Peter Tosh

Peter Tosh became one of Reggae's most flamboyant and colorful superstars while trailblazing through a two-staged life filled with volatility, controversy and violence.  For the first 31-years he was Winston Hubert McIntosh born in the Kingston, Jamaica slum of Trenchtown in 1944.

 

There he learned to play guitar and sing at an early age, heavily inspired by American radio and a vocalist teacher named Joe Higgs.  In the early 1960's Higgs introduced Tosh (nicknamed 'Steppin Razor')  to Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer. 

 

The trio instantly began perfecting their musical sound by playing on the street corners of Trenchtown, however, it was Higgs who polished their magic by teaching them to harmonize...and introducing Marley to the guitar.

 

In 1962 Higgs influenced Tosh, Marley, Wailer and newcomer Junior Braithwaite to form the band "The Wailing Wailers", where they released 'Simmer Down'...the first of many hit singles over the next three years.

 

But, in 1965 the band broke apart with Marley moving back to the United States to work at a Chrysler factory near his mother's house in Delaware. Tosh and Wailer continued together musically,  but also took on a fanatical, spiritual involvement  with the Judo-Christian religious movement called Rastafari.

 

Marley returned to Jamaica two years later with a renewed interest both in music,  and in Tosh and Wailer's spiritualized Rastafari movement.  Together they re-named the group 'The Wailers' after the  word "wail"...which means to mourn or express one's feelings vocally.

 

Upon slowing their dance tempo style down to a rock-steady pace, the Wailers infused their lyrics with social and political messages, from which arose such mega-reggae hits as 'Soul Rebel', 'Duppy Conqueror' and 'Small Axe'.

 

By the early 1970's the Wailers  had become Caribbean superstars, eventually signing an album deal with Island Records in 1973 to produce and release LP's 'Catch a Fire', and "Burnin". Later that year Tosh's career took to a new stage going solo, and his life would also take a drastic turn.

 

While driving home with his girlfriend,Tosh's car was hit head-on by another auto traveling on the wrong side of the road.  The accident killed his girl friend and severly fractured Tosh's skull.  He survived, but was never the same in tolerance or mood.

 

In 1976 he released his solo debut album "Legalize it" on a new label CBS records....the title track becoming an anthem for supporters of legalized marijuana.  Tosh became a willing militant target of the Jamaican Police who would often beat him up.  Tosh proudly displayed his scars to followers and fans during performances.

 

In 1978 Tosh signed on with Rolling Stones Records and released the album "Bush Doctor".  A track from the album, a "Temptations" cover song called 'Don't Look Back' was performed as a duet with Mick Jagger, and quickly turned Tosh into one of reggae's best known artists.

 

Over the next ten years Tosh combined his songs with concert lectures on the legalization of marijuana, equal rights and opposition to South African apartheid.  He tried to maintain success while keeping his militant views, but was only modestly successful compared to Marley's "One Love Message" achievements.

 

In 1984 Tosh went into self-imposed exile, seeking the spiritual advice of traditional medicine men in Africa!  While there, he also tried to free himself from recording agreements which distributed his many successful records to apartheid-laiden South Africa.

 

A few years later Tosh began a career revival after being awarded a Grammy for Best Reggae Performance of "No Nuclear War".  However, on September 11th, 1987, just after flying back to Jamaica....a three-man gang broke into his home and demanded money.  The gang leader was actually a former friend who Tosh had tried to help find work following a long jail sentence.

 

Tosh told the gang he had no money in the house, while at the same time many of Tosh's friends were arriving there to welcome him home. This frustrated the robbers who, after several tense hours, put a gun to Tosh's head and shot him twice...killing him along with disc jockey and friend Jeff "Free" Dixon.  Several of his friends were also shot and wounded as the gangsters fled.

 

The leader turned himself in and was tried, convicted and sentenced to death following an 11-minute jury deliberation....the shortest in Jamaican history!  The two other men were never found, although rumors insist they were later gunned down,just as was the distinctive, prominent reggae sound of Peter Tosh--blown away from us before his time. May the songs and messages of "Steppin' Razor live on in reggae memory, forever!

 

 

PeteCam4

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related articles by Zemanta

• Maysles: A Week in Cinema (harlemworldblog.wordpress.com)
• REVERB: Kore Ionz’s Rub-a-Dub Style (seattleweekly.com)
• Julian & Stephen Marley | 10.23 | Chicago (jambase.com)
• MOKB Interviews Alela Diane (myoldkyhome.blogspot.com)

