Entertainment

Almost two years after he released his début EP, Talk Threwth, gospel recording artiste Threwth has dropped his follow-up project titled Threwth Be Told.

Produced by Lamar Thompson, of Christ Driven Production, the seven-song EP was released on August 8. It is described as a powerful, uplifting collection of songs that seek to inspire.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Friday, the St Catherine-based artiste said the body of work was the result of hard work.

“A lot of hard work, prayer, fasting, and consistent studio time went into the creation of this EP. A lot of sacrifices had to be made, but it was well worth it,” Threwth shared.

There are no collaborations on the project, which Threwth said was deliberate, as he wanted to showcase more of his lyrical and musical artistry.

Tracks on the project include Great I Am, Reign, Christ Nice, Special Me, Am Bless, Good Love, and Greatness.

This project blends the vibrant pulse of modern sounds — reggae, dancehall, and Afrobeat — all rooted in the gospel. It’s production showcases a fresh, current sound that resonates with today’s audience while remaining reverent to the message of Christ.

Threwth, real name Adrian Malonie, surrendered his life to the Lord 12 years ago. He hails from the community of Gutters in St Catherine.

The EP explores profound truths about Jesus, identity, spiritual growth, and overcoming sin. It challenges listeners to acknowledge Christ as the source of life and to embrace their God-given purpose. Tracks are built on real-life experiences, with each title introducing a unique story that reveals how faith shaped Threwth’s personal journey.

As a youngster growing up between Clarendon and Ocho Rios, Kumpliment was inspired by dancehall and rhythm and blues.

He incorporates elements of both genres on his latest single Gone Lef Me Now, which tackles the subject of heartbreak.

Gone Lef Me Now is very relatable because many people have faced the heartache of breaking up with a partner. They can relate to the emotional roller-coaster, the pain and sadness, a broken heart, and eventually coming out on the other side and getting over that person,” Kumpliment told the Jamaica Observer recently.

Kumpliment is happy with the reception to the song since its release and is planning on shooting a music video to amp up the promotion behind the song.

Gone Lef Me Now was produced by DJ Lux for Brown Team Records.

Kumpliment, who shared that he brings a unique style and flow that transcends musically, has been knocking on the doors for a breakthrough for some time now.

“Music has been a part of me my whole life and is my first love. My journey with music has had its ups and downs, but I’ve always turned to music as an outlet, no matter what I go through,” the artiste, born Shamal Brown, stated.

“My goal is to make beautiful music that lives on for many generations to come. I hope to make music that people can deeply relate to and connect with,” said Kumpliment.

— Kevin Jackson

Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) has collaborated with Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) to launch JaRIA JaMz.

The programme is a vibrant, monthly cultural showcase and networking platform designed to connect Jamaica’s creative talent with limitless business opportunities.

The first staging takes place on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 on the EMCVPA campus, continuing every fourth Thursday thereafter.

It aims to present an eclectic fusion of creative expression — from reggae performances, spoken word, and poetry to short films, visual arts, culinary arts, and more — reflecting the depth and diversity of Jamaica’s cultural landscape.

EMCVPA Interim Principal Dorrett R Campbell underscored the importance of this initiative not only for Jamaica’s premier institution for training and nurturing artistic talent, but for the nation’s cultural and economic future.

She noted that the partnership affirmed what EMCVPA has always championed: “The arts are not peripheral to Jamaica’s development, but central to it.” JaRIA JaMz, she added, “aligns with the college’s mission to produce graduates who are not only masters of their craft, but also innovators, entrepreneurs, and cultural ambassadors”.

“We bring to this partnership decades of expertise in training and shaping Jamaica’s artistic vanguard, while JaRIA brings its extensive industry network and market insight. Together, we are creating a platform where creativity meets commerce, where talent meets opportunity, and where our students, alumni, and the wider creative sector can actively participate in shaping Jamaica’s cultural economy. This is nation-building through the arts,” Campbell asserted.

Chairman of JaRIA Ewan D A Simpson welcomed the collaboration, noting that the “partnership between the Edna Manley College and JaRIA represents the kind of synergy that is missing in Jamaica’s culture and creative industries”.

He encouraged corporate Jamaica to come on board with all creatives and “to seize the opportunity for collaboration and creative expression”.

Beyond the monthly showcases, the partnership will extend to several complementary initiatives. EMCVPA’s School of Music will host a series of six master classes throughout the year, held on the third Friday of each month from 10:00 am to 12 noon, offering advanced training and industry insights.

In Montego Bay, a sister edition of JaRIA JaMz will be staged at Coral Cliff, featuring performances by students from EMCVPA’s associate degree programme at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College.

The collaboration will also bring Acoustic Evenings at Di Lot, a series of arts-based programmes combining live performances, industry talks, and conversations on the role of creative industries and education in shaping both community life and global culture.

