It has beenclose to two years since controversial deejay Desmond ‘Ninjaman’ Ballentyne has been in prison without bail and it was his daughter’s dream that last Monday he would have been able to spend his birthday at home with family and friends. But that was not to be, and the celebrated Don Gorgon spent his 45th birthday cooped up behind bars, living as an inmate at the Horizon Remand Centre in Kingston.
Although his daughter, Samantha, aka Ninja Princess, is back in the land of her birth Switzerland, where she is going to school, the 18-year-old sent her mother, Joy, to visit her dad on his special day.
“I asked my mum to go visit him and she did. It’s very hard for me being so far away, but I made sure to look for him before I left Jamaica at the start of January. Then when I got here (Switzerland) somebody called and told me that my dad had been beaten up in the jail. I want to get him out of there … it was painful to see my dad like that,” Samantha said.
Reports had surfaced in the media that Ninjaman had been beaten, and according to Samantha’s mother Joy, the deejay is having a rough time.
“I should be elsewhere but I am here because of Samantha. She loves her dad a lot and she is worried about him, so I am here just trying to do whatever I can to help Desmond. Ninja is a kind guy and he has given away a lot to people, but when he needs help where are these people?” Joy asked.
But Samantha remains hopeful that her father will get bail soon and one of the things she intends to do is a combination song with him. She has already released a number of singles using her Ninja Princess moniker, with two of the more recent being Can’t Touch Me and Don’t Cry.
“It would be wonderful to do a song with my dad,” the teenager said. “Although I am still in school, I am also focusing on my career. I recently completed a music video and things are looking up. If only my dad would be given bail,” Ninja Princess said.
Ninjaman, who has been refused bail on numerous occasions, is charged with murder, conspiracy to murder, shooting with intent and illegal possession of a firearm in connection with the death of a 20 year-old man in March 2009
He is charged jointly with his 20 year old son and two others. He returns to court on February 11.
New York, NY (February 1, 2011): I Octane completed a media blitz last week in New York City, wooing the local media personalities and wowing reggae fans with his charismatic high-energy performances just days ahead of his impending “My Life” Tour.
Last week’s promotional tour commenced with a press conference and “meet and greet” on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 6:30 pm. Hosted by New York City eatery, Negril Village Restaurant, the press conference was moderated by Pat McKay of Sirius Satellite Radio. Though a snowstorm loomed over Manhattan, media houses and fans packed the venue where I-Octane posed for photographs and signed autographs. The singjay surprised those in attendance with an impromptu performance of hit singles “My Life,” “Lose A Friend,” “No Love Inna Them” and even serenaded Pat McKay with “Everytime You Touch Me.” The inclement weather postponed a scheduled performance at Waah Gwaan Wednesdays at Temptations Night Club in Brooklyn later that night to Wednesday, February 9, 2011.
On Thursday, January 27th, I-Octane braved the cold weather, kick starting his day with an interview on Sirius Satellite Radio. He then did a blizzard of interviews which included Caribbean Billboard Radio with host Chip Smith, Road Block Radio with Banky Hype, Irie Jam Radio with DJ Roy, Reggae Spin with Keveon, Hot 97 Boston with VOG and DJ Kool, E2onair with Judith Kitson and Linkup Radio with DJ Kevin Crown.
On Saturday, January 29th I-Octane hosted Upscale Crowd’s “Fantasy Saturdays” at Rebel NYC where he performed “My Life,” “No Love Inna Dem” and “Lose A Friend” for partygoers.
I-Octane rounded out the weekend with interviews on 105.1FM with DJ Norie and 107.5 FM’s Caribbean Fever with Dahved Levy on Sunday, January 30, 2011. Additionally, the singer had a photo shoot with celebrity photographer Stephanie Foxx. I-Octane was pleased with the New York media’s reception during his whirlwind tour.
“I am very happy with the turn out of the media tour – NY treated me well. I look forward to returning to do shows in Brooklyn and Manhattan. I am thankful to all the radio personalities who interviewed me, it was truly a pleasure. To my team, thanks for now making my life easy like 1-2-3.”
Now back in Jamaica, I-Octane is prepping for his “My Life” tour, which will kick off on Friday February 4, 2011 with a performance in Dallas, Texas. He will return to New York on Monday, February 7, 2011 for a performance at Rock With Squeeze at SOBs, followed by gigs at Waah Gwaan Wednesdays at Temptations Night Club in Brooklyn, Newark, New Jersey and then back to Dallas, Texas.
Other dates of the “My Life” tour have been confirmed in Arcata, Fairfax, and in Long Beach, California, Miami, Fla., Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bridgeport, CT and Springfield, Mass.
VOICE MAIL member O’neil Edwards was today laid to rest after a moving thanksgiving service for his life in which a pastor asked if his death would provide the turning point for Jamaicans to reject violence.
“This is a call to take a stand against violence in our country,” charged pastor Franz Fletcher, “O’neil’s life is a testament…will he be the one man, whose death will be marked as the turning point for us to say no more?”
The funeral service was held at the Church On The Rock in St Andrew and members of the entertainment fraternity came out in full support of their colleague who succumbed to his injuries on May 27 after being shot fives times by gunmen nearly two weeks earlier.
Edwards was heralded as the nucleus of the five-member R&B group-turned-dancehall trio and a shrewd business man by family members who spoke to the congregation. But perhaps the most moving moment of the service was the musical tribute by various artistes who formed an ensemble, complete with conductor Ibo Cooper.
The choir comprised Voice Mail members Kevin Blair and Craig Jackson who is credited as songwriter Alaine, Delicious, TOK, To-Isis, LUST and other members of the music fraternity.
The interrment followed at Meadowrest Memorial Park in St Catherine.
Deejay Oneil Edwards from the dancehall group Voicemail died at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH).
According to the deejay’s management team, he passed away after 2 p.m. Thursday 26 may 2010
Edwards was shot by gunmen while entering his home on Monday, May 10 in Duhaney Park, St Andrew. He was then rushed to KPH where he underwent surgery.
The deejay never regained consciousness.
The main suspect in Edwards’ shooting was found dead within 24 hours of the incident, while a second suspect was picked up in Manchester and taken to Kingston.
The police are said to be probing at least two possible motives for the attack.
The first one was that the artiste had an altercation with some men after he refused to give them money. The men are said to have damaged his vehicle and he later made a report to the police. This is said to have angered the men.
It is believed that those men might have carried out the attack.
The second theory suggests that the recent staging of Edward’s birthday celebrations had not gone well with thugs from a St Andrew community.
Shortly after the shooting, the entertainment fraternity came together to show their support for Edwards with two vigils. The first was held in Half-Way Tree hours after the shooting and the second in the parking lot of KPH.
The entertainers organizing the peace walk in the wake of the upsurge of violence against some industry players have postponed the walk due to security reasons.
Mr. Vegas who has been instrumental in the planning process made the announcement via twitter. The dancehall deejay tells Music News that a new date has not yet been set.
The march, which is called ‘Walk For Peace’ was set to start at the Police Officers’ Club in New Kingston and end at Heroes Circle, in downtown Kingston on Sunday, May 23.