Rihanna is ready, willing andas it happensrequired to take the stand against ex-beau Chris Brown at a hearing next month.

The singer's attorney, Donald Etra, told E! News that Rihanna will be called to testify at the June 22 preliminary hearing in Brown's felony assault case.

"The judge advised me that there will be a subpoena for Rihanna as a witness at the preliminary hearing," Etra said following a morning hearing. "She will definitely comply."

And she will be doing so while facing her alleged attacker.

"He has to be here anytime a witness is called," Brown's attorney Mark Geragos said, confirming that the "monster"-denying R&B star will indeed be present to hear the testimony.

According to Geragos, the prosecution will outline their case against the embattled R&B star. Aside from Rihanna, the D.A. is expected to call the officers who were first to respond to the scene and find the *lo**ied and abandoned Rihanna.

At the end of the proceeding, the judge will determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial.

Meanwhile, while neither Brown nor Rihanna was present for this morning's session, their attorneys got more than a little bookkeeping taken care of.

Geragos suffered a setback after Judge Patricia Schnegg denied his motions to have the Los Angeles Police Department turn over the evidence from its internal investigation of the illegally leaked postattack photo of Rihanna before the next hearing.

The attorney revealed last month that his defense would hinge on the impropriety of the LAPD, which he says purposely disseminated the image of bruised Rihanna to TMZ.

Geragos says such alleged police misconduct tainted any would-be jury pool. The judge, meanwhile, rejected the notion that the photo's surfacing, illegal as it was, affected the way officers handled the case.

"The allegation is that some civilian or officer got the photo to TMZ," Schnegg said in court. "Did it impact the arrest of your client on that date? I think not."

And while Schnegg did strike the entire police report from the record, she opted not to give any special protective treatment to Brown's case.

"I don't care if your client is a high-profile client or not," she said. "It's the same standard for everyone."

Geragos said he still plans on filing a motion to dismiss the case, but said he will do so only after the forthcoming preliminary hearing.

As for the "Umbrella" singer's current state of mind, Etra said, "She's doing fine."

"She's monitoring closely the proceedings of this case."

Dancehall legend Beenie Man recently spoke out against performers with law enforcement backgrounds and explained how they put themselves in danger when performing in Jamaica.

Speaking about Rick Ross' past history within law enforcement, Beenie talked with DJ Whoo Kid about the chances of being a police affiliated emcee in his home country.

"No, Jamaica don't do police," Beenie explained. "You can be a cop if you want [but not an artist.] If you're a police artist, I don't know if that's going to work out. You're a cop and an artist? That don't work out in Jamaica. You got cop artists, but they do that talent show sh*t. They don't come out on the street because n*ggas in Jamaica, once they find out you're a cop and you're on-stage, that means you're vulnerable. And you know what I mean, there gonna be battles, stones, oranges, apples, all that sh*t. When I say orange and apple, you understand it's an M-16, AK-47, if you want me to get serious. Because then you're vulnerable. You're a cop on stage. No police in the business. If you gonna be in the business, you gotta re-sign the business because police is in the killing business. The innocent killing business. And then the innocence is in the crowd and they're gonna try to kill you back because that's how it goes, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth." (Radio Planet TV)

Aside from Beenie's warnings, G-Unit's Tony Yayo recently threw verbal shots at Ross.

"He's so funny and delusional, I love it though," Yayo said in an interview. "'Cause now I got the real n*ggas from Miami, not no fake rap sh*t, not no fake Triple C's Torch...N*ggas trying to make it seem like Yayo can't get a pass down to Florida? Are you crazy? Are you kidding me? And I'm not talking about Disney Land, I'm talking about Little Haiti, I got the pass to go through their... I been a little quiet, I let fat boy talk. His album came out, he had a 68 percent drop this week so Def Jam ain't on they job. Def Jam don't want me to start waiting in front of that building for some of them executives. I don't give a f*ck about this rap sh*t my n*gga." (Shade 45)

Ross previously justified his time as a corrections officer in a past interview.

"The Boss done did it all to get money," Ross said last March. "And what you gotta understand is, if rumors surface it wasn't because, people felt like I didn't address it. It wasn't because of my selfish reasons, but what you gotta understand is that when you answer certain things, you gotta go to what was going on and who was involved, what the situation really was. So what we did was we got with BET and we chronicle my life so people can understand that by the time I was 17 years-old, 18 years-old, I was in a nice home, I was in whips, I was doing a lot of different things and I made a few moves...If Rick Ross did work at one of these places, it wasn't for the obvious reasons. There's a lot of gold mines around people's faces that they don't really know how to take advantage of...Yeah that picture is Rick Ross." (Big Boy's Neighborhood)

Former G-Unit associate Bang Em Smurf has told fans to look beyond the rapper's past.

"Shout-out to the boss man, there's a lot of sh*t going on about this C.O. sh*t and homie being a C.O. back in the day," Smurf said in a video. "I don't give a f*ck about none of that 'cause at the end of the day, Dr. Dre was a she-thing, a drag queen...I got some gangsters that's C.O.'s from my hood...and they get busy. At the end of the day, I bang with a few C.O.'s, not every C.O. but I got a few I did. And Ross a real n*gga, by the way. He kept his word a hundred with me from day one."

 

(CNN) -- A man "angered" by Manchester United's defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Champions League killed four people when he drove a minibus into a crowd celebrating the Spanish side's victory, police in Nigeria have told CNN.

Ten people were also injured in the incident in the town of Ogbo, where the driver was subsequently arrested, a Port Harcourt Police spokesperson said.

"He was displaying his anger at his team losing the match. The driver had passed the crowd then made a U-turn and ran into them," spokesperson Rita Inomey-Abbey said.

Both Manchester United and Barcelona have a large fan base across the African continent, with millions tuning in to watch European football on a weekly basis.

Meanwhile, more than 100 people were arrested in Barcelona city center in the early hours of Thursday morning following the Catalan team's 2-0 victory in Rome in the final of Europe's top club

Police arrested 119 young people after violence flared at a special celebration party in Place de Catalunya near the Las Ramblas thoroughfare, while 238 people suffered minor injuries.
City officials estimated the damage at up to 100,000 euros ($140,000) as the youths attacked police with bottles and damaged shops, parks and public utilities such as lamp-posts

The trouble took some of the gloss off the achievement of Barcelona, who became the first team to win the Champions League, Spanish League and Spanish Cup titles in one season.

Manager Josep Guardiola led the club to glory in his first season in charge, ending a period of three years without a trophy.

O.J. Simpson has appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court to overturn his convictions for armed robbery and kidnapping during a a Las Vegas hotel room confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers.

The appeal arrived Tuesday at the Supreme Court in Carson City.

The former football star, actor and advertising pitchman asks the high court to throw out his conviction on grounds that include judicial misconduct, insufficient evidence, a lack of racial diversity on the jury and errors in sentencing and jury instructions.

The document criticizes the trial judge, Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass, and accuses prosecutors of improperly asking questions about allegations of witness intimidation in front of the jury.

