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Mavado’s Son Sentenced To Life For Murder: A Breakdown Of The Case & What’s Next


Mavado’s son, Dante Brooks, was sentenced in relation to the 2018 murder of Lorenza Thomas when he appeared in court on Friday. He was also sentenced to 20 years for illegal possession of firearm and sentenced to 15 years for arson.

On the other hand, Brooks’ co-accused, Andre Hinds, was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and will not be eligible for parole before 17 years. He also received 15 years of hard labor for illegal possession of firearm and 15 years of hard labor for arson.

Both men had the time they spent on remand deducted from their final sentence, and their sentences, which were handed down by Justice Leighton Pusey in the Home Circuit Court, will be served concurrently.

Peter Champagnie, Attorney-at-Law for Dante Brooks, told reporters after the sentencing hearing that they will be appealing the sentence. “We respect the decision of the court, you always have to do that but of course there is the right of appeal,” Champagnie said. “Our clients have instructed us that we should appeal and we will act accordingly.”

“A number of serious issues have arisen in terms of this trial to include the fact that blame was being laid at the feet of the police in Constant Spring to say that they had forced the witness to say certain things that were not true and even persons were interviewed or featured in this crime and released, in those circumstances coupled with the many, many, many inconsistencies and in some instances admissions that he, the witness, was not being truthful, it is fertile ground for appeal and we intend to pursue it,” he said.

According to Champagnie, the defense’s primary concern is the conviction and the grounding of the conviction- “that is the main focus and will be the main focus and will be the main focus of the appeal.”

Asked why Dante Brooks had a more lengthy sentence than his co-accused, Champagne explained: “The court felt that the role of Brooks was more instrumental than Hinds. The record came back that Brooks was on bail on another matter at the time the offence was committed, and that was not the case with Hinds.”




During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Brooks and Hinds were among five men who stormed into Thomas’ house and shot him. Thomas’ father, who was unarmed, provided crucial witness testimony, which included the gang’s attempts to sever Thomas’ head and the use of gasoline to set the body and house on fire.

Dante Brooks and Hinds were found guilty in January this year. They were arrested and charged in 2018 following a home invasion in Cassava Piece, St. Andrew, in which Lorenzo Thomas, also known as Israel or Trulups, was killed. At the time, Brooks was only 16 years old, but he was charged and placed before the courts as an adult.

According to Police, when 16-year old Brooks was arrested for murder, he had been out on bail in relation to another matter. It’s reported at that time that he had already been involved in two prior matters, one of which included a shooting at him 18 months before 2018.

Reports are that Dante Brooks was in dispute with someone in Cassava Piece and Mavado sought to intervene, which led to an alleged altercation between Mavado and the other man. Urban Islandz previously reported that as a result of that incident, there was a retaliation attempt on Mavado’s life when he was shot at in a rain of bullets forcing him to fled the community and sought cover at the Constant Spring Police station, where he made a report. The shooters were later arrested.

The murder of Thomas was reported days later, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force issued a wanted bulletin for Mavado, which they were for his connection to the upsurge of violence in the Cassava Piece community, which was once a hot spot of inner-city gang violence.

The murder allegedly occurred a few days after Mavado was reportedly shot at by a group of men in the Cassava Piece community. He was not hurt, but according to Loop, the singer reported the incident to the Constant Spring Police. The cops later issued a wanted bulletin for Mavado after they swooped down on the entertainer’s Norbrook residence in search of him regarding an upsurge in violence in the community. However, Urban Islandz reported that Mavado had already left the island for the United States the night before the raid on his residence.

At the time of the threat on Mavado’s life, his former mentor Bounty Killer had warned Mavado about his son and had even advised him in a cryptic post on Instagram to remove his “chest and feet” from Cassava Piece to protect them.

“Disturbed disappointed disapproved Cassava Piece should never pop off a piece over a fist fight not right Protection @mavadogully protect yu chest protect yu knee protect yu foot dem protect yu head and certain place yu nuh fi put dem!!! Jah Naah Sleep,” the dancehall legend wrote following the 2018 shooting incident.

