Dancehall"s man in Toronto

This is the third in a 10-part series looking at the Canadian reggae scene.

One of Toronto’s most popular dancehall artistes is the deejay Eyesus whose recordings show he is just as comfortable doing R&B and hip hop.

In 2011, Eyesus, who is in his mid-20s, won an award from the Canadian Reggae Music Achievement. He considers it a career milestone.

“I won Best Reggae Entertainer. It is one of the biggest highlights of my career and mi just give thanks for the support,” Eyesus told the Jamaica Observer.

Born Ricardo Rhoden, he grew up in the Waltham Park Road area of Kingston until he migrated to Canada in 2003.

The dancehall scene in Canada is splintered. The biggest markets are Toronto which has a massive West Indian community, and Montreal which has warmed to the sound in the last 15 years.

Dancehall was growing in Toronto on the popularity of Shaggy and Sean Paul when Eyesus moved there 11 years ago.

He always knew he wanted a career in entertainment.

“Music has always been a part of me from I was a teenager. After I moved to Canada I launched into the music fully and that’s when I began to gain acceptance from the fans,” Eyesus noted.

Songs including Skip to My Lu, We Hate Yuh (featuring Jahvinci), Gangsta Love, One Drop and Fake Friend (with Big Wayne) have enjoyed favourable rotation on Canadian radio.

They earned Eyesus slots on major shows in the Greater Toronto Area alongside dancehall big-wigs like Mavado, Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Serani, Lady Saw, Sanchez, Bounty Killer and Sean Paul.

A member of Toronto’s Us Squad, he has performed at Sting.

Kevin Jackson

View the original article here

Dancehall"s man in Toronto

Embattled Toronto mayor attempts Jamaican accent in new video

Tuesday, January 21, 2014 | 9:00 PM    

TORONTO (AP) — A new video of Mayor Rob Ford emerged Tuesday that shows him swearing and slurring his words while apparently trying to imitate a Jamaican accent.

In the video — one of two new ones that have been posted on YouTube — Ford is shown in a fast food restaurant rambling and talking about police surveillance and calling police chief Bill Blair a derogatory name.

Ford, who said in November that he quit drinking, said outside his office Tuesday that he drank on Monday night “a little bit” and acknowledged it was him in the video. When asked if he also did drugs, Ford said no.

“I was with some friends and what I do in my personal life with my personal friends, that’s up to me,” Ford said. “It really has nothing to do with you guys.”

Ford said he did not think the language he used was offensive or discriminatory.

“It’s how I speak with some of my friends,” he said.

The video is titled “New Video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Drunk, Swearing in Jamaican Patois? B****t.”

“Chase me around for five months,” the mayor says in the video.

“Leave me alone and then try and tell me, we’re counter-surveilling the guy. He’s hiding here, I’m hiding here. Oh, we don’t know?” he says before rambling incoherently.

Mark Pugush, a spokesman for Police Chief Blair, said they don’t respond to personal attacks.

A second video of Ford posted on YouTube and from inside the same restaurant, appears to show Ford sitting with his friend and former driver Alexander Lisi. Lisi faces trial on drug and extortion charges after police started an investigation into the mayor. It was not immediately clear if the video was also shot Monday night.

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, who assumed some of the mayor’s powers after the City Council stripped Ford of many of his duties year, urged Ford to seek professional help.

“He’s got to do a lot of soul-searching in the next few days,” Kelly said.

Ford said in November that he was finished with drinking alcohol after having a “come to Jesus moment.” He snapped at reporters and denied he was drinking after pictures emerged last week of him at a night club.

Ford vowed in November that the public would never see a tape of him intoxicated again. He said he was working out and the mayor noticeably lost weight. He put his name on the ballot to run for another term earlier this month.

Ford acknowledged last year that he smoked crack “in one of my drunken stupors” after police said they obtained a copy of a tape that appears to show him smoking crack. He refused to resign.

The City Council stripped Ford of most of his powers but lacked the authority to force him out because he wasn’t convicted of a crime. The mayor was the subject of a police investigation but was never charged. According to police interviews, staffers accused Ford of frequently drinking.

City councilor Joe Mihevc said the latest tape appears to show that Ford has not stopped drinking and continues to be an embarrassment to the city of Toronto.

