Darrin Kenneth O'Brien (born October 30, 1969), known by his stage name Snow, is a Canadian reggae musician, rapper, and singer. His 1992 single "Informer" spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[1]
Snow was born and raised in North York, Ontario (now part of Toronto), one of four children born to an Irish-Canadian cabdriver and a homemaker. Following his parents' divorce, he was raised by his mother in the Allenbury Gardens public housing project where, he says, he was fascinated with the gangster lifestyle, fell in with a tough Irish-Canadian group and became involved in a cycle of fighting, drinking and stealing.[2] He never learned to read properly and dropped out of school while in the 9th grade.[3] Growing up he had a strong interest in rock music, but after there was an influx of Jamaican immigrants to the neighborhood in 1983, his interest turned to reggae music, and he became adept at the use of the Jamaican dialect, or Jamaican Patois.[4][5] He developed his own style of music, by blending dancehall and reggae with rock and pop music.
In 1987, Snow served eight months of a one-year sentence after pleading guilty to beating a person with a crowbar during a bar brawl.[3] Upon Snow's release in January 1988, the Jamaican-born DJ Marvin Prince saw O'Brien deejaying at a party and the two became friends. For the next few years, they practiced in Prince's basement, and played parties, with Snow providing vocals and Prince playing records. Prince, who would claim that he helped Snow refine his reggae singing and use of the Jamaican dialect, and that he came up with the name 'Snow', told the Los Angeles Times that they passed around a lot of tapes but could not get Snow signed because he was white.[2][6]
In 1988, Snow was involved in an incident at a North York pub, in which two people were stabbed "in the lane"; he was accused, and was subsequently charged with two counts of attempted murder. Rather than tell authorities who the perpetrator was, Snow served eight months in jail before a jury acquitted him on both counts. While he was in jail, he went to school and wrote music, which he performed for fellow inmates. One song was called "Informer".[3]
Career
On a trip to New York, Prince was able to pitch Snow's music to rap star M.C. Shan. In 1991, Snow went to New York, where Shan introduced him to music producers David Eng and Steve Salem.[7] Snow signed a contract to record on their Motorjam/Elektra record label, then they recorded his debut album 12 Inches of Snow. The album had to be recorded quickly, because Snow had to return to Canada and report to prison.
12 Inches of Snow was released in 1992, while Snow was in prison. Shan, Eng, Salem, and Prince promoted it and, by the time Snow was released, the single "Informer" was a chart-topping hit. 12 Inches of Snow sold over 8 million copies worldwide, with the "Informer" single remaining number 1 on the American Billboard charts for seven consecutive weeks. "Informer" has been recorded twice in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling reggae single in US history, as well as the highest charting reggae single in history.[8] A second single, "Girl I've Been Hurt", reached Number 19 on the Hot 100.[9] In Japan, Snow received the Recording Industry Association of Japan's 1994 Japan Gold Disc Award for New Artist of the Year.[10]
Origin of stage name
After one of Snow's neighbouring Jamaican families first introduced him to reggae, Snow began borrowing and ordering reggae dub tapes to perform over. After he befriended Marvin Prince, the latter gave O'Brien the stage name "Snow"—a phrased backronym meaning "Super Notorious Outrageous Whiteboy". Snow never claimed the title himself, but did continue to perform with the stage name "Snow".[11] The origin of Snow's stage name would become a central issue in the legal battle between Prince and O'Brien.[6]
Legal disputes over production of 12 Inches of Snow
While touring as Snow's DJ in December 1994, Marvin Prince abruptly left the tour after discovering that Snow, according to court documents, "was receiving more money from management than he was." While listed as only the writer of the song "Runway" on the 12 Inches of Snow album,[12] Prince claimed to have co-written five songs and co-produced the album with Shan, Eng, and Salem. Prince alleged that Eng and Salem provided "a draft of a multi-album production and recording agreement" to both Snow and himself. Unable to understand the contract, Snow allegedly "sent a copy to his mother to get legal advice from her friend" and Prince "never saw the agreement again."[6] Moreover, Prince claimed to have entered an "oral agreement" with Snow implying that the two would share profits from the album "fifty-fifty". The first agreement, Prince alleged, occurred "in 1990, when the two men began working together on songs in Prince's basement and he "allegedly suggested to" Snow, "if something comes out of this, let's be partners." The second oral agreement, according to Prince, took place in August 1991 while Snow auditioned for Shan. Snow referred to Prince as his partner in a promotional video, but claimed to have used the term "only in the slang sense." Prince "admitted that these discussions were not concrete; the parties never organized a formal business plan, nor was plaintiff in New York to advance defendant's career."[13]
