Where Are They Now? Checking In On Dancehall’s Favorite Artistes From Back In The Day
There are a couple of legendary dancehall artistes that continue to pop up in the media from time to time, namely Shabba Ranks, Super Cat, Lady Saw and Lexus just for example. However there is a vast majority that has vanished from our minds, simply from not being in the spotlight any more. Well this is what this round up is aimed at uncovering Dancehall’s most favorite deejays from back in the day that seem to have somewhat vanished from the scene.
Red Rat
Red Rat (@redratmusic) Wallace Wilson – The unforgettable dancehall legend now resides in Florida still doing music but of a different flare. He is a Latin – Spanish recording artiste, as well as a producer and a writer. Rat together with his business partner Pascalle, co-owns the record label Infinity Moguls Inc, an independent production company based in South Florida. He jumped on the Thirsty Riddim in 2019 with some other dancehall veterans and voiced his single entitled No Normal Lover w/Spragga Benz, Frisco Kid, Buccaneer, Ghost, Nyanda from Brick N’ Lace.
Frisco Kid
Frisco Kid (@friscokidmusic) Steve Wray – After taking a long hiatus from music, the 41 year old father of 3 very grown children is back making the rounds doing small shows around his locale. Frisco Kids says he’s determined to make a difference in the dancehall scene right now to revive what he believes is a dying genre. His son Steve Wray Jr. is also a recording artiste, following in his footsteps.
General Degree
General Degree (@generaldegree1) Cardiff Butt – Other than being a recording artiste, he is the promoter of the annual Manchester Fiesta All Food Festival. His latest musical endeavor was an album Bambalam consisting of 14 tracks in August 2014 then in January 2015 he released the one-drop reggae EP Feeling Irie.
Buccaneer
Buccaneer (@buccaneerfleet) Andrew Bradford – Looking a little more sophisticated these days has lost his signature eye-patch guise. Buccaneer can still be seen ripping up the stage with his oldie but goodie singles like Soco Nomo, Bruk Out and Tek it Easy in Jamaica and other locales around the globe. He released a 2019 single No Normal Lover w/Red Rat, Spragga Benz, Frisco Kid and other dancehall greats. Another track titled Whoee was released in 2015 on the Bullet Riddim.
Bling Dawg
Bling Dawg aka Ricky Rudie (@ricky_rudie_aka_doublerr) Marlon Ricardo Williams – Says his new album is coming soon. Taking up fitness as a strict past time, is looking pretty ripped these days. You can find him spitting new and modified lyrics on his Instagram page, one he captioned I don’t know how to fix a car. I don’t know how to build house. THIS IS WHAT I DO..🎶🎶🎶🧠. All I want to do is grow in music dancehall and reggae. Time is everything! Smarter than before…” His recent singles are My Struggles released this year, also Pree Now in 2020, both should be featured on the new album.
Terro Fabulous
Terro Fabulous, Cecil Campbell – The father of two grown up daughters is now a grandfather. While battling with an unknown illness, has still been active in music and performing, but at a significantly slower pace. He has also dropped the slackness and derogatory terming in his songs. A regular at the RC-One Studios in Portmore these days, his dub plates are still highly requested by Japanese sound system selectors and he continues to earn royalties from his mega hits like Action featuring Nadine Sutherland along with Position, Heng On Pon Yuh Man, Bruk Wine & Butterfly.
Little Lenny
Little Lenny @nigelgrandison (Nigel Grandison) – The Jamaican dancehall DJ, found fame as a teenager for his 1989 hit Gun In A Baggy and the others that followed Bum Flick, Punnaney Tegereg and All Fruits Ripe. Now 47, the father of seven children operates a successful publishing business in Kingston, among other business ventures. In an interview with Loop Jamaica two years ago, Lenny said he doesn’t want to be associated with dancehall music anymore. “In the music industry today, too many artistes ah bad man, if a policeman stop yu now, you don’t even want them to know say you’re an artiste, every artiste a criminal or bad man, that is now the stigma,” he said. In 2013, he released a four-track EP titled Little Lenny Reminiscing. These days he sees music more as a hobby than anything else.
