Mello FM Making Waves from Montego Bay!

As media in western Jamaica becomes a force to be reckoned with!

‘VW AD is a mockery of brand Jamaica’

Why does it seem all criticism of the Volkswagen advertisement is bungled as people taking things too seriously, or conflated with the racist argument. Is any criticism of the advertisement valid?

It seems we are prostituting brand Jamaica, and not benefitting financially from it. I am also skeptical of Volkswagen and its historical link to Hitler and his brand of racism/nazism etc. In Black History Month, is that what we want to be linked to? 

Does ATL motors need more money? Who benefits from this alleged tourism boost the advertisement is said to be bringing in? My grandfather fought in World War two to stop Hitler, only to see his off-spring and that of his oligarchy thrive from exploiting Jamaican imagery or culture.

I was privy to an anthropology study that showed brand Jamaica doesn’t benefit the local man, or craft vendors and the like, only transnational companies like PUMA etc.

Some will ask “should we get money when somebody imitates our accent? How does that work? Who do you approach for “permission” to imitate the accent? Who do you write the cheque to? And for what?”

To them I say, ask the Italians how they collect royalties for pizza. People and musicians in Jamaica collect royalties for songs that play as far away as Serbia and Romania. We can ask every cultural ministry in every country that has one, how they collect royalties. 

If we continue to neglect revenue, Jamaican people will forever be left behind. We are late in commodit-izing and cashing in on culture. Financial liberation is our salvation, and the VW ad is a mockery of brand Jamaica. 

Criticism and critical thinking are all dead. long live the age of everybody happy, and everything goes as political correctness is king.

CARTOON HITS

Montegonian Toons

Montegonian Editorial Exclusive: POLITICIANS CRIMINALISING JAMAICANS

The atrophy of socialism, social welfare, the welfare state and the growth of the penal state represent a double criminalization of poverty. Criminalising Survival, Vending, Hustling, Small Businesses, Corner Shops, Street Life Street People Street Hustling... Street children might not be securely lodged in the life-patterns that the middle class impose on young people, but their reward from trying to maintain a minimum standard of living that their parents and governments are unable to provide them is infinitely preferable to living in the absolute poverty that surrounds them, yet police and state will incarcerate them... in juvenile centres and later on in life in BIG PRISON... We know there is a Marginalised Black male, A lack of opportunity, a lack of education, a lack of funds and lack of land and access to it. We born in Jamaica and then they say you are a squatter, "wah mi supposed to do, born and float above the ground, since me cannot get any plot of land via birth right. rent an existence forever"

The government needs to stop seeing the people as a mass of cattle for culling taxes and revenue! The poor appear to be just another commodity, good, product... to be speculated, traded and profited from by the gang of bankers and political cronies

This folly continues by using a stance on Weed and drugs as an excuse to systematically incarcerate even non-violent youth. Black religious expression and such is facing serious repression. while court houses and tax office are cash collectors. They take much and give us so little.

The transition from welfare to taxfare and the proliferation of young bodies behind bars taken together work to marginalize Jamaica's black poor population, with an economy forcing them out of Jobs and no public aid, on the one side, and holding them under lock, on the other, and eventually pushing them into the peripheral [and deeply precarious] sectors of the labor market and farther on the road to poverty

We don't live in a direct or indirect democracy, in reality. We live in a police state, controlled by oligarchic forces, a two head serpent. The heads of state lack the will to HELP people out of poverty. instead we have generation that go from Cradle to Prison...

 This country is based on slavery and land grabs by a small plantocrasy. Had they been decent people, to begin with this plantation class would have asked for permission to share this land with the Tainos and or Arawaks. Instead, through force and genocide they took the land and resources and divided them up, as they did again after emancipendence, when they divided the land and this country among the descendants of slave masters and the indentured labourers and buffer classes, just as we do now by letting the wealthy determine the laws and by making slaves of the have-nots, through debt and financial slavery and usury.

