Caribbean ET News Round-Up

Nicki Minaj’s Topless Easter Greeting! (Instagram image)

By NAN ET Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 21, 2017: Here are the top stories making news on the Caribbean entertainment scene for the week-ending April 21, 2017:

Caribbean Roots Soul Singer Cuba Gooding, Sr. Is Dead.

Caribbean-roots soul singer Cuba Gooding Sr., and father of famed actor Cuba Gooding, Jr., has passed away at age 72. The singer, whose father was born in Barbados and whose mother was born in Cuba, was found dead in a car around 1 p.m. at the 22100 block of Ventura Boulevard in LA Thursday afternoon, officials said.
Gooding Sr. who was named after the Caribbean island home of his slain mother, had his biggest hit in the 1970s with “Everybody Plays the Fool” and “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely.”

Trinidad Star Wants Answers After Guyana Assault

Trinidad soca artiste Benjai, whose real name is Rodney Le Blanc, wants answers from the Guyana police after he was slashed across the face with a glass bottle during a altercation in Guyana in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Benjai’s T&T attorneys have written to Guyana’s police commissioner calling for an update on the status of the investigation into the assault. After completing a performance at the Palm Court Night Club in Georgetown, Benjai was assaulted by two men as he chatted a a group outside the Club. He has identified his attackers as Imran Khan and Maverick De Abreu. The attack sent the singer to the Woodlands Hospital in Georgetown where he received 25 stitches to his face and is currently receiving further medical treatment in Trinidad.

Rihanna at Coachella. (Instagram image)

Rihanna A Cashier?

Bajan-star Rihanna shows she really knows how to really “work, work, work” and make money, even as a cashier! The pop start turned actress and entrepreneur was on hand on April 18th in Los Angeles to help check out fans at the cash register of her latest pop-up shop. In honor of her latest collection for Fenty x Puma, the brand hosted a two-day pop-up shop on Wilcox Avenue packed with pastel, Parisian-inspired designs, including some exclusive styles that will only be available in store. Lines were around the block, and got more hectic when Rihanna showed up and got behind the counter herself to check out customers, sign products and take selfies with fans. Rihanna is up for 14 Billboard awards this year. The 2017 Billboard Music awards will air on ABC live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 21 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Nicki Minaj Sends Topless Easter Greeting

Trinidad-born rapper Nicki Minaj just can’t stop sharing sexy, half naked pictures on Instagram. Minaj wished her ‘Pink nation’ legion of fans Happy Easter with a topless photo posted to the social media site. The photo got over 800,000 likes. Many fans had positive comments but some slammed Minaj with one calling her a “slut” and another advising: “Put your tits away Nikki.”

Soca For Jamaica

Top Soca heavy hitters Alison Hinds, Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons, Patrice Roberts and Iwer George are set to perform at the Jamaica carnival this weekend. It will Hinds’ first ever Jamaican road march performance. Wray and Nephew is the sponsor of this year’s Carnival parade set for Sunday, April 23.

Billboard Latin Awards

Puerto Rico-born reggaetón singer, Daddy Yankee, is set to perform at the 2017 Billboard Latin Music Awards, scheduled for April 27 at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center. Yankee will take the stage with Luis Fonsi for the worldwide television premiere of their monster hit “Despacito.” Other performers throughout the night include J Balvin, Nicky Jam, Gente de Zona, Zion y Lennox, Alejandro Fernández and Morat.

Guatemalan singer-songwriter and former basketball player and school teacher, Ricardo Arjona,  will  receive this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mexican actress Kate del Castillo, from the Netflix series Ingobernable, and Puerto Rican actor and singer Carlos Ponce will host the awards ceremony that will air live on Telemundo. Presenters include ChocQuibTown, Sofía Reyes, Olga Tañón, Sin Bandera, Juan Luis Guerra and Ednita Nazario, among others.