STAMPEDE'S STREETS CHARTS/ROOTICAL RECORDS KINGSTON,JAMAICA
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COCOA TEA TAPPED FOR 2012 OLYMPICS
Platinum Camp's Reggae ambassador, Cocoa Tea, is booked for the 2012 Olympics in London, England. The only reggae artist requested to sing for the Queen and the entire world. When asked if he was prepared to meet Her Majesty, his only response was, "I'm ready and waiting." Not only is he ready to meet the Queen but he's also ready to meet the world press.
Cocoa Tea's new single "A Love Like Yours and Mine" is about to hit the world stage. This song is about a tender love story, which is said to be one of his finer works among hits like, "Rikers Island," "Informer," "18 and Over," "I lost My Sonia," and "She Loves Me Now," to name a few. His song "Obama" became a hit and a favorite for the Obama campaign and among the Kenyans during the '08 elections, and he is once more geared up to go back into the studio to record another song for the upcoming 2012 election, as well.
Cocoa Tea is currently preparing for his Summer Tour that kicks off on June 26 in Brooklyn, New York and continues on to Boston, Portland and Seattle, to name a few of his stops.
As a man from humble beginnings, Cocoa Tea is known for his charitable works and his tireless efforts of giving back to the community to help to alleviate suffering. We wish a long life and Good health to this pillar of strength.
For booking information, contact Daddy Bigg$ at 917 720 CAMP, or emailplatinumcamp@gmail.com.
STEPHEN MARLEY RETURNS WITH REVELATION PT 1: THE ROOT OF LIFE
(VP RECORDS, NEW YORK) - 7-time Grammy award winning singer-songwriter, Stephen Marley, is set to release his third solo project, REVELATION PT 1: THE ROOT OF LIFE from Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic on May 23, 2011. Conceived as a celebration and preservation for roots rock reggae, REVELATION PT 1: THE ROOT OF LIFE ensures that the music's regal template is maintained throughout the 21st century.
Anchored in reggae's scorching drum and bass backbeat, THE ROOT OF LIFE delivers an organic and richly textured sound through its 14 tracks, making it a true body of work that delivers powerful messages and encouragement for the struggling masses ("Working Ways"); depicts the harrowing residual effect of slavery ("Old Slaves"); evokes the sorrow of rejection ("She Knows Now"); conveys the disappointment of "False Friends"; in reggae's lovers-rock tradition a duet with Melanie Fiona, "No Cigarette Smoking"; to the final track "Now I Know," a contemplative song about moving on.
The first single, "Jah Army," features Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley and Buju Banton spitting formidable, career-defining verses over a thunderous one-drop rhythm with lyrics to rally the troops. "Whether it's in the music or our life, get it together man, the Gideon is on," declares Stephen.
Conceived as a two part project, THE ROOT OF LIFE will be followed by the release of REVELATION PT 2: THE FRUIT OF LIFE, due in fall of 2011, which will feature an array of styles that have emanated from reggae's core.
"Reggae music has influenced hip hop and so many other kinds of music, "Stephen reasons. "THE FRUIT OF LIFE will be more open, eclectic kind of record. There will be songs for the club, dancehall reggae will be there, love songs in there, but it will remain conscious good music that you can always take something positive from."
Having recently completed a cross-country tour to launch this album, Marley will also see exclusive distribution for the vinyl version of THE ROOT OF LIFE from VP Records.
Stephen Marley is now available for press interviews. Please direct all media inquiries and album review requests to the VP Records Publicity Department - Rhona Fox at 718-425-1151 or rhona.fox@vprecords.com.
VP RECORDS GIVES BACK ON CELEBRITY APPRENTICE 'Reggae's Gone Country' Album Underway
Country star John Rich and VP Records' Vice-President Cristy Barber
on the set of Celebrity Apprentice in New York City.
(VP RECORDS, NEW YORK) - VP Records joins forces with Celebrity Apprentice to give back to charity as the company purchases $7000 worth of items at an art auction during the show's "The Art of the Deal" episode, which aired on April 3, 2011 on NBC.
The label's CEO Christopher Chin, President Randy Chin and Vice-President Cristy Barber participated in the auction to help raise money forCelebrity Apprentice contestant John Rich (of acclaimed country music group Big & Rich), to benefit his charity, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, based in Memphis, Tennessee.
The label bought Gary Busey's painting for $5000 - a sale Busey personally brokered with the label's heads, as seen in the episode. The painting now hangs in the VP Records board room in New York. Additionally, Barber purchased Richard Hatch's final painting for $1000, to help the men's team,Team Backbone, sell every single painting in their auction. She also nabbed a New Era baseball hat, artistically decorated by John Rich. The hat was donated to Rich's young son, Cash.
This Celebrity Apprentice involvement materialized because of the partnership between Cristy Barber and John Rich, who have teamed up for a trailblazing project where the name says it all - Reggae's Gone Country. The highly-anticipated compilation album features various artists from both reggae and country music and is scheduled for release this summer as a joint venture between VP Records and Rich's label, Warner Brothers Nashville.
Barber produced the Grammy-nominated Def Jamaica, a star-studded meeting of the minds from the Def Jam hip-hop roster and Jamaican dancehall music, back in 2003. Now with this unprecedented fusion of reggae and country music from some of its biggest producers and stars, she is again seeking to make in-roads and bring the reggae genre to a new fan base, and perhaps the largest musical audience whose ears give country music its powerful backbone
"Classic country music is very big in Jamaica, which is what influenced me to do this project of having reggae artists cover classic country songs," revealsBarber. "It was natural to go to my friend John Rich, whom I have known for six years, to be my partner in this dream project."
Click here to view the full episode as the VP Records crew win their auctions with Gary Busey and Richard Hatch (auctions begin at 44 minutes into the episode). Please direct all press inquiries to the VP Records Publicity Department - Rhona Fox at 718-425-1151 or rhona.fox@vprecords.com.
REGGAE MUSICIAN-SMILEY CULTURE
Reggae musician Smiley Culture, who scored two chart hits in the eighties, died on Tuesday following an incident with police in England.
The 'Police Officer' singer, real name David Emmanuel, is believed to have stabbed himself after officers raided his home in Warlingham, Surrey, earlier Tuesday.
He was due to face trial after being charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine in september last year alongside four others,A spokesman for the independent Police Complaints
Commission confirmed they were now investigating a "death following police contact".
The 47-year-old, born and raised in south London, rose to fame as a DJ with the Saxon Studio sound system.