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It was also reported that his son was involved in a previous incident in which he was shot at. He was also alleged to be involved in various incidents, which many viewed as him chasing “badness.” Many at the time had cautioned the artist about guiding his son who lived in Norbrook but frequented the Cassava Piece area where he was said to be involved with gang activities and guys with “bad influence.”

However, while the younger Brooks’ fate was no surprise for those who forewarned Mavado, it seems that he has not come to grips with the tragedy, a painful acceptance by any parent who realizes that their young child will never get to experience the best parts of life and enjoying their youth. However, he still seemed to believe that his son did not get a fair trial as he raised concerns regarding the testimony of the victim’s father saying, “This man also went on the stand and said that these same police officers who carried out the arrest of my son & my family from my home are working for me and he feared his life.”

“The same man who claim he feared his life, still gave over 14 pages of statements? The inconsistencies inna this man statement only shed light on the corruption,” he said.

Meanwhile, as Mavado deals with the legal issues surrounding Brooks’ sentence, he’s also mourning the death of his mother, who died hours before Brooks’ original sentencing date. The artiste may also be unable to attend his mother’s funeral as he remains wanted for questioning in connection with Thomas’ murder and might be arrested once he arrives in Jamaica. In light of that, the dancehall singer will likely remain in the United States, where he is currently a legal permanent resident.
 
Dancehall Deejay Xklusive Arrested In Connection To Murder Case


Another dancehall artiste has found himself in trouble with the law. This time it is St. Ann’s Bay-based deejay Xklusive.

The “Morgue Dem” deejay was arrested during a raid by law enforcement officers in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, March 17. Social media users were made privy to a video circulating which showcased a large number of SWAT members and other police officials camped out at a prominent guesthouse in Discovery Bay, St Ann. At that time, it was speculated by onlookers that MOCA, the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency in Jamaica, were the ones present at the scene. It’s alleged that they had carried out a large lottery scamming bust. Fans in the comment section reveled in the situation, with many commenting that they typically admire the guesthouse upon passing due to its grand stature.

Following the video, news broke that 39 individuals, both male, and female, were arrested as a result of the raid. It was said that they were all guests of the establishment. At that time, the names of the men and women were not announced.

Today, news broke that the deejay was a part of the sting operation, and officials cited that he was being sought for questioning in connection with a triple murder. His identity was initially withheld pending further investigations, which includes several crimes, including the triple murder which took place in St. Ann last year.


Superintendent of the St. Ann Police Dwight Powell indicated to reporters that the pre-dawn raid was “an intelligence-driven operation.” In his statement, he said, “We went in search of wanted men in St James who were wanted for murder and shooting incidents.” The raid reportedly netted quite a few persons from a wide cross-section of parishes, namely St Catherine, Clarendon, Trelawny, and St James. So far, of the initial 39 suspects, 36 were released on Friday. The deejay remains in custody along with two other individuals.

Popular Attorney Isat Buchanan, who represented two of those who freed, spoke of the illegality of questioning citizens without “access to their lawyer.” He further noted, “I emailed the attorneys for the commissioner of police after being told it is now the practice of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to detain persons for 72 hours without the right to see a lawyer. A judge gave me an audience and facilitated a habeas corpus application.”

“It is illegal and criminal and a breach of a citizen’s constitutional right to privacy to demand that you open your phone so that the police can search it,” Buchanan added,. “There is legislation and procedure that the police must follow if they wish to do so.”

Who is Xklusive?
It’s unclear if Xklusive has legal representation at this time. Among his most popular songs to date includes “Big Money Poppin,” which gained local and international attention. He is a past entrant of the Magnum Kings and Queens Of The Dancehall competition, where he made it to the second round. This latest development of another entertainer finding themselves on the wrong side of the law is not sitting well with fans. Just yesterday, Mavado’s teenage son Dante Brooks was sentenced to life in prison for murder. He will become eligible for parole after 22 years.

