Half Pint’s tour of Hawaii hailed a success

REPORTS reaching this column have indicated that singer Half Pint’s recent tour of Hawaii has been hailed as a success. The veteran vocalist recently completed a five-date jaunt which took him to places including North Shore, Kailua, and Honolulu.

“The Hawaiian people over the years have always showed an appreciation for my music. I have been there on numerous occasions, and they relate to my music on a spiritual level,” Half Pint stated upon his return to the island earlier this week.

The singer reportedly kept his fans entertained with hits such as Winsome, Substitute Lover, Hold On, Crazy Girl, Level the Vibes, Just Be Good, Sally, One In A Million and Cosmopolitan Girl.

“Reggae music soothes the people because the message is always potent, and the people of Hawaii were receptive and appreciative to the message that was delivered,” Half Pint explained.

The singer was backed by his eight piece Guidance band throughout the tour. There are plans for the singer to make a return to Hawaii in 2011.

According to Half Pint’s manager Loyal Haylett, “Many promoters on the islands have already contacted me for shows for next year.”

Black Eyed Peas clean up with The Time (Dirty Bit)

The Black Eyed Peas make a clean sweep on the UK Pop Singles chart this week, as The Time (Dirty Bit), the first single from the group’s recently released album The Beginning, beat Willow Smith’s Whip My Hair for the coveted number one position.

The Time is not only the champ in the UK but it simultaneously topped music charts in Austria, Belgium, Australia, Italy, New Zealand and Switzerland.

Stateside, the single peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

The recording contains a sample from the 1987 hit I’ve Had the Time of My Life which was recorded by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes and featured in the Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey film Dirty Dancing.

The Time is the fifth number one UK single for the Black Eyed Peas. Their first chart topper in the UK was Where is the Love from 2003. Subsequent UK chart toppers were Boom Boom Pow, I Gotta Feeling and Meet Me Halfway.

The song has become the ninth top ten single in the US for the Black Eyed Peas.

Nicki Minaj mines gold with Pink Friday

Since its release on November 22, Pink Friday, the debut solo album from rap’s chick-of-the-moment Nicki Minaj, has sold more than 500,000 copies.

The gold-selling album contains collaborations with a number of well known musical luminaries. The first single Your Love peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number seven on the R&B singles chart.

The second single Right Thru Me is currently climbing various Billboard charts.

Pink Friday sold some 375,000 copies in its opening week. It peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, Rap Album and R&B Hip Hop album charts.

Minaj now joins a growing list of female hip hop acts who have sold gold or platinum with their debut albums.