Young Thug Names Hip Hop Experts On Witness List In YSl Rico Trial

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Urban Islandz

Young Thug’s YSL Racketeering trial is fast approaching, with the trial set to begin the second week of January 2023, and the rapper has curated his life of defense witnesses he’s planning to call.

According to reports, Young Thug has included a series of hip hop ‘experts’ and academics to aid his defense. The rapper is facing several charges, including murder and committing crimes in furtherance of a gang in contravention of Georgia’s racketeering act, to name a few.

On Thursday, All Hip Hop revealed that the Atlanta rapper’s legal team, led by Brian Steel, submitted a list of witnesses on Sunday who will testify in his defense. It’s unclear yet what the rapper’s defense is, but he has been supporting a Protect Black Art initiative to stop prosecutors from using songs and lyrics in criminal prosecution without more. Now, it seems that the witness list gives some insight into his defense which will address his music and lyrics being used against him.

Among those on the list is hip-hop historian Dr. Erik Nelson who is well known as the co-author of the book, ‘Rap on Trial: Race, Lyrics, and Guilt in America’ which speaks to the link between hip-hop and mass incarceration of black youth.

Two university professors, Dr. Adam Dunbar from the University of Nevada and Dr. Charis Kubrin from the University of California, will testify as “experts in hip-hop lyrics.”

The rapper is also planning to call an expert on cell phones, a counselor for drug treatment, and a video analysis expert.

The evidence by the prosecution against Young Thug includes evidence from cell phones and video graphics evidence but mostly song lyrics quoted from tracks “Anybody,” “Ski,” and “Take It To Trial,” along with posts on social media.

Despite defense arguments to the judge to exclude the evidence based on Thug’s constitutional right to free speech, the evidence was allowed.

“The admission and use of these lyrics/poetry/artistry against [Young Thug] in his upcoming trial would be a Constitutional violation and an abuse of discretion, too prejudicial and unconstitutional,” Thug’s attorney had written in May to Fulton County Court judge Ural Glanville.

The rapper called the use of rap lyrics in his trial racist and discriminatory. Still, ahead of his trial, Young Thug recently scored a victory when judge Glanville ruled that evidence taken from cell phones belonging to Thug in 2015 was inadmissible as it was not procured with a warrant.

Several other developments have taken place with the YSL case over the last week as fellow rapper Gunna as well as alleged co-founder of YSL, Walter Murphy, Slimelife Shawty, and Young Thug’s brother, Unfoonk all accepted plea deals for suspended sentences and probation.

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JAMAICA-TOURISM-Jamaica off to a good winter season

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CARIBBEAN-FINANCE-Greater collaboration needed to close green finance gap in Caribbean – PwC

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BELIZE-FINANCE-Government adamant that increase minimum wage will not hurt private sector

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UNITED STATES – ECONOMY – Caribbean American congresswoman votes for passage of massive US$1.7 trillion spending bill

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GUYANA-ENERGY- “Lions share” of oil production in 2023 to come from Guyana, Brazil

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BELIZE-SUGAR-Belize sugar crop likely to begin this week

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TEMPO turns 17 with launch of new streaming platform

For 17 years, TEMPO Networks has produced groundbreaking content showcasing the vibrant energy of the Caribbean through lifestyle programming focusing on the region’s extraordinary destinations, music, cuisine, artistry and culture.

Primarily viewed on cable throughout the Caribbean and in parts of North America, the world will now be able to access all of this free of charge via TEMPO’s new streaming platform, TEMPO+.

Launched in celebration of the Network’s 17th birthday, TEMPO+ will be available on all platforms, including, iPhones, androids, AppleTV, Amazon Fire, Google TV, Roku, etc. TEMPO+ will be loaded with a select mix of TEMPO’s iconic past shows, current shows, and new shows in development, planned for exclusive release on the platform.

“I can hardly contain my excitement, as we prepare the Network for the next leg of this remarkable journey,” said Frederick A. Morton, Jr., Founder, Chairman and CEO, TEMPO Networks.

Frederick Morton, Jr.

“TEMPO’s 17th anniversary and the launch of TEMPO+, together with the very significant content development initiatives planned are bringing back fond memories of when TEMPO launched in 2005, which most will agree was one of the most exciting times in the history or the Caribbean media and entertainment,” said Morton, Jr.

Pitched initially to MTV in 2005 where Morton Jr worked as Senior Vice President, Head of the litigation department, TEMPO found new life in 2007 when he bought back the channel from MTV to build a brand that would display the Caribbean, as it ought to be.

Following the acquisition, Tempo expanded its programming to include more lifestyle content in keeping with the trend of international music channels.

The Network now plans to “raise the tempo”, developing a series of new content with international formats and partnerships and delving more deeply into the culture and lifestyle with documentaries.

One such partnership is with international media Company, Complex Media, with the launch of the Caribbean version of the popular web series the “Hot Ones”, which debuted in 2021 with a production in Trinidad & Tobago featuring the likes of Dancehall Sensation, Prince Swanny and comedic sensation, Ro’dey.