City Councilor Michael Thompson, who is black, said he was shocked. “Is that the mayor speaking Jamaican? Wow,” Thompson said when reporters showed him the video. “I’m numb.”

Thompson said the mayor’s interpretation of “supposedly being Jamaican” was offensive. He called it a sad day and said the mayor needs to seek help.

“We’ve been fairly silent in just waiting for the next thing to occur,” Thompson said. “I think we all had sort of concluded it was only a matter of time.”

City councilor Denzil Minnan-Wong said Ford had been doing well lately but said this is clearly a setback for him. “It looks like he’s fallen off the wagon,” Minnan-Wong said.

View the original article here

Embattled Toronto mayor attempts Jamaican accent in new video

Toronto mayor admits he smoked a lot of ganja

Latest News

Wednesday, August 28, 2013 | 3:11 PM

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admitted Wednesday that he has smoked a lot of marijuana. Taking questions from reporters after a campaign address Ford was asked if he had used pot. “Oh yeah,” he said chuckling. “I won’t deny that. I smoked a lot of it.”Ford did not answer when asked how recently he had smoked it.The Toronto mayor made world news earlier this year amid allegations that he was caught on video smoking crack cocaine. The video has not been released publicly and Ford has refused to leave office.He has denied the allegations saying, “I do not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of crack cocaine.”Three years ago, Ford admitted he was charged with driving under the influence and marijuana possession in Florida in the 1990s. At first he denied these allegations, but later pleaded no-contest to the impaired driving charge and the drug charge was dropped.Ford was pressed about his pot past Wednesday after Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau admitted that he puffed on a joint three years ago, while a Member of Parliament. Trudeau has said pot should be regulated and legalised.Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne also said Wednesday that she smoked a little pot about 35 years ago.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

HOUSE RULES

1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper – email addresses will not be published.

2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.

3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.

4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.

5. Please don’t use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed:mailto:advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.

6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.

7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

comments powered by

View the original article here

Toronto mayor admits he smoked a lot of ganja

Toronto cop facing murder charges freed on bail

News

Tuesday, August 20, 2013 | 2:41 PM

TORONTO (AP) — A Toronto police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a young man wielding a knife in an empty streetcar has been granted bail. The shooting last month was caught on video and posted on YouTube, leading to an outcry in Canada’s largest city.   The video shows 18-year-old Sammy Yatim holding a knife inside the streetcar, with police outside. Yatim goads the officers, who yell, “Drop your knife!” Shortly after, nine shots are fired. A Taser is then used.  Yatim died from multiple gunshot wounds.  Ontario’s police watchdog charged Constable James Forcillo on Monday with second degree murder. He’ll be freed Tuesday on $510,000 bail. A judge imposed a publication ban on the preliminary hearings.

HOUSE RULES

1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper – email addresses will not be published.

2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.

3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.

4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.

5. Please don’t use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed:mailto:advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.

6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.

7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

comments powered by

View the original article here

Toronto cop facing murder charges freed on bail

Toronto tram death officer suspended

29 July 2013 Last updated at 19:56 ET Toronto Police Chief Blair said he understood that the public needed answers The police officer who shot dead a man armed with a knife on an empty Toronto tram has been suspended amid protests over the killing, police said.

Video footage of the encounter early on Saturday shows officers fired nine shots at Sammy Yatim, 18, after ordering him to drop his knife.

In the video, officers also used a stun gun after the shots were fired.

The clip has been widely viewed on YouTube. Hundreds of people turned out for a vigil in Canada’s largest city.

An independent police oversight body said Yatim died from multiple gunshot wounds.

On Monday, the Toronto police department pledged to investigate what led to the shooting.

Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said he had watched the video and shared the public’s concerns.

“I recognise there is a need for answers,” he said.

In addition to the video posted online, local media report the killing was captured on camera from at least two other angles.

A march protesting against police brutality attracted hundreds of people on Monday afternoon in Toronto.

Yatim’s mother and sister attended the march, which passed the spot where he was killed.

The victim’s family sat and sobbed in the middle of the street, the Toronto Star reported.

Yatim’s family is reported to have moved to Canada from Syria about five years ago, and he is said to have recently graduated from secondary school.

View the original article here

Toronto tram death officer suspended