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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.

The 29th annual Ragga Muffins Music Festival returns to Southern California February 20-21 bringing a weekend of reggae music to the Long Beach Arena. The two-day Music and Arts Festival continues the tradition of honoring Bob Marley, one of the greatest champions of human rights and world peace, by spreading his vision of One World, One Love through music and community. 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 to be announced * The line-up is subject to change. Ragga Muffins Performances on Sunday, February 21: Barrington Levy...

1.Busy Signal - One More Night VP Last Week: 2 | Weeks On Chart: 11 2.Queen Ifrica - Lioness On The Rise VP Last Week: 12 | Weeks On Chart: 49 3.Mavado - Hope & Pray ZJ Chrome Last Week: 1 | Weeks On Chart: 28 4.Serani - No Games Phase One / Universal Republic Last Week: 22 | Weeks On Chart: 80 5.Mr. Vegas - Gallis VP Last Week: 5 | Weeks On Chart: 12 6.Mr. Vegas - I Am Blessed VP Last Week: 7 | Weeks On Chart: 51 7.Beres Hammond - Feel Good VP Last Week: 3 | Weeks On Chart: 78 8.Mavado - So Special VP Last Week: 9 | Weeks On Chart: 84 9.Alborosie w/ David Hines - Stepping Out Greensleeves Last Week: - | Weeks On Chart: 1 10.Konshens & Delus - Chalice Load Russian / Head Concussion Last...

Ther nominees for best reggae album were Buju Banton - Rasta Got Soul (Gargamel Music, Inc.) Gregory Isaacs - Brand New Me (Tad's Record) Julian Marley - Awake (Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic) Sean Paul - Imperial Blaze. (VP/Atlantic) Stephen Marley - Mind Control Acoustic (Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic) Stephen Marley won the Grammy for best reggae album the fourth time a member of the Marley family has won in the past five years. In 2006 Damian Marley won for Welcome to Jamrock, the single of which was a blockbuster hit. Ziggy's Love Is My Religion got the Grammy nod in 2007, while Stephen's Mind Control picked up the Grammy in 2008. Congrats to Stephen and all the other nominees in the...

Miguel Collins popularly known as "Sizzla Kalonji" was arrested Wednesday night by the August Town Police after they received reports that men were firing guns in the August Town area. A senior officer at the Half-Way-Tree Police Station told RJR News that the artiste's hands have been swabbed and samples sent to the government laboratory to determine whether he had fired a weapon Sizzla was not charge with anything and was later released on Saturday Jan 30 2010.

Chart based on electronically monitored airplay of radio stations listed here: 1.Mavado - Hope & Pray ZJ Chrome Last Week: 2 | Weeks On Chart: 27 <object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.reggaeme.com/mediaplayer/flashaudioplayer.swf" width="400" height="35"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.reggaeme.com/mediaplayer/flashaudioplayer.swf"/> <param name="FlashVars" value="audio=http://www.reggaeme.com/vbtube/upload/mp3/60624673.mp3&autoplay=false"/> </object> 2.Busy Signal - One More Night VP Last Week: 1 | Weeks On Chart: 10 <object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.reggaeme.com/mediaplayer/flashaudioplayer.swf" width="400" height="35"> <param name="movie"...

After nearly a year of intense scrutiny, political posturing and consumer outcry, it's time for the music business to come to grips with its new superpower: Live Nation Entertainment. At a time when live entertainment remains one of the healthier sectors of the troubled music industry, the combined Live Nation and Ticketmaster stands to dominate each part of that sector: touring, management and ticketing. Live Nation is the largest promoter and venue operator in the world, owning the majority of North American amphitheaters and promoting most of the world's top-grossing tours, including U2 and Madonna in 2009. Ticketmaster's Front Line Management, which has for the past few years aggressively acquired rival management...

The Virtuoso Alborosie is shaking up California in February with his ESCAPE FROM BABYLON TO THE KINGDOM OF ZION tour. This tour is the presentation and representation of Alborosie’s sound, giving people the chance to catch this rising reggae star in person. He will be visiting numerous venues performing his various hits, this tour is a must see. Introducing Alborosie <object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.reggaeme.com/mediaplayer/player.swf" width="425" height="362"><param name="movie" value="http://www.reggaeme.com/mediaplayer/player.swf" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="FlashVars"...