Buzzz Magazine

In life there are obstacles and burdens that we have to overcome. However, in order to do so, patience, an open mind and faith are required. As simple as this philosophy may sound, it's difficult to remain positive through hard times.

Jah 'Iyah' Cure, a man whose name represents the cleansing and purging of harmful and disturbing situations, has remained positive throughout his struggle and is now reaping the sweet joy of the thing he has most longed for - freedom. July 28, 2007 marked a new beginning for 29-year-old artiste born Siccature Alcock.

"Give thanks for life, God is good," a now free Jah Cure humbly stated after serving over eight years in the dungeons of Jamaica's penile system.

Jah Cure built his career from behind bars, putting out four albums and garnering various number one hits over the course of a few short years. Chief among them are "Jamaica", which hit #1 in the United Kingdom and "Longing For" on the Drop Leaf rhythm, which topped the Jamaican charts. Currently a part of the Danger Zone family, Cure has set his sights on purging the industry with the same conscious lyrics mixed with new inspiration. He has promised that the music will be more potent now that he's free.

"It's natural yuh know," said Cure after taking a long crackling pull of his spliff. "The world full of people and more happenings ah gwaan…more activities ah take place in the outside world. Typically, ah more inspiration in everything. Tings a happen more than what happen in prison…inspiration is just what happen naturally."

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Comedy Bus "touch di road" for second season trip

The tank is full, the driver is enthusiastic and the bus is driving at full speed. Indeed, the Comedy Bus is once again giving great mileage with fun and laughter galore. Not even Hurricane Dean could turn back this bus full of comedic concoctions, as the second season was recently launched with the promise of more of the same family-style entertainment that your teenage children will enjoy and your grandparents can hear without covering her ears.

Driven by Christopher "Johnny" Daley, the cultural comedy general, the Comedy Bus has once more joined forces with telecommunications provider MiPhone to unearth Jamaican talent as we, the viewing public, continue to "kin our teeth and mek laughing pwile".

Jamaicans are known for their sense of humour and for always "tekking bad sinting mek laugh", so finding raw yet true talent was never in doubt when the team set off in 2006 to do just that in an all island search that saw record crowds turn up to make the judges roll with laughter.

Viewers got a chance to watch and vote for their favourite acts each week, thanks largely to the creative concept of Daley and his business partner, lawyer Coleen "Coco" Lewis. From the University Singers to Jambiz Productions, Lewis has performed alongside theatrical stalwarts such as Noel Dexter, Leonie Forbes, Trevor Rhone, Glen Campbell and Alwyn Scott. Her star shone so brightly that in 1998, the now deceased industry legend Charlie Hyatt presented her with the director's award for being the "Actor with the Most Potential" for her performance in the Jamaica Musical Theatre company's 'Where There's A Will'.

Later that year, Lewis and Johnny's path crossed in a production of Oliver Mair's "Dis Ting" and a friendship evolved into a shared vision of providing an avenue for artists in need of representation in the entertainment industry. The duo formed the company Si Wi Yah Entertainment more than a year and half ago. The company handles all their work and is essentially an umbrella organisation for themselves and others who they represent. Si Wi Yah Entertainment takes talent and turns it into viable entertainment, enabling the best artists, producers, directors and writers to realise their dreams.

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Love Games – much more than a bellyful of laughter

I knew that I would laugh and be entertained, but what I did not expect was that I would leave the theatre feeling exhilarated and full of goose bumps. Indeed, Patrick Brown’s play “Love Games” caught every single member of the audience off guard. This is, of course, always a good thing since it guarantees that the box office will do brisk business for the entire run of the production.

Directed by Trevor Nairne and Patrick Brown, “Love Games” hits hard at the heart of every married person’s worst nightmare - infidelity. Players and cheaters run amok with hilarious antics, wild stories and deadly consequences as human nature at its worst is placed under the microscope.

As the name suggests, it is all about the games people play. It’s all about who can run the best con without being conned themselves. In the end, everyone loses but don’t feel too bad for them. From the first line to the last, water will run from your eyes your side will hurt from laughing too hard.

Divided into six mini acts, the four-member cast takes on several different roles from prostitute, horse trainer and ardent church goer to housewife and Rastafarian, all leading secret lives. Glen Campbell’s performance is simply flawless and Courtney Wilson is worth watching every minute that he is on stage, as he pulls off the shenanigans effortlessly. Camille Davis also shows her mettle here as she changes gear convincingly and Noelle Kerr, who is born with acting blood in her veins, also shines.

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Red Stripe Temptation Isle Rocks Negril

Thousands flocked to Negril, Westmoreland over the recent Independence holiday period for Red Stripe Temptation Isle (RTI) - the latest incarnation of a great time during the island's ultimate party weekend. The yearly event, which attracts an ever-growing multitude, did not fail to disappoint as scantily clad partygoers populated Norman Manley Boulevard during the pulsating party sessions.

The festivities, which ran from Friday, August 3 to Monday, August 6 (Independence Day), got off to a relatively sedate start. Delano's Birthday Bash at Mariner's Beach Club kicked off the proceedings, but two hours after the scheduled 9:00 p.m. start the venue was empty.

Party people on the local scene will most likely agree that a session never gets into real gear until after 12:00 a.m., and this was the case as the party was in full swing past midnight with hardly enough space for breathing. DJ Smoke from Delano's Renaissance Disco and DJ Chin, a selector with the Miami-based sound system Black Chiney, served up the grooves that kept the party in motion.

Wildsides - the event dubbed as 'the party of all parties' - did not quite live up to its billing. Among the factors working against it were a late start (all of four hours), an overbooked venue that only had elbow room in the VIP area and poor transitioning from tickets to armbands as patrons clamoured to get in the venue. The music was good but the compulsion to dance was nullified by the cramped space. The usual access to the beach was not available, which made matters worse.

Munga Honourable showed why the summer belonged to him and could do no wrong for the patiently waiting fans at Temptation Live at Jungle Nightclub in Negril on Sunday. The "Gangsta Ras" made his appearance onstage about 4:00 a.m., with hits such as "Flippin' Rhymes", "Hold You In My Arms", "Bad From Mi Born" and "Wine Pon It" to the delight of hundreds of patrons in attendance.

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