2014 GRAMMY AWARDS

 The event was star-studded, lasting over three hours at Staples Center in L.A., the 2014 Grammy Awards winners were formally etched in the music books of history. Performing live at Awards were Taylor Swift, Robin Thicke, Earth, Wind & Fire, Katy Perry, Lorde, Keith Urban, Madonna, Miguel and many others; LL Cool J emceed. Here is a list of the 2014 Grammy Awards winners.
Best New Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Get Lucky," Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams and Nyle Rodgers
Best Rock Song: "Cut Me Some Slack," Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear
Best Pop Solo Performance: "Royals," Lorde
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "Holy Grail," Jay Z ft. Justin Timberlake
Best Country Album: Same Trailer Different Park, Kacey Musgraves
Song of the Year: "Royals," Lorde

Record of the Year: "Get Lucky," Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams
Album of the Year: Random Access Memories, Daft Punk
Best Pop Instrumental Album: Stepping Out, Herb Albert
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: To Be Loved, Michael Bublé
Best Reggae Album: Ziggy Marley in Concert, Ziggy Marley
Best Spoken Word Album: America Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't, Stephen Colbert
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: Summertime Sadness, Cedric Gervais, Remixer (Lana Del Rey)Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance: "Break Every Chain [Live]", Tasha Cobbs
Best Gospel Song: "If He Did It Before... Same God [Live]", Tye Tribbett
Best Gospel Album: Greater Than [Live], Tye Tribbet,
Best Latin Pop Album: Vida, Draco Rosa,
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: "Skyfall," Thomas Newman
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: Brady Wells and Roomful of Teeth, "Roomful of Teeth"
Best New Age Album: Love's River, Laura Sullivan
Best Jazz Vocal Album: Liquid Spirit, Gregory Porter
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue, Terri Lyne Carrington
Best Latin Jazz Album: Song for Maura, Paquito D'Rivera And Trio Corrente
Best Compilation Soundtrack Album: Sound City: Real To Reel, Butch Vig (Compilation Producer)
Best Musical Theater Album: Kinky Boots, Cyndi Lauper
Best Song Written for Visual Media: "Skyfall," Adele and Paul Epworth
Best Americana Album: Old Yellow Moon, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell
Best American Roots Song: "Love Has Come for You," Steve Martin and Edie Brickell
Best Bluegrass Album: The Streets of Baltimore, Del McCoury Band
Best Folk Album: My Favorite Picture of You, Guy Clark
Best Dance Recording: "Clarity," Zedd ft. Foxes
Best Dance/Electronica Album: Random Access Memories, Daft Pun
Best Comedy Album: Calm Down Gurrl, Kathy Griffin
Best Rap Performance: "Thift Shop," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Others are:

Best Rap Song: "Thift Shop," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Rap Album: "The Heist," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Best R&B Performance: "Something," Snarky Puppy With Lalah Hathaway
Best Traditional R&B Performance: "Please Come Home," Gary Clark Jr.
Best R&B Song: "Pusher Love Girl," Justin Timberlake
Best Urban Contemporary Album: Unapologetic, Rihanna
Best R&B Album: Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys
Best Blues Album: Get Up!, Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite
Best Music Film: Live Kisses, Paul McCartney
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: "From This Valley," The Civil Wars
Best Country Solo Performance: "Wagon Wheel," Darius Rucker
Best Country Song: "Merry Go Round," Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves and Josh Osborne
Best Rock Performance: "Radioactive," Imagine Dragons
Best Alternative Music Album: Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Pharrell Williams
Best Metal Performance: "God Is Dead," Black Sabbath
Best Rock Album: Celebration Day, Led Zeppelin
Best Rap Album: The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Eric Lawson who played the iconic cigarette-puffing cowboy during the late 1970s passed away aged 72

Former Marlboro Man, Eric Lawson, 72,
who portrayed iconic cigarette-puffing cowboy from 1978 to 1981. has died. He becomes FIFTH actor from iconic cigarette ads to die of lung disease. He started smoking since he was 14.. 
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2546554/Ex-Marlboro-Man-dies-smoking-related-respiratory-failure.html#ixzz2reXjpVzD 

THE CENTRE OF AFRICAN UNITY IN DIASPORA

THE CENTRE OF AFRICAN UNITY IN DIASPORA:

By: Agim Godwin Apple

This day, the 24th of January 2014 will remain in the minds of the African Scandinavian dwellers as they witness the migration of the African Talking Drums into Europe.

The cultural presentation which draws the activities of the Professional Photographic/Lithographers Association in Finland, and chaired by Olalekan Smart Oladepo, was not just  any presentation but one by the Finland group of the Nigerian late prophet, Prophet Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the Afrobeat legend.

On this special event of the celebration of the life of Nelson Mandela, organized by the Scadaa Ry in Finland, an Appeal by the African Youths in diaspora was through a message to our African leaders back home to come out of selfishness in leadership and promote equality, feminism, good education, better health care facilities, urban/rural roads, good drinking water, agriculture & better security services.

On a chart with the South African Ambassador to Finland, the chairman of the Scandinavian Development Aid to Africa. //Skandinavian KehitysApu Afrikalle promised to provide man-power in any given capacity to any African nation that wishes to embark on a developmental projects ranging from flood control, constructions, soft-ware engineers and training of teachers/medical hands.

The ceremony ended with a uniform chants of ''Africa Together We Can''.