Duppy caught on tape?

A clip from the video which shows a mass leaving from a window in Tivoli Gardens. Residents claim this mass is a ghost. Residents of Tivoli Gardens in west Kingston believe that a ‘duppy’ has been haunting their community and now they say they have proof.The existence of the ghost has become a hot topic on the lips of residents, as well as others who have viewed a video clip which was reportedly recorded at a dance which was recently held in the area.

The video clip begins with a handful of dancers on the top of a high rise building in the community during one of their entertainment events. At about 12 seconds into the clip a black mass suddenly floats through a window in a section of the building. This many are claiming is a ghost.

“Is a good while now people a seh duppy deh bout di place still…Even before di video weh people have pon dem phone start go roun,” said Markie.

When THE STAR visited the community, some residents admitted to believing that a duppy is indeed in the community. Others however expressed their disbelief to any such happening.

‘Black mass’According to some residents, the ‘black mass’ is the spirit of one of the five men which were reportedly shot and killed after they allegedly fired at a joint police/military team which had swooped down on the area on January 13.The dead men 23-year-old Fitzroy Daley, 18-year-old Conrad Francis, 22-year-old Oneil Palmer and 20-year-old Ronaldo Mitchell all of Tivoli Gardens addresses, were reportedly killed while in a house in a section of the community called Yankee Corner.

The Controvercial Ghost Clip

According to the residents, while they have seen the ghost on other occasions there is still uncertainty about its identity.

“All now nobody nuh si him face eno, so nobody cyaa seh a which one a di yute dem duppy it be,” said Carol who claimed to have seen the ghost.

In continuing Carol said; “Wi only kno seh is a man duppy cause a di body frame, an a dat everybody who see him seh. Nobody nuh see him face cause him back always turn.”

Another resident, Fay, said that since the ghost sightings, there have been reports of strange sounds coming form sections of the community where no one lives.

Strange sounds”Yu si di house weh dem dead inna, a nuff night people seh dem a pass an hear all kind a strange soun a come from in deh. Most a dem say it soun like somebody a bawl but everybody fraid fi go investigate,” she claimed.But despite these sightings, the residents claim that they are not afraid.

They say that it has not hurt of frightened anyone so they assume it is only temporarily wandering about.

“Mi nuh hear bout nobody a seh it frighten dem or nuttin like dat still…It look like him jus a walk bout inna him place til him go hol a final rest,” Carol said.

Nevertheless, there are those who believe that what their fellow residents are claiming to see is simply a figment of their imagination.

A mob, of about 20 people in the town of Mandeville, reportedly promised a violent attack on the men, and on Tuesday, they fulfilled that promise.

The group broke into the home of the men and attacked them, authorities told The Associated Press. One man had his left ear severed, his arm broken in two places and his spine possibly damaged; the other man, who was chased from their home, has not been found, according to the report.

This is just the latest incident in the island’s long history of violence against gays and lesbians

Just last year, a crowd of about 2,000 people, including teens and small children, stoned three gay men [pictured above].  In April 2006, students rioted at the University of the West Indies and attacked an alleged gay student. In December 2005, a Kingston mob chased an alleged gay. Fearful of the crowd, he jumped into the water and drowned.

The Jamaican Forum for Lesbians, All-sexual and Gays (JFLAG) says it is time for the government to do something to protect gays and lesbians.

“While Jamaican police have begun to reach out to gay and lesbian communities, this change hasn’t reached many police stations, where protection remains an illusion,” Rebecca Schleifer, HIV/AIDS advocate at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement to AP.

However, police spokeswoman Camika Parker disagrees. She told AP that everyone on the island receives the same level of police protection.

Jamaica has a colonial-era law on the books that bans sex between men.

Should laws banning sex between men be taken off the books?  Have

Dwayne Mcleod, Staff Reporter

Men from sections of Dunkirk in east Kingston have waged war against dancehall artiste Carlton ‘Spragga Benz’ Grant, THE STAR has learnt.

Information reaching THE STAR says the deejay has become the centre of attraction in an ongoing war in the community with men sending constant threats to him and his colleagues.

Spragga was unavailable for comment but a source close to him informed THE STAR about the current happenings.

The source, a native of a section of the community known as ‘Red Square’, said men from McIntyre Villa (more known as ‘Site’), Black Street, Bryden Street and Maiden Street have made it clear that they want Spragga dead or out of the community.

It was said that several threats have been issued to the deejay and colleagues around him.

“Di man dem all a sen’ threat, seh anybody who dem see a par roun’ di artiste or a chat to him a guh get bullet,” the source said.

Those threats are seemingly more than just words however, as men, alleged to be in the circles of Spragga, have reportedly been killed.

Detectives from the East Kingston CIB explained that there are at least five reported killings in the area, but motives are yet to be established.

But residents say they are well aware of the motives for the men’s death.

“Dem seh nobody neva did fi go ‘Bally’ funeral and seh nuh nine night neva did fi keep. See it deh, people go di funeral and since that ’bout five youth dead,” a resident pointed out.

It was said that ‘Bally’ was a close colleague of Spragga who died moments after having a conversation with the artiste who, fortunately, left the scene in time.

In addition, it was told to THE STAR that threats on Spragga’s life, were politically motivated.

‘War’ song

According to the source, the situation took a turn for the worse when the deejay recorded Anti-corruption, a social commentary said to include the names of alleged corrupt individuals.

“Da tune release ’bout two months before election and is like it touch a nerve, since it release things get obvious,” the source said.

