Kingston, Jamaica, July 20, 2008:- As the summer season unfolded in Europe, thousands of revelers descended on the vast continent to attend a number of highly publicized Reggae music festivals. Many elite members of the Dancehall music fraternity were billed for the events and Mr. Vegas scored among the best.

It has been five years since Dancehall star Mr. Vegas toured Europe, and in an effort to make up for lost time, the popular singjay brought fans up-to-speed with his repertoire of soaring hits by consistently delivering fiery performances at every stop along the way. Mr. Vegas’ lasting effect on the European massive is truly undeniable, as calls for his next European tour have flooded his management.

“I truly appreciate the support that my fans in Europe have given me over years,” says Mr. Vegas. “I have spent five years away and I really wanted to pay them back with unforgettable performances…….my plan was successful!”

Mr. Vegas’ European tour, sponsored by Media Com, consisted of 10 cities. On the tour, he was joined by a full ensemble including Thugz band, DJ Fatta and High Energy dancers. Mr. Vegas injected the unique and attention-grabbing format of a DJ and live band combination into his stage show. This style, which alternated between DJ Fatta spinning hot selections from pioneer dancehall artists and Thugz band playing Mr. Vegas’ rhythms, was a sure-fire hit with the fans. Adding Mr. Vegas’ High Energy dancers to the mix made for an even zestier recipe.

While in Cologne, Germany at Summerjam, Mr. Vegas was billed as the closing act, following Queen Ifrica, Busy Signal, Cecile and a host of other Jamaican artists. The singjay brought the festival to an energy-fueled close, executing nothing short of a 1 ½ hour spectacular set. Adorned in a black Armani suit, Gucci shirt and alligator skin Prada shoes, Mr. Vegas fulfilled the thousands in attendance with a show that measured up to his attire. Singing scores of hits, he also moved the audience with a cover of Bob Marley’s “Turn Your Lights Down Low.” Ultimately, his rendition prompted patrons to wave their cell phones in the air, creating a glowing effect.

Mr. Vegas’ stint at Rototom Sunsplash in Osoppo, Italy was equally explosive. On this line-up, he joined members of the dancehall massive including Voicemail, Bugle and Wayne Marshall to name a few. Due to a heavy rain storm, for a moment, it looked as if Mr. Vegas wouldn’t perform. But low and behold, the rain let up and dancehall’s most swank artist belted out an infinite string of hits – altering the “dampened” mood of the event. Thousands of fans rushed to the performance area to be a part of the Mr. Vegas experience.

After almost two hours in to his set at Rototom Sunsplash, the crowd begged for more. Still in designer gear, but a little more laid back, Mr. Vegas killed it. Because the whole show was phenomenal, no one segment can be highlighted. It’s clear that the precise coordination between Mr. Vegas and Thugz band played a major role in this extraordinary performance.

Although Mr. Vegas was not the official closing act of The Big Reggae Festival in Antibes, France, he still managed to drive the crowd wild. In a compact set (due to the show getting a late start), he wooed the crowd, capitalizing on techniques from past successful performances. Some time after his segment, Mr. Vegas was asked to join the wildly popular French Dancehall group Dub Inc. on stage to close the show with his hit “Mus Come a Road.” Mr. Vegas belted out the favorite, while Dub Inc. laced the rhythm with French vocals. The audience erupted in adulation.

“Mr. Vegas’ performances in Europe exceeded my expectations,” says manager Garfield “Chin” Bourne of Irish and Chin, Inc. “I think that Vegas understands the importance of giving quality, flawless shows……he definitely has mastered the live performance thing.”

In August 2008, Mr. Vegas will embark on his first tour of Africa and return to Europe for a long-awaited tour of the UK. Mr. Vegas’ emanating presence is undeniable. As you read this, the singjay is leaving his imprint on the world. In several markets, Mr. Vegas has songs and videos in heavy rotation including the summer anthems “Mus Come a Road,” “Hot Gal Nuh Fight Ova Man” and the newest sensation “Daggering.” And notably, Mr. Vegas boasts the #2 tune on the Billboard Dance Chart, “Shake it.”

