SUMMERFEST Productions, the organisers of Reggae Sumfest, has named R&B star Chris Brown as one of the foreign acts on the line-up for this year's festival.

In a press release, the organisers also welcomed Red Stripe who returns as main sponsor of Reggae Sumfest, after a hiatus.

The brand now joins a growing list of sponsors which includes Digicel, Iberostar, JTB, and Wisynco, for the 18th staging of the country's premier reggae festival.

Also scheduled to perform are Reggae heavyweights Shaggy, Beenie Man, Tarrus Riley and Queen Ifrica. Sumfest, which prides itself as "the greatest Reggae show on earth", kicks off with a beach party on July 18 and continues at Catherine Hall, Montego Bay, on July 22-24.

International R&B and pop star Chris Brown, emerged on the scene in 2005 and quickly rose to stardom with his self-titled debut album. With the release of Graffiti, his third album, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter enters his prime as a widely accomplished multi-platinum artiste. Chris is set to thrill the audiences and make history with his first Reggae Sumfest performance.

The release also stated that some of Jamaica's top artistes have been confirmed for the event, among them Jah Cure, Elephant Man, I-Octane, Konshens, Stacious, Chino, Tessanne Chin, Gramps Morgan and Tifa.

The words are quickly becoming the most prominent graffiti across the island. 'Gaza' and 'Gully' can be seen scribbled almost everywhere. In most garrisons they are as common as the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and People's National Party (PNP) signs.

And, like the political impact, the 'Gaza/Gully' feud has the potential to be as socially and psychologically imprisoning on its followers.

The dancehall cliques are tied to the two most popular deejays - Adidja 'Vybz Kartel' Palmer (Gaza) and David 'Mavado' Brooks (Gully).

The names represent the area of their residence and home of their fan base. 'Gaza' is a section of the Waterford housing scheme in Portmore where Vybz Kartel grew up and lived for many years. 'Gully' represents the actual gully which dissects Mavado's childhood community of Cassava Piece in St Andrew.

But in the last year, they have come to mean much more. Following the highly publicised lyrical clash between Mavado and Vybz Kartel at Sting in December, a clannish divide has been created in segments of the society as fans latch on to their favourite artiste.

Other deejays and sound operators have also been choosing sides, deepening the divide and adding potency to the tense relationship between the two factions.

Anthropologist of social violence, Dr Herbert Gayle, believes that the majority of the 'Gaza' and 'Gully' supporters who use violence to show their allegiance are victims of inadequate social development.

Gayle, who lectures at the University of West Indies, Mona, told The Sunday Gleaner that this behaviour will continue until there are proper infrastructure in these rigid inner-city communities to promote social development.

"Some of these communities have no social institutions - no 4-H clubs, no craft centre, no trading centre, no nothing. So the issue with these young people is really a matter of identity," Gayle said.

"All human beings have a need to belong. The poorer you are and the scarcer the resources (such as social development centres) is the more competitive and combative the war is," he added.

Gayle opined that the dancehall feud is worse than the political one.

"There is nothing to gain physically, or nobody gets paid to be a 'Gaza' or 'Gully' supporter. It, in fact, is even worse than politics, because at least politicians would give these kids a hundred dollars and stuff," he said.

Rumors have been rampant for the past few years regarding Redman's status as a solo artist on the label who has housed him for over 18 years.

Well the question has been answered.  Recently Redman sat down and gave fans a behind the scenes glimpse into the making of his long awaited Def Jam release "Reggie".

Peep what he had to say:

Going from Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson's recent run as an actor and unrelenting appearances in recent films, some may start forgetting the fact that he is a rapper.

Next on the list of upcoming films from the rapper/actor is “Twelve” which recently released a movie trailer.

Revolving around a high school dropout-turned- drug dealer, the life of a boy performs a full 180 degrees as a life of peddling narcotics proves to be rather lucrative.

…that is, until his dealer's cousin is murdered and his best friend is arrested for the crime.Apparently looking to step outside of the box, 50 Cent plays the role of a…drug dealer, oh well.

"Drake isn't on the album because they gave me the record and when it was time to clear the record, Universal was playing games."

"The industry killed the mix tape circuit. The industry really uses the mix tape circuit to test what record would hit. Before the internet got to the level it's at now, the mix tape and the DJ used to get paid to do promotional tapes. Now it's like the mix tapes are strictly for promotion and ain't nobody making money."

