One of Jamaica's most crucial DJs, Beenie Man's recording
career stretches back to 1981, although it was in
the sound systems where he later made his mark.
The witty toaster began his true ascent to stardom
in the early '90s and by 1994, his reputation couldn't
be beat. Then again, when you're a recording veteran
at age ten, one wonders just what took him so long.
Every country has its child stars, just look at Shirley
Temple, but few treat their prodigies with the respect
of Jamaica. Talent competitions lead to radio and
TV appearances, and even record contracts, but what's
truly amazing is how many of these charming tots continue
their career into adulthood.
Elsewhere, early stardom inevitably leads to adolescent
failure as they're a lot less cute at 18 than they
were at eight. But not Jamaica, where they love them
as toddlers, adore them as teens, and worship them
as adults. Beenie Man is just one stellar example.
Beenie Man (aka Moses Davis) was born in the tough
Waterhouse district of Kingston, Jamaica, on August
22, 1973. By the time he was ready for school, the
toddler had already decided on a career as a DJ. He
wasn't the first tot with dreams of the limelight,
but Beenie actually had a true gift for gab.
His shot at stardom came when he was only eight,
when he took first prize at the national Teeny Talent
contest. This led to a meeting with producer Junjo
Lawes, who recorded the diminutive DJ's debut single,
"Too Fancy." Bunny Lee then took the boy
under his wing and put him to work at his Unlimited
sound system. By 1983, the youngster found himself
appearing on Lawes' Junjo Presents Two Big Sounds,
which was recorded live and featured such DJ heavyweights
as Dillinger and Fathead.
Along with Unlimited, Beenie was also DJing at Prince
Jammy's and Volcano sound systems, had a hit single
to his credit, "Over the Sea," produced
by Niney Holness, and even had a debut album out.
Produced by Lee, The Invincible Beenie Man, the 10
Year Old DJ Wonder's title pretty much sums it all
up. He recorded some material with Barrington Levy
in 1984, two of which, "Under Mi Sensi"
and "Two Sounds," would resurface in remixed
form later in the '90s. But for the moment, his recording
career came virtually to a close, bar the occasional
single.
But the young DJ remained a sound system favorite,
even as he now turned his attention to his schoolwork.
Not surprisingly, Beenie's younger brother, Little
Kirk, was keen to follow in his footsteps and five
years later, the siblings hooked up with producer
Patrick Roberts and began recording a series of singles
that quickly brought them into the national spotlight.
In 1992, Beenie appeared at Reggae Sunsplash and
such was the response that the DJ now felt ready to
take on the big guns. Beenie's first target was the
acclaimed Bounty Killer, although the young DJ had
cause for his attack as the veteran had stolen his
catch phrase, "people dead," and the war
was on.
There was a lull in the very public battle in 1993
when Beenie left Kingston for almost a year after
being booed off the stage at a national show celebrating
the visit of Nelson Mandela. Upon his return the next
year, there was a public reconciliation with Bounty
Killer, which resulted in the split album Guns Out.
Beenie had obviously had a major change of heart,
further evidenced by his single "No Mama No Cry,"
a version of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry,"
a scathing indictment of violence, inspired by the
murder of fellow DJ Pan Head. The song topped the
Jamaican chart and brought the DJ instant acclaim.
Jamaica's violent crime rate remains shockingly high,
and affects people at all levels of society. While
drug overdoses and suicide are a proportionately high
cause of death for American artists, in Jamaica, murder
is often the tragic cause.
That many of these crimes go unsolved, Pan Head's
included, add to the emotional devastation and so
does the fact that the violence seemingly comes in
waves, carrying off a number of noted figures in the
course of a year. Beenie, too, was affected by these
events and Sly & Robbie, the producers of his
"No Mama No Cry" single, were instrumental
in guiding the young DJ toward his conversion to Rastafarianism.
A new attitude and a new hit single instantly turned
Beenie's career around.
Now working with all the island's top producers,
the DJ recorded a slew of singles, many of them religiously
themed, "Praise Him" and "World Dance"
(which took the Best Single Award at the Jamaican
Music Awards) included. The hits-heavy Defend It and
Dis Unu Fi Hear were both released in 1994 and combined
more culturally themed raps with a hardcore dancehall
sound.
Many of these singles, bar the Taxi releases, were
rounded up on Gold by the British Charm label. Beenie's
stardom was confirmed by his taking the DJ of the
Year Award that same year. Signing to Island Records,
Beenie released the seminal Blessed album, which featured
another clutch of hits, including the dancehall smash
"Slam." While in the U.K., the DJ fired
the British dancefloors with a jungle remix of "Under
Mi Sensi." 1995 also brought a pair of collaborative
albums, including Three Against War, which united
the DJ with Dennis Brown and Triston Palma, and Mad
Cobra Meets Lt. Stitchie & Beenie Man, a tag-team
dancehall affair.
Joined by Lady Saw, Beenie also scored a major hit
with "Healer" that year, just one of many
successful collaborative singles that included "Papa
Was a Rolling Stone," which paired him with Third
World. By the end of the year, Beenie was a shoo-in
for the DJ of the Year Award. 1996 brought Maestro,
Beenie's first "real" album, as compared
to his previous hits collections. Produced by Patrick
Roberts, it was a stunning effort featuring a kaleidoscope
of moods. The following year proved to be his break
out in Britain, when his and Chevelle Franklin's "Dance
Hall Queen" bounced up the national chart. Both
that single and its follow-up, "Who Am I,"
were number ones back at home, while the latter rocketed
its way into the U.K. Top Ten.
In fact, Beenie Man could now do no wrong, and a
sound system's worth of his singles flew their way
up the Jamaican chart that year and the next. The
autobiographical Many Moods of Moses features a number
of these smashes, including "Oysters & Conch"
and "Foundation." After headlining Reggae
Sunsplash in 1998, Beenie signed to Virgin Records
in the U.S.; The Doctor was the first fruit of this
new union, and was an instant dancehall classic. 1999
brought the King Jammy-produced album Y2K, which never
actually mentions everyone's greatest fear that year
-- the millennium bug, but does take on a host of
other issues from AIDS to illiteracy. And the hit
singles just kept on coming, and coming, and coming.
Beenie was unstoppable, whether on his own or with
other artists, and at times the Jamaican chart seemed
to be the DJ's private preserve. "Hot Bwoy"
with Buccaneer, "Mi Nu Walla," "Forget
You," "Ruff Like We" with Redrose,
"100 Dollar Bag," "So Nice" with
Silvercat, "In This Together," "Skettel
Tune" with Angel Doolas, and "L.O.Y."
are just a sampling of the singles the DJ released
between 1999 and 2000. The Art & Life album, released
in the new century, showcased the DJ at his most eclectic
and included guests Arturo Sandoval and Wyclef Jean
of the Fugees fame.
The following year, Beenie reunited with Jean behind
the mixing board to produce the debut album by actor
Steven Seagal. Janet Jackson, the Neptunes, Lady Saw,
and Lil' Kim all turned up as guests on 2002's Tropical
Storm, the Beenie Man album with the most crossover
appeal. 2004's Back to Basics was just that, a straight-up
return to dancehall. The hit collecting compilation
From Kingston To King Of The Dancehall appeared in
early 2005. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
Written by Jo-Ann Greene
http://music.yahoo.com/ar-262730-bio--Beenie-Man
