Well, I think we all knew it was just a matter of time.
Dr. Conrad Murray, the Grenadian/Trini former doctor to King of Pop Michael Jackson, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
It all went down a while ago in Los Angeles.
Murray’s lawer says his will plead not guilty and “fight like hell” to defend himself on the charge.
Several members of the Jackson fam were present for the arraignment including father Joe and mother Katherine and siblings Jermain and Latoya.
No, he’s not an islandista but every islandista worth her salt should know of Professor Rex Nettleford – since islandistas are after all, cultured Caribbean women and Rex was a cultural icon in this region.
And now he’s gone.
Nettleford died yesterday in the U.S. at the age of 76 after having a massive heart attack a week ago when he was up there for a UWI fund-raising gala.
There are so many worlds in which Rex will be missed – from dance to academia to the seemingly ever smaller world of committed Caribbean regionalists. He truly was a giant and it says a lot for the power of his personality that someone born with nearly every disadvantage you could have in Jamaican society – from being poor to being from the country to his sexuality to complexion – could still rise to iconic status.
We have nothing but admiration for him. Walk good Professor.
Island folk were fabulous at the Grammy Awards last night.
Bajan islandista Rihanna put the awfulness of last year’s Grammy experience behind her, winning her second Grammy for rap-sung collaboration for Run This Town with Jay-Z and Kanye West. She kept it succint on the mic, saying thanks and giving a ‘lift-up’ to Solange’s son/ Beyonce’s nephew, the too-cute Juelz.
And of course her dress… was… stunning. Definitely going to be making lots of best dressed lists in her pale pink Elie Saab.
Photo credit:Cohan/Granitz via YBF.com
Too gorgeous. And the simple understated makeup with it is on point.
Melanie Fiona also looked beautiful in a black gown - she went for a very natural makeup look but she was glowing so much with happiness at being there that it just made us smile – like our fave lil cousin had finally got near her dream. Too sweet.
Photo credit: Cohan/Granitz via YBF.com
For more pics of Caribbean folk at the Grammys, read on. Read more »
It is Grammy weekend people and that means celebs, style and lots of free swag (lucky, lucky them!).
Islandistas Rihanna and Melanie Fiona have been out and about this weekend, scooping up goodies in swag booth, and hitting the pre-parties – both to perform and to party.
Rihanna worked this architectural tulle Viktor & Rolf dress to Clive Davis’ famous Grammy pre-party. It’s a very hmmm… dress. Like hmmm do I love this bold fashion foray or hmmm is this just absurd?
Photo credit: JustJared.com
Ri-ri always pushes the fashion envelope, though doesn’t she? Our thought was -how do you do anything that involves your left arm or left side in this dress? Can she even see over her shoulder to that person getting scrunched by tulle on her left?
photo credit: JustJared.com
She was in a much more laid back outfit earlier on the day while grabbing some free stuff from the swag booth set up for the Grammys, getting a home stereo system hook up and fittingly – some Marley Coffee.
Melanie Fiona was also turning her swag on and getting some free goodies.
She also hit the stage for the SRC Pre-Grammy party.
Photo credit: @KaRaMaRiE_2009/Twitter.com
And of course, check Islandista later for more Grammy suss and style!
Photo credit: Vogue.co.uk
Islandista born and descended models have started 2010 as busy as they were in 2009.
The queen of them all, Brit-yaadie Naomi Campbell has been working hard at putting together her annual Fashion for Relief show, which will benefit Haiti this year.
She is teaming up with Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for the show which will take place during London Fashion Week.
Thus far, Naomi has brought on fashion friends Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood for the event which takes place on February 18th.
She was out and about this week doing interviews and photo calls for the event.
Say what you want about Naomi (and yes, there is nuff to say) but her heart is as big as her temper. She has always worked hard for charity causes.
In more islandista model news, fellow Jamaican models Jeneil Williams and Jaunel McKenzie are going hard for 2010 – already. More on their blazing start to 2010 when you read on. Read more »
You know what they say … ‘don’t call it a comeback’ but …
Scandal-hit former Miss Trinidad Universe, Anya Ayoung-Chee seems determined to do just that, with the launch of the second collection of her Pilar line last night.
She teamed up with one of T&T’s ‘grand dames’ of fashion, Meiling for a dual Carnival collection line which was showcased at the Meiling boutique in Kapok Hotel.
We haven’t seen any pics as yet but we’re interested in seeing what the reaction will be. Anya’s first Pilar collection was actually pretty well received and her star was on the rise until the sex tape controversy that shifted the attention to her bedroom abilities rather than her design chops.
Remember also that it was alleged by Wyatt Gallery (her boyfriend and partner in the sex tape) that the tape was leaked by someone trying to sabotage Anya’s rise in fashion.
So let’s hope it is a comeback.
In more Caribbean fashion notes – Rihanna has tapped a designer of Caribbean heritage - Vincy-descended Celeste Johnny of Johnny Vincent, for her swimwear. More on that after the cut.
Or so Sparrow said.
Yet, despite a 10-1 drubbing by Kamla in the UNC leadership elections, Bas, like Denyse Plummer, ‘nah leaving.’
Not yet.
Kamla polled 13, 929 votes to Panday’s 1,359 votes – or more than 10 times as many votes as the Silver Fox.
