Grammy award winning Barbadian singer Rihanna celebrated her 20th birthday with much fanfare and a cupcake fight.

The 'Umbrella' singer turned 20 on Wednesday and partied with friends including International Rap sensation Kanye West and actor Wilmer Valderrama at Los Angeles' Les Deux nightclub when the food fight began.

Chris Brown, who is rumored to be dating Rihanna, was later given a standing ovation after he sang her an acapella version of 'Happy Birthday'.

Brown insists he and Rihanna are just friends, but onlookers at the exclusive club said the pair cuddled and they looked very cozy. The couple attended the Grammys together last weekend and stocked up on goody bags.

Rihanna picked up Balenciaga sunglasses, while Brown, 18, took home two pairs of Marc Jacobs sunglasses in red and blue.

When they realized they might be photographed together, Chris insisted they should leave.

A source close to the couple at the time said, "Chris was telling her they needed to go, and in seconds they were gone."

Erup is the king of the HYPE TV charts this week with his ultra-cool single, 'Click My Finger' which dethroned her royalness, Queen Ifrica's Daddy.

Bugle 'journeys' to number 10, up four places from the number six position, while Harry Toddler continues to blaze up the charts and is now seeking to break into the top ten. Hot new acts Brick & Lace continue to do well with Love Is Wicked at the #9 spot while Courtney Melody's revival continues unabated like a hard Summer rain with his Smith Mansion/Reggae Vibes hit, Just Like The Rain.

On the Jamaica Music Countdown charts, Busy Signal's 'Pon Di Edge' grips the number one spot for a second straight week while Queen Ifrica's 'Mi Nah Rub' controls the reggae chart pole position for the second straight week as well. Harry Toddler continues his good showing with Don't Run In' staying firm at #4, awaiting a chance to run in to the number one spot.

On the RE charts, Erup's Click My Finger remains at number one for the fifth straight week while Vybz Kartel's Empire Army inches up to the number two position. Busy Signal's 'Unknown Number' also makes its debut on the charts at #20 while Harry Toddler's cracks the top ten for the first time in five years with 'Don't Run In'.

On the RE reggae charts, Queen Ifrica's 'Daddy' remains at number one again, tallying up a stunning eight week long reign atop the charts. All hail the queen.

Bunny Wailer & King Yellow Man To Perform In Negril

Negril will come alive on Monday the 25th of February as Negril based promoter Kenneth Darling aka Money Cologne presents another installment of his annual birthday bash.

Slated to unfold at Bourbon Beach on the Negril beach strip, this event will feature headliners, the Legendary Bunny Wailer along with one of the biggest dancehall artists of all times, King Yellow Man.

Several talented new acts will appear on the lineup such as the very
promising Timmi Burrell, Vengeance, Sining Hana, Yendah, Whisky Baggio & Swallo. Backing Bands for the event will be the Solomonic Reggaestra and the Indika Band with MC Barry G.

Jamaica Tourist Board, Mr. Natural & Zojak Worldwide are the proud
sponsors of the event. sell offfffffffffff

Yaad Suss

Junior Reid before the court for child maintenance

First, Junior was accused of not settling his debt with someone he did business with...now the latest drama surrounding the 'One *la*hd' singer is that he is before the court for child maintenance.

Well, to be fair to the singer he was giving the mother of four 'something' but the amount was way below what it took to adequately take care of so many children.

The case will be called up at the Supreme Court today where the judge is expected to settle on an amount that will see the children being properly taken care of.

Hmm makes you wonder which other entertainer out there that is in this very same boat...

Come on man, don't let the baby mothers have to be taking you to court to stand up to your responsibilities...it's a New Year...do better than that!

TW LW WC TITLE/ARTISTE/LABEL

01 1 10 Pon Di Edge-Busy Signal-Star Kutt (2wks@#1) NM
02 2 10 Click My Finger-Erup-Truck Back(3wks@#1) NM
03 3 9 Doh-Serani feat Bugle-Daseca NM
04 4 10 Don't Run In -Harry Toddler-Truck Back NM
05 6 11 Shoot Out-Mykal Rose-John John U-1
06 7 7 Nuff Love/Buddy Buddy-Charly Black-M/Bass Production U-1
07 9 10 Duppy Know Who Fi Frighten-Demarco-John John U-2
08 10 5 Bembe-Voicemail-Big Ship U-2
09 5 19 Pick It Up & Drop It-Sean Paul-Birchill Records(2wks@#1) D-4
10 8 24 Nah Go A Jail-Busy Signal-Jam 2(4wks@#1) D-2
11 15 3 Journey - Bugle - Daseca U-4
12 11 22 Tell Dem Don't Follow-Buju Banton-Heart of Love(pp#3)D-1
13 12 14 Dandy Shandy - Macka Diamond-Birch Hill (pp#5) D-1
14 13 16 Empire Army- Vybz Kartel-Big Ship(pp#6) D-1
15 14 19 Everybody Dance-RDX -Apt 19 (2wks@#1) D-1
16 16 11 Dreaming of You-Beenie Man & Alaine-Sleepy Splu(pp#10) NM
17 17 23 Dem A Sissy-Assassin-Don Corleon(pp#3) NM
18 - New Unknown Number-Busy Signal-Juke Boxx
19 18 10 Mama Cry-Beenie Man-357 Records(pp#12) D-1
20 - New Touch Di Road-Mavado-Foota Hype

Kanye West booed in Australia

Uh Uh, Kanye West was a big flop at a concert in Australia. According to mediatakeout.com readers from that part of the world reported on his performance on February 18.

Check out the report:

If you want to know how Kanye West's concert went in Perth, Western Australia at the music festival "Good Vibrations", it was crap. He is getting the worst reviews.

He just sort of came out and did his thing, there was no feeling about it. I think there was also something wrong with the sound because it was hell quiet and you could hardly hear him over the music.

People in the crowd were booing and leaving and paying no attention and hell bagging him out. Cypress Hill played before him...they were awesome. I'm a huge fan of Kanye but I was so disappointed.

He had an amazing stage set up and light show, but it meant nothing. On the radio here this morning it's all about how disappointed everyone is, and people are ringing in etc.

Oh boy, poor Kanye, they coulda show him some love from down under man.

Jennifer Lopez gave birth to twins

Jennifer Lopez gave birth to twins early this morning, making the singer and husband Marc Anthony the proud parents of a boy and a girl after one of pop music's most closely watched pregnancies, People magazine reported.

Lopez' manager, Simon Fields said the musical couple's babies were born at 12:45 a.m. Friday on New York's Long Island, the magazine's Web site reported. The location was not identified.  no wander i have not seen her since doing music

Spice Girls for Mandela birthday gig?

Organisers of Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebrations have started negotiations with the Spice Girls to play one final gig in his honour, this according to Digital Spy.