Cumulative error was so egregious and prejudicial that the defense could not get a fair trial, Simpson attorneys Yale Galanter and Malcolm LaVergne wrote in seeking the reversal.

Appeals in Nevada can take more than a year. Supreme Court spokesman Bill Gang said there was no way to know when the justices might rule.

The amount of time it takes depends on the number and complexity of the issues raised, Gang said.

Simpson, 61, maintains that he was trying to retrieve property stolen from him when he and five other men confronted the two sports collectibles peddlers in a Las Vegas casino hotel room in September 2007.

Simpson and a co-defendant were convicted last October and sentenced in December. Simpson got nine to 33 years in state prison. He is housed at a prison in Lovelock, about 90 miles east of Reno.

He was acquitted in 1995 of charges he murdered his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. But he later was held liable for the deaths in a civil court case.

We just got wind that our favorite hip hop couple, Nas and Kelis may be getting back together.

According to mediatakeout.com, an insider says the couple are back on speaking terms.

Heres what theyre saying:

Nas reached out and called [Kelis]. They had a very productive conversation. I wouldnt say that this means that theyre back together, but I would say that this means theres still hope.

Check out photos of Kelis looking happy at an event in NYC

We are besides ourselves right now!!! We hope they can work it out.

Hours after posting a video on the internet that hes not a monster, Chris Brown is being sued by Robert Rosen who claims he was assaulted by Chris bodyguards in March.

According to tmz.com, Robert Rosen is suing Chris and LA Fitness for assault and battery, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and premises liability.

Chris Brown and Rihanna to act out.

The photog claims Chris bodyguards yelled at him so he tried to leave the gym but an L.A. Fitness employee tried to block his escape.

The photog says he then fell down a stairwell, which allowed the bodyguards to catch up with him where they, picked him up by his shorts and physically assaulted him.

The photog claims he was a paying member at the gym and had every right to be on the property.

Apparently this guy tried to sue James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan over a violent incident with the star in Malibu but that case was dismissed.

Looks like someone is trying to get a check.

Rihanna is mad as hell and is about to go in on Chris Brown, who she thinks is responsible for leaking the nude photos.

Chris Brown denies leaking nude photos

Mediatakeout just found out Rihanna is convinced that it was Chris Brown who leaked the nude pics of her to the internet, and shes pissed.

Heres what they found out:

Rihanna was so furious, she was saying crazy things like, Im going to burn down his house! She [also] says shes going to release her own photos of Chris. She has less-than-flattering nude pics of him that she plans on leaking

And more:

[Rihanna also] plans to spread nasty rumors about Chris, 20. One example: that he was a novice between the sheets until she taught him everything he knows.

It gets worse: the mag is also suggesting that Rihanna hacked into Chris email and sent the following message to all his dancers:

This notice is to inform all my dancers that you will no longer be needed. Im sorry this is short notice, but if you havent already realized, my career is over

I think I could build a career as an exotic dancer. Im going broke and I need some income coming in

I just hope you dont see me on Celebrity Rehab or Intervention

SMH!!!!!!!!

From msnbc.com

Prosecutors believe that the Pennsylvania woman who was found with her daughter at Disney World after claiming they were abducted by two black men may have been taking actions due to domestic tensions with her second husband.

Theyre still looking into the motive behind this. We believe it may have to do with some domestic problems she may have been having with her husband, Bucks County (Pa.) district attorney Michelle Henry told TODAYs Natalie Morales Thursday. Henry said the couple may also have been facing financial problems.

Henry said that Bonnie Sweeten, 38, of Feasterville, will be charged with false reports and identity theft, both misdemeanors, and would be extradited from Florida to face the charges. Her 9-year-old daughter, Julia Rakoczy, was being interviewed by investigators and was to return home with her father and Sweetens ex-husband, Anthony Rakoczy.

Click here to read more.

New Single from Monster Twinz - Tambourine

Edit Version: http://www.mediafire.com/?xmoykiiqm0n

Raw Version: http://www.mediafire.com/?zwdmmznekmn

Girls dem must like this

5 Facts About Friday the 13th

If Friday the 13th is unlucky, then 2009 is an unusually unlucky year. This week's Friday the 13th is one of three to endure this year.

The first came last month. The next is in November. Such a rare triple-threat occurs only once every 11 years.

The origin of the link between bad luck and Friday the 13th is murky. The whole thing might date to Biblical times (the 13th guest at the Last Supper betrayed Jesus). By the Middle Ages, both Friday and 13 were considered bearers of bad fortune. In modern times, the superstition permeates society.

Here are five of our favorite Friday-the-13th facts:

1. Fear of Friday the 13th - one of the most popular myths in science - is called paraskavedekatriaphobia as well as friggatriskaidekaphobia. Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13.

2. Many hospitals have no room 13, while some tall buildings skip the 13th floor and some airline terminals omit Gate 13.

3. President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not travel on the 13th day of any month and would never host 13 guests at a meal. Napoleon and President Herbert Hoover were also triskaidekaphobic, with an abnormal fear of the number 13.

4. Mark Twain once was the 13th guest at a dinner party. A friend warned him not to go. "It was bad luck," Twain later told the friend. "They only had food for 12." Superstitious diners in Paris can hire a quatorzieme, or professional 14th guest.

5. The number 13 suffers from its position after 12, according to numerologists who consider the latter to be a complete number - 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, 12 days of Christmas and 12 eggs in a dozen.

Pretty hard to choose topic name, but that one i chose describes it the best.

What im really looking for is someone that lives in trinidad or has access to a family member in trinidad with high speed internet:)

The reason is, there is some chutney music that i really want to get, but i cannot get because i do not know ANYONE in trinidad with highspeed, if they have highspeed, them doesnt like chutney and dont wanna help me out at all.

So if you live in trinidad, or know someone that can help me out, pm me, or reply to this topic (prefer PM, cause i might never see this topic again).

We can discuss money if that is how it must be:)

Respektz and bleSSsings.

Also, dont forget, u will be getting a new friend in return as well that has access to alot of other stuff that some people may find hard to get:).

London went all out for the release of Eminem's huge new release as they set up a make-shift rehab center in the middle of the city as promo for the new album.

What should have been a joyride for six friends from Greater Portmore, St Catherine, on Monday night turned tragic after the vehicle they were travelling in crashed into a utility pole, killing three of the juveniles.

Information reaching is THE STAR is that about 11:45 p.m., a 15-year-old reportedly stole his father's beige Isuzu motor truck from their Greater Portmore home and went for a spin with five friends on-board. The youngsters were travelling eastbound on Port Henderson Road towards Kingston when the vehicle developed difficulties and ran into a utility pole.

Inspector Michael Llewellyn of the St Catherine South Traffic Department said all four passengers who were travelling in the back of the vehicle were thrown from it. Three of them Matthew Brown, 10, Crystal Robinson, 15, and Oshane Salmon, 14, all died on arrival at the Spanish Town Hospital.

