JANUARY 2012 | L3MAGAZINE.COM
TOP 10 CHARTS FROM HAITI & CAYMAN ISLANDS
TWITTER.COM/L3MAGAZINE | FACEBOOK.COM/L3MAGAZINE | MYSPACE.COM/L3MAGAZINE | YOUTUBE.COM/L3MAGAZINE
Mr.
Melody THEY CALL HIM
THE ULTIMATE BACK UP WHY BACK UP SINGERS MAKE THE SONG
DA PROFESSOR JAMAICA’S NEW BREED OF ARTIST
MUSIC REVIEWS
KONSHENS OCTAYNE KING ALI BABA 360 RIDDIM AND MORE!
C
O
N
T
E
N
WELCOME LETTER FROM THE EDITOR LIFE IN FOCUS LOVE LYRICS IN THE MIX
T
S
009 016 026 038 042 055 071
C
O
N
T
E
N
T
S
THEY CALL HIM MR. MELODY 056 L3 had the honor of talking to Jamaica’s very own, Singing Melody about what’s to come in the future!
A NEW BREED
062
THE ULTIMATE BACK-UP
066
L3’s, Tricia Spence sits down with a new breed of an artist. Name: Da Professer!
Zakada Milton discusses why back up singers truly make the song!
LIFESTYLE NETWORK THEFAMOUSFACE.BLOGSPOT.COM TROPICALFETE.COM EDGE-AGENCY.COM TORONTO-LIME.COM L3MAGAZINEBLOG.TUMBLR.COM BEHANCE.NET/L3DESIGNS BECAUSEIAMAGIRL.CA FFAWN.ORG iTUNES.COM REGGAE4US.COM HARBOURFRONTCENTRE.COM SOUNDCLOUD.COMBYZEONE CONCRETELOOP.COM DANCEHALLMOBI.COM WWW.DAFLAVARADIO.COM WWW.DELLYRANX.COM WWW.TOKYOTRINBAGO.COM
W
E
L
C
O
M
E
WELCOME HONORING THE ARTS
‘PORGY & BESS’ & ‘NEGRO SOLDIER’ ADDED TO NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY
Otto Preminger’s 1959 big screen adaptation of the Gershwin / DuBose Heyward opera Porgy and Bess will rest among the United States treasures in the world’s largest archive of film, TV and sound recordings. The 1959 film is one of 25 films inducted for preservation in the 2011 National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, selected because they are deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant. “These films are selected because of their enduring significance to American culture... Our film heritage must be protected because these cinematic treasures document our history and culture and reflect our hopes and dreams,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.
CONTRIBUTED
Preminger’s Porgy And Bess, which starred Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge, will be inducted with a 2011 group of 25 films that were released between 1912 and 1994, bringing the number of films in the registry to 575.
WELCOME HONORING THE ARTS
The film’s 1950s production was controversial (its upcoming Broadway revival starring Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis in the title roles also wasn’t without its share of controversy) as the 1959 film was made during some very sensitive times United States history where race is concerned. Several black American actors reportedly turned down roles in the film because they were considered demeaning. Notably, Harry Belafonte who was offered the role of Porgy (before Poitier), turned it down, stating, “in this period of our social development, I doubt that it is healthy to expose certain images of the Negro. In a period of calm, perhaps this picture could be viewed historically.” First performed in 1935, the play was based on life in the fictitious Catfish Row (based on the area of Cabbage Row) in Charleston, South Carolina in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an “American folk opera,” Porgy and Bess premiered in New York and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers—a daring artistic choice at the time. Gershwin chose the African-American musician Eva Jessye as the choral director for the opera. Joining Preminger’s film will be the Frank Capraproduced 1944 work The Negro Soldier - a World War II film that highlighted the contributions black people made to the U.S., and the wars they fought in, portraying them in a dignified, realistic manner that was counter to the stereotypical images seen in previous Hollywood films.
Carlton Moss, a young black writer, penned the script, and Stuart Heisler directed the film that’s considered “a watershed in the use of film to promote racial tolerance.” produced in reaction to discrimination faced by African American soldiers stationed in the South, highlighting the role the church played within the black community, and following the progress of a black soldier through basic training and after, before sent into combat. The Negro Soldier became mandatory viewing for all soldiers in American replacement centers from spring 1944 until the end of WWII. The library works with film archives and movie studios to ensure original copies are kept safe. It also acquires a copy for preservation in its own vaults. Congress established the registry in 1989. For more information visit: http://www.loc.gov.
W E L C O M E T H E AT R E A RT S
A PRIVATE SCHOOL GLORIA WILSON GOMEZ EDITED BY E. BADOVINAC
Theatre Arts! An aspect of Caribbean culture that is becoming more prominent in the North America’s is Theatre Arts. Every island across the Caribbean has programs promoting the rich and diverse landscape of its unique theatre programs. We happened to come across a small production that we found so funny, we had to share it with our readers. To enhance your appreciation of theatre, the story is shared in script format meaning it includes direction, so you read what the actors read when rehearsing for performance. The play continues from last November’s 3rd installment where Granny confronts Mr. Foolie about his willingness to be run by foreigners who have a controlling interest in his Private School. The last question she asked the principal last month was ‘where he’s running to when ‘they’ ring the bell!’
Donelle:
Good fences make good neighbors. Isn’t that right Miss Curious? (She follows Miss Curious to the pantry.) Miss Curious, are you alright? I heard you talking and I knew you were alone. Could I help you? (Donelle is an assertive, talented young woman with a voice of lark. She helps Miss Curious lay the tea trolley.)
Miss Curious: Please help take this tea trolley into the head masters parlor. There are some visitors. Please don’t let me down. Be on your best behavior. Donelle:
You can count on me Miss, I’m your girl!
Miss Curious: That’s my girl.
As Donelle walks into the room all the heads turn.
Mr. Brunhill;
Extremely good things Sir.
Donelle:
Excuse Mr. Foolie. Miss Curious has prepared Mr. Foolie: some refreshments for the guests. (Donelle pours a drink for each person.)
Miss Sassy:
It’s indeed warm.
Donelle:
I do hope you enjoy your refreshments and if you need anything, just call. May I be excused?
Mr. Foolie:
Please don’t leave Donelle. (Turning to the The two men embrace each other and start singing Bob guests) May I introduce you to one of our top Marley’s “One Love.” students, Donelle Carter. She is smart, talented and, not to say the least, she sings like lark. I Miss Sassy: He is definitely a Montromery. (She changes the am sure you will hear her before you leave conversation quickly.) Claretta you look well. I today. have been meaning to visit you in the country just to tie up some loose ends. Papa left you Thank you Sir, for those kind words. You are something. I don’t believe that the school always very encouraging. knows that we have a background. It is better left that way. My teacher tells me that I sing well. Granny starts to cry and Sassy comforts her. The men are Yes. Miss Sassy, it’s true. Neville, don’t you think busy doing their talking at the other side of the it is a good idea to have them sing together? room.
Donelle: Sasparilla: Jeanette: Granny:
Let dem sing!
Miss Sassy:
Mr. Foolie, may I formally introduce you to Mr. Malcolm Brunhill, the artistic director of Miss Sassy: Students’ International. He is here to scout for talent and also to see how the English pounds are being sent. I know he’d be well pleased!
Mr. Foolie:
Mr. Brunhill: Mr. Foolie:
Granny:
Why didn’t you tell me this is Mr. Burnhill? It is a pleasure to meet you Sir. Mr. Burnhill we’ve been preparing for this visit for a long time. We have an excellent school and we would like the world to know what we are doing. Kingston Private has produced many talented graduates Granny: who have made us proud. I am delighted to meet you, Sir. I have been Miss Sassy: hearing a lot about you for many years. Granny: I hope all good things! Ha, ha, ha!
I am aware of the fine work you are doing on behalf of the young people of the Commonwealth. We must make the philosophy of men like Garvey and Eric Williams ring in our children’s ears. Our culture and our history must never die. They must be handed down from generation to generation. And that’s what you’re doing. The push is forward, and may God bless our nation.
Sassy, yuh so honest. Him leff something fih me?! God bless him soul. I have my conscience to live with. Whatever happened in the past is done. I feel obliged to do my part and that is what I am going to do. I am going to make sure that Hilston gets the best education and that you are going to be well looked after from now on. But you have to promise me that you won’t say anything. I don’t want my Grandfather’s name pulled through the mud. Me ah nuh scholar, but mih have wisdom and understanding. Mih nah seh ah word. Oh Claretta, you will never change. Betta believe dat!
