his brain. Here is a young man, a true firebrand who believes in walking the path of righteousness and spreading a positive message to the human race.

"Is just righteousness me ah defend and the upliftment of black people, each and every one. I believe that love and unity can conquer all things, so we just ah save who we can save," he said.

Born Nicholas Levy, he attended the Tarrant High School in the 1990s, but was forced to drop out because of financial problems being experienced by his family at that time. Undaunted by that early setback, he has returned to school via the Horizon Institute of Business where he is going to take CSEC exams in the areas of Mathematics, English, P.O.B and Biology, even as he pursues a career in music.

"I took the decision to go back to school, and get these subjects so that later, there is no need to do that when I am a successful artiste in the business, I am laying the foundation from now," the 19 year-old said.

He basically grew up on his own, living with members of his extended family, as both his father and mother lived and worked in different locales, so he did not grow up in a tight family setting.

He got turned onto music through his elder brother, Neumowatt, who taught him the fundamentals of how to write songs, and then, after that, how to tackle the live performance aspect of the business - stage shows. It was a lot to digest at 15 but Fyakin was an eager and apt pupil.

"Neumowatt showed me how to set the thing, and it helped me a lot in those early years," he said. "The bible say you must call up on the young ones because they are strong, and if I stay true to rastafari, and do all that is pure, and not dwell in the wrong, then which force raised against I can stop me?"

The lyrics to Ghetto Story, a haunting tale of growing up poor in the vividly violent streets of a Jamaican ghetto, were written from a surprising place: the grassy knoll of a lake deep in the suburbs of Southwest Miami-Dade, where ducks waddle by and the water laps softly against the grass.

It is a sweet irony not lost on Dameon ''Baby Cham'' Beckett, the popular Jamaican dancehall star whose searingly gritty song leapt from smash hit on the island a year ago to international acclaim with the help of remixes from R&B princess Alicia Keys and rapper Akon. The song and the remix with Keys earned Cham two nominations at last week's BET music awards.

This is my story. Real ghetto story. I remember those days when hell was my home. When me and mama bed was a big piece of foam. And mi never like bathe and mi hair never comb. When mama go a work me go street go roam.

It is indeed his story: Of growing up poor in the Kingston enclave of Sherlock Crescent. Of not having a father around. Of watching his mother work every day to support five kids. Of seeing his best friend murdered when he was 12. Of dodging bullets and waging war on behalf of the politicians who controlled the neighborhood.

''The story is real. Seventy percent of it is my personal life. The things I grew up seeing around me,'' he says.

Cham, as he prefers to be called these days, has been plotting his escape from that neighborhood since the fateful murder of that childhood friend.

He decided to become a pilot.

''I researched everything about the profession. How much it paid, how long it would take to learn. I wanted to fly [my mother] out of Sherlock,'' he said.
But his mother was already supporting two children in college. His pilot dreams would only add to the financial burden.

And so he did what young men do. He went to a local dance and fell in love.
''I saw how the crowd reacted to Super Cat, to John Wayne and I loved it. They were getting so much attention.''

By age 16 he'd earned the respect of producer Dave Kelly, who had told him years before to return to his studio when he had a high school diploma in hand. So he did: ''It was the best thing he could have done for me,'' Cham said.

The two have been inseparable since producing several hits by Kelly's Madhouse Label including: Gallang Ya Gal, Hands off My Property, Middle Fingers and Vitamin S. The label's studio is based in South Dade.
Then along came Ghetto Story in November 2005.

Source: The Miami Herald

Sean Miller
Yardflex Writer

Quick, kids. Pop quiz. Who is Courtney John? Is he the same person as Yogi of 'I go Crazy' fame? Or is this another textbook case of 'identity theft'?

No, says Courtney 'Yogi' John, "we are the same persona."
But who can blame the public for being a little confused after seeing the reggae-pop singer in the snarky new video, 'Hey', where he changes his sound, looks way more dapper, gets up close and personal with Jovi, and in the stunning climax, where they both take a running jump into a pool. Yogi wouldn't have done any of that stuff.

The new persona appears to be generating a lot of buzz for this new incarnation of Yogi.

"Girls see me and ah call me all Junior Gong. But I am not Junior Gong, I am Courtney John, but I am happy that the young people are really into the Courtney John thing and because of the video and the song, I have a new set of fans," he said.

Interviewer: Who is Courtney John? And what are the streets saying about th