Afro-Futurist Gianni Lee Transforms Skip Marley’s “Close (Remix)” Into AI-Powered Dancehall Odyssey

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News Americas, New York, NY, April 3, 2025: Afro-futurist artist and director Gianni Lee is pushing the boundaries of Caribbean music visuals with a bold new creation – an AI-assisted lyric video for the remix of Skip Marley’s “Close,” featuring Jamaican dancehall heavyweights Ding Dong and Masicka. The futuristic visual experience premiered today on the Tuff Gong TV YouTube channel and accompanies the track’s release via Tuff Gong International/Def Jam Recordings.

Set in a visually arresting post-apocalyptic metropolis, the video takes viewers on a mesmerizing ride through streets ruled by humanoid dancers, futuristic footballers, and thrill-seeking bikers, all moving to the rhythm of a hard-hitting Caribbean beat.

Philadelphia-born Gianni Lee, known for his boundary-pushing work with global brands like Jordan Brand, Adidas, and New York City Football Club, shared that this project wasn’t just about using AI for spectacle.

“For the Skip Marley visual, I used AI in an intentionally artistic way – breaking down live-action footage, screen grabs, and found video to create a mosaic of animated, moving images,” Lee said. “The foundation was rooted in real, tangible visuals that I shot or sourced, then processed frame-by-frame through advanced AI prompts. It wasn’t about trend or convenience – —it was about intention and vision.”

Lee, who is celebrated for his signature Afro-futurist symbolism and bold, dystopian storytelling, treated AI not merely as a tool, but as a collaborator—an extension of his creative process.

“I storyboarded this like any traditional film. Then, I layered it with artistic manipulation. The final result feels more like a moving painting than a conventional video,” he added. “This project was about pushing what’s possible with new tools while staying grounded in narrative and emotion.”

The collaboration between Lee and GRAMMY®-winning, multi-platinum artist and multi-instrumentalist Skip Marley, along with Ding Dong and Masicka, is a stunning intersection of music, technology, and visual art—a testament to how Afro-Caribbean and Black diasporic creativity continues to innovate and inspire.

CATCH IT HERE

What Does The Caribbean Export To The U.S.?

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News Americas, New York, NY, April 4, 2025: As U.S. President Donald Trump put in place steep tariffs on imports from numerous countries globally, including several Caribbean nations, the spotlight is once again on the Caribbean’s trade relationship with the United States. Amid rising concern, many are now asking: what exactly does the Caribbean export to the U.S.?

Here’s a look at what various Caribbean nations send to the United States.

Guyana

Facing the harshest blow with a 38% tariff – the highest of any Caribbean country – Guyana’s exports to the U.S. reached $3.51 billion in 2023, a massive rise from just $255 million in 2018. Blindsided by the steep 38% tariffs imposed by the United States on its exports, the Government of Guyana is now seeking clarity and relief through diplomatic engagement with U.S. officials.
Key exports include:

Crude Petroleum – $3.1 billion

Gold

Rice

Fish

Timber

Sugar, molasses, and rum

Aluminum ore and ships

Barbados

In 2024, Barbados exported $102.46 million worth of goods to the U.S., including:

Beverages, spirits, and vinegar – $22.5 million

Mineral fuels and oils – $18.6 million

Precious stones and metals – $12.4 million

Haiti

With over 80% of its exports heading to the U.S., Haiti’s top exports are apparel-related:

Knit T-shirts – $419M

Knit sweaters – $152M

Men’s suits and shirts – over $100M combined

Total exports to the U.S. – $844M

The Bahamas

In 2023, The Bahamas exported $3.01 billion, led by:

Refined petroleum – $1.35B

Passenger and cargo ships – $512M

Raw aluminum and crustaceans

Jamaica

In January 2025 alone, U.S. imports from Jamaica included:

Aluminum ore – $5.54M

Cassava, sauces, baked goods, and seasonings

Sint Maarten

Exports to the U.S. valued at $2.74M in 2023 included:

Scrap iron

Recreational boats

Jewelry

Hard liquor and flavored water

Turks and Caicos Islands

In 2023, the U.S. imported $5.51M in goods such as:

Molluscs – $1.66M

Crustaceans – $1.47M

Semiconductor devices

Antigua & Barbuda

Exported $17.2M in 2023, with highlights including:

Paintings – $4.84M

Electrical transformers – $2.64M

Saint Lucia

Exported $7.53M in 2023, with top items being:

Processed fruits and nuts – $1.42M

Scrap copper and hard liquor
However, exports have declined from $47.1M in 2018.

