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Romain Virgo is only one of few Jamaican artists to make the transition from Rising Stars to an establish act in reggae/dancehall.

The singer stopped by Winford Williams of OnStage this weekend where he opened up about officially signing Shane Brown as his manager and premiering his new video “Scary Movie.”

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Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert, who performs as Toots and the Maytals, was hit in the head by a bottle and cut while performing in Richmond, Virginia, USA, on Saturday night.

Reports from the US are that the 19-year-old man who threw the bottle was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. Hibbert was treated at the VCU Medical Centre for the cut and released.

Toots and the Maytals was performing at the Dominion Riverrock Outdoor Sports and Music Festival. The band stopped playing after he was hit, and it was reported that Hibbert was disappointed that the concert was interrupted.



However, the music continued last night as Andrea Davis, who is part of Toots and the Maytals' management team, said yesterday that Hibbert was in New York for the start of his acoustic tour at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Centre. That stint continues until Sunday, June 2.

Davis said the incident occured during the second of two full band concerts preceding the acoustic tour. The first took place in New Orleans on Friday.

"He was playing Country Road. Apparently, there was a young drunk man. I don't know how he got the bottle into the venue as they do not serve them there. He (Hibbert) got some stitches at the hospital and was released," Davis said.

A YouTube clip, recorded from in the audience, shows Hibbert scatting at 4:27 into the recordig when the bottle - which seems to be quart-sized - arcs from deep in the audience and hits Hibbert in the head. As he stops singing and crouches on the stage, holding his head in pain, a band member picks up the bottle and holds it out, looking at the crowd. The band quickly wraps up the song and members of the audience, apparently unaware of the seriousness of the incident, applaud. The band members quickly leave the stage.

Although on occasion the Jamaican stage can be a notoriously hostile place for performers, this is an unprecedented experience for Hibbert. "This is the first ever. We have never had an incident like this. We have been travelling around the world for over 40 years and this has never happened," Davis said.

"It is a most unfortunate and unprecedented incident for an artiste of this stature."

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BOB Marley's Legend, the best-selling reggae album, will have a new sound this summer with the release of Legend: Remixed.

The Universal Music Group, which distributes the Marley catalogue, and the family's Tuff Gong company are behind the project.

Fifteen of the 16 songs on the original 1984 album distributed by Island Records are covered by several artistes including Marley's sons, Ziggy and Stephen.

Ziggy's version of Redemption Song is included. Stephen, rappers RAC and Nickodemus also put their spin on Marley songs but the titles have not been disclosed. The album's executive producer is DJ/producer Jason Bentley. Universal Music president/CEO Bruce Resnikoff said Legend: Remixed is another step to introduce Marley's music to a new generation.

"The Marley name and music are precious to us. We are truly honoured to continue Bob's legacy with the support and participation of his family and the Tuff Gong organisation. We feel the release of this album will offer key opportunities to the Marley family to expand their brand, and its message, outside of traditional music venues."

Universal and Tuff Gong will also distribute a documentary, Making of Legend: Remixed, which contains interviews with members of the Marley family, the producer and remixers.

A remix version of Three Little Birds — one of the original songs on Legend — is part of a summer advertising campaign for Hyundai's Assurance Connected Care programme. Legend was released three years after Marley's death. It contains staples such as No Woman No Cry, One Love, Redemption Song, and Waiting In Vain.

The compilation was an instant hit and remains one of Billboard magazine's best-selling catalogue albums with worldwide sales of over 25 million units.

This is the second attempt at marketing Marley's music to a contemporary urban audience. In 1999, Stephen Marley worked with hip-hop acts including Lauryn Hill and Busta Rhymes and singer Steven Tyler of rock band Aerosmith on the album Chant Down Babylon. They appeared in digital duets with the reggae legend on songs like Turn Your Lights Down Low which featured Hill. Chant Down Babylon sold over 500,000 units and was certified gold.

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Twin of Twins have always avoided being labelled comedians, explaining that they want their work to be taken seriously.

