Warrior King (musician)

Last updated

Warrior King (born Mark Dyer) was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 27 July 1979. He is a Jamaican reggae singer known within the Caribbean and internationally for his music that is focused on messages about education and uplifting women. [1] Some of Warrior King's best known hits include "Virtuous Woman" (2001), "Hold Da Faith" (2005), "My Life" (2005), "Can't Get Me Down" (2005) and "Wanna Give You Love" (2009). [2] "Never Go Where Pagans Go"(2002).

Contents

Musical career

Warrior King's musical career began in high school where he performed in talent shows. At that time, he followed the musical style of reggae artiste Bounty Killer. [3]

Over time, his style evolved eventually leading to his international chart topping single Virtuous Woman in 2001 (produced by Michael "Mikey John" Johnson)for Lion Paw Productions. [4] In October 2001, this song was # 1 on the Jamaican reggae charts, as well as, the New York Top 30 Reggae Singles chart. [5] In 2002, his debut album Virtuous Woman was released by VP Records and spent nine weeks on the Billboard.com charts. [6] This album included the songs Hold Da Faith and Breath of Fresh Air. Many established producers in the reggae industry contributed to this album including Sheldon 'Calibud' Stewart (Sizzla Kalonji), Lion Paw (Luciano and Junior Kelly) and Penthouse ( Buju Banton and Beres Hammond ). [7]

In 2005, he released another album called Hold Da Faith whose songs were on the charts for Jamaica's Weekly Countdown [8] and included singles such as My Life, Baby Girl, Education and Can't Get Me Down. [9] His music became known, not only in his native Jamaica, but also Tokyo, London, New York and Africa. [10] His 2009 album Love is in the Air [11] featured the hit "Wanna Give You Love" which spent two weeks at the top of the Jamaica Music Countdown Top 25 Reggae Singles Chart. [12]

In September 2011, he released a new album called Tell me how me Sound featuring songs such as Jah is the Only One and System is Crazy. [13]

Awards and recognition

In 2001 when the hit "Virtuous Woman" became well known on the international reggae scene, The Jamaica Observer declared Warrior King "one of the artists who made a difference in 2001." [14] In 2008, the US President Barack Obama commented that Warrior King was one of his favorite reggae musicians. [15] In August 2010, Warrior King was recognized by the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) Marcus Garvey Awards for his contribution to music. [16] He continues to tour the world including Europe, South America and the United States. [17] In April 2011, he completed a tour with renowned reggae singer Luciano, focused on raising funds for countries that recently suffered natural disasters such as Japan. [18] In 2017, 11 June was officially declared Warrior King Day in the city of Buffalo, United States by Buffalo's mayor, Byron W. Brown. "Among his many recognitions and awards, Warrior King album, The Rootz Warrior, already has a global buzz around Ain't Giving Up ... , with each song on the album bearing a different style and feel ... . Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Byron W. Brown, mayor of the city of Buffalo, do hereby proclaim June 11, 2017 as: Mark 'Warrior King' Dyer Day", he said. [19]

Personal life

Warrior King was born in Kingston but moved to Clarendon, Jamaica during his early years. He went to ST Andrew Technical High School(Staths)and studied Human Rights and African Awareness at St. Andrew's Technical College, and then was a mechanical engineering student at the National Tool and Engineering Institute before he changed gears to pursue his musical career. [20] Warrior King is a devout follower of the Rastafarian faith and continues to use his music to reinforce messages about love, tolerance, education and upliftment [21]

Discography

YearAlbum NameRecord Label#1 SingleChart Toppers
2002Virtuous WomanVP RecordsVirtuous Woman"Jah is Always There"; "Never Go where Pagans Go"; "Rough Road"; "Empress So Divine"
2005Hold Da FaithVP RecordsHold the Faith"Can't get me Down"; "My Life"; "Another Love Song"
2009Love is in the AirRoots Warrior RecordsWanna Give You Love"Girlfriend"; "Loneliness"; "Yesterday has Gone"; "Wanna give you Love"
2011Tell me How me SoundTads RecordsTell me How me Sound"Jah is the Only One"; "I Can See It (ft Barrington Levy)" ; "System is Crazy"
2016The Rootz WarriorRootz Warrior Productions/Irie Sounds InternationalAin't Giving Up"Heartbreaker (ft Richie Spice)" ; "I wouldn't do that (ft Beres Hammond)";"Rastafari Protect I"

[22]

Related Research Articles

Buju Banton Jamaican reggae dancehall musician (born 1973)

Mark Anthony Myrie, professionally known by his stage name 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.

Barrington Levy Musical artist

Barrington Ainsworth Levy is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist.

Beenie Man Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer and Actor

Anthony Moses Davis, better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay.

Ini Kamoze Jamaican reggae artist (born 1957)

Ini Kamoze is a Jamaican reggae artist who began his career in the early 1980s and rose to prominence in 1994 with the signature song "Here Comes the Hotstepper". The single topped the United States Billboard Hot 100 as well as record charts in Denmark and New Zealand, reaching number four on the UK Singles Chart.

Diana King is a Jamaican-American singer-songwriter who performs a mixture and fusion of reggae, reggae fusion and dancehall. She was born to an Indo-Jamaican mother and an Afro-Jamaican father. She is best known for her hit 1995 single "Shy Guy" and her remake of "I Say a Little Prayer" which was featured on the soundtrack to My Best Friend's Wedding.

