RESPECT | Dr Sley – Light Up The Throne

IRIE TRAX of the Day - Dr Sley - Light Up The Throne

Dr. Sley

Light Up The Throne

Photography by: SUISEKA

Kingsley Tingwei Ngu, aka DR. SLEY, was born in Buea, a city located at the foot of Mount Cameroon. He was the fifth child in a Christian family of seven. More and more, he discovered music as a weapon and a tool to express his true feelings when he started writing his songs. The songs he wrote are soul-touching and revolutionary, so his friends and fans gave him the title Doctor, and so King Sley became DR. SLEY.

His music speaks for the oppressed, lifts and strengthens the mind of people, communities, and generations by the profound truth in his lyrics. This was the reason that made him become a professional artist. He started by covering songs from his idols BOB MARLEY and LUCKY DUBE, and since then, the hidden truth about life and Africa has been the drive behind his ambition to be the next Reggae Legend. After releasing a couple of singles, Dr.Sley released his first album, “Welcome To Hope,” in 2015, taking him to a Europe Tour. Unfortunately, his country broke into war, and he had to step in to sing for the oppressed. He released a couple of hit songs and then became a fugitive.

Buy/Stream

After spending three years as a fugitive and losing his fan base, he recorded an album in late 2021, “Light Up The Throne,” released on 3rd February 2022. He was selected for UNESCO Yaounde Cameroon’s Artist ResiliArt program 2021 and GERMAN SPARKASSENSTIFTUNG. Since then, his life as an artist has changed completely. His dreams and vision became even more evident to him.

Dr. Sley sings mainly in English, sometimes in Pidgin English. His lyrics convey strong Pan-African and political attitudes and a powerful love sensation.

Dr.Sley inspired many souls worldwide from songs like “Down By The River Side”. The video, “Down by the River Side”, was the beginning of his international popularity. It garnered him many awards home and abroad: Best Male Artist and Best Video at Cameroon Urban Music Award, Cameroon, 2011. Best Male and Best Reggae Artist Cameroon Entertainment Award USA, 2012, Highest Voted Video at FAIRPLAY 2012 Anti-Corruption Music Competition Organized by JMI and sponsored by World Bank. Best Activist Anthem at Honesty OSCAR Award 2014.


IRIE Playlist:

STREAM IRIE on Spotify

IRIE on Spotify

IN THIS ISSUE