Mr. Vegas burst on the scene in 1997 with the break-through smashes “Heads High” and “Nike Air.” The mainstay artist has since unleashed over a decade of countless dancehall hits and standards. Through good music and hard work, Mr. Vegas has maintained a consistent presence on the dancehall scene. In the Summer of 2007, Mr. Vegas released his fifth studio album Hot It Up (Delicious Vinyl) to raving reviews — which landed the racy “Hot Wuk” on the Billboard charts. Also in 2007, Mr. Vegas signed on to Irish and Chin, Inc. to manage his career.

Flair Lindsey

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Check Out: WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MRVEGAS

July 18, 2008, Kingston, Jamaica: Dancehall artist Latifa Brown a.k.a TIFA, on the heels of her “Bottom of the Barrel” music video release, has embarked on her first European Tour.

Over the next six weeks, Tifa and producers Ward 21 will be touring countries all across Europe, namely to Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia and Berlin. The tour is scheduled to begin on July 18th and will continue until the 30th of August. This is is the first major tour for the artist who burst onto the dancehall scene in early 2005.

“I’m very excited about this tour, and I look forward to connecting with my European fans over the next six weeks,” stated a noticeably excited Tifa before departing the island.

Tifa is presently enjoying steady radio rotation of her songs, “Bottom of the Barrel” on the Estrogen Riddim as well as “Can’t Stop me” on the Tear Up Jeans riddim. Her recently released music video for Bottom of the Barrel, directed by Dexter Pottinger can also be seen on all major music video outlets.

Before departing the island, Tifa along with the rest of the Badda Badda Gang – Timberlee and Natalie Storm spent three days in the studio, completing their first mixed cd for Max Glazer’s Federation Sound. The CD entitled - TNT 3 THE HARD WAY will be released in August/September 2008.

Tifa is currently working on her first and upcoming album entitled “Sex, Love and Lies” which will have a Japan/ European release scheduled for November 2008. Tifa is known for hit songs “Tinky Winky”, “Kitty Police” “Crawny Gyal” and now “Bottom of the Barrel”.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:-
Check out www.myspace.com/tifamusiq1

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In what is billed as “An Evening of Elegance,” reggae veterans John Holt and Winston “Merritone” Blake will headline a concert to celebrate Jamaica’s 46th anniversary at the swank Zanzibar Night Club. This semi-formal event will take place Aug. 2, and doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets are available online—at www.pumpstn.com—for $25 and $30 at various tickets outlets.

Presented by Pumpstation Entertainment, this “Evening of Elegance” is a first-of-its-kind event catering to a broader Caribbean and urban base audience. “We plan to take people back down memory lane, particularly Jamaican people,” says Omar Stephenson of Pumpstation Entertainment.

The event coincides with Jamaica’s 46th independence celebration, where traditional celebrations “back-home” are often laced with sweet reggae music, delicious Jamaican food and beautiful people.

Zanzibar On the Waterfront will provide drink specials and a complimentary Jamaican style buffet. Reggae crooner John Holt, backed by Ruff Stuff Band, will deliver a sweet serenade of classic tunes like “Dusty Road”, “Further You Look,” “The Tide Is High” and the unforgettable “Stick By Me.”

With well over 50 years in the reggae music business, both Holt and Merritone carry equally a sense of pride and tradition, representating what can be claimed, as truly Jamaican. After all, that’s what it’s about, as an important milestone in Jamaica’s history is celebrated 46 years from British rule.

Additional music will be presented by Pumpstation Sound System and Caribbean Vibes Radio’s own PauL MacK, who promises to dig deep into his musical vault to keep the vibe right.

For more information and store locations, visit www.pumpstn.com.

