Terror in Tivoli and women's role

And so islandistas, it has come to this.

[caption id="attachment_2357" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photo credit: Ian Allen/Jamaica Gleaner"][/caption]

The ugly, jagged and dark side of the Caribbean's ultimate Jekyll and Hyde island has been unveiling itself in all its horror over the last week as the forces of Dudus have been unleashed against the Jamaican state.

Dramatic?

Not really.

A state of emergency was declared in Kingston yesterday afternoon. The Hannah Town police station and Darling Street police station have been set on fire and their officers forced to flee.

Police officers have been attacked and their vehicle stolen.

And there are increasing reports of roadblocks and marauding gunmen stalking both downtown (Tivoli, Denham Town, Hannah Town, Slipe Road) and uptown (Red Hills, Liguanea, Mona/August Town/Papine, New Kingston).

As we write, reports are coming in that officers of the Jamaica Constabulary Force are trying to reach five injured police officers who are stranded on the grounds of Excelsior High School in Mountain View Avenue.

More pics and analysis under the cut...

Island combination - Gyptian feat. Nicki Minaj on 'Hold Yuh' remix

Seems like islandista Nicki Minaj is all over the place these days (except on tour with fellow islandista Rihanna on the Last Girl tour).

The latest track that she's on is a remix to Gyptian's stripped-down hit Hold Yuh where Nicki spits a little patwa in her verse which opens the track.

People either seem to love or loathe her contribution to the track so take a listen and let us know what you think, islandistas!



... I do wonder though how the more hard-core yardies will take her last line about her having 'nuff gal inna bungle'. Hmmm... alright Nicki!

Islandista on the rise: Natalie Storm hits MTV UK

Jamaican dancehall/R&B artist Natalie Storm is moving up inna life.

Her video for the single 'Look Pon Me' has made it into the rotation of both MTV UK and MTV Base.

Check it out below.



The video was already making moves regionally, airing on Jamaican music channels Hype and ReTV and on regional music network Tempo.

But it's  her British inroads that has Natalie excited:

"People been linking me from all over the UK via Facebook and Twitter saying that they've seen the video and how much they love it. I am very excited cause this is big for me, for dancehall music and a good look for Jamaica as well."

More pics from Sanya Richards' wedding

Just because we lurrrrvvv islandista weddings - especially when they do it big like Jamaican-born sprinter Mrs. Sanya Richards-Ross!

Here for your viewing and drooling pleasure (the decor, the dress ... gorgeous!) are some more pics from her wedding last month to her college sweetheart and Super Bowl-winning honey, Aaron Ross.

[caption id="attachment_2204" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="With mummy/manager Sharon Richards, before heading down the aisle."][/caption]

 

 

Awwww.... lots more photos under the cut!

Amber Rose: Islandista swagger jacker?

Hip-hop's enfant terrible (which is saying a lot when you think about it) Kanye West launched a new, very minimalist photo blog yesterday.

And of course he had to give his arm-candy Amber Rose some shine. With this photo.



[caption id="attachment_2111" align="aligncenter" width="405" caption="Photo credit: kanywest.com"][/caption]

Look familiar? Of course it does to you islandistas. It is a (weak) re-creation of islandista Grace Jones' iconic photo on the cover of her Island Life album, shot by her lover/collaborator Jean-Paul Goude.



[caption id="attachment_2112" align="aligncenter" width="405" caption="Photo credit: Jean-Paul Goude"][/caption]

Of course, as we have mentioned, this is not the first time Amber and her handlers have tried to re-create (I would have to say re-create rather than pay homage because there is no reference to Grace in any of the editorial for either of her attempts) iconic Grace Jones images.

And of course, there is a long-established tradition of obscuring the accomplishments and reputations of black women and black people in general by putting a white or light face on or above them.

And we have seen plenty comments thus far in the blogosphere about how hot the pic is and even some saying it is better than the original - that Amber Rose's pose is more "feminine"and "sexy" than Grace Jones.


We're just saying...

But what do you say? When does imitation cross the line from being the sincerest form of flattery to being a rip-off?


Our take on it?