The girl band recently cut short their reunion world tour, and Posh Spice Victoria Beckham said earlier this month that she was finished with the music industry.

However, officials believe the girls may be tempted to perform together one final time in tribute to the former president of South Africa.

A source told The Mirror: "Nelson is desperate for them to perform one last time - and he's confident it will happen.

"He first met the Spices in 1997 and called them his 'heroes', so he has deep admiration for them."

Other stars rumoured to be playing the concert include Jay-Z, Robbie Williams, The Rolling Stones and Rihanna.

The event takes place in London's Hyde Park in June.

 

Guilty!

Miguel Collins popularly known as Sizzla appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Thursday to answer to a marijuana possession charge.

According to reports on January 4, Collins was driving a BMW motorcar, which he parked at 121 Windward Road. The vehicle was searched and a
transparent plastic parcel with vegetable matter resembling marijuana was found under a floor mat in front of the driver's seat. He was arrested and charged.

Christopher Townsend Collins Lawyer begged RM Glen Brown to keep the DJs record free. He implored that a tarnished record would blight

He told the court that a tarnished police record could affect the entertainer's chances of being able to perform in countries like The Cayman Islands and certain states in America, where work permits are only offered to individuals with clean police records. No heed was paid to his plea and the artiste was ordered by the RM to have his fingerprints taken and fined a puny $100.

Sean Kingston proves that how you start out in life doesn't always determine where you end up. Just a few years ago, Kingston was homeless with just a dream of making it big in the music industry. Today, the Miami-born, Jamaican-bred Kingston has one of the hottest songs of the summer, "Beautiful Girls."

But Kingston is not content with appearing in front of the microphone. He says he also writes all of his own music. Kingston sat down with The Associated Press to speak about his newfound fame, family and why his music is profanity-free.
 

AP: What inspired "Beautiful Girls"?

Kingston: I was dating this girl for two years and she ended up cheating on me with one of my best friends, like a real close best friend. ... Basically in the story of the track I am talking to her.

AP: So, with the success of the song, should you thank her?

Kingston: I really don't want to thank her personally because she really dogged me, but if happens to be that, shouts out Ashley. She knows what it is.
 

AP: How did you get your record deal?

Kingston: For those who don't know, I got my deal off MySpace.com. I wrote to J.R. Rotem. He is big producer. He's done a lot of stuff for Rihanna, 50 Cent, Britney Spears and etc. ... I saw his MySpace (page). I thought, "Yo, this guy is really talented I want to work with him." What I did was hit him up on his e-mail like, "Yo please take time out to listen to my music. I'm in a struggle right now. I'm in a bad situation. Music is my life. Just give me a chance." Once I sent him that message he didn't reply back. I kept on sending the messages. I kept on hitting him back like eight times a day. He eventually replied back like, "Yo, I want to hear more music."
 

AP: You seem to have gone through so much at a young age. Tell me about the hardships you have had to overcome.

Kingston: Those who don't know, my mom, she got taken away from me when I was 14 years old. She is incarcerated. My sister was incarcerated. I was homeless. When my mom went away when I was 14. ... I was forced to live with my aunt. My aunt, she doesn't like rap music. She thinks rap music is the devil's music. Basically she said, "Yo, if you are going to do music you can't do it in my house." ... I breathe, I sleep, I eat music. Music is what I wanted to do. When she told me that I was left in a weird situation. I wanted to do music and she heard me coming in with demo CDs and she kicked me out. When she kicked me out I was sleeping in a Fort Lauderdale bus station for two days.
 

AP: Why are you against using profanity in your music?

Kingston: With everything that is going on with hip-hop and with what everybody is doing I don't want to be in that lane. I think my lane is very different. I am 17 years old, that's one. I don't really curse in general, when I am talking to people. I come from a good home. It might slip out sometimes but it's not really that big of a deal. To put it in my music, that's not the message I am trying to send out. That's not the type of artist I am trying to be. That is not the type of lane I am trying to take. I'm looking for a crossover, wide audience. I am here to make great music and pursue a great career and connect with the fans this big artist that is making great music and sending positive messages.

AP: How do you describe your music?

Kingston: I describe me sound as international: reggae, pop, rap, R&B all in one. I think I have my own style. I can't really even describe it. People say, "What type of genre is your music?" It's Sean Kingston genre. I have my own genre. No disrespect to no artist or dudes out there. I feel like I am my own person. I am doing my own thing.

Rihanna is set to be honored with a national holiday in her home country of Barbados. The official national holiday will be declared Rihanna Day and the set date is actually today, February 21st!

A source said: Shes really flattered. She cant believe she now has her on national day, its such an honour.

Rihanna, whos birthday took place on February 20th, has received the ultimate present from her home land as has flown to Barbados to accept this honor.

If only we could have some people stand under our umbrellas, we too would have something named after us dayummm!!

Young Portmore Reggae singer, Fyakin, stopped by HYPE TV on Tuesday (February 19) to premiere his new music video, You Are My Lady on popular programme, Up and Live.

The song is a lovers ode, where Fyakin lays claim on his woman and dons her with the title of his lady. In the music video this role was played by his musical colleague, Reggae singer Princess Menen, who is known for her song, Listen To Me Sing.

When I was in New York, I briefly met Fyakin and he gave me a copy of his CD. When I got in my car, I put in my CD player and You Are My Lady was the first track that played. For weeks, it was the only song I listened to in my car, she explained in honesty. I had to be in his video when he asked. I just couldnt say no.

The music video was shot earlier this year in Gordontown, St. Andrew under the direction of the very talented director, Asha.

Video vixen Rita G selling her undies

In case you were wondering who the chick is in Kanye West's new "Flashing Lights" video bashing him with the shovel, here she is, Rita G. Rita is so popular that she sells used thongs on the internet:

Worn Undies with my personal scent - Only $24.95!

I've lost count of all the emails saying "I would pay any amount of money for the g-string right off your butt." Well, here's your chance. I will wear each pair of panties long enough to transfer my 'natural' scent, but these are limited, not mass-produced. So order them now. I might not be offering that many of them!

That's hilarious.

This is kind of a female issue but i want some male opinions... Exactly how much should a female be willing to take in terms of lying and cheating in a relationship?..once? twice? none?

Odd request, I know, but i wanted to consult the experts.  so who better to ask then the MZJA audience..

I've noticed that some songs are labeled with the genre of "Dancehall" and others are labeled as "Dance Hall".  While others state "General Reggae" and others still are labeled as "Reggae"

I know this may be personal preference... but can anyone shed some light on the differences above, if any?

Respec ~Q

Rihanna's legs are worth 1 million dollars

Rihanna signed a deal back in July with Gillette insuring those legs of hers for a million dollars.

