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Blak Ryno Open To Working With Vybz Kartel, Says Fallout Was Overblown

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Though he left Vybz Kartel’s Portmore/Gaza Empire more than a decade ago, dancehall singjay Blak Ryno isn’t opposed to working with him in the future.

On a recent episode of Dancehall Hot Seat, the ‘Real Stinga’ was asked about the possibility of collaborating if his former principal desired to, should he be released from prison. Kartel, whose given name is Adidja Palmer, is currently appealing a 2014 murder conviction before the Privy Council. 

“If ‘Teacha’ waan that, anything possible,” Ryno responded. “Why not?”

Blak Ryno (left) and Vybz Kartel

The entertainer rose to prominence in 2007 as part of the now-defunct Gaza enclave, standing out with a distinct singjay style and flair for versatile songwriting. In 2010, his exit from the group was heralded in the track Mi Lefin which he explained some of his headstrong reasons for ‘cutting’ ties.

Despite contributing a myriad of hits to dancehall like Thug Anthem, Badmind, Dollar Coin,and Bike Back, the industry has arguably treated him like an unwanted stepchild since he left the camp. Ryno has often described his predicament as a case of blackballing, but believes his decision to move on from the clique was overblown. 

“Everybody nuh keep one job fi too long; some people do, some people don’t,” he said. “That was Gaza; it was, to me, a job. If you have a label and you seh you waan sign me, you a sign me fi work fi you – it’s a job. Sometimes the worker and the boss have fallout and a one a dem thing deh, and the people dem blow it out of proportion when it’s simply that.”

A throwback photo of Blak Ryno (left) and Vybz Kartel

Curry-stained into his brand is the notion that he was disloyal to the Worl’ Boss, though it has never been substantiated. Ryno said he’s discouraged from explaining his side as he feels people will label him a liar anyway.  

“Mi a live wid a curse weh mi nuh do nothing…” he said.

“Up to now, dem people yah cya tell me weh mi do. Not even the man weh tell dem seh, ‘Yow, him sell we out’, not even you tell the people weh mi do…”

Despite the continued dark cloud over his career, Ryno said he will “always rate Kartel”, adding, “a Gaza mek me. Mi cya stop seh Gaza”. So loyal, is he, that he’s turned down opportunities to work with any nemesis of the Portmore Empire collective.

Singjay Blak Ryno

“You never see mi go do no song with no artist who we never link with before,” he said. “Mi still keep it dah way deh and it wasn’t no pride nothing. A just how mi grow, so, that is instilled in me.”

Now based in the United States, the singjay is gearing up to release new music, which he teased will bear Afrobeats flavour.

His last release was Ride, a collaboration with Chenphang that debuted three months ago. 

Blak Ryno

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Tu-Lox Launches Rebel 13 Foundation

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Twin of Twins member Tu-Lox is expanding his Rebel 13 brand with the launch of a charitable organization. 

The Dancehall artist shared the news on the latest episode of his My Tu-Sense ‘podclass’ on YouTube. 

“Mi set up the Rebel 13 foundation,” he started. “Now, that is where mi a go increase mi philanthropic efforts, so, you see if mi go suh boom now and pick up all The STAR and mi see a likkle boy or family or all these things weh fall pon hard times and all these things – yuh done know.”

Dancehall artist and fashion designer Tu-Lox

He continued, “We cya leave these things to (philanthropist) Aunty Donna dem alone. Everybody weh have the platform, fi do weh dem can do fi give back.”

Tu-Lox, whose given name is Paul Gaynor, has long been called a “rebel” for his personal and lyrical advocacy surrounding social injustices and the restoration of morals and values. It is from this nickname that he established Rebel 13 Collections in 2005 which currently houses a clothing brand. 

Per its website, the Rebel 13 brand is a fashionable clothing line that “cleverly fuses Paul’s rebellious personality with his roots”. His affinity for sewing and fashion designing traces back to when he was 13 living at Chisholm Avenue in Kingston. The story goes, he was embarrassed by a tailor when he couldn’t afford to pay for his school uniform, so, he learned to make them himself. In no time, he was sewing different kinds of clothing and offering paid tailoring services. 

