Born in 1973 in Kingston, Jamiaca, Beenie Man (real name Anthony Moses Davis) has long been regarded as one of the island's premier DJs. He recorded his first single - Too Fancy - when he was just eight and by 1983 he was recording with stars such as Dillinger and Fathead, before releasing his debut album The Invincible Beenie Man: The Ten Year Old DJ Wonder.

He continued to hone his skills thereafter, but it was the 90s that really cemented his reputation as a force of Dancehall as he began one of the all-time DJ battles with his contemporary and rival Bounty Killer. By 1994 though, they were mates and released a joint album Guns Out.

Beenie converted to Rastafarianism soon after guided by Sly and Robbie who produced his Jamaican No. 1 hit No Mama No Cry, and was signed to Island Records resulting in the hit album Blessed which spawned the dancehall smash Slam. In 1995 he released a remix of Barrington Levy's Under Mi Sensi in the UK and collaborated with Dennis Brown and Triston Palmer to release Three Against War.

By the mid to late nineties, Beenie Man was dominating the Jamaican charts to such an extent that he could justifiably claim to be crowned the ‘Dancehall King'. In 1998 he signed with Virgin Records and from there on was able to release material across the pond. Since 2000 Beenie has teamed up with Wyclef Jean, Mya, Lil' Kim and Janet Jackson among others and continues to have hits including Feel It Boy and Street Life.

Andrew John


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