Grace was the best to ever do it. *Kanye shrug*

Sedene's time to shine

19 year old Jamaican model Sedene Blake is continuing the dream start to her international modelling career, if her record so far at London Fashion Week is any indicator.

 Since LFW started officially on Friday, Sedene has walked in no less than seven shows so far - an impressive run for a newcomer.  Her walks have included some big names like Vivienne Westwood's Red Label and fashion favourites Nicole Farhi and House of Holland. 

 Take a look at some of her catwalk appearances so far.

Solid gold at 'A Night on Tracks'

[caption id="attachment_1853" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="The triumvirate of track. (All photo credits: trackalerts.com)"][/caption]




It was solid gold night on Sunday night in Kingston when Jamaican track star Asafa Powell hosted his charity event 'A Night on Tracks with Asafa Powell and Friends' at the Indoor Sports Centre.

And those friends? Pure stars.

Tami Chyn & Wayne Marshall tie the knot

[caption id="attachment_1522" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Photo credit: Karl Mclarty/Jamaica Observer"][/caption]

Dancehall couple Tami Chyn and Wayne Marshall got married at the Mona Lodge at UWI in Jamaica last weekend.

The two sing-jays were dress to puss backfoot (yu neva know islandista can chat patwa so eenh? ;) for the special occasion.

Tami bucked the white flouffy dress trend with a gorgeous gold coloured silk gown (the Jamaica observer called it 'metallic butter' boh) by family friend and  designer Dene Chung, which had a burst of gold and peacock organza on the  strap.

Wayne was dapper in a suit by one of Jamaica's leading menswear designers, Carlton Brown.

Even the bridesmaids had lovely dresses (which can be so rare for bridesmaids). They had some hot magenta coloured dresses (which perfectly matched Tessanne's hair actually) with slight variations on the design - Terrie's had a halter neck strap while Tessanne's was strapless.



Of course, there was singing - Wayne got singer Suzanne Couch to serenade his bride with Lifeline, while Tami's sisters Tessanne Chin and Terrie Williamson sang Songbird by Ava Cassidy, as their toast to the couple.

Congrats from Islandista to the happy couple!

Go dehhh! Sigail and Jeneil work London Fashion Week

[caption id="attachment_1511" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Running tings... Jamaican models Jeneil Williams (left) and Sigail Currie (right) on the runways of London Fashion Week./ Photo credit: Style.com"][/caption]



Just as we observed about the recent New York Fashion Week, the just-ended London Fashion Week was more colourful than in years past - though, unlike NYFW, London's colour was not as evenly spread out between shows.

There were still a lot of very snowy shows. However, there were also quite a few shows that really represented for the 'ethnic' models such as Nathan Jenden whose show was full of colour in both the dresses and the models, which brought some balance.

Which is all good news for islandista models and islandista fashion watchers.

Again, islandista models were spotted on the runways, though there was not as great a diversity as at NYFW.

But those that got work... got work and leading the fash pack for the Caribbean were Jamaican models Jeneil Williams (who was hardly seen at all during NYFW) and Sigail Currie.

Even though we spotted Sigail in more looks, we have to give the edge to Jeneil as we spotted her in more shows - six to Sigail's five. Plus, she opened the show for Paul Smith (as seen in the photo above) - a significant coup.

Check out some of their pics after the jump.

Picture of the day - Jamaica's golden girls

[caption id="attachment_1348" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="The Golden Girls (from l-r) Simone Facey, Kerron Stewart, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Aleen Bailey"][/caption]

 

We will keep it short and simple tonight. The above pic really says it all.

As we begun at these World Championships, so did we end - with victory. Jamaica's islandistas - Simone, Kerron, Shelly-Ann and Aleen, went some way towards making up for their disqualification disappointment in the 4 x100 at last year's Olympics by winning the the title today at the World Championships in Berlin.

The team so bad that they did not even need Veronica Campbell-Brown to take the gold.

The Bahamian women also represented for the Caribbean, placing second in the 4 x 100.

And in the men's 4 x 100, it was another Caribbean 1-2 - Jamaica first (of course) and Trinidad second.

