We are supporting so much of the overseas songwriters at the expense of the local songwriters—-. By Sadeke Brooks As Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers (JACAP) continues to pay out more royalties to overseas entities, there is a call from the organisation’s chairman, Paul Barclay, for the Government to put in place some sort of legislation so that more local music can be played. According to the Economic and Social Survey 2013, of the total $13.6 million royalty disbursement by JACAP, $11 million was paid out to overseas creators, just $2.6 million returning home. There was also a $1-million increase in the amount of royalties disbursed when compared to 2012. Of that increase, $700,000 went overseas. According to Barclay, “it remains a concern that we are supporting so much of the overseas songwriters at the expense of the localsongwriters.” Local … Read entire article »

I-Octane— By Shereita Grizzle— Head of Firefly Films, Paul Bucknor, is gearing up to start work on a children’s musical titled SWAG. Bucknor, who was also the producer of the award-winning film Better Mus’ Come, (which will air on BBC2 on May 9), returned to the island about two weeks ago to enhance work on his latest project. He told The Gleaner that he has already done screen tests with many top reggae and dancehall acts, including Etana, Jah Cure, Tommy Lee Sparta, I-Octane, Alkaline, Tifa, Garnet Silk Jr, Romain Virgo, Alberosie and Gentleman. Bucknor says if everything goes as planned, the film will be the first of its kind to come out of Jamaica. He also said that he decided to use an all-artiste cast because of the fact that it will be a musical, and compares the storyline to a cross between the action franchise The … Read entire article »