On Tuesday March 2nd Dancehall recording artist Elephant Man commenced work on a new and exciting project geared towards building a closer relationship with his fan base both local and international. The new project which is dubbed "THE FAN-TA-LOG" will be a weekly video feature of the Energy God in all his glory performing some of his latest singles, answering burning questions about his career and will from time to time have a look at what his average day is like.
In Week 1 of "THE FAN-TA-LOG" Elephant Man adds visuals to his latest street anthem "KINGSTON" a remix of the chart topping hit single "New York" performed by Jay Z & Alicia Keys. The video was shot on location in Kingston Jamaica.
The FAN-TA-LOG series which will be produced and monitored by Public Relations Specialist Chris "Icey Jace" Campbell will target social networks, internet blogs and entertainment forums alike.
My girl Barbi is featured on the hook of Laden's latest track called "Can You Manage It?" It was recorded at Big Ship Studios and released today. Gwann girl song maaaaadddd!!! LOL....listen to it below
Oh yeah and Mavado, Aidonia, chino, Cham, Beenie Man Busy Signal and more are on it click HERE to listen!
As you can see a set of man....I would have liked to hear Denyque on this track...some food for thought guys!
It's de energy god!
The third staging of Best of The Best seemed on most accounts to be a success, though the rain did put a damper on press access to the stage. Organizers did apologize for that stating citing safety precautions. I can understand that, would not want to be electrocuted in the middle of the hottest Memorial Day weekend jam in Miami.
From the official press release:
The artist rundown was a secret for fans, and the show kicked off with Miami-based hip-hop artists Shifta, Camar and Atiba, before the advertised roster took effect with Ras Penco and Christopher Martin serenading the afternoon crowd. Dancehall diva Spice brought her hit "Romping Shop" and killed the BOTB stage, the first time performing for such a massive audience. Then The Stones featuring Ricky Blaze with their hits from the New York corridor added some flare with their funky clothing and electro-dancehall sound. Kip Rich and Flippa Mafia rounded things out before the reggae segment. Cocoa Tea took the reigns first, singing his hit "Barack Obama," as the skies opened up over the park. Then Capleton brought the fire, literally shaking the stage with his high-flying antics that left the crowd and rappers watching backstage in awe.
The much-anticipated hip-hop segment soared as the sporadic rain showers cleared up, with "We the Best" DJ Khaled and T-Pain first hitting the stage. It was a flawless track-set that saw a steady flow of artists every five minutes. Joining Khaled and Pain were Rick Ross, his new dancehall artist Magazeen, Ace Hood, and in the biggest surprise of the night, Sean "Diddy" Combs joined Ross on stage, taking off his white Kangol bucket hat and pointing at the crowd, receiving the biggest forward of the night then departing just as suddenly as he appeared. It was not the end of the segment however, as #1 Billboard artist Flo Rida also made a surprise appearance, joined by his Poe Boy label mate Brisco. Then rap star Jeezy delivered his hits including the chart-topper, "My President's Black," to wrap the smash segment. "I'm glad to be here, I love reggae," stated Jeezy. "The vibe is right, with the roots and culture. One day I'll get into the sound because it's a strong sound...very interesting."
The momentum of the night continued with the slamming soca sounds of Trinidad songstress Destra Garcia, the only soca act but all that was needed to get the crowd on their feet and rags in the air. Then the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall" Beenie Man stormed the stage and mashed it up with his live-band set. The "Energy God" Elephant Man followed him for an abbreviated set as Beenie's Ruff Kut band had to make way for the Alliance's Anger Management band, which closed the show. Following Ele was Tony Matterhorn on tracks for the quick band change, then Serani, followed by Mavado and Bounty Killer, as all three dancehall megastars shared the stage to close Best of the Best 2009.
Off-stage highlights included Beenie Man on stage watching the hip-hop segment as the rappers greeted him on stage, the hip-hop stars including Rick Ross who went over to hail Capleton, Busta Rhymes who hung out back stage eating and chatting with his new collaborator Beenie, Flo Rida who walked into the park with his Poe Boy entourage and found his own way backstage, Bounty who wanted to storm the stage while Beenie was on (Beenie was scheduled to close the show but came on early so that he would have enough time to perform his entire set), and Elephant Man who showed up on his own and slipped his way backstage undetected in his pirate costume, complete with hook on hand and parrot on shoulder. But perhaps the biggest stars were the cars backstage. T-Pain arrived in a red Rolls-Royce Phantom, Khaled in a powder blue Rolls, Ross in a navy blue Masserrati, Diddy in a larger-than-life tour bus, while Busta and Wayne Wonder kept it cool in black Escalades.
Here are some pics from the event!
