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16 August 2009 - Berlin, Germany – With a performance that defies the imagination, Usain Bolt set a new 100m World record of 9.58 on the second evening of the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. The 22-year-old Jamaican knocked a mind-numbing 0.11 second from the 9.69 record he set at the Olympic Games in Beijing exactly one year ago today. One can only imagine where he’ll be and how fast he’ll run on 16 August of next year. "I was definitely ready for the World record and I did it," Bolt said. "I didn't think I could run a tenth (of a second) faster than my World record, but for me, anything is possible." His was the largest chunk ever – by far – to be sliced from the 100m World...

After a two-year hiatus, the coveted Red Label Wine International Dancehall Queen title returned to Jamaica when Montegonian Tavia Morris, a 25-year-old nail technician, was crowned champion at the Pier One Complex on the Waterfront last Saturday, It was the 14th staging of the world's largest dancehall dancing competition. Last year, American Michelle Young upstaged the contestants who came from all over the world to secure the title and took the crown up North. The year before that Canadian Maude Francato won the contest. It was a great comeback for the nimble-footed Morris who last year made it to the top 10 after holding the patrons' attention with her tantalising moves. At the time, she seemed destined for the crown but fell...

The celebration of the 15-year anniversary of what is arguably the best reggae festival in Europe, Reggae Jam, was held in Bersenbrück, Germany on its usual grounds from July 31- August 2. It never disappointed its 45,000-plus fans with its star-studded line-up of over 40 reggae artistes and bands, which had critics in the music business showering it with accolades for having the best lineup of all the reggae festivals in Europe this summer. The festival featured headliners such as Ali Campbell (formerly of UB 40), Third World, Stitchie, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Mr Vegas, Anthony B, Burro Banton, Lady Saw, Lady G, Kirk Davis (formerly known as Little Kirk), Glen Washington, Papa San, Bunny General, Horace Andy, Ray Darwin, Daddy...

The Bembe Squad, which started the hugely popular Bembe Thursdays at Weekenz, Constant Spring Road, has split. Bembe Thursdays enjoyed a successful first year after it was launched in early 2007, but has seen waning support over the last several months. The Bembe Squad comprises selectors Razz and Biggy, Jigsy, Rolex, Penny Bling and founder Richie Feelings. Feelings, however, said that all the members are seeing eye to eye. "Everybody still good. And everybody benefits from Bembe, but everyone is trying their own individual thing," he said. He added that due to the poor economic condition, things have slowed down significantly and that competing parties are luring away some of their patrons. "There is a recession...

Patrons were enjoying themselves at the signature ATI event before a member of Mavado's entourage went onstage during Aidonia's performance and began to bully the selector to stop playing the tracks. This, however, did not go over well with Aidonia who intervened, but the police were quickly alerted and they successfully restored order. Following Aidonia's performance, Mavado made his much-anticipated entrance to the stage where he gave a brief but excellent performance, much to the delight of the patrons. He was quick to make amends for the incident and paused to say "nuh worry people, everything good", before reeling off his chart-topping favourites, which included his recently released Mockingbird. However, it was the 'Energy...

It doesn't hurt to say thanks.. a little gratitude goes a long way! big up to all the new members and all that posting in music nuff respeck rexxy and mixhoney seh dat braaaaaaaaap:D

Dancehall reggae sexy diva Barbee has been spending a lot of time in Los Angeles, California these days, hanging out with Billboard riding rapper and actor, The Game. In fact, people are beginning to wonder what’s the deal with the two. Dancehall-reggae's sexy diva Barbee recently made a cameo appearance in The Game’s latest Hollywood movie, ‘House Arrest’. The movie – which also stars everyone’s favorite ‘Clueless’ girl Stacey Dash from the films ‘Chrome Angels’, ‘Phantom Punch’, Getting Played’ and the ‘CSI’ series – is described as a “dramedy” by director Billy Washington, and centers around a “high maintenance girl who meets a quick money scheming man.”

YouTube - Sassa Step Contest Entry - Shy N (Japan) With thousands of votes tallied and reviewed in the last three weeks of hectic voting, the organisers of the Sassa Step contest and video shoot winner have finally announced the winner. The winner is (drum roll please) Shy N, who tallied an incredible 35 per cent of the vote. As the winner, Shy N will be flown from Japan to Jamaica to appear in Mr. Vegas’ new Sassa Step music video which is scheduled to be shot on Wednesday, August 19, 2009. Most Internet voters will remember that Shy N, who hails from Japan, had compiled a pretty nifty video on youtube where he demonstrated the Sassa Step on a sidewalk which ran parallel to a graffiti-decorated wall. Viewers obviously...

Jamaica, an island nation of the Greater Antilles situated in the Caribbean Sea, was named the ‘Xaymaca' by the native Arawakan-speaking Taíno people. It meant either the “Land of Springs,” or the “Land of Wood and Water”. When Christopher Columbus arrived at this largest Caribbean island, he claimed the land for Spain. The history of Jamaica can broadly be divided into the Pre-historic period, the period after the discovery of the island by other countries, the period of Spanish and English rule and the final phase of Jamaican Independence. The original Arawak or Tainos from South America first settled in the island of Jamaica between 1000 and 4000 BC. After Christopher Columbus' arrival in Jamaica in 1494, which he used as his...

