***Shabba Ranks***

During his heyday, Shabba Ranks was arguably the most popular dancehall toaster in the world. He was a massive crossover success in the U.S., thanks to an openly commercial hybrid of reggae and hip-hop, and also to prominent duet partners like Maxi Priest, Johnny Gill, and KRS-One. All of this brought him several hit singles and albums on the R&B charts in the early ’90s, and made him the first dancehall artist to win a Grammy. Ranks’ distinctive, booming growl of a voice earned him many imitators, and his sex-obsessed lyrics — while drawing criticism for their unrelenting “slackness” — made him one of dancehall’s hottest sex symbols. Ranks’ early success also helped pave the way for even bigger crossovers by artists like Shaggy and Sean Paul.

Shabba Ranks was born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon on January 17, 1966, in Sturgetown, Jamaica. When he was eight years old, his family moved to the Kingston ghetto of Trenchtown, where Bob Marley had grown up. By age 12, he was fascinated by the sound system DJs who spun records in local clubs, and often chatted on the mic over the backing tracks. His early inspirations included Charlie Chaplin, General Echo, Brigadier Jerry, Yellowman, and especially Josey Wales. He soon tried his hand at performing as a toaster, and spent the early ’80s working under Admiral Bailey at the Roots Melody sound system. Paired with a record selector dubbed the Navigator, Ranks initially called himself Co-Pilot. Under that name, he cut his first single, “Heat Under Sufferer’s Feet,” in 1985. He soon changed his name to Shabba Ranks, and caught the attention of his idol Josey Wales, who took the young toaster under his wing.

Wales introduced Ranks to some of the producers at King Jammy’s studio, and Ranks soon began recording there, debuting with the single “Original Fresh.” He collaborated with Chaka Demus, and recorded a large quantity of singles, none of which gave him a breakout hit. The 1988 single “Needle Eye Punany” marked the beginning of his notorious sexual explicitness, which he would soon ride to tremendous popularity in Jamaica. More crucial, though, was his move to King Jammy engineer/producer Bobby Digital’s new studio and label, Digital B, in 1989. Having known each other for some time, the duo’s chemistry was immediate, and Ranks quickly vaulted to stardom that year with a series of hit singles and an electrifying stage show (at one point, Ranks arrived on-stage via helicopter).

From 1989-1991, Ranks recorded some 50 singles, mainly with Bobby Digital but also with producers Gussie Clarke and Steely & Clevie. He scored hit after hit, including the massive “Wicked Inna Bed,” “Roots and Culture,” “Live Blanket,” “Mama Man,” and “Peeny Penny,” among others. His album Rappin’ With the Ladies featured covers of songs by female reggae artists, and gave him another big hit with a new version of J.C. Lodge’s smash “Telephone Love”; it was also one of his first successes overseas, proving quite popular in the U.K. Gussie Clarke produced his 1989 LP Holding On, which spawned major hits in “Pirates’ Anthem” (a collaboration with Cocoa Tea and Home T), “Twice My Age” (a duet with Krystal), and “Mr. Loverman” (a new version of Deborah Glasgow’s “Champion Lover”). He also cut several other tracks with Cocoa Tea and Home T, including “Who She Love,” “Stop Spreading Rumours,” and “Your Body’s Here With Me.” A subsequent album, Golden Touch, proved to be another U.K. success.

Ranks’ burgeoning popularity led to a major-label deal with Epic in 1991, and it was clear from the start that he aspired to crossover stardom. His Epic debut, As Raw as Ever, featured a high-profile duet with the then-hot Maxi Priest, “Housecall.” “Housecall” made the Top Five on the R&B charts, sending As Raw as Ever all the way to number one on the R&B album listings. Another duet, “The Jam” — this time with rap legend and reggae enthusiast KRS-One — topped the hip-hop singles chart in 1992. As Raw as Ever was awarded a Grammy for Best Reggae Album, making Ranks the first dancehall artist ever to notch a win. Later in 1992, “Mr. Loverman” was re-released as a single in the States, following its appearance in the film Deep Cover; it went all the way to number two on the R&B charts. Ranks released his follow-up album, X-Tra Naked, the same year, and notched yet another duet hit with the Johnny Gill collaboration “Slow and Sexy,” his third R&B Top Fiver. X-Tra Naked also featured other minor hits: “Muscle Grip,” “Ting-a-Ling,” and a duet with Queen Latifah, “What ‘Cha Gonna Do?”; it also won Ranks his second straight Best Reggae Album Grammy. Ranks was so popular that two compilations of his earlier Jamaican hits, Rough & Ready, Vol. 1 and Mr. Maximum, both charted in the U.S. in 1992 as well.

1994 brought Ranks another decent-sized hit in the Addams Family Values soundtrack contribution “Family Affair,” a rap/reggae version of the Sly & the Family Stone hit. He completed his third Epic album, A Mi Shabba, in 1995, and it produced several minor hits in “Ram Dancehall,” “Let’s Get It On,” and “Shine Eye Gal.” However, it didn’t match the phenomenon of its predecessors, and Ranks fell mostly silent afterwards. He did return to Jamaica to record some more material for King Jammy during the late ’90s, some of which was released on the hodgepodge album Get Up Stand Up in 1998. However, no new major-label offerings appeared, and Sony issued several compilations around the turn of the millennium.

***Fantan Mojah***

“Fantan Mojah’s mission is to ensure that the world always remembers to “Hail The King”, from giving thanks for the break of a new dawn to the celebration of the sunset” Balford Henry.

The release of the “Hail The King” album heralds the international arrival of a major new talent in Jamaican music but, on the strength of his achievements so far, Fantan Mojah already deserves his rightful place in that illustrious roll call of culturally inspired. Inspiring, Jamaican artists running from Count Ossie through Bob Marley, Burning Spear to Garnet Silk and Luciano on to Buju Banton, Capleton and Sizzla.

Fantan Mojah was born Owen Moncrieffe in the fruitful country parish of St. Elizabeth, the “cockpit country” of the Maroons, runaway slaves long famed for their resilience and resistance. Their unbroken link with their African ancestry has resulted in a latent culture that has retained much of that African oriented past and this is most audible in the music coming from the region and now exemplified by the music of Fantan Mojah.

The young Owen Moncrieffe was always motivated by music and, at the age of nine years, began performing at local concerts winning several talent competitions while still at school. His parents soon grew to understand that Owen’s sole aim in life was to be a deejay and in order to further his musical ambitions he moved to Kingston. He found work there as a handyman with top Sound System Kilamanjaro gaining experience and gradually building up a reputation as he sang and deejayed over rhythms during sound checks. Initially he called himself Mad Killer (after dancehall deejay Bounty Killer) but he was drawn more and more towards a strictly conscious approach to music.

In 1997 he came under the influence of cultural deejay Capleton who encouraged the youth to become known by a more spiritual name and so he became Fantan Mojah in order to clearly define his Rastafarian beliefs and to underline the serious content of the music that he felt compelled to make. His experiences as a young man growing up in St. Elizabeth had now become coupled with the aggressive urban environment of Kingston enabling him to blend an honest rural flavour with the hype and brutality of urban poverty and he began to create a music. That was indelibly his and, spiritually, emotionally and artistically his new name represented his coming of age.

