Spice’s “Body Great” Heating Up The Dancehall‏

Dancehall diva Spice recently released the upbeat and daring track, Body Great on the aptly named Good Up Tun Up Riddim. The single which has two versions, one for the airwaves and another for the dancehall, has been steadily gaining momentum in both spheres.

Spice, known for her hits Fight Ova Man, Ramping Shop alongside Vybz Kartel, Slim vs. Fluffy feat. Pamputtae, Jim Screechie, Fun featuring international superstar, Missy Elliot, Hot Patty Wine, Dick Is The Name Of My Boyfriend (My Boyfriend Dick) and more, says not only was working with Troy McLean and Dave Kelly for the track was a great experience, but "the fans have also been very receptive to the song."

"The females especially have been loving the new single. We love to find ways to say that we are the best, so this is a song that every female can sing and boast to. It also has a nice little sexy vibe to it to dance to. The vibe in and outside of the dance has been great so far," says Spice.

In addition to Body Great, Spice's new single Take Him Out, alongside international R&B singer, Mya, was released on Mya's album K.I.S.S. and the video for which will be released in a few days.

"Working with Mya was a lot of fun. Ras Kassa shot the video for Take Him Out and it was done locally. It's very colourful with lots of dancing, because as everyone knows, that's something Mya does exceptionally well and is known for. The video will also have a storyline that everyone can follow. So just look out for it in a few days," says Spice.

I-Octane 'Shell Down' Guyana National Stadium

For a moment one had to wonder if they were on Jamaican soil or in Guyana as torches blazed for Digicel Brand Ambassador I-Octane in his first performance in Guyana. The occasion was the celebration of Digicel's fifth anniversary in that island at its National Park on Friday February 17, 2012.

The singjay blasted on stage with his usual burst of energy singing No Love Inna Dem, which had his fans screaming and hands in the air. The pressure intensified when he drew for hits such as My Life, Nuh Ramp Wid Wi and Lose A Friend.

It was sweet nostalgia when he went into his catalogue of old hits which included Stab Vampire and Different Page.

But it was when he did his two newest songs Jah Jah and Nah Eat that I-Octane got the surprise of his life. He received the biggest forward for those songs!
"I didn't know it had taken off so much in Guyana, why even a lot of my fans in Jamaica don't know it yet," he said after his performance.

Following I-Octane's hour-long fiery performance on stage it was time for R&B singer Keri Hilson. She could do no wrong the music lovers there and scored with songs such as Return The Favour, Slow Dance and How Does It Feel.

The sibling group Morgan Heritage brought the curtains down on the show in fine style performing hits such as Down By The River, Don't Haffi Dread, Best Friend and Earlier in the evening local acts got the chance to shine and they performed to good response

Third World Kicked off Their 2012 Tour in Hawaii‏

It is February and the "Worlaz" kicked of their 2012 year-long world tour in Hawaii with four unique performances. Though no strangers to the island, fans have been earnestly waiting for their visit and to see the band perform singles from their current album Patriots. The island was abuzz the minute their arrival was announced and in typically fashion, band members took to the airwaves to promote the shows and greet fans.

Prior to their performances, the band attended a meet and greet held in their honor at Tropics Café in Honolulu. Fans gathered at the venue to take photos with the band and musicians showed up to have their instruments signed. The apparent admiration and respect for a band now celebrating 39 years was overwhelming at times but the group remained humbled and spoke to everyone present.

Band members Maurice Gregory (Keyboard) and Tony "Ruption" Williams (Drummer) joined local favorite Mike Love on stage for an impromptu jam session. Cat Coore remarks "The people of Hawaii are very warm and have been supportive of our music over the years. It is always great to perform there and meet the fans. We are grateful - we don't take that for granted." And with that Third World took over the island in a four concert showdown on the islands of Hilo, Kauai, Oahu and Maui.

On Thursday, February 16th the band performed at Hilo Palace Theatre in Hilo. Hawaiian musicians Mike Love and Paula Fuga (an American Idol contestant) opened for the Third World. However the surprise of the night came when Paula Fuga returned to the stage to perform "Irie Ites," which was recently re-recorded with the songstress, with the band. Other surprises of the night included additional classics to the set list such as "Jah Glory," "African Woman," "Riddim Haffi Rule" and "Dancing on the Floor." After their performance fans gathered backstage to meet the band and take photos.

The band flew to their second locale on Friday, February 17th to perform in Kauai at the Kuhio Lounge (Aston Hotel). The slightly younger fan base converged to dance the night away with the Reggae Ambassadors. The set was not free of fans screaming selections that they wanted to hear. The most requested single was "Roots and Quality." For the performances on the 18th in Oahu and the 19th in Maui, the band shared the stage with Tarrus Riley and Dean Fraser. The camaraderie of both bands resulted in a drumming jam session during soundcheck which led to one of Tarrus's band members joining Third World on stage later that night during the drum solo segment. The fans were delighted.

In the true spirit of giving, Third World was happy to learn that proceeds from the shows would benefit Mana Maoli ("MM"). MM is a non-profit organization that strives for community empowerment. One of the programs under the organization is the Maoli Music program, wherein musicians donate their time and talent to MM CDs, concerts, school visits and music mentorships. Richard Daley adds "To be able to support a good cause is something that we always try to be a part of. When we learned that proceeds from the concerts would benefit charity, we were enthused to say the least. It made our performance much more meaningful."

After their performances, Third World returned to Florida where they will perform at Reggae Jam alongside Inner Circle at the Adrienne Arsht Center on Friday, February 24, 2012. The concert will double as a tribute to Jacob Miller, the late Inner Circle singer who was killed in a 1980 car crash. As quoted in the Miami New Times, "The last person Jacob Miller sang with was Third World," notes Lewis. And the night before his death, Coore explains, Miller joined the band onstage for a performance inside a Jamaican penitentiary. The singer, whose hits with Inner Circle included "Tenement Yard" and "Tired Fi Lick Weed," showed up the following night to Third World's tenth anniversary concert. But he never made it inside. "He just came to the gate and said, 'I soon come back,' "Coore recalls. "And we never saw him again."

Bridgez Nominated In British Reggae Industry Awards‏

Announced just last week, nominations for the British Reggae Industry Awards were posted on http://www.britreggae.com/vote.php. Bridgez, who currently has taken the viral media by storm with her catchy single like "No Any Man" was nominated for Best Female International Artist among artists like Tanya Stephens, Alaine, Tessane Chin and Etana just to name a few.

Talking with Bridgez, she expresses her happiness. "I feel very grateful and humble by the nomination of this award. It is definitely a motivation to see my music recognized outside of Jamaica. It definitely helps me push myself more as an artiste to become a household name worldwide. It is a stepping stone in my career, and I hope my fans will take the time to vote."

With that being said the artist keeps working hard, she kicked off the beginning 2012 with a bang. Her single "Cry" reached the International market and one of her latest singles "Good Good Good" getting highlights on both International and Jamaican radio stations as well.

The Alliance First Lady has also had the opportunity to be featured on many stations across the UK, Canada, and US with Interviews discussing her career, kicking off a great campaign in major territories. Look out as Bridgez will also be featured in an upcoming issue of Canada's Reggae Xclusive.