Arguably the most successful season of Big Brother yet, Big Brother Amplified has been jam-packed with entertainment, drama and non-stop action from the moment the 26 housemates met on Sunday 1 May.

Triumphs and tantrums, romance and rivalry, friendships and feuds, the housemates have laughed, cried, bonded, argued and danced their way through a 91 day reality TV adventure, screened live continent-wide on DStv channel 198!

Now M-Net has revealed the star-studded line-up for the show’s dramatic two-hour finale during which two winners, chosen by the public, will each walk away USD 200 000 richer.

In addition to the finale including the biggest prize in the history of the show, it will also welcome the talents of six of Africa’s hottest performers – the incredible Fally Ipupa from the DRC, Nigeria’s sensational WizKid and Mo’Cheddah, South Africa’s Professor and Speedy, plus Tanzania’s Cpwaa. Joining them on stage will be all the previously evicted Big Brother Amplified housemates and the Big Brother Amplified dance crew, whose fast routines and smooth dance moves have won the hearts of fans continent-wide.

“We’re going all out to amplify the finale!” says M-Net Africa Managing Director Biola Alabi. “In addition to these great performers, there’s going to be one really magic moment when it becomes clear to the final housemates that this year, there are two prizes. We know, our audiences know but the housemates competing for the big prize don’t know this as yet – and I can only imagine their shock and delight when they find out that there are TWO prizes of USD 200, 000!”

Meanwhile, the current season of Big Brother Amplified has already set new records for voting, thanks to ongoing audience participation. Last week, over 1.4 million votes were logged, the highest of any Big Brother Africa voting period. In addition, this current season has already achieved the highest cumulative total of any Big Brother edition, a total of 6.3 million votes. With voting for the final now well underway, total vote numbers look set for a new record.

A QMarkMag Exclusive. It is no news that the romance between Collins Ifeanyi Onwuneme Ajereh Enebeli And Patience Enebeli produced Micheal Enebeli (popularly known as Don Jazzy), James Enebeli, Joy Solano (married to Solano), and D’Prince (oh, sorry I never asked for his real name). Little did Collins know that the foundation of today’s success has been carefully crafted and executed by him when he gave birth to these kids turned stars.
Collins Enebeli was involved in everything from the production and presentation of the artists he managed, promoted, marketed, and publicly defended. Collins is a trustee, and founding executive member of AMAN (Artist Managers Association in Nigeria). This association brought together artist managers from all corners of Nigeria. A diverse organization which heralded new talented, business savvy, and intellectually creative minds of those years. The organization harmonized all existing forms of music in the industry from the mid 1980′s to the late 1990′s. Beside his commitment to managing, producing, promoting, and marketing artists, Collins was also at the front-line of war against piracy. His contributions, although unnoticed by many, energized Nigerian artists to vigorously defend their professional rights. He was one of the patrons of Vanguard For Musicians Rights (VFMR).

Check Out Excerpts of the interview he had with Jimmy:

Sonde Jimmy: Tell me how your sons; Don Jazzy and D’Prince started their music career?

Their career was not a chance thing. What they are doing today did not start overnight. They grew up in the industry. I literarily took them along in my professional life. Once I identified their interest in music, and where I wanted to pitch my tent. I started grooming them to take over from me. I made sure they were exposed to the rudiments and challenges of the industry early in life. I encouraged their creative skills and vigor. They followed me to studios, events, rallies, workshops, concerts, TV stations, and I got them musical instruments and private trainers. I suggested that they join musical clubs and church choirs. I enrolled them in computer schools in both Nigeria and Europe because I recognized very early the future impact of technology, or the digital world. I made sure they read books from my showbiz library. I have books on
everything from artist management to biographies of successful artists-past or present. I made both
technological and intellectual resources available to my children. Whenever there was a family event like
a party, or any celebration; for example my wedding anniversary, I allowed my children to perform live
with a band to the delight of guests. They kept getting better and better, and I knew they would do
well with that kind of background. Besides, there were always showbiz stars around me and my home
at all times. At the slightest opportunity we had, they jammed with us just for fun. I had people like Nkono
Teles, Lemmy Jackson,Mosco Egbe, Toks Shotade and Paul Tao around me at the time. The bottom line was
for them to understand the biz behind the biz and to have the courage to keep taking the stakes higher
and higher because to whom much was given much is expected, and here we are..