Shan, Eng, and Salem testified that they were unaware of a partnership between Snow and Prince, and Shan denied that Prince co-produced 12 Inches of Snow and co-wrote the five songs in question. "Informer", for example, was officially written by Snow, Shan, and composer Edmond Leary. Years later, after Snow and Prince had their falling out, Prince unsuccessfully sued Snow for compensation.[14] While Prince had initially been awarded a $1.5 million settlement by a jury, the court overturned the original ruling and dismissed Prince's suit on the grounds that he had "no viable claims" to a partnership with Snow.[6]
In a 2019 interview, Prince recounted his history with Snow and described how he mentored, recorded demos for, scheduled showcase performances for, and ultimately, arranged for Snow to audition for MC Shan. Prince recounted how he and Snow wrote "Informer" over the phone while Snow was serving his sentence at Maplehurst Correctional Complex. Prince recalled playing Junior Reid's "Foreign Mind" over the phone, and Snow used the track's flute melody as the basis for "Informer". Parts of the first verse and third verse of "Informer", according to Prince, were reworked from Eek-A-Mouse's performance of "Tell Them" at Sunsplash 1981. Originally, Prince alleges, the final verse of "Informer" was written and performed by a second vocalist named "Little Red". Prince maintains that the judge who overturned the original ruling did so illegally, and he believes race played a role in the judge's decision.[15]
Co-producer and co-writer Edmond Leary later claimed M.C. Shan unfairly received most of the production credits for 12 Inches of Snow. He told Vice, "So actually, if you want the truth of the matter, if we hadn't done it equally and had to split up the money I would have gotten 70% of writer's [royalties] off that album they probably would have split up 30, because I wrote most of that album. Most of the words were mine, and the ideas and structures and backgrounds in the vocal booth with me telling him what keys to sing the harmonies in and what have you. So I had a lot to do with that sound that became so popular and went Platinum." After struggling with a cocaine addiction and homelessness, in 2013 Leary was a street performer at Madison Square Park and Union Square.[16]
Eng had a studio in Jamaica and, in 1994, Snow recorded his second album Murder Love in Jamaica, Canada, and New York. While not a commercial success in North America, the album featured Snow performing with reggae and dancehall musicians Ninjaman, Junior Reid, Half Pint, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Dave Kelly, and Sly and Robbie.[18] The "Anything for You" remix became a club favorite and, according to Billboard's Elena Oumano, made Snow a figure of respect on the Jamaican music scene.[19][20] "Anything For You" became the top-selling single in Jamaica in 1995 and "Si Wi Dem Nuh Know We" also reached the number one slot in Jamaica.[21][22]Murder Love proved to be a popular album in Asia, with the single "Sexy Girl" remaining on Japan's Top Singles chart for 16 weeks, ultimately reaching number one.[23][24]
The success of Murder Love allowed Snow to tour Asia and collaborate with Thai rap artist Joey Boy. In 1996, Eng established an office in Bangkok, founded Dimsum Entertainment, and included Snow in this expansion.[25] In 1996, Eng produced Joey Boy's album Fun, Fun, Fun. Snow performed on the chart-topping Thai single "Fun, Fun, Fun" and appeared in the music video.[26] Joey Boy appeared on Snow's Thai single "Me and Joey".[27] In 2008, Snow also featured Joey Boy on the track "Catch a Kick".[28]
By the end of 1996, Murder Love's "Si We Dem Nuh Know We" received a Juno nomination for Best Reggae Recording. Overall, the album produced three music videos: "Anything For You", "Anything For You (All Star Cast Remix)", and "Sexy Girl". In the 1995 film Klash, Snow appears performing "Rivertown".[29]
Snow followed up Murder Love with an album named after his daughter, Justuss. The first single "Boom Boom Boogie" took Asia by storm, achieving gold status with the music video appearing on MTV Japan five to six times a day. Released in the United States and Canada in 1997, the single "If This World Were Mine" failed to chart but the video regularly appeared on The Box. The album reached number 12 on the U.S. reggae charts and in 1998 was nominated for Best Reggae album at the Juno Awards in Vancouver, British Columbia.[30] In late 1997, Snow released a "Greatest Hits" compilation, called The Greatest Hits of Snow.[31][32]
In 1999, Snow reunited with M.C. Shan, producing the album Cooler Conditions in Japan. The only single, "The Plumb Song", spent eight weeks on the Japan Singles chart, peaking at number 27.[33] It was recorded at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario.
