News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Aug. 29, 2025: It’s Labor Day and that means the West Indian American Day Carnival in Brooklyn. But it’s also New Music Fridays and that means new Caribbean music fans should know of this week. Here’s what we are looking at:

DJ Khaled, Vybz Kartel, Buju Banton, Mavado

DJ Khaled, Vybz Kartel, Buju Banton, Mavado have dropped ‘You Remind Me,’ under exclusive license to Republic Records a division of UMG Recordings, Inc. The song is infectious and the female dancers and models are sizzling. See it below

Spice “Slow Motion”

Spice joins forces with British Romanian social media star Lavbbe on “Slow Motion,” a high-energy single produced by Shaggy and Shane Hoosong for VP Records and Ranch Entertainment. Blending Spice’s fiery deejaying with Lavbbe’s melodic vocals, the track is designed as an electrifying dancefloor anthem. Its music video, directed by Meeks + Frost and filmed at London’s Roller Nation, also premieres Friday. The release follows Spice’s blockbuster hit “Go Down Deh,” which recently surpassed 300 million Spotify streams. Spice is her usual sexy self on this album.

Check it out HERE

Beres Hammond and Tanya Stephens “Love Story”

On the reggae front, Beres Hammond delivers this incredible “Love Story,” his first studio collaboration with singer-songwriter Tanya Stephens. Produced by Arthur Wale for Free Willy Records, the duet is a soulful ode to rekindled romance, weaving timeless storytelling with Hammond’s signature warmth. Stephens called the experience “the pinnacle of all pinnacles” in her career. This one is hot and takes you back to a time when love was surely simple.

Check it out here

“Dancehall Godfather” Johnny Osbourne

“Dancehall Godfather” Johnny Osbourne has revisited his classic catalog on Universal Love Showcase, a new album produced by Frenchie of Maximum Sound. The set features fresh vocal performances of his signature tracks alongside accompanying dub mixes, and is out today via VP Records.

The project includes updated versions of “Ice Cream Love” and “Never Stop Fighting,” among others, with contributions from Tarrus Riley, Alborosie, Anthony B, Macka B, and Aza Lineage. alongside saxophonist Dean Fraser and engineer Gregory Morris.

Listen to it HERE

MOJO MORGAN – JAMAICA LOVE EP OUT NOW!

Grammy Award–winning artist and Morgan Heritage founding member Mojo Morgan delivers his highly anticipated solo project Jamaica Love. The 9-track EP blends reggae, country, soul, and global rhythms into a genre-defying sound Mojo calls Rasta Rock.

The project includes powerful collaborations, making it a true celebration of generational talent and global fusion. Anchored by singles like Dreams, Jamaica Love, Mountain Song, and Make It, the EP is both a tribute to Mojo’s late brother Peetah Morgan and a bold step into his own artistic path.

This release follows the success of the Morgan Heritage 2.0 World Tour, where the group performed at major festivals across Europe, solidifying their reputation as one of reggae’s most electrifying live acts. With that momentum, Mojo now expands his solo vision directly to the world.

Check it out HERE

Khalia & Jahshii – ‘Jamaica’ out now!

Jamaican born and UK grown rising reggae star Khalia teams up with breakout Jamaican artist Jahshii to deliver their new anthemic single ‘Jamaica’. Produced by GRAMMY nominated producer J-Vibe, it serves as the third single off Khalia’s upcoming album. The album follows her debut EP ‘Stay True’, which included features from Shaggy, Mortimer, Tanya Stephens, and Blvk H3ro. Khalia recently performed at Protoje’s Lost In Time Festival and Rototom Sunsplash in Jamaica, and Summerjam Festival in Germany. Jahshii has been featured on songs with powerhouses in the Caribbean space like Masicka, Protoje, and Mavado. Released via Ineffable Records.

Listen to it HERE

News Americas, New York, Fri. Aug. 22, 2025: The Caribbean music scene is on fire this week, with soca, reggae, and soulful covers making waves worldwide. From Machel Montano’s latest video to Lila Iké’s powerful debut album, here’s what’s trending in on #newmusicfriday on the Caribbean music scene.

Machel Montano ft. Davido – “Fling It Up”

Trinidad’s own Machel Montano, the undisputed “King of Soca,” has released the official video for “Fling It Up” featuring Nigerian superstar Davido. Directed by Fresh Juice and filmed during Trinidad Carnival 2025, the video showcases the vibrant energy of Carnival while fusing afrobeats and soca.