The brand features graphic work as its signature, and caters to adults and children across a wide array of casual and contemporary wear. 

Tu-Lox and his brother CurlyLoxx (given name Patrick Gaynor) rose to prominence as Twin of Twins in the mid-2000s through humorous yet intellectual musical sketches on various events in pop culture. Interestingly, music was initially the sole pursuit and passion of CurlyLoxx, who shared in a recent interview that Tu-Loxx was more interested in being his manager. 

Tu-Lox (left) and CurlyLoxx of dancehall duo Twin of Twins

As their “twin trod” continued, they started making music together and formed a duo, with their most popular and acclaimed work being their Stir it Up mixtape series which balances entertainment and thought-provoking introspection on serious issues in society. 

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Minister Marion Hall Booked For Reggae Sumfest, Skatta Says: “My Prayers Have Been Answered”

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Dancehall music producer and Reggae Sumfest Marketing Strategist Skatta Burrell is having a field day, this upon sharing a flyer announcing that Minister Marion Hall (formerly Lady Saw) has been booked for Concert Night II at the Reggae festival, in July.

“ My prayers have been answered. Unleashing the Powerhouse: Minister Marion Hall at Reggae Sumfest on July 22!” Skatta, a self-proclaimed atheist, wrote on his Instagram page on Saturday, where he shared a copy of the flyer, which features Hall in a monochromatic black outfit including a bustier with her bosom pronounced, and embellished with sheer lace fabric which partially shows off her abs.   

That image has also been featured on the cover art for Hall’s new Downsound Records-produced single, I’m Doing Better.

The announcement of Hall’s booking for the iconic Reggae festival was greeted with glee by Reggae singer Gramps Morgan, who is producing one of her upcoming albums.

“It has begun The Fire is Still burning we give thanks for this legend,” Gramps said in registering his satisfaction. 

Skatta seemingly had only two words for persons who sought to criticize Reggae Sumfest for using the sexy photo of Hall on the flyer.

“Shut up!” the Coolie Dance producer wrote in response to muffin_drop who had written: “Of all the pictures these people could use and they choose to use this to represent her really”. 

Cordell ‘Skatta’ Burrell,

He also gave the same orders to gstormgmusic, who had said that Reggae Sumfest would be boring and that Hall was “not qualified to be on reggae shows”.

His response was the same for wealthy_yute101 who asked: “How can she preach the word of god and wear clothes like that? Can know say them tek Christianity fi joke thing eh nuh”.

 “@wealthy_yute101 shut up,” Skatta wrote to the delight of some of his followers.

Skatta’s response to comments made by crystal_armyqueen, who sought to ask whether he orchestrated the use of the sultry photo of Hall, because he was anti-Christianity, was less hostile.

“This is the only picture you can find with the minister?  Not because you don’t agree with Christianity doesn’t mean you can’t put some respect on the woman of God. I am sure she has nicer pics as Marion hall. Now the heat is on the woman from people who think they are Christians,” she had stated.

“@crystal_armyqueen she beautifully clothed and She looks Fabulous ,” Skatta replied.

Marion Hall

Hall seems to have made an about-turn where Reggae Sumfest is concerned.

In May last year, weeks before the staging of Reggae Sumfest, the St. Mary native, had declared that she would only perform at Reggae Sumfest if there is a Gospel Night.

Her comments had come in response to Skatta’s statements at the festival’s launch that he was at one point attempting to get her to perform at that year’s staging of the festival and “was still open to doing so”.

Hall, who had appeared amused, had indicated that while she was not averse to performing at the Reggae festival, at the same time pointed out that she was quite cognizant that Skatta was trying to “draw her out”.

The Room in my House artist had said that Reggae Sumfest CEO, Joe Bogdanovich, had had discussions with her manager regarding the addition of a gospel night on which she would perform.

“Downsound been talking to my manager, about coming on the gospel night.   But how dare you call mi out fi Dancehall night?” she had asked of Skatta.