Fantan began recording with the Black & White team of Andrew ‘Prento’ Prendergast and Joseph Bogdanovich of Down Sound Records in 2004 and their first seven-inch release “Hungry” shot to the number one position in the Jamaican charts where it stayed for eight straight weeks. The anthemic “Hail the King” followed it to number one and has become one of the most talked about, and listened to, records of 2005. The accompanying videos not only emphasised Fantan’s visual appeal but also reinforced his image as the chief celebrant and armour bearer for Rastafarian music. Down Sound was one of the flag bearers for the change from the excesses of “bling” dancehall redirecting the music to its original mission of social and economic opportunity and equality and other major record producers involved in the “One Drop” movement are also represented here. The telling “Nuh Build Great Man”, with Fantan in combination with Jah Cure whose vocals were actually added at Tower Street Correctional Facility, should leave the listener in no doubt as to the importance and significance of Fantan Mojah to Kingston’s current resurgence of roots and culture.

His plans for the future are to continue spreading his message worldwide and his debut album not only confirms his mission but also consolidates his position with songs that are inspirational hymns to goodness and to love, calling the faithful to prayer and preaching the message to the youth that evil is not unavoidable. We urge you to savour the talent of this very genuine and gifted young man and we are sure that you will join us in celebrating the richness of his vision and purposefulness of his mission, which is, about peace and love among all people of the earth.

***Sizzla Kalonji***

Sizzla Kalonji, or simply Sizzla is the stage name of Miguel Orlando Collins (born 17 April 1976 in Saint Mary, Jamaica), a reggae musician. Sizzla subscribes to the Bobo Ashanti branch of the Rastafari movement.

Career

The 1980s witnessed a dancehall explosion, and with the music came the lifestyle: drugs, guns, and "slackness" (vulgarity). Formally adopting the Rastafari faith, with its no-holds-barred advocacy of repatriation, slavery reparations and the use of ganja, he joined the ranks of the Bobo Ashanti in the mid-1990s.

Sizzla began to develop his own style whilst serving his musical apprenticeship with the Caveman Hi-Fi sound system. He has used his music as a vehicle for his message, kickstarting his recording career in 1995 with a release through the Zagalou label, he then teamed up with "Bobby Digital" Dixon for a series of singles. Extensive touring with fellow roots and culture artist Luciano followed, earning Sizzla notability.

Jermaine Fagan, the same man who gave Buju Banton his first break, introduced Sizzla to top Jamaican saxophonist Dean Fraser, the musical director for Philip "Fatis" Burrell's Xterminator Family. 1996 marked an important turning point for Sizzla when he began working with Fatis. This union led to a run of successful singles and the release of Sizzla's debut album, Burning Up.

The two allied again a year later with the follow-up, Praise Ye Jah (JetStar). Praise Ye Jah was quickly trumped by his release of the Dixon-produced Black Woman & Child that same year. The title track was a smash hit and became something of a cultural reggae anthem. Sizzla scored several more hits during 1997, including "Like Mountain," "Babylon Cowboy," "Kings of the Earth," and the Luciano duet "Build a Better World." This hot streak kicked off an enormously productive recording binge that lasted over the next several years, with much of his output still done for Burrell.

Along with universal praise came Sizzla's first nomination for Best International Reggae Artist of the Year at the 1998 MOBO Awards and a place in various magazines' top 100 albums of the year. Sizzla has since released several dozen albums, including 1998's Kalonji and Royal Son of Ethiopia from 1999. 1999 also saw him receive his second MOBO nomination. Sizzla remains a constant presence in the reggae charts worldwide. Currently, Sizzla has 21 albums that have made it onto the Billboard's Top Reggae Albums music chart, the highest Words of Truth, reaching the peak position of #5.

Sizzla Kalonji has released over 45 solo albums and over fifteen combination albums, crossing different genres of Reggae. He has started his own record company, Kalonji Records; which in a joint venture with Damon Dash Music Group and Koch Records, released his most recent album, The Overstanding, in November 2006. This is his third album released through Kalonji Records; as well as Black History and Life.

Sizzla, along with reggae recording artists such as Capleton, Buju Banton, and Anthony B, are credited with leading a movement toward a re-embracement of Rastafarian values in contemporary reggae music by recording material which is concerned primarily with spirituality and social consciousness, explores common themes, such as Babylon's corrupting influence, the disenfranchisement of ghetto youth, oppression of the black nation and Sizzla's abiding faith in Jah and resistance against perceived agents of oppression.

Controversy

In 2004, Sizzla was barred from entering the UK for several concerts and was among a group of reggae artists who were being investigated by Scotland Yard for allegedly inciting murder through their lyrics. Multiple songs contain anti-gay lyrics, as followers of the Rastafarian Movement oppose homosexuality. In 2007, Sizzla's concerts in Toronto and Montreal had been cancelled after protests from Stop Murder Music Canada coalition.

Judgement Yard

Judgement Yard was established as a community centre in August Town, an eastern suburb of Kingston, Jamaica, by Sizzla Kalonji. Although Judgement Yard is an organization of sorts, it is also a geographic location located at 42 August Town Road, which is where Sizzla maintains one of his residences. Judgement Yard is also the home of Kalonji's state of the art studio, as well as his record label, Kalonji Records. As the owner and founder of the Yard, Kalonji is responsible for many youths in the community of August Town, as well as youths who come from other areas to seek assistance and guidance in life as well as music. Many of these same youths who are members of Judgement Yard fraternity are musicians or have some direct affiliation with the music through production works, artiste works, etc.

***Bob Nesta Marley***

Robert "Bob" Nesta Marley OM (February 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981) was a Jamaican musician, singer-songwriter and Rastafarian. He was the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for the ska, rocksteady and reggae bands: The Wailers (1964 – 1974) and Bob Marley & the Wailers (1974 – 1981). Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited for helping spread Jamaican music to the worldwide audience.

Marley's best known hits include "I Shot the Sheriff", "No Woman, No Cry", "Exodus", "Could You Be Loved", "Stir It Up", "Jamming", "Redemption Song", "One Love" and, together with The Wailers, ""Three Little Birds", as well as the posthumous releases "Buffalo Soldier" and "Iron Lion Zion". The compilation album, Legend, released in 1984, three years after his death, is the best-selling reggae album ever (10 times platinum), with sales of more than 12 million copies.

Early life and career

Bob Marley was born in the small village of Nine Mile in Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica as Nesta Robert Marley. A Jamaican passport official would later swap his first and middle names. His father Norval Sinclair Marley was a white English Jamaican. Norval was a Marine officer and captain, as well as a plantation overseer, when he married Cedella Booker, a black Jamaican then eighteen years old. Norval provided financial support for his wife and child, but seldom saw them, as he was often away on trips. In 1955, when Marley was 10 years old, his father died of a heart attack at age 60. Marley suffered racial prejudice as a youth, because of his mixed racial origins and faced questions about his own racial identity throughout his life. He once reflected:

I don't have prejudice against meself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don't dip on nobody's side. Me don't dip on the black man's side nor the white man's side. Me dip on God's side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white.

Marley became friends with Neville "Bunny" Livingston (later known as Bunny Wailer), with whom he started to play music. He left school at the age of 14 to make music with Joe Higgs, a local singer and devout Rastafari. It was at a jam session with Higgs and Livingston that Marley met Peter McIntosh (later known as Peter Tosh), who had similar musical ambitions.

In 1962, Marley recorded his first two singles, "Judge Not" and "One Cup of Coffee", with local music producer Leslie Kong. These songs, released on the Beverley's label under the pseudonym of Bobby Martell, attracted little attention. The songs were later re-released on the box set, Songs of Freedom, a posthumous collection of Marley's work.

Musical career

The Wailers

Main article: The Wailers (reggae band)
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Vivien Goldman: An interview with Bob Marley's biographerIn 1963, Bob Marley, Bunny Livingston, Peter McIntosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith formed a ska and rocksteady group, calling themselves "The Teenagers". They later changed their name to "The Wailing Rudeboys", then to "The Wailing Wailers", at which point they were discovered by record producer Coxsone Dodd, and finally to "The Wailers". By 1966, Braithwaite, Kelso, and Smith had left The Wailers, leaving the core trio of Marley, Livingston, and McIntosh.

