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CEM Co-editor Sharlisa interviewing Reggae singer Shaggy

Trinidad Carnival is serious business. No, really. The star-studded annual bacchanal kicking off next week, attracting upwards of 40,000 revelers, including the likes of Jay-Z and Richard Branson, is an intricately staged set of sumptuous events beginning just after Christmas and lasting through the grand parade on Carnival Tuesday. It’s said to generate over $30 million in revenue, and for creative entrepreneurs in fields ranging from music to fashion and art, this means opportunity: to build brands and launch empires. Enter ten Trinidadian masterminds who not only make Trinidad Carnival the magnificent celebration of life that it is, but have lately begun carrying their brands throughout the Caribbean and its diaspora, all in the aim of making the world a better place: Whatever time of year it is, it ought to be Carnival somewhere. THE ENTERTAINER: Machel Montano Carnival without music is like a car without gas. The man who’s consistently supplied the best of this music for 33 years now—he’s the undisputed king of soca: the studio-produced, fast-paced descendent of calypso—is Machel Montano, a star since age ten. Notice I dubbed him an entertainer, not simply a musician; attend one of his dozens of live performances during the Carnival season and your jaw will drop at the stunningly high-voltage show he delivers, fete after fete. Dare I say that no one—in any genre—entertains more exhaustively? I dare. Machelmontano.com THE BAND LEADER: Dean Ackin Many Carnivalgoers want this man’s head on a platter. Why? Because he runs Tribe, aka the Carnival band: the one you’d sell your first born to get into, the one that sells out instantly, that simply has to attach its name to something to turn it trendy. Eleven years ago Ackin invented the concept of an all-inclusive Carnival band: For two days on the streets of Port of Spain, some 5000 Tribe revelers sport sexy costumes and follow massive music trucks, cared for by top-notch security and fast-on-the-draw bartenders. Included in the two-day package are costumes, an open bar, meals, cool-zone trucks, mobile restrooms and more. The band has hosted the likes of Richard Branson and actor Malik Yoba, and it’s popular enough to launch spinoff bands: Bliss, catering to a more upscale, smaller crowd, was born in 2011; this year marks the debut of The Lost Tribe, with costumes that look beyond the beads-and-bikini style of modern-day Carnival and allow designers to get extra funky. Carnivaltribe.com THE HOTEL MANAGER: Russell George There was one Carnival during which I did not stay at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad. Never again. Since its opening in 2008 as the island’s first new full-service hotel in 48 years, the well-appointed 418-room property along the Port of Spain waterfront has changed the hospitality game in Trinidad. Carnival is when the hotel truly comes alive, thanks to daily soca-driven parties at the infinity pool, a stellar staff that will all but sew your costume on you if you need them to, a diverse crowd of Carnival revelers perpetually on hand for spur-of-the-moment fetes on the waterfront terrace and, on the Wednesday before Carnival, the Hyatt’s very own all-inclusive fete, LIME, arguably the season’s most extravagant. Wear white or lime and be prepared for top-notch soca performances, a dazzling setting, a sexy crowd and an array of food and drinks that borders on downright gluttonous. Trinidad.hyatt.com Hyatt Regency Trinidad THE STYLE GURU: Anya Ayoung-Chee She’s a former Miss Trinidad and Tobago and the 2011 winner of hit TV show Project Runway. More than that, though, Ayoung-Chee is a full-on creative force. For five years now the designer has branded her own section in the band Tribe, and this year she’s also co-creative director of its new offshoot, The Lost Tribe. Her pop-up cANYAval shop is the place to pick up your Carnival fashion statements, particularly for Carnival Monday, a day on which most revelers eschew full-on costumes for barely-there getups of their own making. The shop is located at Exhibit A, a showroom for young designers curated by Ayoung-Chee, and it’s all part of HOME, another Ayoung-Chee endeavor: The Caribbean’s only shared work space is really a creative hub boasting a café and an impressive calendar of arts-related events. Last but certainly not least, her annual pre-Carnival cANYAVAL Fete is the celebrity bash of the season, having hosted the likes of Will Smith and Selita Ebanks. Anyaayoungchee.com Anya Ayoung-Chee attends HP Project Runway Designer Reunion at Empire Hotel in New York (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for HP) THE KING OF FETE: Kwesi “Hypa Hoppa” Hopkinson Look up “fete” in the Carnival dictionary and you’ll surely spy the Scorch logo. A Carnival fete, see, is more than a simple party—it’s a full-on production, often including food and drinks, usually featuring hyperactive performances. And a Scorch fete is more than just any old Carnival fete—it’s the sort of event where quite literally