Rum display in a liquor store

Government House rum, manufactured by the Virgin Islands Company distillery, circa 1941

Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane byproducts such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels. Rum can be referred to in Spanish by descriptors such as ron viejo ("old rum") and ron añejo ("aged rum").

The majority of the world's rum production occurs in the Caribbean and Latin America (including the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Martinique, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia,Saint Vincent and the grenadines, Grenada, Barbados, Jamaica, St.Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Brazil, Haiti, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Peru and Cuba). Rum is also produced in the Canary Islands of Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Mexico, Hawaii, the Philippines, India, Reunion Island, Mauritius, South Africa, and Canada.

Light rums are commonly used in cocktails, whereas "golden" and "dark" rums were typically consumed individually (i.e. "straight" or "neat") or for cooking, but are now commonly consumed with mixers. Premium rums are also available, made to be consumed either straight or iced.

Rum plays a part in the culture of most islands of the West Indies as well as in the Canadian Maritimes and Newfoundland. This beverage has famous associations with the Royal Navy (where it was mixed with water or beer to make grog) and piracy (where it was consumed as bumbo). Rum has also served as a popular medium of economic exchange, used to help fund enterprises such as slavery, organized crime, and military insurgencies (e.g., the American Revolution and Australia's Rum Rebellion) See Triangular trade.

Etymology[link]

The Mount Gay Rum visitors centre claims to be the world's oldest remaining rum company, with earliest confirmed deed from 1703.

The origin of the word "rum" is generally unclear. In an 1824 essay about the word's origin, Samuel Morewood, a British etymologist, suggested it might be from the British slang term for "the best", as in "having a rum time." He wrote:

As spirits, extracted from molasses, could not well be ranked under the name whiskey, brandy, or arrack, it would be called rum, to denote its excellence or superior quality.

—Samuel Morewood^[1]

Given the harsh taste of early rum, this is unlikely. Morewood later suggested another possibility: that it was taken from the last syllable of the Latin word for sugar, saccharum, an explanation commonly heard today.^[1] The -um is a very common noun ending in Latin, and plenty of Latin word roots end in r, so in reality, one could apply this logic to a plethora of Latin words to draw the link.

Other etymologists have mentioned the Romani word rum, meaning "strong" or "potent". These words have been linked to the ramboozle and rumfustian, both popular British drinks in the mid-17th century. However, neither was made with rum, but rather eggs, ale, wine, sugar, and various spices. The most probable origin is as a truncated version of rumbullion or rumbustion.^[2] Both words surfaced in English about the same time as rum did (Coromines states 1651 as the first recording of "rumbullion", and 1654 for "rum" -1770 for the first recording in Spanish of ron), and were slang terms for "tumult" or "uproar". This is a far more convincing explanation, and brings the image of fractious men fighting in entanglements at island tippling houses, which are early versions of the bar.^[1]

Another claim is the name is from the large drinking glasses used by Dutch seamen known as rummers, from the Dutch word roemer, a drinking glass.^[3] Other options include contractions of the words iterum, Latin for "again, a second time", or arôme, French for aroma.^[4] Regardless of the original source, the name was already in common use by 1654, when the General Court of Connecticut ordered the confiscations of "whatsoever Barbados liquors, commonly called rum, kill devil and the like".^[5] A short time later in May 1657, the General Court of Massachusetts also decided to make illegal the sale of strong liquor "whether knowne by the name of rumme, strong water, wine, brandy, etc."^[4]

In current usage, the name used for a rum is often based on its place of origin. For rums from Spanish-speaking locales, the word ron is used. A ron añejo indicates a rum that has been significantly aged and is often used for premium products. Rhum is the term used for rums from French-speaking locales, while rhum vieux is an aged French rum that meets several other requirements.

Some of the many other names for rum are Nelson's blood, kill-devil, demon water, pirate's drink, navy neaters, and Barbados water.^[6] A version of rum from Newfoundland is referred to by the name screech, while some low-grade West Indies rums are called tafia.^[7]

History[link]

Origins[link]

The precursors to rum date back to antiquity. Development of fermented drinks produced from sugarcane juice is believed to have first occurred either in ancient India or China,^[2] and spread from there. An example of such an early drink is brum. Produced by the Malay people, brum dates back thousands of years.^[8] Marco Polo also recorded a 14th-century account of a "very good wine of sugar" that was offered to him in what is modern-day Iran.^[2]

The first distillation of rum took place on the sugarcane plantations of the Caribbean in the 17th century. Plantation slaves first discovered molasses, a byproduct of the sugar refining process, can be fermented into alcohol.^[9] Later, distillation of these alcoholic byproducts concentrated the alcohol and removed impurities, producing the first true rums. Tradition suggests rum first originated on the island of Barbados. However, in the decade of the 1620s, rum production was recorded in Brazil.^[10]

A 1651 document from Barbados stated, "The chief fuddling they make in the island is Rumbullion, alias Kill-Divil, and this is made of sugar canes distilled, a hot, hellish, and terrible liquor."^[9]

