After putting her husband on blast for cheating (she emailed his co-workers about it), Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon has filed for divorce from her husband Michael.

Michael and Garcelle with their twins Jaid and Jax

According to TMZ:

She filed the documents in L.A. County Superior Court on May 10 -- just two days before their 9-year wedding anniversary.
Garcelle and Michael have 2-year-old twins together -- she is seeking joint legal and physical custody.
As for spousal support -- Garcelle has requested that the judge not award anything to Michael.

In other couples news, Swizz Beatz settled out of court with his ex-Mashonda, to avoid going to court on June 10th. She claimed the 31-year-old producer owed $334,000 in delinquent child support and alimony debt.

Mashonda and Swizzy with their son Kasseem Dean Jr.

Swizz Beatz, who is currently on tour with his pregnant fiance Alicia Keys, recently told the New York Post:

his ex's allegations that he owes $325,000 in equitable distribution and $9000 in alimony and child support are "inaccurate" and "overblown" and said that he's gone "above and beyond" to provide for her and their 13-year-old son, Kasseem Jr.

He said he'd agreed to pay Dean more than the judge required and much more than his lawyer recommended - he even had to sign court papers acknowledging that he was going against his attorney's advice.

"I gave over what the judge was recommending to give. I gave her $700,000 upfront, because I thought $200,000 wasn't enough for what she wanted to do. I still get spit in my face for it," he said.

And a little closer to the region. Tessanne Chin is engaged!

Dancehall.Mobi states:

Dancehall/reggae singer Tessanne Chin is said to be on ‘cloud nine’ today, as her boyfriend – former television presenter, Michael Anthony Cuffe Jr. – reportedly popped the question yesterday, and asked for her hand in marriage during a large family gathering at the home of her sister, Tami Chynn. A teary-eyed Tessanne reportedly said yes, and the couple were cheered on by the many family members on hand, which included both sets of parents. No details forthcoming on a wedding date as yet!

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Gosh, iFest, for years I've been praying for a Caribbean theme, I went to iFest when it was Ireland (2001), when it was India (2005), when it was Jamaica (2006) when it was China (2007), when it was Africa (2008) and how many other countries between 2001 and 2008 praying each year, that the next would focus on the region I love. 1998 was the last time the Houston International Festival had a "Caribbean" theme. So those of you in Houston please enjoy the last weekend of iFest which has as its the theme this year "Spotlighting the Caribbean."




If you go on Saturday, make sure to check out St. Lucian Reggae artist Taj Weekes on the Bud Light World Stage. He was featured in the Houston Chronicle- Here's an excerpt:

When Sunday morning comes down in St. Lucia, one might hear Johnny Cash on the radio, according to Taj Weekes, a reggae superstar from the Caribbean island.

Weekes said a typical morning might include songs by Jim Reeves, Merle Haggard and Hank Williams. The radio isn't formatted, so there's also calypso, some classical pieces and maybe some Elton John.

“I think it's healthier for us, rather than having one genre on a station every day of the year,” he says. “It leaves you feeling refreshed, and you get this rich musical education.”

Such a varied education is at least partially responsible for Weekes' status as the most interesting roots reggae singer to come along in a generation. There are no gimmicks in Weekes' music: no hip-hop, no party anthems, no visual shtick, crutches that have made dancehall a profitable, if shallow, permutation of reggae's history. Weekes sings in a high, brittle and otherworldly voice. But he's a songwriter first. His songs play out vibrantly with a band, but strip them down to just voice and guitar and they remain smart and melodic.

Weekes bristles at the notion that reggae must come from Jamaica. Though he heard a lot of calypso growing up, reggae is what carried his attention.

“But they're similar,” he says, “both followed the same tradition of telling stories. That's where dancehall has let us down; it's like they've forgotten about the message and the music. It's about affluence and things that don't matter. It moved away from telling a story into being about material things along the way.”

Weekes is less interested in the acquired things that make us different, which is why he titled his new album Deidem, which translates “all of us.”

“I think we're more alike than we are different,” he says. “We really need to pay attention to this, only way to truly understand each other is to sit and talk. We're too caught up in preconceived ideas about who people are and what they are. At the end of the day, I've never seen anybody with three feet and four eyes.”

For all of Weekes' one-world talk, Deidem actually started with a period of self-involved contemplation. Both of his parents had recently died and Weekes wrote seven songs “about my sorrowful state of mind.”

To read the rest of the article click HERE

My girls and guys from Stamina band will be in their costumes on Saturday. Of course Taj Weekes will perform. George Clinton performs on the same stage as Taj Weekes. On Sunday there will be moko jumbie dancers from Puerto Rico, and Steele Pulse, Baaba Maal from Senegal...OMG The Dominicans are representing with Dance (I hope Dominica and not Dominican Republic- you know I would be licking dem with some serious bele if I was in H-Town), who else??? Oh, steel pan from TnT and Haitian drummers ....it's a long list ya'll click HERE to see remaining artists. And I have to mention Kyra Noons -The Neutral Sister who performed with Blacc Sheep and Yard Band..Nuff respect guys and Big up my girl Karina Nistal!!!!