W E L C O M E T H E AT R E A RT S
Bogo leaves with some papers in his hand. He reads from a script which Miss Curious had given him.
Mr. Foolie:
Sassy addresses Bogo’s situation with Granny. Miss Sassy:
I understand that he is the top student in his class. Just look at his hair. It looks a bit uncombed but I am sure he washes it. We have to realize that it is not the hair that makes the man but what is within the man – what he offers to society. Look at Bob Marley. He wore his Suddenly Hilston bursts into the room. hair like that. I think Hilston is a fine young man and you have done an excellent job raising him. (Sassy to Granny)
Mr. Foolie comes over and overhears the latter part of the conversation between Granny and Miss Sassy. Mr. Foolie:
Miss Sassy:
You know, Miss Sassy, people associate that hair with … Granny:
Miss Sassy:
Ganja.
Granny:
Leff it man.
Mr. Burnhill:
We have always shown concern for the importance of students’ appearances. Our policy states that a male student must keep his hair short, nothing below the collar. Hilston claims that his religion dictates that his hair be grown to any length. We have never had to deal with such a situation. As a matter of fact, we have never given it a significant thought in the school system. What do we do now?
Look at Hilston coming there; him look like him can walk straight. You see weh me see? Bus he was just fine a minute ago. Him ah act like him a boxer. Lawd. What happened? Is wah gone wrong? Lawd … Bogo!
A Private School continues next month in the February Miss Sassy, I would prefer that the topic of drugs edition! be discussed at another time. It is interesting but far too intricate. It was not on my agenda when I arrived in this country. It is a purely domestic matter and I’ll prefer you keep it that way.
Mr. Foolie:
I am in agreement. May we proceed with our agenda for the day? Mr. Burnhill you may sit if you wish. As a matter of fact, I would like you to stay. Mrs. Grundge … (Mr. Foolie looks over at Mrs. Grundge and she nods her head in approval.) The first item involves a situation with Mrs. Gundge’s grandson, Hilston Locket. Better known to us as Bogo – a little nickname. It seems a small matter but it has the potential to escalate. As you’re here, please feel free to give your perspective on the matter.
Granny:
Me nuh see much of an agenda fih me. Case close. Miss Sassy...
Mr. Burnhill:
I beg your pardon?
JANUARY 2012 | NO. 007 CEO & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VP & CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER PUBLISHER ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
NATASHA VON CASTLE DOMINIQUE RAPHAEL L3 GROUP OF COMPANIES - KEVIN SMALLS PAIGE HARRIS
EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR & LIFESTYLE EDITOR ALLIE MASON CONTRIBUTING EDITOR TRICIA SPENCE TRAVEL EDITOR SAIDAH GOMEZ MUSIC REVIEW EDITOR JILL MAHONEY EDUCATION EDITOR GLORIA GOMEZ BEAUTY EDITOR LONDYN NIKOLE FASHION EDITOR SHELEEN ROYAL TECHNOLOGY EDITOR KEMARIO LINDO COPY EDITOR XAVIER RAPHAEL SENIOR WRITER STARLETTAH BROWN CARIBBEAN CORRESPONDENT CHUCK TAYLOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ZAKADA MILTON, HEIKE WOLLENWEBER, LANRE DAVIES, RAINE MARTIN, MUMMA SUSS, KERRY K. TAYLOR, KENDON POLAK, JENNIFER MENSTER INTERNS EDWARD BISHOP, ALICIA KEMP, JONATHAN NEWTON ART JUNIOR DESIGNER SANDRA HERNANDEZ PHOTO RESEARCHER KIRSTEN DALY ART ASSISTANT JAMALL THOMPSON CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER CALVIN FRENCH, JAMAL RETOUCHER JEROME MABINI INTERACTIVE WEB DEVELOPER TENIKA JONES ADVERTISING ADVERTISING & PROMOTIONS MANAGER CHRISTINE HALL ADVERTISING ASSISTANT TERESA MAGLOIRE CIRCULATION CIRCULATION/MARKETING DIRECTOR RICHARD NEILSON SINGLE COPY SALES MANAGER NIGEL COLLINS “L3” (ISSIN 1020-2000) is published monthly (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec) by L3 Group of Companies, 123 blank street, Scarborough, ON L1R2H2. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Copyright © 2011. Title “L3” registered CAN Patent and Trademark Office. Printed in Canada. MANUSCRIPTS AND ART: The Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES (CAN) 1-289-217-2800 or l3magazine@hotmail.com. SUBSCRIPTION RATES and Possessions: 14.95 CAD/Year plus applicable taxes. SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEMS call 1-289-217-2800 or email l3magazine@hotmail.com.
WELCOME LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 2012. The year of change; the year for new beginnings, and the year to do everything right. It’s a New Year, and it’s supposed to be a ‘new you’ but I’m a little concerned! Why should it be a new you? Why can’t it be the same you, just operating with a version upgrade? Most of the people I know are talented beyond words, and they’re ‘famous and just don’t know it yet’ as my friend Xavi told me over the holidays. Working with the talent and fame that is already within, the focus should be on us sharing our talents with the world, not creating a ‘new’ us. If you insist, and you must design a ‘new you,’ then take the best elements of the people around you, to create you! Make sure you cover all aspects such as the physical (have a body like Dwayne Johnson a.k.a The Rock representing the males, and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter to represent the females), spiritual (Mother Teresa was tireless in her giving to orphans), educational (Booker T. Washington was one of the most educated for his time and made advancements based on that education), warrior (Nanny of the Maroons who led Jamaica to victory over the ‘powerful’ British), financial (Oprah created an empire and is valued at over $2 Billion) and Love! Of all aspects listed, Love is the most important. Without Love we cannot truly experience this existence. Love yourself, your family, where you work, your circumstances – everything. When Love is the root – the alpha and omega is complete. The beginning and the end as in the reason you are on the earth. With that in mind, we won’t need a ‘new’ us, just a version upgrade taking us back to the root!
Join us in welcoming
Here we grow again! As we welcome 2012 and the prosperous energy that comes with it, the Team at L3 is pleased to welcome two fantastic energies to the folds! Tricia Spence is more commonly known as ZJ Sparks, but for L3 Magazine, Tricia will be wearing the hat of Contributing Editor. Never one to be short on words coupled with her wit and knack for discovery, Tricia will be adding some spice to L3 Magazine. Look out for her column ‘See It Ya Now!’ Having a pulse on the newest talents emerging from Reggae and Dancehall’s heartland, Jamaica, as well as new talent from the Caribbean region, Tricia will keep readers alert to the voices making waves. In addition to being L3 Magazine’s Contributing Editor, Tricia can be heard on the radio throughout the Caribbean via Zip 103 FM (The # 1 Urban Pop Station in Jamaica) and Radio Turks & Caicos 107 FM (“The” Station in the Turks & Caicos). Tweet with Tricia @Sparkiebaby Chuck Taylor is the Program director at Hot 104.1 FM in the Cayman Islands, as well as Cayrock 96.5 FM. Having been in the music industry for the past 20 years, Chuck’s background and experience become an asset to readers as he shares unique stories on players in the industry. Chuck will also contribute the official L3 Top 10 Chart representing what’s hitting in the Cayman Islands. In addition to being a Program Director, Chuck can be heard Monday to Thursday from 5pm to 8pm on Hot 104’s Traffic Jam. On Sunday’s he can be heard from 7am to 12noon with Soulful Sundays, a mix of Classic Soul and R&B. Tweet with Chuck @1041fm
Natasha Von Castle
D
E
S
ideas brought to life L3DESIGNS@HOTMAIL.COM | 1.289.217.2800
@L3DESIGNS
I
G
N
S
L3MAGAZINE.COM IS NOT JUST A MUSIC MAGAZINE IT’S LIFE, LOVE & LYRICS
ADVERTISE WITH US EMAIL L3MAGAZINE@HOTMAIL.COM | CALL 1.289.217.2800
L
L I LF IEF E
I
F
E
O NT HTEO UA R TF IBLAESSE L
THE WORLD WAS AT MIAMI’S DOOR FOR ART BASEL HEIKE WOLLENWEBER
Rick Ross and Jonathan Mannion
L I LF IEF E
O NT HTEO UA R TF IBLAESSE L
Every year in December the art world congregates in Miami for one of the world’s most significant art shows - Art Basel Miami Beach. Now in its 10th year the Miami edition of the fair (originally produced in Switzerland) pulled out all the cards for their special anniversary. Art Basel is first and foremost about art, art, and more art which goes hand in hand with the parties, brunches, lunches, fashion and celebrities (this year’s sightings included Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs, Naomi Campbell, Pharell and Will Smith). Art Basel at the Convention Center, Miami Beach is the main location for exhibits, however, several satellite locations in Design District displayed private collections from Rubell Family Collection, De La Cruz Collection, and the Margulies Collection. What’s more, new street art and murals turned the walls of Wynwood into an exciting massive canvas which saw no shortage of parties as well as concerts. More than 260 international galleries such as Larry Gagosian, Fredric Snitzer, Mary Boone and Gallery Zero from Italy showed a wide variety of established and renowned artists paintings, sculptures, photography and installations. Wandering from booth to booth, one could spend hours indulging in art by Picasso, Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Scott Campbell, Mel Bochner and Nick Cave. And who could miss the huge tree by Chinese artist and activist Ai Wei Wei? The satellite fairs placed focus on emerging and midlevel artists showcasing an exciting array of work including performance art which is where most of our time was spent! Art Miami (one of the satellite locations), is the established leader in showcasing art, and in its 22nd year, showcased the work of Robert Sagerman and Zane Lewis, igniting our determination to get the “Doggy Radio” by Yoshitomo Nara. A record 55,000 collectors and art lovers visited Art Miami and sales were good. Gallerie Michael Schultz sold GerhardRichter’s painting ‘Abstraktes Bild’ for $1.6 million. The satellite fair Red Dot featured some interesting art such as the light boxes by Karla Livingston and street turned fine art by GG while Scope Miami was the go to spot for cutting edge art and everyone on the pulse of what’s next with spaces curated by Anthony Spinello and art by Retna, Liu Ye, Max Wiedemann and an impressive video installation by Christopher Baker right at the entrance, entitled “Hello World! Or: How I Learned to Stop Listening and Love the Noise.” It Ain’t Fair, another satellite fair by OH WOW picked out a few significant pieces instead of going for art overload and the exhibit was one of the most important exhibits featuring artists such as Aurel Schmidt, David Arsham, Scott Campbell, Michael Genovese and Agathe Snow.