If Jamaica is ever to be fixed... land reform, education reform, energy reform, economic  and spiritual reform are now absolutely necessary!

https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-montegonian/montegonian-exclusive-politicians-criminalising-jamaicans/569974083035507?comment_id=6896269&offset=0&total_comments=2

Michael Jackson and Mobay

From MJ’s high to his lows, ‘his heart was always pure’

By Peter Gelzinis
Wednesday, July 8, 2009 - Updated 3d 1h ago




It was a red leather jacket festooned with zippers, not exactly made for the tropical heat of Jamaica’s Montego Bay.

But Cleon James remembered it yesterday with an affection undimmed by time. “Every boy in Jamaica wanted one of those jackets,” he said, as Stevie Wonder’s voice rang out from the flat screen bolted to the wall of his Roxbury barber shop.

“We ran around singing ‘Beat It’ and ‘Thriller,’ dressed up in those leather jackets, pretending we were Michael Jackson,” Cleon said, one eye trained on a customer, the other on a memorial service 3,000 miles away.


“It’s hot enough in Montego Bay as it is,” the barber laughed. “But in a red leather jacket with the zipper up, it’s much worse. But we didn’t care. Every kid wanted to moonwalk like Michael Jackson.”

In the other corner of the “Top Notch Barbershop,” Donald Martin spoke of growing up immersed in the soundtrack of the enigmatic genius now sealed inside a golden coffin.

Jamaica Gleaner News - Queen Ifrica plays, explains 'Montego Bay'

Queen Ifrica plays, explains 'Montego Bay
'Published: Thursday | July 16, 2009
Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

Montego Bay is Queen Ifrica's first album with VP Records.As she presented Montego Bay, her second full-length set, at her first album launch on Tuesday evening, Queen Ifrica's face and posture reflected the mood of the songs.And there was ample time and reason for the changes, Ifrica explaining the background to almost all the songs on the 13-track set in an extended stint at the podium during which she got noticeably more comfortable as time went on, engaging the large audience at Kabana, Hope Road, St Andrew.The trip through an outstanding album actually started with her voice alone, not the actual recording, as after a herald of horns, Ifrica delivered the album's title track a cappella, smiling, the audience cheering at the start and again when she hit the chorus.After the recording was played, Ifrica explained, "Montego Bay is special to me. That's where my whole Rastafari development took place." Still, she noted, the inner-city communities do not see the benefit of the 'lush' from the tourism industry.She was sombre for Streets Are Bloody, dedicating it to 20-year-old Ejaun, "a very close individual to Flames. He was gunned down by a soldier at a club". Ifrica described Ejaun's kindness, respectfulness and computer wizardry, commenting that in the society "the people who do good are the people who die like this". The song has the line "none is immune, Ejaun gone to soon".In My DreamsIfrica smiled as she asked, "Any lovers? Any husband, any wife, any matie?", before In My Dreams was played, rocking away with eyes closed and clasping her left shoulder with her right hand.And when she said "we ago step up the vibe" with Yad To The East, commenting "dis a di man whe dem sey inna Ifrica", Ifrica grinned gloriously as the rhythm hit and the crowd exploded at the opening line, "Selassie I never lose a fight yet".And so it continued, Ifrica often merging her voice with the tail end of the recordings, playfully prodding the audience to more enthusiastic applause and dropping advice on hard work, focus, purpose and the importance of teamwork to younger artistes.She has stuck to a team, as before she sang along to the recorded songs on Tuesday night, Ifrica sang the praises of Tony Rebel, giving the background to starting to work with his Flames Productions in 1998, after performing at a Garnet Silk tribute concert. And among the other persons Ifrica said thanks to was Penthouse's Donovan Germaine who "say I am a granddaughter of Penthouse, because Tony Rebel is a son".Guest speaker Kay Osbourne, general manager of TVJ, heaped praises on Queen Ifrica and Montego Bay, which she described as an awesome collection that showcases the inner workings of Ifrica's mind and soul."It is clear that this unique woman of truth has something to say," Osbourne said, taking a closer look at many of the songs. "She expresses the personal universally," Osbourne said later in her address.However, Osbourne is not impressed with much of Jamaican music being produced currently, pointing out the narcissism, exhibitionism, image manipulation and "the mere ability to attract attention is rewarded".Tony Rebel, who welcomed all to the album launch, spoke about Queen Ifrica's development, from not being able to do a song properly in the studio and having to be told 10 times what to do, that being reduced to thrice, then twice and "now you don't have to say anything".There was a time when she had to be asking producers to go on rhythms; now she is being requested. Long gone are the days when she was trying to get on shows; now there are so many offers she has to decline some."When you have someone like a Queen Ifrica standing up and not taking off her clothes I have to salute her," Rebel said.Extensive exposureIn presenting Montego Bay, Ifrica noted the struggle that her song about incest, Daddy (which appears in English and Spanish), has been going through in terms of getting extensive exposure on the airwaves, although it has connected in the streets and at live performances.When she was asked which track was her favourite Queen Ifrica did not name one, but said that the opening chant, TTPNC, is special, as "it is my whole Rastafarian belief ... That is who I am. I am a Niyabinghi woman".The recordings ended with Far Away, Lady Saw, Assassin, I-Wayne, Capleton and Tarrus Riley embracing Queen Ifrica onstage. It wasn't all over, though, as there was one more a cappella song for her to deliver, the crowd whooping for Keep It To Yourself.

