MARLEY is about the life of reggae legend Bob Marley. The biopic, directed by Kevin Macdonald, has been in the works for a long time and finally came to fruition. The documentary style film debuted at the Berlin Film Festival last week and will open in select theaters in the U.S. April 20. MARLEY is a compilation of old interviews, commentary from musical friends and family and of course snippets of his performances. I’m sure New York will be one of the locations, definitely looking forward to seeing it. If you don’t get to see in the theaters VH1 acquired the television rights according to the LA Times Blog. Check out the movie trailer.

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New music from Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley released “Affairs of the Heart” recently. A much needed reggae love song!

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Shimmy Shimmy, the name alone makes you want to dance, but if you spend some time on the site you’ll dance and get to know more about the dancehall music and culture. They are bringing the heart of Caribbean culture to the U.K. mass and beyond. Based in the U.K., Shimmy Shimmy started off as a caribbean culture blog highlighting reggae, dancehall, bashment and soca. Established in 2007 by Jim Bones & The Large, a DJ collective, with a clothing label and publish No Ice Cream Sound. The site become a dancehall culture site that includes new music, videos, mixes, exclusive features and an e-commerce shop selling dancehall inspired tees. Producing authentic content like their interview with Swedish producer Adde Instrumentals (producer of the Summertime Riddim), they truly highlight the greatness of dancehall culture with an international perspective.

Photo Credit: Ian Tillotson

Tell me a little about yourself and how you got started in Caribbean entertainment coverage? When did you start writing and why?

I started Shimmy Shimmy as a blog back when I was in university and wanted a way to share the music I was into, which was then not specifically Caribbean – it also included hip hop (hence the name) – but it just evolved into that because of my growing dedication to dancehall really.

If you could describe your site in one sentence, what would it be?

New music, new writing and new design.

What do you hope to accomplish through your site?

To spread things that deserve to be seen by everyone…

What is the most challenging part of being a blogger?

It’s not so challenging really – just making sure you’re up on your game.

How do you keep content on your site fresh and interesting?

Being selective is important to us, we don’t blog every press release we get, we try and do interviews and features on things that other people aren’t covering so much. We’re not trying to compete with anyone else, we’re just doing what we believe in, what looks and sounds nice on the daily.

How do you pick through content that is worthy to post on your site?

That’s not too hard because I’m constantly listening to music and looking at fresh designs and all that.

You blog a lot about music artists, do you think Caribbean artists are catching on to the digital movement and how do you think they can use it to their advantage?

I think Caribbean artists and their promoters still have a long way to go on that front, they could use it to their advantage a lot better probably.

What are some key ways that you use to promote your site?

We have our digital content but we’re also into producing nice physical items too, so we have a T-shirt line, a print zine that you can buy in shops around the place and I’ve got some other projects lined up for this year that means that Shimmy Shimmy is in ‘real life’ too and not just floating in cyberspace. If the internet broke, we’d still exist haha.

Who are you Vibin’ to right now (Musically Caribbean or non-Caribbean)?

People filling up my iPod right now are Popcaan, Assassin, Stylo G as artists, Ballaz & Equiknoxxx for JA producers, Murlo, Dubbel Dutch & Schlachthofbronx for young producers with a Caribbean edge.

What fashion designers (or trends) are you stylin’ on right now?

I’m big on pretty straightforward street wear that looks real good so brands like Only, Anything. I’m into illustrators like Rockwell and Ted’s Draws.

For more updates from Shimmy Shimmy, like the Facebook page, follow them on Twitter or sign up for their newsletter.

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Melanie Fiona’s long awaited sophomore album The MF Life will be released on March 21. Get a sneak peak at the tracklisting, she has some great features. Fans can pre-order on Amazon.

1. This Time featuring J.Cole
2. 4 AM
3. Break Down These Walls
4. I Been That Girl
5. Wrong Side of A Love Song
6. Running featuring Nas
7. Change The Record featuring B.O.B
   
8. Gone and Never Coming Back
9. Bones
10. Watch Me Work
11. Can’t Say
12. L.O.V.E featuring John Legend
    
13. 6 AM featuring T-Pain -BONUS

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Jamaican film Better Mus’ Come will make its New York City debut on February 16. Premiering at Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theatre presented by ImageNation Cinema Foundation and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and hosted by Dahved Levy.

A landmark in Caribbean film making, Better Mus’ Come is a striking recreation of Jamaica’s Green Bay Massacre of 1978, and the first authentic period piece to bring the country’s sensitive history to life on the big screen. Featuring breakout roles from Sheldon Shepherd and model-turned-actress Nicole Grey, director Storm Saulter’s debut feature has earned comparisons to City of God and The Harder They Come.

Ticket are available for the Lincoln Center screening here.

View the Better Mus’ Come trailer and check out LargeUp’s exclusive interview with the film’s director Storm Saulter.

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The latest issue of Triple the Focus is now available! I know I’m a little late posting, but I promise there are some great stories for you to read, including my exclusive cover story with actor LEON. This issue also includes:

Special Feature: Happy Birthday Bob Marley – Third World Band, Pat McKay and Fans remember the music legend

Reggae Artists Tiana and Zagga

Chris Brown’s DJ, Babey Drew

Special Highlights of Shaggy and Friends

Black History Month article “Calling Our Spirit Back”

Artists and Team Valentine’s Day Feature

Also check out last month’s issue here.

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Even if you didn’t watch the Super Bowl, you know Madonna rocked the halftime show with LMFAO, Cee-Lo, Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. (video below just in case you missed it) She performed classics like “Vogue”, “Like A Prayer” and “Music”. She also did a new song Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. called “Give Me All Your Luvin’ ” check out the official video. The song reminds me of  a mix of Toni Basil’s “Hey Mickey” and Madonna’s “Material Girl”.

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I recently had the chance to check out Ripe Kitchen & Bar in Mt. Vernon, NY owned by chef Nigel Spence. The quaint old house turned restaurant serves typical Jamaican entrees, but the appetizers really stole the show with it’s presentation and a twist on classic dishes.

The Ambiance: I felt like I was at a small restaurant in Jamaican (minus the cold weather). The bartender was serving up drinks and there was some reggae and lover’s rock playing, but it wasn’t too loud so you could still have a conversation. The restaurant was a little dark with very little lighting, but the delightful smell of the food coming from the kitchen could not be missed.

The Food:  The appetizers were great! Picture above is the Plaintain Boat, slightly ripened filled with a sauteed codfish medley with a light sauce. Below is the Codfish Spring Rolls, a nice twist and alternative to fritters.

I had the jerk chicken with rice & peas. The chicken was very tender, you could tell it marinated very well. It wasn’t as spicy as I had expected, but it was still filled with flavor. I would have loved a spice jerk dipping sauce instead ketchup.

I had a small taste of the “Big Ass Steak” which was delicious! On my next trip I’ll definitely order this, even if I can’t finish. Can’t wait to go back again, think the vibe is even sweeter when the weather is nice.

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For fans of Love & Hip Hop, you saw Olivia perform “Walk Away” a few weeks ago. She followed up with a video, which highlights a domestic violence, check it out.

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Rihanna’s reign continues! Giorgio Armani released more ads with the starlet; she became the face of the brand in 2011.

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