Beenie Man will interact with fans, take pictures with them and sign autographs. The organisers are also promising many cash prizes and surprises. For the ladies, Celebrity Tuesdays is free before midnight and drinks are complimentary before 1 a.m. Men pay $500.

Earl Samuels of Night Owl Entertainment, the promoter of the event, said, “Most of the artistes are happy that a series like this is around as it’s a great opportunity to get closer to their fans.”

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Reid also highlighted that as a new feature of the competition, the top-10 finalists will be aligned with some of Jamaica’s top music and video producers for the final production of their entries. This strategy, he said, is intended to broaden the scope of the competition by involving some of the industry’s major players in the programme.

SELECTION

Selecting the winning song will begin with the submission of a recorded version of the entry followed by rigorous live eliminations before the top-10 finalists are selected. According to Reid, workshops and other training will also be an integral part of the selection process.

The 2010 finalists will be involved in the production of a compilation album and an islandwide tour before the finals set for July. In addition, finalists will also benefit from increased marketing and public-relations support to be provided by the JCDC this year.

Over the years, the Festival Song Competition has been responsible for developing the careers of many artistes, including reggae icon Bob Marley, Ernie Smith, Toots Hibbert and more recently, Bescenta, Khago and Ieye.

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Mavado’s manager, Julian Jones-Griffith, yesterday told THE STAR the artiste’s contract with VP Records was terminated on March 1. When contacted, Cristy Barber, vice-president of marketing and promotions for VP Records, confirmed that VP would no longer be working with the singjay but offered no further comment.

first cut

Jones-Griffith explained: “The agreement has been terminated so he’s not obligated to deliver any more albums. This is the first time an artiste has managed to get out of a deal wid dem … it’s an eye-opener for the business that anyone could get out of a deal with VP.”

Mavado signed to VP Records late 2006 for a three-album deal. Thus far, Mavado has provided two of the albums: Gangsta For Life: The Symphony of David Brooks in 2007 and Mr Brooks … A Better Tomorrow last March.

Jones-Griffith was reluctant to give reasons behind the termination but said Mavado was happy to be out of the contract and looking forward to positive moves for the future.

free agents

“We’re glad to be free agents and explore other options. VP is the number-one reggae label and they can’t keep the number-one reggae artiste on the roster, so you can read into that what you want,” he said.

In the meantime, Mavado and his team will be courting all the major record labels overseas for the release of his forthcoming albums. According to Jones-Griffith, while it might not be an easy road, Mavado is well loved overseas by fans and various A&R (Artists and Repertoire) of major companies. If a record deal doesn’t pan out the way Mavado wants, Jones-Griffith explained that an independent release of his next album is also an option.

“People can expect his next album depending on what happens. It could be early next year if we get a deal. If not, we can release it by ourselves this year if we want,” he said.

In the meantime, Mavado has been busy in the studio with upcoming releases from producers Stephen McGregor and DASECA. He is also looking to shoot a video next month for Come Into My Room, the hit song featuring Stacious. Other collaborations in the works will feature rappers Young Jeezy, Drake and Lil Jon for his new album.

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According to reports from the Half-Way Tree Police Station, one of Ryno’s neighbours called the station at approximately 1:25 a.m. after smelling something burning and discovering the fire in the deejay’s apartment. According to the police report, the fire brigade was called and firemen cut the grille to gain access to the apartment and were able to put out the flames.

The deejay, whose real name is Romaine Anderson, was not present at the time, nor has the cause of the fire been determined. According to the police, the cause is a matter that has to be investigated by the fire station. When contacted, a representative at the York Park Fire Station said that they were not yet able to say what caused the fire.

walls and roof

WhenThe STAR visited the apartment yesterday, the neighbourhood was quiet and the deejay was not at home. The damage to the apartment, however, was visible from the outside. The mesh from the window was partially torn off, the window broken and charred, the door, walls and roof outside were also visibly charred. On the apartment’s veranda, a chair was almost completely burnt with only the frame left, a bag containing jeans, a pair of shoes and other items was on the ground outside, with the contents partially burnt as well.

Inside the apartment, the couches and walls were charred as well, and two large televisions were also damaged by the fire.

Rumours have been circulating since the fire and there have even been reports on the Internet that the apartment was firebombed by unknown assailants. According to the police, they have also heard the rumours but could not confirm it.

