· Sean Paul earns two MTV Video Music Award nominations….Its his second time being nominated
*International recording artiste and hot dancehall star Sean Paul picked up two nominations in the 23rd annual MTV Video Music Awards. The deejay's hit single Temperature figured in the categories Best Choreography in a Video and Best Dance Video.
This is the second time that the platinum-plus selling toaster has picked up a nomination in the MTV VMAs. In 2003, his number one hit, Get Busy, was nominated in the category Best Dance Video.
Reacting to the news, Sean Paul told this writer on Tuesday morning that his double nomination this year spelt good news for Jamaican music and our culture. "I am excited about being nominated for a second time. It goes to show that what we (Jamaicans) have here is authentic. This is another plus for Jamaican music," commented Sean Paul.
In the Best Choreography in a Video category, Sean Paul goes up against Christina Aguilera's Ain't No Other Man, Madonna's Hung Up, Buttons by the Pussy Cat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg and Hips Don't Lie by Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean.
Sean Paul will once again come face to face with Madonna, the Pussy Cat Dolls and Snoop, Shakira and Wyclef Jean, along with Nelly Furtado and Timbaland (Promiscuous) in the category Best Dance Video. Temperature, taken from his platinum-plus selling VP/Atlantic Records disc The Trinity, topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart earlier this year. The Trinity has already sold in excess of three million copies worldwide.
Latin superstar Shakira and re-energized rock outfit, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, top this year's nominations for the MTV VMAs with seven nominations each.
The 2006 MTV VMA's will take place on August 31 and air live from New York's Radio City Music Hall. Among those already confirmed to perform are Justin Timberlake, TI, Ludacris, The Killers and Beyonce.
· Platinum selling Nigerian reggae artiste Victor Essiet to take centrestage at bMobile Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica this weekend
Nigerian reggae singer Victor Essiet has been busy making a name for himself outside of his native country. The singer and his band the Mandators recently released the album One Love, One World. It boasts the talents of Jamaican Grammy-winning duo Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, whose creative fusion is respected and sought after by artistes of every musical genre.
Tracks on the album include Conscious Party, a bouncy and catchy track (whose accompanying music video has been in rotation on local cable stations including RETV and North American cable) Care, and Come Back Darling which round out this winning production of diverse sounds. Two other videos for the upcoming singles Stand Up and Inflation were shot in Jamaica a month ago. They were directed by Nordia Rose.
With his focus on perfection and substance rather than hype, Victor knows for certain that music is a vehicle for positive messages. "Reggae is very big in Nigeria. There are over 180 million people living in Nigeria, and when people are in distress and sufferation, reggae is a music we use as a force to release the stress. It's the weapon against the system that oppresses the people", Victor explained.
. Wayne Marshall working on several projects
Wayne Marshall recently completed a photo shoot for a new phone card campaign for bmobile. The campaign also features Beenie Man and Voice Mail. Marshall recently shot the video for the single Astronaut on the Dem Time Deh riddim. The medley video which features Idonia, Leftside and Esco and Future Fambo, was directed by Nordia Rose.
Additionally, Marshall shot a video last weekend for a song called The Flame Is Burning featuring German based artiste D-Flames. The song will be on D-Flames' upcoming album and the video was shot in Robins Bay, St Mary.
. Chart Updates
Beenie Man's Heart Attack is the number one song on the New York Reggae chart. It is his 26th song to top that chart. Still on the New York Reggae chart, deejay Hit List who topped the charts with Please Stop The Killing, moves up to number fifteen in his second week. Over on the Reggae charts in Germany, Tony Matterhorn's Dutty Wine is number one, while on the Choice FM Reggae chart in England, Break It Off by Sean Paul and Rihanna is number one.
Singer Da'ville has the number one song in Aruba this week with Can't Get Over You removing Sheldon Douglas' One More Chance from the top of radio station Mega 88FM's Top 20 countdown.
Still on the Billboard R&B singles chart Tony Matterhorn's Dutty Wine makes a big jump from 89 to 45, while Sean Paul and Keyshia Cole's When You Gonna Give It Up To Me moves from 16 to 13. Beenie Man's Hmm Hmm glides down from 31 to 47. On the Billboard Hot 100, Sean Paul slips from 16 to 17.
Junior Reid's One Blood has been updated by rapper The Game. The track is titled It's Okay (One Blood) and is the first release of The Game's forthcoming major label sophomore album.