Steven "Lenky" Marsden | |
---|---|
Birth name | Steven Michael Marsden |
Also known as | Lenky |
Origin | Jamaica |
Genres | Dancehall reggae |
Occupation(s) | Record producer, songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Percussion, synthesizer, keyboards, sampler |
Years active | 1998–present |
Children | Q Marsden [1] |
Steven "Lenky" Marsden is a Jamaican-born music producer and musician who specializes primarily in dancehall reggae music. He also arranges and remixes pop and hip hop songs. Marsden is the founder of the Jamaica-based label, 40/40 Records and was a former member of singjay Buju Banton's band. [2]
He is best known for his dancehall riddim Diwali, [3] which had three songs that reached the number one, two, and eleven spots on the Billboard charts featuring the artist Sean Paul, Lumidee (a slightly altered version eventually credited to Marsden), and Wayne Wonder, respectively. He also produced the Masterpiece riddim that became a hit because of Sean Paul's song "Ever Blazin'". He is a satellite member of Sly and Robbie's Taxi label.
Marsden was awarded the 2004 ASCAP songwriter of the year. [4] He was recognized for "Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)", "No Letting Go", and "Get Busy", which also won for song of the year. [5]
Mark Anthony Myrie, professionally known by his stage name Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall musician. He is considered to be 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.
Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word "rhythm". In the context of reggae and dancehall, it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section. Jamaican music genres that use the term consist of the riddim plus the voicing sung by the deejay. The resulting song structure is distinctive in many ways. A given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens—or even hundreds—of songs, not only in recordings but also in live performances.
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae 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.
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".
Greensleeves Records & Publishing, shortened to Greensleeves Records, is a record label specializing in dancehall and reggae music. The company was founded by Chris Cracknell and Chris Sedgwick. Based in Britain, Greensleeves Records started as a small record store in West Ealing, London, in November 1975. The record label was founded in 1977, with early releases including albums by Augustus Pablo and Barrington Levy.
"Get Busy" is a dancehall song by Jamaican reggae toaster Sean Paul, from his album Dutty Rock. The song was one of the many hits from the jumpy handclap riddim known as the Diwali Riddim, produced by then-newcomer Steven Marsden, and was the only song that never made the "Diwali" rhythm album on Greensleeves Records as it was more than likely a late entry.
T.O.K. were a dancehall reggae group from Kingston, Jamaica. The group consisted of Alistaire "Alex" McCalla, Roshaun "Bay-C" Clarke, Craig "Craigy T" Thompson, and Xavier "Flexx" Davidson. They started their band in 1996, and announced its dissolution in 2015. T.O.K. were described as "the world's greatest dancehall-reggae boy band" by The New York Times in 2004. They were best known for such hits as "Footprints", "Gal You Ah Lead", "Chi Chi Man", "Eagles Cry", "Guardian Angel", "Money 2 Burn", "She's Hot", "Hey Ladies", "The Voice" and "I Believe".
Gangsta Blues is the fifth studio album by Jamaican recording artist Tanya Stephens. This album was probably the most politically driven album with tracks like "What a Day", "The Other Cheek" and "Sound of My Tears". The album also has a lovers rock feel to it with songs such as "Good Ride" and "It's a Pity".
"Ever Blazin'" is the second international single from Jamaican rapper Sean Paul's third studio album, The Trinity (2005).
Madhouse Records is a record label founded by Dave Kelly and his business partner Janet Davidson. The label is 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.
Reggae fusion is a genre of reggae that mixes reggae and/or dancehall with other genres, such as pop, rock, hip hop, R&B, jazz, funk, soul, disco, electronic and latin.
Greensleeves Rhythm Album #27: Diwali, also known as the Diwali Riddim, is an album and popular dancehall riddim that came to prominence in 2002. The riddim is credited to Jamaican producer Steven "Lenky" Marsden. This has appeared on several international hit songs by Sean Paul, Bounty Killer, Elephant Man, Lumidee, Brick & Lace, and Wayne Wonder. The New York Times described the song as 'one of the most popular reggae rhythms of all time, spawning hits, sequels and -- inevitably -- rip-offs. If ever there was a beat that deserved its own Behind the Music, this is it.' Similarly, the album was heralded as 'the best reggae album' released in 2002.
Janice Fyffe, known as Lady G, is a Jamaican dancehall and reggae deejay. She is widely recognised as a dancehall veteran and pioneer.
"Gimme the Light" is the first single from Jamaican dancehall musician Sean Paul's second studio album, Dutty Rock (2002). The song was originally released in Jamaica in 2001 as "Give Me the Light" and was issued internationally in 2002. "Gimme the Light" was Paul's first hit single, peaking at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a top-20 hit in Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It is the most popular hit single from the "Buzz" riddim, which was the debut hit production for Troyton Rami & Roger Mackenzie a production duo of Black Shadow Records in Miami, Florida.
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.
"Never Leave You " is a song by American recording artist Lumidee, released as the debut single on May 12, 2003, from her debut studio album, Almost Famous (2003). The official remix features Fabolous and Busta Rhymes. "Never Leave You " peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Never Leave You " topped the charts in Belgium (Flanders), Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in many other countries, including Austria, Belgium (Wallonia), Denmark, and the United Kingdom.
Greensleeves Rhythm Album #34: Masterpiece is an album in Greensleeves Records' rhythm album series. It was released in December 2002 on CD and LP. The album features various artists recorded over the "Masterpiece" riddim. The riddim was produced by Steven "Lenky" Marsden for 40/40 Productions. The riddim was Marsden's first since the hugely successful Diwali riddim earlier in 2002. It featured the hit "Ever Blazin'" by Sean Paul.
"No Letting Go" is a song by Jamaican reggae fusion artist Wayne Wonder. The song was written by Wonder and Steven "Lenky" Marsden, and produced by Marsden. It was included on Wonder's 2003 studio album No Holding Back and was released as the lead single from the album. The single was released worldwide on 21 January 2003 and charted at a peak position of number three in the UK Singles Chart. It also peaked at number 11 in the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
Winston Foster, better known by the stage name Yellowman, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay, also known as King Yellowman. He first became popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, rising to prominence with a series of singles that established his reputation.
It's All About Dancing: A Jamaican Dance-U-Mentary is a 2006 Jamaican documentary film about dancehall culture. It includes instructional segments about several dance moves that were popular at the time, such as the "Air Force One" or the "Gorilla Warfare".