Capleton caught in mid-air-Photo by Brittany Somerset-
Coco Tea salutes backstage-Photo by Brittany Somerset-
Jabba emeecing the show and dancehall diva Spice-Photo by Brittany Somerset-
Sean "Diddy" Combs vibes with Rick Ross on stage-Photo byWayne Lawrence-
Fan favorite Beenie Man enjoys himself.-Photo by Wayne Lawrence-
Ele does some press-Photo by Roy Sweetland-
Ace Hood, DJ Khaled & T-Pain storm the stage-Photo by Roy Sweetland-
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Mavado ends the night on a high note-Photo by Roy Sweetland-
Bounty Killa closes the show-Photo by Roy Sweetland-
T-Pain joins Rick Ross to perform his hit "The Boss"-Photo by Roy Sweetland-
OK...someone hatin, on you raggin on you, dissin you....here's a pick-you-upper!
Click HERE to hear what Ele gotta say to dem haters!!!
Serani is definitely the man ofthe hour as a headliner of the Metro PCS/Hot 97 5 Boro Takeover Tour
On March 20th, he will be at Amazura in Queens with Buju Banton and Elephant Man. Though I lived in Texas which has no Metro PCS (that I am aware of,) as Dominicans would say,it was making ding dang in Florida. Of course there is a significant Caribbean population in the Miami/Ft Lauderdale area. I am sure that that is the basis for using these West Indian / Urban artists for their New York launch.
The Metro PCS Tour stops at the Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey, on March 25th, where Serani will be joined by Alliance colleague Mavado, as well as Akon, Busta Rhymes and Estelle.
MetroPCS, Hot97Shaggy is really working hard to promote his fund-raising concert to be held Jan. 3rd. His goal is to raise $2 Million for the Bustamante Children's Hospital. Below is the video for the song "Save A Life" featuring Shaggy, Sean Paul, Elephant Man, Gramps, Chris Martin, Tessanne Chin, Etana, Daville, Luciano, Marcia Griffiths, D Major, Freddie Mcgregor, & DLYNX. The Video is Directed by Jay Will.
go to shaggyfoundation.org for more info!
The victim's 12 year old son Jourdan and his sister look on as his body is being carried away from the scene.
photo source
David Alexander Smith more popularly known as "Ice," was shot in the head and chest during an argument with two men who took his keys and fled in his rented Mitsubishi Lancer. Local sources indicate that the shooting took place at a bar on Newark Avenue, off Waltham Park Road in Kingston early yesterday morning.
36 year old Smith was a member of the Black Roses Crew based on Lincoln Road in Kingston and is the third leading member to be murdered. William "Willie Haggart" Moore was gunned down by three men in front of his place of business in 2001. Four years later, the leader of the crew,Gerald 'Bogle' Levy was sitting in his truck along with four other persons when it was sprayed with bullets.
As of yet, no motive has been determined but a female is being questioned by police in relation to the incident.In 2005, Smith was arrested in connection with murder, several counts of shooting and arson committed in the Kingston West police division. The video is of the song "Gully Greeper" by Elephant Man. He created the dance move Gully Creeper, made even more popular by Olympic Gold Medalist Usain Bolt, who performed it after his races in Bejing.
Here is Kevin Lyttle's latest release. It's called "Fyah". Click below to listen to the audio or check out the video which is posted as well!!!
Kevin Lyttle - Fyah.mp3
Don't miss your chance to get your copy of Marlon's Asher excellent new CD "Unconditional Love" which features tracks from Rayvon, Princess Mennen and Henry Tigan, to name a few.
Ernie B's Reggae is offering a very special deal if you order the CD within the next 2 weeks on their website www.ebreggae.com they will discount your order by $5. In order to get the $5 discount, we ask that you please type in the words "5 OFF" right next to your name when you place the order. So, if your name is John Smith, then just type in your name like this: John Smith 5 OFF. That's it, you save $5!!!
Click HERE to make your purchase
The Chronicles of Mavado is a mixtape done by MuscleHead Inc. and features 73 tracks with some guest appearances by the likes of Busy Signal, Jr. Reid, Jay Z, G Unit, Vybz Kartel and BARACK OBAMA.
go to myspace.com/musclehead2006 for more info
Judah Tribe reggae band just announced the global release of the controversial single "Judgment" which coincides with the 2nd anniversary of the death of Sean Bell who was killed by NYPD officers on his wedding day. The song was a tribute to him and is available through online retailers such as iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, Napster, and Zune.The release follows the performance of Judah Tribe at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). Les Paultre, lead guitarist of Judah Tribe, father the father of Sean Bell's wife-to-be Nicole Paultre, who introduced the song to the audience.
visit JudahTribe.com to learn more about the group.
photo sourceGreensleeves recording artist, Fantan Mojah, today released his album Stronger. A much anticipated follow up to his debut Hail The King.
The album gives production credits to procucers such as Frenchie ("Stronger"), Shane Brown, Jam 2, Pow Pow, Lion Vibes and Special Delivery ("Can't Frame I").
A Little Trivia: Capleton suggested the name change from Mad Killa to Fantan Moja to reflect his rasta beliefs!
