TriniJungleJuice.com: Caribbean News and Views Archives | Your #1 Source for Caribbean Entertainment News

On November 24, 2005 from 6pm-10pm at The Courtyard by Marriott (Trinidad), Caribbean based Funsation4 made their Trinidad 2006 Carnival debut!... [Read Full Story]

That's right folks! The brand new pan-Caribbean channel from MTV Networks, TEMPO hits local television screens today, Wednesday, November 30, 2005.

Even as the nation prepares for the grand TEMPO launch event at MOBS2, Chaguaramas this Friday, December 2, viewers can tune in to TEMPO all day today for official information re: the launch and the channel itself.

TEMPO Founder, Frederick Morton (who is also Senior VP, Deputy General Counsel, MTV Networks, MTV Business & Legal Affairs) said:

"It's good to be in Trinidad & Tobago finally! I'm excited, we're excited… We've already serviced 12 Caribbean countries and we're happy to bring TEMPO to T&T at this time. We're looking forward to seeing what Trinidad & Tobago has to offer at the official launch event this Friday." [Read More]

Miami, FL -- This year, record breaking hurricanes has crippled the Central Gulf Coast and South Florida. Trinisouth Boyz Ent. and Rockers Island Entertainment Inc. has teamed up once again for the third annual Children’s Christmas Party & Toy Drive, on Sunday, December 4, 2005 at Bayside Hut; 3501 Rickenbacker Cswy, Key Biscayne, from 2pm to 9pm.

“Both hurricanes hit close to home for a lot of us. There are a lot of kids who are without toys for the holidays especially Louisiana, Mississippi and Miami. With a lot of homes destroyed, we at least want to put a smile on the children’s face when they get a present for Christmas,” said Marlon Whiteman, spokesperson for the Children’s Christmas Party & Toy Drive.

The event is a family affair that will feature a host of activities for both the children and adults to enjoy. Gregory Whiteman of Wassi Babes (age 10) was the brainchild behind this event. He always wanted to create a party where kids and adults could enjoy music and food for a good cause. Last year’s toy drive was surprised by TVT Records, Circle House Studios, 103.5 The Beat’s Papa Keith, Daed Jewels, BigMouth Marketing & Promotions and many more. Admission and refreshments are FREE but please bring an unwrapped toy to support the children victims of the recent hurricane disaster and Miami Children’s Hospital.

Sponsors include Delancy Hill P.A., City of Miami Fire Rescue, Bayside Hut and Miami Children’s Hospital.

The Caribbean's hottest Entertainment TV Show "The E-Zone" can now be seen in Toronto. The popular show which features the people, places, lifestyles and celebrities of the Caribbean and the West Indian Diaspora, now airs every Saturday at 1:00am on OMNI 1.

Although new to Toronto, the E-Zone has been airing throughout the Caribbean since 2002 and in fact, the team is moving into production for its 6th Season.

The E-Zone is owned and produced by Trinidadian TV Personality, Lisa Wickham and has showcased Caribbean festivals such as Toronto's Caribana, London's Notting Hill Carnival, Miami Carnival, as well as regional events such as the World Creole Music Festival in Dominica, Antigua Sailing Week, Crop Over - Barbados, Vincy Mas, St. Lucia Jazz, St. Maarten Carnival and Sailing Week and much more.

In 2005 Wickham decided to expand the presenting team (she and Radio/TV Presenter Jason Williams built up the fan base for the first 4 Seasons). Now the team includes Red 96.7FM radio personalities - Tamara "The Empress" Williams, Ancil "Blaze" Isaacs and Radio/TV presenter - Hans Des Vignes.

The E-Zone remains one of the most demanded TV programmes in the 15 territories in which it is aired in the Caribbean region. The show has featured several of the region's hottest stars such as Machel Montano, Rupee, Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Shurwayne Winchester, Allison Hinds, WCK of Dominica, El-A-Kru of Antigua, Haiti's Carimi, Vibz Cartel, Sean Paul, Maximus Dan, Destra Garica, Denise Belfon, Bunji Garlin, TOK, Adesh Samaroo, The Hitman, Krosfyah, in fact anyone who is anyone in the business as well as the upcoming stars.

