Respect | Treasure

Treasure

Treasure was born on June 10th in St. Andrew, Jamaica. His family moved around a little until they settled in the Whitehaven area of Kingston when he was ten. Reggae has been in his life for as long as he can remember. He has fond memories of his parents dancing to first wave Ska to the likes of Jimmy Cliff, Prince Buster, Alton Ellis, and John Holt.

His father had the most influence on shaping his love for Reggae. He would take young Treasure to concerts and introduce him to some of the artists that would become some of his biggest influences.

Third World and The Wailers are at the top of the list. Around the age of ten his father took him to his first Third World show at the Ranny Williams Center. He remembers the place going dark and then cursing coming over the sound system. He was frightened. Then the spot lights started to search the audience and then came to rest on the band members walking through the crowd cursing their way to the stage and played “Human Market Place.” The crowd erupted and young Treasure was hooked. He was fascinated by the sound, the music, and the stage production.

Treasure and his father attended a Bob Marley and the Wailers and Jackson Five concert at the National Stadium. He was so absorbed in the show, feeling the music he started dancing and soon the crowd was cheering him on. It was that show that Treasure was inspired by Michael Jackson.

Although Third World, The Wailers, and Michael Jackson have had the biggest influences he must also acknowledge the following artists who have shaped, inspired, and amazed him: Jacob Miller, Garnett Silk, Junior Tucker, Dennis Brown, Sugar Minott, Big Youth, Marcia Griffith, Judy Mowatt, Huge Mundell, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick, Luther Vandross, Neil Diamond, and, of course, Three the Hard Way; Brigadier Jerry, Josey Wales, Charlie Chaplin.

In his late twenties Treasure spent a lot of time at recording studios in New York. He started as an Apprentice under the tutelage of Randy Phipps at Coxsone Music City in early 1997. It was at Coxsone Music City that he was first voiced. In short time Sir Coxsone saw how livicated he was to this craft and encouraged him to go to the prestigious Institute of Audio and Research (IAR) in New York. It was there he learned the theory behind his natural talent. After completing his course at IAR he started his own record label, Chant Out Productions, in 1999. He voiced several artists on that label; Luciano, Yami Bolo, Natural Black, and Ambilique among them. He has been a Sound Engineer at Mixing Lab and Cave Man Studios.

Treasure’s time in New York was life changing. He was introduced to Nyabinghi Elders through his older brother. The Elders watched him closely and started telling him he was a Rasta youth. The Elders invited him and his brother to Nyabinghi gatherings. He felt pure love. There was a large backdrop at one of the gatherings of His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie I that he studied during the gathering. The Elders would counsel and give him life lessons in parables. He reflects on these teaching to this day.

Upon his return to Jamaica his Nyabinghi livity carried him to The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC). He started attending The EOTC in 2001. A year later he was sealed up in the church by Kez Gabre Igziabier (blessed be, he now walks with The Almighty) and given the name Haile Meskel, meaning Power of The Cross. This was a special occasion, as His Eminence, Abuna Yeshaq, the Archbishop of the EOTC Western Hemisphere and Zara Yacob, the Grandson of His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie I were in attendance.

In 2004 Treasure was in a life threatening motorcycle accident. Despite a separated pelvis, among many other severe injuries, a determined Treasure was walking, without assistance, within days of his accident. Within a week he was recovering at home. The doctors told his mother to take him to church because it was a miracle he was alive. A few weeks later he returned to the hospital for surgery to his left hand and as a natural addition to his standard physical therapy he tried to teach himself guitar.

While unconscious he had an out-of-body experience that caused him to search deep within himself during his recovery. He was compelled to start singing. This, he believes, was the reason for his second chance on earth. His first solo single “Love” released in 2009 was the first song sprouting from that reflection. He feels love is the solution to many of the troubles in the world.

During his performance at the Annual Bob Marley memorial show in Trench Town in 2010 the importance of visual performance he learned as a young child came back to him and enriched his solo performance. He shared the stage with Nesbeth, Natty King, Zebi Lion, Royal African Soldiers, Organs, and many more. He became one of two lead singers and percussionist for the band Rasta Bond in 2012. They did several stage shows, but two were most memorable for him. Rasta Bond rang in 2013 at the Twelve Tribes of Israel Headquarters. Sharing the stage with Marcia Griffiths, Richie Spice, Jah9, Kabaka Pyramid, Itilafeyah, Kyenie, and Zebi Lion.

Augustus Pablo Memorial show in 2013 at Wickie Wackie also a memorable show. The people that turned out to honor Augustus Pablo was touching. They shared the stage with quite a few artists; Addis Pablo (Augustus’ son), Jah9, Jesse Royal, Chronixx and Zinc Fence Redemption, Kelissa, The Uprising Roots band, and Inna Di Yard band with Earl ‘Chinna’ Smith among them. Among other shows he shared the stage with were Ras Michael and The Sons of Negus, Mark Wonder, King David, and Exile Di Brave. Natty Joe, a dub poet from Ghana, heard Treasure at a rehearsal session and asked him to do a combination, resulting in the song ‘Aluta Continues’.

At the end of 2014 he returned to being a soloist. Treasure stopped using the stage name Revelation and started using Treasure, his surname, in 2015 at the urging of acquaintances. He has reopened his project studio and is working on more singles. He said, “It’s a challenge but with Jah by my side I will overcome. It’s a struggle, but despite it all, I am confident in the victory of good over evil.”

Word!