CARIBBEAN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS ROUNDUP

By The NAN ET EDITOR

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Friday, June 14, 2019: Here are the top headlines making news on the Caribbean entertainment scene for this week:

Caribbean Roots Star Cuba Gooding, Jr Charged

Caribbean roots star Cuba Gooding, Jr turned himself in to New York City police after a woman accused him of groping her at a Manhattan bar over the weekend.

He was arrested and appeared in court where he entered a “not guilty” plea to a charge of forcible touching of a woman, Fox News reported.

No bail was set by Judge Jacob Moses, meaning the actor can walk free until his next court date.

The Oscar-wining actor whose roots extend to Cuba and Barbados, presented himself to the NYPD’s sex crimes unit on Thursday, according to NBC News. An unidentified woman claims that Gooding touched her breasts at a bar on Sunday night in Manhattan.

His lawyer, Mark Heller, told reporters his client has “completed the surrender process” and added that he has “never seen a case like this” in his 50 years of practicing law.

Heller added, “There’s not a scintilla of criminal culpability that can be contributed to Mr. Cuba Gooding Jr.”

Nashville Group Tops The Reggae Billboard Charts

Nashville, Tennessee group, Roots Of A Rebellion, has landed in the number one spot on this week’s Reggae Billboard Charts with their new album, ‘Shapes Of A Soul.’

The latest album by the ‘reggae, rock, dub’ group, includes a title track along with singles like “The Message,” “One Thing” and “Stronger.” The band is known for their dynamic live performances showing their progressive sound and energy. Having shared the stage with The Wailers, Rebelution, 311, Slightly Stoopid, moe., North Mississippi Allstars, SOJA, Nahko and Medicine for the People, and more, Roots of A Rebellion proudly represents another side of Music City.

Keyshia Cole For Groovin In The Park

Four-time Grammy nominated, multi-platinum-selling singer/songwriter Keyshia Cole has been added to the lineup for Groovin In The Park 2019, set for the Roy Wilkins Park in southeast Queens, NY on Sunday, June 30th.

Cole has scored two #1 R&B/Hip-hop albums and seven #1 singles, two of them platinum. In addition, she has amassed six Top 40 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart in the span of five years. Her 2nd album, 2007’s Just Like You, debuted at #1 on Billboards R&B/Hip Hop chart (#2 nationally) and was propelled by three #1s, the platinum “Let It Go” featuring Missy Elliott and Lil’ Kim, “I Remember” and “Heaven Sent,” while “Shoulda Let You Go” featuring Amina hit the Top 10. The groundbreaking album garnered Keyshia four Grammy nominations, including Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary R&B Album, and an American Music Award nomination. Nicki Minaj and Keyshia kicked the door down with the up-tempo and edgy jam “I Ain’t Thru.”

Cole will joined by Michael Bolton, Beres Hammond, Third World, Sir David Rodigan and Sizzla as headline performers at this year’s festival.

Songwriters in Paradise Donate $50,000 To Bahamas Charities

Songwriters in Paradise, a uniquely crafted singer-songwriter festival in Nashville that is designed to bring together the world’s top songwriting and performing talent in the world’s most exclusive and awe-inspiring destinations for a priceless musical experience, this week said its SIP HOPE TOWN, which celebrated its 7th anniversary in February 2019, raised $50,000 for local charities in Hope Town, Bahamas.

Proceeds will go to the Hope Town School, Friends of the Environment and Hope Town Volunteer Fire & Rescue.

“Giving back to the community is an important part of what we do during SIP HOPE TOWN,” said Patrick Davis, Nashville-based singer-songwriter and SIP Founder. “From auctioning off autographed guitars to hosting a songwriting workshop for kids, playing in a charity basketball game and participating in a beach clean-up, all of us SIP songwriters come together to make sure we do our part to help the local community of Hope Town.”

Each year, SIP HOPE TOWN donates a portion of their charitable funds raised to The Hope Town School’s Music Program (grades K – 6). In 2016 alone, SIP HOPE TOWN donated $10,000 to the Hope Town School and was able to help funding of the school’s very 1st Junkanoo Band. SIP songwriters also host a songwriting workshop for the island kids each year and even stop by the school to sing and play whenever they get the chance. The island paradise of Hope Town is one of the districts of the Bahamas, on the Abaco islands as well as a small village on Elbow Cay, located in Abaco, Bahamas. The area had a population of 458 in 2010.