Posted on

Solid as a Rock!!!

Solid Youth drops 12-track album fresh out of Jamaica studio

Solid Youth“Yah know that I’m back, pun de attack, they try to make me drop, but I’m solid as a rock…as a matter of fact Satan get drop”

The words of one of the very infectious hooks set to dancehall vibes on a new 12-track gospel laced dance hall/ reggae album from Bartician David Yasin aka Solid Youth.

The third such album to date in his musical career, this album new one produced in Jamaica is now available at Gift Land office Max with plans for expansion to other record stores and judging from rave reviews and sales in Florida it must be really and  inspirational on  another front.

“I launched it in Florida with a concert and people really liked the songs so much so that the bought a whole lot of the original CD.”

The produced and released recently that features songs such as ‘UR Gonna Make it’, ‘Love is the Key’, ‘Krazy,’ ‘Rise up’, ‘Saints’, ‘lively up yah self’, ‘I’m not ashamed’ and ‘I’m back’.

The married youth first tried out the songs on an album launch tour in parts of the USA he will be among the performers at the Youth Explosion carded for March 27 at the National Cultural Centre where persons can pick up an original copy too.

The album also has combination songs with Jamaican artistes Zeela Mac and St. Matthew such as ‘Come unto me’, ‘I worship U’ and ‘Christ Representa.’

Among the inspirational tracks is one that serves to uplift the down trodden stating that “You are gonna make it…you are gonna live and not die…all you gotta do is pray and Jah will make a way.”

Addressing world issues the album also features the universal anthem that ‘Love is the key, we are one family’, but closer to home the artiste amidst his gospel centred up bringing in Bartica he too recalls the dreaded morning that is forever etched in the minds of Guyanese when death stalked First Avenue Bartica and the other unfolding of slaughter in Lusignan.

He sings “Rise up this morning and turn my TV on, only to find out 11 more gone…this is not the time to argue and fight lets all unite… we’ve got our indifferences but we can sit down and talk about this…love is the key open up your eyes and see.’

The Guyanese artiste who is resolute in his praises to God and his unwavering love for Jesus Christ for his talent recently returned from the USA and is aiming to take Guyanese music positively to the highest dancehall level.

Proof that dancehall has no face or ethnic bias, Solid Youth of East Indian ancestry says he aims to prove that young men are not all negative and hopes that his music will inspire those who have stumbled to come up higher in Christ for positive and productive living.

Singing since age 15, Solid Youth became popular for his take on teen sex when he sang “Get it in yah head abstinence…stop talk ignorance, no wed no bed,” a message that sharply contrasted all talk of condom use and early sexual activity as opposed to marriage.”

His parents are pastors and as such he played drums in his home church but had his fair share of lashes and suspension for grabbing more attention due to his chanting of popular dance hall lyrics during school hours.

Then as he said,  “I realised that I was always embarrassing my parents and decided to make a change. Now I have no regrets and the sky is the limit to what I can have.”

His first album was recorded at Kingdom Friends in Guyana and launched in 2004 with a theme of Spiritual warfare. Then came ‘Judgement day’ produced in Trinidad with Sherwin Gardner at Flow-master records.

His memorable songs from those include: we nah believe in safer sex and ‘abstinence’ which was followed by a video.

How did this artiste end up in Jamaica? He said he met and established a communications network with St Mathew an international gospel artiste and he eventually winged out to Jamaica.

The recordings were completed in just about two weeks and he also completed a music video for the song ‘I’m back’ which he is also releasing to all television stations locally.
Prior to this album launch, he has performed in several states in the USA at various Christian functions as well as in the Caribbean. Of this new album the artiste said he believes that this is the best thus far in his career.

By Mondale Smith

Posted on

‘Bring it’ T/20 song to be launched at the Edge

Mr Vegas, Fay-Ann Lyons to perform live

Energy, hype and pulsating entertainment is always associated with performances from Jamaican Dancehall artist Mr Vegas and Trinidadian Soca performer Fay-Ann Lyons and nothing less is expected tonight from 22:00hrs at the Edge Nightclub at the Tower Hotel in Georgetown when they perform for the first time live the theme song for the 2010 T/20 cricket World Cup which starts in Guyana on April 30.

The two celebrated Caribbean entertainers have joined forces for the making of the up tempo Soca and Dancehall mix theme song and the pair has promised an energized performance tonight at the official launching of the song in Guyana.

The Edge, Guyana’s latest and most modern nightclub has a capacity of 400 and tickets for tonight’s show is $2,500.

Accompanied by her musician husband Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons, a three-time Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Road March champion (2003, 2008, 2009) who won the 2009 International Soca Monarch title while pregnant, explained the concept of the ‘Bring it’ song at a press conference yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium.

