- Junior Reid
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Junior Reid Birth name Delroy Reid Born 3 June 1965 Origin Kingston, Jamaica Genres Reggae, dancehall, reggae fusion Occupations Singer, producer Years active 1978–present Labels JR, Big Life, Mercury, PolyGram, Greensleeves Associated acts Black Uhuru, Voice of Progress, Game, Mims Website Official MySpace Page Delroy "Junior" Reid (born 3 June 1965, Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician, best known for the songs "One Blood" and "Funny Man", as well as being the man that replaced Michael Rose as lead vocalist for Black Uhuru.
Contents
Biography
Reid was born in the Tower Hill area of Kingston, and had a tough upbringing in the city's Waterhouse district, notorious for being one of the most dangerous places in Jamaica.[1] It was there in the politically turbulent late '70s that he recorded his first-ever single "Speak the Truth" at the age of 13 for the late Hugh Mundell, released in Jamaica on Augustus Pablo's Rockers International label, and popular as an import single in the United Kingdom.[2] UK label Greensleeves Records followed this with "Know Myself" in 1981.[1] He then went on to form his own band, the Voice of Progress, and after a local hit with "Mini-Bus Driver" the group scored local success with an album of the same name.
By the early 80's, commissioned by the great Sugar Minott to record a number of tunes on Minott's Youth Promotion label, enjoying considerable popularity with tracks such as "Human Nature", "A1 Lover", and the evergreen "See How Me Black See How Me Shine", an uplifting and proud statement which became an anthem to the ghetto youth whom Reid increasingly championed. Reid was present at the 1983 shooting death of reggae singer Hugh Mundell; he was travelling in the same car as Mundell in Kingston. After the death of Mundell, Reid transferred his talents to King Jammy's studio on St. Lucia Road where his fast-growing success rose yet another notch. "Boom Shacka Lacka" was his first UK hit and led to another exceptional album. After a number of fine singles - which included "Youthman", "Bank Clerk", "Sufferation", "Give Thanks and Praises" and "Higgler Move" - his chance of a wider international audience came with the offer of replacing Michael Rose in Black Uhuru. Always a strong follower of Black Uhuru, and with a similar vocal style, Reid slipped into Rose's shoes with ease. The collaboration on his first Black Uhuru album, the Grammy-nominated Brutal, in 1986, was well received by all. Two years and two albums later, Junior's interest to produce material for himself, and desire to regain his domestic popularity, drove him back into the solo arena and back to King Jammy's studio, as well as setting up his own JR label.[1] Reid had a number 21 hit in the UK in 1988 with the collaboration with Coldcut, "Stop This Crazy Thing".[1] He had an even bigger hit in 1990, with "I'm Free", recorded with The Soup Dragons, reaching number 5.[1] Meanwhile, 1989's "One Blood" saw him re-established at the forefront of the reggae scene.[1]
Production work
As a producer, Reid has his own production company; JR Productions. He produced much of Snow's second album, Murder Love, released in 1995. Reid has collaborated and produced for Dancehall artist Ninjaman, on many occasions since the early 1990s. He has also produced for Junior Demus, Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs.[1] He also opened his own recording studio.[1]
Recent work
His vocals have been used in the hip hop scene, which first debuted as a sample on the song "One Blood Under W" from The W album by the Wu-Tang Clan, which was released on November 21, 2000. In 2006, he collaborated with West Coast hip hop artist Game on the song "It's Okay (One Blood)"; The song also samples Reid's 1990 single "One Blood".
Reid appeared on the Blackout remix of Mims' "This Is Why I'm Hot" from his debut album M.I.M.S. (Music Is My Savior). This was one of the more popular remixes made in 2007. He recently did a song with Jim Jones, Max B and Mel Matrix called "What A Gwan", which features a sample from Barrington Levy's "Black Roses". Reid is on Fabolous's album From Nothin' to Somethin' on the track "Gangsta Don't Play" and he has collaborated with Fat Joe on the track "More Money". He recently appeared on the remix of Smitty's song "Died In Your Arms" also featuring Rick Ross and T-Pain. In late 2007 he performed in the "Freedom Concert" in Port Harcourt, Nigeria and also went on to record the remix version of "Free" with The Indispensibles, a Nigerian hip hop duo. Reid was also proudly featured on the track "Fire" from San Francisco-based DJ and deep house producer Miguel Migs' 2007 album "Those Things."
On 18 November 2007, Reid performed alongside Alicia Keys at the 2007 American Music Awards. Reid is also featured on a remix version of Alicia Keys' single "No One". He also did a song with Lil Wayne called "Ghetto Youths Rock". In 2008, Reid was featured on Bun B's song "If It Was Up II Me" off his album II Trill.
Junior Reid has been working on his New album which will be releases in 2009 titled The Living Legend with artist featured such as Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Cool and Dre, Snoop Dogg and more.
In 2009, Junior Reid teamed up with Mahad Dar of Symboliq Sounds. Since working together, Dar began and is currently managing Reid.
In 2011, Junior Reid teamed up with Ludacris, T-Pain, Busta Rhymes, Mavado, Bun B, Game, Twista, Jadakiss, Waka Flocka Flame, Fat Joe, Ace Hood & Birdman in the remix of Dj Khaled's Welcome To My Hood. Welcome To My Hood (Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne & Plies) is the lead single of Dj Khaled's 5th studio album We The Best Forever.
Discography
Albums
- One Sufferation (10" vinyl) (1980)
- Boom-Shack-A-Lack (1985) Greensleeves
- Original Foreign Mind (1985)
- One Blood (1990, re-released in 1992) Big Life/Mercury
- Progress (1990)
- Long Road (1991) Cohiba
- Big Timer (1993) VP
- Visa (1994) Greensleeves
- Junior Reid & The Bloods (1995) RAS
- Showers Of Blessings (1995)
- Listen To The Voices (1996) RAS
- RAS Portraits (1997) RAS
- Big Timer (2000)
- Emmanuel Calling (2000) JR Productions and One Blood Music, Jamaica.
- Rasta Government (2003) Penitentiary
- Double Top (2005) Tamoki Wambesi (with Cornell Campbell)
- Firehouse Clash (with Don Carlos)
- Live in Berkeley (2007) 2B1
With Voice of Progress
- Mini Bus Driver (1982)
With Black Uhuru
- Brutal (1986)
- Positive (1987)
DVD
- Live In Berkeley (2007) Proper Music Distribution
- also appears in
- Reggae Heroes (2006) Keeling
References
External links
Categories:- Living people
- Jamaican reggae singers
- 1965 births
- Dancehall musicians
- Jamaican Rastafarians
- Jamaican male singers
- Reggae fusion artists
- People from Kingston, Jamaica
- Black Uhuru members
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