Patrons at AE District Gallery
Patrons at AE District Gallery
Monie Love and Jonathan Mannion at AE District Gallery
LIFE
THE ART BASEL
The most talked about exhibit for Art Basel week was without a doubt “Here Lies Georges Wildenstein” at Primary Projects. A performance piece entitled “I Like Pigs and Pigs Like Me” by Miru Kim was part of the exhibit in which she turned the gallery’s storefront window into a pig pen where the nude artist and two pigs lived, slept and ate together for 104 hours. From painting and pigs let us move on to parties! Our favorite party was at AE District, celebrating the Reebok Classic exhibit by photographer Jonathan Mannion who showed some of his photographs of Rick Ross, The Neptunes, Jay Z, Mos Def and Run DMC. Rick Ross stopped by AE District for part 2 of the event for a Q&A with the photographer. An impromptu performance by Monie Love, plenty of drinks and music by DJ Clark Kent kept the crowd going and the vibe just right at Max Pierre’s sought-after gallery space. Other hot tickets were the opening party at the Bass Museum of Art (this year featuring a solo exhibit by Erwin Wurm) and the Vanity Fair Magazine Party at MOCA, which was a definite a success with great art, drinks, music and celebrity patrons, including designer Donna Karan and artists such as Tracey Emin and Andre Leon Gray. The right style for art parties, gallery viewings and exhibits is of utmost importance and fashion and art are a perfect fit. It comes as no surprise then that fashion houses team up with artists on a regular basis to create special, often limited edition, collections and Art Basel is the perfect occasion for such a collection. This year the Design District was sprinkled with pop up stores such as Pringles of Scotland and Dior brought some serious neon highlights to the area. The Dior special collection was designed by German artist Anselm Reyle and included handbags, shoes, scarves and accessories in fluorescent yellow, orange, pink and green and neon bright camouflage prints. Another collaboration was the second edition of the Bally Art Basel collection. The Swiss luxury brand teamed up with Olaf Breuning for a collection of beautiful shoes and handbags. Cartier commissioned a stunningly beautiful sculpture reminiscent of a chandelier by Beatriz Mizahne. The jewel was housed in the Design District and was simply breathtaking, sparkling with precious stones, pearls and corals of 14,980.81 carats. 90 kg of diamonds, rubies, topazes, emeralds, sapphires, turquoises, opals, tourmalines and many more… Art and beauty are at home in Miami Beach and the art crowd soaked up some glorious Miami sunshine while mingling, networking and indulging in champagne, and many delicacies at the annual Art Basel Brunch at the Sagamore. The Sagamore is known as Miami’s art hotel and it is always worth a visit. For Art Basel Miami Beach 2011 artist Will Ryman made one of his rose sculptures “bloom” right at the Sagamore beach front. Art Basel Miami Beach is always an extraordinary affair and a must for everyone who loves art or loves to attend some exciting events with an interesting crowd. I am baseled out….until next year again… Connect with Heike via Twitter @axesmedia
Public art by Will Ryman
LIFE
LOVE ADVICE
9 SEX DREAMS DECODED LISA BLAKE
“Don’t lose sweat over that steamy dream you had about your ex last night. We found out what it actually means!” Ah, sex dreams. We’ve all had them and woken up thinking, “what on earth?” because we were getting frisky with an unlikely character, such as a co-worker, the boss or a friend. Don’t worry. Dreaming about doing it with ‘Frank’ in accounting doesn’t necessarily mean you want to do it with ‘Frank’ in accounting. Lauri Quinn Loewenberg, Dream Analyst and author of Dream On It: Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life to tell us the meaning of some of the more common dreams. One thing to keep in mind, she says, is that “sex to the dreaming mind isn’t really about sex at all. It’s not about a physical union you want but more a psychological union you need.” Remember that …!
Mystery partner, the mystery man: According to Loewenberg, a female dreaming of a mystery man is the “most common” sex dream. She says, “If a female is having a sex dream with an unknown male, then it’s about male qualities that she needs to unite into her own personality. She’ll be getting that dream because something’s going on in her life where she needs to ‘man-up,’ grow a pair, be assertive and handle her business.” Mystery partner, the mystery woman: A man with a mystery female, says Loewenberg, is about female energy. “It’s your ability to nurture, to listen, to be creative, to take good care of yourself and those around you.
So if you’re a guy and you’re getting the female mystery lover dream, then ask yourself: do you need to inspire yourself with some creative project? Do you need to take better care of yourself? Do you need to be a good supportive friend to someone?” Same sex partner: Provided that you are straight, and this is therefore out of the ordinary, Loewenberg says the same sex dream doesn’t indicate hidden tendencies but - like the mystery partner - a connection to the “qualities” or “energy” associated with your gender. This dream, she says, is very common among pregnant women, “Because there’s nothing more womanly and feminine than being pregnant. And you may get that dream when you really need to lighten up and soften up and not be too harsh. It may be a message -- just show your softer side once in a while.” If you’re a man, “You might get that dream when you’ve done something particularly manly. Maybe you’ve landed a hot date, maybe you got that promotion, maybe you fixed the carburetor in your car, something that made you feel really proud of your man card.” You’re cheating: Loewenberg says that if you cheat in a dream, “The operative word here is ‘cheat.’ And it’s not necessarily at all about you desiring to get your pleasures elsewhere, unless your relationship’s really in the dumps.” If things are fine, it’s because you’re not paying enough attention to your relationship. Maybe you’re working too hard or spending too much time on other things. “You’re getting that dream because you feel you may be cheating your relationship out of the time, attention and focus it deserves.” The ex: The most common ex dream is about our first love, Loewenberg says. “The person that first really broke our heart, the person with whom we first experienced what it is to be desired, and real raw passion.” This dream is about what that person represents. “Excitement, passion, bubbles, feeling desired, always wanting to be together. So you’ll find you tend to dream of the ex when you’re in a dry spell and haven’t been in a relationship in a while, or when your current relationship has gotten a little hum-drum and routine.” It’s a message, she says, from your inner self saying “Hey, remember these awesome feelings? Let’s bring those back into our current life.”
