For starters Rhythm & Blues singer Marvin Gaye who asked the musical query in a song titled “What’s Going On?” will be getting his own Forever postage stamp this year. According to the United States Postal Service, a commemorative Forever stamp will be introduced with his image to be added to the music icon series.
Gaye who was born in 1939 died in 1984 after a domestic dispute involving his father who shot and killed him.
Acclaimed as the “Prince of Soul” Gaye recorded love songs and during the Vietnam War released a sociological and quizzical hit about the war asking “What’s Going On?”
Actor / dancer / singer Gregory Hines will also be immortalized with a Forever postage stamp.
His commemorative stamp will be the 42nd of the Black Heritage series.
Hines died at age 57 in 2003.
OSCARS UP FOR GRABS
Feb. 24 is the anticipated date movie fans will be able to see and hear how voting members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) cast their ballots when deciding the best actors and best pictures of 2018.
Particularly interesting will be the winners (and losers) in “Black Panther,” the most diverse Hollywood blockbuster in history.
Although a winner at the box-office, the film which featured many Caribbean nationals is up against crowd-pleasers “A Star Is Born,” a revival production which starred pop singer Lady GaGa and Bradley Cooper.
In addition to acting, Cooper also directed the hit movie.
Sunday, Lady Gaga won the prize in the best actress category at the Golden Globes awards.
“Black Panther” must also beat recent Globe winners “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Green Book,” “Roma,” “Blackkklansman,” “First Man,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” “Vice,” “Mary Poppins” and others in order to impact a revolution for diversity within the film industry.
DEPORTES HEADLINES
One of Buju Banton’s biggest hits was titled “Deportes.”
The song decried immigrants who returned to his island without making a contribution.
Now it seems, as a deportee himself he is about to make a major contribution after returning to Jamaica.
Three months after his return, the capital city of Kingston may get a boost in tourism from visitors when music fans are expected to flock the island to bear witness to his first live concert appearance.
Mark Myrie AKA Buju Banton is slated for an appearance there to headline at the National Stadium on March 16.
“Long Walk to Freedom” is the title and maybe he will render the telling track about immigrants.
The concert also kicks off a tour which has been booked into Trinidad & Tobago, St. Kitts, and other non-US territories.
IRAWMA TO MAKE 4th OUTING TO THE ROCK
Also announced as a major allure to the island’s tourism industry, the 37th annual International Reggae & World Music Awards slates May 11 as the date to showcase and honor Third World music often ignored by commercial media.
According to Ephraim Martin, the founder of the honors, IRAWMA fills a void overlooked when international music awards pay tribute to entertainment achievers. Since establishing the honors, Martin has presented laudatory trophies to arrangers, editors, composers, producers, poets, musicians, ad a wide range of creative individuals and groups who have otherwise gone unheralded despite making worthy contributions to the music industry.
In addition to presenting trophies to distinguished achievers this year the celebration will hail 50 years since reggae made its mark on the world.
The occasion will mark the fourth staging on the island.
Martin said the May 11 date is significant because it was that date in 1981 that Robert Nesta Marley, the revered “king of reggae” died after succumbing to cancer in Miami, Florida. Martin added that it his death that motivated him to initiate an event to hail reggae. First launched as the International Reggae Music Awards in Chicago, Illinois, the event grew as an annual tribute that expanded from being a salute to the Jamaica-birthe genre to being one that incorporates African, Latin and other Caribbean strains of music categories.
This year’s gala will be held at the Pegasus Hotel.
MANY RIVERS TO CROSS
Jimmy Cliff who wrote the song “Many Rivers To Cross” and many more hits will be inducted to the songwriter’s Hall of Fame in June.
Already an inductee to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since 2010, the iconic reggae recorder will join five accomplished songwriters to be distinguished here in New York.
WOMEN WILL MARCH AGAIN 1/19/19
The Third Women’s March since the inauguration of President Donald trump kicks off 1/19/19.
The first, held the day following his 2017 swearing-in amassed record numbers in Washington D.C. and reportedly topped the numbers that gathered to see the Republican party’s choice take the oath of office.
Since that year, cities throughout the nation and world have banded to protest everything Trump.
Here, last year, men and women marched in solidarity with the capital city protest passing the president’s family-owned properties — Trump Towers.
The route pathed Trump Towers located at Fifth Ave. and the other at Columbus Circle.
Allegedly, the gender-uniting mobilization could be responsible for the overwhelming election of women to the government. More than 100 women were elected and notably the Democrats were able to reclaim a majority in Congress.
One hundred cities have already signed on to participate this year.
California Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi is again speaker of the house. She first made history as the first of her gender to be elected Speaker.
Her re-election also established the Democrat in the history books as only the first to secure three-time gavel powers.
TRAILBLAZING REGGAE GIRLZ HEADED TO FRANCE
In the international sports arena, Jamaica claims the spotlight as their Reggae Girlz will not only represent the Jamaica National Football Team but are the first ever Caribbean team to qualify for the FIFA World Soccer contest. The team’s debut comes 20 years after the Reggae Boyz debuted in France, the same European country the women will vie.
Competitions begin June and in usual style and fashion will be cheered by Jamaicans already booked to watch the historic games.
Cedella Marley, Bob and Rita Marley’s eldest daughter is expected to be front and center in the stadium stands.
The former member of her brother Ziggy’s backup group known as the Melody Makers invested in the women when the home country dispensed with financial support.
Her faith and investment paid off quickly to now find the soccer team amongst the world’s best female players.
Jamaicans seem to test their mettle in sports against tremendous odds. They made history at the winter Olympics as qualified bobsledders.
Jamaicans conquered track and field at the winter Olympics through consecutive competitions.
For such a tiny nation, athletes from the island hauled away, gold, silver and bronze medals surpassing numerous developed nations.
Now they are again making history for the region.
The contest will run through July.
Catch You On The Inside!