TINY Diffrent Strokes star Gary Coleman is a virgin who knows nothing about sex at the age of 40. Gary whose catchphrase in the US sitcom was What you talking about, Willis? revealed he was untouched despite marrying last August. The 4ft 8in actor said: I dont choose to be, I just am. I have love in my heart, I have the desire I just dont know what it is. Gary, a household name in the 70s and 80s playing lovable Arnold Jackson, also spoke about 5ft 7in bride Shannon Price, 22, for the first time. He said: She didnt know who I was. "I didnt think Id ever meet a human being who didnt know who I was!

Members of the anti-crime unit, Operation Kingfish, say that they will be speaking to two of the countrys leading deejays, Vybz Kartel and Aidonia, before this weekend about a picture police have in their possession.

The cops say that the picture they have show persons resembling the deejays Kartel, whose real name is Adidjah Palmer, and Aidonia (Sheldon Lawrence) posing with guns.

Spokesman for Operation Kingfish, Inspector Steve Brown, who described the photograph as disturbing said, We have a photograph of four men, two of whom we have identified as Vybz Kartel and Aidonia The two were seen posing with two high-powered weapons.

While the police were reluctant to disclose how they received the photograph and how long they have had it in their possession, Inspector Brown adamantly expressed that the picture was not tampered with.

No, the picture is not doctored, Inspector Brown said before continuing those guns are 100 per cent real.

Inspector Brown said that up to yesterday afternoon they had not spoken with the two dancehall artistes. However, plans are set for them to do so before the end of the week.

When asked if the men can be charged if they are the ones in the picture, Inspector Brown ex-plained that after speaking with them the police will decide their next move.

The police say that based on their records, neither of the two men are licensed firearm holders.

Efforts by THE STAR to get a comment from Vybz Kartel and Aidonia were unsuccessful, as both artistes cellphones rang without an answer on several occasions.

Aidonia and Vybz Kartel are among Jamaicas most promising deejays, and have had a slew of hits. Aidonia is known for songs like Ukku and Thats Up, while Kartel has hits like Wine Pon You and Picture This.

 

source jamaica star

CLEVELAND -- At 2:59 p.m., one minute before the deadline expired, Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry called NBA officials in New York to say he was making a major trade. Two, actually.

They must have been surprised.

Ferry was dismantling his team.

In a complex, 11-player swap involving Cleveland, Chicago and Seattle, Ferry dealt half his active roster to acquire center Ben Wallace and forward Joe Smith from the Bulls, and forward Wally Szczerbiak and guard Delonte West from the SuperSonics.

LeBron James wanted help to win an NBA title. Ferry got it for him.

"I didn't think we were good enough to win the championship," Ferry said, explaining his motives for the move. "I thought we had a very good team. But I do believe if we have a chance to make ourselves better we should try.

"Was it a risk in doing so? Yes, it was a risk. But we're going to have to make some decisions that have some risk in them if we want to continue to build and grow."

Unable to finalize major deals in the past, Ferry pulled off a colossal one at the 3 p.m. buzzer. He sent guard Larry Hughes, forwards Drew Gooden and Cedric Simmons, and guard Shannon Brown to Chicago for Wallace, one of the game's top inside enforcers, and Smith, a versatile veteran.

Cleveland also acquired the sharpshooting Szczerbiak and West from Seattle for forwards Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall, two expendable parts. In addition, the Cavs will get Chicago's second-round pick in 2009. The Sonics will receive guard Adrian Griffin from the Bulls.

While giving the Cavaliers a new core to surround James, Ferry didn't hurt his team's long-term salary cap flexibility. He did create one short-term problem, however. Because their new players have to take physicals, the Cavaliers could be very short-handed for Friday's game against Washington.

"I think Mike Brown might be a player/coach," Ferry joked.

He's dead serious, though, about getting the Cavaliers an NBA championship. James, who led them to their first Finals last season, had publicly campaigned for Ferry to do something before the deadline.

James got his wish. Ferry overhauled the Cavs, trading 60 percent of the starting lineup Brown had Wednesday night.

The deal caps a busy month of trades as several stars, including Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion and Pau Gasol, all were dealt to new teams. The Gasol swap triggered an arms race of sorts among the Western Conference's top squads, while this one could have a major impact atop the East.

In the 33-year-old Wallace, the Cavaliers are getting a defensive intimidator. Big Ben will give them next to nothing on offense, but that's not what the defending Eastern Conference champs need.

"Ben Wallace is tough," Ferry said. "He'll bring an energy, a toughness, a presence to what we are doing."

Wallace was a major disappointment for the underachieving Bulls, who are 17½ games out of first in the Central. Chicago signed Wallace to a four-year, $60 million contract in 2006.

At the time, the Bulls thought he was the missing piece to get them back into contention for an NBA title, something they haven't sniffed since Michael Jordan retired.

Wallace got the Bulls into the second round in last year's playoffs. But the team hasn't recovered from a slow start this season and Wallace is averaging 5.1 points and 8.8 rebounds -- his worst season statistically since 1999-00.

Bulls GM John Paxson defended the decision to sign Wallace.

"When we made the deal for Ben, we did it for the right reasons," he said. "He helped us become a better team last year and advance in the playoffs. I'm still as surprised as anyone that this year, we weren't better than we played."

Much like Wallace, Hughes didn't deliver as the Cavs had hoped. They signed him to a five-year, $60 million free agent deal in 2005, but he struggled with injuries and his jump shot. Recently, though, Hughes had found his touch, which could help the Bulls climb back in the playoff picture.

Hughes, who is making $12.8 million this season, had become a target of abuse at Cleveland home games as fans grumbled with every miss and every mention of a contract that seemed untradeable.

Paxson said bringing in Hughes doesn't mean they're preparing for Ben Gordon's departure. Gordon is eligible to be a restricted free agent this summer.

"It gives us an issue in the backcourt, but it's a good issue to have," Paxson said. "This has nothing to do with Ben Gordon's future."

The Cavaliers will be the eighth team for the well-traveled Smith, a 32-year-old veteran averaging 11.2 points and 5.3 rebounds. Smith brings the Cavaliers experience and versatility up front.

Gooden, too, can boost Chicago's inside game. The 26-year-old is averaging 11.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per season.

It's unusual for two teams in the same division to swap key players and the Cavaliers and Bulls haven't played yet this season. They'll meet for the first of four games on March 1 in Cleveland.

Szczerbiak, who was part of the draft day trade that sent Ray Allen to Boston for the No. 5 pick -- Jeff Green -- and West, added scoring punch in a reserve role for the rebuilding Sonics.

He averaged 13.1 points, second behind rookie sensation Kevin Durant, and consistently showed he was fully recovered from offseason ankle surgery. In his final game with Seattle on Tuesday, Szczerbiak scored 24 points, including the go-ahead basket with 31 seconds remaining in a victory over Memphis.

Szczerbiak should get plenty of open looks in Cleveland. With more and more defenses double- and triple-teaming James, the club needs perimeter players capable of making outside shots consistently -- something Hughes couldn't do.

