“News flash: Tessanne Chin spends most of her time thinking about herself, and what’s left over on her friends and family. Just like you, just like me. These weren’t military expeditions; they were music auditions. Stacked against her parents and her husband, your ‘support’ amounted to diddly-squat” – Do you know which Jamaican Celebrity said that this week? See our top ten Jamaican Celebrity quotes to find out!

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively”. – Bob Marley. It’s Black History Month and what will TTJQW be without quotes from our greatest Jamaican Celebrities? Bob Marley was an ambassador for peace, love, equality and unity among all people despite race, social or economic status. His greatest demonstration of this came in the form of the One Love Peace Concert in 1981, where he briefly brought the then bitter adversaries Prime Minister Michael Manley and Opposition Leader Edward Seaga together in a symbolic truce in a time when Jamaica was in political turmoil (http://www.jamaicans.com/music/articles_reggae/bob-marley-quotes~print.shtml)

“Mi go Hawaii an the youths dem a play lovers’ rock and rocksteady. Wi have so much in Jamaica but wi limit wiself” – Tarrus Riley commenting on the lack of appreciation of rocksteady in Jamaica whereas other countries are embracing the music (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Tarrus-walks-down-memory-lane_15922635)

“I’m grateful for the wins; 2013 was not my best year, but I have a strong fan base and Jamaica people have spoken,” – Tifa commenting on her three grammy wins at the Annual Youth View Awards (YVA’s) a show designed to give youths in Jamaica a chance to voice their opinions on the Jamaican celebrities who are most influential to them (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Triple-YVA-wins-for-Tifa_15938396)

The concept of the [new] album means merging my music with hip-hop and anything else I feel like,” – Stephen Marley sharing his thoughts on merging different genres of music as he speaks to Rolling Stone magazine on his song ‘Thorn or a Rose’ from his new album Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life which will see a mixture of hip-hop and reggae. The musician credits his love for merging different genres with his father’s influence on genres outside of reggae (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/stephen-marley-recruits-black-thought-for-soulful-thorn-or-a-rose-20140206)

“We have to remember Daddy was in the music business and it’s a business. At the same time, we keep the integrity of the man separate from the integrity of the musician,” – Cedella Marley, countering criticisms that the Marley name is losing significance due to it being used with many businesses started by the legendary musician’s children. These businesses include a musical, a coffee store and a restaurant (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Is-brand-Marley-losing-its-roots-_15947508)

“You can think Bob Marley when you think of my reggae album. Like Bob, my music will be able to be played in the church halls” – Gospel Deejay Prodigal Son faces down criticisms of his decision to record secular music and even more so a Reggae album and a traditional gospel album will be released from his record label (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Prodigal-steps-outside-box_15962788)

“If we weren’t taken from Africa we would still be dancing to drums, so it’s not like God himself stipulated what should be the sound of gospel music,” – Omari. The debate continues as two factions of the church in Jamaica: the young and radical reggae gospel lovers and the traditionalist ‘sankey’ music generation who have yet to accept gospel reggae in the church despite its major influence especially on young people (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140205/ent/ent1.html)

“I hope our team could help deliver a message of inspiration and we will try our best in Sochi,” Winston Watts – the former Jamaican Bobsled team member from the 2002 Winter Olympics is in high spirits as a Jamaican team will be participating in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics after a 12 year absence! Many will remember the movie ‘Cool Runnings’ which was inspired by the passionate 1988 Olympic team (http://www.samsungvillage.com/blog/2014/02/jamaicas-cool-runnings-keep-on pushing.html?goback=.gde_3705163_member_5837184490912378882)

“As far as I am concerned, I am diverse. I started out in comedy. If you remember, Smile Orange was originally a stage play before it became a film,” – popular Jamaican Actor Carl Bradshaw speaking on his multiple roles in movies and television series over the years. Bradshaw will be a main character in the upcoming movie “The Skin” which is one of several movies set for screening atthe 22nd annual Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles, California (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Bradshaw-s-Skin-gets-out)

“I believe that the best form of reggae music and the best form of Jamaican music will always be in Jamaica,” – Chronixx, commenting on the view that Jamaicans have lost their edge where producing quality reggae music is concerned. Insisting that great Jamaican talent can still be found in Jamaica; the artiste does not mind being part of a show with international reggae artistes (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140205/ent/ent2.html)

“Many Jamaicans think their borderline obsession was a vaguely noble form of ‘support’ for the songstress. As if our slack-jawed viewing habit somehow transported good vibes across an ocean and gave her the strength to overcome otherwise-insurmountable psychological hardships. News flash: Tessanne Chin spends most of her time thinking about herself, and what’s left over on her friends and family. Just like you, just like me. These weren’t military expeditions; they were music auditions. Stacked against her parents and her husband, your ‘support’ amounted to diddly-squat” – Keiran King, of course didn’t say this…but he wrote it in an article entitled ‘Tessanne-mania is a national embarrassment’. King’s view of the tremendous support had by Tessanne in  The Voice  competition was more or less overrated. A view that has generated several criticisms this week see his article here http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140205/cleisure/cleisure11.html.