American takes 'Dancehall Queen' title...

A beaming Michelle Young (centre), the 2008 International Dancehall Queen and first runner-up Moika Stapley (left) and second runner-up Nami Crissy Kerisu at the conclusion of the Dancehall Queen Competition held in Montego Bay on the weekend.

Twenty-three-year-old Michelle Young, of Boston in the United States, created history yesterday morning at the Pier One Complex, in Montego Bay, when she became the first American to win the coveted Red Label Wine International Dancehall Queen title."I have never been this happy in my entire life," said the diminutive Young, as tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. "I am going to cherish this moment for the rest of my life - I am on top of the world."

By virtue of becoming the 11th winner of the annual contest, the charismatic Young, relegated fellow American, 24-year-old Moika Stapley, of Los Angeles and 22-year-old Japanese Nami Crissy Kerisu, into second and third places respectively. Young also walked away with over $500,000 in cash and prizes."I am extremely pleased with the way things went tonight, the fans came out in their thousands and it was an incident-free event," said businessman Brian 'Big Head' Martin, the promoter of the event."I want to congratulate the 31 contestants and the fans for making this year one of the best ever."

In addition to the top three places, which saw all three contestants getting trophies and gift packages, two other awards were handed out. The acrobatic Tavia Morris, one of the crowd favourites won the Best Costume Award while Young, who dazzled with her mastery of all the latest dance moves, took the Best Dancer Award.

Although Young was velvet smooth in all the various segments, initially it looked as though Morris would upstage her. The athletic Morris had the crowd in awe at one stage as she climbed one of the pylons supporting the stage and ended up dancing inside the roof, between the stage lights and decorations.

Unlike in previous years, the show flowed smoothly with very few glitches from the action started at 11:30 p.m. until shortly after 4:00 a.m. when Young was crowned against the backdrop of the pulsating beat of Beenie Man and Chevelle Franklin's hit, Dancehall Queen.

The International Danchell Queen Competition in Montego Bay THIS Saturday....

The 2008 edition of the Red Label Wine International Dancehall Queen Competition happens on Saturday, July 26, at the Pier One Entertainment Centre in Montego Bay. Last year’s competition saw over 40 contestants entering, with many of them being from other countries such as Japan, the United States, England, Poland, Canada and some Caribbean islands. A Canadian, Maude ‘Mo Mo’ Francato, was last year’s winner, becoming only the second non-Jamaican winner (Japan’s Junko Bashment was the first in 2002). Even more foreign participants are expected to enter this year’s competition.

In the weeks leading up to the final showdown, several preliminary contestant searches will be held across the Island, as the organizers seek out the most talented local contestants to face up to the challenge of the International entries. These preliminary events will be held in Kingston, Ocho Rios, Mandeville, and Montego Bay.

From dancehall.mobi.com

Still on the sidelines,

Bashy

Afrifest! Bigger and better for 2008!

Afrifest, The Annual Pan African Summer Festival in the Twin Cities, MN promises to be bigger this year! The event brings together diverse African, American, and Int’l vendors, musicians, entertainers, and cultural performers to the Twin Cities. This festival has started a wonderful tradition of educating, showcasing, enlightening, and bringing together Africans, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and other diverse audiences and cultures.

Afrifest Events:

*Please note: This is preliminary info on Afrifest 2008, which is subject to change. All venues, performers, and events will be finalized closer to the event.

Thursday, August 14th

Pan African Business Expo 2008 - A networking event for African businesses, professionals and students to discuss the benefits and vision of promoting, fostering, and growing African businesses and markets. Participants will have an opportunity to sign up to promote their products and services.

There will also be seminars, exhibits, and other activities to help entrepreneurs and small businesses start, grow, and promote their businesses.

Venue: Amherst H. Wilder Foundation

Times: 6pm to 9pm

Saturday, August 16th

Showcase Africa 2008- This event will be dedicated to showcasing some of the biggest Pan African musical acts and performers in the Twin Cities. Sample foods, snacks, and drinks from all over Africa, Caribbean, and America, along with vendors showcasing arts, crafts, clothes and very unique goods and services.