During the launch of Reggae Sumfest 2022, Skatta had said that he had ceased making attempts to woo Hall to perform at the festival,  after coming to the conclusion that she needed time to recalibrate, following her imbroglio with some of her female musical compatriots.

Skatta, who made his comments during an interview with Billboard’s Pat Meschino, had also said that there was still time yet to court Hall and add her to the line-up, since the concert nights were two months away.

Lady Saw at Sumfest 2015 (Photo by Claudia Gardner)

Prior to that, Skatta had irked Hall’s Christian fans, after he posted a snippet of Lady Saw’s legendary last-ever performance at Reggae Sumfest in 2015, on Instagram, and implored her come to the festival and “minister to the audience.”

Declaring that she was missed by Sumfest, Skatta had also said that whether or not Hall was doing secular or gospel Dancehall, the genre was where the 52-year-old Grammy Award winner belongs and that she ought not to be pigeonholed into performing or writing for Christians only.

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A’mari Says She Never Endorsed Spice’s ‘God A Bless Me’

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

A’mari has lashed out heavily at Spice after the Queen of Dancehall shared a Instagram video clip of the Neko artist seemingly vibing to her new song God a Bless Me, in a series of clips of mature women endorsing the song.

According to Amari, Spice’s song was digitally added to an original video she had shared on IG, while Tommy Lee Sparta’s 2019 song Blessings, which she was endorsing in furtherance of a collab she was seeking with the Spartan Soldier deejay, was removed and replaced with Spice’s song.

Spice, who has been promoting God a Bless Me, had shared the videos on Wednesday, with Amari, who last year claimed she would be the new Queen of Dancehall in 2023, as the lead clip. 

“All young girls back up cause somebody’s momma taking over TikTok with my new song #Godablessme and I’m here for it I’m Posting everyone who’s using my song let’s gooooooo,” Spice captioned the post.

However, Amari took to her own Instagram page on Thursday morning, to dismiss claims that she had endorsed God A Bless Me and accused the Cool It artist of being untruthful.

She also ordered Spice to remove her image from the video.

“I endorsed @tommyleesparta song in this video. I never endorsed your song you lie. Take me off your wall,” Amari commanded.

“I never endorsed Spices song. The TikTok page is not mines.  The audio was removed and replaced by her song,” she also added.

She then pinned the original post which she had made six days ago, asking Tommy Lee for a collab, and edited the caption with another order to compel Spice to remove her from the post.

“@tommyleesparta I love you. Let’s do a collaboration. I’m kindly asking you @spiceofficial to remove my video. I never endorsed you,” she noted.

Over on Spice’s page though, her “besties” had a field day poking fun at Amari, whom they thought was truly endorsing the song.

“Watch spice biggest fan gwaan goodie,” one fan said, while refinebeauty82 added: “Well if dem caan beat yuh dem affi join yuh!!! Welcome Amari ”.

“Soon see Amari live a talk how she always love spice,” another jeered.

“That amari should be a shame to post her video with spice song… cause she was bashing spice rite through,” was the comment from another seemingly annoyed woman.

Others said that Amari’s constant criticisms of Spice over the last year, was due to her seeking to attract the attention of the Dancehall diva.

“love how spice no take amari serious all wah gwaan amari love spice,” one fan said, while lindapeppaz added: “Bbc Spice u post crazy Amari A NOW she ago HYPE”.

However, keriduuh was not so charitable in her comments aimed at Amari.

“When spice sey, well a nuff a dem waah si mi flop and mash up…that first person she posted is one,” she declared.

God a Bless Me was Spice’s first single of 2023. It came in the aftermath of a major health scare in November last year, and on the heels of a viral pregnancy photo that the Grammy-nominated artist had posted to Instagram days prior.   

In an Instagram Live Q&A session, Spice said that her “pregnancy” post was meant to be a symbolic one.

She noted that after grappling with sepsis and hernia challenges, she had penned the song because she was “honoured to be given a second chance at life”.

“Fast forward to the photo I posted where I appeared pregnant, I never said I was (pregnant). I said God has been good to me and that photo is just me celebrating my second chance at life,” the Rompin Shop artist had said.