This little region has sent an emphatic message to the world at this World Championships.

World, unnu hear we?

Shelly-ann does it again!

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Islandistas and islandistos are again doing it like only we  do (*coff - bussing up records drug-free*) in the World Championships in Berlin!

Of course, everyone in the world saw or watched the Youtube clips of Usain Bolt MASHING UP his own men's 100m world record last night in a sizzling time of 9.58 - the first man to delve into 9.5 territory - a place many thought they would never see.

And then today, Shelly-Ann Fraser did the double as well, adding the women's 100m World Championship title to her Olympic gold medal in the event.

She led a Jamaica 1-2 of the event, with Kerron Stewart (a lot of people's favourite) coming second.

Just like the men's final which was a Caribbean pepperpot with two Jamaicans, two Trinis and an Antiguan in de mix (yes, that is five out of eight finalists), the women's final had a strong Caribbean flavour.

There were four Jamaicans - Fraser and Stewart were joined by fellow yaadies Veronica Campbell-Brown and Aleen Bailey and the two Bahamian veterans - Chandra Sturrup and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie.

De world finally seeing that it is really de Caribbean that run t'ings pun de track! What Americans, what?!

Even more significant is that Shelly-Ann's time was 10.73 which is not only the fastest time this year, but the joint third-fastest time ever for a woman.

Let me repeat that for you again, in case you don't get the significance. She ran the joint third-fastest time ever
(Christine Arron also ran 10.73. Of course, Arron is also an islandista, born in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe)

The only two women to run faster than her are Marion Jones (10.70) and Florence Griffith-Joyner (10.49).

And well... de two a dem... EH! is all I have to say.

As far as I am concerned, Shelly wid har cute likkle self is the world record holder.

Yeh, Islandista say dat. Who ent like mih could bite mih, in the words of Queen Fay-Ann. Is real bad-gal talk I putting down here.

Shelly is my world record holder.

Because, see it...


Even Marion Jones with all the illegal juice she eventually confessed to taking, could not match the insane times that Flo-Jo ran. And we all know the suspicions around Flo-Jo. But dead women tell no tales, oui?

So congratulations to Shelly-Ann Fraser - the world's fastest woman!

Caribbean commess around the Jacksons

As if there was not enough drama surrounding the death of Michael Jackson, a whole lot of Caribbean-style commess has been added to the mix.

We all know by now that Jackson's last doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray is a Grenadian-Trini and that he has been repeatedly questioned by investigators on Jackson's last moments, what drugs he would have prescribed for Jackson and even had his car impounded.

But on top of that, Dr. Murray is apparently a Caribbean-style village ram, fathering six children with five different women. And these women were not playing with his tail. He apparently had a trail of debt and liens on his salary, due to numerous child support claims.

Political power players with island roots

Eric Holder may be the most prominent Caribbean descendant on the U.S. political scene right now but he's not the only one.

There are quite a few islandistas-by-descent who are on the political scene or the power behind the throne (as it were).

They all just happen to be hugely intelligent and educated, career-minded, successful and fabulous - in other words, the definition of islandistas, even if they are some way from home. These are no ordinary women - but would we expect less of daughters of the Caribbean?

Heading the list is the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, whose maternal grandparents emigrated from the beautiful country parish of Portland in Jamaica to the United States.

[caption id="attachment_1040" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Photo credit: Annie Leibovitz/style.com"][/caption]

The browning hijacker - what does it tell us?

Wow, it seems all the hot news is down a yaad these days.

So the week started with the shocking news that a young Jamaican man had hijacked a CanJet charter plane in Montego Bay.

After a nine hour standoff where he released all of the passengers but kept the crew and where his family and friends were called to talk reason into him, the JDF eventually stormed the plane and overpowered him.

But the real shock was when everyone saw who the alleged hijacker was. Not some bad man and (despite what has been said) not a mad man either - at least, not our stereotypes of what a bad man or mad man should look like.



[caption id="attachment_858" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The face of a hijacker? phot credit: Go-Jamaica.com"][/caption]



Instead, the hijacker was  21 year old Stephen Fray, your quintessential, even stereotypical, cute brown-skinned, stoosh-looking MoBay boy.