Jamaica Gleaner News - Queen Ifrica plays, explains 'Montego Bay' - Entertainment - Thursday | July 16, 2009

INTERVIEW: Queen Ifrica discusses her Road to Montego Bay

June 8th, 2009 · Posted by: DEAN ROGERS in Hollywood Insider, Music

Recently I had the honor to interview reggae artist QUEEN IFRICA to discuss her upcoming sophomore album, Road to Montego Bay, which will be released on Tuesday, June 16th.

Eclipse Magazine: So tell us about your new album, Road to Montego Bay?

QUEEN IFRICA: The album is about Queen Ifrica introducing herself to the international Reggae world from a female rastafarian point of view with her views and opinions of how we can make a better society. We also take on the subject of love & relationships and just keeping it real. That is Road to Montego Bay in a nutshell.

EM: I’ve noticed that the song Lioness on the Rise showed us your strong spirit. What was your inspiration to writing this song?

QI: This is a very special song because its about empowering women without being sexist while of doing it. It can be appreciated by a man who will be listening to that song. He could get actually get inspiration from where we’re coming from. Even though its about strengthening women and giving women a pat on the back saying “Yeah, you can be a housewife and also be an hard worker of peace.” Even a husband or a son would want to be one of those persons encouraging her along. It lot of this derives from universal innocence in a way.

EM: Coconut Shells feels like a journey back to your roots. Tell us about its inspiration.

QI: Coconut Shells is it a herb song for the Rastafarian community. I associated with reggae music. Its only fitting to do a herb song. Its not a herb song about smoking all day but its from the point of there are things that you can say and get an education from listening to people as oppose to just burning it. Some people can  provide a good mediation while listening to the song.

EM: Finally, “Daddy” is one of the most powerful songs on your album. What can you tell us about this song?

QI: “Daddy, don’t touch me there” speaks for itself. It deals with incest and the things of what it can do to an individual. I talk about it even though its a taboo subject for a lot people.

EM: Speaking of “Daddy”, I read that you presented UNICEF a copy of the CD  during the World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse and has drawn controversy when it was released. Do you feel that this song will give the voice all those who are affected by child abuse?

QI: Yes, I definitely feel so. I feel its actually an action from the responses I’ve gotten from people who carried it within them for so long and not been able to come and say it out loud. A lot of people have been talking about  going to the police, going to their Mom or their Dad to talk about this thing. I can pat myself on the back for saying that it was my vainess that gave a lot of people who wanted to do this for a while. The courage to come forward.

EM: Do you think Reggae music is in a good place?
Even though it is in a good place, there’s always is going to be destruction because this world is made up of good & evil, depending on the side you choose. The music of reggae was never about class or creed, it was in the sense of the poor. It was born out of poverty. It was born out of people who are downtrodden by society. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if its in America, or Europe, wherever you find people who are suffering, they will always gravitate to music because it soothes the soul.

