分类： entertainment

Carlos Malcolm, the world-renowned Panamanian-born trombonist and foundational figure in 1960s Jamaican ska music, passed away on April 6 at his residence in Palm Bay, Florida, at the age of 91. His death was officially confirmed by his son, Leighton Malcolm.

Malcolm built his enduring legacy as the founder and leader of the iconic group Afro Jamaican Rhythms, an ensemble that rose to prominence during the global breakout of Jamaican ska in the early 1960s. One of the band’s most recognizable tracks, *Bonanza Ska*, drew its creative inspiration from the hit American western television series *Bonanza*, blending mainstream U.S. pop culture with the emerging Caribbean sound that would reshape global music. The collective’s early roster read as a who’s who of Jamaican music talent, featuring legendary percussionist Larry McDonald, influential vocalist Joe Higgs, drummer Winston “Sparrow” Martin, and bassist Boris Gardiner.

Long before he made his mark on the global music industry, Malcolm cut his teeth in Jamaican media. Following his time at Kingston’s Calabar High School – where he counted among his classmates future Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, Marcus Garvey Jr., and prominent journalists John Maxwell and Wilmot “Motty” Perkins – Malcolm pursued work in journalism. He covered Jamaica’s burgeoning music scene for *West Indian Review*, and held positions at Radio Jamaica and the newly launched Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation.

Malcolm’s first major professional music opportunity came in 1957, when he earned a spot performing with the Jamaica All Star Jazz Orchestra alongside other iconic trombonists Don Drummond and Rico Rodriquez. His career also intersected with major global pop culture history: he contributed his musical talents to *Dr No*, the very first James Bond feature film, which premiered in 1962. Starring Sean Connery, the landmark movie was filmed primarily on location in Kingston, and its soundtrack spotlighted work from a host of top Jamaican musicians, including Malcolm himself.

Over the course of his decades-long career, Malcolm received numerous high honors in recognition of his contributions to Jamaican music. He was awarded the Prime Minister’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000, and picked up a second lifetime achievement honor from the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association in January 2017. Later that same year, the Jamaican government bestowed upon him the title of Officer Class in the Order of Distinction, the country’s highest award for contributions to national development. 2017 also saw the release of Malcolm’s authoritative book, *A Personal History of Post-war Jamaican Music: New Orleans Jazz, Blues to Reggae*, which chronicled his decades of experience in and first-person observations of the evolution of Jamaican popular music.

Malcolm is survived by Valerie, his wife of 54 years, three children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Veteran Jamaican reggae artist Queen Ifrica has launched her latest heartfelt single, *Mom Like Me*, through independent label Nuh Rush Records, marking another key milestone ahead of her highly anticipated upcoming full-length album *Breath of Life*. The track is the second of three pre-album lead singles, following the breakout global success of her earlier 2025 release *Lanton (Lantern)*, which has continued to build momentum across international radio airwaves and digital streaming platforms months after its debut.

Data from radio tracking services confirms *Lanton* has earned spins at 193 different stations across 39 countries, with particularly robust uptake across reggae-focused radio circuits in Europe, North America, and the United Kingdom. Multiple UK-based roots reggae and community radio outlets have thrown consistent support behind the track, cementing Queen Ifrica’s enduring status as a fan-favorite artist in curated, message-driven music spaces that prioritize lyrical depth and cultural resonance.

With *Mom Like Me*, Queen Ifrica shifts her creative focus from the social themes explored in *Lanton* to the intimate, universal realm of family bonds. The song centers the quiet, unshakable strength of maternal love, weaving narratives that resonate with mothers from every background, socioeconomic class, and culture around the world. While the single’s release was timed to coincide with the global celebration of Mother’s Day, the track pushes beyond generic celebratory tropes to deliver raw, grounded lyrical imagery that reflects the real-world challenges and enduring commitments that define motherhood for millions. The artist leans into the thematic visual framework first established for *Lanton* — which centers on the idea of divine light and steady guidance — and refashions it to fit this more personal narrative: it frames mothers as unwavering beacons of warmth and security, who remain steadfast through even the hardest of times. This core idea is crystallized in the track’s key lyric, which finds the narrator declaring, “loving my children is all I know to do.”