The series, sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, places talent and celebrities under the heat of consuming hot wings laced with the region’s hottest pepper sauces while being interviewed will be launching its second season from Jamaica in December with an amazing line-up of Jamaican celebs.

The third season is already planned for the United States Virgin Islands, where TEMPO will be announcing a groundbreaking content development plan with the United States Virgin Islands Department of Tourism

Tapping into the diaspora market, TEMPO also launched a docuseries entitled “Caribbean Dream” that tells the stories of notable people of Caribbean descent who have excelled in their professions, taking them back home to their island on a nostalgic journey. Featured thus far are the likes of Yvette Noel Shure, Beyonce’s publicist from Grenada and Neal Farinah, Celebrity hairstylist to, among others, Nikki Minaj, Beyonce, etc, who hails from Trinidad and Tobago.

TEMPO Networks also launched a series called Hip Hop Origins, which puts a spotlight on the impact of the Caribbean on the world’s leading musical genre, exploring its beginnings in Jamaica and nurturing in the Bronx, NY. The region’s talented upcoming rappers are spotlighted as they navigate their role in the continued evolution of the musical genre.

TEMPO Networks holds the Caribbean franchise for Hot Ones

TEMPO Networks holds the Caribbean franchise for Hot Ones
At 17, TEMPO Networks has clearly come of age, maturing into a full-fledged Caribbean lifestyle juggernaut, expanding and spreading its wings deeply into the heart of its mission – elevating Caribbean culture.

After 17 years of covering Carnivals all over the Caribbean, TEMPO has now also entered the Carnival Mas arena, with its successful debut of TEMPO Mas Tobago’s first carnival, recently launched in October. With an amazing costume designed by well-known Costume designer, Anya Elias, TEMPO launched a section in the Carnival Band, Fog Angels, entitled, you guessed it, the “HOT ONES”.

“It is a gift delivered straight from the hands of the Almighty to be at the helm of this brand TEMPO, particularly as we now reach the world with the launch of our streaming platform, TEMPO+. Seventeen years after its birth, I am just as excited, even more, than I was then for the amazing work ahead. Rest assured, we will continue to adjust to the changing times, keeping our core values intact, but always remaining the “Hot One,” said Morton Jr.

To access TEMPO Networks content, check us out on your local cable listings or download TEMPO+

Guyana Rides The Tide Of Foreign Investment

Black Immigrant Daily News

By Scott B. MacDonald

News Americas, MIAMI, Fl, Fri. Dec. 23, 2022: Foreign direct investment, (FDI), in the Caribbean has seen some lean years and some bountiful years. 2020 was a brutal year due to the COVID-19 pandemic; 2021 was much better, with FDI bouncing back throughout most of the region.

Significantly, Guyana, long one of the poorest countries in the Americas and for many decades starved for foreign investment, for the first time showed the largest growth in inflows, moving ahead of the multi-year leader, the Dominican Republic. Guyana’s new-found leadership for FDI in the Caribbean is of critical importance for the Caribbean, particularly in the ongoing development of the Southern Caribbean energy matrix.

In its annual report on FDI for 2021, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, (ECLAC), noted that the Caribbean attracted $8.957 billion, a 19.4 increase over 2020. Of that total, Guyana pulled in $4.4 billion, equal to almost 50 percent. Considering that ten years ago Guyana was one of the poorest countries in the Caribbean and Latin America and attracted little FDI, this is a major milestone in the country’s history.

A large part of that capital is earmarked for the oil sector, much of it from ExxonMobil and other major energy companies who have invested tens of billions of dollars over the last decade in exploration and production.  

Guyana’s attractiveness to foreign investors derives from the country’s oil boom, which started in 2015. The country also benefits from strong economic growth, a general openness to foreign investment, political stability, and efforts to upgrade the national infrastructure. As new oil revenues flood into Guyana, there are plenty of needs to be met.

There are four points to be taken from ECLAC’s FDI investment report pertaining to Guyana and the Caribbean. First and foremost, Guyana remains a “hot prospect” for FDI, driven by the oil sector and the ripple effect that sector is having on the rest of the economy. The dynamic nature of Guyana’s oil sector is having a knock-on effect into other parts of the economy. The development of the oil sector is pushing a badly needed overhaul of the country’s roads, bridges, harbors, airports, electricity grid, and boosting sea and flood defenses. According to the ECLAC report new non-hydrocarbon projects worth $180 million were announced in 2021, an increase of 397 percent over 2020.

Part of the ripple effect of oil revenues is the Guyanese government’s efforts to diversify the economy away from hydrocarbons by promoting other sectors, such as agriculture, business support services, healthcare, and technology. The Guyana Office for Investment (GOINVEST) is active in working with foreign companies. It is understood by the Guyanese government that the oil wealth is transitory as the global economy moves toward renewables. One of the government’s aspirations is to make Guyana a breadbasket for the rest of the Caribbean, which currently imports a large portion of its food.

The second point is that Guyana is demonstrating that it has the potential to pull along the rest of the Caribbean. This is evident in the largest major non-hydrocarbon related investment that came in the telecommunications sector due to an announcement by Jamaican company Digicel that it will lay a submarine cable to provide the country with high-technology internet and telephone services. The Digicel “Deep Blue” project has an estimated value of $137 million. Digicel has already signed a partnership agreement with Orange (a French company) to extend the system from Trinidad to French Guiana.

