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On Wednesday, Jada Kingdom’s boyfriend Verse Simmonds shared the news on his Instagram, which showed Jada Kingdom inking the deal to rounds of applause and surrounded by friends and label executives at Republic Records. Simmonds, 40, has been dating the 22-year-old Kingdom for the past two years. Simmonds himself is a producer and rapper with Puerto Rican heritage.

Usain Bolt and partner Kasi Bennett have announced the birth of their twins on fathers day via twitter, Saint Leo Bolt and Thunder Bolt

Ziona Chana lived with his family in a vast, four-story pink structure with around 100 rooms in a remote village that became a tourist attraction. The sect named Chana was founded by Chana's grandfather in 1942 and counts hundreds of families as members. Chana married his first wife when he was 17 and claimed he once married 10 wives in a single year.

Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is now the fastest woman alive. The two-time Olympic champion ran the 100 meters in 10.63 seconds at a national trials warmup event in Kingston, Jamaica, on Saturday 06/05/21. Only one woman, American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner, has ever clocked a faster time: 10.49 seconds. Flo-Jo, who died in 1998, ran the three fastest times ever in the 100 meters in 1988: 10.49, 10.61 and 10.62. Fraser-Pryce’s latest run makes her the second-fastest woman of all time. Fraser-Pryce set her previous personal best time at 10.70 seconds in 2012 and could make history at the upcoming 2021 Olympics by becoming the first woman to win one individual Olympic track and field event three times.

Miss Jamaica Miqueal-Symone Williams has safely secured a spot in the top ten at the Miss Universe 2021 pageant. Williams, who wowed the judged with her confidence and smile has advanced to top ten after completing the swimsuit portion of the competition. The upcoming semifinal round will be dedicated to the evening gown parade. From a total of 74 contestants, Williams eased into her top ten spot with charm and beauty. Miqueal-Symone Williams, aged 24, has a degree in marketing and has worked as a model for brands including Valentino, Loreal, and Armani. She recently created The Bloom Initiative, which provides internet access to Jamaican children who otherwise would not be able to attend their online school classes.

La Soufriere volcano fired an enormous amount of ash and hot gas early Monday in the biggest explosive eruption yet since volcanic activity began on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent late last week, with officials worried about the lives of those who have refused to evacuate. There were no immediate reports of injuries or death, but government officials were scrambling to respond to the latest eruption, which was even bigger than the first eruption that occurred Friday morning. Roughly 16,000 people who live in communities close to the volcano had been evacuated under government orders on Thursday, but an unknown number have remained behind and refused to move. The latest explosion is equivalent to the one that occurred in...

Six months after reggae group Maytals frontman, Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert, died from complications relating to the coronavirus (COVID-19), Toots and The Maytals won the 63rd Annual Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album with 'Got to be Tough' on Sunday March 14, 2021. Toots Hibbert who led The Maytals for over 55 years, died in Jamaica in September at age 77. The album Got to be Tough produced by Zak Starkey for his Trojan Jamaica label was released in August by Trojan BMG Records.

Officials in Jamaica say citizens and visitors to the island must now present a negative COVID-19 test result no greater than three days before their travel date this week. Right now, visitors to Jamaica have 10 days to submit a negative COVID-19 result to enter the island. The new initiative, which takes effect Thursday, is part of the government’s effort to curtail a surge in cases. The prime minister said funerals already scheduled through March 7 can proceed as planned, with a maximum of 15 people, including the funeral service staff. The capacity at weddings is being reduced by half from 50 to 25 people. Jamaica also extended the ban on direct flights from United Kingdom to March 22. Jamaica also put a ban on funerals and...

Legendary reggae singer Bunny Wailer is dead. Hailing from Trench Town, Bunny Wailer’s given name is Neville Livingston was 73 years old. He died in the Medical Associates Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica this morning. Bunny Wailer had been in and out of hospital since his second stroke in July 2020. He is a founding member of The Wailers, which included Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Marley died of cancer in May 11, 1981, while Tosh was killed at his St Andrew home on September 11, 1987. In 2017, the Jamaican Government awarded Bunny Wailer an Order of Merit, the country's fourth highest honor. The Government again recognized his contribution to Jamaican music in February 2019 with a Reggae Gold Award. Bunny Wailer’s albums include...

Shenseea can now add another impressive accolade to her promising career as she has been named BET’s Amplified Artist of the Month. The American television channel describes the award as a “stamp of approval on the next big thing in music and each month a new emerging artiste will be highlighted through feature stories, videos and more”. BET will push Shenseea to their audiences globally through their brands BET Jams, BET Her, BET Soul, and BET International channels in Africa, UK, France and South Korea. Artists are selected for BET Amplified based on criteria including their unique sound, social media presence, and projected impact on the music industry and entertainment industry at-large.