Shabba Ranks is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world. Throughout his prominence in his home country as a dancehall artist, he gained popularity in North America with his studio album, Just Reality, in 1990. He released two studio albums, As Raw as Ever and X-tra Naked, which both won a Grammy Award as Best Reggae Album in 1992 and 1993, respectively. He is notoriously popular for "Mr. Loverman" and "Ting-A-Ling", which were globally acclaimed and deemed his signature songs.

Wayne Wonder 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".

Dennis Brown Jamaican reggae singer (1957–1999)

Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers rock, a subgenre of reggae. Bob Marley cited Brown as his favourite singer, dubbing him "The Crown Prince of Reggae", and Brown would prove influential on future generations of reggae singers.

Marion Hall Jamaican singer-songwriter (born 1969)

Marion Hall is a Jamaican singer and songwriter whose career has spanned over two decades. Formerly known as the Queen of Dancehall, she is the first female deejay to be certified as a triple-platinum and Grammy Award-winning artist.

Luciano (singer) Jamaican singer

Jepther McClymont OD, better known as Luciano, is a Jamaican second-generation roots reggae singer.

Reggae fusion is a genre of reggae that mixes reggae or dancehall with other genres, such as pop, rock, hip hop, R&B, jazz, funk and drum and bass.

Sanchez (singer) Musical artist

Kevin Anthony Jackson, also known by his stage name Sanchez, is a Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter and record producer.

Ernie Smith (singer) Musical artist

Ernie Smith is a reggae singer, with a deep baritone voice, who had his greatest success in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Wayne Marshall (deejay) Musical artist

Wayne Mitchell, better known by his stage name Wayne Marshall, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist. He is most notable for his collaborations with Sean Paul, Elephant Man and Beenie Man. He also attended the Wolmer's Boys' School for Boys and married fellow reggae/dancehall artiste Tami Chynn in 2009.

Tarrus Riley Musical artist

Omar "Tarrus" Riley is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and member of the Rastafari movement.

Lieutenant Stitchie Musical artist

Cleveland Laing, better known as Lieutenant Stitchie, is a Jamaican deejay who originally worked in the dancehall style but switched to gospel reggae in 1997 after surviving a car crash, thereafter working under the shorter name Stitchie.

Everton Hardweare, better known by his stage name Singing Melody, is a reggae artist from Kingston, Jamaica. He is known for his abilities as a vocalist, his production work and for combining aspects of reggae and R&B in his own releases.

I-Octane Jamaican reggae and dancehall recording artist

Byiome Muir, better known by his stage name I-Octane, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall recording artist from Clarendon Parish, Jamaica. He is known for integrating positive and socially conscious subject matter into his music, drawing inspiration from personal experiences and Rastafarian teachings.

Yellowman Jamaican reggae singer

Winston Foster, better known by the stage name Yellowman, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay, also known as King Yellowman. He was popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, coming to prominence with a series of singles that established his reputation.

Freddie McGregor Musical artist

Freddie McGregor is a Jamaican singer, musician and record producer. His music career began when he was seven years old.

References

  1. ↑ Monger, James. "Warrior King Biography". Warrior King Biography.
  2. ↑ Reggae, United. "Warrior King Discography". Warrior King Discography.
  3. ↑ World a Reggae. "Warrior King". Warrior King.
  4. ↑ CD Universe. "Virtuous Woman CD". Virtuous Woman CD.
  5. ↑ Reggae Review. "Warrior King tops the charts in Jamaica and New York". Warrior King tops the charts in Jamaica and New York.
  6. ↑ "Warrior King-Virtuous Woman". Billboard.
  7. ↑ Cervantes Masterpiece. "Warrior King". Warrior King.
  8. ↑ Yard Flex. "Jamaica's Weekly Top 30 Dancehall/Reggae (Singles) Hit List". Jamaica's Weekly Top 30 Dancehall/Reggae (Singles) Hit List.
  9. ↑ Music. "Warrior King-Music, Artist, Band Bio". Warrior King-Music, Artist, Band Bio.
  10. ↑ Walboomers Music, VP Records. "Warrior King Biography". Warrior King Biography.
  11. ↑ United Reggae. "Warrior King-Love is in the Air". Warrior King-Love is in the Air.
  12. ↑ The Jamaica Online STAR. "Warrior King Still Making Hits". Warrior King Still Making Hits.
  13. ↑ Mukko. "Warrior King 'Tell me How Me Sound'". Warrior King 'Tell me How Me Sound'.
  14. ↑ Big Up Radio. "Warrior King-Reggae Artist". Warrior King-Reggae Artist.
  15. ↑ "Mayor of Buffalo declares June 11 Warrior King Day". jamaica-gleaner.com. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  16. ↑ Jamaica Observer. "Jimmy Tucker, Warrior King receive Marcus Garvey Music Awards". Jimmy Tucker, Warrior King receive Marcus Garvey Music Awards.
  17. ↑ Songkick. "Warrior King Tour Dates". Warrior King Tour Dates.
  18. ↑ Images Newsletter. "Disaster Relief Concert in Australia". Disaster Relief Concert in Australia.
  19. ↑ "Mayor of Buffalo declares June 11 Warrior King Day". jamaica-gleaner.com. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  20. ↑ Jamaica Gleaner. "Warrior King Turns To Love". Warrior King Turns To Love.
  21. ↑ Big Up Radio. "Warrior King-Reggae artist". Warrior King-Reggae artist.
  22. ↑ United Reggae. "Warrior King, Discography". Warrior King, Discography.
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.