Beyond the new single drop, Queen Ifrica is gearing up for her first major international performance of 2026, scheduled for May 25 at London’s iconic City Splash Festival, one of the UK’s largest and most respected annual reggae and Caribbean music gatherings. She will share the stage with an all-star lineup of legendary and contemporary talent, including Beres Hammond, Gyptian, and The Congos, a booking that further underscores her long-standing, prominent standing within the UK’s thriving reggae scene.

The upcoming *Breath of Life* album, slated for a global summer release, will be preceded by one more lead single following *Mom Like Me*. The album’s title track marks a reunion between Queen Ifrica and Grammy Award-winning artist and producer Stephen Marley, who previously collaborated with her on the widely acclaimed cover of *Four Women* for Marley’s 2024 Nina Simone tribute project *Celebrating Nina — A Reggae Tribute to Nina Simone*. Distributed globally via iconic reggae label Tuff Gong International, *Mom Like Me* is available for streaming and download on all major digital music platforms now.

Jamaican dancehall recording artist Vershon has reunited with Los Angeles-based producer Jenelle Alexia, head of A’Legends Productions, to launch his second heartfelt single titled *A Mother Like You*. The track is pulled from the artist’s highly anticipated upcoming extended play (EP), *To A Queen*.

The new single made its official debut on Wednesday, May 6 — a date that coincided with Jamaica’s annual national Teachers’ Day celebrations, and fell just four days ahead of the global observation of Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 10. According to Alexia, the overlapping release date with Teachers’ Day was an unplanned happy accident, rather than a pre-arranged marketing move.

“It was a mere coincidence that I had set the release date on Teachers’ Day in Jamaica. This goes to show that when the universe aligns all things work together for the good,” she shared in a post-release statement.

As a mother herself, Alexia brings a deeply personal perspective to the project. She explained that the tribute single extends beyond celebrating biological mothers, aiming to honor the diverse array of mother figures that play irreplaceable roles in communities and families across the world. From stepmothers and foster caregivers to aunts, teachers and mentors who step into maternal roles, the track is crafted to recognize all women who offer nurturing support.

“I decided it was needed at this time to inspire all mothers and all women to push on through the struggles and to let them know how loved they are and appreciated for all they do,” Alexia added, outlining the core mission behind the collaboration.

To complement the audio release, the official music video for *A Mother Like You* premiered in sync with Mother’s Day on May 10, giving audiences a visual companion to the heartfelt tribute just in time for their own family celebrations of maternal love.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A towering figure in Jamaican media and cultural stewardship has sparked a nationwide conversation about artistic integrity and cultural heritage, after calling out multiple top dancehall performers for what she frames as the erosion of a beloved national cultural treasure through lewd, offensive lyricism. In a public critique posted to her official YouTube channel over the weekend, veteran broadcaster and cultural expert Fae Ellington pulled no punches against artists who contributed explicit verses to the newly revived Hill & Gully riddim, produced by acclaimed Jamaican producer Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor.

Hill an’ Gully Rider, the original work at the center of the debate, is a foundational Jamaican folk and mento composition dating back to the 1800s, woven into the fabric of the island’s national identity for generations. In late April 2026, McGregor breathed new life into the classic by reimagining it as a modern dancehall riddim, a project that quickly gained traction across the Caribbean and global reggae scenes. Headlined by Masicka’s viral hit Slip & Slide, the compilation has drawn collaborations from some of the biggest names in contemporary dancehall, including Elephant Man, Valiant, Govana, Ganggoolie and Skippa.

Ellington, who has built a 50-plus-year career spanning Jamaican theatre, radio and national television broadcasting, said the reworked lyrics left her deeply shaken. “When I hear persons changing the lyrics of Hill an’ Gully Rider to vulgarity, it pains me, it hits me in a place I cannot explain, I get numb,” she shared in the video address, adding that she had spent days grappling with how to publicly address her concerns.

In a passionate rebuke of the participating artists, Ellington questioned their commitment to protecting Jamaica’s cultural legacy, pushing back against the idea that chasing viral fame and profit justifies compromising foundational national traditions. “Mi angry, mi angry. Unuh supposed to know better. It cannot be because you want to get some likes and you want to make some money and you want it go wide, yes it going to go wide and far and I wonder how you will be viewed. All of you who have decided to get down into the gutter, all of you who have decided to get slack and nasty. Hill an’ Gully Rider, Emmanuel Road? Unuh understand unuh heritage?” she asked.