"When you have a superstar like LeBron James, it's important to be able to put shooters around him," Ferry said. "When you have guys who make the extra passes, having somebody to knock down that shot is big."

West never found a spot in Seattle's rotation. Nagging foot injuries shuffled him farther down the bench, and when coach P.J. Carlesimo finally settled on a rotation, West was often the odd man out.

The 24-year-old could develop into the quality point guard the Cavs have coveted since James arrived.

The dealing by young GM Sam Presti only adds to the flexibility the Sonics will have in their rebuilding. Combined with the trade of Kurt Thomas to San Antonio for Brent Barry, Francisco Elson and a 2009 first-round pick, the Sonics now have 13 picks in the next three drafts and have acquired three players with contracts expiring after this season.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

sum quick pics i made for dj spyda

Hmmmm, why unno tek it so personal wen we say"we're not in the mood"?? Why is it so difficult to understand and why do you internalize it and tek it so personal an mek it get unno all miserable?

Bangshowbiz Paris Hilton has reportedly been banned from the Oscars. The hotel heiress - whose latest movie The Hottie and the Nottie grossed just $9,000 at the US box office in its opening weekend - was devastated after being told she couldn't attend the prestigious event on Sunday night. A source said: "She cried hot, salty tears when she was banned from the Oscars. She's desperate to be taken seriously as an actress and hoped she would be able to network with film executives." Paris - who infamously starred in home video sex-tape One Night in Paris - had even splashed out £2 million on a designer dress for the ceremony at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. The Simple Life star is now considering going to one of the many after-show parties but may have to wear a disguise. A source added to Britain's Daily Star newspaper: "She's tempted to go to the parties afterwards but might wear her trademark wig to save her dignity." However, one post-awards bash she won't be going to is the Vanity Fair event. The magazine has decided to scrap its annual Oscar party in support of the recent Hollywood writers' strike. The Vanity Fair party is considered the most glamorous and exclusive post-Oscars event, with a guest list strictly reserved for A-list stars and VIPs. US TV show 'Entertainment Weekly' has also cancelled its post-Oscar bash.

Top flight deejays Vybz Kartel and Aidonia are in consultations with their legal team with a view to taking legal action against The Gleaner Co. Ltd. with regard to the publication of a certain photograph on the front page of the Daily Star published February 7, 2008.

We view with some concern the publishing of a photo by The Star in circumstances where the authenticity of the document as well as its origin is not known by the newspaper especially in circumstances where that same newspaper has certain ethical guidelines which it has laid down for itself with respect to news reporting, attorney-at-law Valerie Neita-Robertson, who represents both deejays, said in a statement issued today.

Both deejays have always indicated that they do not support violence in any form and have openly stated that on and off the stage. The deejays are presently consulting with their attorneys with a view to taking legal action against the newspaper.

Mrs. Neita-Robertson also criticized the manner in which the police acted in the matter.

The police put the information on the news media first. No attempt was made to contact them first. How can you contact them over the media? That is not how police are supposed to operate; they should lift themselves above that sort of thing.

Mrs. Neita-Robertson also challenged the polices assertion that the items photographed were authentic.

The photos were taken outside of the jurisdiction of Jamaica. None of what appears in the photograph is authentic.

For his part, Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, reiterated his lawyers statements with regard to pursuing legal action against the daily newspaper.

It is very malicious on the part of the Star to publish a picture without first ascertaining the origin of the photo or confirming the authenticity of the picture and/or its content and as such I have no choice but to take legal action against the Gleaner Co. Ltd. because it is obvious they are seeking to defame my character, he said.

Neither Vybz Kartel or Aidonia has yet been interviewed by Operation Kingfish authorities.

A BABY has been born with an exposed heart that grew outside its chest cavity.

The infant is being treated in the intensive care unit of Shenzhen Children`s Hospital.

The parents knew about the condition before the baby was born, but chose not to abort it.

The development was caused by a rare disease - less than five per million are struck by it - that affects the chest and abdomen.

Fewer than 200 cases have been documented and it is the first modern case in China.

Most babies die from the disease before birth.

Doctors are expected to operate to repair the malformation when the infant is strong enough.

HOW LONG WILL BARBEENIE LAST?
Even though they consistently claim that they are not together. Beenie Man is notorious for his red-hot infatuations over the years: Carlene, former dancehall queen, Dancehall Queen Stacie, the African model girl, that high-profile politician's daughter, his wife D'Angel, (former love of his nemesis Bounty Killer), and now it appears that it may be Barbee's time for Beenie-fatuation. Wish dem all the best.

MILK AND LIQUID KETCH A FIRE
Is there love in the air again between Milk and Liquid? I accidentally caught them at the airport inna one big piece of hugging and touching. Are they back together? Maybe ah the braces pum pum ah draw him back? Or maybe we are just being naughty and this is just a very close friendship? All mi know is that Renee better watch herself because old fire stick ketch quick, and mi see Milk ah big up Liquid pon her Valentine's programme. Wah really a gwaan? Mia Jae, how yu feel bout this one?

DJ FLAMES NEW HAIRDO
Why did DJ Flames change her do? That's what the streets are asking. She cut off the locks and have in a mad new hairstyle. People ah talk say is because she ah go through a rough breakup, but mi no get the full story yet. You can see her new coif this weekend where she is gonna be emceeing "Red Rose Affair' at the Bogue Industrial Center, Palm Estate, Mobay featuring Gregory Isaacs, Ken Boothe, Flourgon, Daddy Lizard and White Mice on Sat. Feb 16. It ah go mad.

NEGRIL SPRING BREAK LAUNCHED LAST NIGHT
Father Dozer looked pleased last night at the large industry-wide turnout for his Spring Break show in Negri. Ms. Kitty was the emcee for the night and she set the tone with her wit and verbal zingers. The guest speaker was talk show hot Ragashanti, and there were performances from artistes such as Sizzla, Capleton, Fyakin, Junie Platinum and Konshens. The Couture models were in the building and they wowed the men with some super-sexy oufiits that had them salivating on Valentine's Eve.

QUESTION TIME
What a way Julia Braham and producer Casper tight? Dem go everywhere together, mi see dem lock up at Special Delivery last year. The way dem close, not even air coulda pass through them and mi feel say a special delivery from the stork could be in store before 2000 and love end.

Which big female artiste ah fly in fi spend Valentine's wid Courtney John?

Is there any chance that Sidonie and Ele will get back together? And what happen Sushana? And Tamara?

Ah true say Red Rat and Stacious deh?

When will the White Gadd and Toya tie the knot? Him love her bad, yu shoulda see how she mash up over Stone Love the other night pon the stage inna one black pon the river, yu shoulda see her ah wine, mad. Ah da wine de get her the PT Cruiser.