The fate of Xklusive stands undetermined at this point. Urban Islandz will update you on any further developments in this story.
 
Reggae Singer Nesbeth’s Road Manager Shot & Firearm Stolen


News has surfaced that Roland Drummond, the road manager for reggae artiste Nesbeth, was shot in the face by an unknown assailant and his licensed firearm stolen on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Nesbeth posted a short video clip of him and his road manager via Instagram with the caption: “They shot my road manager in his face and took away his license firearm. Please keep him in your prayers. Jamaica is out of control be safe everyone.”

No motive has yet been established for the shooting incident. Over the years, Nesbeth has been through his fair share of tragedies. His most recent was the loss of his brother Anthony Brown while he was on tour. He reportedly cut his tour as a result of the untimely death. In six years, the “My Dream” singer has lost six family members. He has also lost his wife, grandmother, mother, sister, and aunt.

Nesbeth is a native of Arnett Gardens in Kingston. His most popular songs include “Victory”, “Abuser,” and “Guns Out.” His first single, “Reflection of Love,” was released in 1993, and he did an EP, Victory, in 2014.

Although he had been involved in music Nesbeth for a number of years, he said his musical career really began in 2007. The singer is known for his calm demeanor and his ability to seemingly bounce back from whatever tragedy has befallen him. Fans and followers have come out to send words of encouragement to him and also his road manager’s family after learning of the shooting which took place in Portmore.


His status was recently confirmed by senior cop Stephanie Lindsay.

“He is alive. Nesbeth’s manager was shot in the face, the senior superintendent in Portmore told me that his attackers took away his licensed firearm. The incident happened two days ago, and he is still alive,” she said.
 
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Rumors have been propagating on the internet of a possible relationship between dancehall artiste Skillibeng and Love and Hip Hop star Alexis Sky after images of the two hanging out at Tropical Bliss in Montego Bay surfaced yesterday.

The pictures illustrated Alexis Skyy in a two-piece bathing suit and Skillibeng rocking just shorts. Sources inside the Eastsyde camp told Urban Islandz that Alexis is a huge fan of Skilli music, and they’ve been “friendly” for a while now.

“Alexis been a big fan of the Eastsyde and a lot of people don’t know that she and Skilli been linking for a while they just seeing pictures of them a chill out and that start pure rumors but they been cool from when,” our source said.

We’re also told that Skillibeng recently shot a music video with Alexis Skyy making an appearance. The Love and Hip Hop star, who is of Jamaican descend, has been known to frequent the island. This is probably her third visit since the start of the year.


Two months ago, a young woman, Taveionn Telfer, was seen wearing Skillibeng’s jacket, leading to rumors that she was dating the St. Thomas artiste. She later confirmed that she was in “a full-blown relationship” with Skillibeng and urged social media to “leave us both alone.”

There has not been any information concerning the two since lately. But, both Alexis Skyy and Skillibeng seemed to be enjoying their time. However, their merriment was halted when the dancehall deejay was compelled to address rumors circulating on social media of his tragic death.

A video that was trending on Twitter last night showed a man on a bike, trying to do a stunt but to his detriment. Screams and cries could be heard when the man fell from the bike and seemed to be dead on the spot.

The 30-second video made rounds on social media, captioned “bbc skilli,” and left many seeking confirmation that the man in the video is, in fact, the dancehall deejay. One person re-posted “Is this Skilli?” and another “Is really Skillibeng this?”. But one person took to social media to clarify that the crash had happened last year at a party in St. James.


Soon after, the 24-year-old artist made his appearance on Instagram live, condemning the first person to post the video claiming it was him.

This had many fans sighing in relief. One commented, “brrrrrp, almost gimmi heart attack,” and another, “a di fastest me ever join a live. Me glad say a nuh him but mi feel a way for the next guy.”

The media went back to its normal operations while Skillibeng continued his merriment, possibly with his new friend, Alexis.
 