Don Jazzy, & D'Prince

Jimmy: Were you in support of Don Jazzy’s music career at first?

I, myself and my wife are in total support of Don Jazzy’s music career from the on set and gave all the support we believed that as parents we are expected to provide.

Jimmy: Can you trace Don Jazzy’s achievements to any childhood trait or happening?

We knew from the time Don was born that he was going to be a music loving person and he had always
had access to good music from various world music genre considering that he was born into a music
loving family that have a long history of active paticipation in music business ventures and activism
from both my family side and my wife’s family side as well. My late dad was a bandleader in his youth
days when empire days used to be celebrated and he also played the grand organ in the cathedral of Holy
trinity church Onitsha in those days. My mum was a very good singer and was instrumental to making
me have collection of songs as she always had latest editions of record song books and knew all the songs
that were hits in both America and Uk and sang them all with ease as if she participated in the production. I grew up loving music with a strong passion. My wife on her own part is a good and very passionate singer with very strong interest in choral activities particularly in the church choir where we met and got married with Don as our first son. My wife’s father was also a well known choirmaster who was very famous in the eastern part of Nigeria for his exceptional choirmaster’s skills. At Don’s birth, there was so much music played around him that in his subconsciousness, he may have seen life as all about music and great beats. He started participating in the church choir at a very tender age and showed great interest in playing all musical instruments. I followed that up by providing all sorts of musical instruments at home and got music teachers intermittently to help sharpen their skills as it was more of a family fun thing but with a great expectation that the future will be definitely positive.

Jimmy: Tell me one thing you admire about Don Jazzy from childhood.

Don showed great sense of commitment to his interest in music and was and is still very creative, futuristic in his concepts and imagination. Once I noticed those attributes in him, I made sure I granted him access to meet with great musicians who I was working with then so that he could experience the studio culture and mingle with stars even before he was six years old. That was a source of additional inspiration for him to see those whom he appreciated working live in studio and he even participated in a production where he provided chorus and featured alongside other cast like Lemmy Jackson, NKono Teles, Paul Tao, ToKs Shotade, Basil Barap, Mosco Egbe, Enebeli Elebuwa e.t.c and many. other greats of that era who visited the studio while we were on call and appreciated his talent. People like Geraldo Pino,Tera Kota,Eric Kol Akaeze,Kim Lawani, Eddie Jay Omodiaogbe, Feladey, Hakeem Ikandu, Amadi Ogbonnaya of Vanguard News paper to mention but a few who at that time all saw him to be of a very promising future and hailed his talent.I admire Donjazzy’s cool headedness and humility coupled with his ever enthusiasm to move
on to the next level at all times. He is always coming up with something refreshingly different at
all times and not afraid to aim higher.

Jimmy: What was it like raising Don Jazzy? Has anything changed about him, I mean before and after he entered limelight?

Don Jazzy is not different from who he had always been. He is still the same person but stardom have made him less visible in public of which he was not really an outdoor person in the first place. Now that he have his own stable of artistes and his quest to make each of them unique in their own individual
right, he have become more busy considering the challenges of ensuring that he comes up with indisputably good beats and make his artistes successful.

Jimmy: Things Don Jazzy was fond of while growing up?

Don Jazzy’s main interest is his music. His first instrument was the harmonica mouth organ which he plays well . His mum bought him an acoustic guitar for his 9th birthday and he was always twanging it to relax and also plays the domestic grand casio beat bank piano we had at home. He plays the jazz drum well and is a champion percussionist. He also loves to sing in parts with his mum and have a rare vibrato voice. He also loves his mother’s cookery so much and always look forward to home food.

Jimmy: Let’s talk nature versus nurture. Is it that they just chose to be musicians, like what nature gave them, or you nurtured them since you were into music too?

