Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers (1963–1981). Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience.
Marley's music was heavily influenced by the social issues of his homeland, and he is considered to have given voice to the specific political and cultural nexus of Jamaica. His best-known hits include "I Shot the Sheriff", "No Woman, No Cry", "Could You Be Loved", "Stir It Up", "Get Up Stand Up", "Jamming", "Redemption Song", "One Love" and, "Three Little Birds", as well as the posthumous releases "Buffalo Soldier" and "Iron Lion Zion". The compilation album Legend (1984), released three years after his death, is reggae's best-selling album, going ten times Platinum which is also known as one Diamond in the U.S., and selling 25 million copies worldwide.
Andre Johnson (born 1970), better known by his stage name Jah Mason, also known as Iron Mason and Fire Mason, is a reggae singer/deejay from Jamaica, active as a recording artist since 1991.
Jah Mason was born in Jamaica's Manchester Parish, and grew up in a Christian family. During his childhood, he was nicknamed Perry Mason for his ability to resolve disputes, and it was under this name that his debut single "Selassie I Call We" was released in 1991 on Junior Reid's JR record label. In 1995 he joined the Bobo Ashanti order of the Rastafari movement, and began performing and recording as Jah Mason after linking up with the David House group. He had hits in Jamaica with "My Princess Gone" and "Lion Look", and also made guest appearances on singles by his friend Jah Cure. His first albums came in 2002 with Keep Your Joy and Working So Hard. Since then he has released albums at a rate of more than one a year, including Wheat and Tears and Princess Gone...The Saga Bed, both released in 2006 on Greensleeves Records and VP Records respectively, and the latter distributed by Warners. The Jamaica Gleaner, reviewing Wheat and Tears, commented on a lack of originality in Jah Mason's work but went on to say "clichés notwithstanding, the album is musical, and for hardcore reggae fans, the disc should provide enough of a vibe to chill with." David Jeffries of Allmusic described him as "an effortlessly agile artist able to communicate love, pathos, revolution, spirituality, and even sensuality on equal terms."
Alpha Blondy (born January 1, 1953) is a reggae singer and international recording artist. Alpha Blondy was born Seydou Koné in Dimbokro, Côte d'Ivoire. He sings mainly in his native language of Dioula, in French and in English, and sometimes in Arabic or Hebrew. His lyrics convey serious political attitudes and a sense of humor.
First son of a family of 9 children, Seydou Kone was raised by his grandmother, growing up in what he described as "among elders", which later was to have a big impact on his career. In 1962, Alpha Blondy went to join his father in Odienné, where he spent ten years, attending the Sainte Elisabeth high school, and getting involved in the Ivory Coast students movement. Here he formed a band. But, this hobby affected his schooling and Alpha Blondy was expelled due to poor attendance. His parents then sent him to study English in Monrovia in the neighboring country of Liberia in 1973. He spent thirteen months there and then moved to the United States of America to improve his English.
Brigadier Jerry (born Robert Russell, 28 September 28, 1957, Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican dancehall reggae deejay known for his "cultural" lyrics.
Russell was born in the Papine area of eastern Kingston in 1957, and he became interested in music at an early age, initially linking with U Roy's King Stur-Gav Hi-Fi sound system. Jerry's earliest stage appearances were as a young man performing stand-up comedy, but he soon switched to deejaying for local sound systems. He became a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel organization's Rastafarian branch by 1978 and spread their message on the Jah Love Muzik sound system. By 1980, Brigadier Jerry was one of Jamaica's most sought-after performers by sound systems across the island, and a well-respected deejay among his peers. He recorded for Studio One in the early 1980s before having his first hits with "Pain" (on the Answer/Never Let Go riddim) and "Gwan a School" for producer Delroy Stansbury on the Jwyanza label in 1982. His first album was the live recording Live at the Controls in 1983, and his debut studio album,Jamaica Jamaica, was released in 1985.
Ricardo Blijden (born 1981), better known by his stage name Ziggi Recado, is a Dutch reggae singer of Antillean descent.
With outstanding performances on major European festivals and venues like Roskilde (Denmark), Lowlands (Netherlands), Festineuch (Switzerland), Coleur Café (Belgium), Cabaret Sauvage (France) and Super Bock Fest (Portugal), Ziggi Recado proves once again that he is amongst the top reggae acts.
After 2 successful albums and an EP, his 3rd studio album "ZIGGI RECADO" is here. On this new self titl...ed album Ziggi Recado proves that he is not only an excellent writer and singer, but also an innovative producer with great musical feel.
Growing up on the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius the young Ricardo Blijden was given the nickname Ziggi by his grandparents who raised him. In 1999 Ziggi Recado moved to the Netherlands to study. Through the influence of friends who were aspiring artists, Ziggi began experimenting with music around 2001/2002. This gradually grew into a hobby that he had a natural talent for. In 2003 Ziggi was introduced to Berteaut "Mr Rude" Fleming who eventually started Rock(N)Vibes entertainment which became Ziggi's first Label/Management.