Ellington drew a sharp parallel between the modified lyrics and defacing Jamaica’s national anthem, arguing that the island’s irreplaceable cultural heritage deserves the same level of reverence as its most sacred national symbols. “It is like treating your anthem, hearing the instrumental version of your anthem and start sing all kind of nastiness on top of it. We have gone totally over the cliff, we not on the brink anymore,” she said.

Notably, Ellington stopped short of criticizing the entire revival project. She offered warm praise to McGregor for his initiative to bring the centuries-old folk classic to the attention of younger Jamaican audiences, a goal she called valuable and necessary. Even so, she stressed that cultural identity and folk traditions should never be sidelined in pursuit of streaming numbers or commercial success.

“Congrats Stephen but a number of people have decided to put certain kinds of lyrics to this thing, not understanding that they are defacing our culture, that they are putting us in a place that we will have to explain to our children,” she said, reiterating that Jamaican artists have a responsibility to uphold the standards of the nation’s cultural legacy.

Ellington also singled out an unnamed female artist on the riddim for specific criticism, issuing a clear warning that Jamaican heritage is not a commodity to be exploited for clout. “Our heritage is not to be trifled with, and if you think it’s ok to go to that level, you know something is wrong,” she said. To push for formal accountability, she has publicly called on Jamaican Culture Minister Olivia Grange to release an official public statement addressing the controversy.

Global pop superstar Dua Lipa has initiated a high-profile trademark and publicity rights lawsuit against South Korean tech giant Samsung, accusing the company of improperly utilizing her copyrighted photograph to boost television sales across the United States. The legal complaint was formally filed by Lipa’s legal team on Friday in a California federal court, centering on allegations that Samsung engaged in widespread, ongoing unauthorized commercial use of the singer’s iconic image and likeness on the cardboard packaging of its HD TV models.

According to court documents, the disputed image — captioned “Dua Lipa – Backstage at Austin City Limits, 2024” — is officially registered with the United States Copyright Office and is owned outright by Lipa. A photograph included in the filing shows a Samsung retail TV box with a display screen featuring multiple promotional images, with the largest frame highlighting a partial shot of Lipa’s face.

The lawsuit highlights that Lipa maintains a highly curated, premium brand through carefully selected high-end endorsement partnerships. Her existing commercial collaborations include global ambassador roles for Puma, major advertising campaigns with luxury fashion houses Versace and Yves Saint Laurent, and partnerships with leading brands including Porsche, Apple, Chanel, Nespresso, Bvlgari and Tiffany & Co. Court papers emphasize that consistent with her deliberate brand strategy, Lipa would never have authorized the use of her name, image or likeness to promote Samsung’s infringing TV products.

Lipa’s legal team has outlined eight separate civil claims in the complaint, including violations of the right of publicity, direct copyright infringement, and allegations of false endorsement. The legal action seeks a permanent court injunction barring Samsung from continuing to use Lipa’s image, as well as a minimum of $15 million in combined compensatory and punitive damages.

In response to the lawsuit, Samsung issued a formal statement pushing back on direct responsibility, noting that the pop star’s image was supplied to the company by an external third-party content partner for its ad-supported free streaming platform, Samsung TV Plus. The company asserted that it only used the image after receiving explicit written guarantees from the content partner that all necessary usage permissions, including for retail packaging, had been properly secured. Samsung added that it has actively pursued negotiations to resolve the dispute and remains open to reaching a constructive agreement with Lipa’s representation team.

Four decades after its first vinyl pressing and nearly two decades since its digital debut, Sister Nancy’s iconic reggae track *Bam Bam* has hit a landmark career achievement, earning gold certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in the United Kingdom. The honor was officially granted on May 8, marking the track’s crossing of the 400,000 unit threshold for combined sales and streaming equivalent units. Now based in the United States, the legendary reggae artist expressed humble gratitude for the track’s enduring, cross-generational success in an earlier interview with Observer Online.

“I’m grateful and appreciative and say congratulations Bam Bam. Keep climbing to new heights,” she shared.