From the time I saw this pic of him on Go Jamaica, I was taken aback. That pic said to me middle-class, Cornwall College, the type that parties at 'Ville and hangs out in Ironshore. I knew his type. Sure enough, my FB home page started to be dotted with Montegonian friends expressing shock that Stephen could have done something like this.

And sure enough, he did indeed attend MoBay's most prestigious schools - Cornwall College and Mount Alvernia Prep.

Sure enough, he was firmly middle class - the Frays own several businesses in Mobay.

And sure enough, people are shocked and puzzled that someone like him would do something like this. But should we be, though?

Jamaican blogger rachelhaye, commenting on the situation in a deeply interesting post on DJ Ace's Kormantyn blog, noted:

The most amazing thing about the hijacking of the 737 in Jamaica is that it gives us an opportunity to examine our personal biases and national prejudices. I must say that there is a tendency in Jamaica to vilify the poor Jamaican youth of African decent–He is seen by the average Jamaican as the person to fear and target for prison. Whenever we are awakened by the news of crime and violence, no matter where it occurs in our country, the first picture that we paint of the perpetrator is that of an African Jamaican youth from the inner-city.

Interestingly, Stephen Fray is an affluent Jamaican of Indian decent, who it would seem had no socioeconomic difficulties that would predispose him to a life of crime. Every Jamaican is thus left in shock, as he does not fit the traditional profile of the Jamaican criminal. As a result, key pieces of information are being denied and the media is trying to convince us that he is mad.

Many Jamaicans may not see the value of a class/race/color analysis of the Stephen Fray hijacking, but the issue is central, because they explain Fray’s access to: the airport, a legal firearm, an excuse for his crime, strong family support while perpetuating the crime, and media’s attempt to excuse his crime.

Rachel hits the mark pretty closely, because whether most of us like to admit it or not, we were shocked when we saw not just who but what kind of person Stephen Fray seemed to be.

It certainly raises a lot of troubling questions, going beyond the actual incident itself.

Like, should we really have been so surprised?

The light and bright upper classes in Jamaica in particular (but in other islands as well) has long harboured some of the real 'bad men' who fund the drug trade and funnel the guns to the yutes dem who may think they are operating of their own volition.

Certainly when I lived there, it was not uncommon for Fray's female compatriots - light skinned, curly-haired, well to do girls, to be involved with 'businessmen' whose money came from means everyone knew were not entirely legit.

And these were not rough looking garrison dons either but men that were their social match - brown, well to do etc.

There has long been a sense that these light and bright upper classes can commit crime with impunity because dem run t'ings. They have judges and politicians as friends and their business dealings are rarely, if ever investigated or disrupted.

And if I could pick that up from the few years I lived in JA, would Fray not have picked up this sense of impunity after a whole lifetime?

I'm just asking... like I said, it raises questions.

ATI and RTI back together again

Reunited and it feeeeels so goooood!

Big party news today islandistas - Jamaica's two biggest all-inclusive holiday weekend events are back together again!

That's right - ATI and RTI (which was also ATI at one point - confusing we know) have recombined to create a new Independence weekend party - Negril Dream Weekend.

News of this coming from datmad which reports NDW organiser Kamal Bankay as saying to the Weekend Star:

 

What's really happening is that the strongest events in Negril have come together to make one band where the strongest will survive. So, the so-called RTI band and ATI band that we're used to for the last two years is now one band.

Now as Jamaican islandistas would know for sure and genuine islandistas who party all over the Caribbean may know too, originally there was just one Independence weekend party which started back in 2001. Originally it was called ATI which stood for Appleton/Absolute Temptation Island (I think).

Then there was a falling out between Absolute Entertainment who conceptualised the event and Appleton in 2006.

Appleton continued with their own event, calling it Appleton Treasure Isle and Absolute Entertainment adjusted the name to Absolute Temptation Island.

In 2007, Red Stripe jumped into the ling and sponsored Absolute Entertainment's events, renaming it RTI - Red Temptation Island.

