After gaining recognition as a teenager for his harmony singing with Derrick Howard and Tony Tuff as the African Brothers, Mr. Minott (pronounced my-NOT) went on to a long career as a solo artist on record and in concerts around the world. Among his early hits were “Vanity” and “Mr. DC,” recorded for Studio One, Jamaica’s first black-owned recording studio and label.

“He mastered every reggae style and made significant contributions to each of them — from roots and message music into lover’s rock to the computerized techno music of the dancehall genre in the mid-’80s,” said Roger Steffens, a co-founder of the reggae magazine The Beat, which recently ceased publication after 28 years.

From the days of Bob Marley, who died in 1981, reggae has evolved from its Rastafarian message of peace, love and justice to a style called lover’s rock and the more stripped-down dancehall style, characterized by digital rhythm tracks and harsher vocals. The rappers, or toasters, who came to dominate dancehall “turned the music into homophobic and misogynistic rants,” Mr. Steffens said. But Mr. Minott, an early practitioner of the form, shunned the harshness.

“Sugar brought his trademark sweetness and humor, even to what can be quite a violent genre,” said Vivien Goldman, the adjunct professor of reggae at the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at New York University. “Reggae has always been loved for its golden voices, and Sugar Minott ranked among the greatest.”

Ms. Goldman cited his 1984 hit “Buy Off the Bar” as evidence of dancehall at its sweetest: an encouragement to forget the troubles of everyday life, buy drinks and keep the party going.

Mr. Minott’s biggest hit was a cover of the Jackson Five’s “Good Thing Going,“ which reached No. 4 in the British singles chart in March 1981. But the recordings that made him famous, Ms. Goldman said, came in 1979: “Hard Time Pressure,” bemoaning the plight of the poor, and “Ghetto-Ology,” about starvation and mass brutality, in which he sang, “I got an A in starvation, I pass my grades in sufferation.”

“One of the outstanding aspects of Sugar Minott was his commitment to poor youth,” Ms. Goldman said, pointing out that he started a label, Black Roots, that featured young artists from the deprived downtown areas of Kingston. Among those who became popular were Garnet Silk, Tony Rebel, Tenor Saw and Johnny Osbourne.

In recent years Mr. Minott recorded with the Easy Star All-Stars, singing “Exit Music (for a Film)“ on their album “Radiodread” (2006), a reggae interpretation of the Radiohead album “OK Computer,” and “When I’m Sixty-Four” on Easy Star’s “Lonely Hearts Dub Band” (2009), which took a similar approach to the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and reached No. 1 on the Billboard reggae chart.

Lincoln Barrington Minott was born in Kingston on May 25, 1956, one of eight children of Austin and Lucille Minott. He attended a trade school, where he learned how to install shelves, then worked with friends who built sound systems. That led to the formation of the African Brothers and his work with Studio One, which had been founded by Coxsone Dodd.

In 1993, Mr. Minott married Mr. Dodd’s niece, Ms. Stowe. Besides his wife, he is survived by his mother, three sisters, four brothers and 14 children. Ten of his children, Ms. Stowe said, came from two previous relationships.

An animated entertainer, Mr. Minott roamed the stage to reggae’s pulsating, off-beat rhythms, acting out the roles in his songs, dancing. But another “uniquely striking” feature encapsulated his exuberance, Mr. Steffens said: “a hugely gap-toothed smile that you could drive a minibus through.”

The suit, filed this week by lawyers for Jamaican-born stars, claims Universal Music Group, misappropriated and diverted monies owed to the act that had major hits, including Murder She Wrote,’ ‘Tease Me’ and ‘Twist and Shout.’

The suit was filed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan under the artists’ real names John Taylor (aka Chaka Demus) and Everton Bonner (aka Pliers).

The artists claimed in the suit that they signed a worldwide recording deal with Universal-owned label Island Records in October 22 1992, which allowed the artists to retain all rights to the trademark Chaka Demus and Pliers.

It said Universal Music had “withheld the monies and royalties payments” from the inception the contract.

Not only are the two reggae stars asking for a court award of more than $10 million, but also demanding an injunction ordering Universal Music to cease the sale, production and performances of the their music.

A spokesman for Universal Music Group was not immediately available.

Universal Music Group is the world’s largest music company and is owned by French media giant Vivendi SA.

(Reporting by Yinka Adegoke; editing by Andre Grenon)

Copyright 2010 Reuters News Service.

Ziggy Marley’s record label says the reggae star has released his song “Africa Land” to celebrate the World Cup being played in Africa for the first time.

“The song is an anthem to unity, freedom and new beginnings; well-known principles championed by the legendary Marley family,” Tuff Gong Worldwide said in a news release.

“Africa Land” follows Marley’s 2009 Grammy Award-winning children’s album, “Family Time.”

