Entertainment

As part of the milestone Grammy Certificate Ceremony 2025, Steely & Clevie, the iconic production duo comprising Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson and Cleveland “Clevie” Browne, are set to be honoured for their outstanding contributions to reggae and dancehall music.

At the ceremony, they will receive their gold disc for their role in the enduring success of Dawn Penn’s hit
You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No), that the duo produced in 1994. The single was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in May 2022 after selling over 400,000 copies in the UK.

“This recognition is truly a testament to the decades of work Steely and I dedicated to the music. To be honoured alongside other unsung heroes who have helped build this industry is incredibly meaningful. For me, the event is poised to be a bittersweet moment, as I wish my musical partner, Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson, was here to share in this celebration. His genius and vision are a part of every rhythm we created. This honour is also for him, as well as all the artistes, engineers, and musicians who trusted our sound to take reggae and dancehall to the world,” stated Cleveland “Clevie” Browne.

Along with the gold disc, both Steely & Clevie will also receive multiple Grammy certificates, recognising their key contributions to:

• Sean Paul – Dutty Rock (2004) — Grammy winner

• Beenie Man – Art and Life (2001) — Grammy winner

• Wayne Wonder – No Holding Back (2004) — Grammy nominee

• Shabba Ranks – As Raw As Ever (1992) — Grammy winner

• Shabba Ranks – X-tra Naked (1993) — Grammy winner

Clevie’s individual recognitions will include contributions to:

• Buju Banton — Upside Down 2020 (2021) — nominee

• Barrington Levy — Acousticalevy (2016) — nominee

• Jimmy Cliff — Black Magic (2005) — nominee

• Buju Banton — Friends for Life (2004) — nominee

• Wayne Wonder — No Holding Back (2004) — nominee

• Beenie Man — The Doctor (2000) — nominee

• Yellowman — Freedom of Speech (1998) — nominee

• Jimmy Cliff — Breakout (1993) — nominee

• Judy Mowatt — Working Wonders (1986) — nominee

Steely & Clevie are widely recognised as pioneers of digital dancehall, innovating the blend of traditional reggae rhythms with electronic production techniques in the 1980s, laying the groundwork for modern dancehall.

They first met at Lee “Scratch” Perry’s Black Ark Studios and later became house musicians at King Jammy’s, where their experimental approach revolutionised studio production in Jamaica.

Kennedy Mensah, CEO of Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd, said: “It is virtually impossible to quantify the importance of Steely & Clevie in the development of the world’s popular music. It has been 40 years of rhythm from their fledgling partnership at King Jammy’s Studios to their own Studio 2000 & Steely & Clevie labels. It is indeed an honour for Back 2 Da Future Music Ltd to be able to assist in the consolidation of their legend at this year’s Grammy Certificate Ceremony.”

The Grammy Certificate Ceremony 2025 will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025 at the Audi Showroom in New Kingston.

Jamaican designer Rachel Scott was named creative director at Proenza Schouler on Tuesday, according to a Vogue Magazine report.

Scott, who launched her own brand Diotima in 2021, will replace the founders of Proenza Schouler, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, as they move to head French luxury brand Loewe.

At 41, Scott, who left Jamaica in the early 2000’s is described in the report as an industry veteran, with about 20 years of experience across fashion hubs of Milan and New York.

“Most of my career, I was crafting brands that were not my perspective. That’s my training,” she told Vogue, which describes Scott as an overnight sensation.

Scott won the CFDA’s Emerging Designer of the Year and Womenswear Designer of the Year Awards in 2023 and 2024, the report notes, without even staging a runway show.

To win in 2024, she bested fellow Womenswear nominees Marc Jacobs, Thom Browne, Tory Burch, and the Proenza Schouler designers themselves, Vogue says.

Scott will show her Diotima pieces on the runway for the first time on September 15; almost simultaneously, Proenza Schouler’s spring 2026 collection, developed by the designer, will be shown in presentation format next week, Vogue reports.