Music has the power and ability to go beyond the barriers of languages and culture. There’s going to be that element because we live in a world where goodness is never welcomed by negativity. They will do everything to keep it in the dark. You’ll find that because of what reggae music represents. A lot of negative elements that try to tarnish the image in whatever it can. It’s like your blood, you cannot change the color of your blood. You cannot change the vibe that reggae music brought in the form of Bob Marley.

EM: Who were your musical influences growin up?

QI: Definitely Mr. Tony Rivers because he was the only positive Rasta artist that young rasta people could look up to.

EM: Are you planning to tour the world with your music?

QI: Fortunately for me, I been given the priviledge to come to europe a number of times on the count of Tony Rivers. A year from now, I’ll be going on the road to America to do promotional tour on this album coming. Also, looking forward to coming to Europe. i can safely say when I come to Europe, I am happy that Europe always accepts and love my music.

EM: What parts of Europe?

QI: We have gove to Germany, France, Switzerland. You name it, we go right across the board. I went to  this one European island where its close to Africa and there’s beautiful sunshine around the clock.

EM: If you could pick your ultimate place to tour where and why?

QI: It would be more than one place but it would be Paris. There is this one venue in Paris where I had performed where the energy of the audience was totally overwhelming. In the summertime, it would be Italy. The energy and the people is like over the top. What I find is all the other areas that you go to, like the club and the smaller shows. When it comes to the big shows, there are young people who travel from these area and come into the big cities. They have all the fun when they come to the show like the Sundance festival. It’s beautiful the way the little areas come together and explode with excitement.

EM: What is the one message you hope your listeners can take from this album?

QI: When you are aware of yourself its much easier to be aware of your surroundings and how you go about your daily life. When you listen to Queen Ifrica, I see myself an individual who is on a journey of self–awareness and being appreciate of self. You hear it come out in my music because  i want it to sound as beautiful as I would love to sound myself. I hope that the individual that sit down to listen can find their way to theirselves while listening to me because it was speaking to my peers in the form of instructions and advice. It helped me to find myself along the way through music. We each find strength in each other and I hope that the individual would find strength in me.

Look out for Queen Ifrica’s ROAD TO MONTEGO BAY coming to you on Tuesday, June 16th

For Eclipse Magazine, I’m Dean Rogers

Montego Bay and Michael Jackson

Here is an excerpt of an article I found that discusses Mobay and MJ with some NOSTALGIA

From MJ’s high to his lows, ‘his heart was always pure’

By Peter Gelzinis
Wednesday, July 8, 2009

It was a red leather jacket festooned with zippers, not exactly made for the tropical heat of Jamaica’s Montego Bay.

But Cleon James remembered it yesterday with an affection undimmed by time. “Every boy in Jamaica wanted one of those jackets,” he said, as Stevie Wonder’s voice rang out from the flat screen bolted to the wall of his Roxbury barber shop.

“We ran around singing ‘Beat It’ and ‘Thriller,’ dressed up in those leather jackets, pretending we were Michael Jackson,” Cleon said, one eye trained on a customer, the other on a memorial service 3,000 miles away.


“It’s hot enough in Montego Bay as it is,” the barber laughed. “But in a red leather jacket with the zipper up, it’s much worse. But we didn’t care. Every kid wanted to moonwalk like Michael Jackson.”

In the other corner of the “Top Notch Barbershop,” Donald Martin spoke of growing up immersed in the soundtrack of the enigmatic genius now sealed inside a golden coffin.

A mother's secret - Boy triumphs in GSAT not knowing his father had been killed (Jamaica Gleaner)

 

Western Bureau: "My father was killed a week before my exams, but I did not know," reflected 11-year-old student Demoy Kerr from Montego Bay, who was placed at Cornwall College following his success in the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT)...