HOW KILLA hAVE SO MUCH GIRL? If VALENTINE'S WAS HIS DAY, HIM WOULDA GUH BRUCK, AS THE MAN LEAVE ONE SESSION, HIM PUT A GIRL PON A TAXI AND GO MEET A NEXT ONE AT A SESSION. IF HIM DEH ASYLUM AND HIM SEE A GIRL HIM LIKE, HIM SEND HOME THE ONE HIM DID A PAR WID AND LOG ON TO THE NEW ONE. Killa ah the man!

MADE FOR EACH OTHER BIG UPS
Big up Addi and Shorty, almost a decade and still going strong. Big up Ninjaman and Wendy Brown, oonu define real love. Da'Ville and Baby Blue. Liquid and Milk, the sparks are flying again. Wayne Marshall and Tami Chynn, when is the wedding? Raz and Rudie the singer. Lady Saw and John John, a love for the ages. Buju Banton and Lorna. Sean Paul and Jinx, bootie got him hooked after a chance encounter at the airport five years ago. Mad Michelle and Toddler still going strong.

-- Edited by XavHew at 13:35, 2008-02-14

Vybz Kartel and Aidonia freed by Operation Kingfish

-- Edited by Dj Rohan at 20:34, 2008-02-20

Passa Passa - Beenie, Barbee & D'Angel - "Grung God Dunn Bad"

GROVE CITY, Ohio (AP) If one bride felt lighter than air in her wedding gown, her groom certainly felt like air itself as 19 couples renewed their vows near Columbus. Sheila Smith's husband, Bob, had to go away on business and couldn't make the Valentine's Day recommitment service at Grove City United Methodist Church. So friends brought a life-size inflatable doll to serve as a stand-in. They dressed blow-up Bob in dress pants, a shirt and tie, and taped on a head-shot photo of the real Bob Smith. His wife was blown away, because she thought she'd only be serving as matron of honor for four of her friends. After Sheila Smith phoned her husband to tell him about his air-filled alter ego, she wiped away tears as she told how he laughed so hard he couldn't speak.

. Kelly Says Former Publicist ''Encouraged'' Relationship W/ Daughter, ''Victim'' Speaks Out

Tuesday, 19 February 2008

R. Kelly's camp has responded to accusations that he took advantage of his former publicist's college-age daughter. In a recently released statement, the singer blamed his former representative Regina Daniels and her husband, famed Chicago music retailer George, for pushing their daughter, Maxine, into the R&B star's arms. Long-time publicist and family friend Regina Daniels cut 14-year business ties with Kelly back in November of 2007, saying in a press release that the crooner had "crossed a line that will forever alter the scope of our relationship." Her husband, George Daniels, aired it all out on local Los Angeles radio station KJLH last week. "He crossed the line with my daughter," Daniels said on the air. "It didn't get to the extreme of that [sex tape] video or else I wouldn't be here, if you know what I'm talking about." Daniels said when he confronted Kells about the alleged indiscretion, Kell's didn't give an honest answer. "He denied it," Daniels said. "He lied to me to my face." But Kells' camp recently fired back with a statement, according to TMZ. "It's hard to take seriously the moral outrage expressed by George and Regina Daniels over R. Kelly's relationship with Mr. Daniels' adult daughter, Maxine," the statement read. "The fact is that they had no problem with the relationship -- indeed, they encouraged it -- while Ms. Daniels was on Mr. Kelly's payroll. " "It was Regina Daniels, then working as a publicist for Mr. Kelly, who persuaded him to attend her step-daughter's 21st birthday party," the statement said. "And it was Regina Daniels who shortly thereafter gave her step-daughter Mr. Kelly's private phone number, with the admonition: 'Don't tell your father.' It was only after Ms. Daniels resigned her position to avoid being fired for incompetence that her stepdaughter's relationship suddenly became an issue for her and her husband." Maxine rushed to her parent's defense, visiting the Chicago Sun-Times and giving the paper her side of the story. "I take full responsibility for my actions," she said. "My stepmother and father didn't know about my relationship with the singer because I knew and he knew that they wouldn't approve ... so I tried to keep it a secret, but when my stepmother found out about our relationship, she resigned because she felt that Rob had 'crossed the line' by dating a girl that he has known since she was seven years old. My stepmom was not fired for incompetence. She was Rob's publicist for 14 years and always considered Rob not just a client ... but family. And Rob thought of my dad like a father." Maxine didn't stop there. "I am 21, smart and will be graduating from college this year, but I admit that I was swept up by his charming and generous ways, which I truly regret and have learned from," she added. "My brief relationship with Kelly last year ended because my parents were starting to hear rumors that we were together, and I was beginning to feel like it wasn't a healthy situation, especially with the pain it was causing me and my family. I felt that it just wasn't right. Also, in reference to my birthday party, which was held last spring, Regina did not push Rob to host the party. We both asked him ... and he readily agreed." "In regards to the cell phone number, Regina didn't give me Rob's number and she didn't ask me not to tell my dad. Rob personally slipped me his number at another event and that is how we started talking. The Internet has been rampant with all sorts of rumors for months now and hopefully this will clear things up. I admit I made a mistake and I know I am not the first young adult to make a serious misjudgment." Regina also denied allegations that she'd sought a six-figure settlement from Kells to keep quiet. "It sounds good, but it never happened. I never contacted R. Kelly or attempted to contact R. Kelly or anyone in his camp regarding any money or any financial settlement or severance," she said. R. Kelly is currently accused of another indecent sexual relationship as well. The R is awaiting trial in a child pornography case following the appearance of a video tape that allegedly features him engaged in sexual acts with a teenage girl. He was charged with 14 counts of child pornography in 2002 and has pled not guilty.   MZ WHA UNO THINK?

Manchester United have complained to Uefa that winger Cristiano Ronaldo was dazzled by a laser beam ahead of their Champions League match at Lyon.

The incident occurred in the warm-up before the last-16 first leg tie but Ronaldo showed no ill effects during United's 1-1 draw in France.

"We reported the matter to Uefa before the game," said Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

"We noticed it in the warm-up and they (Uefa) are aware of it."

606: DEBATE We looked far better when Nani and Tevez came on. Still, 1-1 away is good enoughKB

onaldo was back in the team after a virus and had a quiet game by his standards, according to the BBC's Conor McNamara.

"Manchester United complained to Uefa before kick-off and they (Uefa) may now check TV footage for evidence of repeated use of laser pens during the game itself," said McNamara.

Carlos Tevez's late goal ensured United head to Old Trafford on level terms after Karim Benzema had given the hosts the lead.

United were stunned after the break when the 20-year-old striker turned on the edge of the area and fired a rasping drive into Edwin van der Sar's left corner for his 24th goal of the season.

Late in the game, however, Ronaldo had a vicious free-kick tipped over the bar and Tevez struck after Lyon made a hash of the resulting corner.

Choose the image you like best and vote by placing the letter A or B in your comments.