To go to iFest official site click HERE

To go to iFest official after party, get info on JugglersUnited.com

Just type Mashonda, Alica Keys, or Swizz Beatz in the search box on this site and most of the recent entries revolve around the allegations that Alicia Keys broke up their marriage (or at least played a significant role). Well here is more news. Seems, (well maybe that's not the right words, cause she really did to it) Mashonda wrote an open letter to Keys about how she felt Keys was disrespecting her as the 'wife' and mother of Swizz son.
The Twitter post was in response to atweet of Keys: "Having a heated debate n the studio. Question is…N love is it better to go 4 the choice that is ‘SMART’ or the choice that has ‘SPARK’??” Mashonda answered the question, but not before she put her thoughts on the table. Seems like she is very hurt, so I don't know what to make of her attending his birthday party thrown by Keys. Read on and make your own decisions.



Source

This just in

Amy Winehouse was forced to cut short a comeback gig in St. Lucia because of heavy rain.

Winehouse spokesman Chris Goodman said in a statement Saturday that the singer abandoned her performance Friday at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival.

He says heavy rain pounded the stage on the Caribbean island, causing a lighting rig to fail and disrupting sound equipment.

The gig was the troubled British singer's first performance of 2009.

Goodman says that Winehouse attempted to continue her performance despite the storm, but was forced to stop.

He says the singer was disappointed, as she'd hoped to repay people in St. Lucia for their hospitality.

Winehouse has been staying on the island for several months.

Source

What boy...the weather inDominica was awesome last night. Full moon nice ocean breeze, was out till 3 AM enjoying. Estelle is performing at St Lucia Jazz today. I know I rag on her for her fashion and ting, but I'm a big fan- allu enjoy her for me hear.

So Amy Winehouse just chilaxing in St.Lucia, here she is on the beach with a hunk of dark chocolate....That could have been a cute pic but, __________ (you fill in the blank)



Allu want to see his face eh??? Too fast!

Source

Amy Winehouse had a violent and very disturbing reaction to news that her ex-Blake is soon to be a dad.

Amy on St Lucian beach

Photo source

According to News Of The World:

The singer only found out the baby news on Friday-because she'd been in HOSPITAL after collapsing from a three-day booze bender in St Lucia.

But just one day after being discharged she was back drinking at a beach bar in a black-and-white bikini and purple headscarf when she heard.

She shrieked: "That better be a mistake or I'll beat his head in."

She distressed staff and other holidaymakers with her bizarre reaction to our exclusive story last week that Blake Fielder-Civil had got a fellow rehab patient pregnant-denting his bid to win half Amy's £10million fortune in a divorce settlement.

Amy, 25, at first wrongly presumed Blake's girlfriend was the mum-to-be. Later she ranted on about how SHE was desperate to have TWIN babies.

Gripping a glass of champagne at the Cotton Bay Village resort bar, she started off by gleefully gabbling: "I knew he'd got her pregnant. I

had this feeling Blake was having a kid.

"That is amazing. It was his 28th birthday on Thursday and I knew he'd be having a kid with his girl. I don't read the papers so I didn't know anything about it." Then she paused and suddenly started crying, wailing: "Blake's got a new life away from me now, it's not anything to do with me!"

Next, Amy-sporting a heavy bruise on her left thigh-started frantically banging her chest, and declared: "I'm so glad he's having a baby! He's having a baby!

"That is so amazing! I'm not sad you know, I'm excited. I knew Blake and his new girlfriend Francesca would be able to have a normal life."

She was then told that Blake's child was conceived with heroin addict Gilleen Morris, 31, and not girlfriend Francesca Morralee, 17. Wild Amy, who split with Blake last autumn, barked: "That better be a mistake or I'll beat his head in. Oh great, he's had it with some . . . I don't wanna know- don't tell me any more."

Tears began streaming and her face screwed up as she bizarrely cried: "All I

wanna know and all I need to know is that my baby is having a baby.

"I never talk to him, I'm never going to see him again but we're like best friends.

"I have to cut him out of my life because he has to cut me out.

"My dad is suing his mum for all of the things she's said and Blake needs this divorce to come through so he can pay for the lawsuit. How f***ed up is that? So me and Blake can't be friends but you know what? He's having a kid and that is amazing."

Amy, who said last summer how she wanted five kids with Blake, then turned to one of the bar staff in floods of tears and asked: "Did you hear that?

