Madhouse Records (Jamaican record label)

Last updated
Madhouse Records
Founded1993
Founder Dave Kelly, Janet Davidsons
StatusActive
Genre Dancehall, ragga, reggae
Country of origin Jamaica
Official website http://www.madhouserecords.com

Madhouse Records is a record label founded by Dave Kelly and his business partner Janet Davidson. The label was named after its out-of-the-box approach to making music, which earned the label the name Madhouse. In 1987, Janet was living in London, running Germain Music along with producer Donovan Germain. She was also the manager of Maxi Priest. Dave's brother Anthony "Tony" Kelly was assistant engineer at Bob Marley's Tuff Gong label and Dave soon joined him there, learning the trade of engineering. Soon, the Kelly brothers joined Maxi Priest on the road as tour engineers. In 1988, Dave Kelly partnered with Germain to start Penthouse Productions, where he worked out of Penthouse studios as engineer, producer, writer, mixer, and beat maker for the label's records, playing a crucial role during Penthouse's glory days.

Contents

In 1993, Janet and Dave decided to leave Penthouse and start their own label, Madhouse Records. Janet ran the label and Dave made the records. They had success with Terror Fabulous, which inked them a record deal at major, East West America/Atlantic Records, which resulted in his album Yaga Yaga.

The label opened its own offices and the Boxx studio in 1996 in Kingston, Jamaica, which was the regular base for recording acts such as Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Baby Cham, Spragga Benz, Wayne Wonder, Lady Saw, Mr. Easy, Shaggy and Frisco Kid in the late 1990s.

Madhouse created the Bogle, Pepperseed, Joyride, Showtime, Fiesta, The Bug, Arab, Mi Nuh Know, Heartbeat, Medicine, Stink, Rae Rae, Haunted, and Eighty-Five riddims. Some of the biggest hits on the label were "Action" by Terror Fabulous & Nadine Sutherland, "Sycamore Tree" by Lady Saw, "Dude" by Beenie Man & Ms. Thing, "Slam" by Beenie Man, and "Ghetto Story" by Cham. In 2003, Madhouse inked a label deal with Atlantic Records, which released Baby Cham's Ghetto Story album.

Artists

Former artists

Producers and engineers

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buju Banton</span> Jamaican reggae dancehall musician (born 1973)

Mark Anthony Myrie, professionally known by his stage name Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall musician. He is 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.

Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of kizomba than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably, with digital dancehall becoming increasingly characterized by faster rhythms. Key elements of dancehall music include its extensive use of Jamaican Patois rather than Jamaican standard English and a focus on the track instrumentals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Cat</span> Jamaican deejay and rapper

William Anthony Maragh, also known as Super Cat, is a Jamaican deejay who achieved widespread popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s dancehall movement. His nickname, "Wild Apache", was given to him by his mentor Early B. Super Cat is considered one of the greatest deejays in the history of the Jamaican dancehall scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Wonder</span> Jamaican reggae fusion singer

Von Wayne Charles, better known by his stage name Wayne Wonder, is a Jamaican reggae artist. While his early recordings were dancehall and reggae, he later moved towards hip hop and rap. His most popular single is the 2003 hit "No Letting Go".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VP Records</span> US independent reggae record label

VP Records is an independent Caribbean-owned record label in Queens, New York. The label is known for releasing music by notable artists in reggae, dancehall and soca. VP Records has offices in New York City, Miami, London, Kingston, Tokyo, Johannesburg and Rio de Janeiro. Additionally, the label has established a presence in Toronto, Australia and New Zealand.

Carlton Errington Grant, better known as Spragga Benz, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay.

David Kelly is a Jamaican record producer and the brother of record producer Tony "CD" Kelly. He began his career as an engineer in the late 1980s. After getting into producing at the Penthouse label of Donovan Germain, he started his own label, Madhouse, together with business partner Janet Davidson in 1991. He went on to become one of the most successful dancehall reggae producers in Jamaica, recording numerous songs that topped the local and international reggae charts, such as "Action" by Nadine Sutherland & Terror Fabulous in 1994 and "Look" by Bounty Killer in 1999.