According to Wickham, the E-Zone is reserved for the stars of the Caribbean first, "It is their home." However, international stars making appearances on the show included, Usher, Ashanti, Ja Rule, Sir Richard Branson, BET's AJ and Ludicris.

(Toronto, ON - November 18th, 2005) Toronto, Canada based urban lifestyle magazine Urbanology will launch in the United States bringing forth a Canadian perspective of that which is urban.

Launched in January 2005, Urbanology was founded by two young adults both under 25 years of age, Editor-in-Chief Priya Ramanujam and Creative Director Adrian McKenzie. Both hailing from the east side of Toronto where mainstream media tends to focus more on the negative aspects of the area, Priya and Adrian with the help of their staff.

“It feels great”, says McKenzie about the launch in the United States. “This is a positive business move for the company”.

“Above anything, we showcase what Canada has to offer in terms of its take on urban culture”, adds Ramanujam. “America has such a strong voice in Canada, especially with urban culture and now Canada will have a voice in the States.”

In the nine months Urbanology has been in publication, such high profile urban talents as Damon Dash, Common, Faith Evans, and Mobb Deep have graced its cover. The first issue to be shown in the United States will showcase hip-hop mogul Jermaine Dupri, with tributes to the entertainment scenes in Atlanta, Jamaica, and Toronto.

Not worried about the reception Urbanology may receive from our neighbors south of the border, Ramanujam explains with the promotion prior to October’s launch, the feedback has been positive with Americans being more open to Canada’s contribution to the urban lifestyle. “I’ve dealt with publicists in the States and received good feedback. Americans seem appreciative of what we’re trying to do.”

Urbanology will be available in Borders, Barnes and Noble, Hastings, and Mom and Pop convenient stores across the United States.

Urbanology is an urban lifestyle magazine that targets males and females aged 18 to 34 whose interests vary from sports, music, politics, entertainment, fashion and current events. The magazine is based out of Toronto, Canada and is distributed nationally across Canada and the U.S.

In front of one of the largest crowds ever at the Hasely Crawford Stadium at Mucurapo, TnT defeated Mexico to secure a playoff spot where they will fight for a ticket to the World Cup 2006. Trini Jungle Juice was at the game... [read more]

Consumed by the desire to share the breadth and wealth of culture and art of the twin isle republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidadian born Xolani Heylon sought a way to fill his void. Through a collaborative effort with Machiyo Kodaira, Xolani Heylon created Coskel University.

Coskel University represents the fusion of the Fashion cosmos with the flavor of the Caribbean. Culling elements from classic Caribbean culture, currently the Coskel University brand name is attached to a collection of canvas bags, vintage t-shirts, jeanswear, jackets inspired by Trinidad's police brigade, embellished sweatshirts, as well as other fashion accessories. Many of the pieces produced center on aspects of Trinibago folk culture, as well as paying homage to Trinidad & Tobago's trailblazing musical giants like the late Roaring Lion, the Mighty Sparrow, the late Lord Kitchener, David Rudder, and Shadow as well as others.

Coming soon will be the Winter 2006 collection featuring tees with images of the Mighty Sparrow, and others. For the 2006 summer collection, jeans will be introduced. Many of the pieces will be named after the cities they embody. For instance, the Diego Martin style jean will embody the sense of style that invokes the part of the Diego saga boy; thus the jean will have a straight and snugger fit. The Belmont style will be a bit looser and will capture the Belmont or Lavantille bad john that we have all grown accustomed to.