The road to this latest milestone began unexpectedly in 1982, when *Bam Bam* was added as a last-minute track to Sister Nancy’s debut album *One, Two*, recorded at Kingston’s world-famous Channel One Studios. Produced by iconic Jamaican producer Winston Riley and released through his Techniques label, the recording session was defined by the effortless, organic energy that defined 1980s Jamaican reggae production. Sister Nancy recalled that the full ensemble of legendary session musicians played together live in the studio, creating an unmatchable creative vibe. That ensemble included some of reggae’s most renowned names: Errol ‘Flabba’ Holt, Robbie Shakespeare, Carlton ‘Santa’ Davis, Sly Dunbar, Lincoln ‘Style’ Scott, Ansel Collins, Wycliffe ‘Steelie’ Johnson, Winston Wright, Marvin Brooks, Christopher ‘Sky Juice’ Blake, Dean Fraser and Ronald ‘Namboo’ Robinson, all of whom contributed to the album’s timeless sound.

Over the decades, *Bam Bam* has transcended its origins as a deep reggae cut to become a globally recognized cultural touchstone. It opened the 1998 cult crime drama *Belly* from director Hype Williams, and has been sampled repeatedly by hip-hop and pop artists looking to tap into its iconic riddim. One of the highest-profile samples came from rap legend Jay-Z, who wove the track’s core elements into his 2017 song *Bam* off the critically acclaimed album *4:44*. That Jay-Z track went on to chart in the UK, as well as on Billboard’s U.S. Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs rankings, introducing *Bam Bam* to a new generation of hip-hop fans.

Sister Nancy, born Ophlin Russell, says she never could have predicted the track’s decades-long popularity when she recorded it. “No, I did not know, but it did and I’m thankful,” she said. When asked what makes the track resonate so deeply with listeners across genres and regions, she pointed to its iconic core: “I think it’s the voice and the riddim pitch.”

The artist grew up in Jamaica’s St. Andrew parish before relocating to the U.S. in the mid-1990s, where she worked as an accountant for a New Jersey-based band before returning to music full-time more than a decade ago. *Bam Bam* is far from her only hit, with fan favorites including *Transport Connection* and the album’s title track *One, Two* also earning lasting acclaim.

Industry recognition of the track’s legacy has grown steadily over the past decade. In 2016, *Billboard* magazine named *Bam Bam* a “strong contender for the title of most sampled reggae song of all time.” Five years later, Rolling Stone placed the track at number 454 on its updated ranking of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, cementing its place in global music history.

Most recently, a fresh reimagining of the track has earned new chart success, proving its ongoing cross-genre appeal. A new Afrobeat-house-techno fusion rework titled *Jamaican (Bam Bam)*, produced by HUGEL and SOLTO, was released last November. The rework peaked at number 50 on the UK charts and hit number two on Billboard’s U.S. World Digital Song Sales chart, and it remains in rotation on regional charts across Central America, Latin America, and multiple European markets.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — For more than three decades, Emanuel Stain has chased a breakthrough in Jamaica’s competitive popular music industry, and at 52, the veteran artist says his hunger for a career-defining hit has never faded. Fully aware that the modern popular music space leans heavily on youth appeal and curated public image to drive success, Stain remains unshakably optimistic that his moment in the spotlight is still on the horizon.

Stain first came within touching distance of major success in the late 1990s, when he entered the studio to cut a track for one of Jamaica’s most in-demand producers at the time, Dave Kelly. But that recording, a track titled *Medicine*, never made it to the public. Speaking in a recent interview with Observer Online, Stain reflected on the missed opportunity that altered the trajectory of his early career.

“Dave Kelly was the hottest producer on the scene when I recorded *Medicine*. When we finished the track, it was supposed to be part of a compilation, but it just never ended up there, and I still don’t know exactly why that happened,” he explained. “That was a chance to change everything for me right out of the gate. Losing that break was a huge setback, and I had to work hard to find a way past it. But everything happens on its own timeline, right? I’m still here, I’m still making new music, and I still believe I’ll get that hit I’ve been chasing.”

When asked why he has not yet been able to reach his full potential in the industry, Stain pointed to systemic gaps in support that have held his career back, rather than a lack of natural talent. He has long been confident in his musical abilities, he says, but the industry requires far more than raw skill to succeed.

