SEX, FEMINISM & SELF-AWARENESS
Caribbean L 46 ife, MAY 7-13, 2021
on Amazon Music’s best-selling
album charts in three categories
— International, Reggae
and Caribbean & Cuba.
The album’s pre-order sales
also peaked at the no. 1 spot for
the iTunes US Reggae Album
store, Shuzzr said.
After peaking at no. 2 on
the worldwide all genres chart,
Shuzrr said, “Top Prize” currently
holds the no. 4 spot
worldwide for album pre-orders
(all genres) rivaling the likes of
Maroon 5 and Blake Shelton,
“thanks to the unwavering support
of his fanbase.”
Alkaline, who recently made
history as the first Caribbean
act to be featured on streaming
platform Audiomack’s Acoustic
visual series was also the face of
Spotify’s first Caribbean focused
playlist “Back A Yard” following
Audiomack’s global expansion
to 83 additional countries, earlier
this year, Shuzzr said.
It said Alkaline’s collaboration
with US platform Audiomack
had over 150, 000 views
in two days and currently
trends at the no. 5 spot for
Youtube videos in Jamaica.
“The level of artistry, growth
and dominance Alkaline has
demonstrated over the years
is incomparable,” said Shuzzr,
Alkaline’s publicist. “As an
independent artist, he continues
to break barriers globally,
and expand the genre’s footprint
in mainstream and new
media markets.
“In the coming weeks, he
will give fans a ‘soulful jam’
of tracks,” Shuzzr added. “Our
client’s product and approach
are meticulous, and the results
can be seen from the respect
and support he receives from
his fans worldwide.”
Shuzzr said fans can expect
to hear a few classics and new
tracks on the new album, set
for release on May 14.
The tracklist includes:
“Magic”; “Ah”; “Medicine”;
“Maniac”; “Deh Suh”; “Ocean
Wave”; “Payroll”; “More Life”;
“Heat A Di Moment”; “Cree”;
“Hostage”; “Nuh Trust Mankind”;
“Twerc”, and the title
track, “Top Prize.”
ness, to improve people’s attitude
towards sex that is still a taboo.
“We live in an oversexed society,
yet some are still so in the
dark, particularly on the joys,”
she stressed. “Some are still
afraid to mention the word sex
openly. People are still blushing
when I explain the contents of
‘Tease’.
“I believe what I like to call
the ‘double-exposure’ of sex is
stifling,” Dunn added. “’Doubleexposure’
of sex is our being
overexposed to the temptation
of physical sex while simultaneously
being underexposed to its
spiritual beauty.”
Dunn said “Tease” was “custom
made” for women age
25-55, “specifically, women who
have had fun with sex or have
not experienced their best sex
because emotional restrictions
hold them back.
“Tease’ was designed to raise
sexual awareness, remind women
that they have agency over their
bodies, and empower women
and their lovers to engage in the
deep exploration of the intimate
self,” she said.
Dunn said her overall mission
is to develop a “Bold Series”,
which includes “Tease”, to provide
“formal education programs”
that can be implemented
in schools, youth programs and
shelters in the US and Jamaica.
Born and raised in the Parish
of St. Ann in Jamaica and currently
residing in New York City,
Dunn said that, in reflection, her
parents sheltered her.
“My parents instilled values
and morals in me; they loved me
unconditionally,” she said. “However,
the Jamaican culture, religious
beliefs and family norms
influenced the publication of my
prior book, ‘Bold Her Liberation’
and now ‘Tease.’
“The Jamaican culture cuddles
sexual activity,” she added.
“In essence, it is flooded with
sexuality evidenced in our music
industry, dance. Even the media
covertly and unambiguously
showcases and references sexual
behaviors.
“On the other hand, sex is
almost condemned; sex is still
taboo to some folks,” Dunn continued.
“There is narrow-mindedness
for sex.
“Thinking about the differential
gender-specific standards
surrounding sex lends to a further
state of unawareness,” she
said. “Furthermore, there is such
a high level of sexual activity and
pregnancy among adolescents
in Jamaica. The negative and
mixed messages regarding sex, I
believe, contribute to the confusion
and misuse of sex.”
As a social worker, Dunn said
she promotes intervention for
families, and has a successful
track record in coaching and
training, team building, and
conflict resolution.
She also works in planning
needs assessment, change
management, strengths-based
assessments and programming
for under-served communities.
Her educational background
includes a Master of Social Work
degree from Fordham University,
Bachelor of Science in English
Literature from Mercy College
and an AAS in Paralegal Studies
from Westchester Community
College.
She also has certification in
Developing Leaders Program
from Columbia University, and
Solutions-Based Casework and
Parenting Journey 1 Facilitator
Certification.
In 2018, Dunn said she started
a publishing company, Bold Flamingo
Publishing.
She self-published her first
book of poetry in 2019 under the
pseudo name, Toya J. A year later,
she published an inspirational
journal.
As a philanthropist, Dunn said
she volunteers with other nonprofits,
such as Focus Forward
Project, working as a facilitator
of a life skills program in the federal
jail in New York City.
She is the founder and host
of BlackXChange Korner, which
focuses on empowerment, support
and promoting cohesiveness
among African Americans.
On publishing “Tease”, Dunn
said: “I feel a sense of relief, joy,
liberation, intense excitement. I
feel empowered.
“I boldly followed my instincts
and did not allow the negative
chatter, judgments and stigmas
to deter me from publishing my
artistic erotic publication,” she
said.
“’Tease’ is instructional, fun
and sexy,” she added. “I hope that
folks will read beyond the erotic
content and consider the themes
of sex, feminism, self-awareness.
Continued from Page 45
Continued from Page 45
Tuesday that, in producing
“Made It”, Jo Mersa Marley
stepped “outside of the moniker
of a Marley to look through
the lens of an artist who had to
work multiple jobs to feed his
passion or provide for a family.
“’Made It’ is a track that millions
upon millions can relate
to; struggling to find their way
out of the confines of ‘working
to live’ to find freedom in passion
and life itself,” Tomlinson
said.
Featuring a reggae, afropop
infused sound, she said
“Made It” provides the “longanticipated
taste of the sound,
feel and tone of Jo Mersa Marley’s
upcoming EP Eternal.”
Marley’s latest project, “Eternal”,
includes seven original
tracks including: “Guess Who’s
Coming Home”; “Yo Dawg feat”,
Busty Signal; “Company feat”,
Melii; “Made It feat”, Kabaka
Pyramid; “No Way Out feat”;
“Black Am I”; “Thinking”; and
That Dream.
Tomlinson said the status
of the Marley bloodline comes
with its fair share of expectations.
“Eager to bring honor to his
family while maintaining his
unique sound and style, ‘Made
It’ sets the tone for the ‘Eternal’
EP and setting Jo Mersa Marley’s
work apart as a force to be
reckoned with in the modern
reggae scene,” she said.
Continued from Page 45
Jamaican author Marie Dunn teases audience with excerpts
from her book of erotic poems. Kevin Warren/Frozen in Time
Jo Mersa Marley drops ‘Made It’ Alkaline dominates
Bob Marley’s grandson, Jo Mersa Marley. Ricardo Stephens