The King of the Dancehall Beenie Man is taking his career to a new level, the artist, now has his eyes set on the big screen. Beenie who has been featured in a few films is taking a different approach this time, this time “The Doctor” is part of the production, from beginning to end.

Beenie Man and his partners Trenten and Richard Gumbs from 3-Gilms have just finished writing the script for a movie titled “Kingston”. The movie is about a ghetto youth who rips off some people and then some serious drama ensues.

Trenten Gumbs and his brother Richard, from 3-G Films, are the engine behind the soon-to-be-released, all-Jamaican-cast movie, "Cop" and a "Badman." The film also stars Ninjaman, Oliver Samuels and Glen Campbell and was shot on location in Los Angeles.

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from the Jamaican Gleaner

He may have played some of the baddest bass lines in Jamaican popular music but Jackie Jackson is far from a household name. In fact, most persons know him as the husband of singer Karen Smith.

"Get Ready To Rocksteady," a film based on the beat that preceded reggae, gives musicians like Jackson his due.  The project is almost complete and it is expected to be released this year.

The rocksteady period produced a flood of harmony groups including the Heptones, the Melodians and the Techniques. Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths are some of the genre's best-known solo acts.

Jackson was a member of the Supersonics, the house band at producer Arthur 'Duke' Reid's Treasure Isle studio. According to the lanky bassman, they were involved in a 'Cold War' for two years with their rivals at Studio One, which was owned by producer Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd.

Jackson appears along with rocksteady contemporaries like guitarist Lynford 'Hux' Brown, keyboardists Gladstone 'Gladdy' Anderson and Robbie Lyn. "Get Ready To Rocksteady" which is a joint venture between filmmakers Canadian Moss Raxlen and Stascha Bader of Switzerland.

Raxlen says he has always loved rocksteady, a slower, heavier bass beat that emerged in the wake of ska.

Jackson and his colleagues gathered at the Tuff Gong studio in St. Andrew to put a fresh spin on 16 popular songs from the rocksteady era. The singers included John Holt, Marcia Griffiths, Leroy Sibbles and Dawn Penn.

Roxlen, who is from Montreal, said "Get Ready" has been in the works for five years. It was produced on a small budget and will initially be released on DVD and in small theatres throughout Canada.

The film, which received financial backing from the Jamaican government, will be distributed by Peace Arch Entertainment.

The Guyana government has issued a ban on Jamaican dancehall stars, Bounty Killa and Mavado.

The ban comes a week after Bounty was pelted with bottles at a National Park show that was also interspersed with sporadic gunfire over a faulty sound system. Bounty`s performance was also replete with homosexual denouncements.

It also comes as Mavado, known for what many term as his `bad man` lyrics, was set for a Linden performance this weekend.

But yesterday, Guyana Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee told reporters that Bounty Killa, whose real name is Rodney Price and Mavado whose real name is David Brooks are being banned because they are viewed as a security risk to the country.

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