I did not just nurture them into showbiz ’cause I was involved. I found out that they had passion for it and
were interested in following in my footsteps so I supported them as best as I could. I, on my part
did not just love music for music sake. My deep interest in music was more of the activism aspect to
ensure that music biz was not seen as just a biz for dregs of the society but should be seen as a real
responsible biz that must be engaged in by biz minded people and that was why, I threw my
weight behind efforts to ensure that there is proper structure and that rights of artistes are protected
against the backdrop of the infringement of their intellectual property rights.I am a patron of
Vanguard for musicians Rights. I consequently embarked on ensuring with other like minded
practitioners that proper professional artiste management culture thrives in Nigeria to better the
lot of Nigerian artistes who before now did not fully understand how commercially exploitable their work
can guarranttee food on their table. Most artistes who did not engage the services of competent artiste
managers unfortunately did not transform the wealth of their creativity or fame to wealth. I saw the need
for the biz behind the biz in the career of any artiste and that was why I am one of the trustees of artiste
managers association in Nigeria (AMAN) and had always been interested in the business of music and
related intermediary services. I know that my boys may have been influenced in one way or the other
by my activities and are well knowledgeable in these aspects and are not doing badly in engaging
the services of professionals in all they do in their career.

Jimmy: You had thought your Son, Don Jazzy could have gone this far?

As for my son coming this far as most people think, I thank God for the progress made but like Oliver
Twist wanting more, success have no limits. As far as there is life, We believe that by God’s grace that
there is still so much that could be achieved. With the kind of background that my boys have and their
know how in the biz, I am not surprised at their achievements and I keep praying like most parents
would do, for them to keep doing better and better. May God help them and other artistes too because it
is not easy to come this far and we do know that Rome was not built in a day.

Reports after reports have followed that 9ice and Toni Payne are on the verge of a reconciliation and return to being a couple. Reports were she had moved into the singer’s house about weeks ago. She arrived the first day without pre – informing 9ice and was denied but on her return the following day with their son, Zion. She was allowed into the house.

Just then her timeline on the social networking website began to read of her love for 9ice, the artiste, she tried to convince. Taking to Twitter, she said: “The most anticipated album of 2011. In fact, over anticipated sef = Bashorun Gaa”. Just when that was been misunderstood as another attempt at sarcasm, Days after she wrote “Oya o, (it’s) good music time. Tune in to Rhythm 93.7 FM, 9ice in the building” when 9ice attended an on air interview.

A source close to the parties inform QMarkMag that all that is between them is a decision by 9ice to have Toni Payne back on his team following the lesser successful effort with his previous album, Tradition. “Toni (Payne) as at today is just dealing with 9ice for career and work reasons, to take charge of his PR. They ‘re not back as an item.” Our source said.

Darey Art Alade has had his eye on a UK release of his last album, DoubleDare with the lead single ‘The Way You are’ featuring American rap artiste, Chamillionaire for quite a while now. In a recent statement that accompanied the new track ‘Sisi Eko (remix)’ featuring Flavour Nabania, It read that no date has been fixed for the anticipated album but ‘His UK album, to be self-titled, is due later this year.’

A release would have come sooner if not for the demise of the foreign based record label executive.

In related news, On June 16, he landed at No 2 on the prestigious Billboard (next big sound) chart. He was number 25 only few days earlier.

‘Sisi eko’ remix was produced by Del B [who produced more than half of the tracks on Harrysong's debut album - Testify] and the singer. ‘Sisi Eko (remix)’ which Darey is quoted as saying “We did this for the Ladies again” is a perusal to the another remix album in the works by the Singer, the remix album would come before the international album this summer..

Download: Darey – Sisi Eko [Remix] feat. Flavour Nabania

After Fecko the Emcee’s track called “Raw African Poetry” was mentioned in South Africa’s Number one Hiphop magazine – HYPE, the young Nigerian emcee has decided to take the project to another level by recording an Afro-beat remix of the same song, which was originally produced by Teck-Zilla and he’s also planning to shoot a video for the track in Zambia.

The interesting thing about the song “Raw African Poetry” is that it’s arguably the first time you’d see The West meeting the South and East on a conscious hiphop track, as the song features fellow African rhyme spittas such as; Synik (Zimbabwe), The Holstar of Zone Fam (Zambia) and Fikrah Teule (Kenya). It’s indeed rare to see indie Hiphop artists in Africa making major moves like this in the music business.

