DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

Markke 'D' (14854 bytes)Yes! Believe it or not, this is Gospel Rap artist MARKEE 'D'. Born Marcus Debnam in Paterson, New Jersey, in March 1970, Markee D has been sharing the word of God via this medium since he was thirteen. This young artist writes, arranges and ministers his own material. His music comprises of beat driven hip-hop lyrics complimented by the Gospel and R&B flavored vocals of Alice Yarborough. Markee D's total sound dramatically conveys the power of God, yet it caters to music lovers in general.

He has shared the stage and worked with some of gospel's most critically acclaimed artist such as Jean Prospers, Yolanda Adams, Hezekiah Walker and Nancey Jackson. He has also appeared on several Cable TVmmd.jpg (12752 bytes) productions.

If you have not yet bought Dare To Be Different,  his new album, it's a must have for your collection. It is currently available in select places in NJ and NY and online at his website which is to be announced shortly.

The album has an intro and five songs that will have you feeling the power of God and will definitely be a great addition to your music collection.

Irie Beat -- Sounds of Reggae on the Internet
yorleb.jpg (46921 bytes)With eyes on the elusive North American urban music market that has always seemed to remain within easy distance of even the best of Caribbean music artists, including the late Great Bob Marley, Nature Island (dominica) recording artist, Yorle B ventures into winning them over with his brand of Next Generation, Rasta influenced, message by music. By industry standards the music is a hybrid of roots reggae and hip-hop tied together by socio-politically relevant lyrics that continue to garner the nods of listeners with every spin.

Born, October 12th, of the Tribe of Dan, Elroy Blanc, aka Yorle B, has been enjoying music from a very young age. He grew up like any Caribbean youth in his generation listening to music from the late Reggae Great, The Wailers, Peter Tosh, and Steel Pulse just to name a few. He decided to make music his career in December 1995 while making a guest artist appearnace on an album by a hardcore rap group F Clan. The album however never went on to final production resulting from the group's prison sentences for armed robberies. A few days later, the producer approached Yorle B, known at the time as 'Black Gangsta,' to feature on another album. He ended up touring the island of Guadeloupe with the group, making new acquaintances, and being taken in by the process of studio recording. the album was the debut for the changed Yorle B, mentally and spiritually. No longer was he called 'Black Gangsta' in a slackness nature, but 'Yorle B': a deejay inspired and filled with culture.

"Jah Rastafari send I on a mission: to make music that candidly speaks to real issues felt by real people from real, everyday walks of life. It may not be what some want to hear, but it's the truth," explains Yorle. The strength of his upcoming US debut lies in tying together happenings on his homefront to that of the wider world, particularly with those of America's inner cities. Therefore, when it is said that we live in a global village, the proof is in the music.

Nah Bow, the lead single of his soon to be released album, It Started With 1, examines social stratification and profiling, the lack of confidence in the police by the public, and the need to revisit wholesome living as a means of improving things. After all, when the NYPD can let off 41 bullets in the body of African US-immigrant Amadou Diallo, and get acquitted in court, not to mention the numerous unreported and unprosecuted illegal strip searces, wrongful arrests based on mistaken identity, and speculative ghetto shakedowns, aren't such topics relevant?

It Started With 1 hits stores September 7th.

 

Angel Eyes

movie1.gif (7136 bytes)Chicago South Side police officer Sharon Pogue (a newly blonde Jennifer Lopez), who deals constantly with the effects of her abusive childhood and her lack of a personal life, meets and falls in love with the generous Catch Lambert (James Caviezel), a man recovering from seeing his wife and son die in a car accident. When Sharon learns that her parents, Josephine (Sonia Braga) and Carl (Victor Argo) are planning a big party to celebrate the renewal of their wedding vows and she has not been invited, she reaches a crisis point. At the same time, Sharon's investigations into Catch's background bring up issues for him that he would do anything to avoid -- even if it means never seeing her again.