What on earth has the Movie ‘Notorious’ got to do with this year’s Reggae Grammy Winner?

“And the award for the 2009 Grammy for Best Reggae album goes to.....

Burning Spear for ‘Jah Is Real’”

For the second time in his celebrated career, Mr Rodney has walked away with the coveted Reggae Grammy. The fact that not manyof us even knew he had an album out is besides the point. He may be one of music’s longest serving practitioners but he is - it wouldseem - one of the most technically advanced as his album was only available to download and predominantly sold direct to his fans a la Prince!!!!

The same week that The Spear collected his award, the media was abuzz with the news of the triumphant release of the Biggie Smallz biopic, ‘Notorious’. What’s this got to do with our Spear? Well, indirectly, plenty!

So let me break it down.

When the news first broke about plans to make said biopic, there was an overweight, lovelorn teenager of Jamaican decent called Sean Kingston who’s ‘Beautiful Girls’ was running the pop charts ragged. So talk was rife that Kingston would play the young Biggie in the movie as they shared similar bacgrounds. As we now know, that didn’t come to pass. That still doesn’t explain the Spear link does it? Hold your horsesand let me break it down further!

When Kingston burst on the scene his Reggae credentials were put in question as his flow mellifluously betrayed his Jamaican roots. Amongst all the speculation as to where he came from it was rumoured that he was Buju Banton’s cousin or nephew or something.

Unfortunately, that one didn’t quite pan out either, but what we did get to understand is that his grandfather, Laurence Lindo, was a producer and sound system owner better known as Jack Ruby. Mr Lindo’s most enduring contribution to Reggae history is that he produced Burning Spear’s seminal album, ‘Marcus Garvey’in 1975.

And that is what on earth the Movie ‘Notorious’ has got to do with this year’s Reggae Grammy!

On This Day.......

1991 – Super Cat was busy changing his subtitle from the Wild Apache to the Don Dadda in response to the success of his one-time protégé, Ninjaman’s, claim of being theDon Gorgon.

This week’s number one’s around the Reggae world (At Press time).

‘Get Wild’– Vybz Kartel -France

‘Here I Am’ - Cornadoor – Germany

‘I Can Feel Your Pain’ – Gyptian - New York

‘I Feel Good’ – Beres Hammond - Caribbean Hot 30

‘I Love You Anyway’ –Barbee - Jamaica Music Count Down (Reggae) (Pictured)

‘Love Is Automatic’ – Marcia Griffiths Ft: Busy Signal - Choice FM, London/BBC 1xtra

‘Romping Shop’ – Vybz Kartel & Spice – Jamaica Music Count Down (Dancehall)

‘Start Anew’ – Tarrus Riley – New Style, Birmingham/South Florida

‘Sweep’ – Elephant Man - Lance O’s Reggae Vibes

‘Time To Shine’ – Laden - Outaroad.com, JA

In De Charts

‘Flying Dagger (100 Stab)’ – Aidonia – Jamaica Music Count Down (Dancehall)/Germany

‘Know Yourself’ Lloyd Brown & Peter Spence – New York

'Pull Up Your Trousers' - Nereus Joseph & Vivian Jones - New Style, Birmingham, England

On Air

Fridays – 10pm-12 Midnight – Aston FM 89.1/www.astonfm.com with

Chicken George

Saturdays – 7pm – 9pm – www.playvybz.com

Sunday – 10pm -12 Midnight – The Archive Selection with Natty B on Choice FM

96.9/107.1/www.choicefm.com

Mondays – 6pm – 9pm – Elayne Smith’s Music Industry Show on

www.colourfulradio.com

Live:

February

23-27^th

Feb - Aidonia in Catanzaro, Italy

Feb 24^th – Lloyd Brown with 7^th Street @ Red Fox Tavern, Eureka, California

Feb 26^th – Lloyd Brown with 7^th Street @ The Last Day Saloon, Santa Rosa, California

Feb 27^th – Lloyd Brown with 7^th Street & Don Carlos @ Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, California

28^th Feb - 5th March Aidonia in Padova, Italy

March

Mar 4^th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s,London, England

Mar 6^th - Aidonia in Jouy Aux Arches, France

– Bongo Chill @ West Indian Centre, Leeds, England

Mar 7^th Aidonia in Mannheim, Germany

Mar 12^th - Aidonia in Berlin, Germmany

Mar 13^th - Aidonia in Milan, Italy

Mar 15^th - Aidonia in Copenhagen, Denmark

– Dennis Bovell/Lloyd Brown/Prezedent @ Jean Adebambo Benefit Concert @ Hackney Empire, London, England (SOLD OUT!!!!)

Mar 21^st - Aidonia in Toulouse, France

Mar 22nd –Prezedent @ In Celebration of my Sisters with Playvybz family @ Hackney Empire

Mar 28^th – Prezedent @ Labadi Nights with P’nP Family, DJ Abrantee &More @ Manjaro Bar, Holloway Rd, London, England

April

Apr 1^st – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s,London, England

Apr 2^nd Prezedent & DJ Ice @ Funky, @ The Prince Albert, Wolverhampton, England

Apr 11^th – Ding Dong @ Stratford Rex, London, England

Apr 12^th – Prezedent @ The Studio Club, Bedford, England

May

May 2^nd – Lloyd Brown @ Deighton Centre, Huddersfield with Mike Anthony & Kofi

Nereus Joseph & Prezedent @ African Language Fundraiser, Spotty Dog Football Club, Forest Gate, Upton Lane, London, England

May 6^th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s,London, England

September

Sep 19^th – Lloyd Brown, Dennis ‘Matumbi’ Bovell, Sylvia Tella & Prezedent @ The Giants Of

Lovers Rock @ The O2 Indigo2, London, England