Trinidadians get inside look at Jamaica's dancehall culture

 

'Hit Me With Music', a dancehall film that was recently screened at the WeBeat Festival at the St James Amphitheatre, gave Trinidadians an inside look at the actual happenings in the Jamaican dancehall.

 

The 74-minute documentary was directed by Barcelona-born Miquel Galofré and delves into several aspects of dancehall culture such as skin bleaching, feuds and the infamous 'daggering'.

 

The documentary was part of the 2012 bpTT Community Cinergy series of free public screenings presented by the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF).

 

Popular entertainers like Yellowman, the late Bogle, Elephant Man, Mavado and Vybz Kartel dominate the film.

 

"The film was educational, entertaining and insightful. It is also very thought-provoking and it would be interesting to have older students experience it, and get their views on the music and dance which they enjoy so much". Crystal Prescod, a teacher at Mucurapo East Secondary School, is quoted by the Trinidad Guardian to have said.

 

film lovers

 

Danielle Jones, corporate communications manager, bpTT, was also quoted to have said: "We are pleased that so many avid film lovers are taking advantage of the opportunity to experience these select films that would not normally be shown in the regular movie houses and cable channels.

 

"Dancehall music has a large following in Trinidad and Tobago and Hit Me With Music will certainly strike a chord with our local audiences."

 

Vybz Kartel (left) Mavado at Sting in 2008 – File

 

Bogle

 

Yellowman

 

http://jamaica-star.com/thestar/20120614/ent/ent1.html

Dancehall film, a hit in T&T

Thursday, June 14, 2012

HIT Me With Music, a documentary on dancehall music, was reportedly a hit at the June 2-7 WeBeat Festival in Trinidad and Tobago.

 

The documentary is part of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival and bpTT Community Cinergy series of film screenings.

 

MAVADO…included in documentary Hit Me With Music

 

According to the guardian.co.tt website, the film portrays "the stark and fascinating realities of Jamaica's dancehall experience".

Hit Me With Music focuses on different dynamics of dancehall culture, including artiste feuds and skin bleaching. Some of the genre's biggest names including Yellowman, the late dancer Bogle, Elephant Man, Mavado and Vybz Kartel are featured.

"The film was educational, entertaining and insightful. It is also very thoughtprovoking and it would be interesting to have older students experience it and get their views on the music and dance which they enjoy so much," Crystal Prescod, a teacher at Mucurapo East Secondary School, was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

Another comment came from Danielle Jones, corporate communications manager at bpTT: "Dancehall music has a large following in Trinidad and Tobago and Hit Me With Music will certainly strike a chord with our local audiences," she said.

Produced by Nando Garcia Guereta, Hit Me With Music is recipient of Best Documentary and the People's Choice Award at the recent Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival.

 

 

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Dancehall-film--a-hit-in-T-T

Ninja fires manager - Will be doing his own bookings

CURTIS CAMPBELL, STAR Writer

Ninja Man

 

Veteran dancehall artiste Ninja Man has severed ties with his manager Chyna, citing that he wants more interest to be placed in his career.

 

According to the artiste, Chyna is a nice woman, however, he is not seeing the benefits of their musical collaboration.

 

"A nuh really split but she cyah manage mi career. I am dealing with my thing until I get people who can deal with it the way I want it to move," Ninja Man said.

 

enough interest

 

According to Ninja Man, an artiste of his repertoire is not very hard to promote if enough interest is shown by a manager.

 

"When me leave jail it mek BBC and CNN and therefore an artiste of my status doesn't need much money to promote. All it needs is people who a put out effort on you. Me and Chyna a par from before mi guh jail but di people dem wey a deal with the thing nah deal with it good, mi haffi tell dem straight and plain because mi nuh deh yah pon standby a full-time mi sey," Ninja Man said.

 

The Bad Man Cant Make Love deejay disclosed that he will be responsible for his own bookings until he has sorted out his management issues.

 

"Persons who want to book Ninja Man will have to find me and from mi tell yu sey yu confirm dat mean sey yu confirm," Ninja Man said.

 

charity event

 

Efforts to get a comment from Chyna were unsuccessful, but sources close to her said that she was contemplating relocating to the United States.

 

Ninja is gearing up to host a charity event in aid of the development of the Jacks River Primary School. This is a collaborative effort featuring some of his fellow vintage dancehall and reggae artistes.

 

"Wi a step up wi own promotions and wi a help people by building schools and helping youth to go to school. Wi sey youth are the future and abuse fi dun," Ninja said.

 

The artiste is also making an effort to tap into the summer music market with an upcoming single produced by Jam 2 Productions called We Love It When It Real Tight.

 

"Mi just a duh some music wey people wah fi hear. I am doing what is right and attacking them from all angle from the dancehall, church, school, etc., dancehall is about music. I have a lot of songs that I made in prison but for now I am just doing some songs that the youth can relate to. Nuh man nah guh tell mi wah fi sing sey," Ninja Man said.

 

http://jamaica-star.com/thestar/20120612/ent/ent1.html

‘Dangerous’: JA-born singer’s track in De Niro movie

By Simone Morgan Observer staff reporter morgans@jamaicaobserver.com

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

 

A Kingston record label has gone Hollywood with one of its songs picked up for Freelancers, a crime flick starring Oscar winners Robert De Niro and Forrest Whitaker.

 

Dejavu Records' Jermaine Blake is the producer behind Jamaica-born, United States-based singer Shari Reid's song, Too Dangerous, which also stars rap superstar 50 Cent.

 BLAKE... producer behind Shari Reid's song, Too Dangerous, which is scheduled for the movie Freelancers

According to the 29-year-old Blake, DeJavu Records got on board after members of the American artiste development firm, A&R Select, heard the song.

 

REID… Singer of Too Dangerous

 

"Our team was contacted by members of A&R who told us that they were impressed with the single and wanted to use it for the movie. Of course we ran with the opportunity," an elated Blake told the Jamaica Observer.

 

He added: "This move is a major acheivement for us as our record label is less than five years old."

 

Dejavu Records is owned and operated by Blake and his father Linval. They produced Beenie Man's Sign Up and Junior Reid's These Streets.

 

The Blakes have also produced singles for Fantan Mojah, Macka Diamond, Lutan Fyah and Chuck Fenda.

Shari Reid, who is the only act signed to Dejavu, is the latest Jamaican entertainer whose song has been picked up for a Hollywood soundtrack.

 

In 1995, Ken Boothe teamed up with Shaggy for the remix of his song, The Train is Coming, which featured in the Wesley Snipes movie, Money Train. Diana King's Shy Guy was also part of the soundtrack for the 1995 Will Smith flick, Bad Boys.

 

 

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/-Dangerous---JA-born-singer-s-track-in-De-Niro-movie_11563230#ixzz1wMtpAzXf