News

ReggaeMe would like to offer our condolences to the family and friends of Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson one half of the outstanding dancehall production duo Steely & Clevie. Steelie passed away in a Long Island hospital earlier today.

The long controversy over who hired Manatt, Phelps & Phillips for a controversial Jamaican lobbying assignment keeps getting murkier. The saga entered another chapter this week, as politically connected Kingston lawyer Harold Brady sued the country's prime minister for libel. Brady, a prominent backer of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, has been a central character in Jamaican politics in recent months because of his purported role in retaining Manatt to lobby U.S. officials against the extradition of alleged drug lord Christopher Coke. Brady's suit, which accuses Prime Minister Bruce Golding of libeling him during a press conference last month, seeks an unspecified amount in damages. On September 14 Jamaican prime minister Bruce...

LONDON, England (AP) - People who repeatedly download copyright-protected films and music could have their Internet connection cut off under proposed laws the British government unveiled yesterday to tackle illegal file-sharing. Treasury Minister Stephen Timms said that previous plans, which would only have restricted users' broadband speed, did not go far enough. That potential punishment remains under the new proposal, but is accompanied by the possibility of blocking offenders' access to download sites as well as banning them from the Internet altogether. Civil-rights groups and Internet service providers criticised the proposal as unnecessarily restricting users' rights without doing much to tackle online piracy. The...

Rodney "Bounty Killer" Pryce made headlines for his recurrent troubles with the law has been arrested by St Andrew North Police at his East Avenue home. Rodney Price already is being prosecuted on previous charges of illegal possession of a firearm, marijuana possession, and unlawful wounding and assault. Police say Bounty Killer physically abused his female companion after she decided to end their three year relationship. A report was made to the police and following investigations a warrant was issued for his arrest. Police report that while being processed at the Constant Spring Police Station, Bounty Killer was allowed to make a telephone call. Police stated the DJ used that opportunity to call the complainant and...

Minister Audley Shaw said. Government officials met May 31 with representatives from the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, United Nations, the U.S. and European countries to seek funds to expand the police force and rebuild communities where drug lords have become governors. Jamaica’s dollar gained 0.2 percent to 88.0750 per U.S. dollar today. The extra yield investors demand to own Jamaican government bonds instead of U.S. Treasuries fell 5 basis points to 5.14 percentage points, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Despite being pulled from local radio playlists and websites, the controversial song Rampin' Shop debuted in the number 96 position on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop charts - a first for both artistes. In a move that caused much uproar in the entertainment fraternity in February, the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica placed restrictions on all daggering songs, content of explicitly sexual and violent nature and all songs containing bleeps. Inaddition the original version of Vybz Kartel and Spice's Rampin Shop has been ordered to be destroyed and pulled from all radio stations, television stations and the Internet by EMI Music Publishing. After being removed from radio playlists locally, internationally the song, which was...

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...

Jamaica's government declared a state of emergency in parts of Kingston sunday night after the shooting and firebomb attacks on police stations by suspected supporters Christopher "Dudus" Coke . The emergency covered the West Kingston and St Andrews districts of the capital, where gunmen had fired on two police stations and set fire to a third; at least one policeman was injured. The attackers were thought to be supporters of Christopher "Dudus" Coke whom the government is seeking under a US extradition request; it has called on him to surrender to the authorities.

A court in South Africa dropped its marijuana-smoking case against Paris Hilton. Paris Hilton appeared in a FIFA World Cup courtroom shortly after being arrested on suspicion of possession of marijuana at the quarterfinal between Brazil and the Netherlands. Her publicist Dawn Miller said in a released statement.

New Edition's Johnny Gill, Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant will reunite on CCGI's Culture night at the Rosehall Aqueduct on Wednesday, June 24. According to a release from the organisers, the three former members of the group New Edition will perform together as a group as well as solo. An American R&B/Pop Group New Edition was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1978 and became extremely popular during the 1980s. The first song they recorded, Candy Girl, topped the charts in the UK and Canada, therefore they had to record a whole album. The album Candy Girl featured hits like Is This End, Popcorn Love, Jealous Girl, She Gives Me a Bang and of course Candy Girl. In 1985 they recorded an album called All for Love and although their...