Rising Female Dancehall Artist D British Stabbed To Death By Alleged Ex-Boyfriend



The dancehall industry is currently mourning the loss of an emerging artist, D British, who was stabbed to death on Thursday, allegedly, by her ex-boyfriend.

The 19-year-old, whose real name is Patricia Green, was reportedly heard crying for help in Budhole district in McNie, near the border of St Ann and Clarendon at about 6:30 pm. The residents allegedly alerted the police, but upon their arrival, police found the body of the young artist with multiple stab wounds and her throat slashed. She was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

It is reported that Green, who went to collect her child from her ex-boyfriend and baby father, was stabbed after a dispute ensued between the two. Police investigators are still searching for Green’s attacker.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, record producer Javon “Likkle Peppa” Downer, head of Likkle Peppa Records, described Green as a “promising young artiste” and a “really nice girl.” He said he is disturbed by the news, noting that “her life just cut short for nothing at all.”

Green, who was popularly known as Samantha in her community, worked as a customer service representative of Mile End, St Ann.

The young artiste shared her music to 760 subscribers on YouTube, her latest song “Suh Mi Like It” being viewed over 4,600 times since its release two months ago. She recorded other singles, including “Love Potion,” “Wine it,” and “Obsessive.”

Fans and close associates have been reacting to her tragic death by commenting on her YouTube videos with a number of R.I.P.s, regrets, and calls to increase her subscriber count.

One person commented, “Rest in peace very talented artist,” while another urged, “My God. Let’s make her a 1000 subs. RIP.”

Her final post on Instagram is a video in which she sings part of one of her songs. The caption below that post urged any girl interested in being in her first official music video to send her a dm ASAP. The post was made six days ago, and the comment section is currently flooded with sentimental comments, including one from the Radio station Mackies 1Stop Radio TV. He commented, “Can’t believe I was setting you to do a interview with you, sad.”

Fans also commented that her talent and positive vibe will be missed. R.I.P.
 
Shenseea’s manager Romeich Major Helping 50 Families In Jamaica Amid New Lockdown


Shenseea’s manager Romeich Major says he wants to help 50 families who are struggling in the pandemic with food and other necessities in the next week.

Jamaica is approaching 12 months since the coronavirus was declared a global pandemic. As a result, the country has seen main sectors in the economy such as entertainment and BPOs closing down while other sectors are contracting, resulting in job losses.

On Instagram on Monday, Romeich Major said even though things were difficult, he was moved to help. “I wanna help atleast 50 family this week to even have some groceries in there [sic] home. All my top people and popular people and people out there looking in I know if [sic] tuff on all of us….but I am willing to accept some help to use my platform for us to come together and help my people of Jamaica that are in need!!!”

He added that only those in need will get help. “Notice I say in NEED of HELP!!! Who helping DM ME NOW NOW NOW let’s do this,” he said.

He posted the graphic image on his Instagram with the caption, “no matter how small all adds up let’s do this! Let’s show them we all can work together to do greatness for person [sic] in NEED!”

Meanwhile, music producer Skatta Burrell is also taking on a charitable endeavor as he has asked for fans to help identify a gentleman whose vehicle was seized by authorities. In a viral video, the man says he is going to work and shows his saw and mason equipment which are in the car, that he says is for his work. He says the seizing of the car will affect his ability to earn an honest dollar. Skatta appealed to fans to support the endeavor as he listed his PayPal for donations to assist the man. Based on the number of responses, this led Skatta to set up a GoFundme to collect funds to help others who had similar issues.
 
Dancehall Legend Tanya Stephens Helping Build Home For Single Mothers


Tanya Stephens says she will be helping build homes for single mothers.

Reggae/dancehall legend Tanya Stephens has joined the latest project of the Food For The Poor (FFTP) ‘Tan Ah Yuh Yard’ campaign. The Mission of the FFTP is partially to provide shelter for families. On Tuesday, the dancehall entertainer hopped the train to assist in the construction of a home for a single mother of five. Stephens told the Star, “I want to be the person I wish I had in my life many moons ago when I needed somebody.”