Alozade
Alozade (@djalozade) Michael Sterling – A father of 2, the now 44 years old still dabbles in music, works as a producer and slowly but steadily releasing tracks over the last few years. In September 2019 he released a single titled Gal Bounce and prior in 2018, two others: Weh Dat A Go w/ Sky Top and Gyal Fi Arch. There was also Badman in 2017 and a collaboration with Buccaneer and Munga Honorable in 2015 on the Bullet Riddim with his single Dads Dem Of All Time.
Merciless
Merciless (@warhead_merciless) Leonard Bartley – Is actually still doing his thing, while far and apart, performs at various stage shows around the island. In January 2020, he was one of the headliners at his one-time rival Ninja Man’s Birthday bash in Ocho Rios. He says he cant walk away from music, its his life and soul and made him who is today. Still wanting to continue full speed ahead in his career, the now 50 year old disclosed in a 2020 interview with Teach Dem YouTube blog, that he aspires to do collaboration with Shabba Ranks in the future. His most recent single is titled Gun Is All I Bring, which released in 2019.
Lady G
Lady G (@original_ladyg) Janie Fyffe – The now 52 year old has a son and two daughters in college. She lives in New Jersey and still gets calls for shows she says, which still puts food on the table. She did her ‘Nuff Respect’ tour in the summer of 2019 and in July last year released a single entitled No Problem, which is available on iTunes and all digital outlets. Lady G was awarded the Iconic Artiste in the Music Industry Female, courtesy of the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) just 2 months ago in February 2020.
Mad Cobra
Mad Cobra (@theofficialmadcobra) Ewart Everton Brown – The now 52 year old is still singing and doing shows locally and abroad. Just recently he was promoting a show in Lagos Nigeria over a month ago. Local fans got the opportunity to see the artiste in top form at the 25th staging of Reggae Sumfest in 2017. Back in May 2010, Cobra was shot three times in his upper body, but that hasn’t slowed down the deejay artiste, he is still recording and producing music.
Cutty Ranks
Cutty Ranks (@realcuttyranks) Philip Thomas – The now 55 years old just dropped a new song last month March 26th titled Natural Beauty featuring Akeem and just 3 weeks on April 10th released another titled Cut Them Down featuring Ch4se. While riding new and fresh beats, he sounds his nostalgic and signature vocals taking us back in time.
Monster Shack Crew:
Ghost (@ghosthyltonrider) Carlton Hylton – Is back on high of late doing various shows around the island and performing at Buju Banton’s Long Walk to Freedom concert in March 2020. He released a single in 2017 called No Feelings and has an upcoming one entitled 876 that will be available on all digital platforms very soon according to the deejay.
Round Head (@roundhead_bigroundz) Ottis Morrison – Lives in New Jersey nowadays still doing a few shows here and there and has become somwhat of a health freak. Looking slim and trim, he has lost over 100 lbs, a vast difference from his 300lb hefty built we all knew him to have back in the day.
General B (@generalb_) David Parkes – Like his old crewmembers, says that he has been doing regular shows abroad. Just a little over 2 months ago he performed some of his iconic hits Bad Inna New Clothes, Patricia and Nicki at a concert he disclosed on Instagram was at Winter Wonder Land in Canada.
Honorable Mentions
Other great dancehall acts that were huge icons back in the day and that made a phenomenal impact on dancehall, while didn’t make the list are still deserving of being mentioned: Lovindeer, Ini Kamoze, Yellow Man, Sister Nancy, Zebra, Pinchers, Shelly Thunder, Papa San, Patra, Leroy Smart, Sanchez, Barrington Levi, Maxi Priest, Admiral Bailey, Cocoa Tea, General Trees, Lieutenant Stichie, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Tony Curtis, Diana King, Done Yute, Gyptian, Kid Kurrupt, Chino, Left Side More Esco, T.O.K, WARD 21. Scare Dem Crew, Turbelance, Jovi Rockwell, Tami Chin, Brick & Lace, Samantha J.