Saint Kitts and Nevis

With $16.4M in U.S. exports in 2023, main products were:

Measuring instruments – $4.51M

Electrical control boards and transformers

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

U.S. imports in 2024 reached $8.4M, with exports such as:

Bananas, arrowroot, and coconuts

Fish, seafood, textiles, and rum

Bermuda

Exported $5.9M to the U.S. in 2023, down from $13.8M in 2018. Top exports:

Hard liquor – $2.02M

Scrap iron and paintings

Cayman Islands

Exports totaled $13.3M in 2023, including:

Broadcasting equipment – $5.24M

Scrap iron and measuring instruments

Suriname

In 2023, the U.S. imported $87.8M in goods, led by:

Fish fillets – $24.8M

Fresh and frozen non-fillet fish

Guadeloupe & Martinique

Both French territories export primarily bananas, rum, and sugar, with Martinique also sending sailboats to the U.S.

Trinidad and Tobago

Exported $3.26B to the U.S. in 2023. Top products:

Crude petroleum – $1.15B

Iron reductions – $593M

Petroleum gas – $539M

Belize

Sent $86.2M in exports to the U.S. in 2023, including:

Refined petroleum – $20.4M

Molasses – $18.6M

Raw sugar – $11.1M

These figures highlight the vital economic ties between the U.S. and the Caribbean. As the threat of higher tariffs looms, many regional leaders and businesses are closely watching developments and preparing to navigate the potential economic impact of Trump’s proposed trade measures.

Here Are All The Caribbean Countries Hit By Trump’s New Tariffs

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News Americas, New York, NY, April 2, 2025: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled sweeping new reciprocal tariffs that will impact trade with more than 180 countries around the world – including numerous Caribbean nations.

Announced on Wednesday, the plan includes a baseline 10 percent tariff on imports from most countries, with significantly higher duties for what the Trump administration has labeled “the worst offenders.” The sweeping trade action represents a major policy shift that could affect economies across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Among the Caribbean nations hit hardest is Guyana, the new oil-rich South American CARICOM member, which will face a 38 percent tariff on imports into the United States under the new trade regime. Ironically, the tariffs come on the heels of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Guyana, where he met with President Irfaan Ally ad praised Guyana as one of the most exciting places in the world right now, citing its transformational economic opportunities and strategic importance to the United States.

Meanwhile, the following Caribbean countries will be subject to a 10 percent baseline tariff:

The Dominican Republic

Trinidad & Tobago

British Virgin Islands

Barbados

Cayman Islands

Curaçao

Antigua & Barbuda

Bermuda

Saint Kitts & Nevis

Grenada

Turks & Caicos Islands

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Lucia

The Bahamas

Haiti

Jamaica

Sint Maarten

Suriname

Belize

Dominica

Guadeloupe

Martinique

French Guiana

In addition, the former president confirmed that 25 percent tariffs on foreign auto imports will also go into effect beginning Thursday, expanding the reach of the tariff policy beyond goods to the auto sector.

While these tariffs have yet to take effect, their potential impact on trade relationships between the U.S. and the Caribbean could be significant — especially for small island economies reliant on exports and tourism.

News Americas will continue monitoring the policy rollout and its effects on the region.

Island Grid Solutions Announces the Launch of Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) and Its $130 Million Grid Upgrade Project

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NASSAU, The Bahamas, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Bahamas Grid Company (BGC) announced today that BGC will begin work this week on its $130 million upgrade of the grid system on the island of New Providence in The Bahamas, as well as take over responsibility for the island’s long-term maintenance of all poles, wires and substations. Structured as a market-leading public-private partnership, the transaction that created BGC has allowed for the significant infusion of capital and grid expertise into the nation’s most populous island, where the rate of electricity demand growth has been unprecedented over the past few decades.

“This is a very exciting time for The Bahamas,” said J. Eric Pike, Chairman of the Board at BGC. “We’ll be upgrading and storm-hardening 32 miles of transmission lines and load balancing across the eastern half of the island to provide more reliable and stable power to all residents and businesses in New Providence. The new lines will also be able to carry more power, so there will be much less energy lost as power is carried long distances across the island.”

BGC’s upgrade activities for the grid will result in a more affordable, reliable and resilient energy system overall. However, the benefits do not end there.