Colonial America[link]

Pirates carrying rum to shore to purchase slaves as depicted in The Pirates Own Book by Charles Ellms

After rum's development in the Caribbean, the drink's popularity spread to Colonial North America. To support the demand for the drink, the first rum distillery in the British colonies of North America was set up in 1664 on present-day Staten Island. Boston, Massachusetts had a distillery three years later.^[11] The manufacture of rum became early Colonial New England's largest and most prosperous industry.^[12] New England became a distilling center due to the technical, metalworking and cooperage skills and abundant lumber; the rum produced there was lighter, more like whiskey. Rhode Island rum even joined gold as an accepted currency in Europe for a period of time.^[13] Estimates of rum consumption in the American colonies before the American Revolutionary War had every man, woman, or child drinking an average of 3 imperial gallons (14 l) of rum each year.^[14]

To support this demand for the molasses to produce rum, along with the increasing demand for sugar in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, a labor source to work the sugar plantations in the Caribbean was needed. A triangular trade was established between Africa, the Caribbean, and the colonies to help support this need.^[15] The exchange of slaves, molasses, and rum was quite profitable, and the disruption to the trade caused by the Sugar Act in 1764 may have even helped cause the American Revolution.^[14]

The popularity of rum continued after the American Revolution, with George Washington insisting on a barrel of Barbados rum at his 1789 inauguration.^[16]

Rum started to play an important role in the political system; candidates attempted to influence the outcome of an election through their generosity with rum. The people would attend the hustings to see which candidate appeared more generous. The candidate was expected to drink with the people to show he was independent and truly a republican. In the 1833 Mississippi state senate election, one candidate, Judge Edward Turner, poured his drinks and socialized with the people. He was more personal and it appeared as if he was going to win. The other candidate, a Methodist parson named Dick Stewart, announced he would not be pouring their drinks and they could have as much as they wanted; Dick Stewart won.^[17][18]

Eventually, the restrictions on rum from the British islands of the Caribbean, combined with the development of American whiskey, led to a decline in the drink's popularity.

Naval rum[link]

WRNS serving rum to a sailor from a tub inscribed 'THE KING GOD BLESS HIM'

Rum's association with piracy began with English privateers trading on the valuable commodity. As some of the privateers became pirates and buccaneers, their fondness for rum remained, the association between the two only being strengthened by literary works such as Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.^[19]

The association of rum with the Royal Navy began in 1655, when the British fleet captured the island of Jamaica. With the availability of domestically produced rum, the British changed the daily ration of liquor given to seamen from French brandy to rum.^[20] While the ration was originally given neat, or mixed with lime juice, the practice of watering down the rum began around 1740. To help minimize the effect of the alcohol on his sailors, Admiral Edward Vernon had the rum ration watered down, a mixture that became known as grog. While many believe the term was coined in honor of the grogram cloak Admiral Vernon wore in rough weather,^[21] the term predates his famous order. It probably originates in the West Indies, perhaps of African etymology (see Grog). The Royal Navy continued to give its sailors a daily rum ration, known as a "tot," until the practice was abolished after July 31, 1970.^[22]

Today, the tot is still issued on special occasions, using an order to "splice the mainbrace", which may only be given by the Queen, a member of the royal family or, on certain occasions, the admiralty board in the UK, with similar restrictions in other Commonwealth navies.^[23] Recently, such occasions have included royal marriages or birthdays, or special anniversaries. In the days of daily rum rations, the order to "splice the mainbrace" meant double rations would be issued.

Following his victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, Horatio Nelson's body was preserved in a cask of rum to allow transport back to England. Upon arrival, however, the cask was opened and found to be empty of rum. The pickled body was removed and, upon inspection, it was discovered that the sailors had drilled a hole in the bottom of the cask and drunk all the rum, in the process drinking Nelson's blood. Thus, this tale serves as a basis for the term "Nelson's blood" being used to describe rum. It also serves as the basis for the term "tapping the admiral" being used to describe drinking the daily rum ration. The details of the story are disputed, as many historians claim the cask contained French brandy, whilst others claim instead the term originated from a toast to Admiral Nelson.^[24] Variations of the story, involving different notable corpses, have been in circulation for many years. The official record states merely that the body was placed in "refined spirits" and does not go into further detail.^[25]

The Royal New Zealand Navy was the last naval force to give sailors a free daily tot of rum. The Royal Canadian Navy still gives a rum ration on special occasions; the rum is usually provided out of the commanding officer's fund, and is 150 proof. It is consumed on the order "up spirits".^{[citation needed]} The order to "splice the mainbrace" (i.e. take rum) can be given by the Queen as commander-in-chief, as occurred on 29 June 2010, when Her Majesty gave the order to the Royal Canadian Navy as part of the celebration of their 100th anniversary.

Rum was also occasionally consumed mixed with gunpowder, either to test the proof of an alcohol ration (if the alcohol was diluted, the gunpowder would not ignite after being soaked with alcohol) or to seal a vow or show loyalty to a rebellion.

