Caribbean Entertainment News Round-Up – Murder Hits Close To Home For Reggae Singer and More

Reggae singer Anthony Cruz has lost his daughter to gun violence in Florida. (Facebook image)

By NAN ET Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Feb. 17, 2017: Here are the top stories making news on the Caribbean entertainment scene for the week-ending Feb. 17, 2017.

Anthony Cruz Mourns Slain Daughter

Murder, loss and heartbreak has hit close to home for New Jersey-born reggae singer Anthony Cruz. Shanice Smith, the 15-year-old daughter of the singer, songwriter and producer was shot and killed by her mother’s new husband in South Florida earlier this week. Kevin Kemoy Nelson, 32, who admitted to fatally shooting Smith and her mother, Karen Lyle, is in jail pending trial in Broward County after being slapped with is two counts of murder Tuesday in a South Florida court.  Nelson admitted to killing the mother and daughter inside their Sunrise, Florida home and then calling and texting friends and family members to tell them what he had done as police had his home surrounded, according to an arrest report released Tuesday. Cruz is the nephew of reggae singer Garnett Silk. On his Facebook page on Monday, he wrote: “I can’t believe they kill my one and only daughter in ft. lauderdale.”

Carnival, Bunji , Spice & Nicki

Dancehall star Spice is dreaming of a collaboration with Nicki Minaj.

The countdown is on to what fans love to call the biggest street party on Earth – carnival in Trinidad & Tobago. Carnival this year is officially on Feb. 27 and 28th but the weekend will kick off with panorama and Dimanche Gras of course.

This year, fans of the musical genres soca and dancehall are already celebrating with the collaboration of T&T’s Bunji Garlin and Jamaican dancehall star Spice on the Soca remix of “Indicator.”

The song was recently shared by Trinidad-born rapper Nicki Minaj to her 100 million Twitter followers.  “Indicator Soca Remix – My new obsession,” she wrote. “Yikes. Haven’t felt like this about a woman in dancehall since Lady Saw. Spice (sound like a female vybz Kartel) idk how I didn’t know about u b4 but S/O to my trini brotha Bunji Garlin for doing this soca remix cuz now I’m in love. Y’all both MURDERED this. Beat crazyyyyyy. Island gyal ting. It sell off!!!!”

Spice quickly took to her Instagram account to thank Nicki Minaj sharing that she’s been inspired by the YMCMB Rapper for years. And she made a big pitch to Minaj for collaboration. “I LOVE YOU BARBIE, waiting for my dream collab,” Spice wrote.

Calypso Rose Continues To Win

Calypso Rose attends The Serpentine Summer Party Co-Hosted By Tommy Hilfiger at The Serpentine Gallery on July 6, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Veteran Tobago-born Calypsonian Calypso Rose, 76, keeps on winning. The singer recently won the Best World Music Album  award at the Victoires de la Musique French music awards  award ceremony in Paris, France. The awards are considered the French equivalent of the Grammys.

Rose’s album, ‘Far From Home,’ competed against rock group Acid Arab with their album ‘Music of France’ and Rokia Traore with her album ‘Born So.’

‘Far From Home,’ the platinum-selling album was released on the Because Music label last June. It is collaboration with popular French-born performer Manu Chao, the son of Spanish immigrants.

With Rose leading the way, Chao is the album’s featured artist and co-writer on 11 of the releases 12 tracks. The album shot into France’s top 10 ranking.

Call Him ‘Brother Vegas’

Can we call him ‘Brother Vegas’ now? Reggae star Mr. Vegas, who stunned the music world late last year with an announcement of his conversion to Christianity weeks after the release of his much-anticipated album, ‘This Is Dancehall, is set to release a new gospel album.

The album, titled Soul Therapy, will be released officially on  iTunes and all other leading online music platform on Feb. 24th. It includes songs like I’m Delivered, We Need You Now, I Come To You, As Long As I Live, You Are Welcome, He Walks With Me, Nobody Greater and Dash It Weh.

The singer recently, weighing in on the Reggae Grammy, threw some shade on the winner, posting on Twitter: “Why even brother to nominate other reggae artists for the Grammys, if you already pre-picked the winner?”