By Shereita Grizzle– On February 6, 2014, the world celebrated what would have been the 69th birthday of the legendary Robert Nesta Marley. In Toronto, Canada, Mayor Rob Ford officially declared it Bob Marley Day. Cross borders into the United States and the Grammy Museum made the announcement that the Bob Marley Museum on Hope Road in Kingston is the first official affiliate of the Los Angeles-based museum. The status of affiliate allows the Bob Marley Museum access to the Grammy Museum … Read entire article »

WINTER OLYMPICS: Defending champions Germany and the United States are favourites in the Olympic two-man bobsleigh, but it’s rag-to-riches Jamaica, powered to Sochi by a global fundraising campaign, who will capture the imagination. Training on Thursday should see a battle for early supremacy between German pilot Maximilian Arndt and US rival Steven Holcomb. However, they will be outshone by 46-year-old Winston Watts, back at the Games after a 12-year absence, and brakeman Marvin Dixon, the Jamaican duo … Read entire article »

  By Kevin McGill— NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was convicted Wednesday on charges that he accepted bribes, free trips and other gratuities from contractors in exchange for helping them secure millions of dollars in city work while he was in office, including right after Hurricane Katrina. The federal jury found Nagin guilty of 20 of 21 counts against him. He sat quietly at the defense table after the verdict was read and his … Read entire article »

  KINGSTON, JAMAICA: Dancehall entertainer Vybz Kartel this morning testified in his defence as his murder trial comes closer to a close. The Crown is alleging that Kartel, entertainer Shawn Campbell, popularly known as Shawn Storm; André St John; Shane Williams; and Kahira Jones, murdered Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams on August 16, 2011. This morning after Justice Lennox Campbell told the court that Kartel that he and his co-accused had a case to answer, the artiste testified from the dock … Read entire article »

Exco Levi poses with his Juno Award for Reggae Recording of the Year in 2013. At right: Ammoye— FIVE acts, including last year’s winner Exco Levi, have been nominated for Best Reggae Recording of the Year at Canada’s Juno Awards, scheduled to be held March 29 at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg. The Juno is Canada’s version of the Grammy Awards. The Manchester-born, Toronto-based Exco Levi (given name Wayne Ford Levi) has won the category for the … Read entire article »

Busy Signal—- By Leighton Levy– Busy Signal says he is thankful for the exposure he has received by virtue of Pepsi’s ‘Live for Now’ global campaign that has raised awareness for him and his song Watch Out Fi Dis (Bumaye). The song, released last April and was already a hit, rocketed to even greater heights once it was used as the theme for a Pepsi campaign that features some of the world’s best football players, including Lionel Messi, … Read entire article »

(Photo: Hulton Archive, Getty Images) STORY HIGHLIGHTS Temple was America’s top box-office draw from 1935 She died at her home in California surrounded by family Her movies were credited with helping save 20th Century Fox from bankruptcy Shirley Temple, the movie and television actress and former adorable curly-haired child star, has died at her home in California, her family said in a statement. She was 85. Publicist Cheryl Kagan said Temple, known in private life as Shirley Temple Black, died Monday surrounded … Read entire article »

By Brian Bonitto—- Tommy Lee Sparta—– JUNIOR ‘Heavy D’ Fraser, manager for jailed dancehall artist Tommy Lee Sparta, says he is in danger of losing several overseas gigs this month and in March. “We have a show every week… In Dominica, this coming weekend; Russia, the next weekend; followed by Antigua,” Fraser told the Jamaica Observer. He said he cancelled several dates following Sparta’s near-fatal crash in Montego Bay in November. “We just restarted touring this month. We had a … Read entire article »

By Richard Johnson—  Johnny Clarke—- REGGAE music’s history from the 1970s would not be complete without the name Johnny Clarke. Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRia) will recognise the hitmaker at its awards ceremony to be held at the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston, on Saturday. Clarke’s journey began in 1971 when he won a talent contest in the seaside community Bull Bay, St Thomas. What would follow is a string of hits from various producers. His first major hit came … Read entire article »

Michael Jackson— The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has accused the late Thriller hitmaker’s executors of significantly undervaluing assets following the singer’s death in 2009, and has launched a legal battle in a bid to secure $505 million and an additional $197 million in penalties. In United States Tax Court documents in Washington, obtained by theLos Angeles Times newspaper, the agency claims the estate inaccurately placed the star’s net worth at slightly more than $7 million when Michael died after an overdose of … Read entire article »