Dubtunes.com: News Archives

Prosecution has video evidence in Kartel case

By staff on November 3, 2011 7:56 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Vybz Kartel. (File photo).

Embattled dancehall entertainer, Vybz Kartel, and two members of his entourage, who have been jointly charged for the murder of Clive Williams, were again remanded when they appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

One of the men, recording artiste Shawn Storm - whose given name is Shawn Campbell - has been ordered to give his fingerprint to the police.

The three are scheduled to return to court December 2, when defence attorneys are expected to apply for bail.

A fourth man charged in the case, Kiro Jones, was not brought before the court this morning.

Police investigators told the court that they had video evidence and a witness statement of the alleged incident.

Kartel, whose given name is Adidjah Palmer, and Campbell are charged along with fashion designer and booking agent, Calvin Haye and Kiro Jones.

Williams was killed in Havendale, St. Andrew, on August 16, but the police have not located his body.

Risto Benji Murdered

By staff on May 17, 2011 7:28 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Dancehall deejay Risto Benji (real name - Michael Benjamin), who rose to some prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a young entertainer with hits such as "Passport Buddy" (featured below) and "Gun John Crow", was reportedly shot dead last night by a gunman in an area known as "Vietnam" in Church Pen, St. Catherine.

It's reported that at approximately 10 p.m. last night, Benji was sitting outside a house, when a man walked up and shot him multiple times. Benji later died at hospital. The police have not yet established a motive for his murder.

Osama Bin Laden Dead, Obama To Reportedly Announce

By staff on May 1, 2011 9:40 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Osama Bin Laden is dead, President Obama will announce, according to multiple news organizations. The U.S. is in possession of his body, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press late Sunday.

President Obama is scheduled to address the nation on the developments Sunday night.

It was unclear where how bin Laden was killed and how the U.S. captured his body. Officials have long believed bin Laden, the most wanted man in the world, was hiding a mountainous region along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

SOURCE Free New York Classifieds

50 Cent Opens Up About Chelsea Handler, Ciara

By staff on April 25, 2011 11:29 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

In the latest issue of Vibe magazine, the 35-year-old is setting the record straight about relationships with Ciara, and the most recent media storm caused after he linked with comedian Chelsea Handler. The duo was continuously spotted out together, and were said to be in talks to work on a project together, but their public companionship seems to have fizzled in recent months.

"I don't speak to her as much as I did," he told Vibe. The Queens MC also slammed reports that the E! star turned away his gifts. "Chelsea is wealthy," he revealed. "What gift can't she buy? That was an assumption to write that. That was an easy shot to say she can buy her own gifts.

"Chelsea is confident. I think confidence is the sexiest thing about a person. She's the kind of person that if you're blessed with the opportunity to hang out with her, you'll enjoy it. I'm not sure you'll look at her and actually want to jump over the table and f--- her, but you might. You would leave after talking with her feeling that she is a cool person."

As for Ciara, 50 maintains that they too are friends. Their rumored relationship has been on-and-off for years, starting when the two appeared topless in the singer's 'I Can't Leave 'Em Alone' video. "She's a friend," the 'Before I Self Destruct' creator said. "She's been a friend. You know? And it's like, I don't know what to expect of people. I've been surprised a lot. You think you know what to expect out of people but ... I don't know how I respond to that without being the bad guy."

Free New York Classifieds

Ja Rule to be jailed for up to five years on weapons and tax evasion convictions

By staff on April 11, 2011 10:54 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Though he made his name hollering "it's murda," Queens-born rapper Ja Rule now faces up to five years in prison for weapons possession and tax evasion.

On Tuesday, the rapper born Jeffrey Atkins pleaded guilty in a New Jersey Federal Court to two counts of tax evasion, each carrying a maximum one-year sentence.

Agreeing to fork over $1.1 million in back taxes and penalties, the rapper is currently free on $500,000 bail pending sentencing June 13. A week before that, he's scheduled to report to jail to begin serving a three-year sentence for a weapons possession conviction stemming from a 2007 arrest.

According to court reports, the rapper had failed to file tax returns from 2004 to 2008, despite significant revenues from royalty and touring. 2004 was the last year the formerly multiplatinum recording artist had an album of new material in stores. That year's "R.U.L.E." managed to go gold, an impressive feat in today's attenuated record industry, but a minor blip in that more robust era.

