| Beenie Man |
Beenie Man performing in August 2008 |
| Background information |
| Birth name |
Anthony Moses Davis |
| Also known as |
Ras Moses, The Doctor, The Girls Dem Sugar[1] |
| Born |
(1973-08-22) August 22, 1973 (age 38) |
| Origin |
Kingston, Jamaica |
| Genres |
Reggae, dancehall, reggae fusion, ragga-soca |
| Occupations |
Musician, songwriter, deejay, producer |
| Years active |
late 1970s–present |
| Labels |
Brookland
Universal Republic
Island Jamaica/PolyGram Records
Virgin/EMI Records |
| Associated acts |
Don Omar, Snow (musician), Talib Kweli, Memphis Bleek, YoungBloodZ, Pastor Troy, Johnny J , T.I. |
| Website |
www.beeniemanmusic.com |
Anthony Moses Davis (August 22, 1973),[2] better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".
Davis was born in the Waterhouse district of Kingston in 1973.[2][3][4] He was involved in the music industry from a young age, starting toasting at the age of five, and was encouraged by his uncle Sydney Wolfe, who played drums for Jimmy Cliff.[5][6] He won the Tastee Talent contest in 1981,[3][7] and Radio DJ Barry G introduced him to local sound system operators, who helped to establish the popularity of the young deejay, who became known as Beenie Man.[5] He recorded his debut single, "Too Fancy", with record producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes in 1981, with Lawes also including him on the 1983 album Junjo Presents Two Big Sounds alongside established stars such as Dillinger, Fathead, and Ringo.[3] His debut album, The Invincible Beenie Man: The Ten Year Old DJ Wonder was produced by Bunny Lee and released in 1983,[8] his first hit single following the same year with the Winston Holness-produced "Over the Sea".[3] In 1984 Beenie Man recorded some material with Barrington Levy (released ten years later), but his music career was put on hold while he finished school, and spent time travelling to the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada.[3]
Beenie Man continued performing and honed his craft beside the then dominant dancehall figures including Ninjaman, Admiral Bailey and Shabba Ranks. He found his artistic home at the Shocking Vibes studio where he continued to record singles with only moderate success in the early 1990s. His career gained momentum after a performance at the Reggae Sunsplash festival in 1992, and a rivalry with Bounty Killer began the following year after Beenie Man was accused of stealing Bounty Killer's style and catch phrases.[3] The rivalry was captured on the 1994 album Guns Out, with the two artists settling the feud with a soundclash.[3] Beenie Man had his first number one single in Jamaica in 1993 with "Matie", and he won the DJ of the Year Award the same year, the first of eight consecutive awards.[7]
Partially as a result of prodding from his producers, Sly and Robbie, with whom he recorded cover versions of Bob Marley's "Crazy Baldhead" and "No Woman No Cry" in 1994, the latter a Jamaican chart-topper, Beenie Man converted to the Rastafari movement, as did several of his contemporaries at the time, although in 2005 he stated "I have not converted. I was baptised an Ethiopian Orthodox and at the age of 10 I became a Judah Coptic."[3][6] In 1994, he was signed by Island Records and released the critically acclaimed album Blessed, which established his reputation internationally.[3] In 1995 he toured the UK and joined up again with Barrington Levy to record an updated jungle version of Levy's "Under Mi Sensi".[3]
In 1995, Beenie Man collaborated with Dennis Brown and Triston Palmer to release Three Against War and Mad Cobra and Lieutenant Stitchie on Mad Cobra Meets Lt. Stitchie & Beenie Man. He also collaborated with Lady Saw on "Healing", Sanchez on "Refugee", and Michael Prophet on "Gun 'n' Bass", further establishing his reputation.[3] He took another step up the ladder in 1996, releasing the seminal Maestro, produced by Patrick Roberts and shot him to UK fame. During the period from the mid to late 1990s, Beenie Man dominated the Jamaican charts to the extent that he perhaps had a good claim to the crown of "Dancehall King", a title only bestowed previously on Yellowman in the early 1980s. Beenie Man's first real break into the United States came in 1997. He heard an instrumental rhythm by an unknown producer named Jeremy Harding, and demanded to add his voice to the rhythm. So this was the birth of his first international hit; he recorded "Who Am I" and the single quickly went Gold. It opened the doors for the world to see a new reggae star in the pages of Newsweek and other major media outlets. The same year, Beenie Man topped the Jamaican singles chart with seven different singles.[3]
Beenie Man appeared as himself in the 1997 film Dancehall Queen.
