Jamaica is notoriously referred to as one of the most homophobic countries, so it may come as a shock to find out that at least once every month, a gay church reportedly keeps service in Kingston.

While THE WEEKEND STAR was not able to find out the exact location of the church, evidence of one of their worship sessions was posted on popular video sharing site Youtube.com under the title 'Gays in Jamaica worship in underground church'.

The video which appears to be a special feature done on the church, was uploaded on November 11, by Worldfocus.org. The entity identifies itself as an international news source that, among other things, reports 'on events from around the world and cover the stories that don't always make the headlines'. Since being uploaded, the video has recorded approximately 4,000 hits.

worship in secret

The close to six-minute-long clip starts with the narrative: 'Jamaica is often said to hold the world record for the most churches per-square-mile. There's a public place of worship for almost everyone, unless you're gay. If you are, you must worship in secret. Reverend Robert Griffin, a gay-American minister flies to Kingston once a month to lead this underground service ...'

Midway through this introduction, the clip shows the male members of the church and Griffin, the head, singing a song Welcome Holy Spirit with eyes closed and hands lifted as if in deep meditative worship.

Throughout the video, the males, whose faces are blurred, are seen holding hands, resting arms around each other, playing tambourine and singing lively choruses, clapping and even taking communion.

While speaking to the interviewer, Griffin said the church had to operate underground because of the "hostility towards the gay and lesbian community here in Jamaica." The minister said going public would "invite harm (and) danger to the congregation."

The pastor said that there was no physical church building or tent but that everything needed to keep the services, bible, communion condiments and tambourines, were kept in boxes until the appointed time.

During a section of pastor's sermon to his gay gathering, he was heard telling the church: "God loves us because, guess what? God created us. And God did not create us just to sit around and hate us because we chose to love someone of the same gender."

Towards the end of the video, Griffin chided local ministers for what he described as their messages of hate and violence towards gays in Jamaica and called for an end to such practices on the part of the local clergy.

Head of the Kingston-based Faith Cathedral Deliverance Centre, Bishop Herro Blair, was interviewed by the news agency in the video and he spoke on the behalf of the local religious leaders.

Blair stated that Jamaica was a homophobic society that grew up to dislike homosexuals and to hate homosexuality. He said that God's concept was an Adam and an Eve for the continuity of the human race and that homosexuality in and of itself, has the potential to hinder that God-intended process.

When contacted by THE WEEKEND STAR yesterday, Blair said that he was interviewed over a year ago but he had never seen the taping since.

He said that he did not know if the gay church was still active as he never made any checks on it.

As for the request that the gay pastor made in the video for local ministers to stop preaching against homosexuality, Blair said: "To do that would be a compromise of our faith ... If they have a right to be wrong, then we have a right to be right."

here the video of Nodar Kumaritashvili S Death

Video 2   Video  1

A COMMUNITY in the Cross Roads area of St Andrew is now in turmoil and conflict after a woman from that area pinpointed a total of 19 men as the father of her Baby Girl.

Reports reaching THE WEEKEND STAR are that the woman accused all of the men, including three brothers and businessmen from the area, of fathering her Child. The scandal, it is reported, has taken over the entire community causing frequent arguments among the men fingered and seeing threats being issued to the woman as well as her family.

A Police Officer from the Cross Roads Police Station told THE WEEKEND STAR that he was aware of the matter and said the police were keeping an eye on the community because of the number of disputes and threats that have erupted recently. "The issue of paternity is not really a police matter, so we are not concerned about that, but the disputes and the threats, that's how we come in."

THE WEEKEND STAR was informed that one brave man has accepted paternity of the child, but he has now become an outcast in the community with many calling him a fool. It is also reported that the man has been branded a "winter coat", an extreme version of the Jamaican term 'jacket', usually used to describe a man who cares for a child that is not his. A source from the community told THE WEEKEND STAR, "She approached him and he reluctantly accepted. But people are saying that he spends a lot of time outside the area, so he didn't really know what was going on."

several threats

The source said, "It's a big thing in the community man. A lot of people are talking about it and it is spreading a lot." THE WEEKEND STAR was told that several threats have been levelled against the woman by some of the men who want their names to be cleared. They have also reportedly threatened the girl's mother, telling her to ensure that her daughter stops talking about them. This, the source said, has caused them both to be living in fear.

