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Nicki Minaj Offends Catholic League
Fresh off her "Roman Holiday" performance at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, Nicki Minaj comes under fire from Catholic League. The female rapper is slammed by the conservative religious organization for delivering a theatrical show that involves "a mock confessional skit" and "a mock exorcism.""Perhaps the most vulgar part was the sexual statement that showed a scantily clad female dancer stretching backwards while an altar boy knelt between her legs in prayer," says the League's president Bill Donohue. "Finally, 'Come All Ye Faithful' was sung while a man posing as a bishop walked on stage; Minaj was shown levitating."Donohue blames The Recording Academy for allowing the femcee to do such an act. He states, "None of this was by accident, and all of it was approved by The Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammys. Whether Minaj is possessed is surely an open question, but what is not in doubt is the irresponsibility of The Recording Academy. Never would they allow an artist to insult Judaism or Islam."He continues, "It's bad enough that Catholics have to fight for their rights vis-a-vis a hostile administration in Washington without also having to fend off attacks in the entertainment industry. The net effect, however, will only embolden Catholics, as well as their friends in other faith communities."Minaj herself hasn't specifically responded to the protest, but she has explained the exorcism performance. In a recent interview with Ryan Seacrest on his radio show, she shared, "Well, [that religious character I walked the carpet with] is a major part of the story and the movie that I'm writing about one of my alter egos; his name is Roman.""Basically, the religious figure is there because he was called on by Roman's mom [Martha] to rehabilitate him," the Young Money first lady said of the Pope-like figure she brought to the Staples Center and how he fits to the Roman Zolanski story. "I had this vision for Roman. I had this vision for him to be sort of exorcised.People around tell him he's not good enough because he's not normal. So his mother is scared and the people around him are afraid. He wanted to show that not only is he amazing, but he's never going to be exorcised, even when they throw holy water on him, he still rises above."The Grammys chose 'Roman Holiday.' They heard 'Roman Holiday' and I could not play them another record after that. I have to stay true to what I'm doing," she furthermore dished on. "Roman was created two years ago. I've been writing the story for a long time and yesterday was his coming-out party.In addition to talking about the Grammy performance, Minaj also weighed in on M.I.A.'s middle finger gesture she flashed to the camera during the Super Bowl. "In hindsight, Madonna knows what kind of artist M.I.A. is and it was her decision to take that risk with all of us," she said.She [Madonna] has done some crazy things to become the icon that she is, and I think that's why she was able to forgive M.I.A.," she chimed in. "I couldn't see myself doing that. Just out of respect for Madonna, because I just wouldn't want any backlash coming back on Madonna."
No feud with Bounty... Says Gyptian
Allegations were that Gyptian had been dating Bounty Killer's ex-girlfriend and the artistes had a squabble over the matter. However, Gyptian denies that any such event occurred. "Dat is rubbish, mi neva see dem man deh a Fiction, a waste a time, mi not even a follow dat up," Gyptian said. According to Gyptian, there is no bad blood between himself and Bounty Killer and the allegations are shocking. "Mi and Bounty good, Bounty a di general and nothing cyah guh wrong. Mi surprise, mi nuh know what kinda controversy dat and how it come about," he continued. "Dem a sey Bounty woman live wid mi, nuh body nuh live wid mi, all dat a rubbish. It is like when yu hear a man sey man can fly and yu know sey dat impossible. A mussi because wi a artiste dem want something fi sey, mi nuh deh wid none a Bounty woman, dem wicked eeh," Gyptian said in a surprised tone. According to Gyptian, he is not feeding into the controversy, he is more concerned about his new projects. "Mi hear bout deh little thing deh, but mi not even a follow dat up, mi a work on a new album to be released summer and a new single for Hot Head Records name It's You," he concluded. Bounty Killer's camp also strongly denied the allegations also citing that Bounty Killer was on a positive path. Alliance Next Generation manager, Cross Cris, spoke to The STAR on behalf of Bounty Killer, who did not want to comment on the matter. According to Cross Cris, Bounty Killer has no time to dwell on negative issues and would not comment on such. "Killer is not into anything negative, he just recorded positive songs like Thine Will Be Done and Be On The Alertwith Wayne Marshall, we are not dwelling on negative it is all about a positive image for 2012. Some people are just creating mischief with something they know nothing about," Cross Cris said. Gyptian is set to leave the island for performances in Haiti and California in coming weeks, and his manager Ivor Ruddock also aimed to clear the air on the allegations. "Wey Gyptian duh is music, we don't get mix up with negative energy, all the Internet do is spread rumour, but we are just keeping it positive and continue to make good songs that people love and enjoy," he concluded
Dancehall/Reggae artiste Gyptian has distanced himself from allegations that he and fellow dancehall artiste Bounty Killer were involved in a squabble at a popular St Andrew nightclub recently.