The third point is that large FDI inflows to Guyana are reinforcing the development of a Southern Caribbean energy matrix, which currently is defined by Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

As Trinidadian energy expert Anthony Bryan has repeatedly asserted, Guyana and Suriname represent new provinces for global oil, Trinidad is a mature oil and mainly natural gas province (with considerable expertise to be tapped) and Colombia, Venezuela, Grenada, and French Guiana could be added. According to the ECLAC report the Digicel project “…is associated with oil and gas exploration in the area, as the intention is to connect oil platforms off the coast of Guyana with other territories and countries in the region, such as French Guiana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.” Consequently, capital flows help bind the matrix together, a development that could benefit the rest of the Caribbean. 

The fourth point is that FDI investment in Guyana is led by the United States, which has both geopolitical and economic implications. Indeed, in the broader Caribbean region, U.S. and European investment was dominant in 2021. While ExxonMobil stands out in Guyana for the sheer size and scale of its investment, the U.S. in 2021 continued to be the main FDI source in the Dominican Republic, accounting for 44 percent of inflows according to ECLAC.  Moreover, following the Summit of the Americas in June 2022, the Biden administration agreed to promote Caribbean energy security, access to finance and food security.

U.S. engagement is important from the perspective that U.S. and European interest in the Caribbean declined for the better part of the first two decades of the 21st century, while China had stepped up. However, it appears that U.S. and European investment, led by private sector companies, is now more engaged in the Caribbean, especially in Guyana.

China’s investment in the Caribbean and Latin America began to taper in 2015. Although In 2020 for the first time in 15 years, the China Development Bank and China’s Export-Import Bank did not lend to any countries, China’s interest in Guyana has hardly diminished.

This is due to higher global energy costs related to the Russo-Ukrainian war that started in February 2022. China’s state-owned energy giant, CNOOC, shares the Stabroek block with ExxonMobil and Hess. At the same time, Guyana’s mining sector has a relatively new entrant, Zijin Mining, which acquired Guyana Goldfields in 2020 from its Canadian owners with an all-cash transaction. Zijin Mining is actively expanding its operations beyond gold mining; over the past two years it has entered the lithium mining sector and signaled an interest in rare earth metals, which its holdings in Guyana and Suriname could help.

While Guyana’s foreign investment climate has much to offer, there are challenges. According to the U.S. State Department’s 2022 Investment Climate Report, Guyana has a high crime rate, high electricity costs, lengthy delays for permits, and issues with access to land. Indeed, in its 2020 Ease of Doing Business report (the last edition), the World Bank ranked Guyana at 134 out of 190 countries, indicating that there is room for improvement (with some of the issues being addressed in 2021 and 2022).

Efforts are being made to deal with these issues and Guyana has recently signed an engineering procurement contract for the development of a natural gas plant for electricity generation that should reduce prices significantly. 

Oil wealth is changing Guyana and providing it with a rare opportunity to rapidly advance its economy, become a more equitable society, and provide a funding mechanism for a non-carbon-based economy. FDI is playing an important role in this process. The challenge ahead is to manage that process. For every United Arab Emirates and Qatar there is a Chad and a Venezuela.

Thus far, Guyana has taken heed of the words of American author H. Jackson Brown, Jr.,” “Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.” The record amount of FDI shows that one of Latin America and the Caribbean’s past poorest states it is not missing the opportunity. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Scott B. MacDonald is the Chief Economist for Smiths Research & Gradings, a Fellow with the Caribbean Policy Consortium and a Research Fellow with Global Americans. His most recent book is The New Cold War, China and the Caribbean (Palgrave Macmillan 2022).

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Jamaican Grammy Nominated Musician Sells Out Birdland Show

Black Immigrant Daily News

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. Dec. 22, 2022: Grammy nominated Jamaican jazz pianist, Monty Alexander, has sold out his Birdland Jazz Club ‘Island Holiday’ show in NYC through December 24th. The show, with Luke Sellick and Jason Brown is now only available for viewing online HERE

The Kingston, Jamaica born musician is an American classic, touring the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message. A perennial favorite at jazz festivals and venues worldwide and at the Montreux Jazz Festival where he has appeared 23 times since 1976, his spirited conception is one informed by the timeless verities: endless melody-making, effervescent grooves, sophisticated voicings, a romantic spirit, and a consistent predisposition, as Alexander accurately states, “to build up the heat and kick up a storm.”

In the course of any given performance, Alexander applies those aesthetics to a repertoire spanning a broad range of jazz and Jamaican musical expressions—the American songbook and the blues, gospel and bebop, calypso and reggae. Documented on more than 75 recordings and cited as the fifth greatest jazz pianist ever in The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time (Hal Leonard Publishing), the Jamaican government designated Alexander Commander in the Order of Distinction in 2000 and in 2018 The University of The West Indies bestowed him with an honorary doctorate degree (DLitt) in recognition of his accomplishments.

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