“I died in October 2022 and God literally gave me a second chance at life, so this pregnancy signifies my rebirth.   The release of this song is called ‘God A Bless Me’ because it’s really a blessing what I overcame and I’m so grateful to God to still be alive,” she had added.

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UK Home Office Reportedly Denied Dozens Of Afrobeats Artists’ Visas

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

The Voice Newspaper has reported that the UK Home Office has launched what has been described as the “biggest attack on a Black music genre by British authorities, since Dancehall in the 1990s”.

According to the publication, Afrobeats artists are now the subject of scrutiny, as the Home Office has denied dozens of the genre’s stars’ visas to perform in Britain.

The Voice report, which was published today, said that the publication had conducted an investigation which found that the department had stopped at least 20 singers from entering the UK to perform at Afrobeats festivals.

It also said that both singers and producers have warned that “the hostile environment against the world’s fastest-growing music genre risks top names boycotting the UK.”

The reference to Dancehall which was drawn by The Voice, though, appears to be to the 2000s and 2010s.   In 2012, for example, Sizzla Kalonji was banned from performing in the UK, while Beenie Man, Buju Banton and Elephant Man were placed under investigation for lyrics that the authorities thought were inciting violence against homosexuals. 

In April 2011, several of Vybz Kartel’s shows which had been set for the UK, were cancelled due to his work visa application being denied by the UK High Commission in Kingston, just days before his schedule European tour. This denial had resulted in a several promoters cancelling shows booked in Germany, Italy, England and France.

In November 2004, the Manchester Evening News had also reported that Government sources had denied Sizzla Kalonji a visa to enter Britain, as his lyrics “are claimed to incite attacks on gays”.  

According to the publication, all five of the shows for which the Dry Cry artist was booked “were scrapped after gay rights group Outrage! launched a massive campaign” to have him barred.

Back in July 2006, concerts for which Buju Banton and Beenie Man were booked were canceled in Brighton and Bournemouth after complaints from gay rights groups and a warning from the local authority that it risked losing its license because the performance could endanger public safety.

Unlike the Dancehall artists however, The Voice notes that in the case of Afrobeats, “West African artists are treated with more suspicion despite being part of a multi-million dollar industry, and when visas are granted to stars, their dancers have been turned down.”

“Afrobeat stars fume that Britain is the hardest embassy in the world to deal with, and they are routinely given short stays of just two weeks which prevents them from making the most of their visit,” the publication said.

In August last year, the Home Office was also rebuked for what some Britons described as hostility to iconic Roots Reggae band Black Uhuru after the group was forced to cancel their UK tour after the Home Office issued visas with unreasonable time limits.

The Jamaican band, which won the first-ever Grammy Award for a Reggae Recording back in 1985, had been booked to perform at the Jazz Café in Camden, London, on Saturday, September 3, as part of their 50th-anniversary tour.   However, the promoters had cancelled the event as the UK Home Office had failed to give group adequate time in the country to allow them to meet the September show date.

Dancehall music has had many struggles in the UK, even in recent times.  In March 2016, the BBC reported that a nightclub owner in London had disclosed that the Metropolitan Police had told him to stop playing Dancehall music, as Jamaican music is “unacceptable.”

According to the BBC, the club owner had said that he was under so much pressure that he had started making disc jockeys sign contracts not to play the genre, as the police want the club’s license reviewed, saying it’s “associated with crime and disorder.”

One Afrobeats artist’s management team with whom The Voice spoke, had reported that all requisite documents were presented, but “that Home Office officials turned the application down after questioning why his UK-based sponsor had so much money when they were so young.”

The report also said that numerous artists from the African continent have had their visa applications denied, but are unwilling to speak publicly about it, due to a “stigma attached to visa refusals from Britain, which many believe will tarnish their brand and reputation.” 

The Voice also said that musicians from Ghana who wish to travel to Britain for festivals and concerts have described the British Embassy as “the most difficult embassy to work with.”

Ghananian Reggae musician and three-time Grammy nominee Rocky Dawuni also gave his views on the matter, noting that once Afrobeats musicians can prove they are “credible” and “established in their own country,” regulations should be eased and assistance fast-tracked for the artists.  