Shortly after releasing the album, the combination of withering attacks from rival 50 Cent and an inability to land a single on the charts precipitated Rule's steep fall from the limelight. Yet at one point in the late '90s and early 2000s, there was no more commercially viable rapper than the Murder Inc.-signed Rule. 2001's "Pain is Love" debuted at No. 1 and sold a reported 12 million copies worldwide. Rule was nominated for four Grammy's and even was named GQ's 2002 Man of the Year for musicians.

But rap careers are notoriously evanescent and success soon dried up. A film career never panned out and numerous attempts to reboot his career stalled almost immediately (though I still maintain that "Uh-Oh," Rule's 2007 Lil Wayne collaboration wasn't half bad).

The moral of the story is that it's probably unwise to go up against 50 Cent at any point in your life. Also, remember to pay your taxes next month.

Free New York Classifieds

Sean Paul Denies Past Relationship With Beyonce

By staff on April 4, 2011 7:44 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Reggae superstar Sean Paul won't be feuding with Jay-Z, at least for now.

Paul is denying reports that he has plans to release a book detailing an alleged relationship with Hov's wife, R&B singer Beyoncé. The book -- a chronicle of his life growing up in middle-class Jamaica -- is rumored to expose the tryst that occurred while the 'I Am... Sasha Fierce' creator was taking a break from her relationship with Jay.

News about the book surfaced on the Internet earlier this week and the Grammy Award-winning reggae singer took to Twitter to refute the claims.

"RRR!!! THIS IS THE TWEETINATOR!!! RRR!!! SP SAY HE DON'T WRITE BOOKS. HE
WRITE SONGS!!! RRR!!! [sic]" he wrote.

A rep for Sean Paul also told Radar Online the rumors were not true. "The reports are completely false," the rep said. "Sean is not working on a book and has never had anything more than a working relationship with Beyoncé."

The business relationship the rep speaks of occurred in 2003, when the two collaborated on the Destiny's Child frontwoman's hit song 'Baby Boy.'

Sean Paul's last album, 'Imperial Blaze,' was released in 2009. He is set to headline the UCLA JazzReggae Destival, alongside Lupe Fiasco, on May 30.

Source: theboombox

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Rihanna reveals her sexual fantasies

By staff on March 31, 2011 3:39 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

The R&B singer confesses to being a sexual masochist, something she is not proud of but believes to be the result of abuse she received as a child.

R&B pop sensation Rihanna will fill the front page of the next edition of Rolling Stone magazine, within whose pages she makes some revealing confessions about her sex-life: "I live feeling like I'm somebody's girl," says the singer.

In a totally spontaneous and honest way, Rihanna opens up to the publication about her most intimate secrets: "I love to be tied up and spanked," she reveals.
"Using whips and chains is too planned... you have to stop and look for the whip. I prefer them to use their hands," she adds.

During the interview the singer also says she has to make so many decisions on a daily basis, that in her private life she likes to feel like someone else is in charge. She also declares herself a masochist, something she confesses to not being very proud of, but which she attributes to the abuse she suffered as a child.

Rihanna tells Rolling Stoneshe was just nine years old the first time she saw her father smoke crack: "I was always terrified on Friday because he could come home drunk. That was payday, and half of it went on alcohol," says the artist.
Unbelievable as it may seem, Rihanna says she lives on a diet of chips, cheetohs and KFC, though she is fully aware of the damage this could have: "your tits and ass are the first to go".

Minaj gives Lil Wayne a lapdance

By staff on March 31, 2011 3:36 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

By WENN

Rap sensation Nicki Minaj gave her mentor and tourmate Lil Wayne a night to remember on Sunday, when she treated him to a sexy lapdance during their concert in New York.

The stars took their I Am Music II trek to Long Island for the first of two dates at Nassau Coliseum and gave fans an eyeful during Minaj's set, when she decided against pulling a lucky fan up onstage for her concert stunt - and instead chose to bump and grind against a smiling Wayne.

Before launching into her verse on Sean Kingston's reggae tune Letting Go (Dutty Love), she told the hip-hop star, "You got the big moves, legs open, hands behind your back, mouth shut. Let's go!"

But the raunchy dance proved a little too much for the Lollipop star - he fell off his chair as soon as Minaj completed the cheeky routine.

The lapdance wasn't the only surprise at the gig - rapper Busta Rhymes joined Wayne onstage for their parts on the Chris Brown track Look At Me Now, although the R&B singer was not present for the performance.

