Music lovers in South Florida are in for a very specialexperience – the Jamaican Folk Singers are coming to South Florida. They will give two concerts only, one in Palm Beach on Friday September 6, the other in Coral Springs on Saturday September 7. The Miss Lou Full 100 concerts are presented by the Louise Bennett Heritage Council, as part of their homage to the late Louise Bennett-Coverley – Miss Lou- Jamaica’s beloved cultural icon, in this her … Read entire article »

Broward County, Florida is home to an estimated 500,000 Caribbean-Americans, of which the overwhelming majority are Jamaicans and Haitians. Their political, economic and cultural influence has changed the face of the County, especially in the field of entertainment, where there is an abundance of Caribbean festivals, concerts and theatrical events taking place just about every weekend. So why would Trimax Entertainment jump into what is viewed as a crowded arena to stage the Broward Reggae … Read entire article »

Gil Bailey —Fifty years after his voice was first heard on New York’s airwaves, Gil Bailey has again broken new ground. Two weeks ago, the veteran broadcaster debuted his The Gil Bailey Show on YouTube, and hopes the medium will introduce him to a new generation of fans. During his daily four-hour afternoon slot, Bailey plays reggae, calypso, soca and gospel music, a mix that has endeared him to West Indian listeners in the tri-state (New York, … Read entire article »

By Aaliyah CunninghamObserver writer— Patrons light up the sky at Fully Loaded  Dr Andre Haughton, Opposition senator, intends to move a motion which seeks to allow the use of Jamaican expletives in dancehalls. Haughton said he was influenced to do this after police warned Japanese sound system Mighty Crown not to use profanity during the Fully Loaded show on August 2. “This motion is important because this is our culture,” he told Jamaica Observer’s Splash. “Too many aspects of our … Read entire article »

VIRGINA, (AP) — Police are investigating the shooting deaths of two people at a restaurant in Virginia. Newport News police spokesman Brandon Maynard said in an email that officers responded to a report of a shooting Thursday afternoon at Dunn’s River Jamaican and Caribbean Restaurant. Maynard said the officers found two people suffering from gunshot wounds. They were both pronounced dead at the scene. Maynard said one person has been detained but stressed that the investigation is ongoing. There … Read entire article »

BY CANDIECE KNIGHT—Observer staff reporter— The Denham Town evangelist who was seen in a video being attacked by a Rastafarian man while delivering a spirited sermon in Arnett Gardens is calling the altercation a blessing. A short video of the incident, which surfaced on social media over the ’emanci-pendence’ weekend, shows the evangelist, Valancy Hawes, declaring, “Hol’ yuh position, Satan,” at an open-air service on Eighth Street (popularly called Mexico) in Arnett Gardens. The Rastafarian man, Steve … Read entire article »

By Claudia Gardner— Bounty Killer wants the Jamaican government to end the ban on using expletives during stage performances. There has been a raging debate over the last few days led by Bounty Killer, about the use of Jamaican expletives not being allowed at the Fully Loaded sound system clash event in St. Ann, the use of which, according to the Warlord, is a key element of that type of entertainment. On Sunday the Warlord uploaded a poster of … Read entire article »

By K.D. Anglin— Koffee wants to follow in Bob Marley’s footsteps with Reggae music. TV personality Simone Clarke-Cooper interviewed Koffee after her performance at the Independence Grand Gala at the National Stadium on August 6th. The ‘Lyrical Docta’ expressed how thankful she was to Jamaica for embracing her and for the opportunity to perform at a national celebration for her home country. Koffee does genuinely seem grateful for her accomplishments and fans, and most of all, her country. When asked what she would … Read entire article »