Category Archives: Yard Report

Tami Chynn – Dancehall Pop Princess 2008

Tami Chynn – Dancehall’s Princess of Pop

by M. Peggy Quattro

Tami Chynn with Akon in London

Kingston, JA – Tammar Anika Chin, now known as singer Tami Chynn, was born June 14, 1983 in Kingston, Jamaica, to a multi-talented, musical family. Her parents, Richard and Christine Chin, were in a band called The Carnations and Tami grew up with the sounds of R&B and Jazz. Her mother, the daughter of a white British woman and a black Jamaican man, is a singer and one of Jamaicas first female trumpet players; her father, whos Chinese and a bit of American Cherokee, plays bass guitar and drums. This unique mixture of Black, Chinese, White, and African-American-Indian has resulted in a cultured young woman, acutely aware of musics universal power.

Growing up in the parish of St. Andrew, Tami attended St. Peter and Paul prep school, later attending Campion College. Tami recorded her first single at age 17, and was signed to a major label at 24. Along Tami’s career climb, she has appeared on recordings with international Reggae stars Sean Paul, Beenie Man and Lady Saw. In addition, she has collaborated with Assassin and appeared in Wayne Marshalls video Why. Prior to pursuing singing professionally, she toured with Shaggy as a backup dancer. Continue reading

Cocoa Tea Releases Obama Tribute 2008

Cocoa Tea to Release Obama Tribute Album

By Roland Henry, Observer staff reporter

Cocoa Tea – Set to release CD in support of Obama

Kingston, JA – Following his recent Barack Obama media blitz, veteran crooner Calvin ‘Cocoa Tea’ Scott is set to record an album inspired by the US Democratic Party presidential hopeful.

“Me have a new album which me a go put out and it a go name Barack Obama,” the Rastaman tells Splash during a visit to the Observer on Tuesday [Mar. 19]. Dressed in a black T-shirt, jeans, brown shoes with his locks bundled under a knitted tam, Cocoa Tea, who recently released Reggae Anthology: The Sweet Sounds Of Cocoa Tea, adds that the follow-up project is expected to hit the streets by August. Continue reading

Marley Music Rights 2008

Rights Flap Jamming Marley Bio

By Gregg Goldstein, as reported in The Hollywood Reporter

Bob Marley

The family of Bob Marley has refused to license any of his music for a biopic that the Weinstein Co. is prepping — despite the fact that his widow, Rita Marley, is its executive producer.

The reason? There is a competing Martin Scorsese documentary being produced by the Marley family-owned Tuff Gong Pictures and Steven Bing’s Shangri La banner, the first theatrical docu to license Marley songs.

The family members involved in the Scorsese docu claim they were unaware that the Weinstein project would be unveiled so soon and believe that its projected late-2009 release date would interfere with their docu’s February 2010 release, which is timed to Marley’s birthday. Continue reading

Remembering Joe Gibbs 2008

Joe Gibbs – Remembering the Hitmaker

by M. Peggy Quattro

Joe Gibbs – 1945-2008

March 17, 2008 – It was Feb. 21, 2008, and I had just arrived in Kingston for the Reggae Academy Awards. Riding in a taxi from the airport, I was surprised, and then stunned, when the driver suddenly muttered aloud, “Joe Gibb’ dead.” “What?,” I said, “for real?” “Yea mon…‘eart attack” he calmly replied. With another 20 minutes before reaching the hotel, I began to think about the man, Joe Gibbs – producer extraordinaire – and about the time I spent working alongside him at his record pressing plant in Opa Locka, Florida.

There is no doubt that Joe Gibbs will be remembered as one of the most preeminent producers in Reggae’s history. A hardcore entrepreneur who became a Reggae giant, Joe Gibbs was seemingly quiet, yet carried a gun, and feared no man…or woman. From the 60s, consistently through the 70s and 80s, Joe Gibbs surrounded himself with such great talents as Errol “Errol T” Thompson, Niney “the Observer” Holness, Bunny “Striker” Lee, and Lee “Scratch” Perry. Errol T and Joe formed a creative bond and were known as “The Mighty Two.” Together they revolutionized Reggae and Dub and packaged it for the world. Joe’s business and production sense, combined with ET’s outrageous engineering skills resulted in ground-breaking recordings.