Since its inception, Coskel University has garnered a great deal of recognition in all avenues. Worn by the glitterati of Caribbean music industry, like David Rudder, Shawn Noel, Maximus Dan, "the Paginini of Steelpan," virtuoso Liam Teague, and 2003-2004 International Soca DJ, DJ Spice, just to name a few, insiders and trendsetters are supporting the brand. In October 2005, a documentary featuring the Coskel brand design and production process will air on MTV Tempo, a newly developed channel devoted to the Hispanic and Caribbean markets launching this month. The line is available online, and is currently distributed in many outlets both in and outside of the United States. The specialty stores carrying pieces of the collection include New York City 's Virgin Megastores, Untitled, and Studio Zone in Tokyo, Japan.

Thus far, Coskel University has gone above and beyond the expectations of its creators. It is the company's only hope that to continue to produce high quality goods that do justice to the wonder of the Caribbean and its people. Check out www.coskeluniversity.com to visualize!

R Magazine is here. A 100% local magazine that looks and feels completely different from every other Caribbean magazine you've ever read... Read Full Story

Hooters of America, Inc. new international franchise, Hooters of Trinidad, grand opening took place on October 4th, 2005. This location will join Hooters of Aruba in the Caribbean in this region of vast economic and commercial potential.

Carlos Bocas, Hooters of Trinidad spokesperson, stated: "Our Company had a vision of bringing the Hooters casual beach-theme restaurant to the Caribbean and today, that vision has become a reality. This investment underscores our belief in the Hooters brand and our confidence in the economic strength and long-term growth potential of the Caribbean region."

"Trinidad & Tobago has very strong economic and cultural ties to the United States and the introduction of this brand is just another step in the evolutionary process of forming a Global Village."

"There are many similarities between the atmosphere in a Hooters restaurant and a Caribbean island and there is no better place to enjoy a beach-themed restaurant such as Hooters, than in fun-loving Trinidad & Tobago!"

The first Hooters location opened its doors about 21 years ago, and today there are over 370 locations. It didn't take long for the concept to catch on in the United States followed by successful international expansion. Hooters is well known for its brand of food and fun, featuring a casual beach-theme atmosphere, a menu that features seafood, sandwiches and Hooters' signature spicy chicken wings, and service provided by the All-American cheerleaders, the Hooters Girls.

Finally, the brand synonymous with premier events around the globe marries their talent with mas. Just after sunset on August 5, 2005, at Zen’s Rooftop, ISLANDpeople gave media a glimpse of their premier presentation, The Enchanted Forest. The glimpse felt like a tease – lead by the hostess and PR talents of beauty queen Danielle A. Jones and we breathlessly now await the more that ISLANDpeople Mas will be come Carnival 2006.

“Over the years we have strived to give patrons premier, all inclusive experiences at our events. The mas bug has been biting us for some time.” Say directors of ISLANDpeople. “ After years of participating in Carnival and appreciating the mas, we felt the need to add our own touch to complement what already exists in a different, refreshing, exciting way. Now, surrounded by talent and creative energy, we have created the family and spirit that is ISLANDpeople Mas.”

Although it is an outgrowth of ISLANDpeople, ISLANDpeople Mas is a separate entity. The ISLANDpeople Mas team is a synergy of groups who have brought their strengths in entertainment, mas design/ creation, event management, food and beverage and customer service management to give revelers the , ISLANDpeople Mas experience.

Engendered from the shared vision of bringing magic to Carnival, the ISLANDpeople Mas team harnesses the creative energies of a group of friends who share a passion for the splendor that is Trinbago Carnival. The creative energies of ISLANDpeople Mas include the talents of lead designers:

Sandra Hordatt
An artist and seasoned costume designer for Dynasty Mas of Aquamena and Atlantis fame, Hordatt’s creative and high impact designs have been demanded both locally and internationally for more than a decade.

Dianne Hunt
A radical designer, Hunt has successfully married her love for mas and fashion. Not afraid to experiment, she is a stickler for quality, consistency and attention to detail.

Marlon Grant and Tisha Neilson
The design team of Galvanize Entertainment, these two have been known for producing original designs such as Kwan Yin and Discomania. Their costumes have been featured in magazines and international music videos (Kevin Lyttle).

