Mistrial declared in Buju Banton's drug case

Perhaps the drums beaten on Buju Banton's behalf this weekend by Rastafarian elders at a two-night vigil in Jamaica had an effect: A mistrial wasdeclared Monday for the reggae singer, who was arrested in December on suspicion of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine.

Jurors, who began deliberations Thursday in Tampa, Fla., told the judge twice Monday that they could not come to a decision after the four-day trial. Banton is also charged with aiding two others in possessing a firearm during the course of cocaine distribution.

Though Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, was returned to lockup, his attorney has requested he be released on bail. The singer, who faces up to life in prison if convicted, testified that taped conversations in which he discussed cocaine with a government informant were meant only to impress the man, not to set up an actual drug deal. Bob Marley's son Stephen Marleytestified as a character witness on Banton's behalf.

The other two men arrested in the sting have pleaded guilty. A new trial will begin in December.

Seems birthday boy Lil Wayne isn't the only recording artist releasing new music this week from prison: Banton's "Before the Dawn," with 10 songs recorded last year before his arrest, will drop Tuesday.

ERNIE SMITH TO RECEIVE PINNACLE AWARD

Brooklyn, N.Y: On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music (CPR) will present reggae veteran Ernie Smith with the Pinnacle Award, its highest honor for an artist when he performs at this year’s staging of its annual Reggae Culture Salute, taking place in Brooklyn, New York. Ernie Smith, whose recording career began in 1967 with his recording of his composition I Can’t Take It, is celebrating the re-release of a new album, Country Mile in this, his 43rd year in the business.

During the first five years of his career, the composer, lyricist and singer developed an enviable track record of delivering hit recordings which catapulted him to becoming one of the most prolific singer/songwriters in Jamaica. These recordings included such compositions as Bend Down, Pitta Patta, One Dream and Ride on Sammy which today remain highly acclaimed in the pantheon of reggae hit recordings. In 1972, he arrived at a major plateau in his budding career when he bested more than 4,000 competitors from around the world to win the Yamaha World Music Festival in Tokyo Japan with his composition, Life is Just for Living, a feat which gained him international recognition and is credited with introducing Jamaican music to Japan.

Still basking in the glow of his Japan success, Ernie Smith went on in 1973 to make several international appearances including Madison Square Garden in New York and returned home to be awarded by the Jamaican government with the Badge of Honor, becoming the first popular musician to be so honored. The following year his composition, Play di Music, performed by Tinga Stewart won the Jamaican Festival Song competition, but two years later, his highly acclaimed recording, Power and the Glory, which raised questions about the nation’s development declaring “as we fight one another for the power and the glory, the kingdom goes to waste” caused him great strife, such that he thought it best to migrate to a safer environment.

Maldivian Reggae Artist Sentenced to 10 Years for Cannabis Possession

Famous Maldivian reggae artist Haisham Mohamed Rasheed has been sentenced to ten years for use and possession of less than one gram of cannabis.

Haisham, of Maafannu Loha, was arrested with a bag containing the illegal narcotics while in a resort to perform a live music show.

The Criminal Court convicted Haisham under Article 4 [a][1] of the Drug Act after he tested positive for cannabis, an illegal substance under the Act. Haisham received five years for using the drug and five years for possession.

The judge ruled that according to witness statements, evidence, and Haisham’s own confession, he owned the bag containing illegal narcotics with which he was found.

Haisham was the lead artist of the band ‘Palm Fever’. He also produced his own music and had acquired a popular following during a career which he started as a child performer at the Inter-school singing competition.

Reggae Legends for Bayside Rocks Festival

Never 2BZ, Inc is proud to announce the inaugural Bayside Rocks Festival, featuring an eclectic line up of international music genres and Reggae Legends.


Launched in 2010, Bayside Rocks Festival was principally initiated as a full day celebration of cultural awareness and consciousness as manifested here in the United States. Bayside Rocks Festival was designed to cater to all genuine cultural expressions and aesthetics.


This festival invites the world to be a captive audience to the inherent transcending appeal of works by musical artists embodied by peace, love and unity. In This consciousness evolution we must be ready. As Gandhi so humbly said: “be the change you want to see in the world” so on Saturday November 20th, Bayfront Park Miami will showcase the beauty we are capable of and an expression of the connected energies that we share hence from which we grow. We are all infinitely connected, we are all one!

Buju Banton Expected to Stand Trial in Less Than 24hrs

On his upcoming album "Before the Dawn," Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton sings about standing strong, though battered and bruised, in the face of a gathering darkness.


The prophetic album which was recorded before Buju's incarceration, is scheduled for release one week and a day after his trial begins hearing. September 28th to be precise.  Lyrics from one of the songs on "Before the Dawn" went "I've been accused, wrongly convicted. Jah knows I'm innocent," he sings in his deep and strong voice. "I've been badly singled out by beloved friends ... who sold me out."


He worked on the album with producers and engineers over the phone from Tampa-area jails, where Buju Banton has been held without bail since the beginning of the year.