In 1966, Marley married Rita Anderson, and moved near his mother's residence in Wilmington, Delaware in the United States for a short time, during which he worked as a DuPont lab assistant and on the assembly line at a Chrysler plant, under the alias Donald Marley. Upon returning to Jamaica, Marley became a member of the Rastafari movement, and started to wear his trademark dreadlocks (see the religion section for more on Marley's religious views).

After a conflict with Dodd, Marley and his band teamed up with Lee "Scratch" Perry and his studio band, The Upsetters. Although the alliance lasted less than a year, they recorded what many consider The Wailers' finest work. Marley and Perry split after a dispute regarding the assignment of recording rights, but they would remain friends and work together again.

Between 1968 and 1972, Bob and Rita Marley, Peter McIntosh and Bunny Livingston re-cut some old tracks with JAD Records in Kingston and London in an attempt to commercialize The Wailers' sound. Livingston later asserted that these songs "should never be released on an album … they were just demos for record companies to listen to."

The Wailers' first album, Catch a Fire, was released worldwide in 1973, and sold well. It was followed a year later by Burnin', which included the songs "Get Up, Stand Up" and "I Shot The Sheriff". Eric Clapton made a hit cover of "I Shot the Sheriff" in 1974, raising Marley's international profile.

The Wailers broke up in 1974 with each of the three main members going on to pursue solo careers. The reason for the breakup is shrouded in conjecture; some believe that there were disagreements amongst Livingston, McIntosh, and Marley concerning performances, while others claim that Livingston and McIntosh simply preferred solo work. McIntosh began recording under the name Peter Tosh, and Livingston continued as Bunny Wailer.

Bob Marley & The Wailers

Main article: Bob Marley & The Wailers
Despite the breakup, Marley continued recording as "Bob Marley & The Wailers". His new backing band included brothers Carlton and Aston "Family Man" Barrett on drums and bass respectively, Junior Marvin and Al Anderson on lead guitar, Tyrone Downie and Earl "Wya" Lindo on keyboards, and Alvin "Seeco" Patterson on percussion. The "I Threes", consisting of Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths, and Marley's wife, Rita, provided backing vocals.

In 1975, Marley had his international breakthrough with his first hit outside Jamaica, "No Woman, No Cry," from the Natty Dread album. This was followed by his breakthrough album in the US, Rastaman Vibration (1976), which spent four weeks on the Billboard charts Top Ten.

In December 1976, two days before "Smile Jamaica", a free concert organized by the Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley in an attempt to ease tension between two warring political groups, Marley, his wife, and manager Don Taylor were wounded in an assault by unknown gunmen inside Marley's home. Taylor and Marley's wife sustained serious injuries, but later made full recoveries. Bob Marley received minor wounds in the chest and arm. The shooting was thought to have been politically motivated, as many felt the concert was really a support rally for Manley. Nonetheless, the concert proceeded, and an injured Marley performed as scheduled.

Bob Marley Live a painting by Steve Brogdon 1992 Marley left Jamaica at the end of 1976 for England, where he recorded his Exodus and Kaya albums. Exodus stayed on the British album charts for 56 consecutive weeks. It included four UK hit singles: "Exodus", "Waiting In Vain", "Jamming", "One Love", and a rendition of Curtis Mayfield's hit, "People Get Ready". It was here that he was arrested and received a conviction for possession of a small quantity of cannabis while traveling in London.

In 1978, Marley performed at another political concert in Jamaica, the One Love Peace Concert, again in an effort to calm warring parties. Near the end of the performance, by Marley's request, Manley and his political rival, Edward Seaga, joined each other on stage and shook hands.

Babylon by Bus, a double live album with 13 tracks, was released in 1978 to critical acclaim. This album, and specifically the final track "Jammin'" with the audience in a frenzy, captured the intensity of Marley's live performances.

Survival, a defiant and politically charged album, was released in 1979. Tracks such as "Zimbabwe", "Africa Unite", "Wake Up and Live", and "Survival" reflected Marley's support for the struggles of Africans. His appearance at the Amandla Festival in Boston in July 1979 showed his strong opposition to South African apartheid, which he already had shown in his song "War" in 1976. In early 1980, he was invited to perform at the April 17 celebration of Zimbabwe's Independence Day.

Uprising (1980) was Bob Marley's final studio album, and is one of his most religious productions, including "Redemption Song" and "Forever Loving Jah". It was in "Redemption Song" that Marley sang the famous lyric,

“ Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery None but ourselves can free our minds… ”

Confrontation, released posthumously in 1983, contained unreleased material recorded during Marley's lifetime, including the hit "Buffalo Soldier" and new mixes of singles previously only available in Jamaica.

Later years

Illness

In July 1977, Marley was found to have acral lentiginous melanoma, a form of malignant melanoma, in a football wound - according to widely held urban legend, inflicted by broadcaster and pundit Danny Baker[12] - on his right hallux (big toe). Marley refused amputation, because of the Rastafari belief that the body must be "whole."

Marley may have seen medical doctors as samfai (tricksters, deceivers). True to this belief Marley went against all surgical possibilities and sought out other means that would not break his religious beliefs. He also refused to register a will, based on the Rastafari belief that writing a will is acknowledging death as inevitable, thus disregarding the everlasting (or everliving, as Rastas say) character of life.

The cancer then metastasized to Marley's brain, lungs, liver, and stomach. After playing two shows at Madison Square Garden as part of his fall 1980 Uprising Tour, he collapsed while jogging in NYC's Central Park. The remainder of the tour was subsequently cancelled.

Bob Marley played his final concert at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 23, 1980. The live version of "Redemption Song" on Songs of Freedom was recorded at this show.[13] Marley afterwards sought medical help from Munich specialist Josef Issels, but his cancer had already progressed to the terminal stage.

Death and posthumous reputation

While flying home from Germany to Jamaica for his final days, Marley became ill, and landed in Miami for immediate medical attention. He died at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami, Florida on the morning of May 11, 1981 at the age of 36. The spread of melanoma to his lungs and brain caused his death. His final words to his son Ziggy were "Money can't buy life."[14] Marley received a state funeral in Jamaica on May 21, 1981 which combined elements of Ethiopian Orthodoxy and Rastafari tradition. He was buried in a chapel near his birthplace with his Gibson Les Paul and a Bible. A month before his death, he was awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit.

Marley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Time magazine chose Bob Marley & The Wailers' Exodus as the greatest album of the 20th century. In 2001, Marley was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a feature-length documentary about his life, Rebel Music, won various awards at the Grammys. With contributions from Rita, the Wailers, and Marley's lovers and children, it also tells much of the story in his own words.

In 2006, the State of New York renamed a portion of Church Avenue from Remsen Avenue to East 98th Street in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn "Bob Marley Boulevard".

Religion

Bob Marley was a member of the Rastafari movement, whose culture was a key element in the development of reggae. Bob Marley became a leading proponent of the Rastafari, taking their music out of the socially deprived areas of Jamaica and onto the international music scene. Bob Marley was baptized by the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church in Kingston, Jamaica on November 4, 1980.[16][17] Marley was also a vegetarian.

