Sean Paul and Akon performed at a concert in Zimbabwe last week.. Their arrival was marked by hysteria, fans fainting and screaming. However, their concert was marred by bad organisation, sound and alleged lack of security. The concert, held at the National Sports Stadium seemed disorganised as according to ZimboJam when fans arrived at the venue, workers were still setting up the stage. The same sense of disorganization was felt with media and artist accreditation: artists had waited for over a day to gain accreditation. The concert started eight hours after the advertised time. When Sean Paul performed the crowd near the stage surged forward and the metal barricade demarcating the stage area moved with them. The security guards leaped into action and pushed back. Fans were happy to see him in action but there were complaints about sound “We could see on the screens that he was putting... Read On

Speaking with THE STAR yesterday from Philadelphia, Dancehall artist Flippa Mafia, who’s real name is Andrew Davis, discussed the reasons behind his arrest, months spent in prison, his release and future. Arrested in March, after he was allegedly caught trying to enter the United States illegally from The Bahamas via a boat, Mafia was released last week Tuesday from the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Philadelphia. Since his release, rumours have been circulating that he ‘informed’ to be free. Flippa said, “mi nuh have nutten a hide cause all dese people that are speculating dem don’t know nutten. Is not like mi owe people nutten or haffi explain nutten but mi tyaad of di speculations and rumours and mi waan mek di fans know wha happen.” Flippa says he is involved in a criminal case in the United States that took place in 2006, in which he has to make... Read On

Having recently split with Chimney Records, the label he started his career with, young dancehall star TNez ( @tnezmusic )  disclosed that he is doing his own thing with ‘Young Tycoons.’ He said, “Young Tycoons is a music group spearheaded by me and my current manager Shayne G. Its a network with selectors, PR officers and more, a work in progress.” TNez joins a growing group of international and local artists that have form their music labels, this group includes rap superstar Rick Ross with his label Maybach Music, and Serani with his label DASECA. TNez born Tristan Barnes, made his debut into the music business last year with two ready-made hits in hand Turn Mi Life Aroundand What’s Up Money for Chimney Records. From there it was on to new heights with songs on popular rhythms such as ‘Genesis’ from DASECA. Currently out the singer has Mi She... Read On

Amidst rumours that veteran dancehall artistes Junior Reid and Bounty Killer were involved in a physical altercation at the last staging of Hot Mondays in St Andrew, both artistes have dismissed the claims. However, they have given different versions of what transpired. “I and Bounty Killer weren’t in a fight, that’s a rumour,” Junior Reid said. The artiste explained there was a minor altercation between members of his ‘family’ and someone from Bounty Killer’s crew at Weddy Weddy, about two weeks ago. While at Hot Mondays, Junior Reid said he saw the person from Bounty Killer’s crew and decided to speak to him. “As a big man, I saw the guy at Hot Mondays and I try fi find out what really go down and him start flare up. As him flare up now, some people that was around me and going into the session and fans start tell... Read On

Dancehall reggae’s wave of influential early ’90s artists are due for a critical revisiting. And Lady Saw, the genre’s reigning queen and elder stateswoman, might initiate that revival with her new album, My Way, out today, September 7. In case dancehall isn’t your area of expertise, you probably know its First Lady from classic late-millennium cuts like “Informer,” and you definitely remember Saw from her Grammy-winning guest spot on No Doubt’s sultry “Underneath It All.” Manicure, check. Makeup, check. Diva attitude, check. It’s all about being on point for Lady Saw, who spits with a sharp tongue on her latest album. The Grammy-winning reggae singer merges all the emotional distresses of womanhood into an uplifting dance mix on her CD “My Way.” The lead track, “Party Till December,” is a shout out to single ladies ready to step out and have hot boys turning their heads. The Queen of... Read On

I’m not quite sure when it happened, but sometime in the last few years everyone seemed to agree that, despite a resume that makes him a hip-hop Hall of Fame contender, Fat Joe’s career was over. Lyrically, Joseph Cartagena is one of New York’s original gangster rappers, a man who rhymed alongside “greatest ever”s like Bigge and Big Pun, and has been commercially outstandingly, dropping the second highest selling rap song of the last decade, Lean Back, and crafting multiple top-ten rap albums. And yet, as the calendar turned to 2010, hip-hop nation had mysteriously decided that Fat Joe was the rap equivalent of J-Kwon. How could this have... Read On

From album to mixtapes, Rick Ross has been delivering the goods with the ability to balance the streets with the mainstream. Trilla and Deeper Than Rap truly began Ross on his dramatic ascension. With Teflon Don, an overt nod to mob boss John Gotti, Ross eases comfortably into legend status. The debacles and  the subsequent beefs are in the past and actually thrust Rick Ross into a larger light.  All the controversy has been countered and attacked with quality music. Ross’s Teflon Don solidifies the Miami rapper as a force that musical rivals will have to contend with. Emphasis stays with musical, because we’re talking about good music and albums... Read On

D.O.B. is a rebirth for Busy Signal, The Kingston, JA Based Deejay/Singer whose second VP Records album promises to make him the breakthrough story of 2010. The new album offers a range of musical styles including ballads: One More Night, Sweet Love (Night Shift); There is latin flavor of Picante and Busy Latino and the new hit ‘Summin’ A Guh Gwaan’ Featuring Dancehall legend Bounty Killer. Read On