The young driver of the vehicle received injuries and was treated and released. Inspector Llewellyn said he is currently in custody and is to be charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance coverage and driving away motor vehicle without the owner's consent.

The officer said that they were also trying to locate the home addresses of the two other occupants of the vehicle who have not been seen since the accident. Speeding was said to be a factor in the tragic accident.

PRIME Minister Bruce Golding again served notice Tuesday night of Government's plans to make mandatory the inclusion of fathers' names on their children's birth certificates.

Golding told a town hall meeting at the Portmore Heart Academy that in the event that the father does not wish to come forward, provision will be made for the mother to name the father, after which the named party will be given time to accept or contest.

"Cabinet has given instruction for the laws to be amended that will require the name of the father to be included on the birth certificate of the child," Golding said to loud applause from Portmore residents.

"If the father does not wish to come forward, we are going to make provision for the mother to name the father, we will then serve a notice on the father to say you have been named, and we will give the father an opportunity to challenge that. And if the named person denies that he is the father, then he is going to be required to submit himself to a DNA test."

Loud applause and whistles followed the prime minister's statement.

One resident wanted to know why it was so difficult for the leadership of the two major parties to work together to solve the nation's troubling crime problem.

READ MORE

Completing assignments, meeting deadlines and partying are supposed to be the major concerns of most university students. But for many attending some of Jamaica's tertiary institutions, issues of security and safety have taken centre stage.

An increase in violent crimes throughout the country has been reflected in the incidence of violent acts, including muggings, sexual assaults and even shootings, being committed on and off the campuses of tertiary institutions.

The situation was dramatised with the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old University of Technology (UTech) student a week ago as she made her way home from a fête on the university's campus, as well as the recent shoot-out involving warring gangs on the campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.

These incidents have signalled the fragile state of students' safety, and have sent the security forces and university administrators urgently in search of answers.

Joseph Pereira, deputy principal of UWI, Mona, says on-campus crime has evolved into a much larger problem than the university community is equipped to deal with and, therefore, he is calling for more police assistance.

The university community, which includes the UWI, UTech and the United Theological College (UTC), has serious concerns about the safety of students when they must venture off campus, particularly as they make their way along Golding Avenue - a stretch of road which leads from Papine Square, past the gate of the University Hospital of the West Indies and down to Elletson Flats, just below UTC.

Better known to students as the 'Gaza Strip', the area has been pinpointed by police for years as a trouble spot. The poorly lit sidewalks, long stretch of fencing and the general location of the area makes it an ideal hideout for criminals, who lurk in bushes waiting for unsuspecting people, often students.

Students regularly mugged

Corporal Zanzie Jones of the Papine police says students are regularly mugged at that location. "It's a very dangerous spot, especially for girls, because the criminals target them the most," he states.

"We often caution students not to walk that stretch during the nights, or ask that they walk in large groups when they must," he adds. Jones says students are often targeted for their laptop computers and other valuables.

The area through the Papine Market, according to the cop, is also a dangerous spot. "If they walk through the Papine Market, it is almost always a sure thing that they are going to get robbed," he warns.

The police and university officials say they have taken numerous steps to increase the safety of Golding Avenue. According to the Papine police, they have increased nightly patrols along the stretch.

But UWI officials say it takes more than a few patrols to correct the problem. "We would appreciate some intervention on a more sophisticated level, meaning using technology for surveillance for a start, and some rapid response from the police," suggests Pereira.

The UWI deputy principal has proposed the installation of CCTV cameras by the police in sections that are regarded as a high-security risk. "It is literally worrying because it is outside of our control, meaning neither UTech nor UWI can really handle this," he notes.

University in mourning

For UTech, the problem has become even more grave. Diondra Morris' death a week ago has sent the entire university community into mourning and has left numerous students in fear.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, officials at UTech say they are pursuing a possible collaborative initiative involving the UWI, UTC, the business community, residents and the police.

Ancelotti is under contract with Milan for a further year but the 49-year-old tactician has been strongly linked with a move to London or Madrid in the summer.

Reports in Italy claim Ancelotti wants Kaka to join him at his next club.

"I am tied to the club, and of course, to the coach," Kaka said. "But I have a contract through 2013 with Milan and not with Carlo Ancelotti.

"Right now my contract speaks clearly and with regards to any transfer news related to me it will be the club that speaks."

Kaka turned down a record-breaking move to Manchester City in January and insists his wish is to remain in Milan despite Real Madrid and Chelsea among the clubs keen to acquire his services.

"Manchester City's offer in January was real," Kaka said. "But if in the future the club decides to evaluate other offers for me, it will be the club to announce it. If now they don't say anything it must be that there are no offers.

"I am happy here. In the future many things can happen, but it's difficult to imagine myself far from Milan.

"As I have said many times, (while) Milan and I have the same aims, there will be no problems."

Dancehall artiste Flippa Mafia aka The King of Flossing had the audience cracking when he lyrical attacked Bounty Killer at the Best of The Best show held on May 24 at Bicentennial Park in Miami, Florida.

When Flippa entered, the stage fans were expecting the usual Champaign spilling performance from the Flossing King. 

Flippa however erased such thought when he decided to poke fun at the Alliance leader Bounty Killer with lines from his song titled Unfinished House produced by Liv-Up on the Good Life Riddim.

"Cause mi vehicle caan dera dan mi house...And mi rims caan dera dan mi couch ...Bounty a hype over unfinished house ...and all now him madda caan lef Water house."

We told you last week that Lauren and Weezy werent happy about the pregnancy initially, but they have accepted it and will raise the baby together, well it seems like theres more baby drama going on between these two.

According to egyptsaidso.com, Lauren is upset she lost her virginity to Wayne and is only keeping the baby because he threatened to out her if she had an abortion. Lauren decided to go ahead with the pregnancy so she would not ruin her reputation and career.

Lauren London pregnant by Lil Wayne

Damn, this some crazy ish right here.

Dancehall artiste, Okefe Aaron, popularly known as Laden, was released from lock-up this morning after posting station bail in the sum of $20,000.

The Junction Police in St Elizabeth arrested the 23 year old artiste last evening for disorderly conduct and using indecent language.

Its alleged that about 6.30 p.m. yesterday, a friend of the artiste was having a conversation with a female student.

A police sergeant reportedly approached the student and enquired why she was still on the streets in uniform at that time of the evening, and ordered her home.

Mr. Aaron, who was nearby, told the student not to leave.

An argument reportedly developed between Mr. Aaron and the policeman during which the artiste is reported to have used expletives.

He is to appear before the Santa Cruz Resident Magistrates Court on June 9.

-- Edited by waw on Thursday 28th of May 2009 06:05:35 PM

The authorities in six German states have ordered retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola energy drinks after traces of cocaine were found in it.

The recall came after a sample analysis conducted in North-Rhine Westphalia found one litre of the drink contained 0.4 micrograms of the banned substance. Officials said the cocaine levels were too low to pose a health threat but were not permitted in foodstuffs.

Red Bull said its cola was "harmless and marketable" in both the United States and European Union. The company said coca leaf extracts were used worldwide as a natural flavoring, and that its own tests had found no traces of cocaine.

