I Grade Records

Last updated

I Grade Records is a premier conscious music label from the US Virgin Islands. The label's mission is to produce the highest quality roots reggae music emanating from St. Croix and the US Virgin Islands.

Contents

History

The label was founded in 2001 by Laurent "Tippy" Alfred. [1] Since 2001 the label has a rapidly expanding catalogue of nineteen releases. I Grade Records is an active part of the growing roots reggae movement in the Virgin Islands. Over the past years, the world has begun to take notice of the high quality reggae music emanating from the VI, notably St. Croix. The Virgin Islands has a large number of talented artists and producers who are upholding the tradition of conscious, hard-core, heavy-weight reggae that harkens back to 70¹s era Jamaican roots, but with a modern feel and appeal. Led by the legendary roots band, Midnite, the artists from the VI are setting a new standard for conscious reggae music. I Grade Records is perhaps best known for its seven powerful collaborative albums with the world-renowned roots band, Midnite.

In 2014, I Grade Records collaborated with St. Thomas artist, Pressure (Buss Pipe) aka Delyno Brown to release the hit album, "The Sound" and unofficial anthem of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), "Virgin Islands Nice", featured in the United States Territory's tourism marketing campaign across the globe filmed directed and edited by Digtak Films.

In addition to releasing seven crucial albums with Pressure, Midnite, I Grade has become known for its keen ear for new talent. I Grade Records was privileged to produce the debut album by Dezarie, the amazingly powerful female vocalist. The label has also produced and released the debut albums of Yahadani, Ancient King and Abja.

Releases

Related Research Articles

Burning Spear Jamaican roots reggae musician

Winston Rodney OD, better known by the stage name Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer-songwriter, vocalist and musician. Burning Spear is a Rastafarian and one of the most influential and long-standing roots artists to emerge from the 1970s.

Buju Banton Jamaican musician

Buju Banton is a Jamaican reggae dancehall recording artist. He is widely considered one of the most significant and well-regarded artists in Jamaican music. Banton has collaborated with many international artists, including those in the Hip Hop, Latin and punk rock genres, as well as the sons of Bob Marley.

Ewart Beckford, known by the stage name U-Roy, is a Jamaican vocalist and pioneer of toasting. U-Roy is noted for a melodic style of toasting applied with a highly developed sense of timing.


The music of the Virgin Islands reflects long-standing West Indian cultural ties to the island nations to the south, the islands' African heritage and European colonial history, as well as recent North American influences. Though the United States Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands are politically separate, they maintain close cultural ties. From its neighbors, the Virgin Islands has imported various pan-Caribbean genres of music, including calypso and soca from Trinidad and reggae from Jamaica.

Johnny Clarke is a Jamaican reggae musician, best known for his recordings with producer Bunny Lee in the 1970s.

Midnite (band) Roots reggae band.

Midnite is a roots reggae band from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, which started playing in 1989.

Big Youth Jamaican deejay

Manley Augustus Buchanan, better known as Big Youth, is a Jamaican deejay, mostly known for his work during the 1970s.

Count Ossie drummer

Count Ossie, born Oswald Williams, was a Jamaican Rastafari drummer and band leader.

Harry J Jamaican musician

Harry Zephaniah Johnson, known by the stage name Harry J, was a Jamaican reggae record producer.

Derrick Clifton Harriott is a Jamaican singer and record producer. He was a member of the Jiving Juniors with Herman Sang before embarking on a solo career. He has produced recordings by Big Youth, Chariot Riders, The Chosen Few, Dennis Brown, The Ethiopians, Keith & Tex, The Kingstonians, Rudy Mills, Scotty, Sly & Revolutionaries, and Winston McAnuff.

Keith Hudson aka the "Dark Prince of Reggae", was a Jamaican reggae artist and record producer.

Dezarie United States Virgin Islands musician

Dezarie is a female roots reggae singer born in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. She received Atlanta's "Best New Female Reggae Artist" award in 2001 before returning to St. Croix.

I-Roy musician

Roy Samuel Reid, better known as I-Roy, was a Jamaican DJ who had a very prolific career during the 1970s.

WSTX-FM Radio station in Christiansted, US Virgin Islands

WSTX-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands. The station is owned by Caledonia Communication Corporation, a corporation whose majority shareholder, Kevin A. Rames, is an attorney based on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Caledonia Communication Corporation purchased the radio station from Family Broadcasting, Inc. on November 19, 2010. The station owns and utilizes the tradename "The Soul of the Caribbean."

Larry Marshall, was a Jamaican reggae singer, who recorded both as a solo artist and as part of the duos Larry & Alvin and Larry & Enid.

Neville Beckford, better known as Jah Woosh, was a Jamaican reggae deejay and record producer, primarily known for his work in the 1970s.

The Maytones are a Jamaican reggae vocal duo who were active between the late 1960s and until 1980.

Daniel Clarke, better known as Danny Red, is a British Jamaican reggae musician.

<i>Midnight Raver</i> music website

Midnight Raver was a website dedicated solely to the promotion and preservation of roots reggae, culture, and dub. Contributors include authors and journalists, historians, record producers, broadcasters, lecturers, archivists, collectors and publishers.

Akae Beka Roots reggae band from Saint Croix

Akae Beka is a roots reggae band who come from Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, which was founded by members of the band Midnite following a change in their membership in 2015. In February of that year, the former band Midnite cancelled their 2015 tour and postponed dates "due to a life changing medical emergency, convictions, and revelations".

References

  1. ↑ "Laurent Alfred Olympic Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.

Sources

  1. Official Site
  2. MySpace
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.