When THE STAR briefly spoke to Ryno yesterday and asked him what took place, he said, “Mi nuh know, mi hear sey it went off due to some electrical problem, it bun up.” The deejay seemed unaware of the firebomb rumours.

This is the second unfortunate incident to have happened to the deejay since he officially left the Portmore Empire last week Wednesday. On Thursday, the deejay’s house in Portmore was shot up by unknown assailants.

When contacted, head of Ryno’s former camp, Vybz Kartel, said he was made aware of the fire by his publicist. He told THE STAR, “I honestly don’t know what is happening in this individual’s life, nor do I care.”

As to whether persons will believe he had anything to do with the most recent incident he said, “I always state in interviews that I will not tolerate anyone harming any artiste, especially in defence of Vybz Kartel. Empire is about music, not violence.”

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Having been excommunicated from the Empire late last year, shortly after a picture showing the artistein compromising circumstanceswas released, Lisa Hyper is remembering better days in her song, Call to Addi.

In the song, which was voiced on Tuesday night, Hyper pretends to make a call to her former ‘daddy’ Vybz Kartel saying, “Nuffy, yuh know sey mi a call Addi yuh know, cause me nuh like wha gwaan yuh know and mi nah go stay aside and watch it.”

She continues, “Right now mi a call yuh wid tears inna eyes, mi just forward from Guyana but mi get fi realise, Ryno just lef di camp now him and Popcaan a fight, a wha gwaan, every man pon di Gaza get hype? It look like yuh cyaan talk to nuh man nuh more, but hold on/dem figet a you buss di door, whappen to when every man pon di Gaza did poor?”

As the song progresses, Hyper talks about Ryno’s song aimed at Kartel called Mi Lef and Popccan’s song Dem Sell Out. She deejays, “Mi nah lie, mi understand wha Ryno a sey we di artiste nuh get di full respect but Ryno yuh see di disrespect dat yuh talk to di Don yuh shouldn’t mek yuh mout mek.”

She also reminds Popcaan and Ryno about the songs they’ve done together, and asks Portmore Empire members Jah Vinci and Shawn Storm to talk some sense into Ryno and Popcaan to help bring back peace within the organisation.

After leaving the Empire, Lisa Hyper remained a staunch Gaza supporter, explaining to her fans that she will always say Gaza for life. During numerous performances, the artiste has continued to big up Kartel and the rest of the Empire crew. In the song she still refers to herself as ‘the gaza girl.’

- K.H.

“Dem seh if mi nuh dash weh money, mi nah guh done di place and mi performance nah guh good, suh mi a show sey dem wrong because mi can duh mi ting,” he said. “I am a happy person so, therefore, mi just go out fi enjoy myself and mi cyaa stop people from talk. If yuh do good dem a guh talk and if yuh bad dem a guh talk.”

Since flossing his way on to the music scene in December 2008, the Waterhouse native has attracted a lot of positive, and even more profoundly negative, attention to his signature move of tossing copious amounts of money into the audience during his performances.

During his performance at the show, female patrons could be seen slowly advancing towards the stage, evidently fuelled by the supposition that the ‘Flossing King’ was going to make thousands of dollars rain on them in the early Sunday morning.

“Mi a guh up a di front caw him a guh dash weh money,” one female patron was heard saying as she made her way towards the stage. After realising that she was waiting for the shower of money in vain she retreated to her initial spot with disappointment etched in her face as she said: “Him nah guh dash weh nuh money.”

commendable performance

Even without the added perks of his money-tossing gimmick, Flippa gave a commendable performance, to the delight of the patrons, while splashing the stage with the contents of a bottle of Moet.

“Mi feel like dat a mi best performance, because mi gi di people dem something different, mi never dash weh nuh money and di fans dem did give me crazy forwards,” Flippa said smiling.

“There was a point when mi touch mi back pocket and mi hear di ladies dem scream and mi did tempted fi throw money because money did inna mi pocket, but Ennis an di police dem did beg mi nuh fi dash weh nuh money because it would cause stampede an ting,” Flippa added.

One disgruntled male patron gave his own reasoning as to why Flippa did not throw away any money.

“Flippa dash weh all a him money, him bruk (laughs), recession tek him!” he shouted.

In response to this, Flippa told THE STAR: “Mi cyaa stop him from talk, a fi him opinion. Mi far from bruk!” said a confident Flippa. “Mi an Ennis (promoter) did have a meeting an mi suggested that instead a dash weh di money mi fi donate it to a worthy cause, so a dat mi duh.”