Colonial Australia[link]

Beenleigh Rum Distillery, on the banks of the Albert River near Brisbane, Australia, circa 1912

Rum became an important trade good in the early period of the colony of New South Wales. The value of rum was based upon the lack of coinage among the population of the colony, and due to the drink's ability to allow its consumer to temporarily forget about the lack of creature comforts available in the new colony. The value of rum was such that convict settlers could be induced to work the lands owned by officers of the New South Wales Corps. Due to rum's popularity among the settlers, the colony gained a reputation for drunkenness, though their alcohol consumption was less than levels commonly consumed in England at the time.^[26]

Australia was so far away from England that the convict colony, established in 1788, faced severe food shortages, compounded by poor conditions for growing crops and the shortage of livestock . Eventually it was realized that it might be cheaper for India, instead of England to supply the settlement of Sydney. By 1817, two out of every three ships which left Sydney, went to Java or India, and cargoes from Bengal fed and equipped the colony. Casks of Bengal Rum ( which was reputed to be stronger than Jamaiacan Rum, and not so sweet ) were brought back in the depths of nearly every ship from India although taken to shore clandestinely, to the dismay of the governors. Englishmen living in India grew wealthy through sending ships to Sydney "laden half with rice and half with bad spirits." ^[27]

When William Bligh became governor of the colony in 1806, he attempted to remedy the perceived problem with drunkenness by outlawing the use of rum as a medium of exchange. In response to this action, and several others, the New South Wales Corps marched, with fixed bayonets, to Government House and placed Bligh under arrest. The mutineers continued to control the colony until the arrival of Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1810.^[28]

Categorization[link]

Dividing rum into meaningful groupings is complicated because no single standard exists for what constitutes rum. Instead, rum is defined by the varying rules and laws of the nations producing the spirit. The differences in definitions include issues such as spirit proof, minimum aging, and even naming standards.

Examples of the differences in proof is Colombia, requiring their rums possess a minimum alcohol content of 50% alcohol by volume (ABV), while Chile and Venezuela require only a minimum of 40% ABV. Mexico requires rum be aged a minimum of eight months; the Dominican Republic, Panama and Venezuela require two years. Naming standards also vary. Argentina defines rums as white, gold, light, and extra light. Grenada and Barbados uses the terms white, overproof, and matured, while the United States defines rum, rum liqueur, and flavored rum.^[29] In Australia, rum is divided into dark or red rum (underproof known as UP, overproof known as OP, and triple distilled) and white rum.

Despite these differences in standards and nomenclature, the following divisions are provided to help show the wide variety of rums produced.

Regional variations[link]

The Bacardi building in Havana, Cuba

Within the Caribbean, each island or production area has a unique style. For the most part, these styles can be grouped by the language traditionally spoken. Due to the overwhelming influence of Puerto Rican rum, most rum consumed in the United States is produced in the 'Spanish-speaking' style.

• Spanish-speaking islands and countries traditionally produce añejo rums with a fairly smooth taste. Rums from Cuba, Guatemala, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Colombia and Venezuela are typical of this style. Rum from the U.S. Virgin Islands is also of this style. The Canary Islands produces honey rum known as ron miel de Canarias and carries a geographical designation.

• English-speaking islands and countries are known for darker rums with a fuller taste that retains a greater amount of the underlying molasses flavor. Rums from Grenada, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Saint Kitts, Trinidad and Tobago, the Demerara region of Guyana, and Jamaica are typical of this style.

• French-speaking islands are best known for their agricultural rums (rhum agricole). These rums, being produced exclusively from sugar cane juice, retain a greater amount of the original flavor of the sugar cane and are generally more expensive than molasses-based rums. Rums from Haiti, Guadeloupe and Martinique are typical of this style.

Cachaça is a spirit similar to rum that is produced in Brazil. (Some countries, including the United States, classify cachaça as a type of rum.) Seco, from Panama, is also a spirit similar to rum, but also similar to vodka since it is triple distilled.

The Indonesian spirit Batavia arrack, or arrak, is a spirit similar to rum that includes rice in its production.^[30] Mexico produces a number of brands of light and dark rum, as well as other less-expensive flavored and unflavored sugarcane-based liquors, such as aguardiente de caña and charanda.

A spirit known as aguardiente, distilled from molasses and often infused with anise, with additional sugarcane juice added after distillation, is produced in Central America and northern South America.^[31]

In West Africa, and particularly in Liberia, 'cane juice' (also known as Liberian rum^[32] or simply CJ within Liberia itself^[33]) is a cheap, strong spirit distilled from sugarcane, which can be as strong as 86 proof.^[34] A refined cane spirit has also been produced in South Africa since the 1950s, simply known as cane.