Amy and Blake in 2007 (Photo source)

Divorce

"My soon-to-be ex-husband is expecting a child. Isn't that amazing? I love him but I love him enough to let him go.

"I see myself as single now. But you know what? I would never have divorced him. My father and his family are at war because his family don't love Blake. They love money so they try and have a go at me, I'm telling you. Me and Blake love each other but Blake can't have me. It's a sad thing if a husband and wife are sitting in a restaurant like this and someone comes up and says to him, 'Excuse me mate, take a picture of me and her will ya?'

"That's what it was like. I couldn't give Blake a whole wife because everyone knows me and everyone wants a piece of me so I have to share myself about.

"I taught the man how to love, that's why he's so beautiful. And I see him, not as having this baby for me or it being my baby too but . . ."

Then she stood up and started beating her chest again and pulling at her bikini as she declared: "My turn now, my turn now! Come on! Twins you know!

"I've got loads of twins in my family, I need to have twins. I want a big family. Twin boys first, two girls and then a baby after that can be a boy or a girl. I want it so much."

The previous day, Amy was discharged from the £440-a- night Tapion private hospital in the island's capital Castries, a 30-minute drive away. She was rushed there in a car on Wednesday after collapsing at her resort's pool.

A staff member explained: "She was partying non-stop from last Saturday all the way through to Monday and on Wednesday it just hit her.

"She was drinking champagne at the resort bar and spiced rum a few yards away at Cas En Bas beach bar and I think that's what finished her off."Amy, who was spotted drinking with a girl pal soon after her release, said: "It was scary. I think it was withdrawal symptoms from all the alcohol I had." During her latest Caribbean holiday, Amy has been befriending kids and playing with them on the beach. On Friday she built sandcastles with a little girl while oddly repeating the meaningless mantra: "I'm trying to make Mexico. I'm going to make Mexico."

Then she said: "I haven't got a visa to get into America so me and my kids make Mexico everyday in the sand."

One parent said: "It's great that she takes the time with the kids but she gets a bit intense."

Last Sunday we told how drug- addicted Blake got jobless mum-of-two Gilleen pregnant in February during secret sex sessions at the Phoenix Futures Rehab Centre in Sheffield, Yorks.

He has vowed to help raise the baby, due in November.

Source

According to MTV UK, she is penning a song called "Ultimate Betrayal" about her reaction to the news. She is in St. Lucia recording her third album and will next month perform at the St. Lucia Jazz Festival.

Well, I guess you can only get away from yourself for so long. After a while reality kicks in, at least yours.For Amy Winehouse the bubble that was her Caribbean haven has burst and now it's back to the big bad world with people who just cant be trusted. Check this out:

Photo source

Amy Winehouse got into a fight on the plane home from St Lucia. The Rehab singer - who returned to London on Sunday after a 71-day holiday on the Caribbean island - lashed out at a man she thought was “giving her the eye”, according to British newspaper The Sun.

A source tells the tabloid, “Amy went wild. She thought this guy was giving her strange looks and just lost it. “She was nervous about coming back and seeing Blake so it didn’t take much to push her over the edge.” Amy, 25, hasn’t gone back to her home in Camden, North London - she’s taken up residence in the North London suburb of Barnet, much to the dismay of her new neighbors. Jeremy Amery, 33, said, “House prices have fallen enough without Amy Winehouse taking up residence.” Another resident said, “Amy Winehouse moved in? There goes the neighborhood.”

The 25-year-old English singer is rumored to returning to London to make amends with estranged husband Blake Fielder-Civil ( who is being released from jail). His mom, however, has stated that he wants to follow through on the divorce and move on with his life.

Oh well, if things don't work out. There's always St. Lucia.

Alright artists, writers,publishers anyone else in or affiliated with the music industry. Here is an event that stands to benefit you and your business. Please read the info below and contact your local organization for exact dates.

From CaribbeanNetNews.com:

The Copyright Advocacy Group for Music and Arts (CAGMA) has launched a project aimed at edifying Caribbean recording artistes, publishers, writers, performers and music industry stake holders about the administrative aspects of copyright, its advancement and challenges.

Hundreds of regional stakeholders and interest groups are expected to benefit greatly from the free project, which would be the first trans-national undertaking of its kind in the Caribbean.

The two-day training project is slated to be held systematically in Barbados, St Lucia, Dominica, St. Kitts, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Aruba, Antigua, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Grenada during the months of March and April 2009.

According to CAGMA’s Press Secretary Shevone La Fleur, while the organization is fully prepared to host the projects, discussions are still underway with various stakeholders in the selected territories to provide logistical and moral support. Hence a formal time table for the regional-wide project will be made available when discussions are through and the respective territorial commitments are made.

The Regional Copyright Training Project is partially funded by CAGMA with support from several key players within the Caribbean’s music industry.