This initiative is supported by Coral Cliff, Deja Resort, Sparkles Production, Digital Video Concepts, and Keymixx.

A new chapter of protection and support has opened for Jamaica’s creative community as the first set of individuals received their health insurance cards under the Jamaica Entertainers and Creatives Insurance Plan (JECIP).

The initiative, introduced through a partnership between the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and Guardian Life Limited, provides health coverage for practitioners who are often outside the traditional employment structure.

Among the first recipients are David McDermott (Kukudoo), Shawn Ferguson, Billy Wilmot, George Nooks, Dr Amina Blackwood, Michelle Graham, Carlton Scarlet, Bunny Rose, Oniel Donegal, Christopher Smith, and Anthony Cameron.

“We signed a contract earlier which covered life and personal accident, but I felt it was incomplete and that we needed to cover health,” the Minister Olivia Grange noted. “So, today some of you are going to get your health cards… you can just go to the doctor, swipe your card, and that’s major.”

Grange described the plan as a “game changer”, noting that “no small island developing state or developing countries have instituted a similar programme…”

She said the plan provides comprehensive coverage, including hospitalisation, surgery, diagnostic services, prescription drugs, maternity, dental care and visits to the doctor, even overseas care.

The ministry’s e-Registry is central to accessing the benefit, with 4,552 individuals and 484 creative businesses already enrolled.

“Let me make it clear. The insurance plan is to cover all members of the e-Registry,” she said.

For his part, group president of life, health and pension at Guardian Life Eric Hosin noted that since November 2024, 3,715 creatives have already been covered for group life and personal accident insurance, and that 106 practitioners are now receiving their health cards under JECIP.

ST ANDREW, Jamaica —  The lawns of Devon House are filled with laughter as families have begun to stream in for the 2025 edition of Burgerman’s back-to-school fair.

In its second year, the fair, which is free of cost, is providing games, rides, schoolbags, haircuts, books, toiletries and much more for students heading back to school come September.

Already, parents and even babies have taken to the stage dancing and sharing in the vibe of the day.

Organiser radio personality Wesley “Burgerman” Burger, maintained that the event is about giving back.

“I’m feeling blessed. God is good. It’s not about me, it’s about God using me as an instrument to bless somebody else. [Some people] want to give the children a gun, we want to give them a book,” Burger told Observer Online.

He unveiled a laundry list of sponsors who had come together to make the event a success, including TTN Media, Cal’s Manufacturing, the Jamaica Public Service, Devon House, the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), Ex Policemen and Women of Connecticut, Pro Audio Visual Systems, Edge 105, Best Dressed Chicken, JN Money, Pepsi, Kendel, T Geddes Brand, Yummy, NuPack Auto Kings, Woman’s Touch, Lasco, Courts, KFC, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, and Virgin International.

“Food, fun, games, rides, it's free free, free,” Burger said.

Admission is free, but parents will need a ticket to collect a free bag for their children. The event will run from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Netflix's gargantuan hit film "KPop Demon Hunters" has captured the global zeitgeist this summer, smashing streaming and music chart records. Now it is coming for movie theatres.

An animated musical about a trio of Korean pop starlets who fight demons with infectious songs and synchronised dance moves, "Demon Hunters" has been watched 210 million times and currently has five of the global top 10 songs on Spotify.

In an unlikely journey, the streaming mega-hit is tipped by analysts to hit number one at the box office this weekend, with thousands of cosplaying fans headed to sold-out "singalong screenings" in theatres across five countries.

"Insane, crazy, surreal," singer EJAE, who co-wrote the film's biggest track "Golden" and performs heroine Rumi's songs, told an advance screening at Netflix's Hollywood headquarters this week.

"I'm just really grateful I'm able to be part of this crazy cultural phenomenon."

For the uninitiated, the film's premise is bizarre yet simple.

Demons who feed on human souls have been trapped in an

other realm by the powerful voices of girl group HUNTR/X.

To fight back, the demons secretly send their own devilishly handsome boy band to steal HUNTR/X's fans and feast on their essences.

Rivalries ensue, loyalties fray, and an unlikely romance evolves over 90 minutes of power ballads and pop earworms, all against anime-style backdrops of Seoul's modern skyline and traditional bathhouses and thatched hanok homes.

Released in June, "KPop Demon Hunters" is already Netflix's most-watched animated offering, and sits second on the all-time chart for any original film. It is likely to take the top spot within the week.

"This movie is a triple threat. It's got fantastic writing. It has got stunning animation. And the songs are bangers," said Wendy Lee Szany, a Los Angeles-based movie critic and KPop devotee.

Indeed, songs by the movie's fictional HUNTR/X and boy-band rivals Saja Boys occupy three of the Billboard top 10 -- a feat no movie soundtrack has achieved since the 1990s.

