Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall Returns to Weekenz

The second season of Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall got under way in early January and is expected intensify with the live performances of the twenty finalists at Weekenz Bistro and Bar beginning on February 28.

Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall has travelled far and wide to bring authentic Jamaican talent to the fore. Over the last 5 weeks Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall has presented princes and princess vying for the grand prize of one million dollars each, a video and a single. The first live show for this season will be aired on TVJ on Saturday, February 28 and repeated on Tuesdays at 11:30pm and Thursdays at 10:30pm. The competition will also air on RETV on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 5:30 pm.

After successful audition shows were aired from the five locations: May Pen, Montego Bay, Portmore, Ocho Rios and Kingston, on Television Jamaica (TVJ) and RETV, all is set for the live eliminations. From each of the five audition locations four contestants were chosen by public vote and a total of twenty contestants have advanced to this round of the competition. The public’s votes will eliminate the princes and princesses with the lowest number of votes each week. The second season of the all-dancehall talent competition is expected to run until May when the winners will be known.

With a newly designed set by Simone Clarke from Higher Intelligence Agency; the second season of Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall is expected to be bigger and better than last season. To add to the new set; Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall will feature a dance segment as it did last year only this time each week will feature and new group of dancers. This is a new approach by the talent show’s producers aimed at giving exposure to young dancers while at the same time providing high quality entertainment for the viewing public.

The format of the live show has changed a bit with the inclusion of a back stage feature hosted by comedian Pretty Boy Floyd. This section of the show will see Floyd interviewing patrons during the show while showcasing the contestants off-stage. Jamaican designs will again be featured each week and Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall will premier the latest dancehall fashions by some of the top designers in Jamaica today.

With a new mixture of producers, artistes and noted music personalities as guest judges, as well as different selectors on the wheels of steel each week, Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall is destined to be a hit. Fans should stay tuned as on February 28 at 9pm on TVJ Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall will ‘buss’ new talent.

IT'S A REGGAELUTION FIRST

The food will be exquisite and the atmosphere will mirror a real reggae revolution vibe.

Tuesday November 18 - Kingston Jamaica :- For the first time in Jamaica, all-inclusive party fans will get a chance to enjoy the  exclusive ambiance of an all-inclusive party while at the same time being entertained by some of Jamaica’s most talented and popular reggae artistes.

After years of clamouring by ardent all-inclusive party fans, Rasta Rules will, on Saturday December 6, 2008, stage what will go down in history as the first all-inclusive party fused with a live concert dubbed It's A Reggaelution. As the name suggests, It's A Reggaelution will be an event like no other, featuring reggae superstar Buju Banton, the ever cool Tarrus Riley, international reggae band Rootz Underground and the strong one Etana live on stage at the Liguanae Club with master Spin Doctors Arif "Supa Coop" Cooper & Delano from Renaissance on hand to ensure the musical vibes are perfect.

Food and drink will be inclusive and the food will have a reggae theme with all the traditional and not so traditional menus on offer by Oregano caterers under the direction of master chef Chris McCurdy. An assortment of imported wines will also be available as well as noted vodkas, and Jamaica’s new beer Kingston Beer and other popular liquors.

The Liguanea Club will be accentuated by the stylings of renowned decorator Jackie Tyson, who has over the years developed a reputation of creating high class styles and themes fitting the tastes of discriminating party fans. Jackie is noted for decorating events such as Shaggy's Platinum Party and Tempo's Jamaican launch at James Bond Beach and many others.

"The It's A Reggaelution concept is without a doubt distinctive. We will be using all the resources at our disposal to transform the Liguanae Club into a 'high fashion meets reggae' theme. This is a first for Jamaica and as such we are planning several surprises to please the eyes of our patrons". – Jackie Tyson, Decorator Extraordinaire

Tara Playfair, CEO of Rasta Rules and the brainchild of It's A Reggaelution, is excited about being able to produce an event of this nature for the fist time in Jamaica.

"For years party fans have been asking for this type of event. It's A Reggaelution is a style event, one that blends the best of an all-inclusive with the vibe of a live concert. It's the spot where reggae, good food and drink come together at one cost. We at Rasta Rules are proud to be the first to stage such an all-inclusive exclusive event in Jamaica. The food will be delicious, the drinks plentiful and the atmosphere will mirror a real reggae revolution vibe. The artistes have been every enthusiastic about being part of making entertainment history in Jamaica and fans have already began lining up to get tickets which are limited due to the intimate vibe we are going for.”