Venues: TBD

Times: 10am to 7pm

Sunday, August 17th - Pan African Family Day
Afrifest Int’l Goodwill Soccer Tournament- AFRICA vs. ASIA vs. USA vs. SOUTH AMERICA featuring youth and adult teams and a kids’ shootout competition

Venues: POWDERHORN PARK

Times: 8am to 7pm

Afrifest Community MuralAfrifest 2008 - Featured Artist and kids attending the festival-Canvas 20 ft x 3 1/2 width will be sketched out by the artist and painted with the help of community kids. The Mural will be donated to a local community center upon completion.

Venues: POWDERHORN PARK RECREATION CENTER

Times: 12pm to 5pm

Pan African Historical Display & Exhibit - This educational exhibit will trace the history of Africa, it’s peoples and cultures from the early kingdoms to western colonization to the modern continent and countries. Experience the history of early kingdoms, the slave trade, and the links with African Americans, the Caribbean, and South Americans.

Venues: POWDERHORN PARK RECREATIONAL CENTER

Times: 12pm to 5pm

Sunday, August 17th

Afrifest 2008 Gala…A Night With the Stars Featuring AWILO* with special guest MzBel* and Hosted by Michael Blackson*. This event will be dedicated to showcasing some of the biggest Pan African musical acts and performers from around the world, along with a diverse cultural fashion show by the hottest up and coming independent Pan African fashion designers and models.

Venue: 1ST AVENUE

Times: 9pm to Midnight

Afrifest 2008 Gala After Party - A fun gathering after the showcase where guests can mix and mingle with the contestants, performers, and sponsors after the event.

Venue: 1ST AVENUE

Times: Midnight to 1am

For more information on this event, including vendor info, log on to: www.afrifest.org.

Bashy

New Horizon Family alongside Dodo presents: Fanton Mojah LIVE this Saturday!

On Saturday July 19th, it’s all about New Horizon alongside Dodo as New Horizon Family celebrates is 6th Anniversary with a LIVE performance by Fanton Mojah, Ninja Ford and G’ovany. Get ready Cleveland for a night of roots and culture with one the most talented and most impressive artists Fantan Mojah. It all goes down at Club Center, 8800 Woodland Avenue. Featuring with music by New Horizon, Sample Jack, Star Temple and hosted by Mr. Personality, KC Platinum and a SURPRISE dancehall queen contest (dancehall queen + culture vibes, who knew?)

Owen Moncrieffe, aka Fantan Mojah, was born to a Christian family in the southern Jamaican agricultural parish of St. Elizabeth. At 10 years old he refused to attend church declaring, “Mi no deal with Jesus, Mi deal with the Creator”. Upon this defiance, his mother threw him out of the house. Throughout his early teenage years, Mojah alternated between staying with his grandmother and sleeping wherever he could. He was later expelled from school for paying more attention to his deejaying than his reading, writing and arithmetic lessons.

Possessing little more than boundless ambition, he ventured to Jamaica’s capital city Kingston in 1993 to pursue his musical calling. After moving in with his aunt, He moved in with his aunt, he took the name Mad Killer (in homage to Bounty Killer). Mojah soon found greater inspiration of late Rastafarian reggae icons Peter Tosh and Jacob Miller. He embraced Rastafarianism and grew his dreadlocks but his aunt could not accept his lifestyle so she asked him to leave. Homeless once again, he adopted the name Phantom and occasionally sought shelter, quite ironically, in a church.

He worked part-time as a baker and lifted speaker boxes for the venerable Jamaican sound system Kilimanjaro. “That (working with a soundsystem) was a good experience because you get to hear other artists deejay,” says Mojah, “and sometimes I would get a chance for a little chant on the microphone. So that helped me develop and that is where the energy start creates from.”