For this song, Marley recruited his brother Stephen Marley and African mega-star Angelique Kidjo.

“Together they created a catchy, danceable song, which incorporates dancehall reggae, as well as African elements,” the label said.

The song is available as a free download at www.ziggymarley.com and www.tuffgongworldwide.com.

“The Bible says, ‘The first shall be last and the last shall be first.’ How fitting that South Africa — the last nation on the homeland to be free — is the launch pad for a global event that will showcase the rise of the African continent,” Marley said in a statement Monday. “‘Africa Land’ is the song which celebrates that dream becoming true.”

Entertainer Buju Banton, who has been in a Florida jail awaiting trial on drug charges since last December, will have to wait a bit longer to know his fate.

The trial was again rescheduled on Friday, this time to September.

According to the Tampa Tribune newspaper, district judge James Moody moved the trial without giving a reason. The new development reportedly angered Banton’s attorney David Markus who argued that the latest date change is costly for the defence which will have to re-arrange travel plans for witnesses.

Markus also said the date change violates the Speedy Trial Act which requires a defendant’s trial to start within 70 days of them being arrested.

Objections overruled

Moody overruled Markus’ objections.

This is the third time the trial has been rescheduled. It was originally set for April 19 but two weeks before the start, Moody set it back to June 21.

The Tribune reported that a new date will be set in August.

Moody’s surprise switch is another setback for Banton and his legal team which is led by Markus, a high-profile Miami lawyer. In March, Markus lobbied for Banton to be removed to a facility where conditions are more suitable to his Rastafarian diet. That request was denied.

Banton has been incarcerated since his arrest by Federal agents inMiami on December 10. He and two other men were charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine, and face lengthy prison sentences.

The entertainer and his attorney have challenged the agents’ story, saying he was set up.

Banton (Mark Myrie) is best known for songs like Browning, Deportee and Driver. His 1995 album, Til Shiloh, is regarded as one of the great reggae albums.

He has had several clashes with gay rights groups in the United States and Europe, largely over his 1993 song Boom Bye Bye. Last year, his Rasta Got Soul tour of the US was marred by protests from gay activists.

Several shows in major cities had to be cancelled.

Since The Washington Post reported in April on the involvement of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in the delicate talks between the State Department and the Jamaican leadership about the extradition of the powerful gangster Christopher “Dudus” Coke, statements by Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding have renewed questions about the extent of the firm’s involvement.

Reversing a previous denial, Golding said in a speech before parliament on May 11 that an emissary of his political party named Harold Brady retained Manatt for work to “resolve what was seen as a treaty dispute between Jamaica and the U.S.”

The firm, Golding said, “offered to assist on a professional, retainer basis” to pursue “discussions with relevant officials of the U.S. government.” Those discussions, he said in his speech, were for “issues relating to the extradition request.”

Manatt has maintained that it was working for the “government of Jamaica through Harold C.W. Brady of Brady and Co.,” which is how it lists its client on an official registration with the Department of Justice in an October 2009 contract. More nettlesome for Manatt is the allegation that it worked to assist the Jamaicans in their efforts to block the extradition of Coke, the alleged head of the Shower Posse criminal organization.

The firm said this week that Golding’s assertion that it had been hired to work on the extradition case was not true. According to a statement by Monte M. Lemann, Manatt’s general counsel, Jamaica hired the firm to work on treaty matters, including issues “related to the extradition treaty and not assistance with respect to any specific individual. The firm was not retained to deal with the Coke matter.”

U.S. officials, however, have said that the talks involving Manatt focused primarily on the Coke extradition case. Attorneys from Manatt had at least six contacts with Obama administration officials from October to December, including one meeting that included a Jamaican official and representatives of the State and Justice departments, according to U.S. officials and documents.

Golding and Manatt don’t disagree on everything. As far as the potentially explosive speculation in the Jamaican media that their $49,892.62 fee was paid out of Coke’s coffers, they are both emphatic.

“Rumors and speculation carried in the media that these funds were provided by Christopher Coke are completely false,” Golding said in parliament.

“The firm was never employed by or did work for Christopher Coke,” Lemann said in a statement.

The BBC’s Nick Davies describes the scene

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding has denounced unrest in the capital city Kingston as a “calculated assault on the authority of the state”.
He vowed that criminals would not triumph, after supporters of an alleged druglord took to the streets to stop him from being arrested.
One police station was set on fire and two others shot at by suspected supporters of Christopher “Dudus” Coke.

The authorities have declared a state of emergency in parts of Kingston.
The trouble began late last week when the authorities announced they would arrest and extradite Mr Coke to the US.
His supporters set up barricades and said they would fight to protect him.
The BBC’s Nick Davis in Montego Bay says the capital now represents a city under siege.

Troops and police have come under fire, and smoke is rising from the burning police station.