Commenting on the difficulty of running two brands, she told Vogue “I actually find [managing both brands] not that challenging. It’s actually quite fun: I can be really ridiculous over at Diotima, I can be really more radical over there if I want to be. Not that I’m not going to have interesting ideas here. But there is a formality here that doesn’t exist over at Diotima. I like this kind of push and flow.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Draughts Association (JDA) recently hosted its Draughts-64 Open Championships tournament as part of the St Mary Police Division Zone 4 Partnership Fiesta.

The tournament saw talented players competing in the Top Masters and Masters divisions. International Grandmaster Wayne “Shines” Reid won the Top Masters Division. Worth “Black Panther” Foster was second, and Jermaine “Tiger” Delattibudiere placed third.

The Masters Division was won by Adrian “Dr Draughts” Reid. Rodaine “Bob” Brown and Oraine “Alex” Peirce were second and third, respectively.

Delattibudiere, who is president of the JDA, said the association is committed to tapping into Jamaica's pool of draughts talent, providing opportunities for local players to represent Jamaica overseas and compete in bigger events.

“With proper sponsorship and support, we can unlock the full potential of our players and take the game to new heights,” he said.

Delattibudiere revealed that the JDA is transforming positively, with a focus on replicating tournaments across Jamaica, building new draughts clubs and increasing the involvement of women and children in the game.

“We aim to secure sponsors, increase publicity and garner larger support to participate in bigger events and host larger tournaments,” Delattibudiere added.

Some fans of The Harder They Come often wonder what would have happened if Ivan survived his gunfight with police and ended up in Cuba. There are a lot of similar ponderings around the classic 1972 movie, starring Jimmy Cliff and directed by Perry Henzell.

A re-imaged stage musical of The Harder They Come opens September 13 at the Stratford East Theatre in London, England.

Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Matthew Xia, it is scheduled to close on October 25.

Justine Henzell, daughter of Perry Henzell, told the Jamaica Observer that the musical presents a contemporary view of The Harder They Come.

“The original stage musical of The Harder They Come was staged 20 years ago and was written by Perry Henzell. This version has been written by Suzan-Lori Parks, who approaches the story with fresh eyes and grounds it in the social realities of 2025,” she said. “Many things have changed in Jamaica and the world since the film was released over 50 years ago, but many things have not. The struggle for the underrepresented to be heard is still valid.”

Born in Kentucky, Parks won the Pulitzer in 2002 for Best Drama with her play Topdog/Underdog. She was named by Time magazine as one of its 100 Most Influential People in The World for 2023.

Her take on The Harder They Come debuted at The Public Theater in Manhattan, New York, USA, in 2023.

A leading figure in British theatre, Xia was born in London to a Jamaican father and British mother.

Natey Jones, another Briton whose credits include Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, plays the lead role of Ivan.

The Harder They Come was co-written by Perry Henzell, a former advertising executive, and Trevor Rhone, who emerged as a force in Jamaican theatre during the early 1970s. The movie, driven by a powerful soundtrack with songs by Jimmy Cliff, Toots And The Maytals, The Melodians, and Desmond Dekker, helped introduce reggae to a global audience.

Perry Henzell died in November 2006 at age 70, while Rhone passed away three years later at age 69.

Popular DJ Carl “Carlos A-Team” Simpson continues to make strides in the musical arena by delivering memorable sets at each event.

The Mandeville, Manchester, native is usually a man of few words, and prefers to skilfully express himself through his craft, until now.

“I grew up with both parents who are passionate lovers of music, so from a young age I was constantly surrounded by it. Hearing music every day at home made it natural for me to develop the same love,” Simpson told the Jamaica Observer in explaining the inspiration behind his career choice.

He attended Munro College in St Elizabeth before matriculating to the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT).

Approximately 11 years ago, he, alongside Sanjay Foster, better known as Centrum, decided to catapult into the musical world out of shared passion and interest.