Through this experience, Mojah made friends with other artists including Ninja Man, who then introduced Phantom to Capleton. Through this friendship, Capleton suggested Mojah drop the “tom” (in his name) and adopting a “tan.” Phantom was renamed Fantan, with Mojah added by Jamaican elder Homer Harris, who has reportedly also chosen names for such reggae heavyweights as Luciano and Sizzla.

By end of the 1990’s, Mojah had his first recording opportunity by recording several songs for producer Tristan Palmer but they were never released. Somewhat disillusioned, he put his musical aspirations aside to take a government job rebuilding a gully that was destroyed by a flood. But it wasn’t long before he returned to his first love. He recorded “Search” and “Black Woman Feel Di Pain” in 1999 for producer Cleveland Scott’s small label Home Run, and both received modest recognition. “We never have the finances to push the songs to a height,” he says, “but those songs paved the way and that is when the public start to hear about Fantan Mojah.”

Mojah struggled for several years prior to scoring two remarkable number one singles. First, he topped the Jamaican charts in late 2004 with “Hungry,” then, in January 2005, Mojah ascended to the premier position again with “Hail The King,” which is a testament to the Rastafarian faith that guided Mojah throughout his many hungry years. “Yeah, man, dem songs authentic,” says Mojah. “They come with a power to let people know the struggle we go through; we can’t forget it because the struggle motivates you to rise higher.” That motivation, he observes, is at the core of the roots reggae revival. “Jamaica get violent so we try to keep the music positive, because them type of songs can create a better energy. Upful music can uplift people and derogatory music can lead people astray. Dancehall ruled for a while; now a one drop [traditional] reggae rules so that just keep the better type of music alive.”

While shades of Capleton and Sizzla color his style, his lyrical content is far less controversial than those artists. However, at a Jamaica Carnival 2005 performance, Mojah stormed the stage, stole the microphone out of Machel Montano’s hand during the Trinidadian star’s set and attempted to perform his own songs. Mojah initially denied the action but within minutes cited it as ‘historic’. A few weeks later at the annual Western Consciousness event, Mojah was fined for cursing onstage, which prompted the police to abruptly end the show and resulted in a barrage of bottles being hurled at the stage -the first incident of this type in the 17-year history of this cultural reggae show. Mojah denied he cursed but readily paid the fine and apologized to his fans. The incident reportedly cost him a slot on the annual Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay.
While Mojah’s infamous actions have branded him a troublemaker, he vows he will never again display such negative behavior. “You learn from your mistakes and we go past that stage now,” he says. “At that time we just bust to the world. You can’t cheat reggae music. You have to give people your fullest and that is all I wanted to do.” Joseph Bogdonavich* describes the artist best: “Fantan is loved by the people because he represents the people, the good and the bad in people.”

(Source: http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/FantanMojah.cfm)


*Joseph Bogdonavich – reggae music producer who worked with artists such as Sizzla, Jah Cure, Richie Spice, Capleton as well as Fanton Mojah.

For more information on this artist, go to: www.myspace.com/mojahfantan

Chat 'Bout It: Caribbean Groove Productions

Although there is no TRUE recipe for success, if you take take one part movitation, one part dedication and add a whole lot of love for music - you get Caribbean Groove Productions AKA CGP. With a radio show, 'in-house' soundsystem and huge following under their belts, Caribbean Groove Productions' motto could easily be, ‘Come grow with us’.. Bringing the Cleveland masses sell off events like the flag party, the Black Out Party and the much anticipated “Rock da Boat 2K8” coming to you July 12th, CGP only wants to get bigger.
Chat ‘Bout Cleveland was able to catch up with CGP members Leisa Engle and DJ Chubbie (sans Ajoy Hood) to talk about getting Cleveland to vibe, their supporters and how it all began – with the music…

Friday, July 4th, Caribbean Flavor, 11:10pm.

Tattletale: Where did the name, Caribbean Groove, for the radio show and eventually the company come from?
Leisa: I actually got help coming up with the name from Sunshade. I couldn’t figure out what to call it, but I knew I wanted ‘Caribbean’ in it and we toyed around with different things and finally came up with ‘Groove’. Then last year, when it was time to come up with the production company, it was easy to just add Productions.