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”An Evening of Elegance” celebrating Jamaica’s 46th year of Independence with JOHN HOLT and Winston “MERRITONE” Blake in concert is set for Saturday August 2, 2008 at Zanzibar on the Waterfront – 700 Water Street SW Washington DC. Admission: $25.00 online, $30.00 at Ticket Sale Locations. Event sponsored in part by Western Union, Grace, Island Marketing Group, Pumpstation Podcast, Golden Krust, EMD International Foods and www.CaribbeanVibesRadio.com. Logon to: www.pumpstn.com for tickets and additional information.

Contact: 

Omar Stephenson

443.889.6761 info@pumpstn.com

The job of a reporter is to investigate the source and accuracy of a statement, to establish its authenticity, before reporting on it. A press release currently being circulated by Changez Media, on behalf of Bruno Gaston, the International Editor of the Redding News Review, with a headline stating, “American TV Host calls Jamaican Women the B word” gives pause for concern. Who is this TV host, and how could he possibly slander the wonderful women of Jamaica, by calling them such a nasty word, and still remain on the air? Surely this was wrong, no true? Well not so fast…

Bruno Gaston, the International Editor of Redding News Review (ReddingNewsReview.com), which is an interesting and informative, albeit poorly formatted, website concerning, “Black News Exclusive Reports & Daily Research of National & World News Events 24-7,” first reported this story. His short article, which ran with the headline, “DANCEHALL REGGAE VETERAN HITS INDUSTRY OVER TRAVEL CHANNEL PROFANITY,” was forwarded to my email inbox by Changez Media, as a much longer article, in which Jason Walker of Changez Media quotes himself, with the additional embellished headline, “AMERICAN TV HOST CALLS JAMAICAN WOMEN THE ‘B’ WORD.”

While Mr. Bruno Gaston is to be applauded for his tireless passion for reporting the news, it is unfortunate and dismaying that his much more successful, fellow journalistic colleague Anthony’s Bourdain’s words were taken completely out of context, possibly for the purpose of stirring up discord.

Anthony Bourdain is the host of the Emmy-nominated series “No Reservations,” on the Travel Channel. He is the quintessential adventurer. He is renowned for being something of a tough guy, and frequently shows his audience the rougher side of the towns he visits. He rode a motorcycle through Mexico during a previous episode.

According to Changez Media, Bourdain referred to women as “bitches” when describing dancehall music in the Jamaican-themed episode of the show. As he and his crew head to a passa passa street performance in Kingston, Bourdain narrates:

“There’s no rootsy, laid back Rasta vibe. This ain’t about standing up for your rights or praising Jah or anything like that. Like Reggaetón, its mutant cousin, dancehall is the hardcore beat behind lyrics concerning, for the most part: acquiring possessions, getting respect on the street, beating down perceived enemies and enjoying the physical charms of varied, if not multitudinous, bitches.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3lpZ7am_M4

Clearly, if you are capable of understanding English, nowhere in that episode of his television program did Bourdain call Jamaican women, or even female dance hall fans, “bitches.” He clearly states, to paraphrase, while explaining dancehall music, presumably to people who may be unfamiliar with it, that the lyrics describe, “acquiring money & bitches.” Pardon me, but some of it absolutely does! The ‘B’ word and its more commonly used Patois synonym, “sketel,” are uttered often in dancehall lyrics. Perhaps Sasha’s track, “Kill The Bitch,” was playing at the particular party Anthony Bourdain attended. The worst Mr. Bourdain can be accused of is generalizing.

The intention of Anthony Bourdain’s program, as an American, is to travel to foreign places and report on them, presumably for viewers who live vicariously through his exploits, because they may or may not have a chance to travel to the places he does. His program is entertaining as well as informative.

In the maligned episode in question, Anthony Bourdain visited Jamaica, and described to people who might not know what dancehall is, what it is all about. Anthony simply pointed out the obvious. Don’t shoot the messenger, or alter his message, simply because he is Caucasian and/or foreign. He certainly did not call Jamaican women, “bitches”. That is a falsehood, and misleading reporting. If Mr. Bourdain had stated in his narration, “…beating down perceived enemies and enjoying the physical charms of varied, if not multitudinous, sketels,” this entire controversy would be without merit; however, the American audience most likely wouldn’t have comprehended what he was talking about.

