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The Ragga Muffins Festival in Oakland has removed reggae artiste Capleton from their February 20th event, after organizers decided the singer`s `anti-gay lyrics` would be inappropriate for the event. Festival co-producer Moss Jacobs also cancelled Capleton`s appearances at the upcoming Long Beach and San Diego events. Capleton`s manager, Claudette Kemp, has denied that her client supports the murder of homosexuals and says that many of the singer`s lyrics are in fact based on the Bible. Ragga Muffins Performances on Saturday, February 20: Shaggy Don Carlos Frankie Paul Yellowman Big Youth Gramps Morgan Ken Boothe Lloyd Brown Bajah &the Dry Eye Crew Mystic Roots Band Yellow Wall Dub Squad plus more artists...

The 30-year-old from Crown Heights marries Jamaican reggae, hip hop and rap to the religious ecstasy of the Hasidim to great effect: He currently has three of the top ten albums on the iTunes reggae charts. His latest album, "Light," topped reggae charts for over 10 weeks, an unheard-of Caucasian crossover into traditionally carribbean cultural territory.

Federal authorities will not pursue charges against the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Sean Bell, the unarmed bridegroom who died in a hail of police bullets outside a Queens strip club hours before his wedding, officials said yesterday. Prosecutors said there was "insufficient evidence" that Bell's civil rights were violated when undercover officers unloaded on a car carrying Bell and two friends on a Jamaica street in November 2006. Three of the five officers involved were tried and acquitted in 2008, including Michael Oliver, who police said reloaded while firing 31 of the 50 shots that filled the vehicle and surrounding streets. The other two cops were never indicted. Bitterly disappointed, Bell's...

1.Busy Signal - One More Night VP Last Week: 2 | Weeks On Chart: 13 2.Jah Cure(w/ Phyllisia) - Call On Me Danger Zone / SoBe Last Week: 26 | Weeks On Chart: 40 3.Serani - No Games Phase One / Universal Republic Last Week: 39 | Weeks On Chart: 82 4.Mavado - Hope And Pray ZJ Chrome Last Week: 1 | Weeks On Chart: 30 5.Gappy Ranks - Heaven In Her Eyes Greensleeves / VP Last Week: 21 | Weeks On Chart: 16 6.Beres Hammond - Feel Good VP Last Week: 6 | Weeks On Chart: 80 7.Gyptian - Hold Yuh Fire Unit / VP Last Week: 5 | Weeks On Chart: 4 8.Nas & Damian 'Junior Gong' Marley - As We Enter Tuff Gong / The Island Def Jam Last Week: 40 | Weeks On Chart: 3 9.Mr. Vegas - Gallis VP Last Week: 3 | Weeks On...

"I know everybody is gonna take this wrong," Jay-Z told MTV on Saturday at the annual 2 Kings dinner during NBA All-Star weekend in Dallas, "We Are the World, I love it, and I understand the point and think it's great. But I think We Are the World is like [Michael Jackson's] Thriller to me. I don't ever wanna see it touched." He continued, "I'm a fan of music. I know the plight and everything that's going on in Haiti. ... So I appreciate the efforts and everything, but We Are the World is [musically] untouchable like Thriller is untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me, it's gonna be untouchable." Source: USA Today

Clive "Tenor Saw" Bright was born in Kingston, Jamaica, February 11, 1966. Tenor Saw was a prominent dancehall singer in the 1980s, and one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era. His best-known song was the 1985 hit "Ring the Alarm" on the "Stalag 17" riddim. Tenor Saw was raised in the Payne Avenue district of West Kingston. His first single, "Roll Call" was recorded in 1984 for George Phang's Powerhouse label, on the "Queen Majesty" rhythm. He moved on, with his friend Nitty Gritty, to work with Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion sound system and label, having hits in Jamaica with "Lots of Sign", "Pumpkin Belly", "Run Come Call Me", and "Fever". His most successful single, however, was "Ring the...