*Caribbean Grooves radio program is on every Saturday, from 8:30pm to Midnight on WJCU 88.7FM.

Tattletale: Who are the members of Caribbean Groove Productions? What are their functions in the organization?
Leisa: CGP consists of me (Leisa Engel), Ajoy (Hood) and DJ Chubbie. Ajoy and I handle the business part of the organization and Chubbie handles all things musically.
Chubbie: I am more behind the scenes dealing with the music and things of that nature.….


Business mind behind the music, Ajoy.

Tattletale: As you all get ready for one of your biggest events of the year, ‘Rock da Boat 2K8’, what are some of the other annual events presented by CGP?
Leisa: We also have the Flag Party in April, DJ Chubbie’s birthnite bash, ‘Full Throttle Fridays’ Anniversary Bash in the first week of July, ‘Rock da Boat’ (coming July 12th), we also have my birthnite bash August 22nd, and the Blackout Party in October.






Tattletale: How do you feel CGP fits into the Cleveland dancehall scene? And what are you bringing to the table that other promoter seem to miss?

Chubbie: Everyone (promoters) have their own thing… one thing that we have is the extension of Organik Sound, we are promoters with OUR OWN sound, which gives us the ability to ‘cut out the middle man’…

Tattletale: As promoters in Cleveland, what do you feel, are your biggest challenges?
Chubbie: I would have to say one challenge is coming up with new themes – ones that the people will follow and support.
Leisa: I would have to say one of the biggest challenges here in Cleveland is the venues (or lack thereof). It would be nice to have a variety of venues in Cleveland to cater to different crowds.

Tattletale: Do you feel Cleveland's Dancehall Scene is up-to-date as other cities such as Detroit, Chicago, or even New York?
Chubbie: It’s getting there… and getting better….
Leisa: I can say that musically, we are there, but socially (as far as the vibe goes) we are not.

Tattletale: That being said, how do you think the scene here in Cleveland can improve?
Leisa: The most important thing is remaining consistent with the events.

Tattletale: Leisa, as CEO of the organization, where do you expected to see CGP in the next 5 years? 10 years?
Leisa: Of course, we start in here in Cleveland. I always say with anything, ‘If you can make it (happen) in Cleveland, you can make it anywhere’! Eventually, we would like to take some of the events and promotions we do on a national level and ultimately, back to Jamaica with a few collaborations with promoters there.

Tattletale: What got you interested in building a sound system?
Chubbie: I actually started out playing with Higher Seas and Sunshade and we really didn’t start out wanting to have our own sound..

Note: Organik Sound is Cleveland’s newest sound system, only being on the scene for a little over a year.

Tattletale: How did you come up with the name, Organik Sound - or do I need to ask?
Chubbie: Of course we wanted another name for it. We didn’t want to be so obvious and say w**d or anything like that..

Tattletale: While we are talking names, dying to know, how did you get the name, Chubbie?Chubbie: When I was a kid, I was a lot chubbier than I am now..
Leisa: ..Not that chubby!
Chubbie: I started playing when I was about 13 and that was my name from the earlier years….

In case you didn’t know, Leisa and Chubbie are first cousins, hence the great chemistry -and teasing- between them on the air and while performing.

Tattletale: Following in the footsteps of female selectors like, 360, Gunz N Roses and Vybz Ladies, what are some of the obstacles you face being the ONLY female selector in Cleveland? Leisa: If there are any obstacles, they are unseen. Some people may say things behind my back, but I don’t know about it. That is why I say they are unseen. I have not yet to have a problem with anyone (but when and if I do) it will just push me harder and stronger….

Tattletale: In your opinion, what makes a great sound?
Chubbie: The most important thing is unity. It is important to know your job when playing the music and know the job of your emcee as to what songs they are comfortable with….
Leisa: Also, another important thing is having the ability to be versatile. Being able to play to different crowds…

Tattletale: As the soundsystem, do you try to set the vibes for the party or do you get it from how the crowd reacts to the tunes you've selected?
Chubbie: We initially start off trying to set the vibes for the dance then we move towards (setting the vibes) by feeding off the people. Sometimes, I even sit back at a dance and watch the crowd to how the crowd reacts to certain tunes.