The tour stop marked Wayne's first live show in the Big Apple since walking free from the city's tough Rikers Island prison last year. The star served an eight-month term for a weapons possession charge.

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Rihanna's new man: Colin Farrell

By staff on March 27, 2011 8:29 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Rihanna is reportedly considering moving in with new love Colin Farrell, according to sources.

The pop superstar and Hollywood icon have been romantically linked for the past two months. Rihanna met Colin when they both appeared on a British talk show in December. The pair hit it off straight away and decided to swap cell phone numbers.

Now, insiders have extended on these rumours, suggesting the union is increasing in intensity.

"Rihanna's told friends she's so in love with Colin that she's thinking about moving in with him. They've already said 'I love you' to each other, and Colin asked her last week if she'd like to live with him. Rihanna seems really keen," the source told more! magazine.

Rihanna split from baseball star Matt Kemp towards the end of the year, with her hectic schedule thought to be part of the reason for the breakup. It is thought the Barbadian's busy life is occasionally proving a stumbling block in her new relationship, meaning the blossoming romance sometimes falters.

"Rihanna's got a crazy work schedule, so seeing him has been tricky. But she seems to really like Colin, so she flew for four hours just to have dinner with him. Rihanna says it was totally worth it to see Colin - she just can't get enough of him," they added.

Wyclef Jean shot in hand in Haiti

By staff on March 21, 2011 5:22 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

(CNN) -- Hip-hop singer Wyclef Jean was recovering Sunday after he was shot in the hand, his publicist said.

Spokeswoman Cindy Tanenbaum said Jean, who was in Haiti, was shot in Port-au-Prince on Saturday -- on the eve of the country's presidential runoff vote.

The wound was superficial and "he is doing well," Tanenbaum said.

Jean suffered the wound soon after stepping out of his car to talk on his phone, according to Gerry Andre, his spokesman in Haiti.

"He heard a gunshot, then he saw his right-hand palm was bleeding," Andre said.

Jean was treated by a doctor at a hospital and released, Tanenbaum said.

Andre said it was not clear if Jean was a target of the shooting. "I cannot accuse anybody," Andre said.

The police investigation was stalled by Jean's refusal to speak to police about the incident, according to Garry Desrosiers, a spokesman for the Haitian national police.

Jean has been helping the presidential campaign of popular musician Michel Martelly, who is on the ballot against former first lady Mirlande Manigat in Sunday's pivotal presidential runoff election.

"It was nothing," said Damien Merlo, a spokeman for the Martelly campaign. "He's fine and out and about getting out the vote for us." Final results of the runoff will be released on April 16, according to officials.

Jean, who was born in Haiti, shot to fame in the mid-1990s as a member of the Fugees, a U.S.-based hip-hop and reggae group. He now performs as a solo artist.

He has been an outspoken proponent of Haiti through his Yele Haiti Foundation and was one of the first celebrities to offer aid after the last year's devastating earthquake.

In September, he officially ended his bid to be president of Haiti a month after election officials ruled that he was ineligible to run.

Jean previously vowed to fight the Haitian electoral council's ruling that he was not a resident of the country.

His eligibility had been in question after claims that he had not lived in Haiti for five consecutive years prior to the election, a requirement in the nation's constitution.

Was Rihanna Drunk Last Night on Chelsea Lately?

By staff on March 15, 2011 3:16 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Last night Chelsea Handler sat down with Rihanna in Australia. They patted butt's to say hello, Rihanna wore a long-sleeve sheath and enormous, suffocating wig. Mostly Chelsea, who doesn't understand reggae time, wanted to know why Rihanna invited her to her birthday party a couple weeks ago but didn't bother to say hello or participate in the situation till way late, well after Chelsea left. As consolation Rihanna offered that it was a Sunday night, she doesn't remember what time anything happened, that it was fun because eventually they "kind of let everybody in."

This established, Chelsea asked why are there no black people in Australia. Rihanna's belabored conclusion? It's actually extraordinary when you see black folks in Australia, you actually notice it, "they're usually really dark, which is beautiful." They talked more about beautiful skin and Rihanna's Nivea campaign before things got real. Around 6:30 in this clip, Rihanna confesses to getting drunk on the first date. Without pause Chelsea says it's important to be drunk in all situations, then struggles to understand Rihanna's woozy promise that "there's no judgment" again boozing on her end.