Veteran dancehall reggae artist, Nadine Sutherland states in Bruno Gaston’s article,

“I’m not going to have any self-righteous outrage at this man because that is what has been perpetuated. Why is it that a foreigner can’t do it? I don’t know if this is a moment that will change that, or even initiate dialogue, but this is indeed a moment a lot of us can look at ourselves and see some sense of shame.”

While his synopsis of dancehall music leaves room for debate amongst its participants and fans, his intentions while describing it, should not. As a seasoned travel reporter he has the utmost respect for the people and places he visits. It is provocative that his remarks are being used as a catalyst to spark discussion about raunchy dancehall lyrics; however, it is unfair to make him a scapegoat for describing what he heard.

Furthermore, if we as a dancehall culture do not want our music to be perceived in a negative light by outsiders, perhaps its time that we alter the vernacular in the lyrics, and omit words like “Bitch,” “Ho,” and “Sketel” from the songs altogether. Apparently Red Stripe’s corporate executives agree with this perspective, citing the “increasingly offensive lyrical content in dancehall music” as their primary reason for pulling their annual sponsorship from Reggae Sumfest, the notoriously popular dancehall festival in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Washington, DC – The National Alliance Foundation, a non-profit network committed to promoting peace and harmony while raising funds and awareness for cancer,announced today plans for the First Annual Budweiser Reggae Summer Fest for Cancer Research reggae show. The inaugural concert will bring top-flight reggae and entertainment to RFK Stadium, home of Major League Soccer’s D.C. United team.

Budweiser Reggae Summer Fest for Cancer Research, as it is billed, hopes to attract West Indians, reggae music lovers and people who have an affinity for Caribbean culture to the DC area on Sunday, Sept. 7. Part of the proceeds will benefit the Jamaican Cancer Society.

“This much-anticipated reggae festival has been artfully planned and was launched to raise funds and awareness to cancer,” said Orville Dixon, a representative of the National Alliance Foundation. “Our intention is to educate the masses about cancer, while bringing together people through the universal language of music.”

Shows of this magnitude have been attempted before in the Nation’s Capital, but NAF officials claim that this festival will be different, in that, there is a cause behind the anticipated revelry.

Patrons will enjoy music, food, and a variety of items from the many vendors who will be exhibiting. Children 12 and under will be admitted free, while adult admission start at $30. Limited VIP tickets and general admission tickets are available at Ticketmaster and a number of Caribbean businesses (including Caribbean Breeze located in Virginia and Logan Circle Liquor located in Washington DC).

Headlining the show will be international reggae crooner Beres Hammond, best known for such hits as “Putting Up Resistance,” What One Dance Can Do” and countless other chart-toppers. Other acts include Ky-Mani Marley, I-Wayne, Turbulence, Chuck Fender, Prestige, Etana, and Fire Star.

There will also be a local flavor as well, as area bands—including STORM, The I-Ternals, Strykers Posse, New Kingston Band, Passion Band, Image Band, and Yawd Lynk—will provide their own familiar sound to this event.

Emceeing duties will be a collaborative effort, as popular radio personalities including EZ Street (from 93.9 FM WKYS), Papa Wabe and Neil Mattei (WEAA 88.9 FM), Tony Carr (WPFW 89.3FM) Giselle “The Wassi One” will take turns keeping the event live. Special presentation will be made by Dermot Hussey, host of “The Joint” on XM Radio. Additional media support provided by www.CaribbeanVibesRadio.com.

Half Krazy, Glamour G from Amplex, DJ Rasta Punch (from WPFW radio) and DJ Chick Music will provide the music.

For more information, go to www.reggaesummerfest.net. For questions regarding vending, email vendors@reggaesummerfest.net or call 301-332-6935

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOUNDATION

The National Alliance Foundation is a non-profit network that is committed to promoting peace and harmony, while raising funds for the Cancer disease and its harmful effects on our community and society.