While combining the global KPop craze with sexy supernatural monsters might sound like an obvious recipe for Netflix's much-vaunted algorithm, nobody expected "Demon Hunters" to take off on this scale.

It was made by Hollywood studio Sony Pictures, intended for the big screen, but sold to Netflix during the pandemic when many theatres were shuttered.

That may have worked to the film's advantage, said John Nguyen, founder of pop culture website Nerd Reactor.

"If Sony had released it in theatres, I don't think it would have been as big," he said.

"It's word-of-mouth. People shared it, talked about it, posted videos on social media of fans and families singing along in their living rooms."

Endless homespun TikTok dance videos have added to the momentum.

"People who haven't seen the movie yet are seeing these memes, they can't escape it, so they just end up like, 'Okay, I'm gonna sit down this weekend (and watch) on Netflix," said Szany.

"And then they fall in love with it."

Seeking to capitalise, Netflix -- usually averse to movie theatres -- is hosting "sing-alongs" at 1,700 North American cinemas this weekend.

Fans are invited to dress up, whip their phones out and film themselves singing at their top of their voices.

The approach has cinema traditionalists despairing, but earned Taylor Swift's concert movie $260 million at the box office in 2023.

Early estimates suggest "KPop Demon Hunters" could make $15 million in domestic theatres and top this weekend's box office.

Analyst David A Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research said that figure seemed "reasonable... for now,  but could get "shattered" if a rush of demand causes theatre owners to add extra screenings.

That would be a welcome shot in the arm for movie theatres, after the bleak years of Covid-19, Hollywood strikes, and younger audiences migrating to -- ironically -- streaming.

"There were literally so many kids singing their hearts out," said Szany, who attended Netflix's advance singalong, and has watched the film at least eight times.

"I was like, wow, they know all the lyrics better than I do."

The Leos Vs Virgo, a popular astrology-themed party, returns for its fourth edition on August 24 at New Haven Boathouse in New Haven, Connecticut.

Richi Porter, a Jamaican based in the tri-state area, is promoter for the event which features Teejay and Charly Blacks as live acts. He told Observer Online that Leos Vs Virgo is aimed at a mature audience.

Porter explained the show’s astrological concept.

“It came from me and my best friend who is a Virgo. It’s like a friendly male versus female friendship thing. Dem swear dem ah di life of di party more than di Leo dem, so we came up with di idea of, ‘let’s keep an event an’ see who roll out more,” he said.

At the previous Leos Vs Virgo, performers included Serani, and American rappers Jim Jones, Benny Da Butcher and Aisha Hall.

Porter is also looking to attract more Jamaicans to the New Haven Boathouse.

“I’m just doing things a little differently because di venue is not a popular one for Jamaicans,” he said.

Howard Campbell

Kamila’s Kitchen on Harbour Street in downtown Kingston buzzed with excitement on Wednesday night as scores of industry professionals and government officials turned up for the official media launch of Sizzla’s Rise to the Occasion concert.

If the packed venue were any indication, Sabina Park will be overflowing with patrons come October 19 as the entertainer celebrates his milestone 30th anniversary in music in fine style.

As the proceedings unfolded, stories flowed not just about the entertainer’s ability to create musical masterpieces, but also of his outstanding humanitarian side. By the end of the night, it was undeniable that the man born Miguel Collins was loved and respected.

Outlining the importance of recognising the contributions of the country’s musical icons when they are alive to receive it, Tamiann Johnson of Cur8ting Global, the force behind Rise to the Occasion, said Sizzla’s contributions to the island’s cultural development must not go unnoticed, especially after giving selflessly for the past three decades.

“Being a fan isn’t enough. After seeing how many legendary artistes pour their sweat and tears into our industry to earn global recognition and are still overlooked, I decided to be part of the solution, and so did my team,” she said. “Sizzla received the keys to the city of Lauderhill just a couple of weeks ago, and celebrations started unlocking globally. Our mission is to celebrate Sizzla’s 30 years in music; his resistance, legacy, and ability to rise to the occasion. Thank you for your dedication and music that heals broken hearts and ignites souls.”

Speaking of the music that heals, the launch saw many touching moments, but one in particular stole the spotlight. As Sizzla’s attorney, Charmian Rhoden, read a letter penned by a cancer survivor, the audience heard how the singer’s music gave the terminally ill patient the will to live. The man, now 36, revealed that he was only 15 when he was diagnosed with cancer and was given a short time to live. He expressed that, after finding solace in the singer’s catalogue, he was touched when the entertainer heard of his situation and recorded a special dubplate for him. He expressed that the dubplate became his fuel on hard days as he underwent rigorous chemotherapy and shared that Sizzla’s gesture helped him beat cancer and is now a father and deejay.