Within Europe, a similar spirit made from sugar beet is known as tuzemák (from tuzemský rum, domestic rum) in the Czech Republic and kobba libre on the Åland Islands.^{[citation needed]}

In Germany, a cheap substitute for genuine dark rum is called Rum-Verschnitt (literally: blended or "cut" rum). This distilled beverage is made of genuine dark rum (often from Jamaica), rectified spirit, and water. Very often, caramel coloring is used, too. The relative amount of genuine rum it contains can be quite low, since the legal minimum is at only 5%, but the taste of Rum-Verschnitt is still very similar to genuine dark rum. In Austria, a similar rum called Inländerrum or domestic rum is available. However, Austrian Inländerrum is always a spiced rum (brand example: Stroh); German Rum-Verschnitt, in contrast, is never spiced or flavored.

Grades[link]

Examples of dark, spiced, and light rums

The grades and variations used to describe rum depend on the location where a rum was produced. Despite these variations, the following terms are frequently used to describe various types of rum:

• Light rums, also referred to as silver or white rums, in general, have very little flavor aside from a general sweetness. Consequently, they often serve as bases for cocktails. Light rums are sometimes filtered after aging to remove any color. The Brazilian cachaça is generally this type, but some varieties are more akin to "gold rums". The majority of light rums come from Puerto Rico. Their milder flavors make them popular for use in mixed drinks, as opposed to drinking them straight.

• Gold rums, also called amber rums, are medium-bodied rums that are generally aged. These gain their dark color from aging in wooden barrels (usually the charred, white oak barrels that are the byproduct of Bourbon whiskey). They have more flavor and are stronger-tasting than light rum, and can be considered midway between light rum and the darker varieties.

• Dark rums, also known by their particular color, such as brown, black, or red rums, are classes a grade darker than gold rums. They are generally aged longer, in heavily charred barrels, giving them much stronger flavors than either light or gold rums, and hints of spices can be detected, along with a strong molasses or caramel overtone. They commonly provide substance in rum drinks, as well as color. In addition, dark rum is the type most commonly used in cooking. Most dark rums come from areas such as Jamaica, Haiti, and Martinique, though two Central American countries, Nicaragua and Guatemala, produced two of the most award-winning dark rums in the world: Flor de Caña and Ron Zacapa Centenario, respectively.^[35]

• Spiced rums obtain their flavors through the addition of spices and, sometimes, caramel. Most are darker in color, and based on gold rums. Some are significantly darker, while many cheaper brands are made from inexpensive white rums and darkened with caramel color. Among the spices added are cinnamon, rosemary, absinthe/aniseed, or pepper.

• Flavored rums are infused with flavors of fruits, such as banana, mango, orange, citrus, coconut, starfruit or lime. These are generally less than 40% ABV, serve to flavor similarly themed tropical drinks, and are also often drunk neat or on the rocks.

• Overproof rums are much higher than the standard 40% ABV. Most of these rums bear greater than 60%, in fact, and preparations of 75% to 80% ABV occur commonly. One example is Jack Iron Rum from Grenada made by Westerhall Estate Ltd.

• Premium rums, as with other sipping spirits, such as Cognac and Scotch, are in a special market category. These are generally from boutique brands that sell carefully produced and aged rums. They have more character and flavor than their "mixing" counterparts, and are generally consumed straight. One example is Diplomático Ambassador Selection from Venezuela made by DUSA in La Miel.

Production method[link]

Unlike some other spirits, rum has no defined production methods. Instead, rum production is based on traditional styles that vary between locations and distillers.

Fermentation[link]

Sugarcane is harvested to make sugarcane juice and molasses.

Most rum produced is made from molasses. Within the Caribbean, much of this molasses is from Brazil.^[16] A notable exception is the French-speaking islands, where sugarcane juice is the preferred base ingredient.^[2]

Yeast and water are added to the base ingredient to start the fermentation process. While some rum producers allow wild yeasts to perform the fermentation, most use specific strains of yeast to help provide a consistent taste and predictable fermentation time.^[36] Dunder, the yeast-rich foam from previous fermentations, is the traditional yeast source in Jamaica.^[37] "The yeast employed will determine the final taste and aroma profile," says Jamaican master blender Joy Spence.^[2] Distillers who make lighter rums, such as Bacardi, prefer to use faster-working yeasts.^[2] Use of slower-working yeasts causes more esters to accumulate during fermentation, allowing for a fuller-tasting rum.^[36]

Distillation[link]

As with all other aspects of rum production, no standard method is used for distillation. While some producers work in batches using pot stills, most rum production is done using column still distillation.^[36] Pot still output contains more congeners than the output from column stills, so produces fuller-tasting rums.^[2]

Aging and blending[link]

Many countries require rum to be aged for at least one year. This aging is commonly performed in used bourbon casks,^[36] but may also be performed in stainless steel tanks or other types of wooden casks. The aging process determines the color of the rum. When aged in oak casks, it becomes dark, whereas rum aged in stainless steel tanks remains virtually colorless. Due to the tropical climate common to most rum-producing areas, rum matures at a much faster rate than is typical for Scotch or Cognac. An indication of this faster rate is the angels' share, or amount of product lost to evaporation. While products aged in France or Scotland see about 2% loss each year, rum producers may see as much as 10%.^[36] After aging, rum is normally blended to ensure a consistent flavor. Blending is the final step in the rum-making process.^[38] As part of this blending process, light rums may be filtered to remove any color gained during aging. For darker rums, caramel may be added to adjust the color of the final product.