What do you like about your partner?
Let me start off by saying that my wife is my biggest Fan. The thing I love about her the most is that even when I bite off more than I can chew she always has my back.
MZJA Please Xpress.

-- Edited by STAINLESS at 20:06, 2008-01-28

Over the past few months there has been an ongoing lyrical confrontation between the Gangsta Ras, Munga and Portmore Empire's first lieutenant Deva Brat. The feud got so intense at one point it even escalated into and all out fist fight at Stone Love's 35th Anniversary. The fracas almost turn fatal when a knife was pulled by Munga who was eventually restrained before both men were removed from the stage.

Now that the new year is in full swing it seems there is no sign of a truce in sight as just recently both entertainers took a swipe at each other on the Night Creature Riddim with Munga accusing Deva of living in a 'lue' (a popular Dancehall slang used to denote someone living a fictitious lifestyle) and Deva without skipping a beat returned the favour and said Munga a cuss because he knows he going to bite the dust (afraid of being defeated in the lyrical battle, hence his reason for all the arguments).

However, though the accusations by both men may not necessarily be true, the new year as also brought some misfortunes for Deva, who is presently incarcerated in the island 's lock up pending a second date for his hearing regarding his alleged involvement in the carnal abuse of a 14 year old girl in Portmore, St. Catherine.

Now the question begs with Deva one strike down will the Gangsta Ras cease the opportunity to take another swipe at him on wax. Several checks by MZJAradio.com revealed that the streets are buzzing with anticipation to hear something from Munga, some were even shocked to know nothing has been released to date. Will Munga strike now when Deva is most vulnerable or will he wait until he gets out ..if at all, well only time will tell.

31 old Huang suffers on neurofibrome from the birth. He was the object of cruel jokes because of the his appearance, by the whole life and social ostracism. He is known in the China and in the world as " elephant man". Doctors from the Chinese centre announced that they were able to remove already weighing above 15 kg growth on the face Huang. They have to do this as the most quickly, because the disease begins to deform the spine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBohmdsUXF4

Jamaican Reggae superstar, Shaggy's album 'Intoxication' blasted onto the Billboard Reggae Chart at number one when it hit shelves in November last year, and now it's heating up the place as he teams up with hip-hop mastermind Akon on his latest single. The two recently collaborated on the video shoot for the hot new single 'What's Love'.

Shaggy unleashes all the elements his fans expect on "What's Love" - a proven and familiar formula that sees his macho hardcore chatting, fused with Akon's flowing R&B hooks, riding a catchy hip-hop beat.

Shaggy hauled in the genius, internationally acclaimed music video director Hype Williams to bring this track to life, and finally MZJAradio.com is proud so say the finish product is nothing short of straight fire. The new video is expected to eclipse his earlier project "Bonafide Girl", which is the second single from the album featuring Rik Rok, even though the video has been enjoying non-stop rotation since it release .

So what's next for the platinum pop star? Shaggy is taking Intoxication, and well most of the Big Yard crew, for shows and promotion across Europe in the upcoming months. But if you are in the Caribbean or plan on heading there soon, a good time would be March 17, 2007 when Shaggy hits the beaches in Negril, Jamaica for Spring Break.

NB. We have an exclusive clip of the video which we've embedded below for your viewing please ..(another exclusive brought to you by the good folks at MZJAradio.com see video below)

http://www.geocities.com/bandbuggers/addressbook.html

scroll down to the bottom and you will see her pics

MUMBAI, India (CMC) - West Indies batsman, Chris Gayle, is joining the Indian Premier League (IPL) on a US$800,000 contract and his international teammates, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, have also been drafted into the league.

Several of the world's top cricketers were purchased by the IPL's eight franchises at an auction yesterday, with India's Mahendra Dhoni being the most expensive at US$1.5 million.

The inaugural Twenty20 tournament - to be played over a month-and-a-half - begins on April 18 and will have 59 matches.

Teams will pay the winning bid to the player annually and the contracts are for a three-year period.

Gayle was drafted by the Kolkata franchise, while Mohali will pay US$225,000 for Sarwan and z signed Chanderpaul for US$200,000.

The contracts are guaranteed by the Indian cricket board. The IPL is the brainchild of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and is backed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

It was conceived to counter the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), which recently held its tournament in northern India with big names like West Indies batting star Brian Lara and Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Gayle's teammates at Kolkata will include Indian Sourav Ganguly, Australia's captain Ricky Ponting, and Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar, who fetched US$425,000. Ponting cost Kolkata US$400,000.

Chanderpaul's Bangalore will include home players Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, and the South African batting all-rounder Jacques Kallis, who is costing the franchise US$900,000.

Mohali's roster is set to include Sri Lankan star Kumar Sangakkara (US$700,000) and Indian pacer Irfan Pathan (US$925,000).

Pathan is the fifth most expensive player from yesterday's auction behind Dhoni, Australian Andrew Symonds, who goes to Hyderabad for US$1.35 million, Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya (Mumbai) at US$975,000, and the Indian fastbowler Ishant Sharma (Kolkata) at US$950,000.

"It is amazing drama. The market is determining the price. That's how a free market economy should flow," Inderjit Bindra, a member of the IPL governing council, told reporters.

The Mumbai franchise, which has icon Sachin Tendulkar as the designated city player, is owned by India's most valuable company Reliance Industries, and apart from paying US$975,000 for Jayasuriya they are also putting up US$850,000 for India spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Tendulkar, at a cost of US$1.12 million for Mumbai, is one of five Indian players designated icon status with high prices.
The others are Kolkata's Ganguly (US$1.09 million), Mohali's Yuvraj Singh (US$1.06 million), Dravid (US$1.03 million) of Bangalore, and Delhi's Virender Sehwag (US$833,750).

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=x3gflMnB63k]

February 18, 2008 Black History and the Bleaching dilemma By: Rootzgirl It's black history month and I can't help but think back to the many things we have to be proud of as black people...but it's also a time that really makes me feel sad too. When I look around and see the many bleached out faces it makes me wonder, where is that sense of black pride. Remember when we used to say 'black is beautiful' with so much conviction...is that no longer the case? What is it about our colour that drives many to put their health at risk all in seeking that product that will let them appear much lighter than they really are? What is so repugnant about having a mahogany colour that (in my opinion) is the most beautiful thing to behold? Then again, I wonder if the poor suckers can help themselves as I have time and time again heard comments such as 'anyting too black nuh good,' 'meck sure unno pickney have some colouring' (implying if they are dark skinned, they should talk to someone who is much lighter). Little girls growing up were not made to feel a sense of pride as the dolls they were given to play with were anything but black. Once I tried to buy my niece a mahogany coloured doll and was bluntly told, "aunty it too ugly!" Believe it or not we are programming them to feel as if there is nothing beautiful about our colour when we glorify another. Ironically, I can't help but be amazed at how some whites put their health at risk by staying in the sun all in the hope of looking 'darker.' When they come to our shores they make it a point to get their hair 'corn row' a style, which we are slowly doing away with! As we continue to celebrate Black History Month let's make the conscious decision to start valuing ourselves even more. No more bleaching...if you are tempted take a good look into the mirror and tell yourself that you are God's beautiful creation and perfect just as you are. If you have to bleach for someone to love you then they definitely are not worth your love. In closing I borrow a line from James Brown song, "say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud!"