In 1998, Beenie Man headlined Reggae Sunsplash and signed to Virgin Records to release albums in the United States. His first American offering was The Doctor (1998). During the late 1990s, Beenie Man began his conquest of America with the hits, "Romie", "Who Am I", and "Girls Dem Sugar", which featured American R&B singer, Mýa. During this time he received an impressive number of international music awards including a MOBO Award for Best International Reggae Act in 1998,[9] while remaining at the top of the local charts. In 2000, Beenie Man released Art & Life, which featured Arturo Sandoval and Wyclef Jean (The Fugees), for which received a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.[3] In the same year he co-produced (with Wyclef Jean) the debut album by actor Steven Seagal.[3] Beenie Man, like many dancehall artists is outspoken on a number of social issues, as exemplified by songs such as "Steve Biko" and "Murderer".[10][11][12]
In 2002, he had a sizeable hit with a duet with Janet Jackson called "Feel It Boy", but his biggest break in America came in early 2004 with the release of a remix of "Dude", featuring guest vocals by fellow Jamaican Ms. Thing, as well as rhymes by Shawnna. He thus cemented his fan base on both sides of the Atlantic.
He had hits in the UK in 1998 with "Who am I" (#10), in 2003 with "Street Life" (#13) and "Feel It Boy" (UK #9), a duet with Janet Jackson, and in 2004 with "Dude" (#7) and "King of the Dancehall" (#14).[13]
He was also a judge for the 6th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.[14]
In April 2008 it was announced that Beenie Man was to co-write and star in the film Kingston.[15] In October 2010 Beenie Man came out with the EP "I'm Drinking Rum and Red Bull", which included 4 songs, "Im drinking Rum and Red Bull", "I'm Okay", and two versions of "Stack and Pile". He later relaased the full album on February 28, 2011. "Im Drinking Rum and Red Bull" features Future Fambo. In September 2008 Beenie Man was cleared of charges of tax evasion.[16][17]
In April 2009, Beenie Man signed with Brookland Entertainment, a new record label formed by Eric Nicks and The Trackmasters, in preparation to release his new album, "The Legend Returns". The music video for the release of his new single “Gimme Gimme” will be shot in Canada on April 18, 2009. The song "Let's Go" was released on the Overproof Riddim compilation album in 2011.
Beenie Man married Michelle "D'Angel" Downer on August 22, 2006. Downer was previously known as long-time girlfriend to Bounty Killer. They have a son together, Marco Dean,[18] born in November 2006. In June 2007, Beenie Man separated from his wife due to her alleged infidelity. In March 2010, they released a duet single titled "You Are My First", although at the time they were separated.[18] The couple divorced in 2011.[19]
The lyrics to some of his songs have been criticized for inciting the murder of homosexuals.[20] He was removed from the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards after protests by gay-rights activists.[21] That same year, Beenie Man was stopped by police at Heathrow Airport in London, after the cancellation of a concert in England.[22] He then issued an apology for the lyrics through his record company.[23] In 2005, gay rights group OutRage! suspended their opposition to Beenie Man after he agreed not to play songs featuring homophobic lyrics, and he performed in London that year.[24] The following year, he claimed his lyrics were anti-pedophilia, not against consensual homosexual relationships.[25]
In 2007, it was reported that Beenie Man, along with several other artists, had signed the Reggae Compassionate Act, an agreement to cease performances of anti-gay material.[26] He later denied that he had signed the act.[27] As of 2010, protests have continued to cause cancellations of his concerts in some countries, including New Zealand, Belgium and the Netherlands.[28][29][30]
In 2012, Beenie Man apologized to the gay community for his earlier 'homophobic' lyrics: "Let me make this clear and straight.[31] I have nothing against no one. I respect each and every human being, regardless of which race or creed, regardless of which religious belief you believe in, and regardless of which sexual preference you are, including gays and lesbian people. I respect all human...Please I am begging you do not have me up for some songs I wrote a long time ago. I love each and every one and am just begging each and everyone to do the same."[32][33]
- 1983: The Invincible Beenie Man: The Incredible Ten Year Old DJ Wonder - Bunny Lee
- 1992: Cool Cool Rider - VP
- 1994: Dis Unu Fi Hear - High Tone
- 1994: Defend It VP
- 1994: Guns Out with Bounty Killer - Greensleeves
- 1995: Blessed - Island
- 1995: Maestro - Greensleeves & VP
- 1995: Mad Cobra Meets Lt. Stitchie & Beenie Man - VP
- 1997: Many Moods Of Moses - VP
- 1999: Y2K - Artists Only
- 1999: Ruff n Tuff
- 1999: The Doctor - VP
- 2000: Art and Life - Virgin