Download: Fecko – Raw African Poetry

The last that was heard of Mallam Spicey was a diss record targeted at Terry G, the artiste slash producer who we gather is hard at work as a producer teamed up with Europe based D-Large.

Europe based dredlocked Solomon better known as D’Large is no new name in the Nigerian music scene. An indigene of Imo State in Nigeria, D’Large has left an indelible mark on the sands of time with his musical prowess and dexterity. Soft-spoken and calm his style of music is quite different from what is obtainable in the home front.

With numerous songs and videos to his credit D’Large is best described as the contemporary Dancehall/HipHop Rap sensation whose talent is yet to be fully explored.

His hit single “Marry Dem” ft Sandaz Black (Ghana) reigned supreme on the airwaves, television, among his fans and critics alike.; and even earned him lots of accolades and nominations.

This time around he is back bigger, better and bubbling in this high tempo track titled Na Na Na featuring Mallam Spicey.

Listen:

Download: D-Large - Na na na feat. Mallam Spicey (513)

‘Damage’ the latest offering from Uche Jombo’s UJ Studios is set to premiere on July 31st 2011 at the Silverbird Cinemas and from there, as from August 5th for onward release in cinemas nationwide!

‘Damage’ is part of a collection of three distinct but interwoven stories, aimed at advocacy for social issues; each story addresses important problems affecting individuals, families and societies at large. The movie aims to break new grounds in creating precedents in the Nigerian movie industry. This first part of the trilogy ‘Damage’ which is being premiered deals with the issue of domestic violence and the psychological effect it could have especially on the children. A man and his wife love each other immensely yet their lives can only be described as a ‘cat and mouse’ situation as they fight violently almost on a daily basis.

The film stars Uche Jombo (who is also the film’s Producer and Executive Producer) Kalu Ikeagwu, Tonto Dike, Basorge Tariah Jnr. In a chat with Uche, she says ‘Damage’ is a story that needs to be told. Domestic violence is a social issue that has a lot of women suffering in silence so I decided to shoot a film about it. It was necessary to show how it affects not just the couple but even the children in the home’. On asked if she thought k Nigerians were ready for this? She replies, ‘They are more than ready! When I first shot the film, people thought it was too graphic… that I needed to edit some scenes out. Then incidentally, in the news, a lady (God rest her soul) Titi Akolade lost her life as a result of domestic violence. It all made sense then. Women are not just the victims but men too!’ In the trailer it is noticed that she and Kalu (Ikeagwu) really had a go at each other. She laughs; ‘I gave as good as I got! You should see the movie’.

‘Damage’ premieres in Nigeria on the 31st of July 2011 at Silverbird Cinemas, Victoria island and starts screening in cinemas nationwide on the 5th of August. It then premieres in other countries such as Accra, London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Houston, USA, and Canada.

Check on the final trailer below:

An autopsy conducted on Amy Winehouse’s body in London Monday morning revealed that the singer may have “died a violent or unnatural death.”

 

The coroner has labeled the case a Section 20 postmortem, which means “there is reasonable cause to suspect that a person has died a violent or unnatural death or in any other way which would require an inquest.”

At the scene of Winehouse’s death, police determined it “non-suspicious,” but the coroner’s findings indicate that a more lengthy investigation will now begin.

Toxicology was done but results are not yet available.

The singer’s body was identified by her parents early Monday morning and will be released to her family soon so that they can prepare a memorial service. Winehouse’s family released a statement saying they have “been left bereft” by her death – X17online

A lot of filmmakers have made a name for themselves by making great movies we have all come to love. But do you know, most of these filmmakers copy other people genuine work, put their names on it and take the credit we, the audience give them?

Take for example the Ghanaian film The King is Mine, a movie that offered no apologies to Hollywoods The other Boleyn Girl copying it shamelessly and banking on the fact that, most of their audience will not know since we do not get many of such movies down here.

Is it wrong to copy another persons story? no. Not in itself. If you give proper credit to the original author and pay the proper compensation, why not? I know most of our filmmakers cannot afford to license rights to other people in Hollywoods work. But, if you are copying, at least give credit to the original movie. Don’t deceive us. It makes you nothing but a cheap liar.