BEENIE MAN

BEENIE MAN

Beenie Man (aka Anthony Moses Davis) was born in the tough Waterhouse
district of Kingston Jamaica, on August 22, 1973. The first time I heard
of Beenie Man was in 2000, “Girls Dem Sugar“ featuring Mya was playing on
the radio, Beenie Man knew he wanted to become a DJ when he was a
toodler. By the time he was eight, he took first prize at the national
Teeny Talent contest, This led to a meeting with producer Junjo Lawes
who recorded Beenie’s debut single “Too Fancy.” By the time he was ten,
he was appearing with DJ heavyweights Dillinger and Fathead. Beenie’s
debut album The Invincible Beenie Man came out when he was 10 years old.
In 1984 Beenie Man’s career was put on hold while he finished school.
Beenie returned in the 1990s, he appeared at Reggae Sunsplash in 1992, he
felt he was ready for the big guns. Bounty Killer was Beenies first
target, because Bounty Killer stole his catch phrase “people dead,” and
the war was on. In 1993 at a national show celebrating the visit of Nelson
Mandela, he was booed off the stage, he left Kingston for almost a year.
Beenie returned a year later, Bounty Killer and Beenie Man reconciled and
split a album “Guns Out”. Beenie’s single “No Mama No Cry” a version of
Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” the song was inspired by the murder of
fellow DJ Pan Head. “No Mama No Cry” brought Beenie instant acclaim, this
single was the guiding light that turned Beenie toward his Rastafarianism.
In 1994 “Defend It” and “Dis Unu Fi Hear” were released, they were more
cultural raps and hardcore dance hall sound. Beenie was named DJ of the
Year Award in 1994, he released the Blessed album this album feature
dancehall smash “Slam”. Beenie Man hosted Sun Splash in Jamaica in 1998,
shortly after that he signed with Virgin Records in the U.S.. From this
union Beenie cracked out song after song “The Doctor” was a instant
dance hall classic. In 1999 Y2K was a album that mentioned the millennium
bug, AIDS and illiteracy. the hits just kept on coming. In the 2000
Beenie Man teamed up with artists Wyclef Jean, Fugees, Arturo Sandoval
and released Art & Life album which won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae
Album, In 2000 he co-produced with Wyclef the debut album by actor Steve
Seagal, He also worked with artist like Janet Jackson, the Neptunes, Lady
Saw and Lil’ Kim. “Back to Basics” album in 2004 was his return to
straight up dancehall. Beenie Man’s lyrics in some of his songs are
controversial, they incite the murder of homosexuals with lyrics such as
“I’m dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays”. In “Mi Nah
Wallah”, he says he would like to cut the throats of all gay men. In “Bad
Man Chi Chi Man” the lyrics instructs listeners to kill gay deejays, and
in “Han Up Deh”, the lyric suggest hanging Lesbians with a long piece of
rope. With his controversial lyrics banned from the MTV Video Music Awards
and the Big Day Out music festival in Auckland New Zealand. Beenie Man’s
songs he did with Mya “Girls Dem Suga”, Janet Jackson “Feel It Boy” and
“King of the Dancehall” are also a favorites of mine. Even though some of
his lyrics are controversial he is truly talented.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beenie_Man



LM

Related articles by Zemanta

• Music Review | Hot 97's On da Reggae Tip: A Dose of Raunch on a Night of Stars, Shtick and Slapstick (nytimes.com)
• Reggae is NOT Dead (prweb.com)
• Billboard names Taylor, Kanye among year's best (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

RAS D

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, RAS D began writing at a very early age and he has been a contributing talent for jingles used in Jamaican radio and TV advertising. He recalls music as being a part of everyday life in Jamaica; the air filled with the blast of reggae and dance hall coming from every direction. The sounds of music is everywhere and always in the air. It's a necessary food; as common as rice and peas. We must hear it everyday to sustain life in Jamaica. Song is used to express everything. From the time we are small children we learn old songs and make up new ones. Then we reach adulthood, we sing about what goes on with the people and the powers that govern them.

All original lyrics and music, RAS D prophetically delivers a message to America and to the world, promoting peace, love and health. The message is straight and forward; a mix of lyrics and music swirling with rhythm and harmony.

 GIVE SOME LOVE TODAY ,' addresses social concerns of today from an anti-smoking message to a more serious reflection on 9/11. Songs include September 11 th ; Peace Call; Hail To The King; It's a dirty habit/ Cigarette Smoking; Love and Devotion to name a few. The CD also features performances by the talents of Andrew Tosh, Jr. Toots, Under-P, vocalist Regina Espinoza and the voice of Brendan Munroe, RAS D's youngest son.

The singer, songwriter's style can be described as a progression of reggae and dancehall rhythms, bridging R&B and POP music into a healthy bubbling roots soup;

It's good for the soul.

RAS D now resides in California and is available for interviews and bookings.

Email: daverasd@hotmail.com or call (510) 289-5418. 

Daddy Yankee

Image via Wikipedia

Ramon Ayala, otherwise known as 'Daddy Yankee', is one of the many pioneers of the reggaeton genre who's boyhood dream was actually baseball!  But, in his early teens he suffered a serious leg wound after being shot with a AK-47 during a neighborhood gun battle.  Suddenly, this Yankee's athletic career was over.

 

Fortunately, Ayala had a knack for singing and lyrical improvisation, having been musically influenced by his family as a child.  Fortunately for the music world, he quickly took to the underground rap movement, which was becoming popular in his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico...and by 1992 Daddy Yankee was playing in a new field of dreams.

