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Soca Jeans Party

It’s the talk around town that the Tempa: Soca Jeans Party can be deemed one of the hottest and craziest parties ever. Hits and Jams did it again, this time to their fullest potential. Persons were and still are talking about the party. The juggling was considered one of the best , props to Kerwin. It was SeLL OFF … NO LIE. People are still so hype they cant wait for Valentine’s Day and the ‘Colour Party’.

But…there must be a but. Out of curiosity’s why isn’t the bar stocked with BANKS products? And more of a safety concern, since it is well established that Hits and Jams throws the wildest parties and EVERYONE will want to attend and Everest is not BIG enough for the crowd why not keep the party outside providing it doesn’t rain or limit the number of people on each floor. Because my gosh, two more persons entering the top on Saturday night and the floor would have caved in. Just some food for thought.

All in all, Hit n Jams on fyah for 2009. Looking forward to bigger and better things. šŸ˜€

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WildFire Productions – VIP Party for 2009

WildFire Production plans on keeping a VIP Party for 2009 and would like to know how the public feels about paying $20,000 ($100 USD) to be 1 of 800 invited guests. The details would be drinks and food all night, party at a private resident location unlike anything Guyanese have really seen, international artistes like Ne-Yo, Jordan Sparks, Lady Ga-ga, Lloyd (Get It Shawty, Girls around the world feat. Lil Wayne) and/or Chris Brown.

What are your thoughts about this V.I.P Party?

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Vanilla’s Mash Plans

In an effort to keep in contact with our artiste, we at Guyanalive.com conducted periodic interviews with various artiste. This will serve to keep our readers up to date with the current and future plans of our artistes. Keep an eye out for more interviews.

In this first interview we will seek to find out the plans Vanilla has for Mashramani 2009…and beyond.

Q: How is your experience in the Carib Soca Monarch Competition this year different from other years gone by?

A: Smileā€¦ā€¦ā€¦. this is my third year in the competition, the past years I was there to garner experience and to be part of the backbone for the Headhunters Krew but this year, Iā€™m here to vie for the crown.

Q: Other than being involved in the Soca competition what do you have planned for Mash 2k9?

A: As you know, I won the Road March in 2007 and missed it by one point in 2008. This year I intend to regain that title. So look out for me ā€œbehaving RUDEā€ on mash day.

Q: Besides being a singer you are also a producer, as such do you have any projects in the making for 2009?

A: Smilesā€¦ā€¦ā€¦ I have a lot of projects Iā€™m doing which in most cases comes under the belt of Kross Kolor Records. You see, Iā€™m responsible for other artistes as well, so my projects do not only include myself.

Q: After having such a successful run at the Accolade Music Awards, what can Guyana expect in 2009 from Kross Kolor Records?

A: Kross Kolor is always working for the betterment of Guyanese music, our motto ā€œTaking Guyanese Music to the Worldā€ and we intend to do just that, in the meantime look out for a lot more videos.

Q: Being a producer and a performer how do you view the progression of local music over the years?

A: I should have corrected you the first time; Iā€™m not a producer but a performer among other things. They are quite a number of issues that Iā€™m disappointed with. If I were to discuss them at this point I may never stop typing. I have to prepare for the Soca Monarch Semi Finals so maybe in our next interview Iā€™ll get in-depth, in the mean time you can wish me luck.

Q: In your view, what is most needed for the local music industry to develop?

A: It is necessary for us (artistes, managers, producers, promoters etc.) to work as one body, when we can do that, then and only then we will be able to move forward as an industry.

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Changing Culture?

Mashramani for many is all about listening and gyrating to soca music, yet big on the cards is a Hip Hop act for Mash Nite. :S Where are all our regionally soca artistes? The talk is that all the artistes will be in Trinidad for Carnival, but artistes do not come to the country for wks or days they come for the night of their performance and then they leave. Is our culture changing or is this simply us settling for watever ?

Dont get me wrong T-pain is a big man to many with loads of songs most of which he sang with other artistes. And clearly there is nothing else to do the night, so the show will be well attended. I’m sure. Oh and Serani will be back, again! šŸ™‚

Love him bad, dont you feel the same?