In cuisine[link]

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Rum

Rum grog

Besides rum punches, cocktails such as the Cuba libre and daiquiri have well-known stories of their invention in the Caribbean. Tiki culture in the US helped expand rum's horizons with inventions such as the mai tai and zombie. Other well-known cocktails containing rum include the piña colada, a drink made popular in America by Rupert Holmes' song "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)",^[39] and the mojito. Cold-weather drinks made with rum include the rum toddy and hot buttered rum.^[40] A number of local specialties also use rum, including Bermuda's dark 'n' stormy (Gosling's Black Seal rum with ginger beer), and the painkiller from the British Virgin Islands.

Rum may also be used as a base in the manufacture of liqueurs. Another combination is jagertee, a mixture of rum and black tea.

Rum may also be used in a number of cooked dishes as a flavoring agent in items such as rum balls or rum cakes. It is commonly used to macerate fruit used in fruitcakes and is also used in marinades for some Caribbean dishes. Rum is also used in the preparation of bananas Foster and some hard sauces. Rum is sometimes mixed into ice cream, often with raisins.

Ti punch, short for "petit punch", is a traditional drink in the French-speaking region of the Caribbean.

See also[link]

Drink portal

• Cachaça
• Charanda
• List of Puerto Rican rums
• List of rum producers
• Rum cocktails
• Pirate
• Ron Zacapa Centenario
• Rum row
• Rum cake
• Rum-running

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Curtis, Wayne (2006). And a bottle of rum - a history of the New World in ten cocktails. Crown Publishers. p. 285. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/1-400-5167-3|1-400-5167-3]]. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5676434. 
• Blue, Anthony Dias (2004). The Complete Book of Spirits : A Guide to Their History, Production, and Enjoyment. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-054218-7. 
• Clarke, Frank G. (2002). The History of Australia. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31498-5. 
• Cooper, Rosalind (1982). Spirits & Liqueurs. HPBooks. ISBN 0-89586-194-1. 
• Foley, Ray (2006). Bartending for Dummies: A reference for the Rest of Us. Wiley Publishing, Inc. ISBN 0-470-05056-X. 
• Pack, James (1982). Nelson's Blood: The Story of Naval Rum. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-944-8. 
• Tannahill, Reay (1973). Food in History. Stein and Day. ISBN 0-8128-1437-1. 
• Rorabaugh, W.J.. The Alcoholic Republic. Oxford University Press. 

Further reading[link]

• Williams, Ian (2005). Rum: A Social and Sociable History of the Real Spirit of 1776. Nation Books.  (extract)
• Broom, Dave (2003). Rum. Abbeville Press. 
• Arkell, Julie (1999). Classic Rum. Prion Books. 
• Coulombe, Charles A (2004). Rum: The Epic Story of the Drink that Changed Conquered the World. Citadel Press. 
• Smith, Frederick (2005). Caribbean Rum: A Social and Economic History. University Press of Florida.  (Introduction)

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Rum

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rum

Wikisource has the text of the 1920 Encyclopedia Americana article Rum.

• Rum History
• Rum Basics - What Is Rum?
• Rum in the Caribbean

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Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston on December 29, 2007.
Background information
Birth name	Kisean Anderson
Born	(1990-02-03) February 3, 1990 (age 22) Miami, Florida, United States
Origin	Kingston, Jamaica
Genres	Reggae fusion, dance, R&B[1]
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, rapper, actor
Years active	2006–present
Labels	Beluga Heights, Epic, TM3 Records, E1 Music
Associated acts	Flo Rida, Soulja Boy, Unk, Rick Ross, Iyaz
Website	www.seankingston.com

Sean Kingston (born Kisean Anderson; February 3, 1990) is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.

Early life[link]

Kingston was born on February 3, 1990, in Miami, Florida and moved to Kingston, Jamaica when he was six.^[2] He attended high school in Ocho Rios.^[3] His grandfather was the noted Jamaican reggae producer Lawrence Lindo,^[4] who worked under the stage name Jack Ruby.^[5][2] At age 11, Kingston spent 3 weeks in jail for breaking and entering, and Kingston lived in a car while his mother was incarcerated for identity theft.^[2][6]

Music career[link]

[edit] 2007–2008: Sean Kingston

Sean Kingston was discovered through MySpace by Tommy Rotem at Beluga Heights, and signed to the label in a partnership deal with Sony.^[7] Beluga is a label notable for its focus on discovering and developing artists.^[8] In an interview with HitQuarters label head and producer J.R. Rotem described this process with regards to Kingston:

"Sean Kingston was a rapper when we found him and it was a development process to get him more melodic. At Beluga we essentially refine the talent so that it's more of a marketable product."^[7]