In 2013, after Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer complained about the company's "hold" music during a fourth-quarter earnings call, Snow and the Jingle Punks recorded a much publicized jingle for Yahoo. The lyrics went, "You're on hold / Hold on at Yahoo / Gimme a second while I patch you through," goes the first verse. "The CEO didn't like the hold music / So Daddy Snow wrote this jam for you."[40]
In summer 2014 while in Miami, Florida, Snow signed with Bugatti Music Entertainment and teamed up with Grammy-winning producers Cool & Dre, Kent Jones and Scott Storch and began recording again.[41]
On October 2, 2014, Snow's new single "Shame" was released, featuring Mykal Rose (Black Uhuru).[42] On October 11, 2014, Snow announced that all proceeds from "Shame" will be donated to the fight against cancer.
On June 19, 2017, Snow was awarded the Socan Classics 100,000 Radio Performances in Canada for commemorating more than 100k times his music has played on radio.[43]
On January 23, 2019, Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee released the reggaeton and dancehall song "Con Calma" featuring Snow, which has been described as a remake or reimagination of "Informer".[44] The single peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Snow's first entry on the chart since 1993,[45] and reached number one on the US Hot Latin Songs list. Internationally, the track topped the charts of five Spanish-language countries and reached the top 10 in 10 others in Latin America. Across Europe, the song entered the charts of numerous countries, peaking at number 14 in Italy and number 23 in Switzerland. In the Netherlands, the song rose to number one in April 2019. "Con Calma" also became Snow's first entry on the Canadian Hot 100 chart after debuting at number 99 in February 2019. It eventually peaked at number 6.[46][47][48]
On October 17, 2019, Snow and his wife Tara O'Brien attended the 5th Annual Latin American Music Awards in Hollywood, California at the Dolby Theatre. Snow was nominated for three awards.[49]
Snow and his wife Tara O'Brien on the pink carpet at the Premio Lo Nuestro Awards
In February 2020, Snow won four awards Song of the Year with Daddy Yankee for "Con Calma" at Premio Lo Nuestro Awards.[citation needed]
In March 2020, Snow was given the Pop Music Award from SOCAN.[citation needed]
Snow and Daddy Yankee won the Top Latin Song of the Year at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, and "Con Calma" won big at the Latin Billboard Music Awards on October 21, 2020, with Snow taking home six awards. Snow attended the awards with Tara O'Brien in Florida.[citation needed]
Television and film appearances
Drew Carey, a long time Snow fan, had Snow record a reggae version of The Drew Carey Show theme song, "Moon Over Parma", for the series' eighth and ninth seasons.[50]
In 1995, Snow appears as himself in concert performance in the movie Kla$h,[51] Snow performs onstage and does a scene in which he is interviewed by Jamaican media in the film directed by Bill Parker and produced by Kingston Pictures.
In 2015, Snow and his then-fiancée, Tara Elizabeth, appeared on a CBC webseries called True Dating Stories[53] to tell the story of one of their first dates: a walk in a ravine turned police operation. Their episode was the most watched and the entire series won Best Web Series at the Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival.
Ethnicity and Canadian identity
In Ethnicity, Politics, and Public Policy: Case Studies in Canadian Diversity, Rebecca J. Haines examined Snow as a symbol of Canadian ethnic identity. Instead of hiding his "whiteness" and "Canadian-ness", Haines argues, Snow proudly boasts of his Irish heritage and pride in his family, the O'Briens, and traces his reggae roots to the diverse community of Allenbury. While other artists, such as Snoop Dogg, don a Toronto Maple Leafsjersey because of its resemblance to cannabis, "in the video for his single "Anything for You", shot on location in Jamaica, the white Canadian reggae artist Snow is seen wearing the same jersey, perhaps in an attempt to proclaim his Canadian roots among the all-black cast of this video."[54]
In 1996, WBLS New York disc jockey Pat McKay observed, "purists have a problem with a non-Jamaican doing reggae. But I choose to think of it as the greatest compliment to reggae culture, and Snow is a genuine, dedicated artist. He has a fine singing voice, he's a great writer, and he very generously includes other artists in all of his work. His authenticity amplifies the realities of his generation, and his sensitivity conjures up intimacy with all of his love songs."[57]
Personal life
In November 2009, Snow's then common-law wife and the subject of many of his songs, Tamei Edberg, was diagnosed with cancer; she died three weeks later on November 27, 2009, at age 41. With Tamei, Snow has a daughter born in 1996.