CAGMA which is based in Georgetown, Guyana was founded in late 2006, and is arguably one of the most influential copyright entities in the region, and the only one in Latin America and the Caribbeanwhose charter empowers it to negotiate directly with the State.

The organization provides legal representation and international lobbying support to regional copyright owners, musicians and members whose works may have been infringed, primarily outside of the
Caribbean region.

www.cagma.net or contact them by email: info@cagma.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Amy Winehouse looks ummm healthy, or at least on her way there

... I guess she is working on keeping fit ( I doh even mind de likkle belly-that mean she's eating) cause she allegedly has a fitness instructor. Moreover, they may be an item.

She was seen on the island with actor Josh Bowman but he has since left and Andrew (the fitness instructor) is the man on the scene. Or maybe not so much. Seems 25 year old Winehouse wants to protect her privacy and moved to a secluded villa on the island.

Her estranged husband Blake Fielder-Civil filed for divorce earlier this month from prison.


Remember this??? They gave each other those bruises!!!!!!! Their relationship was diabolical to say the least.
photo source
About the fight Amy says:

"Blake is the best man in the world. We would never ever harm each other... I was cutting myself after he found me in our room about to do drugs with a call girl and rightly said I wasn't good enough for him. I lost it and he saved my life."

St Lucia is doing a much better job I'd say. When he gets out of jail maybe he should take a trip to St. Lucia. I'm sure the Tourism Minister would welcome the visit.

I took this straight from Socialitelife blog it's so witty.


Photo source

Unfortunately, it isn't in Amy Winehouse's DNA to just chillax and sip a Mai Tai on a vacation.

Well, maybe the Mai Tai part (but it wouldn't be sipping) and if you substitute chillax for running around drunk, naked and sleeping with the help, then you got Amy's Caribbean Holiday down to a tea.

The Sun is reporting today (everyday it's a brand spanking new Winehouse tale!) that the hotel staff is 100% over the Amy Winehouse novelty. She, reportedly, threw a glass of water at a tourist yesterday which was the "last straw."

"Everyone wants Amy to disappear. Her attack on this guest was the last straw," the "source" is quoted as saying. "She walks around in the same grimy bikini bottoms each day with her boobs on show, gets drunk, gropes waiters and is rude to male staff. She's hardly the most popular guest."

Sounds like our type of girl! Does Amy do weddings?

One silver lining, perhaps, is that she certainly has gotten everybody in touch with their musical side.

"Some staff have started singing their own version of "Rehab" under their breath when she's around. But they altered the chorus to sing, 'Just go, go, go'."

Seems Alicia Keys is doing some dirt on the down low. Here she is in an older photo with Swizz Beats ( Kasseem Dean) . Sources close to her tour say that he and Miss Keys have been seeing each other on the low. He even accompanied her on tour to Paris. Go here for more details.

photo source

Why is this a big deal??? Well he is still married to his wife, R&B singer, Mashonda (Bajan/Lucian roots). They separated in April bu trumored to be working things out. Here is a pic of them with their son Kasseem Dean Jr.

photo source

And Swizz is not Alicia's first affair. Her ex Kerry allegedly also had a wife and child while they were together.

Well I am not on the inside so I cant put all theblame on Alicia I mean after all Swizz is a grown ass man. they both know right from wrong. She has a song called Karma, right?????

Anyways, Mashonda my advice to you is keep your head up, take care of your child and keep keeping on. You tried to make it work and that is the best you could do. Let him go girl. If is yours is yours. I personally don't believe in begging no man to stay especially when another woman is involved.....it will never be the same......

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Crowd favorite Herb Black was won the Calypso Monarch Competition. He won with a total of790 points beating his nearest rival by 61 points with his renditions
“What You Bringing” & “Suzette” (Takeover Tent)

1st runner up - Morgie - Ambassadors – “Neighbour” & “Tired of Waving” - 729 points

2nd runner up - Menell South Calypso Tent – “Doh Want to be King” & “An Eye for an Eye” 727 points
3rd runner up - Mighty Pep Ambassadors – “I am Calypso” & “In the Judges Shoes” – 712 points.

Go to the official Lucian Carnival site for more updates

Congrats to Ricky T who won the Power Soca Monarch Competition during carnival celebrations in St Lucia. His song titled "Wheel And Come Again" was on the Dystruction Riddim and produced By Penn & Ace from Studio 758, SLU Records, St. Lucia. He won the competition with 388 points. He was followed by Superman HG with 375 points, and Isla Man with 367 Points.

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In the Groovy Soca Monarch competition the winner was Herb Black (with 419 points )with his song"Suzette:" Congrats to him as well. In second place was Teddyson John (409 points) followed by Kerian Piper (375 points).

photo source