the only ones not dancing are working, where the energy level is enough to make even the hottest big-city club look tame. The man behind Scorch—and a host of related endeavors, from Scorch’s magazine, TV show and music label to his own restaurant, Mr. Hops—is Kwesi Hopkinson, better known by his DJ name, Hypa Hoppa. He’s made the Scorch name go global, staging the most popular events at Carnivals across the globe, from Miami and Jamaica to London and Grand Cayman. Thescorch.com THE ARMY GENERAL: Jules Sobion It’s an army whose weapon is paint and fuel is rum—a peaceful, joyous army. Picture hundreds of people deep in a cane field or in a deserted Caribbean cove at 4 in the morning, dancing behind mobile music trucks until the sun comes up, dousing themselves and each other in paint, then being hosed down with water while breakfast is served and not a single soul stops dancing. That, in a nutshell, is the stunningly well-coordinated Caeser’s Army, launched in Trinidad and now a staple feature of Carnivals around the Caribbean, from Barbados to Jamaica. Caesarsarmy.com Aerial view of Caesar’s Army A.M.BUSH THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Colin Williams It’s tough to take a bad picture of Carnival. But the really special ones, the ones that capture not just pretty girls in pretty costumes but the traditional elements and touching moments that embody the depth, history and spirit of Carnival—for these turn to New York-based, Trinidad-born photographer Colin Williams. He’s shot everything from supermodel headshots to Adidas ads, but his real passion is on display in his Carnival photographs, showcasing an eye for quirk and nuance that’ll take your breath away. Colinwilliamsphotography.com Carnival photo by Colin Williams THE MAN WITH THE MIX: DJ Private Ryan Before getting to Carnival, you’ll want to get a taste of the soca music you’ll be dancing to for days on end. And when you will leave, you will be utterly addicted to that new music—to the point where not hearing it for a full day will leave you in states of withdrawal. Private Ryan knows this. The popular radio DJ doles out pre-Carnival mixes to get you up to speed, also serving up free instant classics in the form of his “Soca Brainwash” mixes (the name is no hyperbole). They’re so popular—his downloads regularly exceed one million—that they spawned the DJ’s annual eponymous pre-Carnival fete, over which he presides. It is, naturally, one of the must-attend parties of the Carnival season. Djprivateryanmusic.com THE DOCUMENTER: Andre Choo Quan Call it the Carnival version of “Where’s Waldo”: “Where’s Andre?” The founder of Trinijunglejuice.com—the be-all-and-end-all website for Carnivals worldwide, featuring exhaustive fete calendars, photo galleries and its own TV show, Destination Carnival: Your Guide To Carnivals Around The World—is such a staple at Carnival events, you’ll wonder how he manages to be in more than one place at one time. The team also hosts events at Carnivals around the world, from Berlin to Bermuda. TriniJungleJuice.com Andre of TriniJungleJuice at Berlin Carnival THE EMPRESS: Jeanille Bonterre She’s not literally an empress. But the TV personality—recognized island-wide as the face of the Caribbean, ever since she made her international TV debut on MTV’s Caribbean channel, Tempo, in 2005—has the effervescent grace of one. She’s hosted and produced shows for such international TV stations as BET, Tempo and, currently, CBS affiliate One Caribbean TV, home to her travel show Island XClusive. The Trinidad-born, St. Lucia-based beauty has also acted in Caribbean productions and lent her time and face to a host of charities across the region. Jeanillebonterre.com Jeanille Bonterre (PHOTO: Stephen Clarke) GETTING THERE One airline has, to the benefit of us all, conquered the Caribbean: Jetblue. With daily flights and well-curated getaway packages to nearly every island, from Trinidad and Grenada to St. Maarten, Barbados–it recently launched its premium “Mint” service on this route–and, as of late last year, Cuba, the airline is your direct connection to all Caribbean carnivals. And unlimited Amazon content streaming on most flights means you’ll be fully entertained the whole way there. Jetblue.com .............................................................................................................. About the Author Contributor Baz Dreisinger Travel Tales: Where Luxury Meets Local & Wanderlust Meets Culture-lust Full Bio « I am: writer, globetrotter, professor, culture-hound. Born and raised in New York City, with one foot fixed in the Caribbean, I have written about travel, the arts and identity politics for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and many more; I produce on-air segments about global music and culture for National Public Radio (NPR). I am ceaselessly curious, fearless in my journeys, relentlessly ravenous to see and learn more. My global routes marry luxury with local, which is the essence of this travel blog: Welcome to a place where wanderlust meets culture-lust, where otherworldly high-end meets rootsy down-home.