“A-Team was formed around 2014. Centrum and I decided to start a team since we were both into music and best friends. About a year later we recruited Marlon Mitchell (Ace). People around us always said we had the potential to be great, so we called ourselves the A-Team,” Simpson explained.

To date, A-Team has executed sets in Antigua, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, and the United States.

However, Simpson explained that a recent gig in St Andrew, Jamaica, has been etched in a special part of his mind.

“Being the DJ for the most recent Red Bull Dance Your Style Competition, an international dance event held all over the world, has been one of my most memorable experiences, to date,” he revealed.

The competition was won by Tevin “Killer Bean” Shaw.

Meanwhile, Simpson explained that he is consistently perfecting his knowledge and craft of music.

“I’m very organised and, to some extent, a perfectionist. I spend hours each day preparing — producing my own remixes, learning new genres, and staying sharp — so when it’s time for an event, I’m always ready,” he reasoned, adding that he pays keen attention to trends on social media, popular music pools, and receives music directly from producers.

According to him, his family and friends are his biggest cheerleaders. The creative, however, admitted that he does experience difficulties which he is able to counter thanks to his support system.

“For me, the biggest challenge has been gaining exposure. I’m naturally reserved and not the type to talk a lot, so networking doesn’t always come easy. Having strong management helps, as well as friends in the industry who know me well and put in a good word. But, above all, consistency is key. I make sure my performance speaks for me,” he said.

The target now is more international shows with A-Team.

In the meantime, Simpson is encouraging aspiring disc jockeys to be disciplined.

“Keep going, no matter what. Be consistent, study your craft, and always keep learning. The struggles will come, but if you use them as motivation, instead of setbacks, they’ll push you forward,” he said.

Red Bull Dance Your Style returned for its fifth staging with Tevin “Killer Bean” Shaw being crowned the new king.

Sixteen of the island’s top dancers battled on the lawns of Devon House and at the end of an exciting night 33-year-old Tevin “Killer Bean” Shaw, of the Sopreme Blazzaz dance group, was crowned the 2025 Red Bull Dance Your Style Jamaica Champion.

The competition made its début in Jamaica in 2018 and since then has seen four champions; namely, Pancho Cautiion (2019), Flexx Cautiion (2021), Joel Immortal (2022) and Skitta Star (2023).

This year, renowned dancer and choreographer Latonya Style oversaw the one-on-one battles, showcasing their ability to freestyle under pressure to genres spanning dancehall, reggae, pop and classic old-school anthems.

With no formal judging panel, competitors earned the crowd’s vote to advance to the next round. Each dancer was challenged to adapt on the spot and create a routine to not only capture the hearts of the crowd while showcasing their own individual style.

The final round came down to Killer Bean and Trisann Dough, known as Sylva DubaiBaby.

Reflecting on the victory, the champion shared: “This win means a lot to me because I’m not doing it for me, I’m doing it for my son. I started dancing at eight [years old] as a way to provide, and I kept pushing because I knew one day I would experience something great – and this win is that for me.”

He continued: “The Red Bull Dance Your Style Competition gives us, as dancers, the opportunity to grow and spread our wings; it’s a true experience. I was a bit nervous at first but I overcame that feeling with the help of fellow dancers around me, and then came the confidence I needed to push forward and win.”

Styles shared words of encouragement for Killer Bean: “Prepare yourself as best as you can; watch videos, rehearse, and understand different genres. No matter what happens, you are our winner and that makes you a big deal.”

Shaw will represent Jamaica at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final in Los Angeles on October 11, competing against dancers from over 30 countries.

“My plan is to go out there and show them what Jamaica can do,” Killer Bean promised.

Since debuting in Jamaica in 2018, Red Bull Dance Your Style has provided a platform for local talent to showcase their creativity and connect with global audiences.

VENICE, Italy (AFP) — Julia Roberts said she hoped to “stir it all up” for viewers of her new film about a university professor grappling with fraught US campus politics as the Hollywood star made her debut at the Venice Film Festival on Friday.