The tricky situation has also reportedly caused the end of many friendships among some of the men fingered, and some have also been forced to face the anger of their wives and girlfriends, who are upset that their men have been caught in this web.

THE WEEKEND STAR was informed that for a while after the child was born, she was given no name. The woman, who is reportedly either in her late 20s or early 30s, also has another child.

Slick-talking deejay KipRich says he will not be clashing Merciless at The Settlement at Links in St Thomas and he has also decided to not perform on the show.

Organised by Brite Lites Funeral Home owner, Tommy Thompson, The Settlement is advertised as the burial ground for graffiti artiste L.A. Lewis and deejay Mr G as well as Queen Paula versus Lisa Hyper on Saturday, February 13. When THE WEEKEND STAR spoke to KipRich he says it was not in his original agreement with Thompson to clash any artiste.

He said, "Tommy Thompson a promote a show and him a tell me is not a clash ting but the flyer implies that it is. Mi nah deal wid no clash ting right now, my management don't want a clash vibe right now cause the focus shift. I have a song out called Party Time and dats the vibe we going for right now."

paid to clash

According to KipRich, Thompson approached him about being on the show to perform saying that the event was a party vibe. Yet after that agreement, he has seen flyers for the event implying a clash and the media have reported that he will be clashing Merciless.

"Me nah do him show, "KipRich said, "my people done call him and tell him already cause we nah trick di people. Him shouldn't go promote something weh him nuh talk to me bout and mi nah get paid to clash. Is a business, is not fren ting, if you don't tell me don't go behind my back and do it."

When THE WEEKEND STAR spoke to Thompson, however, he was unaware that KipRich would not be attending and says that he never advertised a clash between KipRich and Merciless. He said, "My only conclusion, cause everything has been going on well, is that he's fraid of the possibility a clash might happen. But the show must go on."

KipRich has gained a name for himself as a spectacular clash artiste within the last two years with his clashes in Portmore for Sting. In 2008, KipRich demolished the Monster Hempire at Sting and again in 2009 at Follow Di Arrow. Last December, KipRich was the saving grace of Sting when he and General B provided the only clash for the night. KipRich easily took home the win with cutting lyrics and a fierce attitude.

KipRich is adamant that he is not afraid to take on veteran deejay Merciless saying, "me nuh fraid fi clash Merciless, if him did book mi fi clash mi do dat but he didn't."

Deejay and businessman Vybz Kartel has taken over the running of Club Blaze in Portmore, and is renovating it for a grand opening over Valentine's weekend.

The club is located at Oak Park Plaza in Marine Park, Portmore. Kartel and his business partner Corey Todd are in it for the long haul have secured a long term lease for the venue.

"We are in a joint venture, myself, Corey Todd and Mr Fagan Jr to pioneer Portmore's second world-class night club series," said Kartel.

Kartel and Todd are in the process of giving the club a whole new look, conceptualising theme nights to keep the party vibes going five days out of every week.

"Club Blaze will be opened on Wednesdays, Thursdays through Sundays. Portmore will now host its own Street Vybz party on Sundays while Street Vybz Thursday continue to shell down the building every Thursday night in Kingston. Club Blaze will not only welcome the Gaza fan, but is for anyone who wants to be where the vibes is at," Todd said.

According to Todd, the Street Vybz Thursday series which was launched late last year has slowly become one of the hottest places to party in the Corporate Area and they hope to replicate the success of that in Kartel's hometown, Portmore. Kartel will be present taking centre stage on the club's opening night and is expected to take an active role in the club. As far as the decor, Todd was reluctant to give away the concept but said the VIP area would be an all-white theme.