“Because we’ll soon be managing and coordinating all grid activity on New Providence, BGC will be able to do the vast majority of its work on energized lines. That means that New Providence’s electricity customers will no longer experience as many planned outages even while the work is happening,” said Pike.

In addition, the ability to work on energized lines will be one of several training opportunities offered by BGC to new employees.

“Working on the electrical grid is such a rewarding career because its uninterrupted service is what keeps every home, school and business running,” said Mei Shibata, a Board Director at BGC. “BGC welcomes the opportunity to train BPL transmission, substation and distribution employees looking to give energized work a try, as well as all young Bahamians wanting to join BGC to do meaningful hands-on work through their careers and grow with the company,” she said.

BGC will be providing project updates on its Instagram and Facebook pages, and posting job opportunities on its LinkedIn page.

About Us
Bahamas Grid Company (BGC), established in 2025 through a public-private partnership, is a wires company that operates and manages the transmission and distribution system (T&D System) – i.e., the poles, wires and substations that distribute power – across the island of New Providence in The Bahamas.

Island Grid is a grid solutions developer and provider with a combined 60+ years of experience in energy strategy, grid engineering, construction, maintenance and storm-hardening experience. Island Grid is providing BGC with management and systems expertise, employee training and community engagement in this initiative.

Caribbean Born Congressman Denounces Trump’s Attack on Legal Community

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News Americas, New York, NY, April 1, 2025: Caribbean American U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), took to the House floor today to strongly denounce what he called former President Donald Trump’s “unprecedented attack on the legal community.”

Caribbean born Congressman, Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., conducts a news conference with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), during the House Democrats 2025 Issues Conference at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va., on Thursday, March 13, 2025. Also appearing are, from left, Reps. Luz Rivas, D-Calif., Rob Menendez, D-N.J., Mike Levin, D-Calif., Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., Pablo Jose Hernandez Rivera, D-Puerto Rico, and Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Speaking in defense of the nation’s judiciary and legal institutions, Rep. Espaillat, the first Dominican American elected to Congress, warned that Trump and his allies are engaging in a dangerous effort to intimidate law firms and undercut the independence of the judicial branch.

“The President and his cronies are shaking down the legal world in an unprecedented manner,” Espaillat said in prepared remarks. “He has targeted law firms he deems a threat to his illegal agenda and pressured them through executive orders that threaten security clearances and access to federal buildings.”

Rep. Espaillat pointed to high-profile law firms, including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Paul Weiss, which he noted had agreed to provide $140 million in pro bono services to avoid potential sanctions. Others, such as WilmerHale, Jenner & Block, and Perkins Coie, continue to challenge the legality of the former president’s orders in court.

The Congressman also criticized House Republicans for echoing Trump’s rhetoric by promoting legislation that would restrict the judiciary’s ability to issue nationwide rulings. He argued this would severely undermine judicial independence.

“Trump is attacking the legal world and judicial branch because both conservative and liberal judges and law firms have stood up to his illegal agenda,” Espaillat said, citing Trump’s controversial efforts to fire federal employees and freeze federal funds.

Currently serving his fifth term, Rep. Espaillat represents a vibrant and diverse district that includes Harlem, East Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, and parts of the northwest Bronx. He is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and a Senior Whip in the Democratic Caucus.

In a further escalation of executive overreach, the Trump Administration recently moved to eliminate three critical oversight offices within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS): the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman, and the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO). These bodies, created by Congress to uphold accountability, transparency, and humane treatment within the immigration system, play an essential role in protecting civil liberties. Immigration advocates, including the American Immigration Lawyers Association, have warned that dismantling these offices opens the door to unchecked abuses and systemic inefficiency – leaving immigrants, families, and employers without recourse or oversight.

Vybz Kartel Gives Thanks In New “God Is The Greatest” Video Ahead of Triumphant U.S. Return

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News Americas, New York, NY, April 1, 2025: Dancehall icon Vybz Kartel is giving thanks and taking stock of a transformative chapter in his life with the release of his powerful new video, “God Is The Greatest” – a standout track from his latest album Viking (Vybz Is King): 10th Year Anniversary.

Dancehall legend Vybz Kartel releases his powerful new video “God Is The Greatest” from his anniversary album, just ahead of his long-awaited return to the U.S. stage at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. ( Addi Lens Film Crew image)

The introspective video, directed by AKA.RUPPI, captures key moments in the Jamaican star’s remarkable comeback journey – from the long-awaited regaining of his freedom to a triumphant return to the national stage at Jamaica’s National Stadium. The visual, set to the uplifting track produced by TJ Records and Adidjahiem Records, features heartfelt scenes from his visit to Miami and includes cameos by DJ Khaled and Bounty Killer—two longtime supporters of the dancehall legend.