On June 24, 2010, Snow held a fundraiser called "ClosURE For Cancer" at Alley Catz Restaurant in Toronto during which they raised $15,000.[58] Snow founded his own nongovernmental organization called Pure Snow NGO, which assists "tenants living in non-profit housing".[59]
In May 2016, Snow married model and actress Tara Elizabeth Singh at St. Anselm Catholic Church in Toronto. CTV covered the ceremony, and local radio station KISS 92.5 interviewed the newlyweds on The Roz and Mocha Show on May 22, 2016.[60]
Cecil Bustamente Campbell, known professionally as Prince Buster, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and producer. The records he released in the 1960s influenced and shaped the course of Jamaican contemporary music and created a legacy of work that would be drawn upon later by reggae and ska artists.
Damian Robert Nesta Marley is a Jamaican reggae musician. The second youngest child of Bob Marley, he is the recipient of four Grammy Awards.
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Windel Beneto Edwards, better known by his stage name Gyptian, is a Jamaican reggae singer. He often appears with roots reggae songs within the reggae subgenre dancehall.
12 Inches of Snow is the debut album by Canadian reggae musician Snow, released in 1993. Edmond Leary and MC Shan produced the entire album, apart from one track which was produced by John Ficarrotta. The album was produced shortly before Snow was imprisoned for a year on an assault charge. Upon his release from prison, his first single "Informer" became a chart topping hit.
"Informer" is a song by Canadian reggae musician Snow, released in August 1992 by East West Records as the first single from his debut album, 12 Inches of Snow (1993). The song is well known for the line "a licky boom boom down" and for Snow's fast toasting and often unintelligible lyrics.
Apisit Opasaimlikit, known by his stage name Joey Boy, is a Thai hip hop singer and producer known as the Godfather of Thai Hip Hop.
Justuss is Canadian reggae musician Snow's third album. Like his second album Murder Love, Justuss is primarily a reggae album performed in Jamaican Patois and featured fellow reggae stars such as Yami Bolo, Nadine Sutherland, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, and Terror Fabulous. Because of his criminal record, Snow was unable to obtain a visa to promote Justuss in the United States and Japan.
Murder Love is Canadian reggae musician Snow’s second album. While his preceding album featured a wide array of musical genres fusing hip-hop, pop, and reggae, Murder Love was recorded in Jamaica and primarily featured dancehall tracks. A number of songs featured dancehall legends Ninjaman, Half Pint, White Mice, and Nadine Sutherland, and Junior Reid produced and appeared on the track "Si Wi Dem Nuh Know We". While not producing a hit in the United States, the track "Sexy Girl" reached number one in Japan and the "Anything for You" remix became the top-selling single of 1995 in Jamaica. Ultimately, Murder Love reached number one the U.S. Reggae charts and "Si We Dem Nuh Know We" was nominated for a Juno for best reggae recording. Due to his criminal record, Snow was unable to enter the United States and promote the album.
Reggae fusion is a fusion genre of reggae that mixes reggae and/or dancehall with other genres, such as pop, rock, hip-hop/rap, R&B, jazz, funk, soul, disco, electronic, and Latin music, amongst others.
Cooler Conditions is the fourth studio album by Canadian reggae musician Snow. Released only in Japan, many of the tracks later appeared on the more widely released Mind on the Moon album. The tracks Someday Somehow, "Everybody Wants to Be Like You", Jimmy Hat and The Plumb Song were remixed and recorded again for the Mind on the Moon release.