In a venture between Epic Records and Koch Records, Kingston recorded and released the single "Beautiful Girls" in May 2007.^[9] The single, based on the bass line and lyrical "association" of the 1961 hit "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King, reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and topped the UK Singles Chart along with many other international charts. Similarly, the song "Me Love" samples the main hook out Led Zeppelin's "D'yer Mak'er", from their 1973 album Houses of the Holy. The song also debuted at number one in Australia, where it knocked off Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry", which had been at number one for nine weeks. The song stayed on the Canadian Hot 100 number one spot for over six weeks before getting knocked down to third place by the Plain White T's. "Beautiful Girls" remained at number one in Canada longer than any other song in 2007. In 2007, Kingston was the opening act for Gwen Stefani's The Sweet Escape Tour and for select dates on Beyoncé's The Beyoncé Experience Tour. In 2008, he was one of the opening acts for the Australian leg of Kelly Clarkson's My December Tour.^[10] Since Sean is a Jamaican singer, he got his stage name "Kingston" from the capital of Jamaica called Kingston, Jamaica.

[edit] 2009–2010: Tomorrow

The album Tomorrow was released on September 22, 2009. Big-name producers involved in the album included former Fugee Wyclef Jean; RedOne (of recent Lady GaGa fame); plus Sean's original mentor, J.R. Rotem.^[11] So far, the singles "Fire Burning", and "Face Drop" have been released. Additionally, five promotional digital singles were released leading up to the album.

Kingston co-wrote Jason Derülo's "Whatcha Say". He also found the R&B-reggae singer Iyaz on MySpace and signed him to his record label.^[12] He also recorded the track "Miss Everything" for the UK girl-group Sugababes studio album Sweet 7 which was released March 15, 2010 in the UK. Kingston and DJ Khaled are being featured on Bow Wow's new single "For My Hood", from the upcoming movie, The Lottery Ticket.^[13]

2010–present: Back 2 Life, King Of Kingz and other projects[link]

According to Sean Kingston, he is already working on his next album. The lead single was confirmed to be "Dumb Love". The song's chorus samples 1957's, Come Go With Me by the Del Vikings. The song is also featured in a episode of The Suite Life on Deck which Kingston guest starred on. The album will also feature T-Pain, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Flo-Rida, Soulja Boy, Wyclef Jean, Akon and Dr. Dre.^[14][15] The first single from the album is "Eenie Meenie" featuring Justin Bieber, released on March 23, 2010,^[16] which is also included on Bieber's My World 2.0 album. This collaboration with the young star has been the source of much disapproval from the rap community. The second single from the album is "Letting Go (Dutty Love)", which features a verse from Nicki Minaj. It was released on iTunes August 3, while the third is "Dumb Love" and was released on iTunes September 8. Sean Kingston's new song "She Moves" samples Irena Cara's "What a Feeling" from the film Flashdance. This has not been release as a single. A fourth single "Party All Night (Sleep All Day)" was released on December 21, 2010. The song leaked online in December 2010. The music video has already been shot. The video was released on December 23, 2010. Sean said this would be the song of the new year.

Kingston represented the continent of America to sing the Official Theme Song of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, Everyone. He collaborated with four other international artists representing their continent, South African Jody Williams representing Africa, Singaporean Tabitha Nauser (Asia), Briton Steve Appleton (Europe), and Australian Jessica Mauboy representing Oceania.^[17] However, Kingston was unable to attend the Singapore Youth Olympics 2010 opening ceremony due to passport mix ups.^[18] Sean was invited to featured on Cash Money Records/former So So Def member Bow Wow on his single "For My Hood". He performed it with him along with DJ Khaled on BET's television program 106 & Park the day after release.

Sean Released his first mixtape King Of Kingz on February 3, 2011 as a free Download only. The mixtape includes guest appearances by Akon, Flo-Rida, Soulja Boy, Justin Bieber, B.O.B and Tory Lanez.

Kingston will release a mixtape with pop star Justin Bieber, called Our World. It will feature about 12–14 songs and includes their versions of songs like "Pretty Boy Swag" and "Billionaire". The mixtape is finished and Kingston showed his fans a preview on uStream on August, 19, 2010^{[citation needed]}. The release date is yet to be confirmed. Kingston also went on to perform on first leg of Bieber's tour. On April 25, 2011, Kingston performed at Cross Roads Hotel in front of 2,000 people in Lilongwe, Malawi. Kingston was recently in Zimbabwe performing there and is scheduled to perform in Ghana in June 2011. He performed a street concert on April 29, 2011, at Utah State University.^[19]

Kingston has announced that his new album will be called Back 2 Life.^[20] He also said in an interview with MTV that he would be completely re-doing the album and that the previous singles will not be on it. According to Sean's twitter the first single off the album will be released the first week in May 2012. Sean linked up with T.I. on set of the video for “Back 2 Life,” the street single off his upcoming album of the same name. The two shot the video in Los Angeles last week with comedian Mike Epps.