Kartel turned to business ventures in 2007, managing various artistes in his Portmore Empire, as well launching his Vybz Rum, Daggerin' Condoms, Street Vybz Rum and other things in store. In a previous interview with The STAR, Kartel said he has no problems in balancing his business life and his musical one. He said, "Entrepeneurship can do more good than bad for my career. It will only help to keep the name Vybz Kartel current."

Lisa Hyper is pleased with the demand for her latest mixtape, 'Lisa Hyper: Go Hard or Go Home' which has hit the Corporate Area with gale force this week.

Her street team has allegedly distributed over 1000 CDs to a variety of selectors, mix tape artistes, taxi and bus drivers, and other entertainment insiders over the past three days.

"We haffi print up some more this week because the stock is running out fast," emcee Nuffy, who is Lisa Hyper's road manager, said.

The mixtape includes humourous little skits such as Nuffy interviewing men on the street asking them their opinions of Lisa Hype and even one skit which plays like a stirring endorsement from a young child, saying 'ah Lisa Hype mi say'.

The mixtape includes popular songs such as Trust, Prayer, I Did It So What, Bawl fi Bun the chart-burner Bills featuring Gaza Kim, and diss songs such as Barba Foot Chair, Death Sentence and the unapologetic demolishing of Spice called The Truth. There's even a freestyle Gaza track included, a naughty untitled 'girls song' featuring Jahvinci, Blak Ryno, Lisa and Vybz Kartel which was voiced for Stephen over 12 months ago.

"People love it, dem ah respond to it, the first 1000 gone already, mi surprised," an elated Lisa Hype said. "Right now, my street team ah burn up some new ones fi distribute inna HWT and Portmore."

Promoter of Magnum's Follow the Arrow, Dexton Ennis says deejay Spice has 'chickened out' of performing on the show set for February 27 at the James Bond Beach in St Mary.

When THE WEEKEND STAR spoke to the promoter yesterday he called the female deejay, a "coward" saying that Spice was asking for an exorbitant amount of money to perform.

According to Ennis, Spice is charging more money to be on the show depending on whether lyrical rival Lisa Hyper is confirmed to perform - which she is.

He said, "we were discussing Spice being on the show and dem go round and round bout it, so she basically chicken out. Dem give me a price but dem mus be joking and dem don't consult me up to now and Spice nah sey nutten to me."

According to Ennis, while he never spoke to Lisa Hyper personally, he believes she would be willing to clash and it is Spice that seems reluctant. He said, "I know Lisa Hyper didn't mention if Spice deh on di show like dere's some kind of fear."

When contacted Spice made it clear that she wouldn't be on the show if the price she asked for wasn't met. She said, "yuh can't want something if yuh can't pay for it. If yuh nuh have di money den a so, is not a friend ting, is a business mi a do. If him broke and don't have di money is not my fault."

fires musical shots

A clash between the two female deejays was a well anticipated one for fans after the two began exchanging lyrical barbs shortly after Sting last year. In the songs Sting Aftermath, Death Sentence and The Truth, Lisa Hyper fires musical shots at Spice. Spice recorded one follow-up song which she believed said all she needed to say about Lisa Hyper called Draw Me Out.

Thus far, for this year's Follow The Arrow, there will be no clashes but Ennis doesn't believe this will distract from his show. Last year the battlefield was set as Ninja Man and Merciless faced off as well as KipRich and the Monster Hempire. Ennis said, "I don't believe we're confined as a clash show, it's a good show with good energy. If anytime an artiste called and sey dem waan clash so and so den we'll try to set it up."

The theme for the show this year will be '20/10' in commemoration of the new decade. The show will feature 10 of the leading artistes and 20 of the hottest artistes.

The top-ten artistes on the show include Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Assassin, Anthony B, Flippa Mafia, KipRich, Merciless and others. While the 20 hottest artistes include Hero, George Nooks, Josey Wales, Twin of Twins, Professor Nuts, Admiral Tibet, Louie Culture, Face, Macka Diamond, Ikaya, Tikki, Sophia Squire and others.