The illegal cocaine alkaloid - one of 10 found in coca and representing only 0.8% of the plant's chemical make-up - is chemically removed before use, as mandated by international anti-narcotics agencies.

"There is no scientific basis for this ban on Red Bull Cola because the levels of cocaine found are so small," Fritz Soergel, the head of the Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research in Nuremberg, Bavaria, said.

"And it's not even cocaine itself. According to the tests we carried out, it's a non-active degradation product with no effect on the body. If you start examining lots of other drinks and food so carefully, you'd find a lot of surprising things."

 Arnold Schwarzenegger might be back as the Terminator after all, despite his day job as California governor.

Schwarzenegger confirmed in a Webcast interview that his image might appear in next month's "Terminator: Salvation," the fourth movie in the franchise about a showdown between humanity and machines.

The governor says he made it clear he had no time to shoot new footage but that the filmmakers are playing with technology to insert his image from the earlier "Terminator" movies.

Schwarzenegger says he told director McG he will come to the premiere of the movie, which stars Christian Bale as leader of the human resistance against machine conquerors

Eminem and a very special guest will be appearing on BET 106 & Park today at 6PM EST. I guarantee you will not want to miss it!!!

T.I. entered an Arkansas federal prison on Tuesday to begin a year and a day sentence on a weapon charge.

The rapper made a concert-like entrance to the Forrest City low-security prison - showing up late inside of a black conversion van with tinted windows.

T.I. (real name Clifford J. Harris Jr) was to report at noon, but the deadline passed as guards outside blocked reporters and onlookers from coming near the facility on a rural state highway.

It was not immediately clear if T.I.'s late arrival would affect his plea deal with prosecutors.

Federal prison spokeswoman Linda Thomas said the Atlanta rapper would be known inside by guards as federal prison inmate number 59458019.

Traci Billingsley, another prison spokeswoman, said the prison had no special protection prepared for the rapper. The low-security prison has double-bunked cells and a large fenced exercise yard where inmates in white jumpsuits could be seen on Tuesday morning.

"We treat all our offenders in the same manner," Billingsley said.

 

maximum sentence

T.I., 28, was arrested after trying to buy unregistered machine guns and silencers from undercover federal agents in 2007. That came after the rapper's best friend was killed following a party in Cincinnati in 2006. The rapper has said the bullets that killed his friend were meant for him.

The self-proclaimed 'King of the South', T.I. had faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a US$250,000 fine for each charge in his three-count indictment. However, he reached a plea deal with prosecutors after spending time on house arrest before his sentencing and speaking before community groups and high schools about the dangers of drugs, violence and guns.

 

machine guns

Fans gathered down the road from the prison Tuesday and screamed "we love you, T.I!" when the black van pulled up at the prison. Afterwards, they shouted at TV cameras that "T.I. is the greatest!"

"We're still riding with the king!" yelled Porshe Tiswell, 22, of Forrest City.

Fan Eugene Smith, 24, of Forrest City defended T.I., saying the rapper feared for his life when he purchased the machine guns and silencers from federal agents.

"Somebody set him up, they snitched on him, so it's a whole different thing," Smith said. "We got to live a life, you know what I'm saying. We're out in the street life."

Upon his release, T.I. will be on probation for three years. He also must pay a US$100,000 fine as part of his sentence.

His sixth album, Paper Trail, has sold about two million copies and the rapper earned a Grammy for the song Swagga Like Us that he performed with Jay-Z, Kanye West and Lil Wayne. T.I. wrote the lyrics for the album while awaiting trial.

He performed Sunday in Atlanta and told the crowd "see y'all in 366 days".

With his new single Good Love, dancehall crooner Wayne Marshall has been making new moves in the industry.

Marshall told THE STAR that he has been promoting the track and has been getting good responses to the song.

"Trust me, it a get a good vibration all over. The comments have been 100 per cent good and that is very rare. People have been saying how real it sounds and I appreciate it," he said.

He added that the response to the video, which features his significant other Tami Chynn, has been even better.

"I loved the outcome of the video. I wanted to do something extra instead of the cliché dancing girls, bottles and pretty cars. I know Jamaican people love the little storyline that they can follow," Marshall said about the Scorpio 21-directed video.

"People have been saying that we look cute (Tami Chynn and himself) and that we make a great couple. Everybody say they love the chemistry between us and that it is undoubtable."

 

marriage rumours

In the same breath, he did not confirm or deny a marriage that was rumoured to take place between them later this year. "People just tek dem story and run with it, but it's a good laugh," Marshall said.

Nonetheless, there are other things in the pipeline for Marshall. He will shoot the video for Mama Earth, which is a song about the environment. And his song She Wants To Dance will be part of the medley video for songs on the 'Beast' rhythm.

Marshall is also excited about his album which will be produced by Damian and Stephen Marley. However, some of the tracks will be done by other local producers. There is no release date for the album, but Marshall hopes it will be ready by year end.

He'll also be busy in the coming months with shows in Europe, Canada and the Caribbean.

Rapper Trinas camp is vehemently refuting rumors of any romantic involvement with LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

 

In a written statement released to AllHipHop.com Friday (May 22), Trinas publicist called out popular urban gossip site MediaTakeOut.com for two items published about her client this week that insinuate the Miami rapper was previously romantically involved with Bryant.

 

On Thursday (May 21), the website reported an alleged fight broke out between Trina, who has been dating Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin, and Bryants wife Vanessa at the first game of the Western Conference Final between their mens teams.

 

While there was no physical altercation, the sites sources allege that the two women engaged in a heated war of words.

 

Today, MediaTakeOut.com sited lyrics from one of Trinas songs as the cause of the confrontation.

 

In the song Heated, released in 2004, Trina rapped I was the first b***h Kobe cheated on his wife with.

 

Trina does not know NBA player Kobe Bryant in neither a personal or business manner, her publicist Krystle Coleman told AllHipHop.com. "Please note, the 2004 Trina song entitled 'Heated' was for 'entertainment purposes' ONLY! As [with] other rapper/raptresses in todays society, Trinas rap lyrics are a result of entertainment and a fabricated 'image' and not real life experiences or [subject] matters.

 

Trina is a creative artist and has always used the names of high profile celebs in her songs such as Shaq, D Wade, as well as Kobe, Coleman added. Its entertainment and music, not personal. Any basketball or NBA sports event Trina is seen at, she is there in full support of her boyfriend and for no other reason; especially [not] to engage in fights, arguments or any other vulgar behavior.

 

This is not the first time Trina has been drawn into her boyfriends professional rivalries this season.

 

On May 11, during game 5 of the Nuggets Conference Semi-Finals series against the Dallas Mavericks, Trina was the target of obscenities from an agitated Dallas home crowd which had gone so far as to pour beer on Martins mother.

 

The Lakers and Nuggets are currently tied at one game a piece in their quest for the Western Conference Championship.

 

Game three of the series will be played at 6:30pm on Saturday (May 23) in Denver.