Your partner is cheating: The flipside of you cheating. “If you’re being cheated on, then you’re feeling cheated out of your time and attention with your mate.” Work is usually the culprit, says Loewenberg, but it could be friends, hobbies...“It’s something that has caused you to feel like there is a third wheel in the relationship and it’s not another man/woman, it’s another thing that’s causing you to feel cheated.” The co-worker: Loewenberg points out that these dreams can be “pretty freaky, especially if it’s someone you would never touch with a ten foot pole, and it makes it hard to look at them the next day.” But remember, it’s not about sex but a psychological need. Maybe you need to connect with that person, or there is something you can learn from them. “Take a good look at that co-worker. Is there something going on right now where you need to unite with them on some level? Do you need to come together for the sake of work, a project, something like that? Or, maybe there’s something about the co-worker. Maybe that person is really good with computers and you need to brush up on your computer programming skills.” The boss: This too can be about a need to connect, or it might be a desire to impress (what better way?) (kidding). “More often it’s about the qualities that a boss has,” says Loewenberg. “Maybe you need to take on a more authoritative role in your life. Maybe you need to be more of the boss in your family, like as far as your kids are concerned.” The friend: Much like the boss, dreaming about getting it on with a buddy can be about the qualities that friend possesses. Look at that friend and see if there’s a way you’d like to be more like them. “Maybe you have a friend who just really takes it easy and doesn’t let things get to them, things just roll off their back, and they’ve got a really laid back attitude. Maybe that’s something you admire about that friend and want to unite into your own personality.”
LIFE
AROUND THE GLOBE
A JOURNEY INTO OUR CARIBBEAN PAST AYEOLA GEORGE Eric A. Llewellyn, S BA (fine arts), recently completed a book he wrote and illustrated called A Journey into our Caribbean Past. The book was produced in collaboration with the seniors group of the C么te-desNeiges Black Community Association and launched November 2 at the Biblioth猫que interculturelle in
Montreal. Eric is now retired after spending more than 60 years as a teacher and education administrator in his homeland, Grenada, and in Canada. Reflecting on some of the traditional, social and cultural life in the Caribbean, the series of short stories intended to inform, educate and entertain! Some of the people who helped to shape the stories include: Louise Alleyne, Edith Griffith, Lyndall Hunt, Mavis Vaughn, Erin Greese, Elva Murrell, Irvin Conyette, Erless Brewster, Thelma Hewitt, Marjorie Mentore, Eric Layne, Leslie Greaves, Louise Headley, Greta Noel, Daisy Tonge, Doriel Burton and Debra Babb as well as the Llewellyn family.
MISS JANUARY 2012
KENTRA FUQUA L3’s Ms. January is the beautiful and talented Kentra Fuqua! As a graphic designer, model and business major, Ms. Fuqua keeps busy with projects and select photo shoots. For the month, you can enjoy her beauty on our pages! Want to connect with the beauty on upcoming events or for to consult on design projects?! Tweet with her @ms_fuqua!
A R T FOCUS
I N
F O C U S
THE ARTS
For this installment of In Focus, we present the art of photography as seen through the lens of Jerome Dupont of Neu Era Photography. To book Jerome for a photo shoot, or to cover your important occasion, contact him at neueraphoto@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @neueraphoto
Model: Tanya Malcolm Body Art/M.U.A: Sashe Ward
L OI FVEE
TI NH VE E AS LT TI EN RG N A T I V E B E A T
NICOLE ATKINS
“CRY, CRY, CRY”
Backed by her band, The Black Sea, the last thing this song will have you doing is crying. The Jersey girl’s sweet intonation and pop-country blended with rock-blues and jam undertones projects a complex balance between positive, upbeat music and vocals, wrought with lyrics of hardship, heartbreak, desperation and sadness.
THE ALTERNATIVE BEAT ALLIE MASON
THE DONKEYS
GEOGRAPHER
COEUR DE PIRATE
THE BARR BROTHERS
These four best friends from southern California have captured the essence of constant summer romance in this track from their BLAH ALBUM. With throwbacks to ‘90s surfer rock, grunge and lo-fi, Timothy DeNardo, Jessie Gulati, Anthony Lukens and Sam Sprague conjure up some of the typical SoCal images to keep you warm though January’s cold winter nights.
Giving Geographer fans a taste of what’s to come from their next album MYTH, set for release on the last day of February this year, “Life of Crime” is a perfect synthesis of electronic, rock, and pop-ballad-y goodness. Hailing from the West coast, this threesome won’t need to rely on a life of crime anytime in their near future if they keep producing songs like this one.
You don’t have to understand French to know that this Francophone songstress is longing for more from love. The song title is a French metaphor that refers to the temporary melancholic wave of emotions one feels after expending ones life energy in love-making. While Coeur de Pirate’s Béatrice Martin is only 22 years old, her songwriting begs to differ.
The thoughtful track from this Montreal outfit will have you reminiscing of the year that’s passed you by. Their charming folk harmonies mixed with meaningful lyrics, longing for self-preservation and salvation will lull you into a serene, music-induced trance. Their self-titled album, released earlier this year, has set the “barr” high for these musical brothers.
“I LIKE THE WAY YOU WALK”
“LIFE OF CRIME”
“LA PETITE MORT”
“LET THERE BE HORSES”
LOVE
COUNTDOWN
DOWNLOAD
ON THE
9 AMY WHINEHOUSE
“Our Day Will Come” (Ska Version)
FROGGY MADD SQUAD LINDO P FT. MICHIE MEE 1 “Sanctuary” 11 “Love” CHAM I-OCTANE 2 “Wine” 12 “L-O-V-E You” UNCLE JONNY LIL RICK 13 3 “Jones “Jamaican Girls” and Wuk Up” KING ALI BABA FT. OCTAYNE KAYLA BLISS 14 4 “Rock “Superstar” n Sway” KAYSHA LEE SINGING MELODY 15 “Do 5 “Time Do Do” Wasted” NOTICE 6 “InFURTHER My Bed”
ELLIOT 20 MISSY FT. NAS, EVE & LIL’ MO
“Hot Boyz” (Throwback)
GABRIELLE 16 “My Boy Lollipop” B.O.B. FT. ANDRE 3000 17 “Play The Guitar” BOUNTY KILLER 18 “Mr. Pol-Lu-Tition”
JESSE ROYAL 7 “Butterflies” CALI P 8 “Inna Dih Party” FT. BUNNY RUGS FT. 10 CASTAFARI 19 PRESSURE BUSS PIPE MARCIAGRIFFITHS “Time”
“You Made Me So Very Happy”
LOVE
COUNTDOWN
TOP 10 CHARTS
TOP 10 ARTIST CHART FROM HAITI Compiled by @HaitianAllStarz
KARMONIK
TOP 10 REGGAE & DANCEHALL CHARTS FROM THE CAYMAN Compiled by Chuck Taylor @1041fm
1 T-VICE 2 CARIMI 3 NU-LOOK 4 DJAKOUT MIZIK 5 DISIP
6 DJAKOUT 7 DZINE 8 ZIN 9 KREYOL LA 10
HARMONIK
KES THE BAND
PAUL FT. 1 SEAN ALEEXIS JORDAN
IZ FT. SELECTA 6 THE RENEGADE
2 CHRISTOPHER MARTIN
BEENIE MAN 7 “Wreck The Runway” MACHEL MONTANO 8 “Vibes Cyah Done” MOVADO FT. AKON 9 “Survivor”
“Got 2 Luv U”
“Cheater’s Prayer”
VYBZ KARTEL 3 “Ghetto Road” KES THE BAND 4 “Wotless” POPCAAN 5 “Raving”
“Rock & Come In”
D’ANGEL 10 “Good Good”
LOVE
ON BLAST
ON BLAST!