Arriving in Vancouver on Thursday, February 11, 2010, Jamaica’s Errol Kerr made the trek from the airport to the athlete’s village. As the only athlete from Jamaica to qualify for any sport, he would be his nation’s sole representative for the 2010 Winter Olympics. In late January, International Ski Federation (FIS) officials notified the Jamaica Ski Federation that Errol Kerr met the governing body’s criteria that qualified him among the top 32 skier cross athletes in the world to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Kerr qualified to participate in the 2010 Winter Olympics based on his worldwide ranking and points earned from competition in FIS- sanctioned events. Since December 2009, he has participated in ski...

Safe Sex Week in Jamaica is February 7th to 14th and this gives a unique opportunity to further reduce the devastating effects of the disease by using condoms. Some have argued that the latex used in the manufacture of condoms allows the HIV virus to pass through and therefore condom use does little to prevent the spread of AIDS. This has been shown to be untrue and the structure of latex is far too small to allow the virus to pass through. The condom has also been shown to be an effective barrier to other diseases such as Gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and Hepatitis B. The only real drawback of the condom is incorrect use and this can be easily remedied by effective sex education. The population of Jamaica is 2.7 million...

Tribute to the Legends (aka Bob Marley Day) has been annual event in San Diego for over a quarter century and now Bob Marley Day has spread from Tijuana to San Francisco and beyond. The festival always features the biggest and brightest stars from Jamaica, Europe, and Africa. Steel Pulse, Third World, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru, Lucky Dube, Alpha Blondy, Yellowman, and Shaggy and just a some of the greats who have perfomed for Makeda’s tribute to Brother Bob Marley. Yes that’s right Bob Marley and Makeda Dread were old friends and they worked and produced together. Line Up Include: Gregory Issacs Capelton Cocoa Tea Alboroise Barrington Levy Don Carlos Twinkle Bothers Della Grant Martin Campbell Fully...

Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley (February 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for the ska, rocksteady and reggae bands The Wailers (1964–1974) and Bob Marley & The Wailers (1974–1981). Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited for helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience. Marley's best known hits include "I Shot the Sheriff", "No Woman, No Cry", "Could You Be Loved", "Stir It Up", "Jamming", "Redemption Song", "One Love" and, together with The Wailers, "Three Little Birds", as well as the posthumous releases "Buffalo Soldier" and "Iron Lion Zion"...

1.Mavado - Hope & Pray ZJ Chrome Last Week: 3 | Weeks On Chart: 28 2.Tarrus Riley - Love's Contagious VP Last Week: 14 | Weeks On Chart: 32 3.Mr. Vegas - Gallis VP Last Week: 5 | Weeks On Chart: 13 4.Busy Signal - One More Night VP Last Week: 1 | Weeks On Chart: 12 5.Gyptian - Hold Yuh Fire Unit / VP Last Week: 21 | Weeks On Chart: 3 6.Merital w/ Vybz Kartel) - My Money(Ha Ha) Head Concussion / Russian Last Week: 17 | Weeks On Chart: 14 7.Mavado - House Cleaning Heart Of Love Last Week: 18 | Weeks On Chart: 15 8.Alborosie w/ David Hines - Stepping Out Greensleeves Last Week: 9 | Weeks On Chart: 7 9.Rihanna - Redemption Song The Island Def Jam Last Week: 22 | Weeks On Chart: 3 10.Vybz Kartel...

After a tremendous performance at Sting International a few weeks ago, Dancehall artist Kiprich, has released the long- anticipated new single, “Party Time.” The song released by Togetherness Records (Miami), has already been called a crossover smash for Kiprich or as the ladies call him, Kippo, the former Hype man for Elephant Man. Kiprich who recently signed to Togetherness Records explains how different this song is from the previous releases, “For this phase of my career, I’m really trying something new, to explore different kinds of music, promote it internationally, and show people the range of my talent. The beats we used for Party Time are mad, mad, mad!!! I hope they will like it.” kiprich - Party Time...

