Caribbean Entertainment News Roundup

By NAN ET Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Friday, Aug. 16, 2019: Here are the top headlines making news on the Caribbean entertainment scene for this week:

Movie With Caribbean Roots Actress Opens Today

‘47 Meters Down – Uncaged,’ the sequel to box office breakout ‘47 Meters Down,’ opened Thursday and Caribbean roots actress Nia Long is among the stars. Long plays the wife of Grant (John Corbett), an American archaeologist.

Set in Brazil, the sequel follows the story of four teen girls diving in a ruined underwater city, who quickly find themselves in a watery hell as their fun outing turns into heart-stopping fear when they learn they are not alone in the submerged caves. As they swim deeper into the claustrophobic labyrinth of caves, they enter the territory of the deadliest shark species in the ocean.

Long was born in Brooklyn and has roots in Trinidad, Grenada, St. Vincent, and Barbados.

Trinidad Born Actress to Star Alongside Idris Alba

Trinidad born actress Lorraine Toussaint is getting ready to star alongside Idris Alba in the ‘Concrete Cowboys.’ The film is centered on the Fletcher Street Stables in Philadelphia, PA. Fletcher Street is a Black horsemanship community that has been in existence for over a century. It was cultivated as an outlet to help Black men and boys escape communities plagued by violence and crime and learn about the importance of discipline and responsibility.

The film follows the journey of a teen who was sent to live with his father in North Philly. While adjusting to the new environment and bearing witness to the impact of gentrification and poverty, the teen discovers the community’s urban cowboy culture and explores how horse riding is used to escape the dire circumstances faced by those in the neighborhood. The film is being produced by Elba’s production company Green Door Pictures, Tucker Tooley Entertainment, and Lee Daniels Entertainment.

The film is currently in production and there is no word on when it is slated to be released.

Actress Kerry Washington Says She Is Proud Of Jamaican Lineage

“I am so proud to be Jamaican…I bow down to my lineage, to my heritage, to my history and to my belonging.”

That’s the view of Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress Kerry Washington who was recently honored with an ‘Artistic Achievement Award’ at Jamaica’s 57th Independence Black Tie Gala, held at the Hilton Westchester Hotel in Rye, New York.

While Washington could not collect the award in person, she said in a letter read by her Jamaican born mother, Dr Valerie Washington: “We celebrate all the goodness birthed by the island itself. We celebrate you. And we celebrate me. And we celebrate our powerful and beautiful island family! I am so proud to be Jamaican.”

Trinidad Born Rapper Talks Wedding Bells

Trinidad-born rapper, Nicki Minaj, says she plans to marry in less than two months to Kenneth “Zoo” Petty. The rapper this week revealed on her Queen Radio show that she will be legally married before her fifth studio album is released. But she said the “big wedding” won’t happen until after she releases the album.

“I have to work on my album, and I have a lot to focus on that I don’t want to do the big wedding now. We’ll do the big wedding later,” she added. “I’ll be married before my album comes out but will have my wedding after the album comes out. Before the 90 days is over, yes, I will be married. I’m very happy about that because my baby makes me so happy.”

Should We Look For Chronixx On Rihanna’s Reggae Album?

There has been a lot of interest in Rihanna’s reggae album, even though there is still no release date so far. But Grammy-nominated reggae artist Chronixx has let it spill that he has been working with the Bajan-born singer but only “producing and conceptualizing.”

The currently untitled record will be Rihanna’s first since the 2016’s ‘Anti.’

Billboard Reggae Charts

Pepper with ‘Local Motion,’ is back at number one this week on the Billboard Reggae Charts. In the number two spot is Collie Budz with ‘Hybrid’ while Morgan Heritage peaked at number three with ‘Loyalty.’ ‘Reggae Gold 2019,’ on the VP Records label, dropped to number 4, from number one last week.

Some Of The Caribbean’s Top Soca Stars Gearing up For Brooklyn West Indian Carnival

Caribbean soca artists like Patrice Roberts, Farmer Nappy, Lyrikal and Skinny Fabulous are among those set to raise the tempo at this year’s West Indian American Day Carnival in Brooklyn, NY. Dubbed the ‘largest carnival in North America,’ the artists will perform this year at Brassfest 2019 on Friday. Aug. 30th. The carnival weekend will kick off officially on August 29th with ‘Reggae Afro Beats Soca,’ which will feature Wayne Wonder among other acts. For more on the line up for this year’s WIADCA carnival log on to wiadcacarnival.org/.