Wife and children

Bob Marley had 13 children: three with his wife Rita, two adopted from Rita's previous relationships, and the remaining eight with separate women.[19] His children are, in order of birth:

Imani Carole, born May 22, 1963, to Cheryl Murray;
Sharon, born November 23, 1964, to Rita in previous relationship;
Cedella born August 23, 1967, to Rita;
David "Ziggy", born October 17, 1968, to Rita;
Stephen, born April 20, 1972, to Rita;
Robert "Robbie", born May 16, 1972, to Pat Williams;
Rohan, born May 19, 1972, to Janet Hunt;
Karen, born 1973 to Janet Bowen;
Stephanie, born August 17, 1974; according to Cedella Booker she was the daughter of Rita and a man called Ital with whom Rita had an affair; nonetheless she was acknowledged as Bob's daughter;
Julian, born June 4, 1975, to Lucy Pounder;
Ky-Mani, born February 26, 1976, to Anita Belnavis;
Damian, born July 21, 1978, to Cindy Breakspeare;
Makeda, born May 30, 1981, to Yvette Crichton.
Discography

Main article: Bob Marley and the Wailers discography

Tours

Apr–Jul 1973: Catch a Fire Tour (England, USA)
Oct–Nov 1973: Burnin' Tour (USA, England)
Jun–Jul 1975: Natty Dread Tour (USA, Canada, England)
Apr–Jul 1976: Rastaman Vibration Tour (USA, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, France, England, Wales)
May–Jun 1977: Exodus Tour (France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, England)
May–Aug 1978: Kaya Tour (USA, Canada, England, France, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium)
Apr–May 1979: Babylon by Bus Tour (Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii)
Oct 1979–Jan 1980: Survival Tour (USA, Canada, Trinidad/Tobago, Bahamas, Gabon)
May–Sep 1980: Uprising Tour (Switzerland, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, USA)
Awards and honors

Marley's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame1976: Band of the Year (Rolling Stone)
June 1978: Awarded the Peace Medal of the Third World from the United Nations
February 1981: Awarded Jamaica's third highest honor, the Jamaican Order of Merit
March 1994: Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1999: Album of the Century for Exodus (Time Magazine)
February 2001: A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
February 2001: Awarded Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
2004: Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #11 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

"One Love" named song of the millennium by The BBC Voted as one of the greatest lyricists of all time by a BBC poll.
2006 A plaque dedicated to him by Nubian Jak community trust and supported by Her Majesties Foreign Office.

***Bounty Killer aka Grung God***

Bounty Killer (born Rodney Basil Price June 12, 1972 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay, known for his hard work in combating poverty and helping new artists.
The last son in a family of nine, he grew up in the rough part of Kingston, Jamaica, in the neighbourhood of Seaview Gardens. His mother stayed at home while his father went out to earn a living.
He started performing under the name Bounty Hunter but one day, while walking in one of the rough neighbourhoods of Kingston, he was caught in crossfire and hit by a bullet. He spent several days in the hospital, and it was during this time that he decided to change his name to Bounty Killer.

During the early 1990s, Bounty Killer hung around the studio of producer King Jammy in Kingston – encouraged by the moderate success of fellow friend and deejay Boom Dandymite - and finally Bounty Killer got the chance to voice for King Jammy and one of the first tunes to come out from Bounty Killer was the controversial "Coppershot".
Since 1993 Bounty Killer became a household name in Jamaica – due to his well received performance at the annual hardcore festival Sting held in the days after Christmas with his rough lyrics and unique flow. Bounty Killer has tried to protect his individuality and this has caused many problems both on and off stage with various singers. Bounty Killer and Merciless even got into a fist fight on stage during the Sting festival in 1997 – and have made headlines throughout Jamaica for the rivalry with Beenie Man as both claim that the other has stolen his act.

During the 1990s Bounty Killer has voiced for producers and labels in Jamaica – and has put out songs of redemption like: "Defend the Poor", "Mama", "Book, Book, Book", "Babylon System" and "Down in the Ghetto". In 1996 the Jamaican government banned his hit song "Fed Up". The 90s was also the decade in which Bounty Killer became known in USA and in Europe and ended up with several combinations with big artists like The Fugees, Wyclef Jean, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga as well as No Doubt and AZ in 2005.
While the 1990’s was a decade of many albums released, the new millennium seems to be the decade of many singles released. Still working with top producers in Jamaica and abroad, Bounty Killer insists on releasing singles almost on a daily basis. He is without any doubt one of the most productive artists to come out of Jamaica, and he recently put out a best of album and is planning a brand new studio album as of December 2006.

He recently signed with VP Records and the compilation album "Nah No Mercy - The Warlord Scrolls" was released on November 7, 2006.
His "war" with rival Beenie Man is active again as both have released diss tracks to one another on the Showoff Riddim. Beenie Man recorded "The war is not over" a.k.a. "Bullet Proof Vest" and Bounty Killer counteracted with "Bullet Proof Skin" and also "Oxtail & Rice".
In 2003 Bounty Killer cancelled two of his concerts in Britain because he feared arrest for inciting homophobia and hatred to homosexuals. His use of words calling for murder to the LGBT community raised fears among the community and OutRage magazine complained to the police.

***Vybz Kartel aka Adi Di Teacha***

Background information

Birth name: Adidja Palmer
Also known as Addi di Teacha
Born in 1976
Origin Portmore, Jamaica
Childhood and musical influences
Vybz Kartel was born at Kingston's Victoria Jubilee Hospital. Originally from Waterhouse, Kingston, he was raised in the Waterford community of Portmore, St.Catherine. Adidja attended Calabar High School in Kingston but was expelled as a teenager. Determined to continue his education, he completed his studies at a tutorial technical school. The young Adidja was exposed to a wide variety of music from a tender age by two uncles who happened to be aspiring musicians themselves. Every weekend he would be treated to new musical offerings on his uncle's old component set, ranging from Sam Cooke to country and western ballads to Ninja Man, who became one of his musical foes[citation needed]. At the age of 10 his favourites included artists as diverse as Papa San, Charlie Chaplin, Will Smith and KRS-1, all of whose lyrics he would write down and study word-for-word, performing them later for the entertainment of friends. Deciding he wanted to be a deejay, he began writing his own lyrics at the age of 11.

Early career Eager to show off his skills, Adidja and his friends often frequented the weekly Gong Talent Show at the now defunct Coney Amusement Park on the outskirts of Kingston, but to their chagrin were always gonged off whenever they got a chance to perform. Undeterred by his weekly failure to impress the talent show audience, Adidja decided to hone his skills and concentrate on winning over his own community of Waterford until he was ready for bigger things. With that goal in mind, on weekends he would practise his art on neighbourhood sound systems Soul Signal and Electric Force. In 1993, the young Adidja, now in his early teens, recorded his first single Love Fat Woman for Alvin Reid's One Heart Label under the name Adi Banton, a name he chose in tribute to Buju Banton, another of his role models. He recorded several more tracks for local producers, perfecting his craft until 1996, when he and two friends, Mr Lee and a singer called Escobar, decided to form a group. One night, after watching a movie about Pablo Escobar and his infamous cartel, Adidja came up with a name for his trio: Vybz Cartel.

Rise to fame

Introduction to mentor
The group soon dissolved due to internal friction, and conflict between Mr Lee and Escobar and others in the community, but Adidja chose to retain the collective name of the group for himself as a one-man force, changing only the spelling. Under his new moniker Vybz Kartel, he began to build up an underground fan base over the next few months, culminating in a monumental 1998 performance at the stage show Champions In Action, catching the attention of many industry insiders as an up-and-coming heavyweight. Shortly thereafter, he was introduced to reigning king of dancehall Bounty Killer by his manager Rohan Butler, and an immediate mentor-protege alliance was formed. Vybz Kartel had always counted Bounty Killer as one of his greatest influences since his brilliant 1994 debut, but the 1998 meeting took his respect for the self-styled Warlord to another level. He started writing lyrics for Bounty Killer, leading to a string of hits for the Killer including High Grade Forever, Warlord Rule The World and Gal Clown among others.