A powerful aftershock sent Haitians screaming into the streets on Wednesday, collapsing buildings, cracking roads and adding to the trauma of a nation stunned by an apocalyptic quake eight days ago.

The magnitude-5.9 jolt matched the strongest of the aftershocks that have followed the huge quake of Jan. 12 that devastated Haiti's capital.

The new temblor collapsed seven buildings in Petit-Goave, the seaside town closest to the epicenter, according to Mike Morton of the U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination agency, but there were no reports of people crushed or trapped, perhaps because the earlier quake frightened most people into sleeping outside.

Wails of terror erupted in Port-au-Prince, where the aftershock briefly interrupted rescue efforts amid the broken concrete of collapsed buildings, and prompted doctors and patients to flee the University Hospital.

Hundreds of thousands of Haitians remain homeless, hungry and in mourning - most still waiting for the benefits of a nearly $1 billion global aid campaign that has brought hundreds of doctors and thousands of troops to the impoverished Caribbean nation.

The U.S. Navy's floating hospital, USNS Comfort, dropped anchor in view of the capital on Wednesday with about 550 medical staff, joining teams from about 30 other countries trying to treat the injured. About 250,000 people were hurt in the quake and aid groups say many people have died for lack of medical care or adequate equipment.

And the Pentagon announced that 2,000 more U.S. Marines would be sent to Haiti, adding 11,500 U.S. military personnel already on the ground or on ships offshore - a number expected to reach 16,000 by week's end.

At a golf course where U.S. troops have been trying to help 25,000 people living under sheets of plastic and old cloth, soldiers and quake victims alike raced for open ground as the quake began.

VIDEO CLICK HERE

A slow vibration intensified into side-to-side shaking that lasted about eight seconds. Some in Port-au-Prince said the far stronger Jan. 12 quake seemed to last for 30 seconds.

"It kind of felt like standing on a board on top of a ball," said Staff Sgt. Steven Payne. The 27-year-old from Jolo, West Virginia, who was part of the U.S. Army's aid mission.

At least one woman died of a heart attack, according to Eddy Thomas, a private undertaker who was wheeling her body along a street in Port-au-Prince: "She had a heart condition, and the new quake finished her."

The U.S. Geological Survey said the aftershock was centered about 35 miles (60 kilometers) west-southwest of Port-au-Prince and 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) below the surface.

It was a little further from the capital than last week's magnitude-7.0 quake, which the killed an estimated 200,000 people and made as many as 2 million homeless, according to the European Union.

Wednesday's temblor matched the strongest of 49 aftershocks of magnitude-4.5 or greater that have followed the Jan. 12 quake and USGS geophysicist Bruce Pressgrave said nobody knows if a still-stronger aftershock is possible.

"Aftershocks sometimes die out very quickly," he said. "In other cases they can go on for weeks, or if we're really unlucky it could go on for months" as the earth adjusts to the new stresses caused by the initial quake.

The shaking ripped 8-inch (20-centimeter) cracks in a road west of the capital near Leogane, where U.S. Marines were setting up a post to aid quake victims who are sleeping in streets, culverts and driveways, often under tree branches draped with sheets to guard against the sun.

The latest quake, combined with a light rain on Tuesday, has complicated rescue efforts, said Dr. Yi Ting Tsai, part of a Taiwanese crew digging for survivors near the ruined cathedral.

"The problem is the rain and the new quake this morning has made the debris more compact," he said.

International aid teams have saved 121 people from the rubble, an unprecedented number, according to aid organization. Dr. Jon Kim Andrus, deputy director for the Pan American Health Organization, said that "countless more have been rescued by Haitians working with no equipment at all," he said.

A 69-year-old domestic worker, Ena Zizi, said she prayed constantly during her week under the rubble.