Christopher “Dudus” Coke is accused of being a gang leader
Mr Golding said security forces would be “moving swiftly to bring the current situation under control”.
“Criminal elements bent on violence and mayhem will be detained,” he said in a televised address.
“What is taking place is a calculated assault on the authority of the state that cannot be tolerated, and will not be allowed to continue.”
A state of emergency allowing police to conduct searches without a warrant and restrict movement was put in place in West Kingston and St Andrew districts, where the violence broke out.
The government said the measures would be in place for at least a month.

Jamaican PM vows ‘decisive action’

The areas are a stronghold of support for Mr Coke, 41, who says he is a community leader.
Our correspondent says Mr Coke’s supporters see him as a man who is fulfilling a role that the government does not, such as giving them money to support their children.
Because of that he has a huge amount of support in the area, our correspondent adds.
Police have called for his surrender and have described the barricades surrounding his area a sign of “cowardice”, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Most wanted
The US Justice Department says Mr Coke is one of the world’s most dangerous drug barons. He is accused of leading a gang called the Shower Posse – owing to the volume of bullets used in shootings – and operating an international smuggling network.

Some residents have protested in defence of Mr Coke
He faces a life sentence if he is convicted on charges filed against him in New York.
The gang has also been blamed for numerous murders in Jamaica and the US.
Prime Minister Golding said earlier this week that he was prepared to send Mr Coke to the US on drugs and weapons trafficking charges.
The decision reversed nine months of opposition to his extradition.
Mr Golding had argued that the evidence against Mr Coke was obtained illegally by intercepting mobile telephone calls.
But he changed his mind in the face of growing public discontent, and questions about his possible ties to Mr Coke.
He apologised to the nation and admitted he had mishandled the case.
The US and UK have warned travellers about possible violence and disorder in Kingston because of the situation.

Singjay reported to have been personally requested

Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter Jamaica Star

Mavado’s manager Julian Jones-Griffiths says his artiste feels honoured, as he has been requested to perform at the birthday party of former Prime Minister Edward Seaga next weekend at Devon House, St Andrew.

“Mavado was invited to Edward Seaga’s birthday party. Actually Olivia Grange called and said that Mr Seaga personally requested for Mavado to come and sing at his 80th birthday party,” Jones-Griffiths told THE STAR.

“It was very surprising to us. It is a great honour and we will be there for sure. There will be a lot of dignitaries there, so it is a good place for him to show that there is a good side to him,” he added.

However, Jones-Griffiths was quick to make it clear that Mavado was not affiliated with any political party and he does not want the performance to be linked to that either.

At the event, he said Mavado should be singing On The Rock. In addition, he said there will be performances by the Dragonnaires, Jimmy Cliff and Etana.

THE STAR tried to get in contact with Mr Seaga on several occasions yesterday but was unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Jones-Griffiths said Mavado has “been working on a whole heap of new songs.” He said the artiste recently did a remix of Wayne Marshall’s song, My Heart. He has also done work with DASECA and Sean Kingston.

In recent times, Mavado also made headlines when he appeared in Drake’s music video for Find Your Loving that was shot in Jamaica. After the video premiered, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett warned local acts to be careful about the way they portray Jamaica.

Howard Campbell, Jamaica Gleaner Writer

Harsh winters and ice hockey come readily to mind when the Canadian city of Calgary comes up, but promoters of the Calgary Reggae Festival (CRF) are pushing to make their annual show a marquee event.

The seventh staging of the CRF is scheduled for August 19-21 at the Shaw Millennium Park, with Beres Hammond and the veteran Inner Circle band down as headliners.

Leo Cripps is a Jamaican and member of the Calgary Reggae Festival Society, organisers of the show. He told The Sunday Gleaner that the event has grown steadily since its inception in 2004.

“Our crowds have grown significantly, from around 3,000 in year one to close to 8,000 in 2008,” Cripps said. “Last year was hard to determine as it rained the entire week and that affected the true numbers. We still had almost 4,000 people,” he added.

It will be Hammond’s second straight performance on the CRF, which has, in the past, featured other veteran lovers’ rock/roots acts like Tinga Stewart, Sugar Minott and Maxi Priest.

Portland-born Cripps said the nine-member ’society’ deliberately goes for artistes with a more mature profile.

“Most of the acts actually approach us so we do have the luxury of being very selective,” he explained. “With so much garbage being recorded and promoted as reggae, we are almost protective as to who gets to perform on our show,” he stressed. “We do not look at artistes’ popularity, number of top-10 hits or hype.”

Of the six partners who started the CRF, the 49-year-old Cripps is one of three still around. The society’s current committee comprises persons from Antigua, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Canada.

He said the budget for this year’s show was $600,000.