 

Early on,  Ayala imitated artists such as Vito C, DJ Nelson, and DJ Playero...who got Ayala his first recording gig in the production 'Playero 37'. At the age of 18 Ayala cut his first album 'No Mercy'  which didn't sell well, so he eventually formed a duo act with Nicky Jam.  Their track 'Posicion' was featured in the movie sound track 'One Tough Cop', however Daddy Yankee quickly re-focused on a solo career.

 

His albums 'El Cartel' and 'El Cartel II' did well in Puerto Rico, but it was 2002's El Cangri.Com that really took off....in New York and Miami as well. This really helped his cross-over success with English speaking audiences.

 

Two years later Daddy Yankee hit a grand slam with the album 'Barrio Fina', which featured the smash hit 'Gasolina' and a special, salsa cross-genre single called  'Melao'...which he performed with Andy Montanez. 'Gasolina' was nominated for a Latin Grammy,  and an MTV Video Music award, with other tracks on the LP combining reggaeton and other genre's aimed at attracting English speaking audiences.

 

This led to Ayala's first world tour which included South and Latin America, the United States, and Europe. Soon afterward Ayala received several international awards, making him one of the most recognized reggaeton artists in the industry.

 

In 2007 Ayala followed up with 'The Big Boss', which became the year's top selling latin album in all categories. It also marked Daddy Yankee's return to his hip hop roots, as opposed to total raggaeton. Later that year, Ayala was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine.

 

In 2008 Ayala made a guest appearance on an album titled 'Caribbean Connection, that also featured artists 'Wisen and Yandel', 'Don Omar', 'Hector Delgado', and Jamaican groups 'Inner Circle', Elephant Man', 'Bounty Killer', and 'Wayne Wonder'.

 

Then, early this year he performed at Chile's famous Vina Del Mar International Song Festival, where he took home numerous awards. Ayala also won the prestigious 'Spirit of Hope' honorary award at the Latin Billboard Music Awards.

 

Off stage, Ayala signed a mega-endorsement with Pepsi, and is the first Latin artist to sign a deal with Reebok.  He also endorsed John McCain's candidacy for U.S. President, and has worked in the film industry...both as an actor and producer.

 

Daddy Yankee also co-owns 'El Cartel' Records, has created a charity for troubled youths in Puerto Rico, and owns part of the Caguas Creoles Pro Basketball team. Finally, his guarded personal life does include a 15-year marriage to his wife Mireddys and three young children... who keep Their Daddy Yankee grounded and at home whenever possible!

 

 

Thanks, and keep listening!.    

 

PeteCam4

 

 

 

 

"Best Wishes"--PTCJr

ReggaetonTop Don...DON OMAR

Puerto Rican born William Omar Landron, alias 'Don Omar' has another top-20 hit on the Reggaeton chart called 'Sexy Robotica', off his latest album 'Idon'.  The Latin Grammy Award nominated rapper/singer has his career back in full swing after a few minor brushes with the law over the past few years. In 2007 Omar was held under police custody in Santa Cruz, Bolivia after a local company sued him for canceling a concert and stealing $70,000. Omar claimed the company never issued air tickets to get there, and a local judge released him. He then flew to Buenos Aires to play another scheduled show, and immediately returned back to Santa Cruz to perform the missed concert,  In 2004 Omar were arrested in Puerto Rico and charged with drug and weapons possession, but the trial was postponed and charges were eventually dropped due to faulty evidence and witness accounts. Omar would go on to platinum fame with his live album hit 'The Last Don', which sold over a million copies, along with selling a half-million copies of debut single 'Dale Don Dale'. Omar also won awards for Latin Pop Album of the Year, and Latin Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year in 2005. In 2006 his album 'King of Kings' made the highest charting debut ever in the U.S. top 10, and with the help of smash hit 'Angelito', became Reggaeton's Album of the Year. Two of Omar's songs Los Bandoleros' and 'Conteo' were featured in the movies 'The Fast and the Furious' and 'Tokyo Drift', His latest album 'Idon' spawned the song 'Virtual Diva', which was received well on radio as well as on MTV. The song has also become the most requested song on Latin radio stations. Don Omar will release his next album 'Idon 2.0' sometime next year,,,featuring a duo session wih fellow Reggaeton star Daddy Yankee. Thanks and stay in listing touch, PeteCam4

BOB MARLEY

BOB MARLEY

I was introduced to Bob Marley in 1985 by my brother. Every time we got together Bob Marley was played. “I Shot the Sheriff”, “No Woman No Cry”, “Could You Be Love”, “Stir it Up”, “Jamming”, “Redemption Song”, and “One
Love” were Bob Marley’s best know hits. Bob Marley is still the most widely known and revered performer in reggae music, he was known for spreading Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement. Bob Marley played “Get Up, Stand Up” as the last song at every concert, and it was the last
song he ever sang. Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley lost his fight with cancer on May 11, 1981. In my opinion Bob Marley is the all time King of reggae music.