But he made it clear in an interview with the Trinidad Express that he will not be relinquishing the Opposition Leader post gracefully.
The Express article is (perhaps unwittingly) hil-ar-ious.
Every other paragraph starts with “told that” and “asked that” and have Panday stonewalling in the most creative ways possible.
An example:
Yesterday, faced with the enormity of his defeat at the UNC polls and the strength of Persad-Bissessar’s mandate to lead, Panday insisted on playing it by the book-pointing out that he was following the country’s Constitution and the UNC’s constitution. And neither say that the Political Leader has to be Opposition Leader.
Told that there was strong view that it would be difficult for him to continue as Opposition Leader in the face of his comprehensive defeat as Political Leader, Panday said: ’I would have thought that they were two different things. I became Leader of the Opposition because of a national election. Now this is a party election and I think they are two different things. Don’t you?’
Told that there was a view that there was an organic connection between the mandate from the party and the mandate from the general electorate, Panday insisted he was following democratic law.
’I accept the democratic decision of the UNC electorate and I would accept the democratic decisions of the UNC Parliamentarians,’ he said.
Asked whether he did not think he should relieve the MPs from the burden of making a decision about his future as Opposition Leader (by resigning), Panday said: ’No.’
Told that new Chairman Jack Warner said he should do the honourable thing, Panday started saying: ’Jack Warner and honourable should not be used … Anyway the issue is one (post), is (based on) a party election and the other is the result of a national election.’
Told that while that was the legal position, the issue was whether it would be immoral for him to hold on as Opposition Leader in the face of the strong endorsement for Persad-Bissessar from the party electorate, Panday asked: ’Whose morals are you referring to? Yours or mine?’
And so it goes, on and on. Not that I think we expected any different. Kamla have to hold strong now.
She finally did it.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar is now the first woman to lead a major political party in Trinidad’s history, after winning the leadership of the UNC last night in a landslide.
She came out of the shadows of her former political mentor, Basdeo Panday and withstood the attacks from her parliamentary colleagues, most of whom sided with party founder Panday, to prevail as the people’s choice.
Not only that, but the entire slate of her backers won spots on the executive as well.
Kamla immediately spoke of the need to heal and unite the party, offering an olive branch to those she defeated:
“In the heart of a campaign, people say things that may offend. But as a mother, a wife, a sister and a daughter, I know how to forgive. I hold no animosity against you.”
Of course… the Silver Fox was not quite as gracious in defeat.Before the final results were announced, but when things were already looking grim, the Express asked him if he was ready to offer congratulations to Kamla. Bas had this response: Read more »
Sigh…
And so it has come to pass, nearly a year and a half after we first raised our eyebrows at the painful and foolish pronouncements of Jah Cure’s alleged baby mother and known party girl, Gordene… and got blasted for it by Gordene’s cyber friends, cousins and assorted supporters.
Turns out that Cure is NOT the father of Gordene’s now 10 month old baby girl… which many suspected all along.
Cure released a statement yesterday, trying to quash the whole passa passa which had Jamaica in a tizzy for the last week or so, saying:
There have been recent media reports about a DNA test result that involved Jah Cure. While not wishing to join the media circus that has ensued because of these revelations, Jah Cure wishes to outline a few facts and settle the matter once and for all.
Jah Cure has supported the mother throughout her pregnancy and had his father and manager be with her at the time of delivery in the US. His support for her throughout this period was unwavering.
Before the birth of the child Jah Cure requested a DNA test, a request which the mother refused. Despite this, Jah Cure continued to support the child and the mother.
Now that the DNA test has been done and it has been shown that he is not the father, Jah Cure wishes to move on. The fact is that the most important individual in this whole affair is the child and the longer that this continues the more damage is being done to the child. Jah Cure will not now abandon the child but wishes that the media respect the privacy of the parties as the child is indeed innocent and did not contribute to the mistakes of the adults involved.”
What a ting…
There’s not much more to add to that.
Except… what a shame. That a presumably intelligent girl (as we noted back in our original post, Gordene is an Andrews girl) would turn to such slack and desperate groupie tactics – and with a man fresh out of jail (and all that portends) too.
Fix up yu life, dear.
And I can’t tell you how… how moved I am that everybody cares. It means a lot because for so long, no one cared. For so long, no one knew us. And this really means a lot.
- Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon
Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon (at right) on LKL, along with Ben Stiller (left) and Benicio Del Toro (center).
Those were the words from a tearful Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon earlier this week on Larry King Live, during a mini telethon which CNN held to raise funds to aid Haiti which was ripped apart by a huge earthquake on January 12th.
Islandistas, we have to tell you - Garcelle’s words really grabbed us – the emotion in her voice when she said “no one cared… no one knew us” was really moving. It made us think of the burden and conflicted emotions that her and other Haitians have to bear loving a country that can be so unremittingly sad.
Distraught: Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon manning the phones at CNN's telethon. (Photo credit: CNN)
This is really what it had to come to for the world to look at Ayiti, to pay attention to the injustices that have been wrought upon it since they first declared independence in 1804.
But at least now they are looking.
And a huge cast of stars, including island folk in Wyclef Jean, Rihanna and Alicia Keys are getting together tomorrow night for what could be one of the biggest telethons of all time – the Hope for Haiti telethon, spearheaded by George Clooney and MTV Networks.