DO U FIND MEDIAZONE ADDICTIVE? CAUSE FROM I KIN I HAVE NOT BEEN ON THE ROAD AS MUCH AND EVERY CHANCE I GET I AM ON IT. SO IS ME ALONE FIND IT ADDICTIVE.

The Pentagon used a missile to shoot down the satellite Enlarge Image

The US has successfully struck a disabled spy satellite with a missile fired from a warship in waters west of Hawaii, military officials say.

Operatives had only a 10-second window to hit the satellite - USA 193 - which went out of control shortly after it was launched in December 2006.

Officials were worried its hydrazine fuel could do harm, but it is not yet known if the fuel tank was destroyed.

The controversial operation has been criticised by China and Russia.

On Thursday, China called on the US to provide more information about the mission.

Russia suspects the operation was a cover to test anti-satellite technology under the US missile defence programme.

The US denies the operation was a response to an anti-satellite test carried out by China last year, which prompted fears of a space arms race.

Precision needed

The BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington says this operation was hugely ambitious.

BROKEN SATELLITE Owner: National Reconnaissance Office Mission: Classified Launched: 14 Dec 2006 Weight: 2,300 kg (5,000lbs) 1,134kg (2,500lbs) could survive re-entry Carrying hydrazine thruster fuel

The operation went ahead hours after the space shuttle Atlantis landed, removing it as a safety issue for the military.

The satellite - believed by some commentators to be a radar imaging reconnaissance satellite - was passing about 130 nautical miles (250km) over the Pacific.

Earlier the military said it would use an SM-3 missile fired from the cruiser USS Lake Erie, which is posted on the western side of Hawaii along with the destroyers USS Decatur and USS Russell.

But it is not yet known how successful the operation was - the missile needed to pierce the bus-sized satellite's fuel tank, containing more than 450kg (1,000lbs) of toxic hydrazine, which would otherwise be expected to survive re-entry.

The Pentagon said confirmation that the fuel tank has been hit should be available within 24 hours.

US officials said without an attempt to destroy the fuel tank, and with the satellite's thermal control system gone, the fuel would now be frozen solid, allowing the tank to resist the heat of re-entry.

If the tank were to land intact, it could leak toxic gas over a wide area - harming or killing humans if inhaled, officials had warned.

Debris

Officials expect that over 50% of the debris will fall to Earth within the first 15 hours after the strike - or within its first two revolutions of Earth.

USA 193 lost control a few hours after launch on a Delta II rocket

Left to its own devices, about half of the spacecraft would have been expected to survive the blazing descent through the atmosphere, scattering debris in a defined "corridor" which runs across the Earth's surface.

Professor Richard Crowther, a space debris expert with the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), said that if struck with the missile, about 25% of USA 193 is likely to survive the fall to Earth.

"The smaller the debris is the more likely you are to get burn-through. So if you fragment something before re-entry, less mass will survive to hit the Earth," he told BBC News.

Spring Break is always a special time of the year which brings with it a new realm of entertainment. This year the organisers of JamFest will bring a fresh, exciting concept to the production of live events. More information can be found at www.springbreakjamfest.com

Student Travel Services and Sun Splash Tours have combined efforts to create a package uniquely designed to appeal to visitors from overseas and on island. Set for the Wavz in Negril Westmoreland the combination beach party, talent competition and concert, JamFest will be held on Monday nights on March 3rd, March 10th, March 17th ending on Easter Sunday on March 23.

Apart from performances by dancehall practitioners, Assassin, The Doctor, Beenie Man, Shaggy and TOK the JamFest month of activities will also see the musical prowess of nine of the best bands, who participated in the recently concluded Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in Montego Bay, St James, being be tested to the fullest. The nine musical outfits will battle for the right to be called the best of the best in a playoff dubbed the Battle of the Bands. All nine bands entertained patrons with aplomb at the recently held Jazz Festival.

Spring Break has traditionally attracted hordes of tourists to the western end of Jamaica when university students, mainly from North America, take a week off from their hectic college schedule to frolic and mingle with the locals during a frenzied month of top-drawer entertainment. JamFest seeks to provide enjoyable entertainment of international standards and revive the Spring Break market.

With its Reggae and Dancehall blend, this year's JamFest will cater to lovers of both musical genres. For more information on travel packages to Jamaica please visit www.ststravel.com or www.sunsplashtours.com. Jamfest will run each Monday from March 3 to March 17 and on March 23 at Wavs Negril.

The mere mention of her name will make some people cringe while others may see her as a woman of resilience. Whatever she may be to you one cannot deny she created history as the woman whom single handed changed the face of Dancehall.

Earlier today in a very rear and exclusive interview, MZJAradio.com got a glimpse into the mind of D'Angel, who was in a no holds bar mood as she professed "Mi ready fi talk di tings dem" and talk the things she did.

However before delving into the rigors of her life she brought us up to speed with her career and it's happenings.

This Saturday, February 23rd at the Asylum Night Club, for the first times fans will get an opportunity to get 'Up Close and Personal' with D'Angel with the staging of her event with a similar name. What makes this event so different is its' format as there will be performances from the deejay herself, internationally acclaimed singing sensation L.U.S.T, and Aiesha, plus a special surprise guest artiste you won't want to miss.

Interestingly in the midst of all this the event will be transformed into and open floor forum, for fan to ask the diva all the burning questions, while reaping the benefits of the autograph signing session. Cost for the event will reduce patrons pockets by a mere seven hundred (J$700.00) dollars and the occasion call for a semi-formal /elegantly casual dress code to compliment the red carpet affair.

When asked about her achievements as an artiste for 2007 and the future of her careers she was quick to point out her accolades over the past months, she copped several nominations and 9 awards at various ceremonies some of these include 'Fashion Icon of the Year', (Youth View) Female Deejay of the Year (nominee), Best Video of the year for 'Blaze' (nominee, also the video spent 8 weeks at No.1 on the popular E-Strip television show and 2 weeks on RE-TV's MVP) that award was won by the international duo Brick & Lace at the recently concluded Youth View Awards. Best Collaboration for 'Baby Father featuring Vybz Kartel amongst many others.

Meanwhile it seems there is really no stopping this diva in 2008 as she is set to release a 15 tracks album now in the works under the guidance of Fresh Ear Production C.E.O. Arif Cooper. For the still untitled album, she has recorded 9 tracks so far and fans can expect to see some big names making cameos on the production, The diva who was in a very jovial mood and not wanting to give away too much hinted at a few of the production giants on the album namely; Sly and Robbie, Arif Cooper and Ward 21. An official release date has not been set for the project but it's expected out some time this year.