Firefighters and neighbours try to out a fire on Prince of Wales Street in Allman Town, central Kingston, yesterday. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

Just a day before the anniversary of the brazen shooting of seven persons outside a house at 25 Prince of Wales Street, near National Heroes Circle in central Kingston, residents of the area were again in mourning yesterday. This time they were weeping for a three-year-old boy who was burnt to death at the same location.

"Jesus Christ, the little baby dead," screamed a woman, as several residents tried to keep her from falling to the ground.

Firefighters had just emerged from the building with news that the burnt body of the infant had been found.

Source:http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090528/lead/lead2.html

There is no animosity between the Heart of Love record label and dancehall artiste Erup. According to the deejay, all is well following the release of his new single 'My Love' on the label, which is part-owned by Reggae Boyz captain Ricardo 'Bibi' Gardner.

Erup, born Kevin Saunders, had a falling-out with the label, which subsequently led to him starting his own label, Fully Govern/B**** Squad. However, Erup said differences have been resolved.

"Yea man we are still family. It's one family, it's just that there was a little vibes and people take it and make it look different," he said.

The deejay, who promised to take the summer by storm, further added: "Right now me have a mad track on the Heart of Love label called My Love and it actually a buss big right now."

It appeared Erup 'clicked' on the silent button following his hit single Click Mi Fingers in late 2007. He had caught everyone's attention with his breakthrough song Gal A Run Dem Head earlier that same year, but left his fans wondering of his whereabouts when subsequent recordings were few and far in-between.

 

mislead the public

However, in a telephone interview with THE STAR, the deejay sought to assure fans he hasn't fallen off the radar and should expect an eruption on his return.

"I don't go anywhere. I am just chilling because I am not going to sing anything to mislead the public. Erup is one of those artistes who is here to build the music.

"When you say Erup you talking about the volcano, most times it seems quiet but inside a lot of things is happening. People might think say nothing is going on but we a work to capture both international and local market," he said.

Erup also envisions he will be back in the spotlight very soon with his other new single Drop Dung getting favourable responses from the public. He said it's flattering, though not surprising.

"Drop Dung? Everybody is going for that song because it speaks reality. I know it's going to be a hit and I also know that there are going to be people with good and bad comments. They say seven minds seven different opinions, but I am really appreciative of everything," he added.

Certainly, Erup has the makings of a leading dancehall act and he believes this year will be a defining one for him.

"From age 13 I believed that I was going to be a star. Not even just in music but in movies also. I was involved in so many activities, but music is a love for me. I am just working hard right now to improve myself and definitely give God thanks," he added.

Shelly-Ann Fraser, the Beijing Olympics women's 100m champion, has pulled out of this weekend's Reebok Grand Prixin New York City.

Bruce James, president of Fraser's MVP Track Club, yesterday confirmed that the athlete, who has started the 2009 season slowly following surgery to remove her appendix, will forgo participating in the event in an attempt improve her current form.

"We are just trying to make sure she is ready before she races again," explained James.

In her lone 100m outing, Fraser was relegated to third (11.15) at the JamaicaInternational Invitational on May 2, and then recorded a time of 23.44 for second in the 200m, behind Rosemarie White at the UTech Classic on April 18. Fraser also looked less than her best when she anchored Jamaica to second behind the United States at the Penn Relays on April 25.

 

shocked the world

The athlete, who shocked the world with a time of 10.78 seconds, a lifetime best, which gave her the Olympic 100m crown, had been expected to run the women's 200m at the Reebok meet.

Fraser would have lined up alongside Americans Shalonda Solomon, who set an indoor American record at 300 metres in February, and Bianca Knight, winner of the NCAA Indoor Championships at 200 metres in 2008.

However, Fraser's coach Stephen Francis, while admitting the surgery was a setback, believes the athlete has been recovering well.

"The appendix (operation) was a big setback, because she was looking very good," Francis said.

"She was even running, for her, some good 400m times," he added.

"I think she is coming back to where she was before and I think towards the end of July, August, she will be better than last year, because she certainly has trained a lot harder," Francis said.

Residents and family members wept openly on Prince of Wales Street and other sections of Allman Town, central Kingston, last night, after fire claimed the life of three-year-old Desaun James in the community.

Reports are that the fire started at 25 Prince of Wales Street some time after 6 p.m. and razed the 10-apartment tenement structure, displacing some 16 children and 20 adults.

Superintendent Lansford Williams of the Kingston and St Andrew Fire Department said they received the call at 6:30 p.m. and responded with five units from the York Park, Rollington Town and Trench Town fire stations.

The fire chief confirmed the death of the youngster, stating that his body was discovered among the rubble after the blaze was extinguished.

An attempt to speak with the mother of the deceased was unsuccessful. The only comments she made was that the child was her "baby", while hugging two other children who cried that they wanted their brother back.

One resident said that the situation could have been worse as an 11-year-old boy who she knew as a brother of Desaun wanted to rescue the child from the burning house.

"When him hear dat the fire a gwaan him run come ya an a bawl out 'mi bredda in deh a dead, mi bredda in deh a dead'," the woman said. "Mi affi hol him tight an bring across the street cuz mi neva waan him run go in there and go burn up to."

Other residents looked on in dismay, questioning if the little boy was crying for help and whether anyone heard or even tried to rescue him from the ordeal.

Superintendent Williams said the cause of the fire is unknown. however, speculations on the ground are that the deceased may have been playing with matches, a claim that is yet to be verified. He said that loss is estimated at $3.5 million. The property was not insured.

COOPERS PEN, Trelawny - Rank-and-file cops who had threatened to take the Government to court over the vexed issue of the public sector wage freeze were yesterday invited back to the bargaining table.

Security Minister Senator Dwight Nelson yesterday made the announcement when he addressed the 66th Annual Conference of the Jamaica Police Federation being held at the Starfish Hotel here.

".The federation is going to get back around the table to continue the discussions with Government; Government is prepared, Government is ready at this stage to continue dialogue and discussions with the federation until an agreement is arrived at," Nelson told the policemen and women who had gone into their conference determined to fight the administration for freezing their wages after an agreement last September for a seven per cent wage hike.

Government announced the public sector wage freeze at the end of March, saying that it was unable to find the money in the face of the recession and falling revenues.

"You won't get an agreement if you stand on one side of the road and Government stand on the other side of the road. Both of you have to begin to cross the road until you arrive at a common position with each other," said Nelson, a trade unionist.

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A Special Sergeant appeared before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday in relation to corruption charges.

Gilbert Richards was charged with breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act and was granted $150,000 bail.

It is alleged that on March 18, the police officer made an arrangement with the owner of a Toyota Coaster to release his vehicle that was at the police station for a sum of money. It is alleged that the accused told the bus owner that if he brought the money, he could prevent him from going to court.

It is said that the man who owns the vehicle went to the police station with the money but did not see Richards, so he gave it to another police officer to give it to the accused.

A sting operation was set up and the sum of $5,000 was found in a room in which Richards was located. This sum of money was identified as that which was given to the accused by the bus owner. Richards was arrested and charged.