SHAZELLE CONTRIBUTED CONTRIBUTED Born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago, Caribbean Pop artist Shazelle is on the path to becoming an internationally recognized powerhouse! With her powerful voice, infectious charisma, boundless energy, and stunning beauty, Shazelle embodies the forefront of a new wave of domestically-developed, tropical talent bringing heat to the global stage. Her first single, “If We Fell in Love,” was a smash hit with four different versions (Hindi/Soca/Dance/Pop) that appealed to diverse audiences, and the video was shot on the gorgeous, mud volcanoes in beautiful Romania. Shazelle has collaborated with Keo (top Romanian Artist/Songwriter/Producer), Rupert Gayle and Justin Forsley, a top Canadian producer / songwriter, Candy Gloster and Mark Cyrus who is known as one of the Caribbean’s top songwriter / producer. Shazelle’s current single, “State of Emergency,” is garnering global attention from industry experts and consumers alike. This new single is inspired by the state of emergency declared in Trinidad. The video will be shot on location within the island by world-class director Bobby O’Neill. Fans can expect a duet version with Beenie Man, as well as, a soca mix from Kassey Phillips (Precision Sound). Shazelle has several other singles and music videos generating a growing buzz, including “Pick Me Up,” “Elevator,” featuring Shurwayne Winchester and “I Need Love” featuring the Dancehall King, Beenie Man. Shazelle’s musical influences are broad – ranging from Katy Perry to Metallica to Sarah MacLachlan to Nadia Ali to Shabba Ranks to Destra to Kool & The Gang – and her diverse tastes are reflected in her songs. As the opening act for international Pop / R&B star Massari, Shazelle traveled to The Middle East (Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain), Australia, Romania and the Caribbean in 2009 and 2010, where thousands of people connected with her high-energy performance and glamorous, sultry style. “It’s been a whirlwind of excitement over the past year, and I’ve been blessed to meet new fans all over the world,” says Shazelle. “These experiences are definitely going to be reflected in the new music that I’m working on.” Outside of the entertainment industry, Shazelle is passionate about helping children and providing for the homeless; she is dedicated to using her influence to bring attention and resources towards these causes. “I want to be more than an entertainer,” says Shazelle. “I want to leave my own mark on the world and make a real difference in people’s lives.” WWW.SHAZELLE.COM
TRACKSTARR HEIKE WOLLENWEBER CONTRIBUTED
A lot of young talent comes out of Jamaica on a consistent basis and standing out above the rest can be a challenge. Trackstarr has that edge, the additional extra to stand out and create a career for himself with music to be remembered. Trackstarr was born Emilio Bowens in Kingston Jamaica and discovered his love for music at an early age. The young talent went on to take piano lessons after school and eventually taught himself to play the saxophone at age 11. Not long after, he was playing for the church, school events and weddings. At age 17 Emilio migrated to the USA, settling in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Narrowing his path, Emilio focused his career on being a producer and engineer, and operating under the alias Trackstarr. Within months of being in Bridgeport, Trackstarr made some of the hottest beats at his school and in his community. Being a producer and an artist came naturally to Trackstarr who often has two or three songs finished in his mind by the time the finishing touches are applied to a beat! Currently finishing his BA in Communications and Psychology at Western Connecticut State University, the producer and engineer is considered in the early stages of his career, but that doesn’t stop him from simultaneously being focused on his music career. As for musical influences, the young multi-talent - producer, artiste and engineer, singjay and rapper, mixes many genres in creating his own unique blend that appeals to a younger party crowd as much as to hardcore Dancehall fans and to mainstream radio music listeners. Getting the balance right, Trackstarr perfectly combines Reggae, Dancehall, Hip Hop, Pop and whatever else fit’s the mix. When asked about his sound, Trackstarr says “it stands out. What better way to be recognized than having your music stand out above the rest? Me creating my own unique sound and blend is just my way of being creative. It’s my way. I am standing out above the rest.” If he could create any sound working with any artiste Trackstarr would pull out all the stops and would not be contained to any set labels and boxes. He would “create a Rock n Roll Reggae / Dancehall kind of sound with a 2012 feel - something like an Elvis Presley mixed with a Bob Marley mixed with my kind of music.” Why work with boundaries to creativity? As an artist, Trackstarr, released a promo CD in December, 2011 featuring songs “Money Affi Mek,” “I Know You Mad,” “Gyal Anthem,” “Hot Like Fire,” and his latest single “Can’t Wait No Longer,” a song about a young man interested in a young woman whom he cannot wait any longer to be with. Loving every minute of the creation process, Trackstarr has worked with artists Bramma, Cheddah, Capleton, Haskell and Jungleman, who was featured on the remake of ‘Bonifide Love,” which was released as “Love You In Every Way.” When asked why he took on the challenge of remaking the 90’s classic, Trackstarr explained “I took on this project because I have been a fan of Wayne Wonder and Buju Banton all my life. Since I was young “Bonifide Love” has been one of my favorite songs. They are icons in the business and they are artistes that I look up to. Remaking this song was kind of my way of showing tribute to them.” Keep reading L3 Magazine for more updates, or check out Trackstarr online and get his music from all major digital music outlets. Have comments for Heike and this article?! Tweet with her @axesmedia
LOVE
ON BLAST
MUSIC ON BLAST!
KONSHENS DO SUM’N
CONTRIBUTED
MARK HYZE
Konshens is no stranger to making hit records. His latest song “Do Sum’n,” produced by Ward 21 Music is a hit, not just in the Dancehall, but on the Dance floor. The stripped down riddim running on synthesized strings, hears Konshens begin by saying “mih sick ... MUZIK” and then running his slick lyrical assault which goes like this “we nuh frighten fih nobody / but we respect everybody / and we badda dan everybody / so me will run weh anybody / no bwoy nuh badda dan we / no bwoy nuh badda dan we / step pon mih corn and see....” The lyrics alone make the song a smash. What takes the song to another level is Konshens outright support of dancers whom he feels makes Dancehall what it is today. The music video, which was shot entirely on location in Jamaica, features the hottest Dancers and dance crews such as the Untouchables, Elite Team, Keiva, Stacia Fyah and more. Konshens is nowhere to be found in the video, telling you that the song really is about dance and dancers. The dance crews choreograph their dance moves, which is captured by the video’s director. The essence is literally ‘do something’ which they do! Showcasing their best moves, the dancers move in unison as Konshens brings out the best in them, and they in turn bring out the best in the song. We’ve seen it already; when the DJ drops this record in a club, dancers roll out in more force than the Autobots and Optimus Prime – best believe! Konshens is going to make 2012 a year that will not be forgotten in Reggae and Dancehall history. He’s started with the music, has moved to the dancers and is enroute to engaging each and every fan. You heard it here first!
OCTAYNE & KING ALI BABA SUPERSTAR
MARCUS WELLER
CONTRIBUTED
When Ozzie ‘Triple O Productions’ Ojo teamed Hip Hop artist Octayne, with Dancehall’s King Ali Baba, he knew exactly what he was going to get: Superstar! This infectious song begins with the familiar Dancehall hockey air horns followed by a hot galloping style beat leaving listeners no choice but to move and co-sign with Octayne and the King’s message which is that we are all ‘super star’s!’ Focusing on the fusion of familiar Dancehall sounds with the movement of dubstep, Drum n Bass and overtones of electronica, Ozzie hits the right notes as his production is one that can be appreciated by one and all no matter their geographic location, and no matter the listeners mother-tongue. Ozzie, who is no stranger to producing hit records, has worked with Grammy award winning Wyclef Jean, as well as African award winning multi-genre artist 2Face Idibia and a host of others. Both artists have collaborated on projects, the last one being ‘What You Smokin’ which was supported by L3’s network of DJ’s around the world, and well received by fans. Making strides in their respective fields, Octayne and the King have released several supported singles which include “Baby” featuring Shamroc and “Third Eye” respectively. This project was A&R’d by Digger Elias Orchard Music and Wyldpytch Records.