And now after two years of splitting the crowd (and making the really determined partiers pay out of their ass to attend both), RTI and ATI are back together again, thanks to the 'Dream Team'. No title sponsor as yet but Red Stripe and Wray and Nephew are expected to battle it out.

The Dream Team consists of the promoters behind the six events that will make up NDW , which runs from August 6 to August 9 - Daydreams, Twisted Spirits, Xtreme Wet and Wild, Yush, Wildsides and The Concert.

Bankay gushed to the Weekend Star:

 Persons will have it a lot easier this weekend, without having to decide which band to choose and which parties to go to. ... You'll be dazzled and astounded and know that it was money well spent and if you save your money and choose this party for the year, it will be where you will have the most fun

Yeah, yeah, yeah - whatever.

These promoters ent had no problems splitting the crowds and/or forcing people to pay for two events when the economy was good. But now tings a look sticky, they back together.

The recession is REAL peoples.

Islandistas we love: Golden girls VCB and Shelly!

Jahknow, mi couldn't blog during di Olympics. Di at'lete dem just had me in such a uproar whe mi couldna constentrate.

Had to channel my Jamaican friends there just now. :) It is all done and dusted and it was truly the best Olympics ever for me as a Caribbean person. I don't know if any other Olympics could possibly compare for sheer joy, sheer amazing feats, the spirit of Caribbean unity and sharing each other's joy that enveloped the region. It was so absolutely wonderful to see our athletes truly shining the way we always knew they could when the drug-taking regimes got cleaned out of the sport. Not calling any names *coff* but they could only manage a few bronzes ... and some of those after they protest Caribbean athletes. Badmind and grudgeful, mi seh... only bronze fi dem! Dem haffi chat to wi back cos wi deh a finish line aready!

Anyhow, there were so  many islandistas and islandistos to be proud of at this Olympics. The Caribbean just BOSS UP the sprints - 6 out of 8 in the men's 100  metre finals and 4 out of 8 in the women's! Ye, it was like that.

But there were two islandistas who stood out the most for me - golden girls Shelly-Ann Fraser, the 100m champion and Veronica Campbell-Brown, the two-time 200m champ.

 They are a study in contrasts. Veronica Campbell-Brown was certainly the reigning and undisputed queen of Jamaican sprinting. Though she is only 26, this is her third Olympics  and she has medalled each time. VCB does not play when it comes to the big time. She is quiet, dignified and almost stoic in her demeanour. I have so much admiration for this woman. Particularly when Asafa was flattering to deceive over the last few years with records here and there but never the 'big ones, Ronnie Campbell always came through in the big moments. She is  well on her way to becoming JA's most decorated sprinter at the Olympics and eventually surpassing the icon of every female Jamaican sprinter, the temperamental diva Merlene Ottey. Ronnie is rock solid and so I was never bothered by all the chatter from the American commentators about what and what Alyson Felix would do. I knew that Ms. Campbell-Brown would come through. I had no doubt.

Shelly-Ann Fraser is a completely different character. Where VCB is the queen and a known quantity, she could now be seen as the princess. Certainly when she clocked 10.85 to edge out Campbell at the Jamaican trials, people were dubious. Kerron Stewart they had heard of, Sherone Simpson for sure but many thought that VCB should have been given a 100m spot - Fraser was the obvious choice to be left out with her lack of racing pedigree compared to the three older sprinters.

But Shelly-Ann proved her worth and in her very first Olympics, captured the heart of the world, not just with her speed (10.78!) but her sweet and bubbly nature, that trademark always-gleaming broad smile covered in braces and her witty claims that it was the yam, dumpling and 'reggae power' that pushed Jamaican athletes to such heights at this Olympics. She is truly just adorable and cute as a button.

Her background is an inspiration - coming from one of the most crime-ridden, poverty-stricken ghettos in Kingston, the infamous Waterhouse, she defied the odds (and long they are in JA) to attend one of the island's most prestigious schools, Wolmer's Girls and then on to the University of Technology. She has now risen to the top. Yet the home she will return to is a one room shack in Waterhouse, a poignant reminder that she has only just arrived and of how incredible her story is.