New Single From Tarrus Riley "Jah Jah Runs Things" Produced By DJ Frass Video Directed & Edited By Dameon Gayle @tarrusrileyja @jwonder21

Jay Sean is a relieved man. After a few years of struggle, he’s finally off Cash Money Records with reports of him even winning around $1 million in past owed royalties from the company. The British singer of Indian origin now has a new deal with Sony Music and a new management as well. The first official release from the relationship is the new single ‘Make My Love Go’ where he reunites with his ‘ Do You Remember’ hitmaking partner Sean Paul . The Dancehall tune has a familiar melody from Maxi Priest’s classic song ‘ Close To You ‘ in the bridge. Source

Known for her powerhouse vocals and striking range, Tessanne Chin's latest single, “Love Suicide,” captures the essence of finding love which can be consuming and enticing at the same. Tessanne cultivates elements of Soul, Pop, and R&B, but always with a little island flare that sets her apart from her peers. These features in Chin’s music are realized to their fullest potential in her latest single, “ Love Suicide .” Her astounding voice illuminates the track as the tension builds throughout this elegant song of absolute true love. Opening with a classic piano melody, “ Love Suicide” maintains a fresh and unique style of contemporary and classic R&B influences. Seasoned songwriter, Blu June , whose credits include Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande and many more, brought her skills to assist in writing “Love Suicide.” As Chin exclaims, “ Oh baby, I wanna dive right into you, it’s a love suicide,” her strong and gorgeous vocals instantly seize heartstrings, characterizing the sensation of love so strong that catches her off guard. “The song is about loving someone so deeply that you fall into it completely and surrender yourself to it,” C hin comments. As the track builds, the passion in her dynamic belting increases and emphasizes the sincerity of her unquestionable yearning and the hold it has over her. To make the sound come to fruition, Tessanne collaborated with producer Darwin Quinn (Lil’C), whose tracks have charted #1 on Billboard and recent credits include Tyga, TI, Young Jeezy and many more. Tessanne is now working on her third album. “Love Suicide, ” was released on her own imprint Chinita Entertainment, is now available on iTunes for pre-sale.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and that may be so. But the hottest ticket now on is the Dancehall Brukout Competition which is now in high progress. To enter all the ' bruk out' dancer has to do is make and upload a video of themselves dancing to Demarco's new song 'Up Down' from the R-DM Digital Inc. steaming project Dancehall Brukout Volume 1. All entrants should ensure that they have the hash tag #Dancehallbruckoutvol1 . The contest is days old and already the entries are coming in fast! We can't tell you about them, you just have to check them out on the Instagram account. From what we see no moves are out of bounds and some of them beg the question "do these girls have any bones in their bodies?!" Well for those who haven't recorded their entry video yet...if you think you have got the moves to take on the competition bring it on! Dancehall Brukout Vol 1 is an 18-track compilation album featuring artistes such as Demarco, Vybz Kartel, Ding Dong, RDX, Pamputtae, Rage, Konshens, Tiana, Lady Saw, Richie Loop, Beenie Man and Harry Toddler. Dancehall Brukout Vol. 1 is available for pre-order at http://smarturl.it/ka3u4d?IQid Dancehall Brukout Vol. 1, will release on February 25th