With hit songs like Lyon Empress, Mane the Matriach and Silver Surfer, the 30-year-old Fay-Ann said some feel that the ‘fete’ atmosphere at sports is not necessary but explained that she felt is was needed since Caribbean people are not passive people.

“The party atmosphere does not take away from the professionalism of the players and could actually inspire them because of the manner in which we celebrate,” Fay-Ann said.

Also present at the Stadium yesterday was 35-year-old Clifford Smith, know in the music industry as Mr Vegas after being given that nickname by his schoolyard football-mates, who thought that he kicked the ball like a Las Vegas dancer.

Rhonda Kelly, of Kelly/Holdings Limited, has been contracted to coordinate the activities of the artists for the first ever T/20 World Cup in the West Indies. She was also present yesterday.

Mr Vegas, who was hit in the face with a crowbar and had his jaw wired shut for six weeks after a scuffle over stolen master tapes, found fame in 1998 with hits such as Yu Sure, Jack It Up, and Latest News.

Mr Vegas informed that the ‘Bring it’ song, which was mainly written by USA based Jamaican Marlon Chin and developed by Fay-Ann and Mr Vegas, is all about bringing the positives to the matches.

‘The ICC wanted the energy … when they approached us they wanted to attract the youths. It’s not like when I was a youth. Back then you said cricket and everyone would tell you about the match they watched the night before. Now many of the youths don’t have that interest for cricket which is still the national sport of the West Indies. You talk about West Indies cricket now and many youths can tell you who Manchester United beat in football,” Mr Vegas explained.

Kelly disclosed that the ICC brought the concept of the song to the singers and they finished off the writing of the lyrics which was started by Chin.

Fay-Ann says the song encourages the entire family to come out to support the West Indies team and celebrate being Caribbean people. She songbird said the song is not only a party song but it is also very informative.

Both artists said they were honored to have been chosen to perform the theme song for the world event.

“I remember growing up and listening to cricket on the radio without even seeing the match and feeling if I was there. I remember Dujon and Richards batting and now to be actually involved in helping to inspire our present players with this song is humongous,” Mr Vegas said.

Both entertainers said they hoped they could create the right vibes at the venues to entertain the fans and motivate the players.

Bunji Garlin said he was here to not only support Fay-Ann as his wife and Mr Vegas as his ‘brethren’ but as someone who is proud to be a West Indian.

The singers and Kelly visited Antigua, Jamaica and Trinidad before coming here but tonight will be the very first time that the duo will be performing their riveting rendition since they did not perform in the three Islands they visited.

Guyana is also the first host venue that the singers are visiting and they are scheduled to tour the Islands which will also host matches (Barbados & St Lucia) before going to St Kitts which will host matches in the Womens division of the T/20 World Cup.

Sabrina Panday, who runs the Guyana ICC T/20 secretariat, said that the concept for the song was born after what transpired during the 2007 World Cup hosted by the West Indies.

“There were so many restrictions …some many thing you could not bring….it took away a lot from the atmosphere of West Indian cricket. This T/20 World Cup is a lot more relaxed without compromising security and the fans are being encouraged to bring it, the drums, the horns, the noise, the fun. The song also urges the West Indies players to bring their best game,” Panday said.
Mr Vegas said it’s all about bringing the positives and the energy while Fay-Ann said the ticket prices should encourage the fans to bring their friends in large numbers since the atmosphere, the rhythm section in the party stand, the fun and frolic and what should be enterprising cricket should all combine to create what should be an unforgettable event.

By Sean Devers

Posted on

Guyana Artistic Music Awards

Eddy Grant, Natural Black, First born among awardees

On April 25, next, when the local and diaspora-based Guyanese music and entertainers gather at the National Cultural Centre for the Guyana Artistic Music Awards, GAMA, some will be among a list of more than 90 nominees in 34 categories.

And as is done at the international level, singers will not be the only ones collecting crystals.

GAMA Chief Executive Officer Sherlon Shephard reiterated that there is no political leaning to any side in this prestigious event.

It’s a time out to say thank you to the people that make life more worthwhile and stress free while creating a network among Guyanese musicians in the diaspora while encouraging local artiste to stick to the task of insuring that the Guyanese voice and creativity is delivered to the world.

He listed the categories under which singers both local and in the diaspora will be  awarded in as including soul, RnB, Hip Hop, Dancehall Reggae, Culture reggae, soca, chutney, gospel and calypso as well as folk.

The other awards are for comedians, community workers, entrepreneurs, music producers and engineers as well as promoters and editors. There will also be awards for lifetime achievement and legendary works and the Lifetime awards recipients list include international Guyanese music icon Eddy Grant. Other names  mentioned for awards are  Natural Black and First Born.

The GAMA CEO said with out bias based on the selection process most Guyanese artistes whose music moved from national to international airtime over the years will be honoured as icons.