For the month of March, celebrated as ‘women’s month’, the recipient of the FFTP campaign is a single mother from Greenock, Clarendon, Evadney Johnson. According to reports, four of her five children currently live with relatives across three different parishes. This is because she is not able to properly support them or provide shelter for them.

Stephens, who is very outspoken and opinionated, made clear that she was ready to work but will not partake in any pictures, posturing, or aesthetics. The artiste added that she will be attending the site with her tools to do DIY woodwork with her friend from Tie Di Knot Weddings and Events. Her friend, Shelly, also said she would be carrying her drill to assist.

Information from THE STAR relayed that Stephens is “very grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Food For The Poor in providing housing for somebody who was in the position I was in at many points in my life.”

“I am doing this not for publicity, not for promotion … I have no products selling. I am just grateful for the opportunity to be there and to be of use. That’s why I am on board.”

Development and marketing manager at FFTP, Marsha Burrell- Rose, is showing much appreciation for the help, saying Stephens’ assistance came at the right time.
 
Tommy Lee Sparta Case: Gun Seized Linked To Murders Of Roy Fowl & Oney British


Tommy Lee Sparta’s gun case is not yet over despite his guilty plea and sentencing.

Urban Islandz reported yesterday that the gun seized from dancehall entertainer Tommy Lee Sparta has been linked to two murders in the Kingston and St. Andrew area, law enforcement sources revealed. Investigators were able to link the firearm to the murders through ballistic testing using their Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS) machine.

Law enforcement sources have now revealed the illegal gun was used in the murders of two prominent members of the British Link Up, Roy Fowl and Oney British, Nationwide reported. Urban Islandz reported in February 2019 that popular dancehall promoter Roy Fowl, also known as Father Fowl, real name Owen Clarke, was shot and killed at a party at Harry Josephs and Sons Centre at Grove Road in Kencot, St Andrew. Roy Fowl was a well-known figure in the party scene in Jamaica and was the leader of the British Link Up Crew.

Two months after Roy Fowl’s killing, another prominent British Link Up member, Oney British, real name Alphanso Harriot, was shot and killed on March 29, 2019. Harriot was gunned down while driving his Mercedes Benz along Mountain View Avenue, in St Andrew, in the vicinity of the National Stadium.

In both murders, the gunmen rode on motorcycles to attack their victims. Since then, cops have been unable to make a breakthrough in the murders of the two prominent men. Police are now saying that the cartridges picked up from the scene of the two murders match that of the 9mm Glock firearm seized from Tommy Lee Sparta when he was arrested in Kingston in December last year.

Tommy Lee Sparta pled guilty to possession of illegal firearm and ammunition last month and was sentenced to three years in prison. His legal team later revealed that they had been negotiating a plea deal with the Director of Public Prosecution, and the 3-year sentence was agreed upon.

Tommy Lee’s attorney, Donahue Martin, told the Observer yesterday that the dancehall star denies any wrongdoings apart from being in possession of the weapon. “I would deny any other involvement in relation to that firearm,” Martin said. “We took responsibility, the ultimate responsibility for the mistake of having it on us on that day. We plead guilty and we’re remorseful about that.”

It’s not yet clear if the Montego Bay dancehall deejay will face murder charges.
 
Aidonia Reacts To Lil Tjay Sampling His Dancehall Classic “Better”: “It’s a great feeling”



Aidonia says “It’s a great feeling” to have rapper Lil Tjay sampling one of his classic dancehall singles.

The decade-old practice of sampling has seen many top international acts reworking numerous tracks from Jamaica’s two main genres, dancehall and reggae. It is no shocker that Aidonia, one of Jamaica’s top acts, has been tapped for a brand new hip hop track from New York rapper Lil Tjay.