Darren Cheewah
Bursting with creativity, Cheewah embodies the sprit of a true artist and possess the hands of a genius. Art flows through his veins, and he has become known for capturing Carnival front stage, on film, on paper, and in the mas.

The design input of many others will also pollinate the Forest. While additional information on the mysteries of the ISLANDpeople Mas 2006 presentation will be revealed at the band launch next month, let’s just say some international names like Lara, Rupee, Baj International have already expressed interest in being part of The Enchanted Forest.

Montreal, QC (June 1, 2005) - At last! A Canadian based program for Reggae and Soca music lovers! In The Zone - premiering June 10th at 11:00pm on CH/Global - is a 30 minute informative and entertaining program that highlights the flourishing Reggae and Soca scenes in Montreal, Canada and internationally. In The Zone is the only broadcast initiative in Montreal that exclusively reflects Caribbean arts and entertainment.

In The Zone is a weekly exposé of the various aspects of Reggae and Soca music and culture. The show features entertainment news and interviews with the most legendary to the hottest up and coming artists on the Reggae and Soca scenes. Shot on location in Canada and the Caribbean, interviews in the first season include: Elephant Man, Beenie Man, Barron, Machel Montano, Traffik, Iwer George, Marcia Griffiths and Sugar Minott. In The Zone also features music videos, and fashion and lifestyle segments reflective of current trends in Montreal and abroad.

The climate in Montreal was right to set off this project. Montreal has long been acknowledged as a culturally diverse city and in the recent past has shown a strong desire for accessibility to the Reggae and Soca genres. In 2004, the city hosted Canada's first international reggae festival and saw the 30th anniversary of the Caribbean Carifiesta parade. In addition, Montreal also played host to several international Reggae and Soca bands in sold out venues. "There just seemed to be so much momentum," says co-producer Lisa J. "We all knew that it was the right time for In The Zone."

In The Zone was created by Reggae and Soca TV (RASE TV) a production company founded by Montrealers Lisa "Lisa J" Joseph and Valentine "Prymtym" Latty. Both have translated their passion and solid backgrounds in radio into this unique show. Co-producer Prymtym expresses, "To me it was a natural progression. After working for over 10 years in radio, TV just seems like the next natural step for us."

CH/Global execs were so impressed with In The Zone that it was able to land the coveted prime time slot of 11:00pm-11:30pm, right before David Letterman.

Don't miss the premiere episode of In The Zone this June 10th at 11:00pm featuring Freddie McGregor.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Viacom Inc.'s MTV Networks on Tuesday said it plans to launch a Caribbean music and culture cable network by October 2005 across the region, and in North America by 2006.

The new advertising supported network, called Tempo, will feature originally produced shows as well as acquired movies, specials and series to be distributed by Innovation Cable TV and other distributors by October.

Viacom did not specify which operators would carry the channel in North America.

Tempo adds to Viacom's roster of cable networks, including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET and Spike.

Cable & Wireless will be a charter sponsor for the network and will let its cell phone users download ring tones and wallpaper from Tempo in a three-year exclusive agreement.

Reigning Calypso Monarch of London and UK's Soca Queen Wendy Lewis aka Wen'D alongside Nicole Bernard have teamed up to unite the Caribbean in true West Indian style. They have formerly opened Khalabash Limited, a catering company in East London. Khalabash Crew will be catering ALL cuisines.

Khalabash Crew will be having its Launch Lime in the form of a Curry Q on Saturday 4th June at the Welbourne Centre in North London.

Further Khalabash Dates:- Sat 16th July - BBQ / Sun 14th August - Creole Splash All Inclusive!
For further info email | www.socawendy.com

Comedy At It's Best
by Andre C.Y. Choo Quan
Posted 04-09-05

A friend sent me a clip from one of Russell Peters stand ups on the Comedy Network, and it literally had me in stitches. At the time I honestly had no clue who Russell Peters was, but knew that I just had to see this guy perform in person. So said, so done. Russell, along with special guests, came to Toronto to do two shows in the first week of April. The Trini Jungle Juice team grabbed the last couple of seats for the April 6th show. Tickets were sold out within a couple of days after being released for general sale to the public. No lie... we couldn't even get seating together!

The show was hosted by Trinidadian-born comedian, Jean Paul, who did an excellent job in keeping the very diverse, young, hip crowd entertained and lively. Big up JP! The other three special guest comedians were all very funny, and each gave the crowd a different taste of humour. The common theme for the night was the fact that all comedians had a very unique cultural background. Just having to announce all the comedians in the same sentence sounds like the beginning of a joke... a Trini (Jean Paul), a Canadian/Filipino (Ron Josol), a Japanese/Indian (Daniel Nainan), a Canadian/Jamaican (whose name I cannot remember from Adam at the moment) and then of course Russell.

After the intermission, the big name on the ticket made his way to the stage. And just when the crowd thought they were incapable of laughing any more, Russell was quick to let them know what time it was with his witty, yet very silly (of course, silly in a good way) humour! I actually felt sorry for one of his front row seating victims aka "Qwock", who actually had Russell himself cracking up at his own impromptu jokes. At the end of his stand up, I felt like Russell could have performed for another hour or two... he is just straight up hysterical! NOW Magazine (Toronto) sums up Russell best, “He's controversial, silly, cerebral, profane, eloquent, a fine mimic, purposefully self-effacing and proves time after time his ability to whip up a crowd. Russell Peters pounds out wild and crazy mayhem that packs an insidious political wallop."

Overall, great show! My only complaint is not having Russell perform longer. Take it from the Trini Jungle Juice Team, if you have an opportunity to see Russell Peters live, just do it! He's mashing up sold out shows all over the world. Don't want to take our word for it, check out these videos... Oh, here are a few all access Backstage Photos after the show. Large up JP for taking care of Trini Jungle Juice!

"My great granny always said, 'If you want to know a black woman, you touch her hair.' She said that is where we carry everything - all our hopes, our dreams, our pain." - Novelette, in 'da Kink in my Hair

Trini Jungle Juice and Friends of the Juice say this is a MUST SEE HIT PLAY! We rate this play a five thumbs up (yes that's on a scale of 5)! So, if you in or passing through Toronto, be sure to have on your entertainment list... especially to get your mind off this winter chill.

The name of the song is called Time Fuh Germany and a couple of the guys in Trini are promoting it right now. They are asking for everyone to forward it to as many Trinis as you can, and TriniJungleJuice.com telling everyone to big it off! Forward... forward... forward... like you gone mad!

Tobago Named Caribbean's Leading Destination
TIDCO News - November 24, 2004

The Tourism and Industrial Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited is pleased to confirm that Tobago was named the Caribbean’s Leading Destination at this year’s World Travel Awards, held during World Travel Market in London earlier this month.

This isn't your typical Caribbean or West Indian 'raggazine' either, as it delves into politics, exclusive nightspots, restaurants and other places of business, while touching on Spanish, French and the English speaking people throughout the Caribbean and America.

In the premiere issue, even Carnival in T&T or Jamaica's unquestionable music influence on popular culture is touched on, while a deep overview of Haiti from it's first day of independence to now, is enough to make you sympathize.... and did you know LL Cool J had close family ties to a Caribbean isle?

Peep the first issue for FREE, just by signing up to the mailing list when you log on:
www.socamagazine.com and you'll be mailed a copy free. Spread the word!

Marlon Regis is a columnist for The Beat Magazine under the alias "Mr. Marlon" and a staff writer for HipHopSite.Com - He continues to be a contributing writer to magazines such as The Source, Complex, Upscale, Jointz, S.O.C.A. and other web sites such as HipHopdx.com, thaformula.com, Jahworks.org and is a music-consultant for select Specialty channels for DMX Music, Inc.

Next issue will be a Music Special Issue - with a nice feature on Soca music of today! Kevin Lyttle, Machel, Bunji, Rupee, etc.