Rayvon, born Bruce Brewster, moved from the island of Barbados to Brooklyn at the age of 12.  At that time he began playing bass guitar and continued to grow musically as a singer, songwriter, MC and DJ.  Determined to succeed, he set himself on a rigorous rehearsal schedule practicing for two hours every morning. His music career took an eventful turn when he met fellow aspiring artist Shaggy in a New York recording studio in 1988. Eventually the two recorded the dancehall hit “Big Up” which garnered serious industry and popular interest in the duo.  Rayvon’s silky smooth vocals added...

Since 1979, Mad Professor has overseen groundbreaking recordings in dub, roots and lovers rock, both as a dub musician and as the proprietor of the Ariwa Sounds label and studio. Ariwa and Mad Professor have released over 300 records with his characteristic blend of digital and retro sounds which have won worldwide acclaim. Dub music evolved from reggae in the 1960s as a re-imagined version of a popular track. Typically, the vocals were removed and sound effects added, including echo, reverberation, amplified percussion and extra bass.  Dub tracks were initially released as b-sides to popular hits,...

Named for Kenya’s first Prime Minister, Jomo Kenyatta, and the son of late reggae icon Joseph “Culture” Hill, Kenyatta “Culture” Hill has always been destined for big things. Under his father’s guidance, Kenyatta gained early exposure to the music business, often going out on tour and developing an interest in technical and sound equipment. His father was the front man of Culture, the legendary vocal trio whose 1997 record “Two Sevens Clash” helped define the roots reggae genre. Over the course of a prolific career spanning more than three decades, Joseph...

From Chyna’s Jamaican and South London roots and church-singing childhood emerged a one-woman sensation: Chyna Whyne. Celebrated singer-songwriter, striking model and inspirational high-heel guru she is the epitome of powerful, modern femininity. Peter Gabriel quickly recognized Chyna’s vocal talents and selected her to accompany his tour.  She has also been handpicked to tour and record with musical greats Pete Townsend, Seal, Eric Clapton and others. Chyna’s own album “Sexy Baal-ed” (Jamaican patois for “Sexy Baldhead”), a fusion of Reggae, R&B and Hip-Hop featuring Elephant Man,...

The three original members of Israel Vibration – Lacelle “Wiss” Bulgin, Cecil “Skelly” Spence and Albert “Apple Gabriel” Craig – first met as children at Kingston’s Mona Rehabilitation Center, where all three were receiving treatment for polio. A shared spirituality and faith in Rastafari forged a friendship between them, helping to overcome the adversities of illness and poverty. Later expelled from the treatment center for their spiritual beliefs, the trio took to the streets of Kingston, where they harmonized for their suppers. By 1976, Wiss,...