“I’ve always known what I can do with my music. The biggest challenge for me has always been the lack of support around me, whether that’s backing from industry insiders, financial investment, or the right connections at exactly the right time,” Stain said. “Talent alone can only get you so far. If you don’t have the right team and the right infrastructure behind you, it’s an uphill battle every step of the way. But I’ve never stopped believing in the gift I’ve been given.”

He also openly acknowledged that the modern music business prioritizes public image as much, if not more, than it does musical talent. “Image absolutely plays a major role, and I won’t pretend that isn’t true,” he noted. “You can have all the talent in the world, but if your public persona doesn’t resonate with audiences, breaking through becomes almost impossible. The reality is that image and talent have to work together. If you only have one, you’re incomplete in this industry.”

Stain launched his professional music career all the way back in 1992, and over the 31 years since, his journey has been marked by far more disappointment than mainstream success. Still, he has refused to step away from the craft he loves, and he has just dropped three brand new tracks to market: *Dis Year*, produced by Nah Give Up Production; *Never Again*, helmed by Junavil Records; and *Remember to Praise Him*, produced by Crushdem Records.

Stain says he is grateful for the collaborative partnerships that made the new releases possible, and proud of the work they created together. The artist emphasizes that his work centers on uplifting, positive messaging, rather than provocative content that has become common in mainstream music.

“I bring good messages, positive vibes, and clean energy to everything I make. My music is uplifting—it speaks to the spirit and to the soul,” he said. “I also make it a point to lift up other emerging artists along the way. For me, music is all about building people up, not just building my own career.”

Born Samuel Everton Williams in the parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, Stain first discovered his passion and natural talent for music during his school years, at Old Harbour Primary and May Pen High. Over his decades-long career, he has graced the stage of some of Jamaica’s most iconic annual stage shows, including Sting, Stars in Action and Rebel Salute, building a small but loyal base of fans along the way.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Organizers of the Mini Miss Kingston and St Andrew Heritage Queen Pageant have officially opened applications for this year’s competition, calling on talented, self-assured young women with a passion for Jamaican culture to step forward and seize the opportunity to compete on a prestigious, youth-focused platform that blends national heritage celebration with personal empowerment.

As a parish-level qualifying event, this pageant serves as the gateway to the national Mini Miss Jamaica Heritage Queen Pageant, an initiative formally endorsed by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). The winner of the parish contest will earn the right to represent Kingston and St Andrew at the national showcase, competing against other regional delegates for the highly sought-after national title.

Looking back on the 2025 competition, last year’s Kingston and St Andrew delegate Annorah Brown, a student at Campion College, delivered a standout performance that earned the parish national recognition when she claimed second runner-up at the national finals. Her achievement has set a high bar for this year’s crop of aspiring contestants, organizers say.

Stephanie Elliott-Gunning, Parish Director for the Kingston and St Andrew pageant, shared her enthusiastic outlook on the upcoming staging. “Last year’s success has been a huge source of inspiration for our team, and we’re working not just to match that milestone, but to exceed it this time around,” she explained in an interview. “Recruitment is currently underway, and we’re actively encouraging parents and guardians to introduce their daughters to this uniquely enriching experience.”

Elliott-Gunning added that event planning is already moving forward at a steady pace, with parish finals tentatively scheduled to take place in August 2026. To stay on track for this timeline, she noted, the team must move quickly to recruit, select, and prepare participating delegates ahead of the contest.

Parents and guardians of interested contestants can initiate the registration process by calling 876-449-4179 to get full information on eligibility, requirements, and event logistics. The final deadline for all applications is set for May 22, 2026.

The national Mini Miss Jamaica Heritage Queen Pageant has grown from decades of local roots: it operated for more than 20 years as the Mini Miss St Ann Heritage Queen Pageant under the leadership of founder Damion Duckett before holding its first successful nation-wide staging in 2025. Today, the competition remains committed to its core mission of creating a supportive, meaningful space for young girls to build critical life skills including public confidence, cultural literacy, and polished stage presence. Media professionals seeking additional information about the 2026 Kingston and St Andrew pageant can direct inquiries to Elliott-Gunning.