Reggae Grammy split between Roots & Dancehall? The National Academy of Recording Artists and Sciences (NARAS) have turned down a request to split the reggae category into two, dancehall and roots. "We have made this request in the past, but this year there was a huge push for it involving all members of the committee making statements on behalf of the split," committee member Roger Steffens said. According to Steffens, this decision by NARAS is not the end of the issue, as the committee will be making another attempt in 2007. There are mixed reactions from industry players in local music circles, with jost in support of the additional reggae category. The president of the Jamaica Federation of Musicians (JFM), Desmond Young, said while he doesn't have a fundamental problem with the separation of the Grammy award, he cautioned that it might make a mockery of what was seen as a victory two years ago when a push was made to recognize dancehall as reggae. Young recalled that it was this initiative, of which he was a part, which partially paved the way for Sean Paul to win the Grammy. "Just recently, to get Sean Paul qualified, we had to lobby that dancehall and reggae is the same. So we may end up contradicting ourselves," warns the JFM president.

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BET Awards wants a Reggae Category? The BET awards show will next year introduce a category dedicated to reggae and Caribbean music. Stephen Hill, Executive Vice President for Entertainment and Music Programming at BET, made the disclosure during an interview backstage at the just concluded BET Awards, held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. Apparently, the success of reggae and Caribbean music on the international scene as well as BET's rotation of music videos from some of the region's top acts, augers well for the introduction of the category. Some of the Jamaican and Caribbean acts who have enjoyed heavy rotation on BET include Shabba Ranks, Super Cat, Patra, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Lady Saw, TOK, Sean Paul, Rupee, Kevin Lyttle, Rihanna and Damian Jr. Gong Marley. The BET Awards, which celebrated it’s sixth staging this year, honors superlative achievement in music, entertainment, sports and movies. It is not only the network's top-rated show, but also television's jost-watched awards program among African-American viewers.

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Shottas Makes its Big Screen Debut!  It's Official. The biggest bootleg movie of all times, hits the big screen on September 15th, 2006! The movie that has been nicknamed, The Jamaican Scarface, Shottas, will make its theatrical debut across the United States late summer. Distributed by Sony/Screen Gems, the official release of one of the jost popular movies ever with an all-star Caribbean cast is sure to become a box office hit. Cess Silvera, the writer, director, and producer of Shottas, is confident and proud of the finished masterpiece. "Shottas has been re-edited, and Stephen Marley has redone the music score. The movie is in new form. You've never seen Shottas like this before. Clarity, surround sound, quality, and you do not want to miss the opening three minutes. It's ridiculously sick. I can't even disclose the opening scene to you. Everyone just have to get to the theatre early,” quips Silvera. Fans should gear up for Shottas II.  The filming of part two takes place in October 2006, and is slated for an early 2007 release. Shottas stars, Ky-Mani Marley, Spragga Benz, Paul Campbell, Louie Rankin & Wyclef Jean.

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Local Happenings:

VP RECORDS presents the Soca Gold Album Release Party taking place on Saturday, July 29 at Solo on the Bay, 10880 Collins Ave, North Miami Beach. Ladies free & drink free before midnight. Comp T-shirts, cds and more 954-558-4804

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CULTURAMA 2006 takes place on Sunday, July 30th, at 7pm at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Drive. Featured performers include The Clonmel Cultural Club, Bethlehem Teachers Group, Peace Makers Mento Band, Jamaica Folk Revue, The Nomads and Malachai Smith. For more info contact Sydney Roberts of the Jamaica Awareness at (305) 891- 2944

That’s all for now, walk good til nex time.