Tax Collectors Seize Bounty Killa's Vehicles

August 27, 2010
(JamaicaObserver) -- THE Special Enforcement Team, (SET) of the Inland Revenue Department this morning seized two vehicles belonging to dancehall artist Bounty Killer. The SET and police took the high end vehicles from the Oakland apartments complex in St Andrew where Bounty Killer lives.

Bounty Killer, whose real name is Rodney Pryce, is said to owe millions in outstanding taxes.

He is the second entertainer who have had their vehicles seized because of non-compliance in paying taxes. earlier this month, the SET swooped down on



Elephant Man's home in St Andrew and seized a Mercedes Benz.

According to a source at the Inland Revenue Department, the SET only takes action when all other efforts to collect outstanding taxes have failed.

Lutan Fyah Continues To Blaze A Trail In Europe

August 27, 2010
Lutan Fyah recently returned from a short summer tour to Europe in awe of how much the people there love his music and how easily the music that comes from Jamaica transcends language and cultural barriers.

The singer, born Anthony Martin, and who grew up wanting to emulate reggae icons Dennis Brown and Garnett silk, enjoyed what he described as a 10-show European tour that included stops in Brussels, Germany, Italy and Croatia. Everywhere he went, he said, there was incredible response to his music. “I feel confident and good for this response,” he said. “Each and every show was like a different gear, a better performance.”

In Croatia, he said, the best way to describe the crowd response to the music was ‘pandemonium’. He also performed in Lazinello, Italy along with Julian Marley but the show in Germany had a great ‘vibe and ambience. It was a great show.” He closed off the tour with a performance at Reggae Gael in Belgium on August 7.

Coming from Jamaica the home of reggae music, Lutan Fyah said he his heart was warmed by the way Europeans embraced his music. “The people gravitate to the kind of music that we make; and the place that we come from and the language that we use; we don’t understand what dem a say and them no understand what we a say if we reason face to face, but the people dem sing your song line for line whichever country in Europe where people listen reggae,” he said. “Reggae has a fan base (in Europe), the people just have a love for the music and anywhere it de, dem find it.”

Fans of his music responded well to all his songs, he said, but particular favourites included Watch Over Me from his Africa album, as well as the title track, Africa. They were also enamoured with Save the Juvenile, Rasta Still De Bout and the Don Corleon-produced Come Over, which he said, went out to the ‘princess dem’. “De song de big song,” he said. The love the fans showed allowed him to perform for long stretches, opportunities he is rarely afforded here at home in Jamaica.

“In Jamaica, Lutan Fyah might get a seven or eight minutes or nine of 10 but when we go out inna de world we sing for 90 minutes and two hours and still waan sing more because of how the musical vibe and the love these people have for what we, the Jamaican artists do and what we are doing,” he said. “That respect de mek me even have to tek meself one one side and pat meself pan mi shoulder that we doing something worthwhile.”

Luciano Claims Innocence

August 27, 2010

He is celebrated and revered for his uplifting musical messages, delivered through songs including Sweep Over My Soul and What We Need Is Love. He was even awarded the Order of Distinction by the Government in 2007.

But earlier this year, reggae star Luciano hit the headlines in a shocking story that brought his reputation into question. Following a shoot-out between a gunman and police officers at Luciano's home in March, the reggae star was charged with harbouring a fugitive.

The gunman, Andrew Senior, also known as 'Conqueror', shot and injured three police officers in the incident, which eventually ended when he was shot and killed by the police.

Subsequently, Luciano, whose real name is Jepther McClymont, was arrested and charged with harbouring the gunman, an accusation the singer refutes.

"You see what happened ... my gate is always open to Tom, Dick and Harry," says 45-year-old Luciano. "But I've learned that that is to my own peril. Out of the kindness of my heart, I open my home to people, but not everyone that comes in has good intentions. That's the situation I found myself in."

He continues: "This was someone I started helping from years ago. He was trying to change his life - he had children. But I got caught up in this situation. This man was wanted [by the police] but he wasn't advertised as a wanted man. So the way that the security forces went about handling this situation was really barbaric.

"They [the Jamaican government] acknowledged me as a man who was worthy of being given the Order of Distinction; a man who has respect in the community.

"So when they learned that I had a wanted man at my place, they should have approached me better than they did, rather than accosting my property the way they did.

"Even an inspector told me that after the case is over, I could sue the authorities for reparation of my house and for the way that they damaged my property and defamed my character. So I know my rights. But for now, I just swing low and take it easy."

He continues: "They [the prosecutors] have nothing on me. My record is clean. They're accusing me of harbouring a fugitive but it wasn't like that. The brother was looking for a safe haven and unfortunately, he came to my property."

Due back in court next month, does Luciano regret opening his home and extending his kindness to so many people?