Officially VP Records will release Energy God: The Very of Best Elephant Man on February 17, 2009. But Amazon.com says you can preorder for a Jan. 27 release. The 18 track album and DVD covers his best tracks of the last decade. The DVD themed "Living La Vida Ele" shows him at his Jamaican residence and in electrifying live performances.
Well I had already mentioned this album on a previous post, however I had no album cover. Well thanks to a new blogpost on Jah Cure's page, here it is!
Lil Wayne leads nominations with eight nods; Coldplay gets seven; Jay-Z, Ne-Yo and Kanye West each earn six.
As for our Caribbean artists, Estelle's "American Boy" featuring Kanye West, is nominated for Song Of The Year and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The song is also up for an award in the Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical) Category:It was produced by will.i.am who also produced songs for Fergie, Flo Rida Sergio Mendes and Usher.
Leona Lewis was nominated for Record of the Year with "Bleeding Love", Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Pop Vocal Album (Spirit). Lewis’ “Bleeding Love” was recently named the number one downloaded song on iTunes for 2008, having sold 3.2 million digitally, according to her label, J Records. According to iTunes, the title track of Coldplay’s albumViva La Vida was its No. 2 most downloaded track, followed by “Low” by Flo Rida (featuring T-Pain), Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” and Rihanna’s “Disturbia.” The Barbados beauty also made the top 10 singles with “Don’t Stop the Music,”
Rihanna also has two GRAMMY noda this year for Best Dace Recording "Disturbia" and
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals, "If I Never See Your Face Again" a song from her Good Girl Gone Bad Reloaded album featuring Maroon 5.
VI Massive, your boy Wayne Brady is nominated for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance with "A Change Is Gonna Come" a track from A Long Time Coming
Now Lil Wayne was nominated for Album of the Year (Tha Carter III). Here are some Caribbean Artists who collaborated with Weezy and are mentioned in the category:
Busta Rhymes, Juelz Santana and Swizz Beatz,
Best Reggae Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)
Jah Is Real Burning Spear
Let's Get Physical Elephant Man
Vibes Heavy D
Repentance Lee "Scratch" Perry
Intoxication Shaggy
Amazing Sly & Robbie
Best Latin Jazz Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)
Afro Bop Alliance Caribbean Jazz Project
The Latin Side Of Wayne Shorter Conrad Herwig & The Latin Side Band
Song for Chico Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra
Nouveau Latino Nestor Torres
Marooned/Aislado Papo Vázquez The Mighty Pirates
Cuba: Un Viaje Musical — A Musical JourneyAlbita, Rey RuÃz & Donato Poveda
Renacer DLG
Señor Bachata José Feliciano
Frutero Moderno Gonzalo Grau y La Clave Secreta
Back On The Streets... Taste Of Spanish Harlem Vol. 2 New Swing Sextet
To see the complete list click HERE
BET J held their first ever BET J Virtual Awards this week. There was no live audience, no big auditorium or orchestra none of that. Just hosts Nia Long and Chris Spencer in friendly banter, along with various presenters, and the winners accepting their awards. It's a neat concept. The hosts were very entertaining and just so natural, great chemistry. I really would not mind seeing them hosting again next year.
Photo source
So how did our Caribbean artists do? Lets see:
The first award of the night (Rhapsody Song of the Year) was won by Estelle for her song "American Boy" which she performed. That was the only award that she won despite her nominations for Best Female Artist (won by Alicia Keys) and Best New Artist -Soul Approved (won by Chrisette Michele)
Best Caribbean Artist nominees were Machal Montano, Alison Hinds, Elephant Man, FayAnn, Morgan Heritage and Mavado. Machal was the winner. Interestingly enough I made a virtual vote (no, I'm not gonna say for who) and the results were as follows : Machel 7%, Alison Hinds and FayAnn tied for 13%, Morgan Heritage 11%, Mavado 12% and Elephant Man 44%. Good thing they had a disclaimer I guess.
Wyclef Jean and Common were both nominated for Best Male Artist but it was won by Raheem DeVaughn.Wyclef won the Virtual Video award with his song "Fast Car" (Common was nominated to for his song "driving Me Wild"). Clef performed a short medly from the Apple store in NYC: "Fast Car", "Hips Don't Lie" (his part--duh) and "Jaspora" Haiti Sak Passe!!! He was also nominated for Best Live Performance which he lost to The Roots.
Una Morgan of Morgan Heritage presented the award for Best Gospel won by Marvin Sapp.
And finally Common won the Journey award for his musical and philanthropic achievements over the years.
And here is Common feat Lauryn Hill in the song "Retrospect for Life". This guy is just on a whole other level when it comes to Hip-Hop. Award well deserved!
So let's start of on a high note nuh....Here's a video I saw browsing the Net the other day, Its Elephant Man's rah rah medley featuring Burro Banton and T.O.K