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Christafari

CHRISTAFARI BIOGRAPHY

ChristafariMark Mohr and Christafari are trailblazers, continually pioneering the genre of Gospel reggae in the U.S. and throughout the world. They have performed at two Olympic Games and even played for the President of the United States of America. With their blend of traditional roots and contemporary dancehall reggae, they proclaim a positive message of hope and salvation to a lost generation. After almost two decades, Mark Mohr and Christafari are still standing strong with music that was once considered by some to be just a “fad” or “novelty.” Refusing to be limited to one musical market, their compositions appeal to listeners in the Reggae, CCM, Gospel/Urban, World, and Latin markets alike.

THE NAME

Pronounced CHRIST-AH-FAR-EYE, in Greek, the original language of the New Testament, Christafari is the name given to “a group of people who collectively represent Christ.”

CHRISTAFARI HISTORY

Christafari was founded in 1989 by songwriter, producer, and lead vocalist, Mark Mohr. Raised in a Christian family, Mark strayed from his spiritual upbringing during his teens and turned to drugs, alcohol and even growing marijuana. After having an undeniable encounter with God at a youth camp just before turning 18, Mohr re-committed his life to God and took what he now calls his “Freedom Step out of addiction.” At that point, his greatest desire was to help others step out of the same bondage that once entangled him. He felt God impressing on his heart to start the first gospel reggae band in America. It would be a counter-cult, drug aversion ministry that used the conscious sounds of reggae to bring the lost into the light. Two weeks later this fledgling band was birthed at a camp talent show.
Read More

Information taken from www.christafari.com

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Guyana’s 1st Gospel Music Competition

GMC Logo

1ST Place – $150,000, a ticket to Trinidad and Tobago and a free recording of a single

2nd Place – $100,000, a trip to Kaieteur and a free recording of a single

3rd Place – $75,000 and a free recording of a single

Prize for the most improved artiste ā€“ $50,000

Open Mic is going to be a Gospel Music with a difference, targeting ages 16-25, it will showcase local talent from all walks of life. Preliminaries will be held at a number of churches but the Final will be at the National Cultural Centre on March 28, 2009.

Registration fee is $500 and you will be subject to an audition. All preliminary events will be strictly acapella because we at Open Mic will be focusing on lyrical content and vocal skills. On the final night the finalist will have the chance to showcase themselves while being backed by Guyanaā€™s number Gospel Band Second Coming.

For further information, contact Dallas Forte on 643-3530 or email [email protected]/[email protected]. Looking forward to seeing the best from the youth of the nation.

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H&J’s “Live Your Life Party”

Let me start by saying that we at Guyanalive.com applaud Hits and Jams for their successful and entertaining promotions, but I figure that last night they lost sight of their principles and just focused on making money. I am referring to their highly anticipated ā€œLive Your Life Partyā€. Allow me to commend them on the gate prices; ladies free before 11 and after that they pay $1000, men pay $1000 all night. Exceptional! They took our economic status to heart and we are forever grateful, but if that means depriving us of proper audio entertainment, then we prefer to pay more.

Fusionā€™s Sound System was responsible for the musical delight and they failed miserably. I saw people yawning! The young lady I was with was reluctant to dance for 70% of the evening because every time she got into the mood the disc jockey (DJ) changed the music drastically. Now Iā€™m no professional DJ but I am an avid party attendee so I am well within my rights to say it sucked! It was just better to stand and listen as if u were wearing a pair of headphones. Additionally, I could not understand half of what the DJ was saying and I was standing adjacent to the one, very small, bar. I wonā€™t mention the bar much because I prefer to drink Guinness and that wasnā€™t available so I hardly approached that area. I do know however, that it was small and caused frustration among customers and potential customers, because some persons eventually walked away due to impatience.

