ROCK | Shinehead

IRIE | Reggae Magazine | ROCK - Shinehead

Shinehead

Herb an’ Music

SHINEHEAD is a masterful artist. He is a songwriter and producer who sings, raps, deejays, singjay’s and plays bass guitar. And for the last few years, he’s been spinning vinyl and acetate records on turntables for his custom-built Soundsystem.

Born in England and raised in Jamaica and the Bronx, NY, SHINEHEAD developed has diversified lyrical style, releasing albums and singles that fuse Reggae Dancehall with Hip Hop, Soul, and RnB. SHINEHEAD’s creations inspire positivity, social consciousness, romantic sentiments, and humor.

SHINEHEAD performed for NY Reggae Dancehall sound systems in the 1980s, notably with Tony Screw of Downbeat The Ruler out of the Bronx. Surrounded by legends like Brigadier Jerry and Rankin Joe, SHINEHEAD flourished in Reggae Roots and Dancehall both lyrically and in his knowledge of a wide variety of music he collected from the likes of Tony Screw and Kiddy Rankz of Firgo Digital. SHINEHEAD started releasing singles in 1984, including a cover version of Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’, which brought him notoriety in and out of the dancehalls. His recording debut was in 1986 on the African Love Music label with ‘Who The Cap Fits (Let Them Wear It)’ from the Rough & Rugged album.

SHINEHEAD was signed to a recording contract by then A&R Raul Roach, son of the legendary jazz musician Max Roach, with Elektra Records from 1988 to 1995. SHINEHEAD is known globally for his rendition of Sting’s “Englishman in New York”, retitled as “Jamaican In New York” on the Sidewalk University album (1993). It reached #30 in the UK Singles Chart in April 1993. He is credited as one of the first Jamaican Reggae Dancehall artists to sign to a US music label and fuse Hip Hop with Reggae music.

IRIE™ | Shinehead - The Makings Of You

SHINEHEAD
The Makings of You

Release Date: February 14, 2021

RUN DMC’s JAM MASTER JAY produced him on his Unity album. His “Chain Gang” was the first video shown during a regular-season episode of YO MTV RAPS in 1988.

Since then, SHINEHEAD has recorded independently with producers from Japan, Europe, with artists like MAD LION, and on his own productions as well. In addition, SHINEHEAD has played a Stand Up Bass, an electric bass, and a keyboard bass in singles such as ‘Olivia’, ‘Diamonds In The Watch’, ‘Troddin’, ‘Praises’, ‘Watch Your Back’, ‘Raggamuffin’, and ‘Collie Weed’. Playing and producing music alongside musical greats like legendary Steelie & Cleevie has proved an equal influence in his production and arrangement abilities.

SHINEHEAD has performed internationally at Sunsplash, Garance Festival, Rebel Salute, Rototom, Reggae Geel, Reggae Sun Ska, Festipop, Outlook Festival, Irish and Chin’s Reeewind, and for Damian Marley’s Jamrock Cruise every year since its inception!

SHINEHEADS’ most recent release is the Lover’s Rock single, ‘The Makings Of You’, released on Valentine’s day (2021). This powerhouse release, which caused ramblings amongst Reggae music lovers far and wide when teased a few months ago by select DJs, is another fine musical union of SHINEHEAD and the legendary Peckings Records (UK).

“The Makings of You’ sees Shinehead’s vocals flawlessly peak in a falsetto that holds listeners captive from start to finish. Although ‘The Makings of You’ was released on February 14, the famed artist declares that he chose February for his release date as his musical homage to both Reggae Month and Black History Month.

IRIE invites you to visit Herb an’ Music for an exclusive interview with SHINEHEAD at the url below:

Herb an’ Music:

HerbanMusic.com


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SHINEHEAD on Spotify | SHINEHEAD on Spotify


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