Following up with a story of his own, Prime Minister Andrew Holness also shared how the entertainer’s music became a source of encouragement during a difficult decision-making period. Outlining that he first encountered Sizzla at a Reggae Sumfest staging years ago, Holness said he has always been a fan. He then went on to share how Sizzla’s
Rise to the Occasion became a personal anthem that pushed him towards his purpose as a politician.

“In 2011 I had a big decision to make in my life, and one morning I was contemplating and this song came on, ‘Rise to the Occasion, look at yourself…no one can stop you. That song was the inspiration for me to step forward to become the leader of my political party and eventually to become prime minister. It was that song that inspired me,” he said. “There were times when I had difficult situations, and you have to psych yourself up. Some people use all kinds of means to psych themselves up; I listen to Sizzla. So I just came here to say to you that you wouldn’t always know the details of the power of your music. Your attorney read a letter from someone who was inspired to live, and I may have to pen you such a letter as well, but I just wanted to tell you personally that you have inspired me.”

Describing Sizzla as someone who “speaks truth, defends the marginalised, and stood firm in moments when standing alone was the only choice”, Minister of Entertainment and Culture Olivia Grange also saluted Sizzla for his 30-year contribution to Jamaica’s music industry.

“Tonight I want to wish you continued success, blessings, and I’m looking forward to October 19. That’s during Heritage Week, and you have timed your 30th anniversary performance well. You can always depend on me; my support is there for you,” she said. “There are many great artistes in Jamaica, but Sizzla is special. He carries his greatness with great humility, and that is what I admire most about him.”

Minister of Finance Fayval Williams, who is also Member of Parliament for the constituency of St Andrew Eastern, in which Sizzla’s hometown of August Town is located, also chimed in on the praises.

“If you know the geography of St Andrew Eastern, August Town is in the middle of it, and if you go into August Town, Sizzla is in the middle of August Town. He is an enduring figure in the community, and he is looked up to and contributes in ways you cannot imagine. And so tonight I want to say, on behalf of all the residents in August Town, congratulations on 30 years. That does not come easy, and so we have to celebrate with you. We look forward to your show that’s coming up.”

Red Bull Dance Your Style returns for its fifth thrilling staging in Jamaica today, Saturday, August 23, 2025.

Promising a night of high-energy dance battles, cultural celebration, and crowd-powered competition, 16 of the island’s most dynamic dancers will go head to head in freestyle 1-on-1 battles for the chance to represent Jamaica on the world stage at the Red Bull Dance Your Style World Final in Los Angeles on October 11, 2025.

Set for the lawns of Devon House and curated by internationally recognised choreographer Latonya Style, this event will spotlight the best of Jamaican dance culture, from dancehall to old-school grooves.

With no judging panel, the audience holds the power to decide who advances, and ultimately, who will be crowned the 2025 Jamaica Champion.

Reigning champion Shakeem “Skitta Star” Thomas and past winners such as Pancho Cautiion and Joel Immortal have all used the platform to elevate their craft.

This year’s line-up features both seasoned and rising stars in the dance community, including Killer Bean, AJ Impact, Sashi Chippy, Sylva Dubai Baby, and more.

Showtime is 7:00 pm.

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Jamaican-born, New York-based visual artist Cheery Stewart-Josephs has made her return to the local art scene with ROOTED, a two-day exhibition that began on Thursday and will end on Friday night at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

The showcase, which Stewart-Josephs describes as a celebration of identity, resilience and rebirth, marks her long-awaited homecoming after years of honing her craft overseas.

Raised in the cool hills of Manchester, Stewart-Josephs began drawing and painting from an early age, developing much of her skill through self-teaching. She later studied briefly at the Edna Manley School of Art and the Visual School of Arts in New York City, before continuing her independent journey as a visual artist.

Her early work quickly attracted attention, including from noted art critic Ansel Walters, founder of the Trafalgar Artist Cooperative. She would go on to join the group of practising artists who ran a roadside gallery along Trafalgar Road in Kingston in the 1970s — an era that played a pivotal role in shaping modern Jamaican art.

Since then, Stewart-Josephs has built an impressive career abroad, earning international recognition. In 2021, she was among the artists selected for Art in August, a special virtual exhibition organised by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Now, with ROOTED, she brings it full circle — unveiling 21 new works that blend traditional and contemporary Jamaican forms, while telling stories of heritage, endurance, and transformation.

The exhibition opened with an evening reception on Thursday, August 21 at 7:00 pm, followed by a pop-up showcase on Friday, August 22 from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Art lovers, collectors, and the wider cultural community are invited to experience Stewart-Josephs’ work, which continues to draw deeply from her Jamaican roots while reflecting her growth as an artist on the global stage.

ROOTED is not just an exhibition, but a homecoming — an opportunity to reconnect with the spirit of Jamaican identity through the eyes of a daughter of the soil who has carried its heartbeat with her across continents.