Stephen Souza Performs with Legends Horace Andy and Brigadier Jerry in New York

New York’s Stephen Souza is a legend in his own right as he is one of the few artists who can say they worked closely with greats such as the Crown Prince of Reggae, Dennis Brown.  With that legendary status, promoter Queen Doreen and Lady Cynthia didn’t hesitate to add the artist to their show Roots Rock Reggae.

Taking place on Saturday December 1^st, 2012 at the Jamexpol Sports club (3455 Baychester Ave, Bronx, NY), the evening features the vocals of living Reggae legends Horace Andy and Brigadier Jerry, as well as supporting artists Peter Sancho, Lady Ali and Gumbae Culture.  Music will be supplied by another living legend, Tony Screw of Downbeat the Ruler.

During rehearsals for the show, Stephen said “to sing with a classic like Horace Andy and Brigadier Jerry is a real honor.  There is nothing like real Roots Reggae so this will be a night of history and one the people won’t soon forget!”

Stephen’s recent releases, “Sounds Explosions” and “That is How Much” have been doing very well with radio programmers around the world.  Closer to home, Ruppie T, Plummie, Super T and Dr. J from WVKR 91.3 FM have all been showing Stephen a lot of support.  “Stephen has been doing his thing for years,” said Ruppie T “and it’s his time now to shine.  He has the voice and the stage presence and he’s one of New York’s best talents.  We wish him the best!”

Stephen’s 2010 Album Revisited, current album Sounds Explosion and single That is How Much are available on iTunes.

Billboard Artist Popcaan Guyana to Jamaica to Zimbabwe!

Dancehall artiste, Popcaan, has a very busy season ahead as he prepares to debut recently shot music videos, fulfills engagements both overseas and at home, while putting in some quality time in studio on his first album project.

The artiste, who has made the Caribbean his home this year, will quite appropriately spend Christmas in Guyana where he is scheduled to perform on December 25. With many of his songs doing exceptionally well on that mainland territory, Popcaan is definitely the ‘Ravin’ King’ in Guyana, a country which holds a special place in his heart.

“The people are so friendly ….it feels just like home. The fans there have a special place in their heart for me,” he said as he pulled out his brightest smile. 

Of course, fans at home will not be left out and Papi, as he is affectionately called, is set to make a supreme performance on what is dubbed the greatest one-night reggae/dancehall show on earth – Sting. The annual December 26 treat is shaping up to be quite an occasion this year and Popcaan is good and ready. He has an arsenal of hit songs, old and current, which cater to both the girls who love to gyrate and his 'rude bwoy' fans who see Popcaan as their role model and mentor.

Known in some quarters as the Gaza Prefect, Papi has matured significantly during this year, and with his ever-expanding stature as an artiste, he defies being pigeon-holed, but reiterates that his loyalty remains unchanged. For him, Sting will not be a showdown in any shape or form, it will simply present a chance for the artiste to show his mettle and thrill his fans on a show that has the reputation of catering to patrons who are “hard to please”.

“We have the songs and we have the package and I am looking forward to performing on Sting 2012,”Popcaan declared.

Right after Sting, Papi will pack his bags and head out to Zimbabwe, where reggae legend Bob Marley and the Wailers performed in April 1980 at the official Independence Ceremony, at the invitation of the newly elected president Robert Mugabe. Many reggae acts have since performed in Zimbabwe and Popcaan has every intention of being a great musical ambassador as rings in the New Year with his first performance on African soil.

CECILE TO PERFORM IN DUBAI!

International recording artiste Bad Gyal CeCile is eagerly anticipating her trip to Dubai on December 1st.  “I am excited about going, it’s always a great experience to visit different cultures to see how the music is penetrating those markets, and I am definitely looking forward to the trip,” she said in a release.

She will perform at the Majestic Hotel's Music Room and judging by the fan response on Twitter, her fans are all "waiting" impatiently for the arrival of Jamaica’s ‘bad gyal’.

A tireless recording artiste known for her distinct swagger and up-to-the-minute street vocabulary, Cecile has barely missed a beat since becoming pregnant and having her baby girl on August 27th. And now that she has returned to music full time, the dividends are already paying off.

Reggae music critics and insiders have been raving about her new reggae tracks, "If You" and "Girl on the Side" which have been enjoying a lot of airplay. Another single, the dancehall-flavoured "Put It Deh" CeCile is bombing FM radio into submission, leaving many to wonder how she has been able to seamlessly re-enter the competitive industry at such a high level.

The Bad Gyal mom worked throughout her pregnancy (up to 7 months) so few people realized she was actually pregnant.

“I didn't do a lot of club shows because my fan base expects me to be sexy, I focused instead on doing festivals where the emphasis is more on the music,” she said.

Now, she is back at her sexy best.

Only two months after giving birth, the energetic diva wowed thousands of people during her first gig at the National Arena in Jamaica on October 15th. Her virtuoso performance during the homecoming for the Jamaican Olympic athletes dubbed "Jamaica's Music History Honoring Our Olympic" emphatically announced her return to music.

