WORDPLAy REVOLUTIONIZES JAMAICAN ENTERTAINMENT

Kingston, ja – NOVEMBER 24, 2008 – Jazz-on-Dub, Rock- and Reggae- infused Hip-Hop, as well as poetry influenced by RnB, Soul and Dancehall are just a few examples of hybrid genres being showcased at Simple Chaos Entertainment’s ‘WordPlay’ in New Kingston. The monthly fusion of poetry, live music and visual art prides itself on its experimental nature and is present as being Kingston’s most eclectic form of alternative entertainment. The show is geared toward exposing and cultivating underground genres using radical blends of music - all performed live – and will end the year on December 14, 2008 at 6pm at the Altamont Court Hotel’s Roof Terrace with the most iconoclastic performances to date.

Griot Music Involvement

Seretse Small, owner of Griot Music, describes his company as a “development focused organization [that is] building something sustainable, not just to ‘mek a money’ ”. The company’s involvement as a major sponsor for WordPlay is attributed to the company’s long term goal of realizing what they describe as a ‘Live Music Nation.’ According to Small in his YardEdge interview (published on www.yardedge.net), “There will be quality live music everyday of the week in Kingston for 50 weeks of the year. There is a nation within the nation of Jamaica that many of us are not aware of. It is an army of performers and music lovers whose tastes are extremely diverse and cosmopolitan.” Nykkiicia Cion, creative mastermind behind Simple Chaos Entertainment and organizer for WordPlay, identifies Griot Music as a driving force behind the success and growth of the show, indicating that ‘Seretse and his Live Music Nation see the future. Too many organizations refuse to lend their help to the growth of music and art in Jamaica, preferring instead to continue to sponsor only mainstream and dancehall affiliated events.’

Radical Blends

WordPlay intends to cap the year off on December 14, 2008 with truly awe-inspiring performances and will feature live performances by: Bijean Gayle, who is influenced by the soulful melodies of early Roots Rock Reggae and American R&B; Janine Cunningham, who is influenced by the musical stylings of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, and blends to poetry, blues, jazz, rockers and reggae to perfection; Dub poets Abebe Payne and Ganja, recognized locally for their masterful play on words; No-Maddz, the contemporary dub quartet, who delivers exciting poetry with effortless, lyrical charm and silver-tongued versatility; Crimson Heart Replica and Random Chaos, two of Kingston’s most recognized Rock acts; Errol Bonnick, who is influenced by Peter Tosh and Luciano, and fuses Lover’s Rock and Roots Rock into a mature, sultry sound; as well as Amique and Juleen Carnegie, who blend Reggae with strains of R&B. The show will be hosted by Mo’ Scherrie who has won various national awards for poetry, is an author with a book in production and the creator and director of Concept One, the name behind videos such as Tarrus Riley’s “She’s Royal.”

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Old school blues improvisation meets hard hitting lyrical prowess in a rich imaginative blend of vocal clarity and complexity. Janine brings her refreshing mix of contemporary and conscious poetry to the stage and delivers a mature, sophisticated style and a unique and captivating energy all of her own. She sites the influences of musical stylings from Billie Holiday and Nina Simone to Augustus Pablo and Sizzla Kalongi.

As a singer/songwriter, Janine touches on issues ranging from social injustice, violence, politics and gender to intimate matters of the heart, mind and spirit. Janine a.k.a. ‘Jah9’ has emerged over the last year, almost unknown and has earned the hearts and respect of her peers and audiences with each encounter.

‘Jazz on Dub’ is the sound she is currently working to create - a mix of her two favourite music forms. She intends to take her word sounds to the world, entertaining and inspiring all along the way.

This fusion is all Jamaican and this young woman is full to the brim and pouring her heart out.

Links to Janine:
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Jamaican rappers in clash

Fabian Ledgister, Star Writer

Rapper Kyle Poole aka Six takes it to rapper Chillum. - Fabian Ledgister photos

Another lyrical confrontationcould turn ugly after a feud between local rap artistes came to a head at the Chaotic live hip-hop show, held at Endless Studio in Cross Roads on Saturday night.

Although the event showcased a slew of local rap talent in an authentically underground atmosphere that heightened the 'rap battle' feel, a true battle brewed beneath the surface.

A delay in the event was easily forgotten, as disc jockey Shane 'the fire starter' kept the vibes pumping with '90s hip-hop hits like What, What by Noreaga and Roc Da Mic by Freeway and Memphis Bleek.

As selections kept the mediocre turnout dancing, an impromptu mini-show took place on a nearby balcony, as anxious artistes began to freestyle.

The performance line-up began quite impressively, as local rapper Six took charge of the microphone with songs like Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy - using the catchy line from the cult classic film Scarface - to throw words at some unknown nemesis.

The night would later reveal that nemesis to be his former friend-turned-enemy, Chillum.

"When I met this guy, he told me his mother and father were in jail, but that same day we went to Half-Way Tree and met his mother. Our friendship ended, but now he's telling me the beef is over and then telling this girl to go and do a diss record," said a melancholic Six after his performance.

Unforgiving

Although Six opted not to do most of the diss track, his lyrical enemy, Chillum, was not so forgiving, instead unleashing an all-out verbal assault on Six later in the night, to the delight of patrons.

Chillum continued his tirade before he dropped diss tracks including Life's Hard, where he attacked Six.

"This going on for some time now, but we squash the beef and a girl in my crew didn't know the beef squash and did a diss song. So now he's talkingagain. He needs to know a me mek him get inna dis hip-hop ting, and him fi know is music," said Chillum.

But Six may have taken Chillum quite seriously, as he could be seen after the event waiting at the gate with a number of persons. However, they left less than a minute before Chillum and his posse made their way out of the venue.

Other memorable acts for the night included Scantana, Bebble Team, Godz and 16-year-old dancer and rapper, Sumoya Smith, who took the night with her hip-hop dance-and-rap combo performance.

Most local rappers that night could be heard melding their own Jamaican patois with their learnt hip-hop Ebonics. They have essentially created an interesting sound some view as the birth of a new musical genre.

Event promoter, Nykkiicia Cion of Simple Chaos, described the event as having met some of her expectations.

"These hip-hop live shows have been staged by us since 2007 to give the young rappers a chance to showcase their talent, but I wanted to find a venue that would convey the underground authenticity that I wanted, and the Endless Studio was perfect, but not enough sponsors are seeing the vision and the potential of hip hop

in Jamaica," Nykkiicia told The STAR.

Rapper Chillum delivers a heated stint at Chaotic, which was held at Endless Studio in Cross Roads on Saturday.