The “Jim Schreechie” deejay is expressing his pleasure at not only having one of his tracks sampled but also receiving credit for it. It all came about when Lil Tjay decided to sample the deejay’s track “Better” for his release titled “What You Wanna Do.” Lil Tjay’s track was produced by JabariOnTheBeat and AriaTheProducer.

Lil Tjay, who is of Jamaican parentage, hails from the South Bronx and is best known for his hit song, “Calling My Phone,” which was atop the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart in February. He visited the island back in February, where he was working on his album at the Geejam Studio in Portland. He was also spotted in the studio with Shenseea.

The paperwork for the sampling of the track was taken care of by Aidonia’s management team. In expressing his pleasure at his track being used, Aidonia told the Jamaica Observer, “It’s a great feeling to see that my music is crossing over into other markets and making an impact with the youth. [It] just shows you that even though we live in Jamaica the music doesn’t stop here so. That’s why I always try to put out quality over quantity. This is a good look and big up Lil Tjay for that.”

In giving credit to Aidonia on the track, the song’s co-producers Onton Maxwell and Dekembe Perry also received writer’s credit. “Better” now joins a long list of Jamaican tracks that have been sampled by overseas artists. Others are “Bam Bam” by Sister Nancy, which has been sampled over one hundred times, “Ting a Ling” by Shabba Ranks, among others.
 
Baby Cham Names 4 Contributors To Jamaica’s High Crime, Dancehall Not One of Them



Baby says dancehall artists are not responsible for crimes in Jamaica and named four things that are.

Another dancehall artist has come out to add his voice in reaction to Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s recent comments that some dancehall artists are making music that is contributing to the crime on the island. Many entertainers came out against the Prime Minister, who they accused of being a hypocrite as he uses dancehall conveniently to campaign for election. Now that he is under pressure to find a plan for crime, he lays the blame on entertainers.

Senior artiste Baby Cham has come out in support of his fellow artists as he says the music reflects what’s happening in society. According to Cham, he is an entertainer, not a political leader, nor is he responsible for raising other people’s children.

“Becoming an artiste was solely to provide entertainment to the world through my music. Never would I once imagine that I would take on the responsibility of a country’s governing body or parenthood of an entire nation,” he said.

“From where I stand, as someone from the inner city, the ghetto and a public figure, I have observed where poverty, poor leadership, illiteracy, and lack of opportunities for Jamaica youths are the top four contributors of country’s high crime rate, not the music.”


Baby Cham further added that it is unfair to give such a heavy responsibility on music when there were other forms of entertainment like Netflix that make available a range of movies, many with violent content.

“Are we going to remove data from everyone’s smartphones or their homes? Come on Therefore, it begs the question, is audio communication more effective than video communication? If yes, then it with great honor that I will lobby for myself and my fellow artistes which are my brothers to take over the government of Jamaica so we can finally through our music bring some order and restoration to the country.”

He also questioned whether the Prime Minister’s conclusion that entertainer’s lyrics were directly linked to a spike in crime was grounded in fact. “Mr Prime Minister did your conclusion arrive from study done or did it arrive from guilt of mismanagement over the years? People who are already prone to violence and violent behaviours will always trigger by anything that mimics that they are taught and such and it is easy to conclude that visual or audio caused the person to be violent.”

The Lawless artiste went on to say that an “artiste is a mirror of society. Whatever society tends to reflect we reflect it back with music, melodies and words. If you take away the art from the artist you take away the artistry,” he said.

The Prime Minister has not responded to the objections to his original comments, which were made in Parliament a week ago. He lamented the increasing crimes and depravity of said crimes and cited lyrics about using guns as becoming the norm in music these days.

Mavado and Masicka recently pushed back against the Prime Minister’s statement forcing the country’s leader to once again attempt to bring more clarity to his statement. Still, dancehall artists and the vast majority of music consumers disagrees with the PM.
 
Blak Ryno Says Zero Chance He And Popcaan Will Reconcile



Dancehall artiste Blak Ryno says there is absolutely no chance he will ever ‘link’ again with former friend and labelmate Popcaan.