A mother's secret - Boy triumphs in GSAT not knowing his father had been killed (Jamaica Gleaner)
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:05:22 GMT

Jamaican cocaine smuggler to stay in T&T jail - radiojamaica.com

 

Jamaican cocaine smuggler to stay in T&T jail
radiojamaica.com, Jamaica
Rhonda Campbell, 42, of Montego Bay in St. James has been denied bail. She is scheduled to return to court on March 2. Miss Campbell, who is a vendor, was reportedly held with $250000 worth of cocaine. She was held while about to board flight to ...
No bail for 2 women in Piarco drug busts Trinidad & Tobago Express
all 2 news articles

Jamaican cocaine smuggler to stay in T&T jail - radiojamaica.com
Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:58:20 GMT

Bucknor calls it quits (iafrica.com)

 

Veteran Montego Bay-born umpire Steve Bucknor will retire next month.

Bucknor calls it quits (iafrica.com)
Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:55:09 GMT

Credit crunch Carnival?

 

How has the global financial crisis affected Carnival in your country this year? Have your say.

Credit crunch Carnival?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/caribbean/
Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:09:37 GMT

A second album for Queen Ifrica

 

Check out the first single from the Jamaican queen's new album.

A second album for Queen Ifrica
Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:13:31 GMT

Peter Lloyd

 

Peter Lloyd born in Kingston, now resides in Montego Bay, but is on a steady rise … moving at his own pace, and according to his strategies… to claiming his spot among international reggae legends.

Peter Lloyd
Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Your Weekend Forecast For Montego Bay, Jamaica

 

Chance of Precipitation: Fri: 10% / Sat: 10% / Sun: 10%. For complete forecast details...

Your Weekend Forecast For Montego Bay, Jamaica
Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:10:46 GMT

Your 10-Day Forecast for Montego Bay, Jamaica

 

Today: Partly Cloudy & High 80°F / Low 69°F.---- Tue: Partly Cloudy & High 80°F / Low 68°F.---- Wed: Partly Cloudy & High 79°F / Low 69°F.---- Thu & Beyond.... For more details?

Your 10-Day Forecast for Montego Bay, Jamaica
Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:10:46 GMT

Jamaica moving to secure greater share of Chinese travel market

 

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica (JIS): The government of Jamaica is moving to secure a greater share of the fast growing Chinese travel market, with estimates are that as many as 90 million Chinese could be traveling abroad annually over the next couple of years, said Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett.

Jamaica moving to secure greater share of Chinese travel market
editor@caribbeannetnews.com
Sat, 14 Feb 2009 07:00:00 GMT

Cold Front: World War Woman! (from the Western Mirror)

 

Women are not inherently passive or peaceful. We're not inherently anything but human.
~Robin Morgan

Every girl should use what Mother Nature gave her before Father Time takes it away.

~Laurence J. Peter
The average woman would rather have beauty than brains, because the average man can see better than he can think.

~Author Unknown

Don't wait for the good woman. She doesn't exist.

~CHARLES BUKOWSKI, letter to Steve Richmond, Nov. 1971

Woman was God's second mistake.

~FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE, The Antichrist

Good evening or good morning, greetings I bring whatever time where ever you are. I know if it isn't chilly now, you will at least be feeling the lingering after effect of the cold front. You'll probably be curled up round a cup of coffee or maybe tea, if you are the afternoon-evening-ish person, then you'll likely be nursing some JB or Bush Rum, or just your choice of alcohol, I know you maybe in the middle of indulging in your drug or vice, be it your hair products with your friend in your veranda or outdoor makeshift salon, putting in the Friday hair, or listening in an out to your favorite evening program on the radio, or smoking or using caffeine, or overeating... whatever it is relax, open your mind and indulge me this evening while I put forth maybe a contentious argument. Now take a deep breath, open your mind, stretch a metaphorical mental stretch, make a real one if you must, yawn... and try to imagine the black diaspora, a massive wide expansion of people. There are roughly a billion of us, out of the six billion people on the planet. And guess what we are an endangered species; ravaged by diabetes and the things we eat (high starch diet), cancer with all we consume, with a genetic peculiarity which makes us more prone to catching AIDS, so we sleep unprotected with the enemy, we are attacked by crime, poverty, economic distress, pollution and malnutrition. We possess the weakest economic power as a people. We have none of the worlds most spoken languages, we have no Gods of our own, we have no history. Black History only begins where we encounter the Caucasian and he slaved us, named us slaves after the Slavs and Barbarian tribes they had, and they documented what they believed us to be. What happened to the us before that. We are a weak and broken race of people.