I finally watched Bursting Out, Emem Isongs hit movie today. i was beyond disappointed. It is a carbon copy of Tyler Perrys daddy’s little girls. Now we all know this is not the first time Madam Isong is stealing peoples creative works. her movies like Reloaded, masterstroke, among others. She mostly rips of the India and Black American films. This is not to say Emem is not is not a good writer; she is. But she disrespects other peoples art. Emem is a true business woman who is passionate, but, she lacks originality. No wonder she cannot change her tactics from what she is used to, the mills and boons romance type movies to stand toe to toes with the Ije’s, the Anchor baby’s, the Inales, Tango with me’s, A sting in a tales’ Sinking sands, among others.

Ace producer Vivian Ejike also attempted to copy daddy’s little girls with her Silent scandals but at least she managed to steer away from ripping off the film. She kept the theme, but changed the story. No one can openly accuse her of stealing. But with Bursting Out, it was too vivid.

It is embarrassing really. I remember proudly gathering some American friends together to watch a movie called Ojadike. They burst out laughing halfway and said, but that’s the Lion King. Shame knew my name. I am not a fan of cartoons so I have not read, nor seen Lion King. Currently, its Frank Raja who is blowing his long trumpet about making the greatest African Film ever. Well, considering the fact that the joints of Sarafina, Sometimes in April, and Hotel Rwanda are some of the greatest stories told about Africa. He indeed has made a great film. A rip off Sarafina.

Its appalling how they are very quick to say Africans like doing phd, we have not copied anyone’s film. We know that’s a lie don’t we? We the audience are no fools. View the trailer below and lets be honest and sincere. Does every scene not remind you of Sarafina or Hotel Rwanda?

here also is the funeral scene from Sarafina

You can find all the clips of Sarafina on youtube and lets judge for ourselves. Amanobea plays the role of Whoopi Goldberg in Sarafina. From the costume to the arrest. For fear of his nose being rubbed in the mud, Frank Raja is quickly re-editing the film to take out the extreme Sarafinalities. The number of us who rose up to say no you cannot copy was enough to send them back to the studio. We need to do that more often.

They say they are making a story of the genocide. Which genocide did we have in Ghana or Nigeria? what kind of research or authority informs their story if not a collection of other peoples films on genocide? Its not about JJ Rawlings and the coup, that I am sure off. No matter how they have tried to make Majid look like Rawlings. Its neither about the Biafran War. I have seen a better movie starring Kanayo Kanayo, Across the Niger Directed by the one and only izu Ijukwu who also did that great movie Iva, starring Omotola Jolade and Sitanda.

Did I mention this same Frank Raja and Pascal Amanfo are responsible for ripping off many films example The Other Bolyen Girl? when people are using their brains, cracking their brains to come with original ideas, we have these lazy, waist busy men who rip off peoples work, take credit for it, dance in the glory of “great filmmaker”, deceive girls with their sham fame and get away with it.

I believe Hollywood needs to sit up and start arresting somebody. FBI needs to start arresting somebody. There are agencies you can report to on copyright infringement and we the audience need to sit up. We have so many untold stories of our heritage. Stories of our great men, stories of our neighbors and stories about ourselves that will make great movies. Start reporting to to the nearest authority if you spot plagiarism.

Be the change you want

Source

Don Jazzy has made a beat for a track on Kanye West and Jay Z’s Watch the throne album which he co produced with Kanye West, Mike Dean, Jeff Bhasker and Q-Tip available for free download and asking budding artistes to download, record over it and send back. Best Five out of the entries would be selected and put up for voting with the eventual winner taking home the sum of $2,000, he announced via his Twitter page [@DonJazzy]. He also added that: “If your version is too badt, who knows? I can put it on D’Banj’s album. IDJA“.

It would last a period of one week, starting today and ends on Sunday 31st of July, 2011. Beat is tagged ‘Enigma’, which is originally for the track titled ‘Lift off’ featuring Beyonce and Bruno Mars.

Download Enigma by Don Jazzy (471) and after recording, send to donjazzy@notjustok.com