The “Bike Back” deejay revealed his stance after a friend posed the question while on a recent Instagram Live session. The two artists were both introduced to the entertainment industry through Vybz Kartel‘s Portmore Empire/ Gaza. They both shared a valuable friendship until 2010, when Blak Ryno announced that he was leaving the group.

Ryno explained his reasons for leaving the now-defunct Gaza Empire in his March 2010 single “Mi Lef,” where he insinuated that Vybz Kartel’s cronies tried to hit him and “diss him.”

“Mi seh me nahhh mek yuh violate me A one ting mi a tell yuh seh Go lick yuh pickney, Vex di boy dem vex thru mi tell dem strictly Nuh man cyan call mi pon no ends fi dis mi,” the deejay sings.

In response, Popcaan released “Dem Sell We Out,” in which he called Blak Ryno a sell-out, but Ryno clapped back in another song, “Yuh Vex Ee,” where he celebrated his freedom while denying being a sell-out.

The two continued their banter through individual songs until they physically clashed at Sting 2012. They released their final exchange of tracks dissing each other in 2013 through Blak Ryno’s “Courage” and Popcaan’s “Killa From Mi Born.”

The two appeared to have made amends about a year later when Black Ryno was seen at Popcaan’s album launch part for his debut album, Where We Come From. Ryno also commended Popcaan, calling him his “brother for life,” and the two even performed a song together. However, this friendship, or rather ‘brotherhood,’ did not seem to last very long.

Ryno expressed his dislike for Popcaan on his IG live saying, “Me doh even like banana chips. Yuh see me potato chips, bench. Banana chips, bench. Popcaan, bench. Popcaan, bench. Wha else, cheese strips, worse off bench.”

Popcaan has not yet responded to the claims made by Ryno Di Stinga.
 
Vybz Kartel’s Daughter Adi’Anna Palmer Reveals She Was Hospitalized


Vybz Kartel’s daughter, Adi’Anna Palmer, reveals on IG that she was hospitalized.

If you’ve been following Vybz Kartel on Instagram since his incarceration, then you would know that his daughter, Adi’Anna, aka Adi Girl Boss, is his prize. The 14-year-old, who celebrated her birthday last week Friday, told her fans that she spent half the day in the emergency room.

“I spent half of the day in an emergency room but I will be ok,” she wrote. “Thank you, I felt the love. I won’t be able to reply to every dm but I appreciate it all! Y’all favorite niece is 14 years old today!”

Her mother, Sherika Todd, shared, “It Was Prayer Time… My Child…. The Blessings Of The Lord Is Upon Your Life! I Love You & As Much As I Want You To Remain A Baby Forever, I’m Happy That You Don’t Have To Go By What You Are Told, You Can See Life For What It Is. Mommy Loves You & You’ll Forever Be My Lil Nugget!”


Last year, Adi’Anna launched her own record label, Adianna Music, at the age of 13, and Vybz Kartel provided the first single released on the label, “Play Our Song.” Kartel also tribute his daughter in a song called “Adianna,” released on her birthday last year. He made a point to turn off all comments on the song on YouTube to avoid any negative comments from affecting his daughter.

The dancehall star has been incarcerated since she was a toddler, but the two remained very close over the years. Sources told Urban Islandz that Vybz Kartel regularly gets visits from his children in prison, and he continues to groom them for the music industry to take over his music empire.
 
Vybz Kartel Honors His Mother & Popcaan Celebrates Life With His Grandmother


Two of dancehall greats, Vybz Kartel and Popcaan, are showing their soft sports for the matriarch in their respective family.

Dancehall fans know that most of the genre’s top acts, despite the tough guy persona they may portray, always have a soft spot for their mothers or grandmothers who have helped in their upbringing. It’s no surprise then when incarcerated dancehall kingpin Vybz Kartel took to social media to celebrate his mother Teresa Palmer’s birthday.

