Caribbean Entertainers Nominated for UK MOBO Awards

Friday, September 21, 2012

The nominees for 17th annual MOBO Awards were recently announced and a host of Caribbean nominees made the short list. Founded in 1996, MOBO was established by Kanya King MBE to recognise the outstanding achievements of artists who perform music in genres ranging from gospel, Jazz, R & B, Soul, Reggae to Hip Hop.

Bajan popstar Rihanna and Trinidadian Rapper Nicki Minaj were both nominated in the same category for “Best International Act” , other members in that category includes; Azealia Banks, Beyoncé, Drake, Jay Z and Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Nas,Ne-Yo and Rick Ross. This category was won by Rihanna last year and is deemed at the favourite to win again.

For the “Best Reggae Act” the list includes:

Popcaan
Sean Paul
Konshens
Damian Marley
Mr. Vegas

In the Best Reggae Act” Gyptian was the last Caribbean winner to capped that award back in 2010. Last year's winner went to Alborosie, an Italian reggae artist. Sean Paul who is the favourite to win , won in 2002,2004, 2006 and 2009

This year's Music of Black Origin (Mobo) Awards will be held at Liverpool's Echo Arena on Saturday November 3^rd.

The full list of MOBO awards nominations 2012 is as follows:

Best Newcomer in association with HTC – vote now
Delilah
StooShe
Angel
Rudimental
Lianne La Havas
AlunaGeorge
Conor Maynard
Jessie Ware
Misha B
Rita Ora

Best UK Male – vote now
Labrinth
Ed Sheeran
Plan B
Professor Green
Wiley
Rizzle Kicks

Best UK Female in association with Tresor Paris – vote now
Emeli Sandé
Rita Ora
Jessie J
Jessie Ware
Rebecca Ferguson
Tulisa

Best Video – vote now
Emeli Sandé – My Kind Of Love
JLS – Do You Feel What I Feel
Plan B – Ill Manors
Rizzle Kicks – Mama Do The Hump
Rita Ora ft. Tinie Tempah – R.I.P.

Best Hip-Hop/Grime – vote now
Devlin
Plan B
Professor Green
Wiley
Wretch 32

Best Album – vote now
Ed Sheeran – +
Emeli Sandé – Our Version of Events
Labrinth – Electronic Earth
Plan B – Ill Manors
Rita Ora – Ora

Best R&B/Soul Act – vote now
Angel
Emeli Sandé
Labrinth
Maverick Sabre
Rebecca Ferguson

Best Song in Association with PRSforMusic – vote now
Ed Sheeran - Lego House
Emeli Sandé - Next To Me
Plan B - Ill Manors
Labrinth feat. Tinie Tempah - Earthquake
Michael Kiwanuka - I'll Get Along

Best International Act – vote now
Azealia Banks
Beyoncé
Drake
Jay Z and Kanye West
Frank Ocean
Nas
Nicki Minaj
Ne-Yo
Rick Ross
Rihanna

Best African Act – vote now
Fatoumata Diawara
P Square
The Very Best
Spoek Mathambo
D'Banj
Fally Ipupa
Sarkodi Duncwills
Cabo Snoop
Camp Mulla
Amadou and Mariam

Best Reggae Act – vote now
Popcaan
Sean Paul
Konshens
Damian Marley
Mr. Vegas

Best Jazz Act – vote now
Ayanna Witter-Johnson
Femi Temowo
Zara Mcfarlane
Roller Trio
Zoe Rahman

Best Gospel Act – vote now
V9 Collective
Rachel Kerr
Ni-Cola
Ram1
El Mafrex

 

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Mr. Vegas album "Sweet Jamaica" # 7 on the Billboard Reggae Charts.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Jamaican singer Mr. Vegas  latest album Sweet Jamaica is currently number 7 on the Billboard Reggae Charts.

The album which was released on Mya 29, makes this the fourth of Vegas album to appear on Billboard, Heads High reached  number five, back in 1998, while his sophomore album, Damn Right debuted at number two in 2001 and in 2007 Hot It Up blazed to #15

The double album was released on Vegas’ MV Music label featuring  both Dancehall and Reggae elements, and  features collaborations with acts such as Shaggy, Luciano, Josey Wales and Jovi Rockwell.