- 2001: Black Liberty
- 2001: Youth Quake
- 2002: Tropical Storm
- 2004: Back to Basics
- 2006: Concept of Life
- 2006: Hundred Dollar Bag
- 2006: Undisputed
- 2007: Monsters of Dancehall
- 2009: The Legend Returns
- 2012: TBA
- 1995: All the Best
- 2000: Best of Beenie Man
- 2002: Gold - The Very Best of - Charm
- 2005: Kingston to King of the Dancehall
- 2005: Greatest Hits So Far
- 2004: Live in San Francisco
- 2000: Trendsetter
- 2004: Cool Cool Rider - The Roots of a Dancehall Don
- 2006: Its Ah! Beenie (riddim mixtape)
- 2007: Monsters of Dancehall
- 1996: "Sound Clash" (Dream Warriors featuring Beenie Man)
- 1996: "Hands In the Air" (Doug E. Fresh featuring Beenie Man)
- 1999: "Outa Space (UFOs)" (Machel Montano featuring Beenie Man); album Any Minute Now
- 2000: "Money" (Jamelia featuring Beenie Man)
- 2001: "I'm Serious" (T.I. featuring Beenie Man)
- 2004: "Compton" (Guerilla Black featuring Beenie Man)
- 2005: "Soul on Fire" (KMC featuring Beenie Man)
- 2006: "Belly Danza" (Don Omar featuring Beenie Man)
- 2006: "Zingy" (Ak'Sent featuring Beenie Man)
- 2006: "Flow Natural" (Tito El Bambino featuring Deevani and Beenie Man)
- 2006: "Heaven Baby" (Brooke Hogan featuring Beenie Man)
- 2007: "Back It Up"
- 2008: "Better than Dem" (Natasja featuring Beenie Man)
- 2008: "Scorpion" (Nisha B. featuring Beenie Man)
- 2008: "Burnin' Burnin" (Ms. Triniti featuring Beenie Man)
- 2009: "Get It On" (Rasun featuring Beenie Man)
- 2009: "Giggle" (Busta Rhymes featuring Beenie Man)
- 2009: "Woman"
- 2009: "International" (Chali 2na featuring Beenie Man)
- 2009: "Pleasure" (2G featuring Beenie Man and Chris S)
- 2012: "Gun Shot" (Nicki Minaj featuring Beenie Man)
- ^ "Beenie Man to perform as 'Ras Moses' at Rebel Salute", Jamaica Gleaner, 11 January 2009
- ^ a b Greene, Jo-Ann. "Beenie Man - Biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p37348. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Thompson 2002, pp. 32–34
- ^ Moskowitz, David V. (2006) Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p. 24
- ^ a b Larkin 1998, pp. 22–23
- ^ a b Roper, Rasheen (2005) "One-0n-One with Beenie Man - Pursue whatever you desire", Jamaica Observer, 18 January 2005
- ^ a b Jackson, Kevin (2003) "25 years of top class music from Beenie Man", Jamaica Observer, 22 August 2003
- ^ Vibe, October 1998
- ^ Rodgers, Jennifer (1998) "Music: Toasting the many moods of Beenie Man", The Independent, 6 February 1998
- ^ Beenie Man Plays NYC - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News
- ^ "Beenie Man blames government for problems". October 31, 2007.
- ^ "Beenie Man Apologies To JLP Government", Hardbeatnews. New York, NY, Thurs. Nov. 1, 2007.
- ^ Beenie Man, ChartStats
- ^ Independent Music Awards - 6th Annual Judges
- ^ Peru, Yasmine (2008) "Beenie Man to co-write, star in movie", Jamaica Observer, 25 April 2008
- ^ "Reggae artist Beenie Man faces arrest in tax case". Reuters. 23 October 2007. http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN2331887120071023?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews.
- ^ "Beenie Man cleared of tax evasion", BBC, 1 October 2008
- ^ a b Sadeke Brooks: We are still not together - D'Angel Jamaica Star online, March 2010
- ^ It's final ... D'Angel serves Beenie with divorce papers Jamaica Star August 31, 2011
- ^ "Battybwoys affi dead": Action against homophobia in Jamaica
- ^ (August 26, 2004). MTV bars Beenie Man as gays plan protest USA Today. Accessed June 22, 2008.
- ^ Branigan, Tania (2004) "Beenie Man concert axed over homophobia fears", The Guardian, 25 June 2004
- ^ Clennell, Andrew (2004) "Beenie Man offers apology for his homophobic lyrics", The Independent, 4 August 2004
- ^ "Beenie Man gets London reprieve", BBC, 18 March 2005
- ^ Egere-Cooper (2006) "Beenie Man: 'I'm not homophobic' ", The Independent, 11 August 2006
- ^ Swash, Rosie (2007) "Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton renounce homophobia", The Guardian, 14 June 2007
- ^ Wright, Keril (2007) "Beenie Man denies signing deal with gay group", Jamaica Observer, 22 July 2007
- ^ Big Day Out cancels anti-gay Beenie Man. GayNZ.com. 15 November 2009.
- ^ Na Snoop ook geen Beenie Man op Parkpop. De Telegraaf. 21 June 2010.
- ^ Beenie Man ook geweerd van festival Brussel. De Telegraaf. 23 June 2010.
- ^ http://www.mydancehallmadness.com/2012/05/beenie-man-says-he-respects-homosexuals.html
- ^ Campbell-Livingston, Cecelia (2012) "Beenie asks gays for forgiveness", Jamaica Observer, 17 May 2012, retrieved 2012-06-01
- ^ http://www.towleroad.com/2012/05/beenie.html
- Wray, Milton: Who Am I?: The Untold Story of Beenie Man, 2008, Great House/Omnimedia, Kingston, Jamaica, ISBN 978-9769519930
| Persondata |
| Name |
Man, Beenie |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
22 August 1973 |
| Place of birth |
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| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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