Activism[link]

Kingston filmed a public service announcement with Do Something to encourage teens to become active in their communities by forming a Do Something club.^[21] In 2010, he appeared with one of his dogs in an ad for PETA, encouraging people not to chain their dogs outside.^[22]

Jet skiing accident[link]

On May 29, 2011, Kingston was involved in a jet skiing accident in Miami Beach, Florida. Kingston and a female passenger were severely injured when their jet ski struck the bridge connecting Palm Island with the MacArthur Causeway at approximately 6 pm. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he was placed in the intensive care unit and listed in stable condition.^[1][23][24] He suffered a fractured wrist and broken jaw along with water in the lungs, but was expected to make a full recovery.^[25] On June 24, 2011, Kingston was discharged from hospital and continued his recovery at home.^[26]

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Sean Kingston (2007)
• Tomorrow (2009)
• Back 2 Life (2012)^[20]

Mixtapes

• My Time (2009) (Tomorrow Pre-album)
• King Of Kingz (2011)
• Our World (TBA) (with Justin Bieber)
• Greatness (TBA)

Awards/nominations[link]

• Image Awards
  • 2008, Outstanding New Artist (nominated)
• MOBO Awards
  • 2007: Best Reggae Acts
• Teen Choice Awards
  • 2007: Choice R&B Track "Beautiful Girls"
  • 2007: Choice Summer Track "Beautiful Girls" (nominated)
  • 2009: Choice Summer Song "Fire Burning" (nominated)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sean Kingston

• Official website
• Official UK website
• Sean Kingston on Twitter
• Sean Kingston on Myspace
• Sean Kingston's channel on YouTube

Cher Lloyd
Lloyd performing in April 2011
Background information
Birth name	Cher Lloyd
Born	(1993-07-28) 28 July 1993 (age 18) Malvern, Worcestershire, UK
Origin	Malvern, Worcestershire, UK
Genres	R&B,pop, dance-pop, hip hop, synthpop, rap, dubstep
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, model,
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2010–present
Labels	Syco, Epic Records
Website	cherlloyd.com

Cher Lloyd (born 28 July 1993) is an English recording artist. Lloyd rose to fame when she finished fourth in the seventh series of The X Factor. Shortly afterwards, Lloyd was signed by Simon Cowell to Sony Music subsidiary Syco Music.

Cher Lloyd's debut single "Swagger Jagger" was released in June 2011. Despite receiving negative reviews, the single entered at number one on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the Irish Singles Chart. Her second single "With Ur Love" was released on 31 October, featuring Mike Posner, and peaked at number four in the UK, and number five in Ireland, preceding her debut album Sticks + Stones, which peaked at number four in the UK Albums Chart and number seven on the Irish Albums Chart.^[1]

Life and career[link]

Early life[link]

Cher Lloyd used to live in Malvern with her parents Darren and Dina, and three younger siblings brother Josh, and sisters Sophie and Rosie. Lloyd attended Dyson Perrins CE Sports College, where she studied performing arts.^[2] She also attended theatre arts school Stagecoach.

[edit] 2010: The X Factor

During her time on the show she was mentored by Cheryl Cole (pictured).

Lloyd had previously auditioned for The X Factor twice before (when the minimum age was lower) singing ballads, but did not make it through.^[3] Lloyd has previously performed at holiday camps and said she gets a mixed reaction to her music, but was a big hit with x-factor judge at the time Cheryl Cole. She remarked on their similarity and Cheryl went on to support her throughout the show.^[4] She auditioned singing the Keri Hilson version of "Turn My Swag On".^[4] At bootcamp she sang a rap version of "Viva La Vida"^[5] adding lyrics she claimed to have written herself, but this was disputed and reports claimed she took them from a song by rapper Swizz Beatz.^[6][7] At the judges' houses she performed "Cooler Than Me"^[8] but suffered from tonsillitis and was unable to complete her song.^[9] She was given a second chance, but broke down sobbing and could not complete the song. Despite this, she was still picked as one of the final three girls by mentor Cheryl Cole.

Lloyd sang a rendition of "Just Be Good to Me" in the first of the live shows. In the second live show she sang "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". In the third live show, she sang a mashup of "No Diggity" and "Shout", and in the fourth live show she sang "Stay". This was the first time Lloyd did not rap in her performance, and Cowell even called it "the performance of the season". In week five, Lloyd sang "Empire State of Mind", but judges stated that after last week they were disappointed, and Cowell said it was copycat. However, the judges agreed that she redeemed herself with her rendition of "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" mixed with "Mockingbird", by Elton John and Eminem respectively, in week 6. In the seventh week, Lloyd was in the bottom two for the first time after her rendition of "Imagine", but Cowell, Cole and Walsh all saved her in the final showdown, resulting in Paije Richardson being eliminated. In the following week Lloyd performed "Girlfriend", followed by "Walk This Way". Both performances were credited by the judges and she was saved by the public vote the following night, securing her position in the semi final.^[10] In the semi-final, Lloyd performed "Nothin' on You" and "Love the Way You Lie" and was in the bottom two with Mary Byrne. She was saved by the judges again and put through to the final, even though voting statistics after the show revealed that Lloyd had the fewest votes.^[11] In the final she performed a mash-up of "The Clapping Song" and "Get Ur Freak On", followed by a duet with will.i.am, which was a mashup of "Where Is the Love?" and "I Gotta Feeling". Lloyd was then eliminated in fourth place, having received the fewest public votes.^[12]

[edit] 2011–12: Sticks + Stones, touring, and other ventures

Lloyd performing on the X Factor Live Tour, April 2011, the tour saw Lloyd performing for 500,000 people throughout the UK.^[13]

After the final it was announced that Lloyd had been signed by Syco Music.^[14] Lloyd and nine other contestants from the series participated in the X Factor Live Tour from February 2011 to April 2011. The tour saw Lloyd performing for 500,000 people throughout the UK.^[15] Songwriter Autumn Rowe^[16] and producer RedOne^[17] worked on her debut album, scheduled for release in November 2011.^[18] Her debut single, "Swagger Jagger", received its first airplay on 20 June 2011 after it had been leaked onto the internet on 15 June 2011^[19] however, this version was later confirmed as only the demo of the track on Lloyd's Twitter account.^[20] The single was released on 31 July 2011^[21] and peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart on 7 August 2011.

On 28 July 2011, Lloyd previewed five tracks from her upcoming album during a Ustream session, including tracks featuring Busta Rhymes, Mike Posner, Ghetts, Mic Righteous and Dot Rotten.^[22] Lloyd confirmed on Twitter that "With Ur Love" featuring Mike Posner was to be released has her second single. The single was released on 30 October 2011. The single received its first radio airplay on 21 September 2011. The music video premiered on 1 October 2011, on morning show T4. The single sold 74,030 copies in its first week becoming the highest-selling number four single since Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)", which sold 74,248 copies in October 2010.^[23] Lloyd confirmed the album's title "Sticks + Stones" on her twitter. The album was released on 7 November 2011.^[24] The album peaked at number four and has sold 198,199 copies in the United Kingdom as of January 2012.^[25]

On 21 November 2011, Lloyd announced her debut headlining UK tour, the Sticks + Stones Tour, set for March and April 2012.^[26] In December 2011, two more dates were added due to popular demand for tickets.^[27] "Sticks + Stones" will be released in 2012 through Epic Records in the United States^[28] On 13 December, a music video for "Dub on the Track" featuring underground artists Mic Righteous, Dot Rotten and Ghetts, who also all appear in the accompanying video, premiered on SBTV.^[29][30] The song will not serve as the third single.^[31]

December 2011, Cher Lloyd signed a record deal with L.A. Reid to Epic Records in the United States. She is expected to release her debut album in the United States in late 2012.^[28]

"Want U Back" was confirmed^[32] as the third single from the album. The single version features vocals from American rapper Astro and was released 19 February 2012.^[33] Following the release of the music video on 6 January 2012, the single peaked at number twenty-six on the UK Singles Chart, due to digital downloads from the album.^[34] Cher confirmed via her official website that "Beautiful People" is the fourth single from the album, but there is no official release date.^[35]

In February 2012, Lloyd spoke out to BBC Radio on her consistent cyber-bullying and how she fears for her safety after becoming a victim of online bullying. "I'm public property and there's nothing I can do — I have got to deal with it." She continued: "The message that I have got for people is: I have always tried to act the hard person and that was just a front for me. It is about time now that I let people realise that I am a real person and if I can do it, with all these people that want a piece of me, then other victims can speak out as well. There have been many times when I have cried myself to sleep. I am very scared because I like to think people think I'm strong, because if they don't, then they might not think I can do it."^[36] Lloyd also spoke to Newsbeat on how she thinks the government should take more action in preventing cyber-bullying.^[37] On 24 February 2012, it was announced that Cher Lloyd has signed a modelling contract with Select. Select's special bookings revently stated:

Her strong individuality represents everything that we love about the youth today and their music. Like everyone, she is a melting pot of different emotions, from super confidence oozing fun to a vulnerability

Lloyd has previously appeared on the cover of RWD Magazine and modelled for fashion bible Wonderland.^[38]

2012–present: Marriage and second studio album[link]

On 10 April 2012, Cher Lloyd announced she has started work on her second album, and has done a few songs.^[39] Lloyd plans to re-release her single Want U Back in the US without Astro, but has recorded a remix with Snoop Dogg.^[40] L.A. Reid also plans to introduce Lloyd to American media in New York, hoping Lloyd will make a breakthrough in America.^[41] Cher Lloyd has recently confirmed her engagement to boyfriend Craig, and hopes to get married as soon as possible.^[42][43][44] However, Lloyd has received controversy due to marriage at a young age, but has argued her "Gypsy background means she should have already married by now". She hopes to get married sometime in the summer of 2012.^[45]