The Forbes Five: Hip-Hop's Wealthiest Artists

By staff on March 10, 2011 4:28 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter has had quite a career thus far. Since debuting in 1996 with hip-hop classic Reasonable Doubt, he has sold over 50 million records worldwide. He's parlayed his musical success into lucrative businesses in the realms of fashion, cuisine and advertising (for more, check out my new Jay-Z book, which hits stores next week). Last year he earned $63 million, tops among hip-hop artists for the third time in four years.

But when it comes to net worth, Jay-Z is number two. The top spot goes to Sean "Diddy" Combs, who tops our accounting of rap's richest with a fortune of $475 million, fueled by his interests in Sean John clothing, Bad Boy Worldwide record label and, most significantly, his Diageo joint-venture vodka brand Ciroc. Jay-Z ranks a close second, with $450 million.

Superproducer/rapper Dr. Dre ranks third with $125 million, fueled by past earnings generated from his own career and by helping to launch those of Snoop Dogg and Eminem. Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, a onetime Dr. Dre protege who reaped a nine-figure payday from the sale of Vitamin Water to Coca-Cola, rounds out the top five in a tie with Cash Money Records cofounder Bryan "Birdman" Williams at $100 million.

1. Diddy ($475 million)

2. Jay-Z ($450 million)

3. Dr. Dre ($125 million)

4. 50 Cent ($100 million)

5. Birdman ($100 million)

Rihanna, Buju Banton Early Winners at 2011 Grammys

By staff on February 13, 2011 9:13 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Rihanna picked up an early 2011 Grammy. The singer took home the award for Best Dance Recording for 'Only Girl (In the World).' The song is featured on her fifth album 'Loud,' released in November. The single, however, beat the Grammy nominations cut off date (Sept. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010) when it was released in early September in anticipation of the album.

"CONGRATULATIONS #RihannaNavy!!!! We won a Grammy for BEST DANCE RECORDING!!!Only ho in the woooorrrrrlllldddd!!!!" Rihanna tweeted after the win. This is Rihanna's third trophy. She previously won twice in the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for her feature on Jay-Z's 'Run This Town' in 2009, and her hit single 'Umbrella' in 2007. Rihanna is scheduled to perform twice tonight, with Eminem and Drake, despite fighting laryngitis and bronchitis earlier this week, and is up for another three awards.

Other early winners include incarcerated reggae singer Buju Banton. Banton took home the Best Reggae Album award for 'Before the Dawn.' He begins his second trial for a federal drug trafficking charge on Monday. La Roux won for Best Electronic/Dance Album and Michael Buble took home the award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for 'Crazy Love.'

Love live reggae - but fans disagree

By staff on February 10, 2011 3:36 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

Written by TERRY MUTSVANGA
thezimbabwean

HARARE - The arrival of Sizzla Kalonji in February 2010 signaled a new era for music in Zimbabwe as artist after artist jetted into the country for some remarkable shows. These included the ladies duo of Brick & Lace, Sean Paul, Beenie Man, T.O.K and the Fireman, Capleton. Misheck Moyo from Arts Alive said: "Jamaica rules the music world. We have a strong bond with Jamaican music since reggae and Dancehall speak about social ills of society and as black people we share common problems. Dancehall is here to stay and long live Reggae."

Continue reading Love live reggae - but fans disagree.

Drake considering reggae album

By staff on February 10, 2011 3:34 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks

By WENN.COM

Rapper Drake is considering pursuing a whole new musical direction and recording a reggae album.

The Fancy hitmaker has taken the hip-hop world by storm since signing to rap superstar Lil Wayne's Young Money label in 2009, and he released his debut disc, Thank Me Later, last year.

He's already started working on his sophomore album and plans to hit the studio with British acts Florence Welch, from Florence + The Machine, and rockers The xx.

But the star's also set to head to the Caribbean to collaborate with an unidentified Jamaican producer - and he's keen to turn the experience into a full-blown project.

Drake says, "I wanna do something for Jamaica, because we are supposed to go out there and record after the European tour.

"I was like, send me some rhythms that are poppin' and I'll see what I can do. He (producer) sent me some rhythms that are poppin', so I'll see what I can do. You never know."

It won't be Drake's first time working with a Jamaican artist - he teamed up with dancehall star Mavado last year for their track Find Your Love.