Gates to It's A Reggaelution will open at 8pm and performances will begin at Midnight (12am) with the show running until patrons have had their fill of quality music, food and drinks. A limited number of tickets have been printed and are available at Shimmer, Uppercut Barbers, Images Hair Salon, all Cooyah stores, Genius Pharmacy (Portmore) and for those who would rather have tickets come to them Just Call Delivery Service will drop off tickets and allow for payment via debit or credit card.

There will be thousands of dollars worth of prizes on offer including high end cellular phones and cash. The first five ladies to enter the venue will receive a gift basket of assorted goodies from Cooyah, Wray & Nephew, Sky Vodka and Kingston Beer, just to name a few.

On Saturday December 6, 2008 history will be created in Jamaica with the first all-inclusive reggae concert, it will truly be a Reggaelution. Rasta Rules plans to make It's A Reggaelution an annual event, showcasing the best talent in International & Local reggae artistes and delectable cuisine. With presold tickets being rapidly sold, the response so far undoubtedly says that It's A Reggaelution will be one to remember.

JAMAICA READIES FOR MAGNUM KINGS AND QUEENS OF DANCEHALL AUDITIONS

 …10 princes and 10 princesses to compete for the top title of Magnum King and Queen of Dancehall

Tuesday November 11- Kingston Jamaica:- The success and popularity of dancehall music has without question provided opportunities for many Jamaicans who have and are trying to establish themselves in the field. Recognizing this, 

Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall has returned and will kick off its second season Saturday, November 15, in Montego Bay at the Wexford Court Hotel.

The competition’s second season, which was launched on Monday November 10, will see a total of five auditions across the island with the first being in Montego Bay, the competition will move over to May Pen, then through Portmore, Ocho Rios and will make a final stop in Kingston. 

At each stop persons going up for audition will perform for judges Ms. Kitty, General Degree and Scatta with the hope of getting a call back slip for the next round. This process will continue for the four remaining audition stops. From these auditions, 20 contestants will advance to the TV round, 10 princes and 10 princesses who will compete for the top title of Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall.

Executive Producer of Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall Mark Kenny, noted that he was looking forward to the second season of Jamaica’s first dancehall talent show. “I’m curious of what the contestants will bring this year. Last year was a striking and phenomenal display of talent and we are expecting nothing short of that this year”.

The dates for the auditions following its November 15 stop at the Wexford Court Hotel, Montego Bay will be: May Pen, November 22; Portmore, November 29; Ocho Rios, December 6 and Kingston on December 13^th. This year’s competition has a grab of over two million dollars, the release of a single and a music video, and the option of joining the Real Jam Management Agency, which evolved out of the Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall 2007/2008 season. 

All systems are go for this year’s second staging of the Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall competition and based on the buzz on the street it will be bigga and badda.

                                                                                       

AUDITION DATES TO REMEMBER

 

Montego Bay        November 15

May Pen               November 22

Portmore             November 29

Ocho Rios             December 6

Kingston               December 13  

Digicel Rising Stars' From Yendi's Eyes By Yendi Phillips

Tuesday, August 12; Kingston, Jamaica: As the new host of Digicel Rising Stars, I am privileged to work with the rising talent of Jamaica. What I love most about being a part of this competition is the chance to bond with the contestants, talking with them and getting to know them a bit more. As the competition progresses and the number of finalists decreases, Jamaica is able to judge the talent a bit more closely.

Of course, the finalists are not the only persons being watched. As the new host, I am aware that many persons have advice and comments and I appreciate the critics. Just like the finalists, I am adjusting and having fun at the same time. I am trying to just let things flow, stay natural, and let my personality run free.

The contestants have also allowed their personalities to run free, and in Sunday's (August 10) show, the eight remaining contestants from the public's vote last week joined the Producer's pick (Tiffany) to create a passion of R&B hits. The performances generated a sizzling vibe as the contestants sang their hearts out asking Jamaica to make them a part of the lucky eight come Friday.

The finalists are finally listening to the judges and stepping up their game. This week we saw more performances that were powerful enough to please even the judges. Though I can't take any sides and have to remain neutral, here's a quick rundown of what happened this week:

Leisha Rose the Constable, delivered Alicia Keys' No One; Cameal celebrated her birthday by being Dangerously in Love, from the album of the same title by Beyonce. Kahlil told the ladies it was All Because of You as well as to come Closer, both from the Ne-Yo collection; Lashana wanted attention with Beyonce's Listen; and Wayne agreed with Usher's You Got it Bad. SLR harmonized En Vogue's Hold On; and K'Alee did justice to Rihanna's Take a Bow. Secret Melodies held back the tears at the end of One Republic and Timberlands' Apologize. All the contestants including the producer's pick, Tiffany, were well-received and got thunderous ?forwards' from the live audience.