LOVE
ON BLAST
360 RIDDIM REVIEW CONTRIBUTED
The minute Christmas ends, the world gets ready for Trinidad Carnival. This year we’re getting ready for Carnival with the 360 Riddim! Produced by Mr. Spine for Holy House Productions, the riddim is fueled by a groovy bass line, synthesized bells and energy specifically made to make women move their waist lines and men to move in sync with them. Featuring the vocals of K. Kay, RKG, Problem Child, Lyrical and General Degree the riddim is fully charged. Lyrical’s song “Heater” compliments women to the highest level as he lets them know they are hot ‘like a volcano erupt and like the alcohol in his cup.’ This Trinidad & Tobago native has the right lyrics for carnival – enough to make the ladies move their body to his words. On the flip side, veteran artist General Degree’s tongue in cheek song “Put It Back” makes fun of games we used to play as kids, flipping the lyrics to draw out sexual reference which in part is what Carnival is all about! The artist DJ’s ‘you ah tek down dih game form off dih shelf me notice from wha day, and playing by yuhself when ah me an you fih play!’ The veteran’s song ranks with some of the best for the season; the fact that his background id Reggae and Dancehall makes no difference as his lyrics fit the Soca genre perfectly! The 360 riddim is definitely one to add to the iPod! Grade: 3.5 out of 5
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
TUN UP DI SOCA LOUD RIDDIM CONTRIBUTED
Watch this! Young Veterans began with the Tun Up Loud Riddim which morphed to the Tun Up Louder Riddim and now, for Carnival 2012, we’re at the Tun Up Di Soca Loud Riddim which is so HOTTT just listening to it makes you sweat! This Soca banger takes the vocals of the original artists on the riddim such as Capleton, Macka Diamond, Lady Saw and Al Third whose songs remixed to the riddim sound as if they were originally voiced for it. Just call it the ultimate Soca remix riddim! Driven by the beat, especially the sweetness of the computerized Tasa drum, listeners are moved, as in, there is no standing (or sitting for that matter) still when this beat is playing – it’s a non-stop party which we are all too happy to jump up to! Songs for definite download from iTunes is Lady Saw’s “Anuh Anything,” Macka Diamonds “Wine” and Capleton’s “Tun Up!” These songs were tested with a pre-listening audience who were so amped by the songs, the small office turned into a mini dance floor. The only thing missing were the costumes! Buy the Tun Up Di Soca Loud Riddim album here: http://itunes.apple. com/us/album/tun-up-di-soca-loud-!!!-riddim/id483791374 Grade: 4 out of 5
JUST FLOWING WATER BREAK CONTRIBUTED
When Jay-Z, Kanye West, Common and KRS-One listen to Just FLoWing’s 7 track EP Water Break, they will be envious of the young rapper. Without pressures of labels, or fans who have confused Rap for Hip Hop, FLoW, the lyricist, and MaVnificent, the beat maker contribute to the revival of the genre. FLoW’s non-censored lyrical reasoning give him the freedom to say what he really means on tracks like “Time Out” featuring Coupe which serves as an introduction to the theme of the EP. Make no mistake, Flow makes it clear that he knows the world is listening, especially his hometown who silently tell him that losing is not an option. Continued brilliance emerges on the track “Cheerleader” and “The Press” which will make your iPod remain on repeat mode. This musical creativity demonstrates this artist and producers willingness to stand on their own merit, and not that of the candy rap that is all too easy to feed the masses. FLoW is definitely not following the trend but creating his own. On another level, the use of the English language and the bending of words bring together a familiar analogy with a much needed point: ‘#1 draft pick you know your teams needs FLoW, shut down a stadium when I do my show, I make it look easy like a pick and roll, guaranteed rookie of the year and you can’t say no!’ At this point, Just FLoWing is a part of the reason why Hip Hop has life! Grade: 4 out of 5
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
BAYOZ MUZIK FINE GIRL
CONTRIBUTED
Bayoz Muzik is the personification of music wearing several hats being producer, DJ, Remixer and Songwriter. Hailing from South East London in the United Kingdom, the musical epicenter’s most notable works include songs with the BET winner for best UK Rapper, Giggs. For the pages of L3, we know him as a man looking for a “Fine Girl!” This smoothed out single is best described as laid back groove music that you can rock to with your girl on one of those chill nights when there’s nothing on TV, and you don’t feel like going out. It’s also the kind of song you want to hear on radio, and definitely watch the video for. The premise is basic: a man looking for a good woman who understands him, and who won’t get upset when things so wrong. It does sound like a perfect woman, but Bayoz strings his words together in such a way that the right girl will rock with the program! Widely acknowledged as one of the most popular producers on the British Grime scene, Bayoz is attracting a lot of mainstream attention by providing the beats for crossover singles such as Giggs “Look What the Cat Dragged In.” The single appeared on Giggs Top 40album ‘Let Em Ave It,’ as well received video rotation on major music channels and appeared on play lists on national radio stations. Due to the success of the tracks he made with Giggs, he has gathered national and international recognition ensuring bigger and better things for this diversely talented producer.
L3 MAGAZINE is proudly sponsored by
L
Y
R
I
C
S
THE LYRICAL JOURNEY AWAITS...
SM
SINGING MELODY THEY CALL ME MR. MELODY NATASHA VON CASTLE
It’s a brand new year with brand new energy, and we couldn’t think of a better way to say hello to 2012 than with Singing Melody! Giving us several hit records (“Say What,” “Shower Me With Your Love,” and “Love Scene” to name a few) over the past 20 years, Melody is a staple in our iPod playlists, and on mixed CD’s. He is the artist of choice by most radio jocks, and is a fan favourite in concert arena’s the world over! We caught up with Melody just before he left the island of Jamaica for a tour in Japan. We were lucky to catch him! With the announcement
CONTRIBUTED
of the release of his album on January 17th, Melody went from being in demand to being hard to get! The album, ‘They Call Me Mr. Melody,’ is a mix of 13 songs, and features guest vocals from some of the best talents in music. It also showcases Melody as an executive producer who was very involved in the production of the album, as well as his impeccable artistry. A prime example of that is the amazing cover of the song “Collide” which is the lead single for the album. From the sunny shores of Jamaica, here’s Singing Melody, the man, the voice the artist like never before!
L3: You are an artist who has been in the lives of fans through most events in their lives. Have you become used to the significant role you play in their lives and does that thought ever overwhelm you? SM: Well it’s not really a role I can ever become used to in that sense. It’s a joy and an honor that I get to share these moments with so many people from so many places and I don’t take it for granted to say I have become used to it. It’s definitely an honor like I said and an awesome experience to hear stories from fans who met their life partner for the first time with a Singing Melody song, or even to hear DJ’s share their experiences of playing Melody’s songs and getting great feedback in a dance. These are things that I really look forward to hearing and they inspire me to continue doing what I love to do! When you first began singing, covers were the route to go in terms of getting the attention of producers. Who were some of your favourite artists to cover (in any genre)? You’re right about that! Cover songs were the way to go to impress the producers and to gain fans. Those days were inspired by Anita Baker, Surface, Babyface, Marvin Gaye etc. The Soul artists – they were my favourites and still are! You have achieved success (by every measure) with the Award Winning group L.U.S.T as well as a solo artist. What are some of the things you appreciate about being in a group and being a solo artist? Being in a group teaches you a lot about working together; about harmonizing and being in sync with other people. Work ethic comes to the forefront because we all have to do our part to get a job done; it’s not just one person! Being in a group is definitely about the group. As for being a solo artist, it’s a lot more work, and I have a lot more responsibility! The tasks that’s shared by a group is now being managed by one person so a lot more challenging, but worth it Jumping to your career today, you sing beautiful original material such as what we hear on your album ‘They Call Me Mr. Melody.’ Tell us about the song writing process and working with various producers you’ve worked with! What I did with this album which was different to my previous albums, is to include more song writers in the songwriting process. The lyrics that fans hear and experience musically is really important to me; I wanted the best songwriters in the business to be a part of that. Also, the songwriters are not necessarily ‘old’ writers! Some of them are young, but very talented which is what we wanted. It’s not about age per say, it’s really about
the best lyrics for the best songs we composed! I began with the idea of what I wanted, and they gelled that with their ideas and the result is the album The Call Me Mr. Melody! As example of us gelling is the song “Smile” which features Daddy URoy! When we (Uroy and I) first got together, it was just the melody we had, and not long after we sat down, the words started to flow – it was really natural and fans hear that in the song! From the studio engineers to the musicians – everything was just how we wanted it to be! As you mentioned the musicians, we don’t hear much music recorded with live instruments these days. This is one of the stand out qualities of your album! Yes, this is a very important topic in our industry and it’s something that fans may not be aware of! Computerized music is exactly that, music that’s made on a computer and can be made by anyone as it’s programmable. Live music is much more intimate! You’re now getting each band members energy and passion for their instrument which comes through when they play. The live sound is the way to go. When the guitar player comes and plugs in his guitar and gives it his feel, then the drummer does the same and so does the keyboardist etc., you’re creating magic with that energy. The sound is amazing! I don’t put down the computerized sound, but there’s nothing to beat a band playing together in sync and in harmony … nothing beats that! It just feels good! Some of the artists you’ve worked with on the album include Daddy U-Roy, Stacious, L.U.S.T., Lymie Murray and Ta-Da. How was it working with those artists in terms of uniting your talents which produced the great tracks you did? Well first working with the artists was easy. I knew their chemistry ahead of time, and have admired their careers, so working with them was pretty easy! To look at the song “Must Be the Girl for Me” with Stacious, I realized after writing the song that it needed a female voice. I wanted to have that sexy appeal, and energy to compliment the track so Stacious was perfect as she’s that sexy girl with the sexy voice! Lymie Murray and I worked on the “Reggae To The Bone” track and we both feel that we are not doing enough to honor our elders so we both agreed that the track would show honor. We got in the studio and it was one, two, three! We had been trying to record a song together for years, and in that one session the song just came together just like that. That was really special! Working with L.U.S.T is like working with family, so you know that was four brothers in the studio having fun!
“
LIVE MUSIC IS MUCH MORE INTIMATE! YOU’RE NOW GETTING EACH BAND MEMBERS ENERGY AND PASSION FOR THEIR INSTRUMENT WHICH COMES THROUGH WHEN THEY PLAY.