When die hard Hip-Hop fans hear the name Drama King, you automatically think of veteran DJ and Hot 97 personality DJ Kay Slay.

Peep The Interview After The Break As The Drama King Goes IN!!! [More]

After being the first DJ to broadcast the now infamous Jay-Z and Nas lyrical beef and hosting countless battles thereafter, threatening to slap your favorite DJ and being voted “Hip-Hop's One Man Ministry of Insults” by the New York Times, it is no secret why they call him “The Drama King.”

But these days it seems that Kay Slay is on a new mission in life.

After a six year hiatus on the mixtape scene, Kay Slay is back with his new album “More than Just a DJ” and sat down with Hip-Hopwired.com to explain his take on the industry, why he is more than just a DJ, what exactly is Straight Stuntin' and why people need to stop hating on Ray J.

Hip-Hop Wired:   First things first, how did you get started as a DJ?

Kay Slay: Honestly, I [have] always liked music. I used to listen to my mom's old records back in the day and once I got a taste, I knew it was something that I wanted to get involved with.  What really sealed the deal was when I did a house party for an older guy, named Rodney Wilson. He sat me down and told me, “Yo just change these records one by one.” I was too young to party with them, so I just sat there and when one record was going off, I [would] turn that component set down and when the next was ready to play I turned that one up; so that's really what gave me the knack for DJing.

Hip-Hop Wired:   Of course, you're known as The Drama King for a reason.  Out of all the beefs you've been a part of, which was your favorite?

Kay Slay: I think my favorite one to date all the way was the Jay-Z and Nas battle. I say that because it never got to the point where they were talking about hurting each other, they kept it Hip-Hop and that's what Hip-Hop is all about.

I don't want everybody to get it confused, I like Hip-Hop battles because that's what the culture is all about and that's what it's been about from day one. A little friendly competition is cool, but when they start talking about what they gonna do to each other's mothers and kids, I ain't with it.

Hip-Hop Wired:   It did bring back the essence of what Hip-Hop really was, but at the same time I think spawned a lot of the beefs for promotion. I think the battle was monumental, but the WWE beefs that we see these days where an artist has a beef with everybody, is getting a little redundant.

Kay Slay: True, true indeed. Some people are cut out to be battle rappers and that's what they do, but for the average person that feels like they have to diss this person to get on, it's not it.

Hip-Hop Wired:   You have been a DJ in the game for a long time. When you started, the DJ was the party and the MC was there to promote the DJ. Over the years it seemed to evolve around the MC, now it's back to where the DJs are getting deals without the MC. What do you feel is a most important skill or tool that someone who is trying to become the next breakout DJ needs to possess?

Kay Slay: First things first, you have to know how to DJ outside of Cerrado, that's number one. Number two, the main thing that will get you through a door, is that you have to have a personality and have some kind of originality. You have to find your niche and stick to it, you can't emulate what somebody else is doing and expect to be respected as a top DJ.  It's not going to happen; you'll be another nameless cat in the mix.

Hip-Hop Wired:   It's interesting that you said you need to DJ without Cerrado, what do you feel about the new cats that just know how to mix with the CDs?

Kay Slay: I'm not knocking them because if you mix with the CDs it almost requires the same skill, almost as a turntable except the needle can't skip because there's no needle. At this point they have no choice because the record label stopped making vinyl, so either you're gonna mix with the CD or you're not gonna DJ. Cerrado is a little to the left of me, I say that because it's almost like you're contributing to the death of the DJ. In my opinion, if a guy can get his nephew, cousin, brother or anybody to sit there and punch the songs on the computer and just slide the cross fade in; you got a party.

Hip-Hop Wired:   Out of Turntables and CD Mixing, which one is your favorite?

Kay Slay: I love two turntables and a mixer, no Cerrado over here at all.

Hip-Hop Wired:   Growing up with vinyl and cassettes, then seeing the ushering in of the CD and digital download; in my opinion there is nothing like the sound of a vinyl. Vinyl to me just sounds a lot more….. it's hard to describe but I'm feeling you on that.

Kay Slay: It's authentic. It's truly authentic.

Hip-Hop Wired:   Right. There's something real about that sound, I just love it and I kind of wish that we could have a little of both. I wish the record labels would still make vinyl for some of the classic records, because to have a dope DJ mix something like Mos Def's Black on Both Sides with Jay Z's Blueprint 3, would be ill.

Kay Slay: True indeed.

Kay Slay feat. Yo Gotti, Jim Jones & Busta Rhymes - "Blockstars"