Career route
Vybz Kartel's new role as Killer's protege (a spot once held by prodigal prodigy Baby Cham) caught the attention of the public and led to a meteoric career rise, first as a ghost-writer for Bounty, Elephant Man and other members of the Scare Dem Crew, followed by collaborations with Bounty Killer such as Gal Clown and Girls Like Mine (Liquid Riddim), then finally coming into his own with early hits such as Gun Clown, Guns Like Mine (Trafalga Riddim), Badman (Panty Raid Riddim), Bus Mi Gun Like Nuttn, Most High (Mexican Riddim) and War Organizer (Clappas Riddim). He also had a string of successful collaborations with Wayne Marshall, such as New Millennium (Mad Antz Riddim), Why (Krazy Riddim) and Why Again (Good To Go Riddim). This unprecedented and impressive debut led to Vybz Kartel being crowned Deejay Of The Year at Stone Love's 30th Anniversary, 2002, a feat unmatched by any new artist in dancehall's history.

From the outset, Vybz Kartel was more of a 'badman' deejay than a pop artist, most likely owing to his influence from hardcore legends Bounty Killer and Ninja Man. In his early career he mostly concentrated on unapologetically hardcore, undiluted songs extolling the virtues of guns, sex and ganja, but his biggest hit was yet to come. He had success with more mainstream, club-oriented singles such as Big Man (Engine Riddim), Pussy Jaw (Mad Antz Riddim), Sweet To The Belly (Egyptian Riddim) and Bruk Buddy (G-String Riddim), but in late 2003 his single Tekk Buddy on the Thunder Clap Riddim proved to be the one which catapulted his career into the stratosphere. The single stayed on the charts for months and spent weeks at the number 1 position, and finally brought Vybz Kartel to the attention of those who hadn't yet become aware of his burgeoning stardom. His newfound mainstream success, coupled with his hardcore street credibility, critical acclaim and widely-hailed lyrical ability set the stage for the inevitable; a showdown with another artist to prove his worth. What was surprising to many was the unlikely challenger: Vybz Kartel's longtime idol Ninja Man.

Sting 2003

A challenge is issued
In summer 2003, Bounty Killer and a group of young artists whose careers he had helped jumpstart came together as a loosely-knit group self-styled the Alliance. This group consisted of former Bounty proteges Elephant Man, Kiprich and Wayne Marshall, longtime Bounty collaborators such as Angel Doolas and new artists Vybz Kartel, Jagwa and Predator. The presence of Elephant Man and Vybz Kartel in the Alliance carried a great deal of industry clout, which was resented by some artists. The group was seen by some as a cartel seeking to gain control of dancehall through dictating which 'riddims' got popular by choosing only to work with certain producers and determining which stage shows and concerts did well by contractually performing as a group. Ninja Man expressed his displeasure through a series of media outlets and appearances threatening to undermine the Alliance by targeting each of its members in turn. To Bounty Killer, who regarded Ninja Man as his professional mentor and his 'deejay father', this came as a betrayal. The matter was expected to be resolved at the infamous annual Sting stage show, held every Boxing Day (December 26th) and regarded as hardcore reggae's most important stage show, notorious for onstage clashes between rival dancehall deejays (Super Cat vs Ninja Man, Bounty Killer vs Beenie Man, Bounty Killer vs Merciless to name a few). In the weeks leading up to the event, Bounty Killer let his disappointment at his one time mentor become known publicly and expressed no reservations at having himself or one of his camp accept Ninja Man's challenge. Vybz Kartel accepted the challenge and the stage was set for a lyrical showdown.

Onstage incident
In the early morning hours of December 27, 2003, Vybz Kartel took the stage at Sting prepared for musical battle. After performing a string of his more popular hits from earlier in the year Kartel launched into a musical assault of his most deadly 'badman chunes', designed to get the crowd firmly in his corner. Using his hometown advantage (Sting is held at the Jamworld Entertainment Complex, within walking distance of Waterford) Kartel threw down the gauntlet and challenged his opponent to battle. Ninja Man accepted the challenge and came onstage, greeted by water-filled plastic bottles hurled from the strongly partisan crowd. Ninja Man attempted a lyrical counterstrike of his own, but was cut short by another verbal barrage from Kartel. Ninja Man, who seemed to have lost his composure by then, shoved Kartel, who struck back several times in retaliation. This was the first onstage physical altercation in Sting's 20 year history.

Aftermath
The fallout from Sting 2003 seemed to help Kartel's career rather than hurt it. What was perceived as Kartel's beatdown of Ninja Man, both lyrical and physical, added immeasurably to his street credibility among hardcore fans. At the same time his raunchy, X-rated lyrics in Tekk Buddy and other sexually explicit songs to follow won over a large following of female admirers, who ignored his less-than-appealing physical demeanor in favour of his seductive voice and seductive wordplay and naughty rhymes on Tekk Buddy sequels such as Picture Me And You (Blackout Riddim), When Gal Want Buddy (Good To Go Riddim), Buddy Nuh Done (Allo Allo Riddim), Likkle Lady (Chrome Riddim) and Pussy Haffi Good (Highty Tighty Riddim). His arrest and subsequent three day stint in jail following Sting only helped to give him new subject material (When Shotta Guh A Jail, Chrome Riddim), as did rumours that he had been killed in a driveby shooting the day after Sting (More Life, Thrilla Riddim). When conservative media protested the 'slackness' of his lyrics, he responded by releasing even rawer songs (More Pussy Fi Mi Buddy, Arriba Riddim). By early 2004, Kartel had become reggae royalty, the crown prince of dancehall, but another showdown was yet to come.

Feud with Assassin and Spragga Benz

Rumours of war
Although he made peace with Ninja Man and apologized to the public for his actions onstage, in the early months of 2004, there were rumours of simmering tensions between Vybz Kartel and fellow young deejay Assassin, fueled by a Kartel single called Badda Dan Dem (Kasablanca Riddim), which seemed to be a counteraction to a 2003 Assassin hit called We A Bad From (Lime Tea Riddim). Both artists, who had had a friendly working relationship in the previous year, repeatedly dismissed the rumours as unfounded. Nevertheless, the release of an Assassin/Ninja Man collaboration, Real Badman (Bad Flu Riddim), which seemed to counteract Vybz Kartel's own single of the same name [Real Badman (Blackout Riddim) penned in preparation for his Sting showdown with Ninja Man] only served to add grist to the rumour mill. Adding more substance to the buzz about a rift between the two deejays was the fact that Assassin's We A Bad From seemed at least partly plagiarized from Kartel's 2002 hit Most High, and talk was that Kartel wrote We A Bad From as a subtle comeback.

War of words
Vybz Kartel - Most High (Mexican Riddim; 2002): "Mi war from ancient to modern-I An mi a war before Eve an Adam-I Come up to now wid bin Laden an Saddam-I Bullet wi spin yu head like one a di turntable dem pon Adonai... ..Bwoy seh dem bad but we badder'n Weh dem deh when wi a kill from ancient to modern... ...Wi a war from before Adam an Eve parents fuck an get dem From before Faada God gi powa to Melchizedek dem Dem time deh mi a use slingshot, out bwoy like cigarette dem..."