According to The Voice, Dawuni also said he was unsure whether or not there is a “bigger plan to suppress” African music and “keep it at bay” and that it might be due to a “misplaced policy.” 

“It is diminishing the music at a time when African music is on the rise, African music is breaking new boundaries and African music is connecting with new audiences,” he said.

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Kranium’s ‘We Can’ With Tory Lanez Certified Silver In The UK

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Kranium and Tory Lanez’s We Can is now certified Silver in the United Kingdom, six years after its release.

According to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), We Can was issued a BRIT Certified Silver award today (March 24), after it sold over 200,000 units in the UK, as measured by The Official Charts Company.

The late-night jam was produced by Sakpase & DJ Marley Waters and currently has over 27 million views on YouTube. 

In 2021, the song was certified Gold in Canada, for surpassing 40,000 units sold in the country.

During a breakdown of We Can’s lyrics and meaning for Genius, Kranium revealed that he had reached out to Tory for the collaboration, and they later met in the studio for the project.  

He’s no stranger to a wide array of certifications. 

Nobody Has To Know, his 2013 hit which led to a record deal with Atlantic, is certified Gold in the United States, Platinum in Canada, and Silver in the United Kingdomwhile Can’t Believe, with Ty Dolla $ign and Wizkid, is also certified Gold in Canada.

Kranium with his accolades

“I feel like each time when I get a record that goes big it leads more people to the catalogue. Last year we went gold in Canada with Can’t Believe. These records been going gold in different countries. The consistency of the work leads people to the catalogue,” Kranium told the Observer in 2021.

“Some people do music for music, but I do music for a cause. I’m representing for dancehall music overseas. When Nobody Has to Know came out, my dream was to make a song that a dancehall artiste can do from America. Not every song works, but I’ve never in my life focused on more than one song at a time,” he told the newspaper at the time.

The Montego Bay, St. James native who migrated to the United States at age 12, recently announced that he was leaving Atlantic Records, the major label that had been his home since 2014. 

His last project with the label—a seven-track EP titled In Too Deep—was released on November 18, 2022. It featured Without You (featuring Queen Naija), Paranoid, No Regret, 6ex In The Morning, Early In The Morning,and Wi Deh Yah.

To promote the EP, Kranium will be touring sections of the UK, Canada, and the United States.

This begins on March 29 in Birmingham, followed by Oxford on March 30, and London on March 31. He then heads to Manchester on April 2, Halifax, Canada on April 8, Boston, Massachusetts on April 20, and Brooklyn, New York on May 18.

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Spice’s ‘So Mi Like It’ Makes Netflix Debut

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Spice’s smash hit So Mi Like It was among the songs featured in Netflix’s latest reality TV/competition series ‘Dance 100’ – a show in which dance choreographers compete for $100,000 and bragging rights.

With just six episodes rounding out the first season, the show follows an intense, deliberate setup. Each installment features routines that increase in both size and complexity. 

Initially, the competitors are tasked with creating a brief routine alongside seven other dancers. However, by the last episode, the final two contestants must collaborate with all 100 dancers at once. At the conclusion of each challenge, the 100 dancers vote for their preferred choreographer by standing behind them. The individual with the fewest supporters is eliminated from the competition.

Of note, the show’s producers are responsible for song selection, which means Spice’s So Mi Like It was intentionally sought out to make an impression in show’s relatively limited runtime. 

In the series’ third episode, Keenan Cooks, a dance instructor and choreographer from New York, was tasked with crafting an original routine for the Dancehall tune. 

The 31-year-old, along with his assigned dancers, delivered an electrifying performance that would set the tone for his journey to the show’s final round. There, in an intense showdown, he lost to fellow choreographer, Brandi Chun – who became the show’s season one winner.

Released originally in December 2014 and produced by NotNice, So Mi Like It is the title track of Spice’s debut EP of the same name. That five-track project, produced by VP Records and released digital download-only, peaked at No. 14 on the US Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart.

