Ebuzz News
Archived: The Voice of the People, Truly The Voice of God.
MX Prime has done it! Together with the Ultimate Rejects, he is the new Road March champion. Today, he tells EBUZZTT, it was an experiment that worked.
He never entered the carnival race for a title but by Carnival Monday night, the masses seemed to have confirmed that their Carnival God, MX Prime and his team of hard working music magicians would take home the year’s most coveted prize- the Road March title. By 1pm on Ash Wednesday, as many had been recuperating from the mas, the announcement came- The Ultimate Rejects’ ‘Full Extreme’ had been played some 556 times before the carnival judges.
It wasn’t so much that the song had beat back that of other contenders, but more so, the fact that a tune, that was atypical, something that pretty much leant to the less contemporary and the more traditional, had transcended generations, social class and production norms, to become the voice of the people. MX Prime, in weeks leading up to Carnival 2017 had remained his usual self. He went to work at the Boomchampions 94.1FM. He even hosted Prime Time with MX Prime for EBUZZTT.COM, telling us that he saw the need for this type of artiste promotion and was happy to be a part of it. Edghill Thomas had remained humble in every sense, to the very end of his run on Carnival Tuesday, even fulfilling his commitment to performing for masqueraders at the SocaDrome during the bacchanal.
MX Prime remains humble. His journey continues with the Ultimate Rejects to further brand themselves.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jonathan Mannion
Today, following the official announcement, Prime spoke with EBUZZTT. He said, today’s reality is a beautiful thing and thanked the people for the achievement. “It’s a beautiful thing for the Ultimate Rejects. We wanted to expand the brand to the carnival market, those who love soca and calypso and even those who may not have known about us and what we would be brining to the table. We are a DJ /Production group that specializes in all genres of music and our main focus is CDM – Caribbean Dance Music, so we had no high expectations where this was concerned,” he explained. Prime said this release of ‘Full Extreme’ was purely experimental but admitted that the song had taken on a life of its own. “We really have to thank the people who appreciated the difference – the fact remains, the song was approached in a really different way. We also want to thank the promoters who allowed us to deliver something different when we hit the stage each time. There was really nothing like what we did on stage, in carnival, before this year, and it really paid off in the end,” he said.
Still fueled by the energy of Carnival 2017, MX Prime and the Ultimate Rejects takes the stage at BAE Watch in West Trinidad, tonight. He told EBUZZTT that international bookings are rolling in strongly and the team will remain focused on pushing the UR brand a little further.
“The main goal was to get the people to know who the Ultimate Rejects are. We did that but the journey isn’t over.”- MX PRIME.
Music News
Vybz Kartel To Headline Reggae Sumfest This Year, Alongside Mavado. New Album, ‘God & Time’ Set for June Release.
One of the most influential artists in dancehall history, Vybz Kartel, marks a defining new chapter with his forthcoming album God & Time, slated for release June 5th, 2026.
In recent weeks, dancehall artiste, Vybz Kartel has been receiving some backlash online after sharing videos of himself wearing a bonnet while dancing in his underwear and a robe. The noise increased after he shared it a second time, almost taunting his detractors and making it clear that he is rich and does not care for the unsolicited comments of naysayers. Fast forward days later and like magic, the artiste’s pre-album release publicity stunt ushers in the release of his forthcoming album God & Time, set for a June 5th release. Kartel ain’t no fool.
The upcoming album is symbolic for the artiste who spent 13 years behind bars in Jamaica and was only released in 2024. It is being touted as his most personal and sonically expansive body of work since his release. The album will span genres and features an all star lineup of artistes including, Puerto Rican superstar Farruko, Jamaica’s Skillibeng, and Shenseea, with more artistes to be included.
In a media release, it is highlighted that throughout God & Time, Vybz Kartel moves seamlessly between personal reflections, hard-hitting dancehall anthems, sensual records for the ladies, genre-bending crossover records, and rare moments of vulnerability. It adds that it is inspired by the Jamaican expression “God & Time”—rooted in faith, patience, and destiny—and reflects the artiste’s survival, rebirth, and creative freedom.
The title track evokes the same introspective tone as Kartel’s most streamed post-release hit “God Is The Greatest,” which has surpassed 30 million video views year-to-date.
Produced by longtime collaborator TJ Records alongside Kartel, the album reunites the creative team behind Viking (Vybz Is King) (2015) and King of the Dancehall (2016), which included the RIAA Gold-certified hit “Fever.” God & Time will be released via TJ Records / Vybz Kartel Muzik and distributed by Zojak World Wide.
In support of the new album, Vybz Kartel will headline Reggae Sumfest on July 18th, alongside Mavado, reuniting two dancehall icons whose rivalry defined the genre throughout the 2000s in a landmark moment for Jamaican music and culture.
Ebuzz News
Denise Belfon Thanks Drake’s ‘OVO’ Team for Inclusion of Her ‘Work’ on New Track.
Canadian rapper, Drake is once again teaming up with Caribbean entertainers, delivering a brand new album called, ‘Maid of Honor,’ which is now available on all streaming platforms. It was one of three albums the artiste simultaneously dropped on May 15th – the other two being ICEMAN and HABIBTI.
One of the singles on ‘Maid of Honor,’ called ‘BBW’ features the work of Trinidad and Tobago entertainer, Denise ‘Saucy Wow’ Belfon – her 1998 track, ‘Work.’
The lyrics, ‘Put Yuh Back in It’ became a trending expression on TikTok in 2020 when it became a challenge on the popular platform. That viral opportunity six years ago, led to the song’s resurgence and Belfon’s name being called by younger generations whose parents, aunts and uncles would’ve more than likely grown up on her music and performances in the Caribbean. Fast forward to 2026, and Belfon is once again enjoying a viral moment as news broke that her song had been sampled by Drake. “Everything is legitimate and I want to thank the team – Fabian Alfonso, a copyright specialist out of Trinidad and Tobago ; He was very instrumental in making this deal become reality, said Belfon in a chat with Ebuzztt, before expressing gratitude to several other instrumental people, and Drake’s OVO team.
In 2022, dancehall artiste, Shenseea and rapper, Megan Thee Stallion also sampled ‘Work’ on the single, ‘Lick.’ Belfon, who lives in New York, had, at that time, attended a release party at a nightclub in New York, where Shenseea acknowledged the Soca artiste’s influence on the new release.
The Maid of Honor album delivers 14 singles and added to T&T’s Denise Belfon, Jamaican artiste, Popcaan is also featured on a single called, ‘Amazing Shape.’
Denise Belfon’s personality and charisma has, for a very long time, made her a fan favorite in the Caribbean. A vocal powerhouse and unique stage performer, she has stood the test of time in the Soca music industry, having created massive soca anthems like ‘Work,’ ‘Wine and Bend Over’ and ‘Wining Queen’ among countless other flavorful singles.