The younger artistes, on the other hand, will go through a nomination and voting process and the winners will be selected after points a maximum of 100 points are tallied from various sources of which public opinion will play a role via Facebook, Myspace, websites and music video releases.

Further a panel of judges will be employed to tally votes in addition to feedback garnered from radio and television stations and this will include the level of publicity that artistes have.

When asked what would awardees be receiving, he assured that they will each receive a customized GAMA crystal.

He also reiterated that it is not a one-man show and listed the players as including other founders such as Randolph Waterman, CEO of “Randolph’s Building and Renovation Company”; Elton Joseph, CEO of “Nortel Uphostelry”; and Andrew Francis, CEO of “Ark Plumbing Inc.”

Clearing the air on any misconceptions about the GMA and the Accolade, he said that the GAMA of Canada started around the same time that the Accolade Awards started without the Guyana Canadian artistic Entertainment group GCAE having any prior knowledge about the Accolade Awards.

GAMA was created after the President and other members of GCAE realized that many Guyanese artists living abroad had made tremendous strides in the Entertainment Industry without anyone saying thank you or honour and they so decided to create this. The difference with the GAMA of Canada and the Accolade Awards is that GAMA honours Guyanese artists worldwide while the Accolade Awards only honors Guyanese artists mostly found in Guyana.

He said, too, that “after presenting the first GAMA in Toronto Canada, we realized that we were only connecting with Guyanese artists in Canada and USA, when there were Guyanese artists all over the world in many different countries making their mark on the Entertainment scene and so we decided to include Guyanese artists from other countries”.

GCAE CEO said too that his committee decided that Guyana is the fittest place to stage the Awards show because it is strictly a Guyanese Awards show and we wanted to honour not only the Guyanese artists living abroad but also the Guyanese artists at home (living in Guyana).

Because we know that everyone cannot travel to Canada, hence, there is the decision to stage the event in Guyana.

By Mondale Smith

Posted on

‘Miss Bootilicious 2010’ takes Guyana by storm

A lingerie pageant with a difference

ContestantsA new entertainment feature is about to unfold on the local shores and promoters are promising that it will be sizzling with sensuality and steamy, erotic, ‘static electricity’.

Dubbed a masterpiece by one of the coordinators, Alex Wayne, the ‘Miss Bootilicious 2010’ Pageant will showcase 12 curvaceous and truly appealing women who will storm the stage with raw, unbridled, provocative power on Saturday, March 27 when the official launch kicks off at the ‘Ice Sports Bar’ (formerly the Blue Iguana Nightclub), Fifth and Light Street, Albertown, Georgetown.

Showtime is 21:00 hrs (9 pm)

At the official launch the beauties who have dubbed themselves, ‘scorchingly pulsating’, will strut their stuff in the most breathtaking and mesmerizing lingerie ever seen before. That’s not all, these saucy ladies will also be performing stimulating choreography with six chiselled and rippled male models, who it is said, will leave the female audience drooling.

No forms of vulgarity or raw, sensual acts will be showcased at any interval during the pageant.  The event is geared to allow the Guyanese woman to display her ‘ultra sexiness’ with great finesse, modesty and elegant style.

‘Miss Bootilicious 2010’ will entail elimination bouts and at the final segment to be hosted in May, 2010, the queen will walk away with a brand new Laptop and US$1000 and trophy, while her runner-up will cart off a  Blackberry cellular phone, US$500 and a trophy. The third place finalist will take home a Digital Camera, US$200, and a trophy. All participants will however be awarded for their efforts.

At the March 27 segment three four unlucky ladies will eliminated, leaving eight beauties to face off at the next round against six new faces, this time five ladies will be dropped from the lot and the elimination process continues until the finals showdown in May month.

Full-figured and ‘ultra curvy’ are urged to participate since the pageant is geared to affirm the statement, ‘big girls can be sexy and beautiful’. Much excitement is centered on contestants like ‘Ghetto Fabulous Michelle’ whose platform is ‘Jungle Fever’, and of course the saucy beauty, ‘Sexy Jamie’. Hotties to look out for are, ‘Tantalizing Tenesha’, ‘Luscious Lashaun’, ‘Sizzling Stacy’, ‘Erotic Estaleen’ of Airy Hall, Mahaicony, ‘Tia the Thunderbolt’ and ‘Bootilicious Beena’.

The ultra sexy ‘Big Mommas’ who it is said will blaze a trail on show nite are ‘Volcanic Teshua’,  ‘Boombastic Latoya’, and the ‘Trendsetter Trishell’.

This pageant will be taken to various parts of Guyana and persons interested in participating are urged to call phone number 622 1934. Corporate and individual sponsors can call this number to support any contestant they admire.

By Mondale Smith