A Jamaican man admitted in U.S. federal court on Tuesday to swindling thousands of Florida and Caribbean island investors out of more than $220 million. David Smith, 41, pleaded guilty in Orlando, Florida, to multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering. He laundered approximately $128 million to conceal the wire fraud. He could face decades in prison for defrauding more than 6,000 investors during his three-year Ponzi scheme, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. No sentencing date has been set. Last year, Smith was sentenced to more than six years in prison in Turks and Caicos on related fraud and conspiracy charges

Dancehall artiste KipRich says the rumours surrounding a feud between himself and fellow artiste, Flippa Mafia, are false. According to KipRich: "I did a song at Shocking Vibes studio the other day and some likkle man who love carry news gone and carry it the wrong way and said I did a song that was directed at Flippa. If one next KipRich out deh recording songs, mi ah go ask him fi stop." Flippa Mafia was recently at odds with dancehall's cross and angry 'Warlord', Bounty Killer, because of the song, Unfinished House, a song that Flippa did. According to previous media reports, most thought the song was directed at Killer. KipRich, whose correct name is Marlon Plunkett, is also an affiliate of the Alliance, said: "The person...

popular 1980s dancehall singjay Echo Minott (real name - Noel Phillips), who is know for hits such as “Lazy Body” and “Been Around The World”, reportedly appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court last week, where he pleaded guilty to charges ofconspiracy to defraud, forgery and uttering a forged document. He wasfined J$80,000.Allegations are that he traveled to the U.K. with a passport that was in someone else’s name. He over stayed in that country, and was subsequently deported. It is then alleged that some time last week, he went to the British High Commission and applied for a visa in his own name; but it was discovered that he had previously used another name,so he was arrested and charged. Just over...

A serious health problem is looming as several persons have being catching fish in sewage ponds near Old Harbour and selling them to unsuspecting customers. these persons are fishing at ponds located at Old Harbour Villa, St Catherine. "This is not a joking thing when mi say man wid hook and line a catch out the fish and go sell them and dat can't be right at all," one concerned female said. Other persons during interviews expressed similar views and added that it's hoped that the practice will be prevented by authorities "Health problems can occur. It is not to be taken lightly, there might be a condition called oral-faecal transmission and that can result in a form of hepatitis," Dr Notice said He added that the fish...

PRIME Minister Bruce Golding has dismissed allegations by United States-based media entity Caribbean Voice that he is the holder of a US Alien Registration Card, more popularly known as a Green Card. In a press release yesterday, Caribbean Voice — which said it is based in Brooklyn — alleged that Golding did not apply "to revoke his permanent residence before nomination day by filing form I-407, with his green card, at a US Embassy". But yesterday Golding denied the claims, admitting "that he had applied for and obtained a green card as far back as 1978", but that the visa was surrendered "when he deferred his plans to do postgraduate studies in the US and to return to Jamaica to support the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) in its...

Actor Gary Coleman died Friday morning at the age of 42. The "Diff'rent Strokes" star had suffered a brain hemorrhage and died in a Utah hospital. Coleman was pronounced dead after he suffered from a brain hemorrhage. He suffered an injury in his home in Utah on Wednesday, and his condition significantly worsened and he was placed on life support. When he was admitted, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.

Teena Marie was one of the first white women to score hits consistently on the R&B charts. The singer, composer and producer died Sunday at age 54 at her home of natural causes. Born Mary Christine Brockert in Santa Monica, Calif., on March 5, 1956, she grew up in a predominantly black area of nearby Venice, Calif., and began singing and acting while still a child.

(AP) It will take at least $125 million to repair flattened farmland, rutted roads, broken bridges and eroded beaches across storm-staggered Jamaica, the island's leader announced Tuesday. During his first address to parliament since the outer bands of Tropical Storm Nicole ripped across Jamaica last week, Prime Minister Bruce Golding delivered a preliminary repair bill while cautioning lawmakers that a more detailed assessment was still being carried out. "The cost to repair the damage and provide assistance to those severely dislocated will impact significantly on the country's delicate fiscal situation," Golding said. Nicole fizzled out over the Atlantic last week after maintaining storm status for just six hours, but not...

ReggaeMe - On October 27th 2009 Dancehall artist Chuck Fenda released his third album Fulfillment with VP Records. Chuck Fenda has the living fire. His voice and music are filled with the passion and heartbeat of Jamaica. His songs present reality, hope and love for the people. Fulfillment showcases Chuck Fenda on a variety of one drop and roots riddims produced by Kemar ‘Flava’ McGregor, including the new “Ghetto Riddim.” Fulfillment is identifiably the most spiritual album from the artist to date. Characterized by collaborations with like-minded artists such as I-Wayne on the track “Thin Line,” “Bad Boys” with Sammy Dread, “Time Rough” featuring Bush Man and “Getting Serious “produced by Shane Brown. He has received...

Rodney "Bounty Killer" Pryce trial which was expected to begin in the Gun Court yesturday have been put off to November 1, 2010. Bounty Killer has been charged with illegal possession of firearm, assault at common law and unlawful wounding. He’s charged jointly with former police constable Calis Bowen. The trial of the two was put off because statements required by the defence attorneys were not ready when the matter was called up in court this morning.