The single already landed on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs Chart earlier this year and is one of the highlights of Montano’s latest album, One Degree Hotter. The star is now gearing up for the U.S. leg of his One Degree Hotter Tour, with major stops at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Aug. 24 and Washington D.C.’s Afro Plus Fest on Aug. 31.

Watch the video here

Lila Iké – Treasure Self Love (Debut Album)

Rising reggae sensation Lila Iké has dropped her much-anticipated debut album, Treasure Self Love. Featuring collaborations with H.E.R., Protoje, Masicka, Joey Bada$$, and Maverick Sabre, the album is a bold statement of empowerment and artistry.

Released on Ineffable Records, Treasure Self Love is already gaining global buzz, with praise from Rolling Stone, SPIN, Vogue, and The New York Times. Lila recently toured Europe and Japan, and performed at Jamaica’s Reggae Sumfest.

Stream the album now

Kojo Rigault – Cruisin’

UK-Trinidadian artist Kojo Rigault has released a soulful reggae cover of Smokey Robinson’s timeless ballad “Cruisin’.” Arranged by John Kpiaye and produced by Smokey Joe, the track adds lush reggae grooves while keeping the romance of the original alive.

Rigault says he wanted to honor Smokey’s classic while adding “Caribbean reggae, London edge, and late-night intimacy.” Perfect for winding down or driving with the windows down.

Listen to Kojo Rigault’s “Cruisin’” here

New Compilation – Junior Murvin & King Jammy

Out today on VP Records/Greensleeves is a new posthumous album that honors Junior Murvin, famous for “Police and Thieves.” Remixed by King Jammy, the album highlights Murvin’s 1980s recordings, including “Cool Out Son” and “Ism Schism.” Several tracks are available for streaming for the first time. Listen HERE

From soca’s global takeover to reggae’s soulful reinventions, Caribbean music continues to push boundaries and command international stages.

By NAN ET Entertainer

News Americas, MAIMI, FL, Mon. 18, 2025: Jamaican-American rapper Sean Kingston, once a Billboard chart-topper with hits like “Beautiful Girls,” is headed to federal prison after being convicted in a US$1 million fraud scheme.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida confirmed that Kingston, born Kisean Paul Anderson, was sentenced on Friday to 42 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz.

FLASHBACK – Sean Kingston performings onstage at Shaggy’s Hot Summer Nights Tour on June 03, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Live Nation)

A Fall From Grace

Kingston, now 35, rose to international fame as a teenager, blending pop and reggae to create crossover anthems that defined mid-2000s radio. But prosecutors say behind the glitz of fame, the artist orchestrated a scheme to defraud luxury vendors of over US$1 million in goods.

According to trial evidence, Kingston contacted sellers of high-end merchandise — including a bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, luxury watches, and a massive 232-inch LED television — via social media. He invited them to his luxury homes in Broward County, Florida, leveraging his celebrity status to secure trust.

Instead of paying, prosecutors said Kingston and his mother, Janice Eleanor Turner, 62, sent fake wire receipts as proof of payment. While some victims eventually received restitution after filing lawsuits or involving police, most never saw a dollar.

The Family Scheme

Turner, who prosecutors described as central to producing the fraudulent documents, was sentenced last month to five years in federal prison for her role in the conspiracy.

“The defendants used fame as a weapon,” the prosecution argued. “What appeared to be opportunity for small businesses turned into financial loss and betrayal.”

Kingston’s Statement

In court, Kingston offered brief remarks, acknowledging wrongdoing. “I’ve learned from my actions,” he said, as Judge Leibowitz handed down the sentence.

A Career Overshadowed

The rapper, who once collaborated with global stars including Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj, now sees his career defined as much by courtroom headlines as by music charts.

His story marks yet another reminder of how quickly celebrity fortune can fade — from Billboard stardom to federal prison in less than two decades.

NEWS AMERICA, NEW YORK, NY, August 13, 2025: Rising reggae and Afrobeat fusion artist Soul-Rebel Marley has unveiled the official music video for his second single, “Holy Father”, released earlier this summer via his Tek Time Productions label in partnership with Tuff Gong International.

Soul Marley drops Holy Father.

Directed by Martyn Watts, the cinematic visuals take viewers on a spiritual journey through Ethiopia’s historic rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. The video blends ancient ritual, mythic symbolism, and Marley’s soulful performance to create a deeply transformative viewing experience.