Konshens Out Yasso Dread Produced By Dameon Gayle & Video Directed & Edited By Dameon Gayle @konshenssojah @dameongayle @jwonder21

Rihanna new single "Work" is full of Caribbean flavors as the singer brought us back to her island roots. London artist and photographer Seye Isikalu (@byisikalu) decided to do a "play" with Work by paying tribute to Jamaica’s Queen of the Dancehall, Patra. In the video, we see Patra twerking in her "Queen of the Pack" video from 1993 to Rihanna's new single, "Work."

If travelers are looking to enjoy a relaxing getaway with their special someone, you can trust that we have the perfect recommendation for your adventures! Our top spot goes to Henderson Park Inn in Destin, Florida. This gem is located along Florida's emerald Gulf Coast and is an adults-only property that has Victorian-inspired furnishings, ocean views that can't be beat. Another top spot is the Wentworth Mansion located in Charleston, South Carolina. This destination is nestled in Charleston's Historic District and the hotel is described as the "perfect combination of old and new, elegant but relaxed." The Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur is another great. This can be described as a "sanctuary for the soul" that offers complimentary yoga, guided nature walks and star gazing." This is like "entering another world away from the stress of everyday living."

“Loving my body, loving my curve” Being my own kind of Beautiful I am proud to represent and honor full figure, BBW, Normal, Thick and Lovely women, because we are the real sizes of over 1 billion women worldwide. The Plus Size Revolution is being televised and you don’t want to miss it!! Meet Jamila Choyce: an Actress, Print and Runway Plus Size model, and Freelance Journalist who loves to write and tell stories. Jamila on embracing her curves….. I love my curves! I believe that each and every woman should love their curves, too! And be their own kind of Beautiful. About her show “Jamila Jay’s Plus Size Revolution” I am very excited to air my show television entitled “Jamila Jay’s Plus Size Revolution” which airs on KOFY TV, My TV 26 in Modesto, BETV in Berkeley, and Sacramento Access in Sacramento. In 2016, the Revolution is going international in 180 countries and 50 million viewing audience on Come and See TV based in the Caribbean. Check out the “Plus Size Revolution Channel” on ComeSeeMeTV.com. The Revolution is being televised all over the world. About her future endeavors March 1, 2016, I will be launching my casting web site geared towards the Plus Size Industry where promoters, fashion show coordinators, directors, producers, and casting agents can post their projects. Plus size talent can submit for modeling and acting gigs. In addition, there is a directory of Plus Size events such as fashion show castings, modeling and acting training, and a “Buy Now” section where Plus Size Divas can purchase clothes at retail or one of a kind designer’s fashion, and store owners can purchase items at wholesale prices. Check out PlusSizeCasting.com, along with Choyce’s Plus Size Model Management, Inc . I am prepared to work with Plus Size Talent all over the world. Choyce’s Plus Size Model Inc. markets Plus Size Talent to producers, directors, and casting agents for television, and commercials in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta. Jamilia has a writer Everyone has a story entitled “Life” which consists of trials and tribulations, peaks and valleys, and accomplishments and disappointments. I enjoy telling those stories as a writer. In addition, I write about the Plus Size Fashion Industry which includes designers and models. I call it the “Plus Size Revolution,” because we are not accepting the fashion industry of beauty and fashion. Her acting career…. I act because it is so much fun to transform into a new human being. When in “character”, it is a total transformation to a new personality and identity. I have appeared in numerous movies, commercials, and Community Theater. I call it “Acting Up.” Another method of transformation is when I put on a pair of 4" stiletto and walk the runway in Fashion Shows. On her love for fashion….. I love fashion, shopping, clothes, and education. I am a graduate of Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, CA, Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, and University of California, Davis, CA. When I am not acting or modeling, I am a credential elementary teacher. I really enjoy teaching students who are struggling academically and who are from low-income families. I believe that education is one of the most important common dominator that can change a student’s entire life. On her journey to healthy living…. I am on a journey to excellent health by exercising 3 times a week and by eating more fruit and vegetables, because I want to enjoy a long life with my children. My goal is not to be skinny or thin, because I love my curves. My goal is to be healthy and live a long productive life. It’s all about being a size healthy!!