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Ninja Kid and Mr. Vegas teamed up with international award winning producer Jah Snow Cone on ‘Mercury Rhythm’.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Dancehall recording artiste Ninja Kid and Mr. Vegas has teamed up with international award winning producer Jah Snow Cone on his latest project, the ‘Mercury Rhythm’.  With some of the biggest names in local music on the compilation, the two lent their effort to a collaboration titled ‘Gal Bubble’, which is expected to be released via iTunes and other digital platforms soon.

Though still unreleased, the song which exudes that authentic old school dancehall vibe has been creating a buzz locally following its premier last week by selected radio jocks. An official video is expected to follow suit. This is not the first time the two have collaborated.  Back in the early 90s’ Kid and Vegas released a single on the Mixing Lab imprint called ‘Tall Up Tall Up’.

Producer Snow Cone, on the resurgence has worked with some of the biggest names locally and internationally resulting  in him copping an ASCAP Award for Sean Paul's hit single "Temperature"(off the The Trinity album) the most performed song for 2006 which reached the top of the R&B and rap music charts. The Trinitygarnered a Billboard Award as the "Top Selling Reggae Album of the Year" for 2005 and its single "Temperature" earned the 2006Billboard award for "Hot 100 Single of the Year.

Meanwhile, set to perform at this weekend’s inaugural staging of Rumfire Ochi Explosion at Margaritaville, Ocho Rios. Ninja Kid whose given name is Ojukwu Simpson on Sunday shot the video for his summer entry ‘Look Pon Duh Gal Deh’ (Summer Again) and will also be officially premiering his video for the thought provoking ‘Dem’ featuring Markus Myrie (son of incarcerated Reggae superstar Buju Banton) this week.

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Mr Vegas Banned Grenada

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Grenada government has refused a work permit to Jamaican artiste Mr. Vegas, who was scheduled to perform there on Saturday.


Vegas who performed in Grenada at a rally of the then ruling new national party in 2008 said the move is political one by the government.

Steve Duncan said no specific reason had been given by the Minister of labour for refusing the work permit.

Mr vegas on his twitter page hit back by saying “How could the minister of labor in Grenada be so lie and call himself a pastor,he is on the news saying steve duncan applied For a work permit late,this man is a pastor and is out their lying through his unholy teeth the permit was applied 4 jan 22 we have proof “

Duncan ,who claimed to have invested more than EC$30,000 in marketing the show, is questioning the move to ban the artiste and wants the government to say if it has a list containing the names of persons who should not perform in Grenada

Grenada’s labour laws do not require the labour minister to provide a reason for denying an artiste a work permit.

This is the second Jamacian artiste to be banned from performing in Grenada by the 19th month old Tillman Thomas administration. Last April, the government refused a work permit for artiste known as Vybz Kartel

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Sean Paul, Freddie McGregor, Mr Vegas headline Irie Jamboree

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Sean Paul, Queen Ifrica, Freddie McGregor and Mr Vegas headline Irie Jamboree

*International dancehall artiste Sean Paul, Queen Ifrica, Freddie McGregor, Mr. Vegas, Assassin, Laden, Tony Rebel, Spice and Chino are among the reggae/dancehall acts confirmed for Irie Jamboree - North America’s premier reggae festival organizers announced recently. The event takes place on Labor Day Sunday, September 6 in Queens, New York.

Bobby Clarke, CEO of Irie Jam Radio, co-producers of the event said that “Sean Paul’s appearance will help the festival attract not only traditional reggae/dancehall lovers but mainstream fans who have now embraced music from the islands. He has established himself as the top artiste from the Caribbean and has consistently demonstrated his ability to score international hit songs, having done so with Deport Them, Hot Gal Today, Gimmie the Light, Get Busy, Like Glue, Temperature, We Be Burning, Baby Boy and Come Over” Clarke noted.

One significant change that will be instituted by Team Irie Jamboree this year, is the moving of the event to an outdoor facility at York College on Guy R Brewer, located a few miles from Roy Wilkins Park, home of the event for the past six years.

“We really believe that we have found a home at York," said Steven Williams, CEO of Black Emperor Entertainment, co-producers of the event. "Roy Wilkins has been a great venue for us however we could not ignored complaints from patrons about the lack of substantial park which is the main reason for the move” Williams said.

York College has a municipal park in close proximity and is just minutes from the NY Subway and Long Island Railroad which will greatly improve accessibility for many patrons who use mass transit to get and from the event annual.

“Our goal is to make the whole Irie Jamboree experience a memorable one for patrons and with this calculated move, we are one step closer to achieving our ultimate goal” Williams reiterated.

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