Ky-Mani Marley's Book Signing and LIVE Performance for New Karibbean City, Oakland

Ky-Mani Marley, the reggae artist, film actor, and tenth son of legendary reggae icon Bob Marley will be at New Karibbean City, 1408 Webster St., Oakland, California on Saturday, October 16th for a book signing for his widely acclaimed book "Dear Dad". He will also performing and Reggae songstress Sistah Beauty will be a guest performer


The Book Signing will be at 10:00PM. Come purchase your copy of "Dear Dad", get it signed, and take pictures with Kymani Marley.


Music Selections will be played by Awticalz International Sound with "DJ D" & "DJ SENSELESS"

Ticket price: $30

Ticket Outlet: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/128717
(location for Oakland soon)

To book a ticket Call: 707.803.2301 (Tiffany)

Location: New Karibbean City
                        1408 Webster St.
                        Oakland California

 Guest artist:  Sistah Beauty


View this event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=153003778052933&ref=mf

A WANUBI PROJECT : YARD VYBEZ PROMOTION

Reggae Legends, The Mighty Diamonds Celebrate Their 41st Anniversary with Dinner and Concert in NY

NEW YORK – On Sunday, September 26, 2010, Nakisaki Restaurant and Night Club will be hosting “The Mighty Diamonds 41st Anniversary Dinner Show and Fashion Show.” Guaranteed to be an eventful evening, the dinner starts at 6pm, while the fashion show is slated for 9pm and a highly anticipated performance by The Mighty Diamonds is set for 10pm. The club will open at 8pm. Fans can be a part of this historical moment, as The Mighty Diamonds will be awarded with Citations from “The Nassau County” for their outstanding careers in the field of music.

Presenting the Awards will be Mr. Raymond Thomas from The Nassau County Department of Community Development and Mr. Herb Flores from The Nassau County Department for Minority Affairs.There is limited seating for this very special event.

Reggae legend Bob Marley's Family has Lost a Lawsuit Seeking Ownership of his Most Famous Tracks

Bob Marley's family has lost a lawsuit seeking the copyrights to several of the late Jamaican reggae singer's best-known recordings.

US District Judge Denise Cote said the recordings unit of th Universal Music Group is the rightful owner of copyrights to five albums that Marley recorded between 1973 and 1977 for Island Records.

The albums Catch A Fire, Burnin', Natty Dread, Rastaman Vibrations and Exodus were recorded with Marley's band The Wailers.

They include some of Marley's best-known songs, including Get Up, Stand Up, I Shot The Sheriff, No Woman, No Cry and One Love.

Marley died of cancer in 1981 at age 36.

This ruling is a defeat for Marley's widow Rita and nine children who had sought to recover millions of dollars in damages over UMG's effort to "exploit" what they called "the quintessential Bob Marley sound recordings."

L Peter Parcher and Peter Shukat, who are lawyers for the family, did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

UMG spokesman Peter LoFrumento said the company is pleased with the ruling.

Buju Banton's Codefendant May Testify Against Him

A codefendant of Jamaican reggae singer Buju Banton has agreed to cooperate with the government as part of a plea deal in his drug case.

Banton, a four-time Grammy nominee, is set to stand trial Sept. 20 along with another codefendant, James Mack, on charges they participated in a cocaine deal in Sarasota.

The third codefendant, Ian Thomas, will plead guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilos or more of cocaine, according to an agreement filed today. The charge carries up to life in federal prison.

Eight days after the scheduled start of the trial, Banton's record company is set to release his ninth studio album, "Before the Dawn," in the United States. The album was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica, before his arrest in December.

"The album's unofficial anthem, 'Innocent' strikes a highly personal chord that will resonate deeply with longtime fans," according to a press release from Gargamel Music Inc.

Banton, 37, has been held without bail since his arrest on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting his codefendants in possessing a firearm during the course of the cocaine distribution.

Augusta celebrates the 13th Annual Reggae Tribute to Bob Marley this Saturday at Sky City

AUGUSTA, GA - Reggae music has been bubbling beneath the surface of Augusta’s music scene for the past 15 years, said Frederick Benjamin of TRIBe Media and organizer of the 13th Annual Reggae Tribute to Bob Marley at Sky City on Sept. 4.


“The Bob Marley tribute has been for the past 10 to 15 years a barometer for what is happening in reggae in Augusta,” Benjamin said. “It is the only time of the year that we have an event that showcases local talent and brings in some outside talent and lets people hear authentic reggae in the Bob Marley tradition.”

There are so many different styles of reggae music these days, Benjamin said, but this tribute focuses on traditional reggae.
“You don’t really get the opportunity to hear reggae, in the style played by the Wailers, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Steal Pulse and those types of groups,” Benjamin said. “That is why I’m excited every year to go ahead and pull this thing together.”


For the past 13 years, Benjamin has hoped that the Bob Marley tribute would encourage more clubs to feature reggae throughout the year.


“There are very few local musicians who commit themselves to playing reggae,” he said. “Probably the greatest force locally has been the band Kaya, which has Rudy Collins, the bass player. He was one of the co-founders of that group. And Lady D, who has been a mainstay on the Marley tributes for the past 10 years, she was a co-founder of that group as well. They would throw down some of the hardest reggae in the area when they played.”


Lady D will be returning to the stage this year for the 13th annual tribute to Bob Marley.