Reggae legend Bob Marley will be helping the Haiti earthquake relief effort from beyond the grave thanks to a 65th birthday party with a difference. Members of Marley's family and friends gathered at Los Angeles art gallery for Bob Marley's 65th birthday exhibition. Rare artwork and photography featuring the reggae great were on sale, as well as Marley coffee and other items. All proceeds from the event will benefit Doctors Without Borders' efforts in Haiti. Source:Times Live

The Jamaican national bobsled team, which gained acclaim in its Winter Olympics debut at Calgary in 1988 and spawned a Disney movie (Cool Runnings) loosely based on the experience, did not qualify a sled for the Vancouver Games. The team had spent the last few weeks hoping for a spot. Hannukkah Wallace, the team’s driver, is ranked among the top 50 drivers, and the squad benefited from sleds donated by the American bobsledder Todd Hays. But a preliminary list of qualifiers did not include the team, according to The Associated Press.

Glenford "Lee" Prospere, better known as MasSicker or "King Mas", is a prolific young singer/songwriter/composer/selector whose star has only begun to shine. As long as anyone can remember, this son of a calypsonian as been captivating audiences with his smooth vocals and over the years this artist has grown into a total musical package. Born in Boston, Massachusetts on April 21st, 1987, MasSicker, affectionately called "Lee" by close friends and family, was born into a very musical environment and a very musical Caribbean family. His father, Glenford T. Prospere AKA "Supreme", a legendary calypsonian on his island of Montserrat and calypso monarch, is a guitarist, pianist, songwriter and vocalist who he would watch and...

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — An annual concert that draws hundreds of tourists to celebrate Bob Marley's birthday has been cancelled for the first time since its inception in 1992 over noise complaints. Police denied promoter Clive Pringle an event permit because of several run-ins with police and residents in Negril, superintendent Dezeita Taylor said Thursday. The Bob Marley Birthday Bash that Pringle organized every Feb. 6 regularly exceeded the 2 a.m. curfew established under the Noise Abatement Act, she said. Last year Pringle was fined $560, police said. Pringle said he appealed, but doubts the concert will be held. The show was launched in 1992 in Negril - a seaside town west of Kingston - and has attracted...

(Dow Jones)The International Monetary Fund's executive board Thursday approved a $1.27 billion loan to Jamaica, opening the door for additional financing of more than $1 billion from other international financial institutions. Jamaica gets immediate access to about $640 million of the 27-month stand-by arrangement, with some of the money expected to be used to create a financial stability support fund, the IMF said in a statement. The loan deal follows the successful completion of the government's debt exchange totaling nearly $8 billion. The exchange, which was accepted by almost 95% of bondholders, will generate interest savings of at least 3% of gross domestic product, the fund said. Takatoshi Kato, deputy...

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged Wednesday to continue China's support to Jamaica's economic development, saying the two sides should expand cooperation in infrastructure construction, mining and tourism. China's trade with Jamaica slipped by some 30 percent to 219 million U.S. dollars last year. However, China's imports from Jamaica nearly tripled year on year, according to Chinese custom figures. He called on the two sides to bolster cooperation in infrastructure construction, mining industry and tourism, and said China is ready to support more cultural, educational and sports exchanges with Jamaica. Source: Xinhua

Rex Nettleford, one of Jamaica’s cultural icons, died Tuesday at George Washington Hospital in Washington, D.C., a week after suffering a heart attack at a hotel on Jan. 27. He was 76. Nettleford, who was vice chancellor of the University of the West Indies, was also a sociologist and choreographer who founded the National Dance Theatre Company. Nettleford, who was born in rural Trelawny parish in February 1933, long called for positive portrayals of Jamaica's black majority. His 1969 book, Mirror Mirror, examined the status of black Jamaicans nearly 10 years after the island became independent. He reportedly called for Great Britain to pay reparations to Caribbean residents for its part in the transatlantic...

The annual Smile Jamaica concert in honour of the life and legacy of the Hon. Robert Nesta Marley returns to the birth place of the Reggae icon, Nine Mile, St. Ann in Jamaica on Saturday, February 6, 2010. The Bob Marley/Rita Marley Foundation the global initiative was renamed Smile Jamaica/ Africa Unite and brought to James Bond Beach on Feb 23rd 2008 in Jamaica for the first time. In 2008, the Smile Jamaica and Africa Unite concert experiences united for a memorable event, and Smile Jamaica took a break in 2009. For the 2010 installment, Smile Jamaica returns to the cool hills for an unforgettable concert within walking distance of the Reggae Icon final resting place.