“God Is The Greatest” is one of seven new tracks added to the 10th anniversary edition of Kartel’s 2015 Viking album. The updated LP dropped on January 31, 2025, and also includes fan favorites like “Unstoppable,” “Gon Get Better” (famously sampled by pop group Fifth Harmony), “Dancehall,” and “Enchanting.” Other new tracks include “Porn Flick” featuring Ishawna, “Amout,” “Dreams Are Made Of,” “Polite,” “It A Tape,” and “Str8 Vybz,” named after Kartel’s new rum brand.

Vybz Kartel’s latest project arrives ahead of another historic moment – his return to the U.S. stage for the first time in over two decades. The World Boss will headline two sold-out shows at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on April 11 and 12, presented by Reggae Fest. The performances mark a new era in his career and a full-circle moment for fans across the diaspora who have followed his journey since the early 2000s.

The first quarter of 2025 has seen Kartel reemerge on the global stage with unstoppable energy. Following the reinstatement of his U.S. and U.K. visas, he made a high-profile appearance at the 2025 Grammy Awards, where he earned his first nomination for Best New Reggae Album. He also received the prestigious Impact Award at the MOBO Awards, where he delivered a moving performance.

Following his Brooklyn shows, Vybz Kartel will head to Europe for a summer tour, with scheduled appearances at Germany’s SummerJam Festival and London’s Wireless Festival—further cementing his legacy as one of the most influential voices in dancehall.

As his new single declares, Kartel’s return is nothing short of divine. And with his music, message, and movement once again resonating on the world stage, it’s clear the “World Boss” is back – and more focused than ever.

Check it out HERE

Beyond The Goalpost: How Sports Is Building Futures In St. Kitts & Nevis

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By Dr. Isaac Newton

News Americas, BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Weds. April 2, 2025: Every young athlete dreams of greatness – the roar of the crowd, the thrill of the game, the moment when preparation meets opportunity. For Kai Trotman, that moment arrived through a combination of skill and a system designed to uplift and empower. His journey from a rising goalkeeper in St. Kitts & Nevis to a full scholarship at Bethany College in the United States is both a personal triumph and a compelling blueprint for how sports can transform lives, strengthen communities, and propel nations forward.

Kai Trotman of St. Kitts

Kai’s story began on home soil, shaped by discipline, resilience, and a vision greater than himself. It was at the Security Forces United Football Club Crime Intervention Summer Soccer Camp that his potential found a pathway. Beresford Mack of Reach One Teach One: Building Bridges to Success and Richard Allicock of Thurlife saw more than a skilled athlete – they saw a future leader. By connecting Kai with U.S.-based Coach Nicholas Goddard, they turned raw talent into tangible opportunity.

This is the power of structured investment in sports. When young athletes are given access to mentorship, training, and international exposure, they do more than chase their dreams – they achieve them. But the impact extends beyond individuals. The Government of St. Kitts & Nevis, led by Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, alongside corporate partners and grassroots organizations, is proving that sports is a powerful bridge to education, economic growth, and social transformation.

When done right, sports keeps youth engaged, provides alternatives to crime, and opens doors to higher education and global careers. It is time for more Caribbean nations to recognize the untapped potential within their own communities. The success of St. Kitts & Nevis in leveraging sports as a tool for national development offers a replicable model for the wider region. With strategic partnerships, scholarships, and professional mentorship, sports can become an economic driver, fueling talent and creating industries—sports tourism, brand sponsorships, and career pipelines in coaching, management, and media.

Kai’s story and future success is a call to action. Governments must invest boldly, businesses must support strategically, and communities must mentor relentlessly. If every Caribbean nation commits to nurturing talent the way St. Kitts & Nevis has, the region will not just compete internationally – it will lead.

For every young male or female athlete training under the island sun, let Kai’s story be proof: the goalpost is the exciting beginning of a flourishing journey built on collaboration and intentional goodwill.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Isaac Newton is a globally respected strategist, Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia-trained scholar, and an advocate for sports as a catalyst for social and economic empowerment. His work bridges local talent with global opportunities, helping nations turn athletic potential into lasting progress.