Reggae takes a backseat to country and rock music in Calgary, the largest city in the province of Alberta. Like Montreal, Quebec and Toronto, it has always had an underground reggae following.

Toronto, with its massive West Indian community, remains the hub forCaribbean music in Canada, but even in the 1970s when stalwarts like Leroy Sibbles, Jackie Mittoo and Lynn Tait lived there, the reggae scene had never been lucrative.

Though Cripps has hosted a reggae show on the University of Calgary’s CJSW 90.9 FM college radio station for almost 25 years, he said mainstream radio feed fans of Jamaican music a steady diet from Top-40 acts like Sean Paul and Shaggy.

Since Calgary sees little live reggae action, coverage in the local press is low until the festival comes around. Cripps knows it will take some time before the CRF can rank with big reggae festivals in Europe and on the US west coast, but he is pleased with its progress.

“Our philosophy is that we do not have to be the biggest to be the best and that’s what we strive towards,” he said.

Distant Relatives, the joint album by rapper Nas and deejay Damian Marley has secured top-10 spots in the US, UK, France, Germany and Canada on iTunes Reggae charts since its Tuesday release date, but it still can’t debunk Legend, the catalogue album by Bob Marley from the # 1 slot.

In fact, the album released on Universal Republic Records, a division of UMG Recordings — has yet to crack the top-10 iTunes hip-hop or rap charts which would indicate early cross-over success. Up to Thursday, the album was charting in:

*the US at #2 which is the world’s largest music market; and

*Canada at #8.

However Legend by Damian’s father reggae icon Bob Marley remains at #1 in the US in addition to 15 other iTunes country markets despite being released over 20 years ago.

Singles from the Nas and Marley 14-track album are also charting in:

*Canada # 1 and #8 with Patience and My Generation;

*US at # 5 and #10 with Patience and Nah Mean;

*UK at #2 and #9 with Strong Will Continue and Nah Mean;

*France at #6 with Ancient People; and

*Germany #8 with Strong Will Continue.

On Tuesday, the 2005 single, Road to Zion from the Welcome to Jamrock album was charting in the UK at #8, it was the first collaboration between both artistes which sparked the Distant Relatives album.

Digital sales are significant as they account for one-third of global music sales and the Apple-owned iTunes is the leading online music store accounting for 70 per cent of world-wide digital sales according to Reuters and Billboard. The album has been categorised on iTunes in the genres of Reggae, Hip-Hop and Rap.

Rapper Nas and deejay Marley officially released their first video on Monday which aired on the US based show, BET 106 & Park. The duo stated on their Myspace.com page that the album is not aimed at being commercial, however it was highly anticipated for over a year.

“What we’re about to do right now is go back. Back to a time when rap’s greatest hits were created in basement soundrooms, not corporate boardrooms. When dancehall and hip-hop music was all about moving the crowd not moving units,” a joint statement read.

The youngest son of Reggae legend Bob Marley, Damian Marley has sold over 500,000 copies of his Grammy winning album Welcome to Jamrock in 2005. Nas has sold over 20 million albums world-wide spanning over a decade. The son of jazz trumpeter Olu Dara, Nas first reached an international audience when his track Halftime was tapped by producer MC Serch as the opening cut on 1992’s Zebrahead movie soundtrack. His first full-length album, Illmatic was released in 1994. Since then he has released eight solo albums and three compilation albums that have garnered 11 Grammy nominations.

Attacker walks up with gun blazing

Gareth Davis Sr, JAMAICA STAR Writer

Popular reggae artiste Louie Culture was shot by a gunman yesterday in the community of Priestman’s River, Portland, while at a tire shop.

The artiste, whose real name in Lewin Brown, 41, received gun-shot wounds to his left arm.

Another man who was at the scene was also injured in the incident.

Police sources said that shortly after 1:30 p.m yesterday the artiste drove up to a tyre shop in the area, when a blue Subaru motor car drove up, reversed and drove some distance away.

According to the police, less than two minutes after the Subaru drove off, a man was spotted walking towards the tyre shop with one hand behind his back.

It is reported that Louie Culture, who saw the man, became suspicious and ran towards the Priestman’s River bridge but was shot in the left arm when the man opened fire.

escaped in the waiting car

The other man, who is a licensed firearm holder, was shot in the right thigh. He fired back at the gunman but the man reportedly made his escape in the waiting Subaru motor car.

Both injured men were rushed to the Port Antonio hospital. Louie Culture was still undergoing treatment up to press time. The other man was treated and released.

Earlier this week, the artiste was released from custody after spending a week at the Port Antonio lock-up following a shooting incident in the Hartford community in the parish.

The artiste was detained for questioning following a shooting incident on March 20 in which two men were shot outside a bar by a gunman while playing dominoes.

Louie Culture was taken into custody on March 21 and released on March 28.