For more on D'Angel please visit her website at: www.myspace.com/dangelmusic and don't miss part two of this interview tomorrow when she speaks about Marco Dean, her estranged husband and overcoming the struggles of an abusive marriage.



This is another exclusive brought to you first by the good folks at MZJAradio.com

Deejay 'Aidonia', born Sheldon Lawrence is in police custody in connection with the shooting of a man on Saturday night, police told THE STAR yesterday.

The deejay known for such hits as Dat's Up and Ukku, was arrested along with three other men and could be charged today following an identification parade, police say.

The Grants Pen police told THE STAR that investigations have so far unearthed that the incident reportedly occurred after a man had stabbed up a car belonging to either Aidonia or someone from his entourage.

The police say two other men came on the scene shortly after and were thought to be the person(s) who had damaged the car. They were allegedly driven down and held by Aidonia and his entourage. The police say according to the information received, the men were cornered and a gun was pulled and they were beaten and one of them shot. The other man reportedly escaped, while the injured man was taken to hospital where he was admitted.

Police got wind of the incident and launched an investigation. Later that same night, Aidonia and the two men turned up at the Grants Pen Police Station and were taken into custody.

The man who managed to escape, Demar 'Demmy' Palmer, was reportedly shot and killed the following day. Palmer, 25, a bus conductor from Red Hills Road, St. Andrew, address, was shot dead on Sunday afternoon.

Police say that at about 12:45 p.m. Palmer and a group of friends were on a lane off Red Hills Road St. Andrew, when gunmen entered and opened fire. Palmer was hit and subsequently rushed to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Constant Spring CIB is investigating that incident.

Another US military serviceman has been detained over an alleged sexual assault on Japan's southern island of Okinawa.

In the latest of a string of incidents involving US troops, the man is accused of raping a Filipino woman at a hotel.

The alleged rape happened before a 24-hour curfew was imposed on US troops, their families and civilians working for the military on Okinawa.

The focus on crime by military personnel in recent days is affecting relations between Japan and the US.

Local anger

Another American serviceman is accused of rape on Okinawa, the second alleged incident in 10 days.

The first complaint was made by a 14-year-old schoolgirl, the second by a woman from the Philippines who says she was attacked in a hotel.

In the last few days another soldier was found drunk asleep on a sofa in a house he had broken into, while another was arrested for drink-driving.

What is happening here is that a high-profile incident, the alleged rape of the schoolgirl, has focused an unusual amount of attention on the behaviour of the tens of thousands of US troops stationed on Okinawa.

Crimes carried out by US personnel there have always angered local residents.

Usually offences like drink-driving would get reported only in the local paper, but right now they are being reported around the world.

The US authorities know this is a problem.

High-ranking White House officials visiting Tokyo find themselves having to reassure their Japanese counterparts they are doing all they can to reduce the amount of crime.

A 24-hour curfew has been imposed, not just on servicemen but on their families and civilian staff too.

It aims to prevent US personnel drinking in bars or clubs and getting into trouble.

The military will be hoping that in time Japan's national media will lose interest in the story.

There is no evidence that more crimes are being carried out than before.

Last year just 46 US military personnel were arrested on Okinawa in connection with criminal cases, a tiny proportion of those stationed there, and that figure was less than half the number five years ago.

Anthony Bs current U.S. tour has parachuted along the U.S. West Coast. According to reports reaching the offices of 876radio.com, the tour has been going well and fans have been coming out in their numbers to sample the musical offerings of the firebrand reggae artiste.

The tour kicked off on February 16th at the Ragga Muffins Festival in South Beach, California. The following day the tour moved into Sacramento, California where more than 20,000 patrons reportedly came out to groove to hits like 'Tease Her', 'Good Cop', 'Fire Pon Rome' and 'Mr. Heartless' among others.

The tour which will run until March 17th, is scheduled to make stops in areas including Santa Cruz, Santa Rose, San Francisco and Eureka in California. It will also make a trek into Colorado stopping at areas including Fort Collins, Boulder, Breckenridge, Vail and Aspen.

Anthony Bs recent collaboration 'Chippin' with soca artiste Farmer Nappy, is currently riding high on the charts in Trinidad and Tobago.

Although last week's Grammy Awards were the third least watched in its history (drawing a lackluster audience of only 17.5 million), the performing artists have seen a large surge in record sales. Jack Johnson remains in the top spot followed by none other than troubled songstress Amy Winehouse who performed via satellite from the UK. Winehouse's Back to Black sold 115k this week (a 368.4% increase from last week's sales of under 25k). Alicia Keys (also a Grammy) remains in the #3 spot this week, however, she did manage to sell over 100k units to officially enter triple platinum status in just 14 weeks on the charts.
After winning the coveted "Album of the Year" Grammy award, jazz musician Herbie Hancock (whose past songs have been remixed and sampled by the likes of popular Hip Hop producer Madlib) had an astounding leap from #159 to #5 on the charts. Herbie's award marked the first time since 1964 that a jazz artist has captured the Album of the Year. Meanwhile Grammy performer John Legend jumped from #62 to #12 selling 40k units (a 209% sales increase).
Top 200 Album Sales (Top 5 Hip Hop/R&B)
Rank Artist Album This Week Total
2
Amy Winehouse
Back To Black
115,309
1,649,181

3
Alicia Keys
As I Am
108,840
3,096,471

11
Mary J Blige
Growing Pains
48,563
1,125,617

12
John Legend
Live from Philadelphia
40,431
123,673

13
Chris Brown
Exclusive
39,691
1,287,896


Still no waves being made in Hip Hop as it continues to starve for a high-selling artist. With the recent announcement of his upcoming tour, Kanye West managed to create enough buzz to land him the top Rap spot on the charts (#40) and finally hit double platinum, while tour-mate Lupe Fiasco undersold Kanye by less than 100 units and grabbed the #42 spot. Lupe won his first Grammy last week for "Best Urban/Alternative Performance". With all of the shuffling around on the charts, Soulja Boy drops 20 spots from #36 to #56 selling under 25k units.
Other Notables Rank Artist Album This Week Total
40
Kanye West
Graduation 22,620
2,005,808

42
Lupe Fiasco
The Cool
22,565
339,384
56
Soulja Boy
Souljaboytellem.com 19,251
783,822

68
Jay-Z
American Gangster
15,259
993,621

74
Raheem DeVaughn
Love Behind The Melody
13,584
103,893

Next month, legend Pete Rock drops his highly anticipated New York's Finest, along with new albums by Erykah Badu, Rick Ross, Akrobatik, and many more. It's getting warmer this February, but will the charts reflect it?