According to Richards' lawyer, the accused denied the allegation against him. He added that his client has an unblemished police record and has been a part of the police force for 26 years.

Richards will return to court on July 27 for trial.

JUSTICE Minister Dorothy Lightbourne yesterday launched a pilot of the Government's much-touted Restorative and Community Justice programme which will be rolled out in four of the island's violent-prone communities.

The areas identified are Spanish Town in St Catherine; May Pen, Clarendon; Tower Hill in St Andrew; and Granville, St James.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne share a light moment on their arrival at the justice ministry's third International Conference on Restorative and Community Justice at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston yesterday. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

"I wish at this time to highlight that we are going to have four pilot projects and [they] are going to be concentrated in four hurting communities," Lightbourne announced during yesterday's launch of the Justice Ministry's third International Conference on Restorative and Community Justice at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston. The conference ends today.

The programme, which over time is expected to result in less cases of non-fatal offences going to the island's courts, is expected to be launched islandwide within the next four years. Approximately 345,000 cases were last year listed before the resident magistrate's courts, the majority of which were criminal in nature.

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A corrupt motor vehicle licensing regime involving fraudulent insurance certificates, some for companies that do not exist, as well as the removal of certificates for registered vehicles were among a myriad of flaws at the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) exposed at yesterday's meeting of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.

The meeting was told that cashiers 'created' insurance companies after modifying information in the computer system, and while that loophole has since been closed, the technical unit of the IRD was able to do the same.

"The report states that 211 vehicles had insurance company names that did not appear to be legitimate insurance companies," Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis told the PAC.

Monroe Ellis said the audit investigation showed that 78 vehicles registered between January 1, 2006 to April 1, 2008 bore no evidence of being insured.

"Investigation revealed that there were 183 duplicated policy numbers with the same insurance company for different owners and different vehicles," Monroe Ellis said.

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A man who allegedly stole four goats at Mount Pleasant, Porus, Manchester, was chopped to death by residents in the community yesterday.

Dead is Donovan Robinson, 41, of Mike Town district, Manchester.

Reports from the CCN's liaison officer for Manchester are that about 5:10 a.m., Robinson and two other men drove into the community and stole the goats. Residents heard of the incident and intercepted the vehicle. They were fired at by two of the men who escaped in bushes.

Robinson in a bid to escape, crashed the vehicle and was held and chopped to death. The police were called and on their arrival his body was seen on the roadway. The burnt vehicle was seen some distance away. The body was removed to the morgue.

Two Jamaicans, alleged members of the notorious drug ring known on the streets as the Shower Posse, have been extradited to the United States to face multiple drug charges.

The extraditions, which occurred in mid-afternoon almost a week ago, was not publicised by local authorities.

Tonya Brown, 36, and David Stewart, 34, who US officials believed were members of the infamous drug ring, were extradited to the United States on May 22 to face charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, crack.

Narcotics breaches

The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) confirmed the extradition.

"Both were wanted in the US for narcotics breaches," said Sergeant Janet Williams-Richards from the CCN.

While the police have heard the allegations, it could not confirm if Brown and Stewart were Shower Posse members.

"From March 2003 to May 2007, Brown and Stewart, her boyfriend and co-defendant, were a part of a Jamaican drug organisation in Utica, New York, which sold crack cocaine," said Williams-Richards.

Source:http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090528/lead/lead3.html

Former Scotiabank boss William 'Bill' Clarke is to remain in the company house and keep two company cars until his appeal against a Supreme Court ruling has been heard and determined.

Clarke's appeal, which was set for hearing this week, was put off yesterday to June 29.

The Court of Appeal, in granting an adjournment, granted a stay of the Supreme Court ruling.

Supreme Court Judge Horace Marsh had turned down Clarke's application to remain in the house and keep the cars assigned to him until the dispute with the bank over his retirement package has been settled.

Appealing retirement plan

Clarke is also appealing against Justice Marsh's ruling on March 19, that there was no agreement for his retirement package to go to arbitration if it could not be settled. The bank is contending that there was no agreement for arbitration.

When Clarke's appeal came for hearing on Monday, attorneys-at-law Dr Lloyd Barnett and Keith Bishop raised a legal issue, that there was a critical change in Justice Marsh's judgment.

SOURCE: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090528/lead/lead4.html

Cost awarded to Abe Dabdoub (above) after successful challenge of Daryl Vaz's eligibility as member of parliament for West Portland. - File

LESS THAN a month after Abe Dabdoub went to court to have government minister Michael Stern declared bankrupt, another Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) member, Daryl Vaz, has been served with a $49.1 million cost claim.

The claim arises out of the fees which were said to have been incurred in his successful challenge to get Vaz disqualified as member of parliament for West Portland.

The Petitioner's Bill of Cost was filed last Thursday, May 21, in the Supreme Court by Gayle Nelson, lead attorney for Dabdoub in the Dabdoub vs Vaz case.

Vaz, who is minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, told The Gleaner yesterday that the claim appears unreasonable.

SOURCE: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090528/lead/lead1.html

Dancehall artiste, Spice, was undeniably one of the top performers at this year's Best of the Best concert in Miami on Sunday.

The concert, which gets an annual attendance of more than 45,000 and is said to rival events staged on the Super Bowl weekend in the United States, has been a successful launching pad for the international success of many dancehall and reggae acts over the years.

 

tick-tock split

It's Spice's turn. Spice, real name Grace Hamilton, opened her set with a hit from her early career, Fight Ova Man. During the performance, she surprised the audience with something that can only be described as a 'tick-tock split' - the audience roared with excitement.

She then moved into other songs, including Grab Up and Virginity Story on the 85 rhythm. The latter attracted a lot of attention and here's why. During her 'story', Spice had one foot firmly planted on the ground while the other was hoisted in the air at a perfect 180 degree angle. The crowd cheered relentlessly.

But it was the segment where she performed Daggerer that stamped her as one of the main acts for the night in the minds of those who knew her and those who were seeing her live for the first time. While on stage, Spice noticed a male patron in the audience wining; she had to call him on stage.

"Yuh can dagger?" She asked. With tightened muscles and a big grin, he replied, "Of course." She leaned against him and instructed him to "spin her like a satellite dish". The audience roared uncontrollably.

"Though the entire segment was great, I really enjoyed that part of the performance, because I got the crowd interacting with me and that's what entertainment is about," Spice laughed.

She ended her set with Quint It Pon Di Left and Rampin' Shop. As expected, the crowd didn't get their fill of this 'Caribbean spice'. She was called back to the stage for an encore, where she did a version of Celine Dion's I Am Your Lady. "I put my own twist to it. People loved it. It was great," she said.

STAR of the Month, Jah Vinci thought the questions in the five-minute conversation were some of the funniest he had ever heard. Although he laughed through most of the questions and answers, Jah Vinci seemed to enjoy himself and gave some interesting responses.

STAR: What was the last thing you read?

 

Jah Vinci: THE STAR yesterday bout Jah Vinci.