The nominees for the 45th annual JUNO Awards were announced by The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) at a press conference at The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto this morning, as Canada’s top artists get ready for a trip to JUNO Week in Calgary, March 28 – April 3, 2016. Canadian/Jamaican artist Kreesha Turner was nominated for Reggae Recording of the Year for her song Sexy Gal ft. T.O.K. Others in this category include; Exco Levi - Hello Mama, Lyndon John X - Escape from the Mongoose Gang Kafinal - Nah Complain ft. Daddy U Roy Dubmatix - The French Sessions Turner was the first winner of The Bounce’s former talent competition in 2005, and scored radio hits with Bounce With Me and Don’t Call Me Baby. She earned two Juno nominations in 2009, for New Artist of the Year and Pop Album of the Year and another in 2013. She has yet to win an award. She is now working on her third album, Evolution Inevitable , in Los Angeles and is managed by America’s Got Talent host Nick Cannon . Canadian artists like The Weeknd, Justin Bieber and Drake leads the pack of nominees. The JUNO Awards recognize excellence in the Canadian music industry and will be held at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday, April 3 and will be broadcast live on CTV . Bryan Adams, Dean Brody, Shawn Mendes and Alessia Cara to perform during the live telecast. Complete list of nominees

PRISM MARKETING CONSULTANTS || FEBRUARY 2, 2016 || Currently enjoying premium rotation on the FM airwaves with ‘Belleh’ remix featuring Sanjay, Demarco and Shelly Belly dancehall diva Tifa again has something to smile about following the announcement of the 2016 nominations for the Irie Jam Radio Online Awards. The ‘ Spell It Out ’ singer has landed a double nomination for ‘Collaboration Song of the Year’ and ‘Video of the Year ’ for ‘Jealous Ova’ a collaborative effort with 2015 breakout star Dexta Daps . If that wasn’t enough she is also featured on U.S Hip Hop star Ricky Blaze’s newly released album ‘Conquer The Moment’ with the fiery club banger ‘Look Like Me’ ; The track also features female singer Chelley . Alluding to the nominations Tifa says, “It’s always a good feeling when your work is acknowledged” “Ricky Blaze is a talented artiste, producer and musician and Chelley is an amazing artiste. So collabs like that are always a win. ‘Conquer The Moment’ is an awesome project overall with awesome features from Shaggy, Dean Fraser among others.” She added regarding her feature on Blaze’s album. Adding to her already impressive stack of accolades Tifa will also vie for top honours at the February 20th staging of the Youth View Awards at the National Indoor Sports Center 2016 Youth View Awards: ' Favourite Local Female Artiste Of The Year ', ' Fashion Icon Female ', 'Young Hot & Hype Female of the Year' and ' Favourite Music Collaboration Hit Song for 2015' The entertainer, whose given name is Latifa Brow n recently renewed her endorsement deal with telecommunication giants Digicel for the sixth year which sees her acting in the capacity of brand ambassador throughout Jamaica and the wider diaspora,.