Therefore, despite having a humour-laced product, the twins have always sought to tackle at least one issue of national concern. Issues that are normally popular on the tongues of Jamaicans.

Those issues have found voice on at least 10 occasions with the Twin of Twins Stir It Up series. The series uses fictitious media characters and personalities to create skits that speak on behalf of those who have no voice. The latest CD, dubbed Stir It Up Volume 10, sees Twin Of Twins pushing the social commentary bar even further, tackling several problems endured by the Jamaican society in recent times.

According to Patrick Gaynor, one half of the duo, entertainment is also about education.

The artiste believes a section of Jamaica's population lacks social awareness, and that those in a position to be examples have done little other than contribute to the ignorance.

The twins in classic Twin of Twins style showed how mentors have brainwashed inner-city youths into thinking negatively as a means of survival.

A prime example of this is Scene 2 of the CD which is set against the background of a robbery. Fictitious characters representing Popcaan, Mavado and Round Head are the victims, while another fictitious character 'Ankle Socks' is the mastermind behind the robbery and he seeks to draw blood during the ordeal. A fearful Mavado pleads for his life and a fearless Ankle Socks replies.

"A yu send mi fi yu, yu nuh see seh a touch mi touch the road wid mi clip dem load (lyrics from Mavado's song). When mi a likkle youth mi waah be just like unno enuh bwoi, den mi come realise seh a studio unno inna and wi inna the streets like white line enuh, and a wi police a guh kill and a unno dem a guh congratulate."

The lyrics imply that the messages portrayed by some artistes are far from what they practise in reality. However, youths with little or no access to financial resources may use lyrics inciting violence as motivation to rob and kill each other.

Other important issues tackled by the twins in Stir It Up Volume 10 include the ever-present complaints of police brutality and corruption, class prejudice, unemployment, non-productive governments, crime and violence.

According to the duo, a section of the population is quite comfortable with ignorance; however, the twins are not.

"We decided to spend time edutaining and enlightening because it is needed now more than ever. We observe that a good portion of the population is comfortable with being ignorant. Some people are OK with Jamaica's situation, claiming that they are wealthy, and to us living a good standard of life is not about being rich, it is all about what you prioritise," Patrick Gaynor said.

Also featured on the CD are Foota Hype and Jade from Zip 103. All other characters are voice impersonations carried out by the duo.

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After reaching out to fans with commercial albums like 2 Times Revolution, Italian reggae artiste Alborosie says he wanted to go back to basics with his fourth studio effort, Sound The System.

The album, which will be distributed by Greensleeves Records, is scheduled for a June 17 release. It hears collaborations with Ky-Mani Marley (Zion Train), The Abyssinians (Give Thanks) and Italian singer Nina Zilli (Goodbye).

According to Alborosie, he has a passion for vintage recording equipment and that is evident on the new album.

"Sound The System is a roots rub-a-dub album. It sound very vintage; that is my style from the beginning of my career," he told Splash. Alborosie's previous album, 2 Times Revolution, earned him the 2011 Music of Black Origin (MOBO) award for Best Reggae Album.

Presently, he is working on two dub albums. One is a version of Sound The System while the other is produced by Lloyd 'King Jammys'James.

Born Alberto D' Ascola in Sicily, the 34-year-old singer formed his first band, Reggae National Tickets, in 1992. Thirteen years ago, Alborosie moved to Jamaica and befriended producer Jon Baker, a protégé of Island Records founder Chris Blackwell and principal of the Geejam studio in Port Antonio, Portland. Initially, he worked there as a sound engineer and producer for artistes such as Wyclef, Angie Stone and Sisqó.

Since launching his solo career, Alborosie has released hit songs such as Kingston Town and Jah Jah Blessing (with Etana). He has also developed a strong following throughout Europe and Latin America.

Alborosie begins promotion for Sound The System on June 28 with a show in Paris, France.

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The anxiously awaited Jesse Royal mixtape, ‘In Comes The Small Axe’ has been officially released. The artist shows his appreciation for his fans by making the entire mixtape available for free download. Download your copy below.

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