I will say though that it was well attended, similar to any H&J event. Persons were well decked out in their finest to endure meager musical skills and a petite bar. Frivolous these things may seem but apposite standards are important or should be in whatever we do. I assume that the concept of that party was to hearten everyone to enjoy themselves despite whatever point (s) they may be at in their lives. I know for a fact that music (properly orchestrated and distributed) helps tremendously with comforting patrons, but I further assume that persons had to have a few drinks to their brains first, or were jus famished for entertainment to thoroughly enjoy last nightā€™s goings-on. I sincerely appeal to the persons in charge of these proceedings to stay alert and maintain high standards, suffice to say we are all humans and we are expected to fall behind sporadically so pay attention to beneficial criticism.

By Patrice Wishart

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The Real Christmas J.A.M on the Main Big Lime

Last Christmas at the biggest annual lime in Georgetown Guyana, the Dancehallgospel.com, Turning point, Things Gospel TV Show crew and uncountable number of Christians gathered at Main and Middle Street intersection of the Big Lime and participated in what they called the Real Christmas J.A, M. This movement that plans to be ongoing will highlight the true meaning of Christmas and will contribute to the countries tourism, with family oriented events that focuses on non violence and good morals.

International known D.J. and Artiste D.J. Evangelist who is based in Toronto Canada headlined last years J.A.M. and was accompanied by other Guyanese artiste L-egant from New York.

While attendees normally step in late at the big Lime the Christian location was already getting some crowd by 5.30 pm. Solid Youth with others rocked the crowd with hits after hits while backed by Guyanaā€˜s Gospel Sound ā€œTurning Point Sound Systemā€ that was fueled with a base line to shake your stomach out of your body.

This year at the Real Christmas J.A.M. the Famous Guyanese trio Eddie Neblett, Solid Youth and the gospel general Kester D. will be the main highlighted attraction. Other rising stars will be Christ Like Soldiers and Sean English to name a few.

The live TV taping by Things Gospel will be aired on local and internet media mediums just as the promoters have done with their previous events.

So this Boxing Day if you are really into celebrating Christmas or just need a little Christmas spark. You can freely join the Real Christmas Jam posse at Main and Middle Street interaction on the Main Big Lime.

The promoters highlighted that everyone should look forward to next Easter weekend in 2009 for the Real Easter Jam, which will be their next event and it will feature Dancehall Gospelsā€™ sensation St Matthew from Jamaica and not forgetting our own D.J. Evangelist will be in town. Other international acts to be announced shortly.

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DJ Prakz To Return From New York To Share Accolade Moments

Arrowhead Promotions, Press Release, October 30, 2008, Guyanese New York-based chutney hot sauce DJ Prakz is heading home for the showdown at Accolade ā€“The Music Awards of Guyana. Anxious to mingle with hundreds of men and women of the moment, Prakz will definitely add to the Accolade flavour. He is among those taking up the coveted slot as overseas participants and will feature prominently at the Awards show on November 30.

Prakz is excited about this prestigious event in celebration of the local musicians. He’s just on it, on the ball, ready for the red carpet, the show, the after-party and the spontaneous moments that may be influenced by the accolade spirit.

On the nominations roll, he is competing in the category for Chutney Artiste of the year (Male) against Terry Gajraj and Rajesh Dubraj.

His home coming is not only about putting his hands on the coveted crystal but also because of a love for his country and its music. Bridging gaps and breaking new grounds, he brings a new fusion of music to hungry audiences around the world by entertaining crowds in the United States, London, Holland, Suriname, Guyana and Canada.

Growing up in Guyana and facing many obstacles, Prakz and his family were forced to migrate to the United States with hopes of attaining a better life. Growing up in a Guyanese home, Prakz was introduced to various genres of music including Reggae. He discovered his desire to create music after listening to artist such as Supa Cat, Beenie Man, Bob Marley and Shabba Ranks.

Working full time and attending college, Prakz never gave up his love for Reggae music. He worked, studied and created music. He was able to release his first album at the age of 20, titled Chapter One, which contained a hit single that topped the charts in the United States, Canada, Guyana and Holland for months. Prakz is not only musically talented; he earned a Bachelor Degree in Accounting and works as an Accountant at a major firm.

Prakz attributes his musical success to his parents for always providing encouragement. His versatility in music is displayed in his first album. He was able to fuse chutney with Reggae and created a new and fresh mix. Prakz is a house hold name in the Indo West Indian community. He released several music videos which were showcased on various television channels.

