*Dancehall artiste Chico has again teamed up with French dancehall rap artiste Lord Kossity. They collaborate on the track Booty Call, which has been earmarked as the first official release off Kossity’s sophomore album Danger Zone for Universal Music (France).
The video for the track was recently shot in France. Chico related the experience in a recent interview. ‘The video sell off. It was a lot of fun. They flew up Craigy Dread and he brought out the Jamaican dance element into the video’, said Chico. The video was shot in France and lasted a day and a half.
Last year Chico teamed up with Lord Kossity for the track Hey Sexy Wow. The song registered on various European charts climbing unto the top 100 in France, Germany and the UK.
Chico says he is coming armed with the ammunition to revive his career. The singer who rode the charts in the late 1990’s into the early 2000’s with songs including Grudgeful, Stamina Body, We Nah Promote Dem and We Nuh Care, is looking chart bound with his latest radio hit My Life, taken from the Full Draw rhythm for Fresh Ear Records. Another track Garrison on the Clap rhythm from House of Stars, is also generating serious buzz.
Top reggae singer Da’Ville gets busy for the holiday season
Still riding on the success of his smash hit Always on My Mind, singer Da’Ville is looking forward to a busy holiday season straight into the New Year. On November 25, he is scheduled to perform at the Aquasol Beach in Montego Bay. On December 9 he will leave the island for a performance in the Bahamas. The US Virgin Islands is next on his schedule on December 16.
On Christmas Day, Da’Ville heads to Central Jamaica where he will perform at Christmas Extravaganza in St. Elizabeth. Teen Splash on Boxing Day follows closely behind, while Unity Splash in Westmoreland will jump start the New Year on January 1.
Da’Ville’s debut album 'In Heaven which was released in Japan last year and the rest of the world this year, has sold over 50,000 copies in the Caribbean, Europe, Japan and the United States. His new album Can't Get Over You, was released in Japan in July. It will be released to the rest of the world early next year under a different name, On My Mind. Da’Ville’s latest single is This Time I Promise.
Call him LEC, formerly Lecturer
In the early 1990’s comedian and deejay Lecturer scored a novelty hit called Mock the Dread. Along with the Get Rich Crew based in Portmore, Lecturer reigned on the stage show circuit leaving patrons in stitches with his comedic antidotes. However much hasn’t been heard of Lecturer ever since he left the island for Connecticut in the late 1990’s. However is back with a new name LEC, which means Lock Every Citizen.
Lecturer is now working out with Stoppal Productions. He was in a very upbeat mood when this column caught up with him recently. “I have made the transition from Jamaica to New York and my career is up and running now’, Lecturer confided.
He recently signed a major deal with Stoppal Productions out of Stanford, Connecticut. According to reliable sources, Stoppal Productions made
LEC “an offer he could not refuse”. Stoppal Productions principals revealed that they will be pulling out all the stops to ensure LEC takes his
career to the next level.
“I could not be happier,” LEC stated, “Stoppal has showed me nuff love as an artiste and they respect the hard work and dedication I put in on a daily basis,” said LEC. Incidentally he also works in the A & R department of the company.
In keeping the vision in mind to produce, talented and vibrant acts Stoppal has also signed a female artiste Bluzh. The upcoming singer has a combination single with LEC titled ‘Hear Them Talking’. This track will be featured on Stoppal’s upcoming album ‘Hard Purpose’.
LEC will be making an appearance on Sting, this year where he will be able to showcase his talents as a comedian and deejay. His upcoming album will be
featuring some new comers as well as established acts.
Among the tracks to be on the album are City Lock with American artiste Absolute; ‘Bling Bling’ with DanAngelo; ‘Put Your Glass Up’, ‘Roll Out’, ‘Love Weed’, and ‘Call On Me’ with Mr. Easy among many others.
Gyptian and Bescenta hop onto the Magnet
Gyptian’s Nobody Nuh Cry and Bescenta’s Special Night have helped to garner momentum for the Magnet rhythm. The Magnet rhythm is a production of the Vertex label. Both tracks are not only enjoying heavy rotation on radio, but they have already begun their journey up most local charts.
Gyptian’s previous association with the Vertex label landed him a chart topper with Beautiful Lady. Bescenta has scored big for the label with Cell (Mama Told Me), Can You Handle, Universal Love and Don’t be a Fool.
Nobody Nuh Cry’s success is not only limited to Jamaica, as the song is currently number 20 on the music charts in St. Lucia.
Bescenta’s stocks appear to be on the rise with a new single titled Fathers of the Earth, which was recorded on the Shock Wave rhythm for Shocking Vibes. A video for the song is currently being arranged.
BITS AND PIECES
Cecile is getting ready to shoot a music video with former Def Jam UK artiste Smujji. It will be directed by Rick Elgood.
After a successful year on the music scene which saw the release of their debut album Hey on VP Records, boy group Voice Mail will hit the stage on December 1 in Connecticut alongside the likes of rapper Ludacris and deejay Elephant Man. This weekend the group will be performing in Guyana. Next weekend they head to Trinidad. The group’s latest hit Let’s Dance on the Higher Altitude rhythm is doing well on the charts.
Buju Banton's "Nothing" Refix/100 Watt Medley video has been added into rotation on BETJ and VH1 Soul. Produced by Banton and his Gargamel Production team, "Nothing" is the first single from his critically acclaimed new album, Too Bad. The refix [aka remix] features dynamic contributions from Ghost, East Coast, Mr. Vegas, New Kidz, Assassin, Mitch and Mr. Lex. The video was shot on location at Buju's Gargamel Music compound by director Troy Antonio ("Magic City") and director of photography Salvador Bolivar.
The video is set to air on several BETJ programs including Soul Sessions, Wick'd, and international music show Music Passport. VH1 Soul will play the clip on their Island Soul block. Additional US outlets that have just added the Buju Banton "Nothing" Refix/100 Watt Medley video include: Music Choice, Video Explosion (NY), Ebonny Eyes (NY), Video Music Box (NY), Rootz to Rhythm (Boston), VMS (Las Vegas), Irie Vision (San Francisco), Mystic Vibes (Chicago), Rase TV (Montreal), Video Mix (Florida).