<i>Reggae Gold 1998</i> 1998 compilation album by Various artists

Reggae Gold 1998 is a compilation album of reggae artists released in 1998. The album spent 82 weeks on Billboard's Reggae Album chart after debuting at #1. Reggae Gold also spent 8 weeks on the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mad Cobra</span> Jamaican dancehall musician

Ewart Everton Brown, better known by his stage name Mad Cobra or simply Cobra, is a Jamaican dancehall musician.

<i>Voice of Jamaica</i> 1993 studio album by Buju Banton

Voice of Jamaica is the third studio album by Jamaican dancehall reggae artist Buju Banton. It was released on August 3, 1993 via Mercury Records/PolyGram and was his international debut. Its remastered and expanded edition was released in 2002 with additional tracks. Recorded in Kingston and New York City, the album is considered to be the one that introduced Banton to the world outside Jamaica, also bringing dancehall to the wider world.

<i>Inna Heights</i> 1997 studio album by Buju Banton

Inna Heights is the fifth studio album by Jamaican dancehall reggae artist Buju Banton. It was released on November 18, 1997 through Penthouse Records. Production was handled by Donovan Germain. It features guest appearances from Beres Hammond, Jahmali, King Stitt, Ras Shiloh, Red Rat and Toots Hibbert. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Sly and Robbie's Friends.

<i>Friends for Life</i> (Buju Banton album) 2003 studio album by Buju Banton

Friends for Life is the seventh studio album by Jamaican recording artist Buju Banton. It was released on March 11, 2003 through VP Music Group with exclusive distribution via Atlantic Records. Production was primarily handled by Donovan Germain and Buju Banton, along with Cool & Dre, Jammy "Jamz" James, Sheldon Stewart, Sly Dunbar, Steely & Clevie, Steven "Lenky" Marsden. It features guest appearances from Beres Hammond, Bounty Killer, Fat Joe, Nadine Sutherland, Sons & Daughters Choir and Wayne Wonder. The album peaked at number 198 on the US Billboard 200 album chart, and was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Sean Paul's Dutty Rock. The album was supported with charted single "Paid Not Played", which peaked at number 84 on the Official Singles Chart Top 100 in the UK.

Pan Head was a ragga/dancehall deejay.

Donovan Germain is a reggae producer, one of the most successful of the digital era.

Andrew Bradford, known by the stage name Buccaneer is a Jamaican dancehall artist He first emerged in 1994 and has released three albums. He later went into production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anything for You (Snow song)</span> 1995 single by Snow

"Anything for You" is a song by Canadian reggae recording artist Snow, released as the first single from his second album, Murder Love (1995). While becoming a club favorite and a grassroots hit on The Box in the United States and Canada, the single only peaked at number 74 on the Canadian Singles Chart. The All-Star Remix, however, reached number one in Jamaica and became the country's top-selling single of 1995.

Robert Ffrench is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer.

Delroy Isaac Foster, better known as Delly Ranx, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay and record producer.

<i>Reggae Gold 2012</i> 2012 compilation album by Various artists

Reggae Gold 2012 is a compilation reggae album from VP Records. It was released on June 26, 2012 and Reggae Gold is an annual series from VP Records. It was launched in 1992. This Reggae Gold 2012 is the 20th edition of the series and it is a double disc CD which commemorates the series’ 20th anniversary. Since 1992, Reggae Gold has been a popular series and a big seller for VP Records. A series select each year’s most popular tunes of dancehall, roots, reggae, lovers rock.

Nateshia Lindsay, better known by her stage name Ms. Thing, is a Jamaican dancehall vocalist and deejay. She is best known for providing vocals on the international hit song "Dude" by Beenie Man, which charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart.

References