He posted a photo of his mother on Instagram where he wrote, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOTHER, MY BOSS, MY GENERAL, MY DON! MORE LIFE & PROSPERITY MOMMY. LOVE YOU FOREVER & BEYOND.. CHEERS TO YOU. Immediately his fans and other artiste like Baby Cham and Lisa Hyper followed suit liking and also wishing her similar sentiments on her day of celebration. Earlier this year, Vybz Kartel also shared a photo of his dad on his birthday.



Meanwhile, late last week, Popcaan also celebrated one of the women who has contributed to his upbringing, his grandmother. Popcaan has always made frequent mentions of his mom Ms. Rhona. However, very few fans have had a chance to see the woman that he credits as having brought him up.

However, on March 31st, he allowed fans to share in his 77-year-old grandmother’s birthday. He posted the rare photos of her with her cake and just having a good time together laughing. In one photo, he seemed to be showing her how to make the ‘unruly sign.’ He captioned the Instagram post, “As long as I can make you smile I’m good fa real.”

His sister Unruly Squid would not be left out of the action and also shared a very loving post for her grandmother. While this may be the first time his fans have seen her, he has made mention of her in the past, and in 2020 celebrated her birthday by doing a cookout in her backyard.

Popcaan is always showing off his cooking style online, and he seemed to have been well trained by his grandmother. His grandmother raised him in rural St Thomas, and both were avid churchgoers. It is said his first performance was with the church choir. If his latest single with Beres Hammond, “God is Love,” has not already convinced you of his versatility as an artist, then check out some of his other songs. Happy birthday and belated birthday are in order for both these women.
 
Skillibeng Teases “Crocodile Teeth” Freestyle With Nicki Minaj


Skillibeng teases his upcoming “Crocodile Teeth” Freestyle with Nicki Minaj.

Ever since emerging on the scene, Skillibeng has shown all the qualities of becoming a master of the dancehall genre. He’s managed to cop some impressive collaborations along the way, including top dancehall acts like Dre Island, Tommy Lee Sparta, and dancehall superstar Popcaan. Now he’s looking to take his music to an international level and has announced his biggest potential upcoming collab to date, a freestyle remix of his massive hit “Crocodile Teeth” with multi-platinum rapper Nicki Minaj.


He revealed the exciting news on Instagram with the caption: “50,000 comments.” Fans immediately began to react to the news. Lila Ike, who he has a track with, said: “Run dat fuuuuh,” while Shenseea and Shaneil Muir added flame emojis to show their support while ShenYeng calls it a “big look”. The post, which was made a short while ago today, May 8, has already been liked over 50,000 times.

“Yuh wicked more Dan Weh me tink,” one fan said, while another added, “Happy for you and Jamaica when you win everyone wins.” This fan chimed in with enthusiasm, “This ago sick when it drop mi gad.”


The track has already been massively successful on YouTube and has already brought in over 18 million views since it was released in October 2020. Just last week, Canadian rapper Tory teased a new track he recorded on the Skillibeng’s “Crocodile Teeth” riddim, an indicator of how popular the track keeps getting.

Lanez shared a clip of the track on Instagram and captioned it “@skillibeng #CrocodileTeeth …… should I drop this or leave this in the stash? … I think it’s fire tho … word to @ovoroxx cornrows.” The Esyde artist has enjoyed mostly positive feedback from fans ever since his break out hit “Brik Pan Brik” in 2019. That song has about seven million views.


Nicki Minaj, who has strong Caribbean roots through her birthplace Trinidad, has been quiet for a while now since she’s chosen to focus on her new family, but if she’s thinking about making a come back soon, then this collaboration is sure to produce some heat.

While Skillibeng is relatively new to the music, Nicki Minaj has been around for over a decade and is to date one of the most commercially successful rappers of all-time and perhaps the most success female rapper ever. She has sold over 137 million records worldwide. Despite not releasing any new music this year, her song “LLC” climb to No. 1 on the chart after her fans started pushing the single.
 
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