 

STAR: What is the first thing you do when you get up?

 

Jah Vinci: Go inna di bathroom and brush mi teeth and wash mi face.

 

STAR: If you were the last man on earth, who would be the last woman?

 

Jah Vinci: That question weird eeh man, but I would say my daughter or my mother.

 

STAR: What is the weirdest thing about your personality?

 

Jah Vinci: Mi love laugh but mi can be very serious at times.

 

STAR: Which superhero would you be and why?

 

Jah Vinci: Superman 'cause him come wid whole heap a features; x-ray vision and him can help whole heap a people.

 

STAR: If a genie could grant you three wishes, what would they be?

 

Jah Vinci: Fi see my brother again. He died from in on my birthday. Mi wish him neva dead and mi wish him did deh ya fi see mi daughter. So those were three wishes about my brother.

 

STAR: Which animal would you be and why?

 

Jah Vinci: Mi wouldn't waan be no animal. I'm glad I'm a human being.

 

STAR: What type of woman is the perfect woman for you?

 

Jah Vinci: Somebody weh trustworthy, genuine, show unconditional love, somebody weh respect me, somebody weh want Andre (Jah Vinci's birth name) and not Jah Vinci.

Although the weekly party, Girls Gone Wild Tuesdays is being advertised, the event will have to undergo a name change, as dancehall artiste Assassin is no longer a part of the weekly venture.

Flyers were being distributed with the name Girls Gone Wild Tuesdays but when THE STAR spoke with Assassin's brother and manager, Gareth Campbell, he said Assassin opted not to be part of the event, which will run from June 2 to 28 this year.

"The promoter of Weekenz, who is putting on the event, will have to change the name of the event because Assassin has nothing to do with it. They wanted us to come on board, but we opted not to. We are actually in the planning stages of putting on our own show in late summer," Campbell said, noting that they will be doing one stage show instead of a weekly event.

 

agreed

Last year, Campbell said he was contacted by Weekenz to do a weekly show that would be called Sexy Tuesdays. He said they agreed to do the show if it was called Girls Gone Wild Tuesdays instead.

The event was launched on May 6 and was held on Tuesdays until late summer at the Constant Spring Road venue. During its time, it attracted numerous patrons, including artistes who went to show their support.

"The event ran its course and it ended because of problems with the police," Campbell told THE STAR.

Although he is aware that posters were printed, Campbell said he contacted the promoter who willingly agreed to change the name.

"We are going to change the name 'cause we thought Assassin was coming back on board," said the manager of Weekenz, Winston Watkiss.

"We can't go along with the same name because Assassin is no longer on board. We are still flirting with a few other names, but we are definitely going to change the name by the end of this week

As the summer looms near, the party season has began to pick up pace with a number of long anticipated events - some persons already outlining their specific outfits for each occasion. But will everyone be able to afford the non-stop partying with the recent economic difficulties facing the country?

With the popular series May Daze jump-starting the partying season, and Extatic Fridays close on its heels, the relaunch of the weekly Blitz Tuesdays, Girls Gone Wild and the regular weekly events after a brief lag of big events to attend, the summer is back with a bang.

Annual events such as Bar Code, Summer Barage, Osmosis, Twisted Spiritz, Absynthe, Juicy, Summer Musique, Oscar's Guest List, Rum Punch, French Connection, Solstice and others are just a few of the high- profile parties being staged for the summer.

This doesn't exclude events such as stage shows like Reggae Sumfest, Fully Loaded, and the Negril weekend battle between ATI and Negril Dream Weekend. On average, ticket prices range from $1,500 up, not including clothes and sometimes drink and food money.

For some partygoers, this summer party season is going to be one for careful deliberation as to what to go and what not to go.

 

begging tickets

Sarah* says she is already trying to decide which parties to budget for, telling THE STAR, "I have to be asking my friends from now where they are planning to go and making plans as to what we're going to attend. Times are really hard and I have to be begging tickets. If I don't get a free ticket or free entry for women, I don't go. Money for tickets and then money to go buy clothes, it's too much. If you go weekly, you can't always be wearing the same thing and with Facebook, everyone knows what you wore where."

Another party regular commented, "People caan manage to go out every week, they have to be selective wid it and it's going to show this summer with the signature parties that people know are good events getting the most people and probably the new parties that are making a name for themselves will have a hard time."

For André, he believes people are not going out less but may opt to go to a bar or a movie, or lyme rather than a party to break the monotony. He said, "Something like ATI is a given - you have to go, you have to find the money 'cause if you're in Kingston, people are going to be calling you, telling about the party and you're gonna feel left out."

Over the Last four weeks, Appleton May Daze has captured the hearts of partygoers, and have taken over the Friday night crowd in New Kingston.

The event, with a new, creative theme each week, dared patrons to be bold on the penultimate staging - a night dubbed 'May Hem', with colours being the order of the night.

Ravers, especially the females, donned outrageously designed rainbow colour outfits with hairstyles to match.

The weather was perfect, to the satisfaction of the promoters and patrons alike, who had their fingers crossed, hoping the rain would stay away.

With the venue looking like a box filled with walking crayons, the cameras flickered through the night. One patron, Deana Rae-Clayton, won $20,000 after being judged the most colourful female.

Dressed in a purple top, blue shorts and yellow caution tape crossing to form an X, multicoloured shoelaces and matching socks, she got the winning edge over her rival, Sasha Richards.

The night was a fun-filled one enjoyed by all present - the sweat protruding from the backs of patrons, the dust on the shoes and the look on their faces painted a picture of enjoyment.

So with that out of the way, it was back to the party but only for a moment, as the 'peace officers' found their way to the selectors' booth.

Although a few patrons thought the fun had ended and made their way to the exit, the party continued with the selectors choosing to turn the music down.

Songs like Mavado's Nuh Believe Yuh and Aidonia's Hundred Stab entertained those still inside the venue.

With the last Friday for the month fast approaching and a growing crowd each week, one is left to wonder what the final week will bring, as this week promises to be like no other. What do the promoters have in mind? You will just have to come out and see.

Before their clash with recorded music started at Jack Sprat, Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth, on Saturday night, both poet Mutabaruka and novelist Colin Channer made it clear that they wanted the audience to have fun.

They also showed respect for each other, but they went for their tunes to win over the crowd, notably in the tune for tune section, embracing in the spirit of friendly competition at the end of a clash which closed day two of the 2009 Calabash International Literary Festival.

After the first of two rounds where each played a set of songs, it looked like Channer (who consistently tagged himself the underdog) would be getting a sound whopping. In the end of the tune for tune, in which he pulled a few telling tunes, if he was beaten, it was not by much.

A few rough transitions and abrupt changes in tempo made it clear that the two are not professional selectors (Mutabaruka the one who plays much more regularly), although for the most part, they kept a reasonably smooth flow.

Channer used the microphone to good advantage as he started off, appealing to those "who remember when 50 cent was paper" and dropping Michigan and Smiley's Nice Up The Dance and following with Willie Williams' Armageddon, which he restarted as a "big tune".

