CLINTON LINDSAY

BY SADE GARDNER Observer writer—  Marion Hall — MARION Hall has added some dancehall flavour to her sophomore gospel album, His Grace , which becomes available for pre-order tomorrow. “After listening to it, I realised I needed something like dancehall on it. I looked to God for help and came up with a song called Tun Back Christian. A lot of people are in the church but don’t know how to be content, and end up walking away from God. A lot … Read entire article »

By Livern Barrett/Senior Gleaner Writer— Vybz Kartel—- The credibility of the main witness in the murder trial of Vybz Kartel and Shawn Storm came under scrutiny yesterday as lawyers for the imprisoned entertainers successfully argued that they should be allowed to introduce fresh evidence in their quest to have their clients’ convictions tossed. Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, and Shawn Storm, whose real name is Shawn Campbell, were convicted of murder in 2014, along with Kahiro Jones … Read entire article »

By Kimberley Small— It was announced this morning that the effervescent, consistently contributing local jazz talent Suzanne Couch has succumbed to stage four breast cancer in Mexico. As a result of her persistent, palpable good nature, the singer’s death comes as a shock to many – except her intimate circle of family of friends. “It’s a difficult situation. People close to her knew what was going on for a good while, but she never really showed it. It’s been … Read entire article »

 Ishawna — Ishawna will soon be making her feature film debut as early as next year. The dancehall deejay has been approached by an American independent film company, Royalty and Respect Films, to be a lead actress in an upcoming project. When the Jamaica Observercontacted Monty Green, CEO of Royalty and Respect Films, he said he was pleased to have Ishawna on-board. “Ishawna is multifaceted and multi-talented and a real natural. We know she will be a good fit for … Read entire article »

BY TANESHA MUNDLE Staff reporter—- Despite being outlawed in the island for a little over two and half centuries, obeah remains relevant in the lives of Jamaicans and, contrary to popular belief is being practiced right across the island by rich and poor people alike. This is a view shared by a local researcher who has written an unpublished paper on the ‘Persistency of Obeah in Jamaica’ after doing a two-year research which culminated with the paper in 2009. Kesia … Read entire article »

 Zac Henry (left) and Michael “Sojie” Beckford of The Astronauts at the Jamaica Observer’s Beechwood Avenue headquarters in Kingston on Tuesday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson) — IN 1979 The Astronauts got its first taste of victory in the Festival Song Competition with the patriotic ditty Born Jamaican . Three years later, group members Donald Wright and Zac Henry decided to shake things up a bit. “We wanted a song that was outside the box, so we decided to enter with Mek … Read entire article »

Taking away the American dream. (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton) WRITTEN BY Hassan Ahmad—- It went largely unremarked, just another bland procedural decision from a government agency. But a quiet policy change at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services last month is the next step toward a nationwide purge of non-citizens. On June 28, USCIS announced that non-citizens who apply for a “benefit”–such as an extension or change of status, a green card, or citizenship—would be placed in deportation proceedings if that benefit … Read entire article »