Caribbean Entertainment News Roundup

By NAN ET Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Friday, Oct. 4, 2019: Here are the top headlines making news on the Caribbean entertainment scene for this week:

Rihanna’s Company Is Being Sued

Fenty Corp, the company founded by Bajan star is reportedly being sued over a photo of Gigi Hadid.

Eva’s Photography, Inc. asserts in a new lawsuit that Rihanna’s fashion venture shared a photo of Gigi Hadid wearing a corseted dark denim top from the brand’s debut drop on its Instagram story without permission from the company.

Eva’s asserts in its complaint, which was filed in a New York federal court on October 1, it “has at all times been the sole owner of all right, title and interest in and to the photograph” of Hadid pictured on a New York City street last month, including the copyright in the photo.

The agency is claiming that Fenty Corp. engaged in the “unauthorized reproduction and public display of a copyrighted photograph of fashion model Gigi Hadid” by posting the photograph on its Instagram Story “as tool to promote its brand.”

Jamaican Roots Rapper Drops Video From The Grave

Jamaican American rapper XXXTentacion, may be dead, but he is still delivering from the grave.

The murdered rapper’s estate delivered “Royalty,” a new video on Oct. 2nd, nearly three months after the dancehall-inspired track’s July release. Stefflon Don, Ky-Mani Marley and Sikka Rhymes representing Vybz Kartel all-star in the video. XXXTentacion is memorialized with a mural at the onset of the video as he digs for a deeper connection to his Jamaican roots.

Watch it here.

Spragga Benz Drops New Album

Dancehall singer and actor, Spragga Benz, has released his new album in a decade.  “CHILIAGON” dropped on Friday, September 27th. Produced by Andrew Oury, Paul Fowler, Cristy Barber and Spragga, ‘CHILIAGON’ melds the artist’s formidable delivery with some of the top UK producers and artists working today, blending roots, riddim, drum and bass, garage, grime and hip hop into a diverse kaleidoscope of infectious beats.

Tracks include “Wicked Love,” “Good Suh,” and “Differ” as well as “If Yuh Ready,” which features the trademark chops of General Levy .

Check out that video here.

Bob Marley’s Grandson Debut’s EP

Hymn Marley, the grandson of musical icons Bob and Rita Marley, and the son of multi-Grammy award winner Stephen Marley, has released his debut EP ‘In My Head,’ on the Hymntertainment / Tuff Gong International label.

The EP comes on the heels of his video release for “Hot Step,” which premiered on urban contemporary music channel BET Jams as part of their #FreshFaceFriday playlist on Sept. 20th.

“Hot Step” was produced by David and Jonathan Julca, whose credits include Arturo Sandoval and Paulina Rubio, to name a few. Their pop-meets-dancehall creation is the third single to drop from Hymn’s ‘In My Head,’ released on October 4th.

Watch “Hot Step” below.

‘Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes’ To Premiere At Nashville Film Festival

A newly discovered treasure trove of reggae tapes reveals the story behind one of Jamaica’s most legendary studios and is features in the documentary “Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes,” which will premiere at Nashville Film Festival’s 50th anniversary on October 8th & 9th prior to its broadcast debut on BBC FOUR television in the UK on October 11th.

‘Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes,’ tells the story of the birth of reggae music in Kingston Jamaica, and of one man’s quest to rescue a treasure trove of tapes that were abandoned in 1977. There are hundreds of reels featuring many unheard and unreleased songs.

Artists on the reel include The Wailers, Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown, The Skatalites, Alton Ellis, Gregory Isaacs and many more that survived decades of neglect including looting, Hurricane Gilbert and intense tropical heat. Now they have been rescued by legendary music producer Clive Chin.

Shot in Jamaica, New York, Hamburg and London the film is narrated by Levi Roots, the film includes interviews with many reggae greats, including Jimmy Cliff, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Ernest Ranglin, Sly Dunbar, Maxi Priest, Ali Campbell of UB40, King Jammy, Bunny Lee, Lord Creator, the late Rico Rodriguez, and the re-recording of a Dennis Brown classic with British rock musician Dave Stewart.

Billboard Reggae Charts

For the fourth consecutive week, Stick Figure, an American reggae and dub band founded in 2006 and based in Northern California, maintained its number one spot on the Billboard Reggae Charts with ‘World On Fire.’ World On Fire was written, produced and recorded by Scott Woodruff, a self-taught musician.