INSIDE THE CARIBBEAN: Marley, Elephant Man, Kingston climb charts; Ce'Cile's 'Hot Like We'; Nevis and Winfest '09; Mojo and Nike; more...

Ziggy Marley, Elephant Man and Sean Kingston make big gains on the Billboard charts 

      *After a six year absence from the Billboard 200 album chart, Ziggy Marley returns this week at number 149 with Family Time, his latest album which has been released by Tuff Gong. The last time Marley had an entry on the Billboard 200 was in 2003 when Dragonfly entered and stalled at number 138.

      Family Time also takes the top prize on the Billboard Reggae album chart, giving Marley his first chart topping album since 1999’s The Spirit of Music.

      Incidentally, Marley along with his siblings the Melody Makers scored their best showing on the Billboard 200 in 1988 when Conscious Party peaked at number 23.

      Elephant Man is no stranger to the Billboard charts. His latest entry Nuh Linga, which had topped charts here in Jamaica in 2008, rises from number 100 to 84 in its third non-consecutive week on the Billboard R&B Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
 
      Elephant Man has already charted with titles including Shake that Body featuring PI; Signal the Plane; Jook Gal (Wine Wine); Pon Di River Pon Di Bank; Father Elephant; and Don’t Stop with Janet Jackson.

      Sean Kingston has the second highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100 this week as his new single Fire Burning debuts at number 29. The single is currently number five on the Black Singles chart in Germany.

      Kingston made waves two years ago with the hit singles Beautiful Girls, Me Love and There’s Nothing.

      Over on the Billboard R&B Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart, Serani continues to play musical chairs as No Games hops to number 56 up from number 60. The track has been on the chart for the past 23 weeks, and has only gotten as far as number 53.

Ce’Cile’s Hot Like We remix climbs the German Black Music charts

      Jamaican dancehall artiste Ce’Cile who got her start in the music industry as a receptionist at the Celestial Sounds recording studio, has been steadily making a name for herself in the Jamaican music industry.

      Known for a string of hits over the past nine years, including songs such as Goody, Waiting, Can You Do the Wuk (featuring Sean Paul), Changes and Ride or Die, Ce’Cile is currently making strides on the Black Singles chart in Germany with the inescapable recording, Hot Like We. In its second week on the chart, Hot Like We has jumped from 12 to number 8.

      Still on the German Black Singles chart, Jamaican born dancehall artiste Serani climbs from 19 to 13 with No Games. No Games which was last week resting at number 56 on the Billboard R&B Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart, has already peaked at number eight on the German chart.
 

Nevis comes alive with the staging of Winfest 2009
 

      Over on the island of Nevis, Winfest 2009 is scheduled for May 28 to June 1.  A big addition to this year’s festival is a Calypso Monarch Competition.  Other activities for Winfest include a fishing tournament, drag racing and a J’Ouvert parade.

      Queen Ifrica to release album Montego Bay on VP Records
While her current single Lioness on the Rise continues to make gains on Media Guide’s Top 10 Reggae chart stateside, Jamaican reggae artiste Queen Ifrica is getting ready for the summer release of her sophomore album Montego Bay.

      Ifrica who is the daughter of veteran reggae star Derrick Morgan, is known across Europe and the Caribbean for the hits Daddy Don’t Touch Me There, Below the Waist, Randy and Keep it to Yourself.

Fashion Week to hit Trinidad & Tobago

      The second annual Fashion Week Trinidad and Tobago is to be held from May 29 to June 2.  This year, the show is going green with the theme, “Save Our Earth, Live Green”.  Among the designers will be Michael Hendy, who has dressed P. Diddy, Missy Elliot and Machel Montano, and Millhouse, who has dressed the likes of Jill Scott and Erykah Badu.

Mojo Morgan teams up with Nike

      Mojo Morgan’s song “Tonight” has been picked up by athletics giant Nike to be used in its ad campaign for Nike Women. 

      Mojo recently released his debut solo album, “Got Mojo?”  on iTunes. 

      The ads for Nike will begin running May 29.

British Reggae group Aswad reunites for Island Records 50th Anniversary celebrations

      British reggae group Aswad has reunited after splitting up ten years ago. The group will be performing at the Island Records 50th anniversary celebrations. 

Aswad is known for hits including Best of My Love, Don’t Turn Around and Give a Little Love.

   And that’s a wrap for Inside the Caribbean for this week. We certainly hope that you enjoyed the column and we look forward to your comments and suggestions.  I can be reached at kevinjacksonkj@gmail.com

NOTE: Kevin Jackson is the Production Manager at Reggae Entertainment Television (RETV), an all music cable channel which is a subsidiary of the RJR Communications Group in Kingston, Jamaica. RETV is watched in Jamaica and 12 other Caribbean countries including Trinidad & Tobago, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Belize, Costa Rica, St Lucia, St Marteen, Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda.