News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Feb. 10, 2017: Here are the top stories making news on the Caribbean entertainment scene for the week-ending Feb. 10, 2017.
Grammy’s
It’s the Grammy weekend and five Caribbean artists are up for Grammy Awards. Ziggy Marley, Devin the Dakta, J.L, Raging Fyah and Rihanna have all been nominated for the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Rihanna has eight nominations this year including for Record of the Year. Marley, Devin the Dakta, J.L. and Raging Fyah are the only Caribbean artists nominated for a Reggae Grammy this year. The other nominees in that category are Americans Rebelution, J. Boog, and SOJA.
The Grammy’s will be broadcast live on CBS from the Staples Center at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Award-winning television personality and performer James Corden is set to host the event.
Azealia Banks Feuds With Rihanna Over Trump
Fans of Rihanna, especially immigrant and Caribbean fans, need to immediately banish any of Azealia Banks’ music from their devices. Bisexual Banks, who is surprisingly a huge fan of Donald Trump, took to Instagram to slam Rihanna’s political views and speak out in support of the controversial travel ban.
It all began when Rihanna criticized Trump’s offensive ‘Muslim ban’ in a scathing Twitter post that stated: “Disgusted! The news is devastating! America is being ruined right before our eyes! What an immoral pig you have to be to implement such BS!!”
Banks responded with: “As far as Rihanna (who isn’t a citizen, and can’t vote) and all the rest of the celebrities who are using their influence to stir the public, you lot really REALLY need to shut up and sit down.”
“Stop chastising the president. It’s stupid and pathetic to watch. All of these confused people confuse other confused people. Hoping the president fails is like getting on an airplane and hoping the pilot crashes. What makes you think, the USA is going to enter the Middle East destroy a bunch of shit and pull out without any real repercussions????”
Rihanna posted to her own Instagram in an apparent response to Banks, although she did not mention the rapper by name. She captioned a photo of herself with “the face you make when you a immigrant” and the hashtags “#stayawayfromthechickens #iheartnuggets #saveourhens.”
The hashtags may have been in reference to a video of Banks that purportedly showed a room where she performed animal sacrifices.
The two went back and forth several more times. Banks posted a screenshot of Rihanna’s Instagram (now deleted) and captioned it with lewd comments. Rihanna then posted another cryptic Instagram of a person with an American flag covering their face, captioning it, “the face you make when you screaming in an empty room.” She then shared Rihanna’s phone number and added the caption: “Bombs away!”
Rihanna for her part retorted by posting a screen shot of a series of texts she got from the 212 singer which accused her of being a sex addict, and made sure to not hide Bank’s number.
Rihanna, meanwhile, will be on the cover of the March edition of Harper’s Bazaar.
Haitian American Singer Clashes With AA
Haitian American Pop singer Jason Derulo clashed with AA over a baggage bill this week. The 30-year-old musician was traveling with a group of people to LAX when they were involved in a heated dispute with American Airlines over checked luggage. Derulo and the group had boarded the plane when the ‘Talk Dirty’ singer became upset when he found out the bill for 19 checked bags was $4,000. On Instagram, Derulo said it was “racial discrimination.”
American Airlines said flight 275 returned to the gate prior to departure and a passenger elected to deplane in order to travel with their checked bags. “The passenger was rebooked with his checked bags on a later flight this evening. No one was arrested during the incident.”
Derulo and the group were able to board a later flight to Los Angeles.
Katy Perry Reggae
Katy Perry has began teasing a new song coming out today, Friday, Feb. 10th “Chained to the Rhythm,” from initial promos, featured a reggae/dance hybrid sound, which according to Billboard, lends credence to rumors that the new song features Bob Marley grandson Skip Marley. Skip Marley just signed to Island Records and released his own track “Lions” last Friday. Perry even took to Twitter to shout out Skip’s new song, calling him “the voice of our REVOLUTION.” Perry will perform at the Grammy Awards alongside The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, Bruno Mars and many, many more.
Nicki Minaj Faux Pregnancy
Trinidad-born rapper Nicki Minaj sure knows how to make the headlines. The rapper sent fans and the media into a frenzy this week after posting a Photoshopped image of herself heavily pregnant.
“ATBIMS. Ya’ll so childish … I was gonna wait to share the news but…” Minaj captioned the image posted on Instagram.
The posting comes as Minaj Nicki earned her 71st appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 for Party Next Door. That is one more than Taylor Swift.
Miss Haiti Media Tour
Miss Haiti Universe, Raquel Pelissier, may not have won the Miss Universe pageant but the stunning first runner up was heating things up in Miami this week. Pelissier was in Miami doing a media blitz including on Latin TV and she also made an appearance at the Caribbean Marketplace at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex late last week. It has been 42 years since the Haiti had a runner-up in the pageant. That contestant was Gerthie David in 1975. Pelissier also received the key to the city of Miami and appeared on Despierta América!, an American Spanish language morning television show that airs on Univision TV.