Brown was a teen when he recorded for Gibbs

Joe Gibbs’ name will be forever associated with Dennis “The Boy Wonder” Brown, producing most of the finest Reggae albums Brown ever made; every song a wonder. From D Brown’s early albums that included Words of Wisdom and The Prophet Rides Again, to the 1980 cross-over A&M Records Love Has Found a Way, with the international hit single of the same name, Joe Gibbs and Errol T super-charged the young singer’s career. With songs becoming hits, and records flying out the door, Joe Gibbs and Errol T changed the direction of Reggae music. Continue reading

1st Reggae Academy Awards Kingston JA 2008

The 1st Reggae Academy Awards – A Celebration of Musical Excellence

Tarrus Riley and his song “She’s Royal” Receive Six Awards! 

by M. Peggy Quattro
Photos Lance Watson/Reggae Academy

February 29, 2008 – Kingston, JA  – Kingston, the center of the Reggae universe, was bubbling with excitement and activity during February’s Reggae Month celebrations. On every corner, the talk turned to what to do, where to go, who to see.But the high point came with the presentation of the first Reggae Academy Awards and show.

The National Indoor Sports Center was bustling on Sunday, Feb. 24, as the academy and music community came together to prepare for the evening’s event. At 7 P.M., the red carpet was filled with arriving celebrities and fans cheered on their favorites. Members of local and international media were present and there were smiles, hugs, and handshakes in the reception area as Reggae’s artists and professionals greeted the press and each other.

Shaggy wins Best Dancehall Album

Nominees Shaggy, Cherine Anderson, Etana, Macka Diamond, Kris Kelli, and Danny Browne, presenters Nadine Sutherland, Tony Rebel, and reigning Miss Jamaica Universe Zara Redwood, and performers Diana King, Elephant Man, and Ce’Cile were among the stars at the pre-awards soirée.

As show time approached, the throng headed inside the arena. The large stage was a colorful blend of high tech and roots, with neon podiums and moveable graffiti-covered zinc fences. The beautiful and multi-talented Cherine Anderson sauntered on stage to open the show with her nominated, soulful and stirring “Kingston State of Mind.” Switching effortlessly between singing and Dancehall, the young star set the pace for the remainder of the presentation.

Continue reading

Lauryn Hill to Play Rita Marley?

Lauryn Hill Considered to Portray Rita Marley in Upcoming Film

March 2008 – It has been widely reported that Rita Marley has finalized a production deal with The Weinstein Company that will bring to life her 2004 autobiography No Woman No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley. Bob and Harvey Weinstein secured the rights to the Rita Marley story a month after the announcement that Martin Scorsese will direct the Bob Marley documentary slated for a February 2010 release.

Grammy-winning Hip-Hop singer and film star Lauryn Hill has been chosen by Rita to portray her mother-in-law in the film. “She sees my life as her life,” Rita Marley was quoted as saying. Lauryn is married to Marley son, Rohan. The two were also considered for the Bob and Rita roles, based on Timothy White’s book Catch a’Fire, back in 1999. However, after Warner Bros. secured the song rights, development was curtailed following several directors’ departures. Continue reading

IRIE-FM Favorite Award Winners 2008

The IRIE-FM AWARDS Honors the Listeners’ Favorites for 2007

February 18, 2008 – Ocho Rios, JA – IRIE-FM, the premier Ocho Rios-based Reggae radio station, held its second in-studio awards presentation on Wed. Feb. 13, 2008. The entertaining and informative show had fans glued to their radio for three hours as winners, some surprises – some not – were announced in several tight-knit races.

While Irie-FM radio personalities Elise Kelly, Kshema Francis, and DJ Bones hosted the proceedings, panelists Dr. Sonjah Stanley-Niaah, a UWI lecturer, and Copeland Forbes, veteran tour manager and consultant, offered win-by-win comments and opinions. Voting was done by Irie-FM and sister ZIP 103-FM DJs, while the audited ballots were counted by JFM President Desi Young. In a review by writer Basil Walters in the Jamaica Observer, it was noted that it was the women in Reggae who dominated this year’s awards, while displaying the remarkable ability “to reinvent themselves.” Continue reading