All the contestants were wonderful and delivered well. I am especially proud of how all the contestants captured and took a shade of the stage light. The competition is heating up! So remember to keep those votes coming in!

DIGICEL RISING STAR JUDGMENT – By Clyde McKenzie

In his own words, Digicel Rising Star judge Clyde McKenzie gives his honest opinion on Season 5.

Saturday August 9; Kingston, Jamaica: So far, Digicel Rising Stars Season 5 is turning out to be an interesting competition with the contestants finding themselves and getting more comfortable with the stage.

The performances so far have been relatively good with the top-ten displaying their talent in the top-ten show on Sunday night (Aug 3). In fact, I saw some exceptionally strong performances and some weak ones.

Khalil, the group out of Montego Bay gave an outstanding performance and I was really impressed with them, it was a creative and diverse act and you could say the Jefferson met the Prince. Khalil’s is one of the finest performances that I have seen in this competition since it started next to that spectacular performance by Noddy Virtue and Jodiann Pantry. The group is just great, they know it, and have been using their harmony to make that stamp on the public early and are a crowd favourite. The reactions that the in-house crowd gave on Sunday were just enough to say how these young men are being received so far.

Cameal also delivered a good performance on Sunday night with her own interpretation of the Jimmy Cliff hit The Harder They Come, which should help make an impact on the public. Cameal gave her own interpretation of the song, developed the meaning and delivered it well; something that other contestants should do.

Despite their performance on Sunday, I think SLR was reasonably good. However, I didn’t like their choice of song, even though their might be talks of it being contemporary and all that. In essence, the song was not their song and that was evident in the way their voices blended with it, they need to choose songs that can display their harmonizing, almost reminiscent of what they used to ‘knock us away’ in Ochi.

The barber from Linstead, Nigel Wilson, was tentative on Sunday night; he has the capacity to deliver and it was evident in that R. Kelley medley. Wilson’s only problem was that he held back. Obviously Jamaica agrees with this and so he is going back to Linstead. Lashana, from Westmoreland held back too, she has a marvelous voice that she needs to let Jamaica hear it. Leisha on the other hand had a good performance even though it was not her best, she can improve.

I do not want to compare this crop with previous groups because each group differs and brings their own variety and taste to the show and that is what the competition is about, uniqueness.

One of the things I would like to see are the contestants choosing songs that are risky, songs that show their true talent; not songs to struggle with though, just songs to help them to develop and feel more comfortable performing. SLR showed a clear example of what I’m talking about when they went back to the Chill Room, if they had sung that song the reactions would have been different on the main stage; in that piece you could hear the distinctiveness that they possess as a group.

You know there is something remarkably different about this year’s set of contestants as forty-percent of the top ten groups, perhaps inspired by the success of Digicel Rising Stars 2006 winners One Third. One is even left wondering if we will see one group or more in the top spots this year.

As usual there is going to be some controversy about one or two contestants who persons believe should be in the top-ten and are not there. The truth is I was really looking forward to seeing Patrice Ellis in the top ten as she was a good package. Top Team was another contestant I was expecting to see in the top ten too, they had a lot of energy and I was looking forward to seeing more of that.

Finally, the new host Yendi has been doing a good job; she has a personality of her own. The thing is when you have gotten so accustomed to seeing someone in your living room for so long, it’s going to take some time to adjust to the changes and people are like that. Fans will soon get accustomed to Yendi. Denise should however get commendations for the energy she brought to the show; she was like duck to water. Yendi however, has been doing a fabulous job so far, she has her own personality and just has to be herself.

HUTCHY FEELS THE GAS PAINS

The Enigmatic dub reggae singer Hutchy has returned with a new single: Gas Prices.

Monday August 11; Kingston, Jamaica:- Washington D.C based Dub Reggae singer Hutchy has gone out of the box to create a timely and relevant social commentary on the present situation of high gas prices. Known for his gritty dub tunes and his innovative style, Hutchy dug deep and has also created a humorous video to go with the song.