After more than a year, Mighty Crown "The Far East Rulers" and Irish and Chin will embark on an explosive World Tour starting in October to celebrate another major career milestone, a third Nike sneaker deal. The Irish and Chin produced tour, dubbed The Mighty Crown Dynasty World Tour, after the soon-to-be released sneaker, will feature three of Mighty Crown's five members: Masta Simon, Sami T and Ninja. The Crown Dynasty Tour will represent the first time that Sami T and Masta Simon have toured together in over three years. Mighty Crown has once again collaborated with Nike to release the Dynasty High sneaker. The unique studded sneaker is an elite revamp of Nike's 1981 original Dynasty High. Blazoned with the Crown logo on the...

Beenie Man's 'Sizzle' concert, originally set for August 5, will now be held on Saturday, August 22. And that was not the only major change for the deejay's celebratory concert for 30 years in music announced at Pure Plush, New Kingston, on Wednesday night. Sizzle will be held inside the National Stadium and not in the car park as was originally planned. The name of the event is different from 'Summer Sizzle', as it was known when held previously at the Jamalco Sports Club in Halse Hall, Clarendon. A grinning Beenie Man said "We called it Summer Sizzle when I was with Shocking Vibes. I don't know if Shocking Vibes register the name." There was laughter from the audience in the nightclub. "I nah run no risk, two man jus' walk in...

"No Alliance, no 'Gaza', no 'Plaza', no 'Gully'; JOP a dat me seh," says former Alliance member Aidonia after what seemed like a hiatus from the dancehall industry. Aidonia said he has reinvented himself and is now ready to take back his spot in the dancehall industry with JOP (Jag One Production) by his side. "Mi hide weh and reinvent mi thing. Mi nah deal with anything fi throw off mi energy or mi meds. So any negative people I was around, we just walk wide. We not even waan breathe the same air weh dem breathe," Aidonia said. When asked if his statement was in reference to anyone in particular, he said 'no'. However, he is no longer as close to Vybz Kartel, who he used to fondly refer to saying 'Addi Mi Daddy'. Aidonia left...

Sources in Jamaica have named the banned substance that five Jamaican athletes tested positive for at the national trials last month as methylxanthine, a decongestant. If taken as a performance-enhancing drug it could assist in getting oxygen into the lungs. Methylxanthine is often found in cough medicine and can be bought without a prescription over the pharmacy counter, adding to the potential confusion for athletes. A type of bronchodilator, it is commonly used in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Well-placed sources indicate that Yohan Blake, 19, who trains with Usain Bolt at the Racers Track Club in Kingston, and Sheri-Ann Brooks, the reigning 100m Commonwealth champion, are on the list of suspected...

I had a bad file and had to backdate the site to two days ago.Anything that was posted within the last two days or registered will have to be redone. Once again my apologies... and thanks for the support

Aug 20 1979 - July 24 2008 Me, Nefta, Damion, Steve

Several selectors have been abused in the past, whether by artistes or their entourages. However, these acts of violence are not encouraged by selector and other members of the dancehall industry. The lastest victim was selector Richie Feelings who was hit with a bottle in his forehead, allegedly by a member of the Alliance, at the last Hot Mondays. This reportedly occurred because Richie Feelings did not play the artiste's songs. This is not the first incident with Richie Feelings as he was involved in a verbal confrontation with Boom Boom and Foota Hype at a 2008 staging of Bembe Thursdays for playing too many Vybz Kartel songs. He is not the first to suffer this fate. In 2007, Jigsy said he was hit in the head by Vybz...

Grace 'Spice' Hamilton, who is now a Billboard artiste after landing the number 86 spot on the R&B/Hip Hop Charts with Rampin' Shop, her controversial duet with Vybz Kartel, is celebrating yet another victory. Spice was last week signed to the prestigious VP Records label for a major album deal. She said, "Last year, so many people started to approach me about signing me to album deals but I was so hesitant. After reading over some of the contracts and listening to what some of them had to say, it didn't seem like the best option. "But when VP approached me and we went over the terms, and when I thought of the fact that they were primarily focused on Caribbean artistesand they know how to market their own, I felt more...

Born: July 23, 1892 Near Harar, Ethiopia Died: August 27, 1975 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie was an emperor of Ethiopia whose influence as an African leader far surpassed the boundaries of his country. Although his popularity declined near the end of his sixty-year reign, Selassie remains a key figure in turning Ethiopia into a modern civilization. YouTube - Haile Selassie War Speech "Amharic Version"

Exploitation was one of the issues Ken Boothe touched on when he spoke with the participants of Project Artiste yesterday at the Red Stripe office, Spanish Town Road, Kingston. The 61-year-old artiste was speaking to the aspiring producers, musicians, writers, managers and performers. He told the group that he started music because of the love he had for the art, but with very little knowledge of the industry. "I used to sit around at Sir Coxsone Dodd studio waiting for him to call me to record. A lot of the hit songs I did, I did them on hungry belly. With the love of music, yuh not even think bout food," Boothe said. And, it was because of this love and his lack of knowledge about the industry, which resulted in the level...

Jamaica has moved up 50 places in the last three years to be ranked the third "happiest country" in the world", in the latest Happy Planet Index, published by Britain's New Economics Foundation. Jamaica was placed 53rd on the list, an index of human well-being and environmental impact, when it was first published in July 2006. It moved up to third behind regional countries, Costa Rica, number one, and the Dominican Republic, number two, in the second report made public on Saturday. The performances of the top three countries were indicative of the Central and South American region which ended up with nine of the top 10 places with Brazil, Cuba, Guatemala, Colombia, El Salvador and Honduras also included in the top 10. Cuba was...