Hearse arrives at NJ funeral home handling Houston
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- A hearse under heavy police escort arrived late Monday at the funeral home that officials say is handling the arrangements for the late pop star Whitney Houston.
Several officials familiar with funeral planning said arrangements were being made by Newark's Whigham Funeral Home, which handled the 2003 funeral of Houston's father. They spoke to the AP on Monday on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak for Houston's family. The hearse traveled from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, where officials had told The Associated Press Houston's body would arrive Monday night on a flight from the Los Angeles area. Houston died Saturday at a hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. She was 48. Officials say she was underwater and apparently unconscious when she was pulled from a bathtub. A woman at the funeral home, where several police officers were stationed, said she could neither confirm nor deny reports that it would handle Houston's arrangements. A white tent was set up leading into the funeral home's rear entrance, and two opulent golden sarcophaguses stood at the front entrance. Dozens of Houston fans went to the funeral home, where they played her songs, sang, lit candles to remember her and hoped to get a glimpse of her casket. A picture of Houston appeared Monday night on the electronic board outside the arena, one of the nation's busiest entertainment venues, with a New Jersey Devils game Friday night posing a logistical challenge to a planned funeral that day. Houston's relatives also were debating whether to have a smaller service at New Hope Baptist Church, where family members have sung. They planned to meet Tuesday with officials to finalize the details, according to someone who had knowledge of the planning but wasn't authorized to speak publicly about it and requested anonymity. Houston began singing as a child at New Hope Baptist Church, where her mother, Grammy-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston led the music program for many years. Her cousin, singer Dionne Warwick, also sang in its choir. "She was an inspiration to everybody," said Gregory Hanks, an actor who grew up in the neighborhood and who dropped off a bouquet of flowers. Hanks said he saw Houston perform at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center years ago. "I grew up listening to her as a little boy, and to hear her sing, you knew she was special," the 26-year-old said. Sandy Farrow, a technology consultant from Mitchellville, Md., who was in the area visiting relatives, said she was a senior at Clifford J. Scott High School in East Orange when Houston was a freshman. "We felt like she put East Orange on the map," she said. Farrow said Houston's death came as a shock. "We lost somebody who I thought, after all her troubles, was coming back," Farrow said. Across the street from the church, Bashir Rasheed set up shop with a duffel bag full of T-shirts reading "In Memory of Whitney Houston 1963-2012." He said he had sold 24 shirts at $10 apiece within a few hours.
Kartel's trial put off until March
The drug trial of embattled dancehall entertainer Vybz Kartel was put off yesterday until March 14 when he appeared before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.
Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, went on trial to answer to the possession of ganja charge brought against him.
He was offered $40,000 bail but could not take it up because of other charges he is facing for which he has not been able to secure bail.
According to police reports, Palmer and some of his associates were accosted in a hotel room in New Kingston last September.
The police say a quantity of ganja was found in the room.
At the same time, Palmer is before the courts on other charges including two counts of murder and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Big blow for BUJU
US government scoffs at lawyers’ appeal
LAWYERS for imprisoned reggae star Buju Banton were dealt a major blow yesterday when the United States government said there was sufficient evidence to support his June, 2011 conviction on cocaine conspiracy and trafficking charges. According to the Associated Press new agency, Federal prosecutors filed their response last Friday in Atlanta’s federal appeals court, where Buju’s lawyers had filed an appeal in December. The AP report out of Miami said prosecutors noted that “Banton’s words and actions, in recorded conversations and a videotaped meeting in a Sarasota, Florida, warehouse where Banton tasted some cocaine, revealed the singer ‘eagerly brokered’ a drug deal between a friend and undercover government agents. Buju, 39, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in a federal court in Tampa, Florida. He is serving his term at the Federal Correctional Institute in Miami. With good behaviour, his lawyers believe he will be paroled in six years. His legal team, led by David Oskar Marcus, argued that the US government acted illegally by failing to bring Buju to trial before 70 days. This, they said, is a violation of the US constitution’s Sixth Amendment. But the Federal government dismissed the appeal, saying prosecutors brought a legitimate case against the Grammy-winning singjay whose real name is Mark Myrie. He was sentenced by Judge James S Moody who gave Buju the most lenient sentence for a drugs charge. During the trial, prosecutor James Preston cast Buju as ‘a self-assured drug broker’, presenting several video and audiotapes made by an informant of the dreadlocked artiste tasting cocaine at a Florida warehouse in December, 2009. Buju was arrested at his south Florida home that month. A six-day trial in September, 2010 ended in a mis-trial and the entertainer was granted bail. A second trial was scheduled for February last year, in which Buju was convicted. Nine days before his conviction on February 22, Buju Banton won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for his 2009 album Rasta Got Soul.
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