Nadisha Beckford, 33, is charged with the February 20 murder of Lakeisha Mackey. Police say they were called to the scene of a stabbing incident on West Bay Street shortly after 11 p.m. where a woman was stabbed and later detained in hospital. Preliminary reports revealed that two women got into an argument in a parking lot resulting in one being stabbed multiple times. She was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Corrections until June 16

Since news of Spotify making its way to an additional 83 countries globally last week with Jamaica making the list for the Caribbean, Alkaline, is now the face of its first Jamaican-focused playlist ‘Back A Yard’. Dubbed ‘the latest and biggest tracks from Jamaica’s Dancehall scene’. The playlist currently consists of fifty-one (51) authentic dancehall tracks. Tracks from the genre’s leading headliners highlighting the user-demand for these specific tracks via their streaming numbers. Powering the streams are his loyal fans. The listening time on the “Back a Yard” Spotify playlist is approximately 2hrs and 51 minutes.

The Government is to receive a donation of AstraZeneca vaccines from the Government of the Republic of India, to fight COVID-19. The vaccines are scheduled to arrive next week, says Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica, His Excellency Ambassador Masakui Rungsung. He was speaking at the handover of pharmaceutical and medical supplies donated by the Government of the Republic of India, at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, New Kingston, on Friday February 26, 2021. In his address, Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, thanked the Indian Government for the generous donation, even as it continues to grapple with its own public health crises caused by the pandemic.

Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake said he would rather miss the Tokyo Games than get the COVID-19 vaccine, although getting vaccinated will not be required of the athletes competing in Japan this summer. “My mind still stays strong, I don’t want any vaccine, I’d rather miss the Olympics than take the vaccine, I am not taking it,” he was quoted as saying in Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner. Blake, a one-time rival of Jamaican great Usain Bolt, will likely still be able to participate in what is expected to be the 31-year-old’s third and final games even if he does not get the vaccine. The International Olympic Committee has said getting the vaccine is “encouraged” but not compulsory for athletes. The Olympics, which were pushed back by a...

The legendary toaster U-Roy has died at age 78. He was in the hospital for kidney failure and had an heart attack. He burst onto the scene during the heyday of Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd’s Studio One sound system and record label at a period when reggae music and its now hugely popular offspring dancehall was frowned upon by the wider society and was seen as the music of the uneducated and uncultured. U Roy is also credited for opening the door to allow rap and dancehall artistes to realize huge profits from an idiom he, along with Count Machukie and King Stitt, created and perfected. He was also the owner of the Stur Gav sound system which honed the careers of veteran deejays Charlie Chaplin, Josey Wales and Super Cat among others...

A memoir on the life and work of reggae icon Patricia "Miss Pat" Chin, with quotes and remembrances from luminaries including former Jamaican Prime Minister, the late Edward Seaga, Chris Blackwell, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Marcia Griffiths, and the late producer Bunny “Striker” Lee among others. Presented with many never seen, artist and family photos and original illustrations by the late Michael Thompson and Maria Papaefstathiou, the book’s designer. My Reggae Music Journey spans six decades of music history, from the rise and development of Randy's Record Mart, the famed music shop and recording studio in downtown Kingston, Jamaica, founded with her late husband Vincent 'Randy' Chin in 1958, to the family's migration to New York City...

1985 Black Uhuru was the first winner of a Reggae Grammy: Album titled "Anthem" 1986 The second Artist to win a Grammy is the Legendary the Rt Hon. Dr. Jimmy Cliff Album Titled "Cliff Hanger" 1987 Steel Pulse took home the 3rd Grammy for their album Titled "Bobylon the bandit" 1988 Peter Tosh won with his Album Titled No Nuclear War makes him the first to do so solo as a Ex member of the group Bob Marley led Wailers Band 1989 Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers at a tender age of (20) makes him Ziggy Marley the youngest to win Album titled "Conscious Party 1990 Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers also won the award for best Reggae Album titled One Brite Day. 1991 The second Artist to win Solo album of the year Legendary Bunny "cool...

The Grammys have announced the nominees for Best Reggae Album. The highly anticipated list of Grammy nominees for Best Reggae Album has finally been released, and while dancehall takes another snub this year, a newcomer Marley got a Grammy nod. This year there are five nominations that somehow are less surprising after you see them. BEST REGGAE ALBUM – Grammy Nominees Higher Place – Skip Marley Higher Place was released in August by the Marley-owned Tuff Gong International and Island Records. It contains the hit singles Slow Down with singer H.E.R. and Make me Feel, a collaboration with rapper Rick Ross and singer Ari Lennox. Slow Down was a strong seller, making several Billboard Magazine charts. It is also nominated for Best R&B...

The North Carolina Courage announced today the signing of Havan Solaun to a short-term contract through the 2020 season. Solaun will be available to play in the Courage’s next match on Sunday, October 4 against the Houston Dash at 7 p.m. ET. Solaun was drafted 15th overall in the 2015 NWSL Draft by the Seattle Reign. She suffered an injury her rookie season but played in four matches and scored one goal in 2016 before being traded to the Washington Spirit. The midfielder made 37 appearances with the Spirit during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. In 2019, Solaun elected to play for Klepp IL in Norway as she prepared for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The midfielder earned her first cap with the Jamaican Women’s National Team on March 3...

Reggae star Koffee is Mastercard’s official brand ambassador in Jamaica, the first such appointment in the region. The exclusive partnership was announced on Wednesday September 23, 2020 and will see the artiste working with Mastercard to build awareness about digital payments and educate customers and merchants about the convenience, safety and wide acceptance of its electronic payment options.