"When you're seen as a leader, people will always come to you with their problems," he says. "Some people go to pastors - look at [alleged drug lord] Dudus and Reverend Miller.

"That's the thing; people who need help aren't going to go to the government because the government will lock them down. So that's the position that a lot of artistes find themselves in; people come to us for help. But this situation has really opened my eyes. It's nice to be kind but you have to be careful too."

Though Luciano explains he wasn't at his property at the time of the shoot out, did it frighten him to think that he too could have been caught up in the crossfire had he been home?

"Honestly empress, I grew up rugged. I never grew up as no soft, uptown yute". So I'm used to the obstacles that come along life's way. But what did frighten me was that any of my family could have been hurt in this situation. But thanks to the Almighty, they came out scratch free."

Now, with his focus back on his music, Luciano (or Luci, as I found myself calling him, thanks to his endearing character) is excited about the release of his new album, United States of Africa. The album title addresses Luciano's desire to see the various African countries uniting to form 'one Africa'.

"The various leaders in Africa have to recognise this need," he says. "Once the leaders realise that Africa was once a mighty nation, they'll realise that they need to come together as a nation. The so-called leaders of the world are calling for one world order - so why not one Africa? Why should a man from South Africa need a Visa to get into Ethiopia? It's a joke. We can't just turn a blind eye to this, empress."

Well known for his desire to educate and inspire people through his music, Luciano doesn't stray from this way of thinking on his latest offering.

Proclaiming himself a messenger, the star has little time for the more frivolous aspects of reggae's dancehall scene, and so, unsurprisingly, didn't get caught up in the 'Gaza vs Gully' warfare that dominated the dancehall scene last year. (For those not in the know, Gully and Gaza - in short - were two opposing groups in the dancehall scene. Gully is spearheaded by dancehall star Mavado, while Gaza was fronted by fellow deejay Vybz Kartel).

"Ah, it's a joke ting, man," Luciano said of the warfare between the two groups. "I believe all of that is for the yute - just like Christmas. When you're a child, you enjoy Christmas, but when you grow up, you realise that Santa Claus is false!"

So, of course, Luciano has no intention of joining the dancehall bandwagon. Instead, he says he'll continue to spread positive messages through his music.

"Not everyone has gone into this dancehall craziness; talking about Gully and Gaza and all that kind of stuff. There are big people in this world; educated people who have studied and are elevated and know what's important in life. There are plenty of people who still want good, conscious music. So all when me reach 90 years old, me still ah go strike di hammer [laughs]!"

Buju Banton's Drug Trial Delayed Again

August 27, 2010

Team Gargamel has learned that Buju Banton‘s day in court has been pushed back for the fifth time! Previously rescheduled to start on September 13th, the long-delayed trial has now been set to begin on Monday, September 20, 2010. The high-profile, highly controversial case will be tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney, James C. Preston, Jr. and presided over by The Honorable Judge James S. Moody, Jr. at the Sam M. Gibbons U.S. District Courthouse in Tampa, Florida
Represented by esteemed South Florida Super Lawyer, David Oscar Markus, the Reggae icon is looking forward to finally having the opportunity to defend himself. It goes without saying that Banton is also amped up about the forthcoming release of his prophetic new album, Before The Dawn, which will drop just eight days later on Tuesday, September 28th in the United States and Japan. The release date for most of Europe is Monday, October 1st, however, for the UK and France the date will be Friday October 4th.

Lyrics : Jah Cure - Respect

August 27, 2010

Mi nah have no time for skylarking, always keep on working working working (yeaaaa)

Chorus:
Respect the hustlers in the street, finding hard to make two ends meet
Respect goes out to you
Respect to mama work in the rain to feed her children down the lane
Respect goes out to her

Verse 1
Don?t you ever give up, no, we?ve got too much to live for, remember hard work is the key (yea yea )
She had four mouths to feed, mi dunno how she dweet, oh Jah see us through cuz only you can answer our prayer.


Respect the hustlers in the street, finding hard to make two ends meet
Respect goes out to you
Respect to mama work in the rain to feed her children down the lane
Respect goes out to her

Verse 2
Respect to the man who drive di bus, do di dutty work, clean di garbage up, man wey sweep the street, clean the country up, respect goes out to you (oh yea)
Doctor man big up, lawyer man big up, policeman big up, fireman big up, teachers big up respect goes to you (aaaaaa)

Respect the hustlers in the street, finding hard to make two ends meet
Respect goes out to you
Respect to mama work in the rain to feed her children down the lane
Respect goes out to her

Bridge:
Dissa one ya dedicated to,to all the hard working crewwwww (yea)
Respect goes out to you (R E S P E C T I know what it means to you)
Respect goes out to you
Respect goes out to you and you and you and you and you

Respect the hustlers in the street, finding hard to make two ends meet
Respect goes out to you
Respect to mama work in the rain to feed her children down the lane
Respect goes out to her