In 2021, So Mi Like It was re-released as a single from Spice’s Grammy-nominated album, 10.  Also released by VP Records, the album featured Shaggy as executive producer.

The revelation that Spice’s So Mi Like It continues to enjoy mainstream prominence is welcomed news for the Dancehall Queen, who has, herself, enjoyed a bit of a resurgence recently following her much-publicized health scare.

The Go Down Deh singer made a grand return to the headlines with a bit of a clickbait – a photo herself, appearing pregnant, at a maternity shoot. She later clarified the photo’s symbolic significance, indicating that she was, in fact, not pregnant, and followed it up with the release of ‘God A Bless Me’.

Yesterday, she unveiled the music video for her new song, Spice Marley – a track that honors the singer’s late father.

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Bounty Killer Says Afrobeats Not In Competition With Dancehall

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Bounty Killer has declared that he fully embraces Afrobeats music, and says the genre should not be pitted against Dancehall.

In responding to the question whether “Dancehall music still has a place on the international market with the emergence of Afrobeats,” during an I Never Knew TV interview, Bounty said that the two genres should be left to co-exist harmoniously and not be constantly compared or seen as one replacing the other.

“Afrobeat has nothing to do with Dancehall.  Afrobeat is another genre.  Afrobeat never came in competition with Dancehall or came with intent to take something from Dancehall.    I don’t know why people keep on comparing Afrobeat and Dancehall.  Why? Afrobeat is like a baby from Dancehall; it’s a relative,” Bounty stated.

“Afrobeat and Jamaican music is similar music.   Africa and Jamaican music and I’m so happy so happy for Afrobeat.  Music originate in Africa from the Congo beat.   Africa finally have a sound, so I’m excited and Afrobeats not taking nothing from Dancehall.  Afrobeats complements Dancehall.  Si Nicki Minaj and Skeng deh all ova pon Dancehall beats,” he added.

Since March last year, many comparisons have been made between Dancehall and Afrobeats, especially after Billboard joined forces with music festival and global Afrobeats brand Afro Nation, to launch the first-ever US chart for Afrobeats Songs.  The move by Billboard had come two years after it discontinued its Reggae Digital Song Sales chart, which ranked the top-downloaded Reggae and Dancehall songs in the US.

In January this year, Opposition leader and President of the People’s National Party (PNP) Mark Golding, had expressed concern that the “heydays of Jamaica’s music industry had passed and “Afrobeats has kinda gone into that area and is eating our food.”

However, that same month, Reggae/Dancehall singer Tanya Stephens had dismissed comments made by her compatriot, Dancehall deejay Mr. Lexx who, in expressing discontent with the state of the music, had said that Dancehall music was lagging behind Afrobeats, because the majority of new songs being released are about violence, lewdness, and lotto scamming.

Stephens had come to the music’s defense, pointing out the duplicity in Lexx’s statements, while arguing that artists from as far back as the 1980s, and from his own generation, had never predicated their music on ‘feeling good’, but that sex and violence have always been a part of Jamaican music, as the island’s artists have never operated like a monolithic group.

She had also argued that the reason the Jamaican music was not seeing strong sales, was due to the island’s people not buying their music, unlike African audiences who are more supportive of Afrobeats, which leads to better quality shows and better positioning for singers from the African genre.

The Rebelution artist had also posited that once a Dancehall song is good, it will be successful. She had also said it was duplicitous to suggest that all music from the 1990s era was of a superior standard, as many were regarded as subpar.

In January this year, Anointed singer Bugle too, had declared that there should be no comparison between sales of Dancehall songs and Afrobeats, as the African genre has a continental marketplace of hundreds of millions of people, in comparison to Jamaica’s three million.

Bugle had argued that once an Afrobeats artiste releases a song, it will, more likely than not, instantly hit the Billboard charts and sell “diamond and gold” due to the sheer number of people who subscribe to Afrobeat music.

In November last year, following the release of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s (IFPI) Engaging with Music 2022 study, in which reggae was ranked number 10 out of more than 5,000 genres, University of the West Indies Professor Donna P.  Hope, had said Afrobeats’ absence from the coveted top 10, was a significant point to note.