Tattletale: How difficult is it to build the vibes through each dance?
Chubbie and Leisa: It’s VERY difficult!
Chubbie: Each crowd and venue varies. Some places call for different music and songs. There are some songs I play at Dailey’s that I don’t play here (Caribbean Flavor)…

Tattletale: Do you have any signature dubplates?
Chubbie: Right now, one of our favorites comes from a new artist from Jamacia named UpSerge called ‘What a Mighty Sound’.

Tattletale: Over the years, who are some of the people that you enjoy see coming out to support CGP?
Leisa: The Blaze Crew- they have been with us since back in the day at our Club Afrique days…Spyda Crew, Bashment/Barbie Doll Crew, and the Waistline Crew. Those are some people who come out to support us week after week, event after event.

Tattletale: Speaking of back in the days, Leisa I can still remember your days as a performer, I think I attended an event at Big Family way back when, any plans to return to that side of the business?
Leisa: (laughing) There has been a few attempts to get me to come back. Right now, I am going through a little writers block. I have so much going on, but I do get excited with the idea of me returning to the studio. In fact, when I go to Jamaica, I go to the studio with my friend, Antonio West, who has his own studio.

Tattletale: Chubbie, as the more laid back member of the crew, what are your future plans in terms being a selector?
Chubbie: Just keep playing! I love music! I just want to spread my wings and fly, so to speak…

Tattletale: Anything else you'd like our chat ‘bout readers to know?
Leisa: Come to the boat ride! Keep supporting us! We are only going to get bigger and better. We will keep the consistency of great events coming! We want people to associated CGP with quality… So far, every event we’ve held has been successful so we want to keep it coming….

To contact CGP, log on to: www.myspace.com/caribbeangrooveproduction
To find out more about DJ Chubbie: log on to www.myspace.com/organiksounddjchubby.

Movado stars in Sunrason Films 'What goes Around'

Jamacian born film-maker, Steve "Tehut-Nine" McAplin, writer of the film, 'Bashment:The Fork in the Road', takes a different course with new film, 'What Goes Around', set to be released between July or August of this year. McAplin kept actor Nohard 'Noah' Grant, the hard-knuckled star of Bashment in addition to adding fresh faces, such as dancehall deejay Mavado. Here is a general synopsis of the film:

WHAT GOES AROUND

A Film By Steve "Tehut-Nine" McAlpin

Movie Synopsis

Written and Directed by Steve “Tehut-Nine” McAlpin, WHAT GOES AROUND is a dramatic relationship tale based on the adage, “You'll reap what you sow”. John S. Silver is an absentee father and a roaming womanizer whose past haunts his conniving attempts at a second chance. His sons Denzel and Sylvester are complete opposites, yet they face similar situations in their relationships with the women in their lives. Denzel is a hopeless romantic whose unfaithful girlfriend leaves him devastated with more than just a broken heart. Sylvester, much like his father, John, is a playboy, who gets the tables turned on him after his girlfriend finds out he's been cheating on her. It is a twisted tale about male/female relationships, layered with lots of humor and engaging drama, that seamlessly merges all the pieces as we follow the emotional roller coaster ride of each character, feeling sorry for some, angry at others and bracing for the outcome, because in the end, What Goes Around…

Written & Directed By Steve "Tehut-Nine" McAlpin

Starring: Mavado, Nohard Grant, Flippa Maffia, Sakina Samuda, Kim Goss, Alton Ashman, KC Jockey, Ghost Teflon, Supa Twitch, Ding Dong, Maestro.

Produced By:SUNRASON FILMS, JOHNNY BLACKS ENT. and O-DON

For more information about this film, visit: http://www.sunrason.com/ or www.myspace.com/whatgoesaroundmovie . Email: sunrason@gmail.com or call SUNRASON FILMS (917) 531-5704 for more info