The star walked the red carpet at the city’s festival for the first time in her career at the premiere of After the Hunt, a cancel-culture and MeToo-themed psychological drama from Italian director Luca Guadagnino.

Early reviews could make difficult reading for the Pretty Woman actress, however. The Hollywood Reporter wondering how Guadagnino “could deliver something so dour and airless”.

While Variety praised Roberts’s performance, it nevertheless described the film as “muddled”.

Roberts, speaking at a news conference Friday ahead of the premiere, said the film did not aim to answer questions, but provoke them.

She plays a Yale University professor haunted by a secret from her past after a student accuses one of her colleagues of sexual assault.

Questions over truth and fiction, and whether characters are reliable narrators, course through the film.

Touching on Gen Z culture and the generational divide between students and professors, the Amazon-produced film has overtones of Todd Field’s 2022 drama Tar, which earned Cate Blanchett a best actress award at Venice.

“Not everything is supposed to make you comfortable,” Roberts’s character in the film tells the student who claims she was assaulted.

Roberts said the film did not advocate any one point of view.

“We are challenging people to have conversations and to be excited by that or to be infuriated by that, it’s up to you,” she said. “We are kind of losing the art of conversation in humanity right now, and if making this movie does anything, getting everybody to talk to each other is the most exciting thing I feel we could accomplish.”

Last Saturday, Red Stripe Flavours treated 100 guests and served up the ultimate mix of flavour, freedom and authentic Jamaican vibes, launching its newest flavour, Red Stripe Mango, at the Puerto Seco Beach, Discovery Bay. 

The event drew a lively mix of influencers and everyday beachgoers, all vibing together as Brush1theRoadMarshall and DJ Tonio kept the energy flowing, spinning dancehall, reggae and soca favourites that pulsed through the crowd. The celebration was a true nod to community, culture and the joy of shared moments.

The beach takeover brought the full Jamaican summer experience with patrons sampling the new Red Stripe mango.

“The new mango flavour is so good, and it just might be my new favourite,” said Shameika ‘Shammy KG’ Gordon. “The event was the perfect ending to the summer season; my friends and I had so much fun!”

Reflecting on the event, brand manager for Red Stripe Flavours, Arnaldo Martin, told Observer Online, “Red Stripe Mango is all about bringing the chill side of summer to life. We wanted consumers to experience something refreshing, tropical and undeniably Jamaican, and judging by the energy from the event, I’d say we have achieved just that."

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Content creator/dancehall/reggae artiste Wayne Marshall, who is celebrating 25 years in music, says he is working on a new album, which will be his first since the release of Tru Colors in 2014.

In an interview with Observer Online shortly after delivering a blistering performance at the Grand Finals of the CB PAN Chicken competition, the artiste, whose given name is Wayne Mitchell, said the project will be done in tandem with his son, recording artiste Giomar.

"I'm getting back in the booth (recording). My son Giomar is going to be doing some production for me. He's kinda getting me back into the groove and I am definitely listening to him. He has a whole production team, and we a work through him," he shared.

The project, which he said would be delivered early next year, will be his fourth full-length studio project. His previous releases are Marshall Law (released in 2003 via VP Records), 2008's Tru Story and 2014's Tru Colors, which was produced by Damian “Jr Gong” Marley.

Commenting on his 25 years on the music scene, which has seen him score a string of hit songs including Messing with My Heart, Marshall Town, New Millennium (with Vybz Kartel), Why You Doing It, Astronaut and Make Them Come, Wayne Marshall said his very first performance on Reggae Sumfest is a memorable highlight for him.

"There are so many highlights and it's hard to pick one. Maybe something like performing at my first Reggae Sumfest. It was a moment that I'll treasure forever. I was a student of the music before, and I was attending Reggae Sumfest, even dreamt and envisioned seeing myself on that stage. I worked hard enough to be a headlining act on Reggae Sumfest," said Wayne Marshall.

In October 2023, Wayne Marshall received the Order of Distinction from the Government of Jamaica for his contribution to music.