Most Jamaicans and people worldwide have been grappling with high gas prices for the passed few months; with this in mind Hutchy thought it would be a good move to chronicle the plight of the masses the way he knows best.
“He who feels it knows it, I have to fill up each week and every week is a higher price, gas prices gone up wicked, everything connected and I know I am not the only one out there going through these issues worse if you have a SUV. Hutchy’s life is like everyone else’s, we all face the same trials and tribulations in life so when people listen to the lyrics of Gas Prices they will walk away with a better overstanding of their current situation, even if it’s just to make them dance because the music is wicked” – Hutchy, Ruff Cut Records recording artiste.

The video for Gas Prices was directed by Robin Bell and filmed in Washington D.C last month. The video features Hutchy and some of his friends grappling with high gas prices. In the video Hutchy is faced with a choice between filling his Hummer with petrol or buying dinner for his girl, Hutchy chooses his hummer which results in him losing his girl to a Chinese man on a bicycle. The video is a cracker and takes jabs the present gas crisis. The song Gas Prices and its video will be released simultaneously on the nineteenth of August in Jamaica.

Hutchy is presently working on a new Electronica album, a follow-up to his My Time album which was released last year on his Ruff Cut Records label. The artiste has been touring consistently, promoting the My Time project and sees the Gas Prices song as a labour of love.

“I think the song is impeccably good and people will enjoy the video. It might even sooth a few gas pains” – Hutchy, Ruff Cut Records recording artiste.

For more information on Hutchy visit: http://www.ruffcutrecords.com

JAH CURE UPDATE - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

JAH CURE UPDATE - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

While Jah Cure's European tour is in full swing, the artiste has been consistent on the airwaves both in Jamaica and internationally and his videos are a staple worldwide.

Tour

Jah Cure is presently in Europe doing a multi-city tour and is slated to perform at the Rototom Festival on Friday July 11 at Rivellino Park in Osoppo, Italy. The tour has been very successful so far with stops in Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and many other European cities.

"I have been enjoying the tour so far and I am very appreciative of the fan support that I have received at all the venues. This is the biggest tour I have been on in my career and I have been overwhelmed by the wide acceptance of my music and my positive message in Europe". – Jah Cure, Danger Zone/SoBe recording artiste.

Videos

While videos for songs such as Sticky have been constant on local and international media portals, Jah Cure still maintains a heavy schedule between the studio and the stage. It is then amazing that the artiste has been able to pull off the shooting of three videos in short order before commencing his European tour. Renowned video director Jay Will recently wrapped the marathon filming of the three videos: Hot Long Time, Journey and Green Grass.

Hot Long time featuring Jah Cure and new Danger Zone/SoBe Entertainment artiste Junior Reid was produced by the ever in demand Steve Morales. The song has become very popular and gets regular spins on BBC 1xtra (UK) and other major radio stations.

The Hot Long Time video was filmed in Port Royal and produced by Carlene Samuels. According to Jay Will the Hot Long Time video features "Hot Bikes, Hot Cars, Hot helicopters and Hot girls and mirrors the heat that accompanies the careers of Jah Cure and Junior Reid at this time". The video is a departure from the videos Jah Cure is known for but will still be a favourite with the fans.

The second video is for the song Journey and sees Jah Cure journeying across Jamaica chronicling his 'trod'. The video is a masterpiece and features several of Jamaica's more notable landmarks and scenic country side.

The third video filmed by Jay Will was for the song Green Grass. Not the usual herb song, Green Grass maintains Jah Cure's message of consciousness. Green Grass is a very symbolic video and will appeal to all official 'herbs man and woman'.

Commenting on doing three videos in a week for Jah Cure, Jay Will was quite complimentary: "It was really challenging coming up with three different ideas with each having their own feel but I rose to the occasion and people will like them . These are three wicked songs which are full of energy and conscious messages. The calibre of artistes involved in addition to the tremendous support of Danger Zone and Sobe Entertainment made the experience and effort worthwhile. I believe people will like all three videos and will appreciate the quality and style of production".

All three videos will be released this summer, simultaneously, and will act as further evidence of Jah Cure's commitment to putting out quality music.

FOR MORE PICTURES OF JAH CURE ON TOUR VISIT:

http://www.reggaephotos.de/jahcure.html

FOR VIDEOS OF JAH CURE IN EUROPE WATCH:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=E-lZfKknZ_8&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CS1QdweOm44

FOR ADDITIONAL JAH CURE & TOUR INFORMATION VISIT:

http://www.myspace.com/freejahscure