“
The song “Reggae to the Bone” was recorded at Penthouse Records with the legendary Donovan Germaine. Did he ever look at you with pride knowing how far you’ve come in the industry, especially getting your start with him on the Penthouse label?! Yes, and he told me he was proud! It’s like watching one of your children grow and now doing their own thing. He was and is very proud. He actually sat in the session when we were recording, and when were finished, he said ‘this really is a nice song.’ That’s the only stamp I need because if the song was not up to par he would have told me! Touring has been a large part of your connection with fans. Have you named your upcoming tour, and where are some of the places you’d like to go? I haven’t named the tour yet, but we will keep fans posted … we’re planning! As we’re on the topic of other countries, will you be doing collaborations with artists in other countries and in other languages? I love the Spanish language and culture and would love to collaborate with a Spanish artist. When the opportunity comes up, I am definitely ready! If other artists would like to record say from France, Japan, Africa etc., I would also welcome those opportunities too! We understand you have a passion for putting together model boats, cars and planes. How you were introduced to it? That’s a long story! Growing up, we had to be creative and make our own toys, and we did so with orange juice and milk boxes! The passion for the models came from a mechanic friend who introduced me to cars which led to boats and then planes. It’s something that grew on me. I love mechanics as in the mechanics of putting things together, so I know that if I wasn’t an artist I would probably be a pilot or a mechanic. I’ve been doing this for over 16 years! Have male fans asked you for advice on Love based on the lyrics in the music you sing? Funny you should ask that! We ran a survey not too long ago, and it turns out we have an even spilt between male fans and female fans. I do have people who ask for advice, both male and female and I try my best. I think it comes out better when I sing it! One aspect of your life and your career we don’t speak much
about is your faith. Can you tell the fans how much of a role your faith plays in the music you create? It plays a good role. I have a track on this album called “Call On His Name” which sends a clear message to all listeners. My inspiration comes from the Most High, God Almighty. I do have him as my backbone, my forefront, and the person who is responsible for my energy which is where the great music comes from. Without my faith in God, there is no music and I will always honor that. The music business can be a tough business at times. Tell us about the support you receive from your label Shem Music Productions! I wanted to create my own entity where I can produce quality music and at the same time be a home to artists so they can receive the proper support they need to advance their careers. I am signed to the label, and see it as an umbrella to assist other artists as well as produce great music and albums! You have opened up and let the fans into your world like never before! You have a fully functional website, Facebook and Twitter! Is it really you on Twitter?! Yes it’s really me on Twitter! It’s really important to me to be interactive with the fans. Now that I’m into Social Networking, I take advantage of being able to connect with fans, radio jocks, club jocks – everybody! It also helps to keep me going when I can read what people like about the music. I love Twitter; it’s definitely me behind the tweets! One more thing, when we first started, we didn’t have these things to promote ourselves. Imagine being able to build a fan base and communicate with those fans?! That’s amazing! Social Networking is amazing! What general advice can you give readers / fans about Life, Love and Lyrics? Life itself is a source that we don’t want to disappear from us. We maintain, and try to live it through the source of the Almighty God and we want to preserve it. Life is something we must all be active in – you can’t do anything without Life. Love is the second degree of Life. Without Love there is nothing. When you live your life, live it through Love and through Lyrics. What people say inspires you, so be an inspiration to others. Stay connected to these three elements because nothing can move through you without them! Stay connected with Singing Melody via Twitter @SingingMelody or www.singingmelodymusic.com
DP
DA PROFESSOR
JAMAICA’S NEW BREED OF ARTIST TRICIA SPENCE
CONTRIBUTED
On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, with a cool breeze blowing in the air, any young man would rather be lounging around or cozying up to a “catty”, but Da Professa born Julio Todd, is a part of the new breed of young professionals who has his goals in clear focus and refuses to be distracted by circumstance, struggles, rejection or even the weather. We met at Don Corleone’s studio in Kingston where he recorded the material for his upcoming album, which is set for release in January 2012. At the time of the interview a name for the album was not yet decided upon, but it was no surprise when I got a call some days after the interview and was told it would be called - THE LABORATORY. Settling into the interview was as easy as his personality.
TS: Professor, how did you get your name; who exactly gave it to you? DP: Actually I’ve had that name for a good while now. It actually goes back to my days when I used to live in New York. A couple of my friends that I hung out with, were very close and would always be in the studio together. The studio was called Jet Set, and originally, they called me ‘Bald Plate!’
2000.
A lot of people don’t have the will power to stick with the music that long. I’m sure there were times you weren’t making a dime. What made you stick through that dry period? Well deep down inside I know what I can do. My Dad told me once that what is inside me, no one can stop from coming out. So if one studio didn’t want to record me (not directed at Jammy’s or any other studio), I still wrote songs, tried making beats, invited friends over, performed for them, Bald Plate?! Where did that name come from?! and kept myself motivated. (Laughing) It actually came from one of my bredrins who was very into birds. He had a collection of very You mention your Father; a lot of artists I speak with often say their expensive and exotic birds and that’s actually the parents discouraged them from getting involved in this business. name of one of the kinds of bird he had. When I sang, Was that the same for you?! they would told me I had a very expensive voice, and I wouldn’t say they discouraged me. My Father is a great Father! He always I love to sing like a bird, so they put the two together told me that whatever I believe in, I should do it. He always told me he and called me Ball Plate! So I worked with it. would back me 100%. When he realized what I truly wanted to do, he I was always guiding my friends and giving them wasn’t comfortable, but he told me he would back me. Sometimes in advice and it caused them to really look up to school, the Principal would call him and tell him he had to find a music me. One day, a friend looked at me and said ‘they school for me because I would beat the desks and friends would sing and shouldn’t call you Bald Plate, you badder than a school work wasn’t being done. He told me to stay in school and focus, but teacher, we need to call you Professor,’ and that’s he knew it was music. how Professor came about because that’s the role I was playing, without me even recognizing it. What about your Mother? Even my Mother would be encouraging and she would say to my Father You mention New York yet you have a distinct “you never know, leave him!” Now they both are proud and sing along to Jamaican accent. Were you born in the United some of my lyrics. States, or were you born in Jamaica? I was born and raised in Waterhouse, Kingston 11! How many brothers and sisters do you have? Is that where you got your immersion into It’s actually 8 of us! music, and developed your Love and passion for music? What was it like growing up amongst so many siblings? Yes! Most definitely … I would say from birth. From It was lovely! I loved it! A lot of kids grow up without their family as some the time I was a little kid, this was all I wanted to do. have to separate, but to grow with my family, and see that my Mother and Father are still together to this day, I love that. A lot of people don’t have You say you were exposed to music from young. that so I am fortunate. Coming from Waterhouse were you exposed to Jammy’s back then? Are your siblings involved in Entertainment, or are you the only one I used to go by the studio, yes. They never recorded out of the lot? me, but I was always around the studio. I was wait- 6 out of 8. They don’t all take it professionally the way I do, but 2 of them ing patiently to record but I didn’t get a chance. Still, do. One of my younger brother and my older brother in New York who’s a I was around the vibes, and I was ready to record rapper. I have a sister who sings Gospel in the church choir. My Father is if I got the chance. I got to be in the studio with the man who is most involved in music. He actually helped to build a lot other artists and see how they work, so that was my of studios, and was around them a lot such as Bobby Digital’s studio (on way of catching on to how they worked and some of Ron’s Road). the other things they were doing. That was around
When did you move to New York and what prompted that move? The move wasn’t my choice is was my parents choice. We moved to Florida first, then to New York. Day 1 I landed in Florida, and day 2 I found the studio! It was a bredrin named Shane who was a friend of my brothers. The work I put in Florida paid off! Did you suffer from culture shock when you moved from Jamaica to Florida? No not really because before I left Jamaica to live in the States I used to travel back and forth.
Your album has been how long in the making? Well, should I say a few months. I finished the album in a few days, but it was months in the making. There are 14 great tracks; feel good music, world music, Professor music!