Assassin - We A Bad From (LIme Cay Riddim; 2003): "Well, some bwoy a bad from last week, some bwoy a bad from day before yesterday, some bwoy a bad since last night, an mi nuh know, some bwoy get up a bad since morning, check di warning We a bad from desert clarks an diamond socks... ...From bed spring a mek slingshot... ...Before Daredevil an Hulk an Batman an Robin an Flash... ...Let's get sumn straight now, we a bwoy weh a bad long time Some bwoy tun bait now a talk bout dem use to bad one time Real badman bad all di while, some bwoy bad sometime Some bad since dem eat breakfast, some jus bad since lunchtime..."

Vybz Kartel - Real Badman (Cool Fusion Riddim; 2003): "Man a real badman, bus fibreglass an blue steel badman Beat likkle yute yu a baby badman Beat gyal alone yu a lady badman (Ninja Man was once charged for domestic abuse of his child and girlfriend) Dem bwoy deh a peppa light badman, blink once a year Man a gangsta from when bellfoot pants a wear Before diamond socks appear Mi nuh haffi bun 3 key a coke an drink 2 box a beer Mi bad naturally, mi nuh rehearse or prepare..."

Assassin and Ninja Man - Real Badman (Bad Flu Riddim; 2004): "Some man a seh dem a coppa an blue steel badman, wi find out seh dem a rice an tun cornmeal badman... ..Feel seh yu large tru yu deh pon a one gun charge..." (Kartel was charged with illegal gun possession after his Sting arrest)

Vybz Kartel - Badda Dan Dem (Kasablanca Riddim; 2004): "Mi nuh care whe yu bad from, or di endz whe yu trod from Gunshot mek yu fall like di bridge ova London When it kick yu like Van Damme Diss mi outta East an mi buck yu ova Boston Head a buss like gas pan Bullet wid gunpowda, nuh Lasco, nuh 'lass man Diss Kartel an Panton Push yu head up inna yu madda pussy like tampon Yeh, big up Buju Banton When bwoy a kick like Jackie Chan ova Hong Kong Our gun guh suh 'pam pam' Mi a bad from before X-man an Green Lantern Before Snoop live a Compton Suh nuh true bwoy hear Kartel do him gyal song Wi nuh easy fi walk pon Teflon, black blunt, carbon..."

The rivalry escalates

This war of words escalated with Assassin's Do It If Yu Bad (Dancehall Rock Riddim) and Kartel's Badman Nuh Throw Wud (Dancehall Rock Riddim) Assassin soon came with his counteraction Wi Nah run which stated "wi nah run . . .wi nah back from u. . .dis anuh track an field an wi nuh deh a stadium." Vybz Kartel then replied with "who tell u fi run ... a nuh champs copper gi u muscle contract muscle cramps." Assassin step pon them was soon released Step Pon Them (Military Riddim) "step pon them step pon dem .... dem a fret u nuh see dem a wash wid cold sweat pon dem." Soon after on the same riddim (Military Riddim) The Fuss Man Mek a step ... land mine tear of u foot lef two piece a toe inna yuh crepe this continued with song for song until Assassin's mentor Spragga Benz (who played the same role to Assassin that Bounty Killer played to Vybz Kartel) made his entry into the fray with We Ready (Dancehall Rock Riddim). With Spragga Benz's involvement, both parties could no longer pretend that there was no dissension between the two camps, and open hostility ensued. Spragga Benz took the feud to another level with We Done See It (Steps Riddim), in which he made a scathing commentary on Vybz Kartel's popular 'gyal chunes', alleging that certain lines from Kartel's biggest hits made for the female demographic could be interpreted as a fascination with oral, anal, and homosexual sex (three practices considered strongly taboo in traditional Jamaican culture). Kartel responded with Faggat Correction, and made it clear that any future reconciliation was unlikely between himself and the two deejays with whom he had once collaborated. Although the feud between Kartel and Assassin was said to have been more of a friendly rivalry in the beginning, Spragga's involvement intensified the conflict.

Accomplishments and future potential

Vybz Kartel's future as a superstar and potential crossover success seems assured. Kartel not only has incredible rhymes and subtle yet clever pop culture references, he has a unique lyrical flow all his own. It is to be noted that Kartel rarely does dance "chunes" along the lines of Elephant man or Beenie Man. Nevertheless,he has already had several high-profile collaborations with international hip-hop and pop stars and is being touted as the next big thing in dancehall. In terms of singles sold, he has had the second-best year on the reggae charts for 2003 (outsold only by Elephant Man) and has released two albums this year for UK label Greensleeves. He was also featured twice on the Def Jamaica project, and nominated for Source, VIBE and UK MOBO awards (although his MOBO nominations, along with those of Beenie Man, Elephant Man and Sizzla were withdrawn over concerns of homophobia, a common issue with dancehall reggae in general). His video for New Millennium/Why with Wayne Marshall, though decidedly low-budget, has already been played on MTV, and his underground following is so large that a bootleg version of, in his own words "a very, very low budget film" that was made in 2001 has begun circulating. He has two albums, several mixtapes and a very prolific library of singles, some of which are mentioned in the extremely abbreviated discography below.

Name Change

In late 2006, Vybz Kartel reportedly changed his stage name to "Addi di Teacha"[1]. This makes sense in the context of his introduction of his song on the Seasons riddim "Can't Move We", where he says "you know its tha teacha". Reasons for the name change may include an ultimate goal of changing his lyrical content, but it is rumoured to be an attempt to distance himself from Greensleeves Records. Fans still generally refer to him generally as Vybz Kartel.

Departure from The Alliance

In the later part of 2006, rumours arose of tension within The Alliance. Kartel's insistence on remaining associated with Bounty Killer's longtime adversary, Beenie Man. Vybz Kartel infuriated his mentor Bounty Killer by attending Beenie Man's wedding to Bounty Killer's ex-girlfriend, D'Angel. Vybz eventually announced his departure from The Alliance, and a number of disses were sent between the two parties. Rumours arose that Vybz Kartel was going to join Beenie Man's Mafia House record label, however Vybz stated his departure was due to his desire to be a solo artist, independent from a group, and that he would not join Mafia House but instead head his own group, The Portmore Empire. It had seemed that tensions had died down, but a shooting (see Feud With Mavado) and Bounty Killer recently branding Kartel a "battybwoy" and a "bloodclat informer" seems to indicate that there is still bad blood between Vybz Kartel and The Alliance. Vybz Kartel's protegé Aidonia was recently kicked out of the The Alliance

Feud With Mavado

A very involved feud between Vybz Kartel and former collaborator Mavado arose towards the end of 2006, where Vybz Kartel aka Addi di teacha, lyrically attacked Mavado. Hostilities arose following Vybz Kartel's much publicised exit from The Alliance. The two artists, who have done a number of songs together, have now released numerous diss tracks aimed at each other. Violence had also erupted in the streets, as a shooting occurred near a popular Mavado hangout and a few days later a shooting incident occurred at a Vybz Kartel hangout. This feud seems to have become personal, and is no longer fallout from Kartel's being kicked out of The Alliance by Bounty Killer. And as Bounty Killer and the rest of The Alliance continue to denounce Vybz, it is unlikely that this feud between two of dancehall's top artists will subside.