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WildFire Productions Current Activities

Wildfire Productions is a company that was conceived by Jonathan Beepat in November 2006 and established in 2007 by a group of young, professional, creative, and dynamic individuals to pursue a higher standard in promotions, event management, artist development, and media productions in Guyana.

Our team of promoters and event managers come from a business and entertainment background and know the need for professionalism. Thus we are able to execute concerts and events that are of the highest quality. Because of our unique blend of backgrounds, we are able to supply the demands of the corporate client as well as meet the desires of the crowd who attends these events. The artist development programs are designed to promote and develop those artists who we discover and determine have potential. We arrange everything from music production with studios, music videos by our production unit, radio and DJ airplay, music distribution, and international collaborations.

Additionally, determined to utilize the professional video equipment at our disposal, our refreshing and creative ideas for media productions will undoubtedly be complimented with equally invigorating media visuals and content.

Current Activities

In just over 1 year we have managed the Supligen All Star weekend (basketball), Inferno Concert, Ignition Concert, and the Wild Fire Fest 2k8 event. We have launched 2 Guyanese artists, Gialiani and Typheon, and brought them among the top artists in Guyana in relation to public appeal. We have produced 3 high quality music videos which enjoys rotation on Guyanese TV programs, HJTV, and in the Caribbean on Hype TV, RETV, and Muziq Media. We have created a number of TV and Radios ads for corporate clients such as GT&T, Digicel, Beepats, and other smaller businesses. We assisted in the planning and co-coordinating of one of our artist clients, Malo, to give a performance which enabled him to win the 2007 Soca Monarch, and subsequently tour Toronto and the Caribbean.

Right now we have restructured our organization and have become more serious and focused on our artists camp.

Gialiani
We have released our management contract with local rapper Gialiani and thus are not his official agents any longer. The reason behind this is simply that the artist and management could not reach an agreement on the contract and so parted ways. However, we still maintain a working relationship in some aspects.

Malo
Soca sensation Malo is currently in Australia furthering his musical career. He has a short term contract and is scheduled to be back in Guyana by the end of this year. He is still associated with Wildfire Productions and upon his return his official contract will be determined.

Typheon
Young Guyanese diva, Typheon, is officially contracted to Wildfire Productions working under a 5 year development and management contract. Since she is the artist who is currently giving the most effort in developing herself with Wildfire, we are focusing most of our resources on her. She is currently working with Mark Hall for vocal development and also enrolled with a dance studio in enhancing her dancing. We just wrapped up her second video which will be launched on Sunday September 21 2k8 on HJTV stvs 21/72 at 12 pm. The video is just as high quality as her first video, Shake It Off which took Guyana by storm with its production. This new video, which is entitled “Not In Love” will rival, or may be even better than, Shake It Off video. The video was conceptualized by Wildfire’s assistant director Teneshia Harding. We are encouraging persons to look out for it on HJTV stvs 21/72 on Sunday so that Guyana can see the quality and talent our very own Guyanese possess. As Typheon loves to quote, “It is made in Guyana, by Guyanese, for Guyanese.” Fans can also look forward to an upcoming album release for Typheon which will feature quite a few international collaborations and music videos to match.

Also, right now we are opening our channels to look for new talent to develop and promote. Interested person can email and make their indications to [email protected].

In relation to our event management, we are currently working on the 6th Annual Supligen All Star basketball Weekend slated for Oct 25 and 26 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

We do have plans for one more concert for Guyana before the end of the year and we encourage persons to visit our website to make a suggestion of who they want us to bring next. Simply log onto http://www.wildfiregy.com and complete the short survey which takes less than a minute.

Wildfire Productions would like to thank the Guyanese population for always supporting our events and encouraging us to bring quality events to our shores. It is you that makes each and every event possible. We would also like to thank F&H Printing for the support they have shown, Beepats, Giftland Officemax, Digicel, Ansa Mcal, Nestle, Nanda’s Boutique, Green Ice taxi Services, White Castle Fish Shop, and others who we may not have mentioned. Above all we would like to thank God and Baha’u’llah for the blessings conferred upon us, because without God, there is nothing.