“I loved the reception of the audience, it was great,” she said.  CeCile, a homegrown star from Manchester who attended Bishop Gibson High school, landed two major international collaborations this year, both of which were released during her pregnancy. One was the sexed-up party song "Boys Boys" with Brazilian Group Bonde Do Role which was produced by Mad Decent and Diplo.

“Diplo sent me the track, and it was just a blank track and he asked to lay down some vocals about boys, the band vocals were not even there yet, and the song just took off,” she said.

The other was the offbeat and funky ‘Galaxies and Stars’ with Doctor P wowed Europe as another massive dub step banger in the vein of her radio hit Gold Dust which, coincidentally, is now back on BBC's 1xtra A playlist.  “Dubstep is big in the UK, and the ‘Galaxies and Stars’ did well, but it is the Gold Dust song which has really taken off, it was even played at the NBA All Star game earlier this year,” she said.

Cecile was unable to appear in the videos for the international collaborations as she was pregnant at the time of the shoots.

She performed in St. Maarten on November 17 for the annual Boardwalk Festival along with Steel Pulse and returned to fan favourite Guadeloupe on November 24.

Expect a huge tour announcement for the badgyal for the 2013 season and a slew of new reggae releases including hits from super producer Chrome on his Cardiac Series, ZJ Liquid, Johnny Wonda on Corna Shop, G Money's Prime (Kenya) to name a few!

KRIAN MUSIC GROUP ANNOUNCES SIGNING OF RASTA-ROCK ARTIST, MOJO MORGAN

Krian Music Group, a full service independent record label, announces the signing of “Rasta-Rock” artist and Morgan Heritage percussionist/vocalist, Mojo Morgan. “New Dawn,” the lead single off Morgan’s full-length, solo debut will be available digitally on December 4.

Mojo Morgan is used to being in the spotlight, but it is from his personal and medical life that Mojo recently found himself thrust in the media. Amidst recording with his siblings on their latest album, the youngest band member was rushed to the hospital. A combination of personal stress and viral infection gave Mojo time for reflection while hospitalized, and in an ironic "Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life" his recent single "New Dawn" took an even deeper meaning. 

No rest for the weary as Mojo Morgan announces that he has signed with Krian Music Group and is focusing and going full speed ahead with his solo career.

Mojo Morgan has been signed with top independent publishing company, The Royalty Network, since 2006. When searching for a label to release his debut solo album, Morgan looked to The Royalty Network’s independent label, Krian Music Group.

"Signing to Krian Music comes at a time in my career when getting my music to the right audience is key, mainly because of my diverse sound.  With Krian, the dream becomes a reality and we look forward to achieving our goal of providing good music for people from all walks of life," remarked Morgan.  "After fighting through a near life threatening encounter as I did last month, you tend to revamp your outlook on life. My single "New Dawn" has become more relevant in my personal life.  I hope to provide listeners with a vehicle to always look on the brighter side of a bad situation and the song gives me a second chance at doing just that."

Morgan’s “Rasta Rock” combines Alternative, Reggae, and hip-hop music with Top 40 hits.  The lead single, “New Dawn”, represents the “Rasta Rock” movement perfectly, drawing inspiration from those diverse genres. The uplifting track, which samples Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good,” has an old school vibe mixed with a contemporary beat. 

"New Dawn," featuring Mojo’s brother, Peetah Morgan, has garnered success from Jamaica to Ghana, Miami, New York and San Francisco, boasting impressive radio airplay in those markets.

“Mojo's a real workhorse of an artist.  He truly gets what it takes to be successful as an Artist and is as hungry as we are to make his release a hit,” stated Frank Liwall, President and Founder of The Royalty Network and Krian Music Group. “’New Dawn’ is the perfect introduction, as it reflects Mojo's true Alternative side.”

About Krian Music Group

Krian Music Group is a full service independent record label group based in New York City. The label mission is to fully support, develop, protect and collect on behalf of our artists. Across a diverse genre of music, we work to further artists’ long-term careers by finding new and exciting opportunities for their commercial success across multiple platforms with the ability to provide a solid foundation for that growth. www.krianmuscgroup.com

Nick Cannon Inks First-Look Deal With NBC!

By:  Lesley Goldberg - THR

The America's Got Talent host has inked a first-look production deal with NBC to develop scripted and unscripted fare for the network.

“We are gratified to know that this new agreement will expand our successful working relationship with Nick beyond ‘America’s Got Talent’ and allow him to further draw on his notable creative instincts,” NBC Entertainment alternative and late-night programming president Paul Telegdy said. “Nick already has produced content for many entertainment genres and formats, and we look forward with great anticipation to his cutting-edge ideas in the months to come.”

Under the pact, Cannon will return as host for America's Got Talent, which remains NBC's top-rated summer competition series.

"Working closely with Paul Telegdy and the folks at NBC has been incredibly rewarding. I am thrilled to expand my role and contributions by creating original programming for the NBC Universal team," Cannon said.

Cannon, repped by ICM Partners, Michael Goldman and Del Shaw, also has live-action sketch comedy series Incredible Crew due in January on Cartoon Network. NCredible Entertainment, founded in 2009 by Cannon, produces MTV's docuseries Son of a Gun as well as TeenNick's annual Halo Awards. Cannon also recently inked a deal with MTV2 to revive improv sketch comedy series Wild 'n Out.