You have a wide vocal range and worked with a lot of rappers and dj quite well, yet you chose to go feel good this album. As this is the first album, I’m just making it clear that I’m multi-genre talented! This shows people How did you get from Florida to New York? that there is a lot more to me than just one style! I was in school studying Visual Arts and computer studies and music started (Professor gives us a freestyle of his newly released calling. People heard my voice and told me I should become an artist and song Party Non Stop)! I told them ‘I am an artist,’ and that just lead to me making my way North. People heard my music, and it got back to Jamaica and more people started You shared a story that a spoon got stuck in your taking an interest in me. throat but hearing you sing, one would never believe that. How did you get the spoon stuck?! When did you come back to Jamaica? Well you know (Professor raises his muscular arms In 2010, at the suggestion of Don Corleone, I came a couple days after. I and taps his shoulders), from the time I was small, I had a song that was receiving a good response. I never forgot that mo- ate a lot of food! They called me craven. I begged ment. I kept at it and I maximized the feeling and applied that feeling to all my brother for some food but he didn’t want to give my other songs. I stayed focused. it to me. My Mother told him to share some food with me and a little shuffle took place, and the spoon You’re one of the chief writers for the Don Corleone camp. People went down my throat! would be surprised to know that you don’t watch much television, yet you come up with incredible lyrics on the spot. I’ve seen you Apart from the collaboration with Ken Boothe listen to a rhythm and come up with a song at the snap of a finger. are there any more guest features on the album? Well the words come from me reading a lot. Melodies swim around in my Yes I have one with Protoje on the song called brain a lot so when the melody is there, the words just fall out – just like “Skanking and Rocking.” It’s an old school style and that. I don’t have to think about what I’m going to say, it just comes out. the song is bad, bad, bad! It’s a good old school vibe Sometimes I want to stop but I can’t; it just flows until it’s finished. Now I that the European market likes and has been giving have to walk with a recorder in my pocket because when the words come, good feedback to. they just fly out, they can’t be stopped! You mention the European market which is a You don’t use a notebook like some other artists? huge market for Reggae music. What preparaI started out writing, but now I’m writing it in my head. Now I maintain tions are you making for promotion on that side writing in my brain the way I would write on paper. of the world so you can withstand the rigors of the touring? Speaking of writing, you recently wrote a song with Ken Boothe First things first I’m getting my fitness together! which sees a resurgence oh Mr. Boothe in the Jamaican market. The When I go there and hit the road, I’ll be ready! song has been released and the video has just been shot. Tell us about that! What general advice can you give our readers on It was a great experience to work with a veteran artist like Ken Boothe. He Life, Love, and Lyrics?! opened the way for a lot of us younger artists, so it was really good to work Live good and give God thanks for everything with him. I thank Don Corleone for the opportunity. The fact that Ken is coming back to the market through a song I wrote is an honor. Have comments about Tricia’s article?! Connect with her on Twitter via @Sparkiebaby.
THE ULTIMATE BACK-UP ZAKADA MILTON
A 911 call is placed to the emergency centre. The operator takes the call, assesses the nature of the problem, and dispatches police, fire or paramedics to handle the situation. If the matter is a lot more than anticipated, they always call for ‘back-up!’ The entertainment industry works in a similar way, except that in order for a music production to be successful, one of the first people called in by a songs producer is the backing vocalist. By definition, a backing vocalist is one who provides vocal harmony to the lead vocalist. The backing vocalist can be one person or more, and is integral to the overall production of the song(s). There are many types of backline vocalists ranging from the band member who sings small parts within the song in addition to the lead vocalist, as well as session singers who are employed by major touring artists and recording studios. Good background vocalists are experienced in key areas such as harmonizing, and keeping time with the lead vocalist as well as additional singers in the background. The term ‘Backing’ denotes that the singer remains in the background, both in live performance and when mixing a recording, but that does not mean they cannot set their sites on becoming a lead vocalist. Back up is the route many have taken on their road to centre stage. Ammoye, Canada’s female artist of the year for 2011, began her performing career in the church, and as a backing vocal-
CONTRIBUTED
ist for Michael Buble, Anjulie, Kreesha Turner, Courtney John and a host of other performing artists. Now that she is an internationally recognized singer in her own right, her take on the issue of backing vocals hasn’t changed! Ammoye says “backing vocalists are very important depending on the kind of performance being done. Backing vocalists enhances what I do and my performance on stage. They allow me the security of going all out on my performances without having to worry about the audience not hearing the fullness of the song composed. My preference is to have backing vocals as opposed to performing without them. The difference is like night and day.” Ammoye’s statement is one shared by several prominent artists in the industry. Looking through the vinyl catalogue in the L3 Library of Music, we were surprised at just how many artists provided back up to fellow greats. Lou Rawls can easily be heard in Sam Cooke’s “Bring it on Home to Me,” Phil Collins sings backup on the Eric Clapton song “Bad Love” (and also plays the drums), and also sings backup on the David Crosby song “Hero.” Stevie Wonder’s hit “Part Time Love” hears Luther Vandross add backup and harmony. Aaliyah sang behind Notorious BIG’s “One More Chance, “ Steven Tyler piped in on Run DMC’s cover of “Walk This Way,” John Lennon on David Bowie’s “Fame,” Sting on Dire Straits “Money For Nothing” and James Taylor brings harmony to Carole Kings “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?”
Rory Baker, Senior Engineer at Grammy Award winning Sly & Robbie’s Taxi Recording Studio in Kingston Jamaica, feels “Backup singers are very important to the completion of a masterpiece. Music is art and back ground to the art plays a very important role in bringing out the true beauty of that piece of art.” An excellent example of bringing beauty to the art form is the Luther Vandross classic “Excuse Me Miss.” The backing vocalist for that song is Richard Marx who not only earned success as a vocalist, but went on to include songwriting, producing and solo artist to his portfolio. Having worked with Lionel Richie, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Kenny Rogers to name a few, Marx has mastered the key elements in song, and enjoys a successful career. Steve Locke, Producer for Truckback Records notes “backing vocals are dynamic to a composition. They give the song body and help to “spice up” the project. And being a musician, I appreciate the sounds and presentation of background harmonies on stage!” Steve’s note is a perfect segue to Bob Marley and the Wailers, in particular the I Three’s who was comprised of Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths. The I Threes unique combination of vocals and dance became a part of the listeners’ experience of Marley’s music. What’s more, their 1978 song “Many Are Called” on the Tuff Gong label exemplified the ladies voices in both a harmonic way, and as backing vocalists even
though they are the lead in the song. Collectively, the three voices operate as one honing in on the importance of blend and riffing. What’s more, the group naturally used melody to emphasize the key lyrics in the song “many are called, few are chosen, you’ve got to be aware of wolves in sheeps clothing ….” From an educational point of view, some Back up singers have learned music theory to understand the relationship between notes, chords, octaves and harmonics. Irmine JackWard, a back up singer in the Calypso / Soca circuit in Toronto and Canada for the past 25 years adds “it’s important for back up singers to be educated about the lead vocalist their backing. Things like their vocal style, song structure and even the type of sound they specialize in are all important. Being on stage with that person is exciting especially when you have so many people looking at you and listening to your every note. No matter where you are on the stage, you are within sight of A&R’s (yes good ones are still around), producers and managers.” For the many vocalists vying for the spotlight, the road to centre stage can be achieved being the Ultimate backup! We asked some industry experts what they think about the importance of back up singers, and the following pages share what they have to say.
Yes, background vocals are very important, but not essential in every song I like background vocals because it adds color and depth to the tune
“
OSIKI OJO A.K.A. OZY, PRDUCER FROM THE UK
backup/background singers are very important because singers are categorised by their sound ( alto’s and sopranos). great producers/ songwriters write their music with alto and soprano singers in mind to give texture and feel to the end product. Harmonies in RnB and Gospel songs always comprise of backing/background singers. Yes they are very important.
“
“
“
“
BUNNY RUGS, SINGER, THIRD WORLD BAND
“
KRUSH, KRUSHPROOF MUSIK
Music comes with different elements and background harmony is one of them. The harmony helps to tell a story, it brings out the emotions, whether you are singing about love, or life. It is often the last ingredient that is added to the song, and there is a saying ‘Save the best for last!
“
“
VOCALIST.ORG.UK
both the backing vocalist and harmony singer can be crucial to the song. Both provide backing for a lead singer, or vocals for effect on instrumentals, however, a harmony singer is naturally adept at ‘hearing’ harmony lines over and around the music. They can vocally reproduce what they hear to create a harmony vocal line without requiring written sheet music, or direction from the songwriter or producer.
I
N
T
H
E
M
ONE DROP EXCLUSIVES VOLUME 1 RICO VIBES
I
X
DOWNLOAD
Tracked Version - http://www.mediafire.com/?mqsf3exoxm6wi9t Straight Play - http://www.mediafire.com/?n4f1igvzwqvniw4
Love What You’ve Read?
Support L3 Magazine to Continue Delivering the Best!