The production features cameos from Marley’s brothers Skip Marley and Saiyan Marley, as well as Fr. Amde Hamilton – a founding member of The Watts Prophets and Ethiopian Orthodox priest who famously delivered one of the eulogies at Bob Marley’s 1981 funeral in Kingston, Jamaica.

“I give thanks to the Most High for the support of my family and everyone behind the camera in the making of the ‘Holy Father’ video,” said Marley. “The experience was amazing and I’m excited for the massive to see it.”

Soul-Rebel Marley has been praised for his ability to build on reggae’s foundational sounds while introducing fresh influences. His debut single “Loving Jah” reimagined traditional reggae with a modern twist, while “Holy Father” ventures into Afrobeat territory, delivering a pulsating, spiritual exploration of faith and heritage.

The “Holy Father” video is now streaming on Tuff Gong TV’s YouTube channel.

Watch “Holy Father” here

News Americas, BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS, August 11, 2025: The Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) and the Mellon Foundation today announced a key initiative of their groundbreaking partnership – The Ripple Effect – to elevate the Caribbean arts ecosystem.

The Ripple Effect exhibition, curated by Fresh Milk Barbados, is now open to the public at Caribbean Brushstrokes in Bridgetown through August 30. (Credit: Dondré Trotman)

The initiative represents a bold goal of building a future where artistry thrives not in isolation but as a shared, collective force. By empowering Barbadian artists through direct funding and support, CLF and the Mellon Foundation foster community-driven creative solutions and ensure broad access to art across Barbados and the wider Caribbean region. The partnership provides monetary support for cultural organizations like Fresh Milk Barbados, Operation Triple Threat, and Pinelands Creative Workshop to serve as regional arts hubs, while creating sustainable pathways to economic stability for artists and arts-focused organizations through specialized fellowships that allow artists to develop and market their work locally.

The Ripple Effect is marked by the public opening of a new exhibition in Bridgetown, Barbados. The exhibition, curated by Fresh Milk Barbados, is now open to the public and running through August 30 at Caribbean Brushstrokes in Bridgetown. It features works by various Barbadian artists, including CLF fellows Simone Asia, Russell Watson, Anna Gibson, and Ronald Williams. These artists are creating works that interact with CLF’s core pillars, spanning climate solutions to health access to women’s entrepreneurship and more, and intersecting these themes with authentic Caribbean cultural expression. The exhibition highlights how Caribbean voices are pioneering artistic innovation as a pathway to bolster economic development, drive career opportunities, and amplify cultural expression while creating avenues for Barbadian artists from diverse communities to showcase their talents locally, regionally, and globally.

“Thirteen years after CLF’s founding, our partnership with the Mellon Foundation represents a full-circle moment – amplifying the voices and talents that have always been part of our organization’s DNA, starting right here in Barbados,” said Jessie Schutt-Aine, Executive Director of the Clara Lionel Foundation. “What visitors will experience in this exhibition is the incredible artistry that has always existed here, now with the institutional backing to reach an international stage. This partnership honors CLF’s beginnings while leveraging our years of proven community-led impact across the Caribbean and beyond.”

“This partnership beautifully represents Mellon’s philosophy of cultural investment,”said Justin Garrett Moore, Program Director of the Mellon Foundation. “We’re recognizing Barbadian artists as essential voices in addressing the challenges that affect us all. These creators have been developing innovative, community-rooted solutions for generations, and our goal is to amplify their work to ensure it reaches the global stage it deserves.”

Building on CLF’s 13 years of experience delivering multi-year support to community-led innovators across five core impact areas, the CLF-Mellon partnership ensures local artists and cultural organizations have the support to build a self-sustaining creative ecosystem. The initiative supports Barbadian artists and creatives who push boundaries and reshape the meaning of Caribbean art, while ensuring all Barbadians can access and experience art regardless of their socioeconomic background. Organizations, artists, and community leaders now have the resources needed to imagine innovative climate solutions through art.

To learn more about the partnership between CLF and the Mellon Foundation and their ongoing efforts in the Caribbean, please visit claralionelfoundation.org.

About The Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF)

Founded in 2012 by Robyn Rihanna Fenty, the Clara Lionel Foundation builds thriving & resilient communities across the Caribbean, Africa, and US South by equipping community innovators to lead change from within. Taking a community-led and -centered approach, we create impact through five inter-connected pillars – climate solutions, women’s entrepreneurship, arts & culture, health access & equity, and future generations.

About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.