When THE STAR contacted show promoter Dexton Ennis he confirmed Flippa’s claim.

“Flippa tell mi seh him nah charge mi to perform a mi show, but ask mi fi gi him money fi throw weh inna di crowd an mi tell him no because I am giving a part of the proceeds to the St Mary Infirmary. And it woulda betta to donate the money to a worthy cause,” Ennis said. “Suh Flippa did like di idea and we both put $50,000 each together that will be donated to the infirmary.”

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The song, which was leaked online yesterday, was produced by Don Corleon and is scheduled to be officially released today. Gaza seems to address the rumours surrounding Jah Vinci, that he wants to leave the Portmore Empire. Jah Vinci, who’s real name is André Kirk Rhoden, has been with the Portmore Empire since 2008 and rose to popularity with the song Weh Dem Ago alongside Vybz Kartel.

Prior to the exit of Blak Ryno from the Portmore Empire last week, rumours had been circulating for months that Jah Vinci has not been happy as a member of the Empire. Rumours had also circulated that he and Ryno had both been beaten on the Gaza, rumours which both have denied.

Now in his song, Gaza, Jah Vinci says, “Dem come wid rumour/run dem away/teacha a mi dadda/ Gaza mi sey/hypocrite and parasite a so dem name/waan fi stop mi pon mi walk of fame/a so dem lame/ Gaza mi sey, mi nuh shame/yesterday, tomorrow, today/ just tell di pagan go weh/a Gaza mi sey.”

He continues, “Dem come wid a bagga lie/waan see mi die/but yuh cyaan see mi leave Empire/and a di more dem call mi name/a di more career rise higher/from dem born mi know dem a liar/mi nah tun Judas betray di messiah.”

In the song, Jah Vinci urges all who wants to leave the Empire to leave because as one artiste departs “another star is born”. At the end of the song he says, “all who a ask if mi aggo lef di Gaza, no.”

‘Dem come wid a bagga

lie waan see mi die,

but yuh cyaan see mi

leave Empire,

and a di more dem

call mi name,

a di more career rise

higher, from dem born

mi know dem a liar,

mi nah tun Judas

betray di messiah.’

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The deejay declared his intentions to remain silent when contacted by THE STAR yesterday.

On Monday, Blak Ryno seemed to have answered all the questions surrounding his departure from the Vybz Kartel-led Portmore Empire. His song, Mi Lef, produced by Supa Blunt, has created a buzz in the entertainment fraternity as Ryno fires lyrical shots at his former mentor who last week described the young deejay as a confused individual.

In the song he deejays, “Di bwoy dem a faker, Jamaica/ mi tell yuh dis, I neva lef through paper/ lef because dem a violater/ mi cut because mi waan mi life greater/him chat mi behind a mi back, weh yuh waan smile in front mi face fah/like yuh feel man a idiot/yuh cyaan do me like weh yuh do di raper.”

Ryno also goes further to explain in the song that he was called in for a ‘meeting’, which he never went to and how he is now looking forward to success in the future as an artiste. He deejays, “all dem a talk sey mi nah make it/me a go live fi be di best.”

Following the song’s introduction to the airwaves, several persons began speculating that Kartel would reply lyrically to Ryno. When THE STAR spoke to Kartel yesterday about the song and whether he would be replying, he didn’t have much to say on the matter.

The deejay simply stated, “Ryno and I aren’t on that page where he does a song and I reply. He and I know what time it is.”

Ryno left the Empire officially last week after weeks of speculation that he and his Empire crew where no longer on good terms. The deejay is the third artiste to leave the Empire in recent times following Lisa Hyper and Kym - formerly Gaza Kim.

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The stage was set for a spectacle, as the event celebrated 11 years of existence. The line-up, which included some of the ‘hottest’ names in dancehall music, proved that promoter Dexton Ennis went to the extreme to make his event a stellar one.

Mr Vegas stepped out with a mission, and his surprise inclusion of the Jamaican Michael Jackson and a well-executed Gospel medley to his set, an energetic Vegas ended up playing a major role in the event’s entertainment package.

Before Vegas, the crowd was entertained reasonably well with performances from Louie Culture, Nitty Kutchie and General B, but it wasn’t until Vegas’ impressive set that the crowd began beaming with excitement.