 

first round

He soon went disco, which was really 'Good Times' for the ladies. The extended disco run led into the soul of Let's Get It On and Reasons, which were appreciated - Al Green bringing Love and Happiness before Channer closed strong with rockers, dropping Uptown Top Ranking and How Could I Live, to have the entire audience moving.

Mutabaruka came out smoking in his first round, active on stage, as he urged on a crowd excited by Greetings, Under Pressure and Wanga Gut to even more excitement. Shabba's Trailer Load, Barrington Levy's Broader Than Broadway and D Brown's Revolution kept the tempo going, Marley's Natural Mystic was a singalong.

It was Channer's turn to explode from the blocks, as he went for the Sleng Teng rhythm to start in fine style, Sister Nancy's Bam Bam one of the bigger draws of the night. From Pinchers' Agony through Junior Byles' Fade Away, Channer was in fine mettle, Sattamassagana and Ba Ba Boom other tunes that hit the audience painlessly.

After having the audience jigging with Murder She Wrote, Mutabaruka's second round was loaded with huge Jamaican tunes mainly from earlier years. From Dawn Penn's No No No (You Don't Love Me) through Zion Gates, Burning Spear's Marcus Garvey and Fredlocks' Black Starliner. Junior Murvin's Police and Thieves, Culture's Two Sevens Clash, and Shaggy's version of Oh Carolina, closed a very strong round, in which he still had the edge over Channer.

 

elder status

And as the tune for tune started, it seemed that Mutabaruka was warming up to really dismantle Channer, underscoring his elder status with Bunny Wailer's Ram Dancehall ("I've been ruling dancehall ever since you were a child/so don't come try dictate to I about dancehall style").

But Channer rose to the occasion with appropriate speech and tune, saying "de Rastaman talk bout dem come in peace, but nobody no love war like dem," and dropped Michael Palmer's Dem a Lick Shot to a big forward.

 

seized the moment

A laughing Mutabaruka said "a now it a get bitter", saying that he had been asked to play, then dropping Maaga Dog, first the earlier and then the more popular version. The earlier version slowed up the impact and Channer seized the moment, saying that he was in full black that night for a reason and playing Barrington Levy's Murderer to have the crowd howling. As Muta searched his playlist, Channer commented, "him a look inna him crystal ball."

"Him inna him wizard robe fe work science," Channer said. "Stop search!" Muta replied "stop shake up de place". There was laughter all around.

And the clash continued, Mutabaruka drawing Hypocrites on Channer, who replied with Delroy Willson singing "they trying to conquer me".

One of Mutabaruka's strongest moments came when he played Time Will Tell (with the first line "Jah would never give the power to a baldhead"), the crowd continuing to sing even after he stopped the song. Channer's Cuss Cuss response fell flat.

After Mutabaruka played Duppy Conqueror, Channer said "Morgan Heritage say you don't have to be dread to be Rasta", but was immediately diverted from that path by a few vociferous Rastafarians in the now significantly reduced audience. But they liked his musical response, Culture's Conqueror.

A good exchange was Mutabaruka's Small Axe to Channer's Bad Card, but from there, the clash faded after Mutabaruka played Sitting and Watching and Channer dropped Tosh's Burial, both to OK but not really enthusiastic response.

They worked their way to the end, Channer playing Tribal War for his last song and Mutabaruka closing off the clash with Everton Blender's Lift Up Your Head.

The two embraced and held clenched hands high as Calabash's second day ended at 3:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Dear Dr. Flex,My boyfriend who I have been with for over a year, just confessed that he had a brief affair with an old flame a few months ago. He promised me he would never do it again, and begged me to take him back. We have been having a lot of problems lately, but I really love him. Would I be stupid to give him another chance? D.B., St. Catherine Dear D.B., Give the man credit for being honest with you. At least he feels remorse, knows what he did was wrong, and doesnt want to lose you. You said it yourself that you have been having problems lately, so you know that the affair is just a reflection of underlying issues you can no longer ignore.   You wouldnt be stupid to give your boyfriend another chance. An affair doesnt have to signify the end of a relationship. In fact, in some cases, if both partners are willing to work hard, an affair can bring problems that were lurking in the depths of the relationship up to the surface for the purpose of healing. Since your relationship is relatively new, its likely that you are both still settling into your commitment to one another, or at least he is.   It sounds like your boyfriend may be having some difficulty letting go completely of his former lover. If he is sincere, and you feel he is worth it, and you can let go of what happened (not easy!) it is possible that you could both use this crisis to stop, evaluate the relationship, and go forward differently.   His saying Im sorry isnt enough. Just because he is not cheating on you anymore doesnt mean the problem has disappeared, it hasnt. It is still there but it is in remission. Dont delude yourself into believing the coast is clear now that hes apparently being faithful again. If this man really loves you and truly doesnt want to lose you, he will thank his lucky stars that you are willing to give him another chance.

1. Your left lung is smaller than your right lung to make room for your heart.

2. The verb cleave is the only English word with two synonyms which are antonyms of each other: adhere and separate.

3. When you blush, the lining of your stomach also turns red.

4. When hippos are upset, their sweat turns red.

5. The first Harley Davidson motorcycle was built in 1903, and used a tomato can for a carburetor.

6. The lion that roars in the MGM logo is named Volney.

7. Google is actually the common name for a number with a million zeros.

8. Switching letters is called spoonerism. For example, saying jag of Flapan, instead of flag of Japan.

9. It cost 7 million dollars to build the Titanic and 200 million to make a film about it.

10. The attachment of the human skin to muscles is what causes dimples.

11. There are 1,792 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

After his drunken grind made the rounds yesterday, Pretty Rickys Spectacular came forward to defend his masculinity on a radio show.

Listen and tell us what you think:

Pretty Ricky member Spectacular mustve been drunk as hell to put himself out there like this. Dude was shaking his a** like a two-dollar stripper at a bachelor party.

Click here to watch.

Can you make a stripper a housewife?

My first orgy.

A burglar apologised for interrupting his victim's sleep and said he had got the 'wrong house,' according to police.

The householder, an 82-year-old man, was disturbed at 4am when the intruder entered his bedroom in Middle Way, Summertown, Oxfordshire.

THE 15-year-old driver who crashed his father's pick-up into a utility pole, killing three of his friends during a late night joyride on Monday, was given bail in the sum of $300,000 when he appeared in the St Catherine Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Police said the 15-year-old boy was charged with three counts of death by dangerous driving; driving away a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, and driving without a driver's licence and insurance coverage.

He is to reappear in court on June 4.

Fourteen-year-old Oshane Salmon; Crystal Robinson, 15; and her brother Matthew Brown, 10, were all thrown from the bed of the pick-up truck to their deaths when the vehicle developed a skid and crashed into the utility pole on the Port Henderson main road in Portmore, St Catherine.

The youngsters were all from the 3 East community in Greater Portmore.

Police said yesterday that the youngster's father had given a written statement stating that he had not given his son permission to drive the vehicle.