“Spragga a good youth still, a jus’ through di artiste a bun out di politician dem … Mi roll wid everybody and mi neva see or hear seh Spragga a instigate no foolishness,” one known thug who spoke on condition of anonymity explained.

Amidst the threats and obvious danger, Spragga has remain calm. “Dem man deh seh a Jah a him security eno, him nuh scared him just a tek it one day at a time,” the source claimed.

Some residents of the war-torn community expressed to THE STAR that while Spragga is not known to be a violent individual, they are bracing for what may spiral into an all out war.

“Spragga deal wid di youths dem good, no matter weh dem come from, him cool like dat. Him nuh haffi do nuttin still eno, di yute dem round him ago defen him to di max an a deh so di big war ago bruck out,” one resident explained.

Meanwhile, the police say they have heard rumours of the situation but no formal reports have been made.

“If it is a case where Mr. Grant’s life is being threatened then he needs to make a report in his best interest. If not, the police will not be summoned until himself or someone around him is hurt,” Detective Corporal Malcolm Greene of the East Kingston CIB explained.

02-Dec-07 | by K’riq

At 4:30 this morning, Jamaican dancehall artiste Mavado’s birthday celebration was cut short when a strong contingent of soldiers, police officers and helicopters swooped in and shut it down. The officers searched everyone at the venue.

No one could leave the venue as the officers locked all the exits, they found a number of guns on the ground of the venue and a truck outside had young men handcuffed in the back.

Mavado’s birthday celebration was at Temple Hall in Jamaica seemed to have been gearing towards a great event as the smaller acts were holding their own just before the officers invaded the venue. The bigger acts didn’t get a chance to perform

Beres Hammond smiles a wry, wise smile when The Sunday Gleaner dares to refer to the event he has planned for Sunday, December 30, at the National Indoor Sports Complex, as a ‘show’.  He may have heard it before, when the concept was being discussed and the search was on for a name.  Not really a show  ”I said is not really a show I want to do. I want to something that if is that one moment in time I do it, it feel good. They just picked up on it and said that is a title that,” he said.

“We not even waan call it a show. Is one of those moments, where I can’t say next year I am going to do it,” Hammond said. ‘Beres come to the folks with level of orchestration the songs were given live.”  And when he says ‘orchestration’ he does not mean coordination. He means a real orchestra. “I did start off the recordings with a whole heap of musicians in the studio; string section, big brass section and all them ting deh. Willie Lindo was the one who orchestrated all that,” Hammond said. “We never really got the chance to reproduce all that vibe on-stage and it is something I really longed to do.”

He named Cedric Brooks, Glen DaCosta and David Madden among the hornsmen in those early recording sessions at Aquarius in Half-Way Tree. And as he describes the demeanour of the classically trained musicians, acting out their upright carriage and quiet, disciplined stance, Beres Hammond becomes a delighted actor, eyes flashing in delight at the memory.  ”We will have a full orchestra, 20-something piece. Most of them a fly from Harlem and we are going to be adding some of our local classical people to that. All that will be conducted by Peter Ashbourne,” he said about the upcoming ‘Moment’.
 
It will be a first for Beres Hammond locally, but it has been done before. “Me actually did perform with the orchestra abroad – the garden, Jersey and Florida. They were all beautiful moments, so I would like to do it yasso. Yasso a de bes place fe do it,” Beres Hammond said.  Of course, the reggae root will not be left out, as “the band will be there. The band a play along with everything”.

Michelle Downer aka D’Angel may have been down (a bit), but she certainly isn’t out. The former runway model has made a phenomenal comeback since her recently publicised split with ex-hubby Moses ‘Beenie Man’ Davis in her video Blaze. The video features sexy-fitted outfits, flawless runway performances and well-choreographed dance moves. Trust TEENage when we say that Blaze is a sure jaw-dropper. The video speaks volumes about D’Angel and how she approaches and handles her failures by using them as a stepping stone to gain success. D’Angel dragged herself away from her dinner (not to mention her playtime with cute little Marco-Dean) late Sunday night to give an exclusive interview to TEENage. Here’s what she had to say:

TEENage: What is the concept behind the video Blaze?
D’Angel (DA): I wanted fashion, the runway, lights, camera! It was a throwback feel to my modelling career. I envisioned what the video should be and I took that vision to Kimala ‘Lala’ Bennett, who brought it to life. The choreographed dances came to life and that is what I am most proud of.

TEENage: How much was the budget for the making of the video?
DA: (Laughs). It was a very high, high budget video. The video speaks for itself so that should go without saying (Laughs).

TEENage: How has the response from the people been towards Blaze?
DA: Tremendous. Great, great, great. It has been getting crazy press and publicity all over. It premiered on E-strip Hitlist about two weeks ago and already it’s at number 5 on the charts. Right now everyone is in awe because they have never seen anything like this coming out of Jamaica and it is going to propel me to another level.

TEENage: What advice would you offer to TEENage girls who are part of your market?
DA: Firstly, I would just like to thank them for their support. I want them to pursue their dreams and know that it takes hardwork to get to this level. They are my fans and they’re growing with me so I’m going to continue to do my good music for them. Keep rooting for D’Angel! One more thing to add to that on a more pressing note, early teen pregnancy doh mek it. If you can’t abstain then use birth control.

TEENage: It is known that you now only cater to women at Angel’s. How are things at the store?
DA: Pretty OK. The store has been around for a while so it doing fairly well. We’re still carrying the latest and hottest fashions. We are still located at Princeville Plaza, shop number 30, so mek sure you check it out because down deh ah blaze. If you liked the fashion trends in my video then, you can check out Angels and buy anyone, because they are all available there.