He intrigued the females with songs like Fight Over Man and Man A Gallis, before engaging in friendly battle with former Rising Star Natel, both aiming to impress Magnum Girl Borecia. the crowd accepted it graciously.

hilarious facts

Flossing king Flippa Mafia only settled for champagne popping, but his set was well received as he performed Unfinished House, Dem Yah and ClothesHaffi Repeat.

When emcee Ragashanti announced the return of Madd Anju, many in the crowd began to question aloud, where he had been. “Him did still deh bout?” said one patron. “A who him again?” another asked.

Madd Anju didn’t disappoint, however, as his performance was met with laughter after he sighted some hilarious facts about the sport of cricket. “Mek mi tell yu bout cricket, how yuh fi a fling ball and man a lick it. It nuh luk gud pon paper, when dem seh cricket mi say lata.”

On the night, Follow Di Arrow witnessed two outstanding performances from Assassin and Bounty Killer. However, the latter and his musical protégé Mavado, who set aside his gangsta persona while doing Come Into My Room with Stacious, shared in a thrilling 20-minute performance which sent shock waves across the venue.

Mavado was in his prime, reeling off hits like Money Nuff, War Is In Di Air and Starlight, which had the crowd in a frenzy. Bounty Killer was again in the spotlight, as the ‘Gully Gad’ used the opportunity to acknowledge his legacy.

“Killa, yuh a mi general and nuh man can change dat. A yu mek everything happen,” said Mavado. The ‘Warlord’, during his performance, called on Tyrical to perform his single Want My Own on the Survival Mode rhythm.

Youngster Dada got a deafening response when he deejayed, “Di bees pitch pon Mavado and sting me after,” before announcing his loyalty with his new single A-L-L-I-A-N-C-E.

The female segment was tipped as the most-exciting segment, but only Stacious and Face came out firing. The likes of Macka Diamond, Queen Paula, Ikaya and Tiki failed in their pursuit.

Lisa Hyper perhaps went a little too far as she launched a stunning lyrical rampage on veteran Bounty Killer in front of an adherent crowd. She, however, narrowly escaped several missiles thrown at her.

The performance by Twin of Twins was quite hilarious, as they made an immediate impact when they entered the stage with their own microphones, as they were reluctant to take the one previously used by Lisa Hyper.

KipRich came prepared for War but his proposed opponent Merciless thought otherwise. KipRich left as an upset individual, while Merciless suffered countless boos during his ill-fated performance.

Despite being the closing act and currently one of dancehall’s most-sought-after deejays, Vybz Kartel never really made a strong impact. The Dollar Sign lyricist started out well, but the crowd seemed already satisfied and began exiting the venue 10 minutes into his performance.

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Hardware, 72, died about 3:30 p.m. last Wednesday, after jumping from a balcony at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

Reports are that Hardware, who had been admitted in hospital for about a week, walked on to the balcony and jumped off, despite efforts by a female nurse to restrain him.

Fancy Cat, whose real name is Alton Hardware, was informed of his father’s passing last week while he was in England visiting relatives.

The comedian, who arrived in Jamaica on Monday night, told THE STAR that he was trying to cope with the death and was doing so with the help of family members. He said, “Family is around, so I have support. We just cry on each other’s shoulders. We have a really big family.”

The comedian said he grew up with his father and they had a “close enough” bond. He said he visited his father before he left the island and told him that he would soon return. At that time, his father had not yet been hospitalised. “Mi go check him before mi leave, cause mi know him did a go through some pressure.”

About two weeks into his trip, he learnt that his father had been admitted to hospital because he was having trouble breathing. He said his father had done heart surgery in the past, so when the family got the news that he had passed, they assumed that his heart had finally given out.

“It was shocking,” the comedian said about the news, “everybody couldn’t believe. Wi neva prepare fi dis.” He said before he got the news he was encouraging a sibling to come to Jamaica to visit their father as he was ill.

Fancy Cat said because he had just arrived in the island he had not been able to get much information about the days or hours leading up to his father’s death. He, however, said he had been told that his father was “seeing things” and had been imagining that people were out to kill him.

Though facing turbulent times at home, Fancy Cat said he would continue working as this would give him an escape. He said he is to perform in New York soon. “Being onstage is my happiest time,” he said. “It allows me to just block out the world.”

The comedian lost his mother in 1998.

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