Now in this grand posturing we call Black History Month, or what I call Black Mystery Month, I would like to focus on herstory not his, but hers, yes “Fi ar tory,” today we discuss the roll of the Black woman and child, Queen Omega, the role of the black woman in the malaise of the black nation and their apathy. (I have a feeling this article maybe a two parter) I write this article, one because I realize I've got 3 nieces now, and they will be women one day. My niece Nyla-Joy had her birthday Sunday gone, and the race is off, to black womanhood. I write this because I have a lil (daughter) Poopy, because, I know many women who are falling astray (Careless ooman go dance and leff dem pickney dem at home, cannot care for yourself the Gideon red inna Rome, population under pressure and yet dem have more man a clone- Jr. Gong, The Mission). I write this because I know many women eating out their spoogies and significant others, many have more than one, instead of helping the black man build, instead of building buildings and bodies of work.

Some women opt still in these times when the world seems to be falling apart and the temperament of the people seems to have reached the end of all it can take.to “Gyal-ivant. When boys become are brainwashed on corners everywhere by the teacher, hell bent on putting them in the ramping shop to sell god knows what, and insistent on turning the entire Jamaica in to a Gaza, a desert filled with bodies, where bullets and bombs explode everywhere. In an age where girls will recite on the way from school “that they want it forced into her tripe” probably unaware that her tripe is only led to via her rectum, and anus. A world where the black child hood is none existent, because the children live in concrete jungles and have no place to play, and so become street urchins and street rats, the more enterprising few may become windshield wipers and may even graduate into some small commerce, but that vast majority will be crippled in hospital owing to knives and bullets, another portion will be at Dovecot or Pye River.

Imagine the other day, I had to sit in a taxi and was lucky enough to hear two “Come SEE” girls reveal their diabolical plan for an older man who was interested in her and offering her money. She had planned to lull and loll him along, never taking a dime, and then come (Oscar worthily)crying in dire need and feigned desperation for money in excess of $60,000 for something like backed up rent or school fees, or depending on his gullibility a car. Ha! Now imagine that not even 18. Woman. What have you become, black woman what are you doing? But unfortunately, they weren't much of a surprise to me, that she had planned to find a man to live off, I've seen other women skulking the Internet's social networking sites like Hi5 and Facebook and such, just preying on naïve men to send them money via western union or whoever. Women sell vagina, to get by. Women, girls are digging into taxi-men's pockets, to shopkeeper's pockets to the white collar worker's pocket. I see women playing 4 men just to get a car, her groceries and her rent paid while barely working or flossing on minimum wage.

The Black Woman has become a greedy lot, greedy and acquistive, never interested in giving nor building. Ever insistent and persistent with the belief that her genitalia is all that matters and then they make belief or over talk its virtues, and that it is work every penny in your pocket and that it worth a house and home and a car. Never once giving serious thought to bold and daring, brave sensible logical ideas, plans, to hard work and an honest dollar. Never once working on a belief or dream. Mostly takers and rarely givers. Grown on the belief that something is owed to them for their vagina. Maybe its the Cosmo, or those goddamn Mills & Boons, or the silly ideas passed on to us via foreign literature. But black woman, Rasta a tell unnu plain and straight that can't work come again!

Stay tuned till next week when I round off the argument completely, and ladies try not to his and puff and cuss too much eh!

Yannick Nesta Pessoa

yahnyk.blogspot.com

www.youtube.com/yahnyk

yannickpessoa@yahoo.com

PS. Happy Birthday Mel... Wetters, aka Tickle! (Mi cyah afford a mirror ad :P)

Wasting the people's capital - Jamaica Gleaner

 

Wasting the people's capital
Jamaica Gleaner, Jamaica - 14 hours ago
... economic and social development value, that could have been developed based on the realisation of CAP, is a highway connecting Kingston and Montego Bay. ...

Wasting the people's capital - Jamaica Gleaner
Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:11:12 GMT