Riddims that are used in the Feud are
The 'Power Cut Riddim'- Mavado-Songwriter/Vybz Kartel-Alliance Diss
The 'After Dark Riddim'- Mavado-Warn Dem/Vybz Katrel - Only ting you squeeze
The 'Drumline Riddim'- Mavado- Informer/Vybz Kartel-Mofraudo

On February 28th, 2007, a press conference was held to announce the end of hostilities between the two artists. The meeting had been organized by Jamaican police, in the hopes that violence in response to the feud would end. Vybz and Mavado both encouraged fans not to partake in any more violence, and agreed that neither of them would incite violence against the other in their songs. However, many members of the local media felt that the announcement felt very staged, and the entire fiasco was simply a way of increasing the already high popularity of the two artists. The press conference concluded with the two singing one of their collaborations, "Happiest Days." It remains to be seen whether this peace will continue, or if further collaborations between the two artists will occur.They are still feuding under the quit but it is nothing to write about, no more gang violence is reported every body goop

***Ninjaman aka Don Gorgon***

Ninjaman alias Don Gorgon (born Desmond John Ballentine on January 20 1966, in Annotto Bay, Jamaica) is a popular dancehall deejay, known for his controversial and pro-gun lyrics and his stuttering and melodramatic style.[1]

History
After moving from his birthplace Annotto Bay to Kingston at the age of 11, he launched his deejay career with the Black Culture Sound System at age 12 as "Double Ugly". In 1980, he joined Killamanjaro, there got the chance to learn from established deejays Super Cat and Early B, and released his debut single as "Uglyman". Yet another name change made him the now well known Ninjaman.[2] In 1987, Ninjaman recorded - and produced himself - his first hit single "Protection", a duet with Courtney Melody. The following years brought many prolific collaborations with producers like King Jammy, Witty, Xterminator, Philip "Fatis" Burrell, Redman, Ini Kamoze, Bobby Digital, Augustus "Gussie" Clarke, and Steely & Clevie and Henry "Junjo" Lawes. It has been said that Ninjaman comes up with all of his lyrics on the spot in the recording studio, in a freestyle manner.

His hits over the years 1989-1992, like "Murder Dem", "Permit to Bury" and "Above the Law" reinforced Ninjamans image of a violent rude boy. One of his most infamous rivalries (besides the ongoing quarrels with Flourgon and Super Cat) was the one with Shabba Ranks, leading to a number of clashes.

In 1993, criticism of Ninjamans violent and pro-gun lyrics arose, leading to a decline in performing gigs and chances to record.

By 1997, Ninjaman had changed his name once again, now performing gospel reggae songs as "Brother Desmond". He sought help to fight his Crack cocaine addiction in born again Christianity. It was not a complete changeover though, earning him criticism from parts of the Jamaican Christian community.

In the late 1990s, he was accused (but later acquitted), among other things, of having raped a woman at knifepoint in his home and having murdered a taxi driver. He was sentenced to one year in jail in late 1999, after being convicted of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.

In July 2001, Ninjaman was assaulted with a machete, suffering several wounds, some to the head.

***Beenie Man aka Doctor***

One of Jamaica's most crucial DJs, Beenie Man's recording career stretches back to 1981, although it was in the sound systems where he later made his mark. The witty toaster began his true ascent to stardom in the early '90s, and by 1994, his reputation couldn't be beat. Then again, when you're a recording veteran at age ten, one wonders just what took him so long. Every country has its child stars; just look at Shirley Temple, but few treat their prodigies with the respect of Jamaica. Talent competitions lead to radio and TV appearances, and even record contracts, but what's truly amazing is how many of these charming tots continue their career into adulthood. Elsewhere, early stardom inevitably leads to adolescent failure as they're a lot less cute at 18 than they were at eight. But not Jamaica, where they love them as toddlers, adore them as teens, and worship them as adults. Beenie Man is just one stellar example.

Beenie Man (aka Moses Davis) was born in the tough Waterhouse district of Kingston, Jamaica, on August 22, 1973. By the time he was ready for school, the toddler had already decided on a career as a DJ. He wasn't the first tot with dreams of the limelight, but Beenie actually had a true gift for gab. His shot at stardom came when he was only eight, when he took first prize at the national Teeny Talent contest. This led to a meeting with producer Junjo Lawes, who recorded the diminutive DJ's debut single, "Too Fancy." Bunny Lee then took the boy under his wing and put him to work at his Unlimited sound system. By 1983, the youngster found himself appearing on Lawes' Junjo Presents Two Big Sounds, which was recorded live and featured such DJ heavyweights as Dillinger and Fathead. Along with Unlimited, Beenie was also DJing at Prince Jammy's Volcano sound systems, had a hit single to his credit, "Over the Sea," produced by Niney Holness, and even had a debut album out. Produced by Lee, The Invincible Beenie Man, the 10 Year Old DJ Wonder's title pretty much sums it all up. He recorded some songs with Barrington Levy in 1984, two of which, "Under Mi Sensi" and "Two Sounds," would resurface in remixed form later in the '90s. But for the moment, his recording career came virtually to a close, bar the occasional single. But the young DJ remained a sound system favorite, even as he now turned his attention to his schoolwork.

Not surprisingly, Beenie's younger brother, Little Kirk, was keen to follow in his footsteps, and five years later the siblings hooked up with producer Patrick Roberts and began recording a series of singles that quickly brought them into the national spotlight. In 1992, Beenie appeared at Reggae Sunsplash and such was the response that the DJ now felt ready to take on the big guns. Beenie's first target was the acclaimed Bounty Killer, although the young DJ had cause for his attack as the veteran had stolen his catch phrase, "people dead," and the war was on. There was a lull in the very public battle in 1993 when Beenie left Kingston for almost a year after being booed off the stage at a national show celebrating the visit of Nelson Mandela. Upon his return the next year, there was a public reconciliation with Bounty Killer, which resulted in the split album Guns Out.

Beenie had obviously had a major change of heart, further evidenced by his single "No Mama No Cry," a version of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry," a scathing indictment of violence, inspired by the murder of fellow DJ Pan Head. The song topped the Jamaican chart and brought the DJ instant acclaim. Jamaica's violent crime rate remains shockingly high and affects people at all levels of society. While drug overdoses and suicide are a proportionately high cause of death for American artists, murder is often the tragic cause in Jamaica. That many of these crimes go unsolved, Pan Head's included, add to the emotional devastation and so does the fact that the violence seemingly comes in waves, carrying off a number of noted figures in the course of a year. Beenie, too, was affected by these events and Sly & Robbie, the producers of his "No Mama No Cry" single, were instrumental in guiding the young DJ toward his conversion to Rastafarianism.

A new attitude and a new hit single instantly turned Beenie's career around. Now working with all the island's top producers, the DJ recorded a slew of singles, many of them religiously themed, "Praise Him" and "World Dance" (which took the Best Single Award at the Jamaican Music Awards) included. The hits-heavy Defend It and Dis Unu Fi Hear were both released in 1994 and combined more culturally themed raps with a hardcore dancehall sound. Many of these singles, bar the Taxi releases, were rounded up on Gold by the British Charm label. Beenie's stardom was confirmed by his taking the DJ of the Year Award that same year. Signing to Island Records, Beenie released the seminal Blessed album, which featured another clutch of hits, including the dancehall smash "Slam."

While in the U.K., the DJ fired the British dancefloors with a jungle remix of "Under Mi Sensi." 1995 also brought a pair of collaborative albums, including Three Against War, which united the DJ with Dennis Brown and Triston Palma, and Mad Cobra Meets Lt. Stitchie & Beenie Man, a tag-team dancehall affair. Joined by Lady Saw, Beenie also scored a major hit with "Healer" that year, just one of many successful collaborative singles that included "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," which paired him with Third World. By the end of the year, Beenie was a shoo-in for the DJ of the Year Award. 1996 brought Maestro, Beenie's first "real" album, as compared to his previous hits collections. Produced by Patrick Roberts, it was a stunning effort featuring a kaleidoscope of moods. The following year proved to be his break out in Britain, when his and Chevelle Franklin's "Dance Hall Queen" bounced up the national chart. Both that single and its follow-up, "Who Am I," were number ones back at home, while the latter rocketed its way into the U.K. Top Ten. In fact, Beenie Man could now do no wrong, and a sound system's worth of his singles flew their way up the Jamaican chart that year and the next. The autobiographical Many Moods of Moses features a number of these smashes, including "Oysters & Conch" and "Foundation."