She had been at a meeting at the residence of Haiti's Roman Catholic archbishop when the Jan. 12 quake struck, trapping her in debris. On Tuesday, a Mexican disaster team pulled her to safety.

Zizi said after the quake, she spoke back and forth with a vicar who also was trapped. But he fell silent after a few days, and she spent the rest of the time praying and waiting.

"I talked only to my boss, God," she said. "I didn't need any more humans."

Doctors who examined Zizi on Tuesday said she was dehydrated and had a dislocated hip and a broken leg.

Elsewhere in the capital, two women were pulled from a destroyed university building. And near midnight Tuesday, a smiling and singing 26-year-old Lozama Hotteline was carried to safety from a collapsed store in the Petionville neighborhood by the French aid group Rescuers Without Borders.

Yet the colossal efforts to help Haiti were proving inadequate because of the scale of the disaster. Expectations exceeded what money, will and military might have been able to achieve.

The World Food Program said it has distributed about 1 million food rations to 200,000 people around the capital - but that is just a tenth the number it hopes to reach.

Governments have pledged nearly $1 billion in aid, and thousands of tons of food and medical supplies have been shipped. But much remains trapped in warehouses, or diverted to the neighboring Dominican Republic. Port-au-Prince's nonfunctioning seaport and many impassable roads complicate efforts to get aid to the people.

Aid is still being turned back from the single-runway airport, where the U.S. military has been criticized by some of poorly prioritizing flights. The U.S. Air Force said it had raised the facility's daily capacity from 30 flights before the quake to 180.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the military will send a port-clearing ship with cranes aboard to Port-au-Prince to remove debris that is preventing many larger aid ships from docking.

The U.N. was sending in reinforcements as well: The Security Council voted Tuesday to add 2,000 peacekeepers to the 7,000 already in Haiti, and 1,500 more police to the 2,100-strong international force.

Perhaps as important for many Haitians was the reopening of several money exchange houses on Wednesday and Haitian banks' announcement that they will reopen in rural provinces on Thursday, then in the capital on Saturday. That will help restore the flow of money from Haitians abroad, who send home $1.9 billion a year.

And they may have something to spend the money on: Farmers are again trudging into the capital from hillside plots balancing packages of cauliflower, sweet potato, sugar cane and lettuce on their heads.

It was after 3 a.m. on Sunday morning when a disgruntled Elephant Man, after having his set cut short by police officers, unapologetically announced that fellow deejay and unscheduled performer Beenie Man had "mashed up" the Coca-Cola Presents Sean Kingston in Concert.

Receiving boos from the disgruntled audience for 'dissing' the self-styled King of the Dancehall, Elephant Man made his way offstage after just getting the energy started in his shortened set. After being called up by Sean Kingston earlier in the night, Beenie Man made his way back onstage for a short stint begging scheduled performer, DeMarco, "five minutes" to give his fans a taste of 'the doctor'. DeMarco obliged, cutting in here and there for a few lines of his own songs and to showcase his own dance moves. Beenie Man ended up taking longer than his 'five minutes'. At the abrupt end of the show as emcee Miss Kitty thanked the packed venue for showing, persons in the crowd lively debated Beenie's performance for the night, often favouring the deejay for showing up and performing unexpectedly.

strong vibe

Prior to its the unexpected ending, Sean Kingston in Concert was a well-organised and well-attended event that saw more interesting than forgettable performances for the night. Dominated by young artistes after 9 p.m., acts such as G Whizz and Tessanne Chin alongside surprise act Shaggy performing their duet Hold Me got some responses for their effort. Voicemail soon brought a dancing vibe as the younger crowd members bawled out "bembe" along side the trio, who kept a strong vibe. Laden soon followed, deejaying more of his song than usual with Gal Over Gun, Working Hard and had hands waving for Time to Shine. QQ gave a surprisingly mature performance, showing promise for the future, as he came out in a Michael Jackson-style outfit and had fans screaming at the front of the stage. Singing his R&B song, security had to come to his rescue at one point as fans tried to grab the young singjay while he 'stookied' and 'rum-rammed'.

