In my house just like every other Jamaican household Saturday morning meant work. We were awakened a ritual of cornmeal porridge and fried dumplings or ackee and saltfish and warm harddough bread. Sometimes there was cocoa tea, sometimes there was Nestles but always there was Bob. This memory is as common as breathing to many Jamaican children growing up in the 70’s. When I asked my dad recently what it was about this music man that made him so great he simply replied, “Bob was just Bob.” And so it is. In the annals Reggae music, Bob is not a name; it’s category unto itself. “Bob” as a descriptive word signifies unity, strength, revolution, and self-determination. For this reason Robert Nesta Marley, O.M. is officially an icon.

The year 2004 will always be remembered as the year that brought a revolution within the music. Reggae music. Real, lyrically uplifting Reggae music has always been there, but in the past year it was highlighted even more. Artists like Sizzla, Bushman, Junior Kelly, Chuck Fenda and Luciano never missed a beat. We were also introduced to new artists like Natty King, Mr. Perfect, Fanton Mojah, a resurgence of Turbulence, Jah Mason, Bascom X and of course, I-Wayne. One artist whose name was on the lips of Reggae music lovers was Richie Spice.

Winners of the 2004 Soca Award for “Soca Band of the Year USA” Cloud IX was formed back in March 1998 by four (4) young pan players residing in New York. Sharing a similar dream they got together and formed a band. Kerwin and Kendell Alexander (sons of well known musician Lloyd Alexander) joined by Dwight Dasilva and Tracy Russo as vocalist began the journey to building a successful brass band. Some of there earliest performances were at John Jay College and Flushing Meadows Park in New York.

Ciara, the 18-year-old beauty from Atlanta is the latest multi-talented scene-stealer to nudge her way to center stage with attention-grabbing vocals, irresistible songwriting and killer dance moves.

The Austin, Texas native -- a 'military brat' has lived in Germany, New York, California, Arizona and Nevada -- moved to Atlanta as a child and, since that time, has found herself in the mix with some of the city's biggest and brightest producers, among them Jazze Pha -- who signed Ciara to his Sho' Nuff label after working with her for a mere five days -- and his royal crunkness Lil' Jon, who produced the singer's lead single, the "Crunk & B" cautionary wrist-slapper "Goodies."

Every February New York City is host to Fashion Week in Bryant Park. Celebrities and their devoted paparazzi will be running from show to show, staring entranced at the runways full of models decked out in the hottest styles for Fall 2005. Yes fall, as in the season after summer. Fashionistas will be stalking the tents in preparation for their post-Labor Day wardrobes. But for the rest of us, you know the ones who think about Spring 2005 in the year 2005, here’s a little cheat sheet for the upcoming season. Full Story

To ring in Black History Month, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, located in Harlem USA, announced the creation of an education project on the black migration experience over the past 400 years.

The project, which includes a new Web site, will provide the public with access to articles, photographs, maps and historic documents. Full Story