Shawné Lee

Shawné Lee born in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, resided in Los Angeles, where she majored in business to become valedictorian at United Business Institute.  She later relocated to New York City and worked several years for the Mayor’s Office of Planning and Environment during the Dinkins Administration. She was introduced to West African dance in 1992 under the tutelage of Youssouf Koumbassa, M’Bemba Bangoura, Marie Bass, and Mouminatou Camara.  She would then hone her skills in traditional dance and choreography, transforming her passion to an ongoing dedication of teaching the art. In 2003 she co-founded the Maat Organic Summer Camp, where the children are instructed in dance, drumming, drama, martial arts, arts & crafts, and cultural enrichment. Shawné is also the founder and CEO of BlackEmpress368 Entertainment, which is a management company and collective of musicians, actors, models, photographers, and promoters which brings conscious well crafted work to the artists and clients in a highly competitive market through media exposure, interviews, shows and radio. Her proudest achievement to date is being a mother of three.

www.myspace.com/blackempress368
www.youtube.com/blackempress368
www.227abolitionistplace.org
blackempress368@gmail.com

Jasmine Solano

Meet Jasmine Solano, a Philly Motown girl turned HIP HOPSTER SOUL GAL. Representing on the airwaves and turntables since she was 17, nowadays you’ll find Jasmine Solano DJing in NYC, Brooklyn, Miami, DC and LA. Winner of "Best Female Radio Personality" at the New England Urban Music Awards in 2006 and the annual EVVY Awards for "Best Radio On-Air Personality" she owes it all to the Boston community where it began on WERS 88.9FM. Jasmine put a ‘face to the name’ as a VJ for MTV2 and has been the host and MC for concerts featuring Grandmaster Flash, Akfrika Bambaataa, Questlove, Q.tip, De La Soul, GZA, The Platinum Pied Pipers, Dilated Peoples, M1 of Dead Prez, Jaguar Wright and Goapele.

In late 2008, she decided to pursue her passion full time: making music. Christmas day of that year DJ Wonder and Solano released her first single, “That’s Not It” and by the end of January, the buzz was undeniable. Performing for 700 people at the famed Hiro Ballroom wasn’t far behind. Stints at Miami’s Winter Music Conference, an international tour with Ninjasonik, gigs DJing for J*Davey, performing at Lyricist Lounge and opening up for fellow Philadelphian ?uestlove and Nina Sky all followed.

You can catch her rapping to a mosh-pitting crowd in Bushwick with Ninjasonik, performing for Roxy Cottontail’s birthday party in Midtown, or DJing a deep reggae bashment party in Brooklyn or at one of her long standing parties: Jasmine's infamous Reggae/Dance NYC party, ELECTRIC PUNANNY that she runs with Melo-X and Roxy Cottontail has become a downtown staple. Known for her contagious hip hopster spirit and unwavering allegiance to old soul, Jasmine effortlessly combines the cutting edge with the timeless in a mix of R&B, Soul, Reggae, Electronica, House and Hip Hop.

www.jasminesolano.com
www.myspace.com/jasminesolano
www.youtube.com/djjasminesolano

Madeleine Moulton

After recently shedding the locks she grew for over 9 years, Madeleine Moulton no longer wears her heart on her sleeve but she’ll be the first to tell you: it’s strictly a conception of the heart.

Born and bred outside Providence, RI, Madeleine grew up attending the Ocean State Reggae Festival and navigating Narragansett Bay. In early 2000 she moved to Boston to study writing, literature and publishing at Emerson College.

Out of every US city, Boston has the highest percentage of West Indian immigrants and if you know where to find it, reggae proliferates. 88.9 WERS hosts Boston’s number one reggae showcase and through her own affiliations with the station she gained access to all of Boston’s live reggae performances as well as the opportunity to interview artists.

The fire was burning.

In 2004, Madeleine received the opportunity to sail as crew on a 140-ft Brigantine from Woods Hole, MA island-hopping south to the Lesser Antilles. The 8-week journey over the Sargasso Sea irrevocably changed her life and after sailing into her first Caribbean port-of-call, she knew she was home. After weeks of deliberating whether she should live permanently in the Grenadines, she slowly and reluctantly made it back North.

With ambitions like starting her own book publishing company and spearheading an urban agricultural revolution, Madeleine moved to BROOKLYN, NY in 2006. Soon after, while working for YRB Magazine, Madeleine came across a copy of Backayard Magazine. To perpetuate the cliché, it was love at first sight. A once-rare find in the US, Backayard is the world’s only reggae magazine based out of the birthplace—Kingston, JA. Willing to contribute in any way possible, it wasn’t long before she proved herself to the crew in Kingston. Three years later she is the Managing Editor of Backayard, acting as the US-JA liaison for the publisher and CEO, Noel Bennett.

Now celebrating it’s third-year anniversary (which is a milestone for a magazine in these times), Backayard is releasing the Empress Edition to coincide with the launch of it’s new website. With Queen Ifrica gracing the cover, this issue also features interviews with Macka Diamond, Mystic, DJ Mihoko and Brooklyn’s own Bintou N’Daw. Also featured is an 8-page fashion spread of the ladies of TNT (Tifa, Natalie Storm and Timberlee) shot on location at the ‘Junk Yard’ on Lady Musgrave Rd in Kingston, coverage of Summer Jam Germany, the Fame Road Party at Caymanas Park, JA and Obama’s Inauguration.

The stateside debut of Issue 9 with free giveaways and special guests is happening later this month so stay tuned. Madeleine couldn’t be more proud of the little magazine that could. “I feel so blessed to be a part of Backayard’s mission and to have the opportunity to work with honest, good people on a project I believe in. We have nothing but love and respect for everybody who supports us, those who don’t, and all those who contribute to the movement in recognition of the importance of reggae, Jamaica and upliftment.”

For editorial pitches or inquiries contact
madeleine@backayard.com
www.backayard.com