After headlining Reggae Sunsplash in 1998, Beenie signed to Virgin Records in the U.S.; The Doctor was the first fruit of this new union and was an instant dancehall classic. 1999 brought the King Jammy-produced album Y2K, which never actually mentions everyone's greatest fear that year -- the millennium bug, but does take on a host of other issues from AIDS to illiteracy. And the hit singles just kept on coming, and coming, and coming. Beenie was unstoppable, whether on his own or with other artists, and at times the Jamaican chart seemed to be the DJ's private preserve. "Hot Bwoy" with Buccaneer, "Mi Nu Walla," "Forget You," "Ruff Like We" with Redrose, "100 Dollar Bag," "So Nice" with Silvercat, "In This Together," "Skettel Tune" with Angel Doolas, and "L.O.Y." are just a sampling of the singles the DJ released between 1999 and 2000. The Art & Life album, released in the new century, showcased the DJ at his most eclectic and included guests Arturo Sandoval and Wyclef Jean of Fugees fame. The following year, Beenie reunited with Jean behind the mixing board to produce the debut album by actor Steven Seagal. Janet Jackson, the Neptunes, Lady Saw, and Lil' Kim all turned up as guests on 2002's Tropical Storm, the Beenie Man album with the most crossover appeal. 2004's Back to Basics was just that, a straight-up return to dancehall. The hit-collecting compilation From Kingston to King of the Dancehall appeared in early 2005, and Undisputed, which featured production work from Scott Storch and Don Corleon, among others, was released the next year. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide

Life's Work

The distinct Jamaican tinge heard on U.S. urban radio around the turn of the millennium was partly the creation of Beenie Man, a Jamaican deejay (DJ) and dancehall reggae star who succeeded in transplanting his popularity to North America. One of those rare child stars to reach adulthood with stardom intact, Beenie Man was already a veteran musician by the time he reached his early 20s. The large range of music to which he was exposed helped him, in the words of the Los Angeles Times, "stretch reggae in exciting directions without abandoning his roots." "From little youth days, way back when days, I talk and sing," Beenie Man told Billboard. "Because, obviously, me born to do the music still."

That he had made music since "little youth days" was no exaggeration, for Beenie Man (the word "beenie" means "little" in Jamaican dialect) first performed at the age of five. Born Anthony Moses Davis in Kingston, Jamaica, on August 22, 1973, Beenie Man grew up in a city whose poor neighborhoods were breeding grounds of musical creativity. "I cannot say that life in the ghetto is hard, because there are certain things you can do in the ghetto that you can't do anywhere else," the artist told Down Beat. "Freedom of speech. The ghetto is the truth of life." Beenie Man's uncle was a drummer in the band of crossover reggae superstar Jimmy Cliff, and from his very earliest school years Beenie Man showed unusual skill in "toasting," a Jamaican form with close affinities to U.S. rap music that features spoken, often improvised poetry over a rhythmic accompaniment.

Won Talent Show

Attending school during the day, Beenie Man got an education of a different sort in the evening as he worked on his deejaying and toasting skills using his uncle's electronics array. At age eight he won a national competition called the Teeny Talent show. That led to a single called "Too Fancy" and, two years later, to an album called The Invincible Beenie Man: The Ten Year Old DJ Wonder. That album, produced by Jamaican hitmaker Bunny Lee, brought Beenie Man wide public recognition, and during the 1980s he recorded with various producers.

Taking several years off and then re-emerging as an adult, Beenie Man enjoyed several chart-topping Jamaican hits in the early 1990s. He worked in the style called dancehall, a music that merged the lyrical concerns of older reggae styles--among them spirituality, drug experimentation, political change, and violence in urban culture--with modern technological influences. The vocals fall in between singing and speaking, and the manipulation of that juncture is an important part of dancehall artistry. As in U.S. hip-hop, the DJ is a crucial figure in dancehall, both supplying a recording's vocal component and creating its characteristic sound through the use of musical electronics.

Beenie Man, sometimes seen as a successor to the classic figures of reggae such as Bob Marley, has stressed the links that connect dancehall to earlier Jamaican styles. "It may change, but it's still the same music," he told the Toronto Star. "I don't care where reggae goes, it all comes back to one thing: Jah [God]. You have the high tempo, the remix tempo, it's nasty, but it leads you right back to Jah."

Showdown with Rival DJ

With numerous hit singles under his belt by 1993, Beenie Man came of age as a performer at the 1993 Reggae Sunsplash Festival with a set that inspired fans to call him back on stage for five encores. A DJ showdown with fellow star Bounty Killer only added to the publicity he received, and word of his talents began to circulate beyond Jamaica. In 1994 Beenie Man landed atop dancehall DJ lists in both Jamaica and New York City, and the stage was set for his attempt to conquer the larger U.S. market. He never moved away from his Jamaican roots, however, continuing to score hit records in Jamaica throughout the 1990s. By the year 2000, Beenie Man had notched more Number One singles than any other artist in Jamaican musical history.

The 1995 CD Blessed, released on the Island label, was a collection of Beenie Man's Jamaican recordings. Intended to familiarize North American artists with his style, it was also a fine introduction to dancehall in general. "Beenie Man is a story teller and a dancer, often creating new dance steps to emphasize his words," noted the Toronto Star. One of his hits entitled "Tear Off Mi Garment" inspired a dance called "The Urkle," and also pointed toward another facet of the artist's image: his appeal to women. Reggae is not a music known for an abundance of sex symbols, but, the Washington Post observed in reviewing a Beenie Man performance in the nation's capital, "the women in the audience groped for him like candy junkies battling withdrawal symptoms." The biggest hit included on Blessed was "Slam," a 1994 track that praised the qualities of women from the ghetto.

Beenie Man followed up Blessed with The Many Moods of Moses, a 1997 album that yielded the crosssover pop hit "Who Am I?" The artist's first U.S. release of original material inspired a new stylistic range, even including a country-styled track recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. The album won two Grammy nominations, but its successor, The Doctor, stalled on the charts. Beenie Man had already complained to the Toronto Star that the media had a tendency to anoint one particular reggae DJ as the flavor of the month, and often to favor non-Jamaican artists over those from the music's homeland. Now U.S. audiences seemed to be turning to the more pop- and R&B-oriented sounds of Beenie Man's rival, Shaggy.

Joined with Non-Jamaican Musicians

In the year 2000, however, Beenie Man's fortunes took a turn for the better. He was signed to a new major-label contract, with the Virgin label, and released the album Art & Life. That album was a stylistic tour de force, featuring guest appearances by Cuban jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, the progressive Haitian-American hip-hop star Wyclef Jean, rising hip-hop performer Mya, and even retro swingster Steve Perry of the Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Art and Life took the Grammy award for Best Reggae Album of 2000 and kicked off a successful U.S. tour for the artist.

Beenie Man continued to work from his Kingston base in 2001 and to maintain his status as one of Jamaica's top artists. The U.S. public had long shown a notoriously fickle attitude toward Jamaican music, but Beenie Man was among the artists who seemed ready to inaugurate a new period of popularity for island sounds. Still under thirty years old, he remained a developing artist in the best sense of the word. Dancehall had for many years exercised a strong influence on U.S. hip-hop, and Beenie Man seemed the artist who might most successfully fuse the two forms.

Awards

Two Grammy award nominations, for Many Moods of Moses, 1998.