the boo-bird

Elephant Man wasn't the only person to be bitten by the boo-bird for the night. Emcee Supa Hype received a solid one as well. After re-entering the stage, he asked fans to scream if they liked QQ. The audience complied. He then proceeded to 'big up' LA Lewis in the VIP area and asked fans to scream for the graffiti artiste. However, instead of shouting their approval, he was given a sound booing. Miss Kitty soon took over emceeing duties, bringing on Alaine next who danced and did her set followed by Tifa, who received a strong forward from welcoming fans. Fans sang along to Bottom of the Barrel, as the female deejay showed off her quick lyrics before going into Spell It Out. D'Angel looked enticing in a red body suit as she hailed her husband in the building and blazed onstage. Executing a quick wardrobe change, she soon made way for Chino who made time for new songs such as Phone Gallis on the Boops rhythm. He slowed it down for Ruff It Up as he took a seat onstage and played his guitar. Bringing out 'the captain', Chino made way for his father Freddie McGregor to get in a line or two as the crowd sang along to Push Come to Shove.

Etana, Shady Squad and Mystic all had the crowd warmed up as shortly after 1 a.m. the man of the night Sean Kingston made his way onstage as those sitting down, stood at attention for the international act. Coming to Mi Love, Kingston had a lot to say throughout his first performance in Kingston. In a disc jock showdown with his DJ, Kingston showed that he was in touch with new music, playing Assassin's Hand Up Inna Di Air, Serani's Skip to ma Luu and Stephen McGregor's Cyaa Friend Again before bigging up the Big Ship. The deejay was all business with hits such as Take You There, Beautiful Girls and Fire Burnin.

Coppershot's DJs Sanjay and Small Voice, as well as Bloodline's DJ Narity kept the party going after Kingston's performance, as acts such as DeMarco followed to a good response, followed by Ding Dong and Ravers Clavers. Ding Dong jumped into the crowd for Holiday, while Elephant Man closed the show, continuing the dancing trend until cut-off time.

With a raunchy video circulating on the Internet, dancehall artiste Ms Ting says she has no problem appearing nude in the raw version of her Bonify music video.

The sexually explicit video for the song, which is a collaboration with Psycho Tanbad, surfaced on the Internet recently. The video was done by Terminal 4 Media, while the song was produced by Dre Skull, from New York.

But there is also an edited version that has been on local TV for a few weeks. The raw version, Ms Thing says, is strictly for the Internet.

In the first scene, Psycho Tanbad lays on top of Ms Thing, with both of them appearing nude. At some points, Ms Ting's breasts are exposed but both their lower bodies are slightly blurred. There is also a scene where they are in a shower together, hugging and rubbing down each other. Her breasts are also fully shown here. She is also nude while in the Jacuzzi.

confirmed

When THE STAR contacted Ms Thing, she confirmed that she was nude and does not have a problem with that.

"I had on underwear in the Jacuzzi with my breasts out. I was actually nude for most of the scenes," she said laughing.

"It's dancehall and raw entertainment. Everybody like it so far. They (fans) are a little bit surprised but most people loving the raw version."

For Psycho Tanbad, making the video was an exciting experience.

"It did alright, exciting and everything. A nuh something normal. We know weh wi a get wiself inna. It was enjoyable," he said.

Adding, "Mi prefer the raw version and most people in the streets prefer the raw one. Everybody prefer that side 'cause a dancehall."

Based on the nature of the video, one would question whether or not the two are in an intimate relationship. When asked about this, however, Psycho Tanbad said, "no comment," while someone was heard laughing in the background.

But Ms Thing is not concerned about persons who have a problem with the nude content in her video.

"Not at all. As artistes, no publicity is bad publicity. I am not gonna let people use negativity to bring me down. I am just going to continue to do my thing," she told THE STAR, while noting that she will soon release another song with Psycho Tanbad.