"Money Jane" is a song recorded by Canadian DJ group Baby Blue Soundcrew featuring Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall, Jamaican musician Sean Paul, and Canadian singer-songwriter Jully Black. It was released by Universal Music Canada in 2000, and was the first single from the group's debut studio compilation album Private Party Collectors Edition; a remix was included on Offishall's 2001 album Quest for Fire: Firestarter, Vol. 1. "Money Jane" is a Canadian hip hop and dancehall song with lyrics about a wealthy woman who provides financial and material support for her male companion. The song is noted for its influence on Toronto's hip hop music scene, and is credited with launching Paul's international music career.
"Girl I've Been Hurt" is a song by Canadian reggae musician Snow, released in April 1993 by EastWest America as the second single from his debut album, 12 Inches of Snow (1993). The song was written by Edmond Leary, Darrin O'Brien and Shawn Moltke, and produced by M.C. Shan. Following the wildly successful single "Informer," "Girl I've Been Hurt" peaked at number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and charted internationally as well. In both Finland and Portugal, it was a top-10 hit.
"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.
"Boom Boom Boogie" is a 1997 single from Canadian reggae recording artist Snow's third album, Justuss. The track proved to be Snow's most successful single from Justuss, reaching number 29 on Tokio Hot 100 and reaching gold certification in Japan. The music video appeared on MTV Japan "five to six spins a day."
Andrae Hugh Sutherland, known professionally as Popcaan, is a Jamaican deejay.
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Grace Latoya Hamilton, known professionally as Spice, is a Jamaican dancehall musician, singer, and songwriter. Known as the "Queen of Dancehall" and credited as one of the most influential female Jamaican artists of all time, she is recognised as one of the most prominent dancehall artists in the world. Known for her aggressive flow, musical versatility and outspoken lyrics, Spice first gained recognition after performing at the annual Sting festival in 2000. She released her first single "Complain" for record producer Dave Kelly's Madhouse Records in 2003. She continued to release singles through the 2000s and was even featured on songs with Jimmy Cliff and Beenie Man.
"Con Calma" (transl. "Calmly") is a song by Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee featuring Canadian rapper Snow. The song was released as a single on January 24, 2019, by El Cartel Records alongside a music video directed by Marlon Peña and filmed in Los Angeles and Toronto, which features a Memoji (Animoji) of Daddy Yankee dancing with a crew. The song is a reimagination of Snow's "Informer". The song was written by Daddy Yankee, Snow, Michael Grier, Edmond Leary, MC Shan, Terri Moltke, and Play-N-Skillz, and was produced by American production duo Play-N-Skillz and co-produced by David "Scott Summers" Macias. A remix version featuring American singer Katy Perry was released on April 19, 2019. The song is also used in the 2019 film Spies in Disguise.
Dancehall pop is a sub-genre of the Jamaican genre dancehall that originated in the early 2000s. Developing from the sounds of reggae, dancehall pop is characteristically different in its fusion with western pop music and digital music production. Dancehall pop is also different from dancehall in that most songs use lesser Jamaican Patois in lyrics––allowing it to be globally understood and consumed. It also incorporates the key pop music elements of having melodies, hooks, and the verse-chorus format. Additionally, the genre moves away from the reggae and roots reggae music origins in social and political protest, now lyrically centering on partying, dancing, and sexuality.
↑ For the Billboard article, see: Elena Omanu, "Snow Displays Versatility, Growth on Justuss", Billboard, December 14, 1996, 9.
↑ For an example of the continued popularity of "Anything For You," see Andre Jeb Binson, "Mellow Vibes, Music and Crowd," Kingston Gleaner News (The Gleaner), May 2, 2006.
↑ Jamaican sales and charting data for "Anything For You" can be found in Kevin O'Brien Chang and Wayne Chen, Reggae Routes: The Story of Jamaican music (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998), 211.
↑ Jamaican charting data for "Si Wi Dem Nuh Know We" can be found in Pace (Johannesburg: Pace-Maker, 1995), 41.
↑ See Japan charts for February 1995, with "Sexy Girl" reaching number one and remaining on the charts for 16 weeks.
↑ Rebecca J. Haines, "Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture in Canada," in Ethnicity, Politics, and Public Policy: case studies in Canadian diversity, Eds., Harold Martin Trooper and Morton Weinfield, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1999): 65–66 and 72.
↑ Kevin O'Brien Chang and Wayne Chen, Reggae Routes: The Story of Jamaican music (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998), 6–8.
↑ See "Pure Snow NGO." "Pure Snow NGO". Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved September 19, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Accessed September 14, 2010.
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