“While we are being told that Afrobeats is pushing Dancehall out of the way, it did not make it on that list… It (Afrobeats) is a new enough genre; it will take some time for it to get to that level of recognition globally that Jamaican music, Reggae and Dancehall for example, have garnered over many years since the development of our music industry,” Professor Hope, Professor Hope, who is a lecturer in Culture, Gender, and Society, had explained.

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Popcaan To Release ‘Great Is He’ Deluxe Edition With 8 New Songs

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

Dancehall artist Popcaan has announced that Great Is He Deluxe will be released on March 31, 2023. Great Is He, Popcaan’s fifth studio

 

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Minister Marion Hall To Release Song About Her ‘Blessed Body’

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: DanceHallMag

 

In the midst of the chatter surrounding how gospel artist Minister Marion Hall clothes her canvas, she has announced an upcoming single which places focus on the body.  

“Listen out for my new song titled Bless Body,” she revealed in a Facebook post. “It’s a song bringing awareness to the fact that God created our bodies, so perfectly, but we choose to put on and take off what we feel like, which sometimes causes us our lives.”

She added, “Love it or hate it. This is a Blessed Body.”

The announcement was accompanied by cover art from her latest single I’m Doing Better, which has ruffled feathers about what constitutes Christian dress. The photos show the church owner wearing a black sequined jumpsuit with mesh detail that reveals her stomach.

Cover art from Minister Hall’s new track ‘I’m Doing Better’.

While there were more comments showering the minister with compliments about her image, others were more critical, even calling the post contradictory.

“The fact that you speak about loving our body, don’t add on or take off but still you yourself adding/removing, or is that you don’t consider makeup and weaves as add ons?” the comment read. “What did yall so called good book say about adding and removing from the body which is the ‘TEMPLE OF GOD’? As long as you didn’t born with it then it is an add on…”

There are also folks who believe the post is throwing shade towards dancehall artist Spice who has been open about going under the knife, though she declared that her recent health scare had nothing to do with plastic surgery. The women were once friends whose friendship grew sour following back-and-forth claims of envy, obeah, and underhand dealings. 

Spice (left) and at the time, Lady Saw

“Is me alone realize say anytime Spice take a break, you no see Lady Saw, but as long as Spice reappears, this lady emerges?” one person posited. “It’s giving badmind and she need fi stop it.”

Another person wrote, “Deep down this woman miss dancehall. And if Spice answer har now yuh hear seh Spice this n that. I don’t understand how Lady Saw turn Christian n still Ina dancehall ppl bizinz.”

Hall had previously responded to the Christian fashion police by redirecting them to 1 Corinthians 9 verse 19 to 23 which speaks to adapting per the environment to win souls for Christ.

When she hung up her secular shoes in December 2015, her ensemble remained consistently conservative until 2021 when she appeared more settled in her relationship with God. This was highlighted in a video she shared on social media responding to critics who found fault with a photo that bore cleavage.

“I can’t be covered every day, I’m in Miami, it’s hot in Miami,” she said.

“You won’t see me on the road in the big hats that you see me preaching in and the long dresses. If I dress like that you say I look old. I wear shorts and I wear skirts – not way up, but I wear skirts. I got tattoos, yeah, I got a few ah them, so, what can I do? I can’t please you baby…”

She continued, “God cares for what is behind the heart…not my boobs. If that’s all you see, I guess they look good right? I’m still a Christian and I do talk, so, don’t get this twisted. I’m still Marion, not Lady Saw. I’m a ordained minister and on Sunday I’ll dress appropriately but when I’m out in the sun, Imma take the sun’s vitamin D.”

She rounded off by expressing appreciation for her body, even labeling herself a “sexy Christian”.

“If you know me by now, you would know that I don’t care what they say about me. You don’t have the keys to heaven, so you can’t stop me if I’m going or not… I’m so blessed and I love my body… I’m a sexy Christian; I like to dress sexy under my clothes… Love me or hate me, I don’t care.”

Hall will be taking her blessed body to the Reggae Sumfest stage in July, her first appearance on the festival since joining Christendom. 

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