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JUNIOR REID
SNWMF 1996
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Photo by
Lee Abel
To
date, Jamaican-born singer
Junior Reid, a devout
Rastafarian regarded by many
as a messenger from Jah, is
best known for the hit
singles Foreign Mind,
One Blood, Boom Shak-a-Lak
and Listen to
the Voices. He also
served as the lead singer
for the Grammy Award-winning
Reggae group Black Uhuru.
Born on the 6th of June,
Delroy "Junior" Reid grew up
in the Waterhouse
district of West Kingston.
Junior began his career at
an early age, gaining his
initial inspiration from a
tough upbringing. He
recorded his first single
Know Myself at
age fourteen for the late
singer Hugh Mundell,
released in the U.K. on the
Greensleeves label. He then
went on to form his own
band, The Voice of Progress,
and after a local hit with
Minibus Driver
the group’s success was
established with the album
of the same name.
At the age of eighteen,
Junior was
asked to join Black
Uhuru as lead singer. The
group completed their
transformation to
international status while
he was a member, nominated
twice for a Grammy Award in
the Reggae category. After
many changes in the music
business, and an agreed
separation among the members
of Black Uhuru, Junior
returned to the solo arena
and started his own
production company, J.R.
Productions.
Once again a solo artist,
Junior recorded a number of
songs for J.R. Productions
and Sugar Minott's Youth
Promotion label, enjoying
considerable popularity with
tracks such as Human
Nature, A-1
Lover,
Uplifting and
Proud Statement.
1988 saw the release of
Junior's first solo album,
One Blood.
The One Blood
single was remixed by Paul
"Trouble" Anderson and
released worldwide on Big
Life/Mercury Records. That
track and Long Road
received nominations for the
prestigious Caribbean Music
Awards and the Jamaica Music
Industry Awards. He won
awards for Best Album, Best
Single, Best Song and Most
Conscious Lyrics at the
Jamaica Music Industry
Awards. The follow-up to
One Blood was the
album Visa,
which was distributed by the
Greensleeves and Ras
labels in addition to his
J.R. Productions label.
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During his music career Junior Reid has performed
around the globe from Bermuda to Japan. He has proven to be a durable and
popular entertainer on the world stage. In 1993, after a winning performance in
Jamaica at the Montego Bay Superfest, Junior toured Europe alongside Sugar
Minott, the 809 Band, and Dub poet Mutabaruka. Junior was also featured in the
biggest one-night show in Jamaica, the Sting, from 1996 to ‘98. Following
exceptional performances at Sting and other shows, he was offered a starring
role in the Jamaican film ‘Klash’, produced by Billy Parker.
In 1997 Junior produced the
album True World Order. He performed on the True World
Order Tour in the United States and United Kingdom. He also teamed up with Busta
Rhymes and Bounty Killa to record the hit single Change Like the Weather.
He recorded the single Dreadful Day with rappers Poor Righteous
Teachers and, joined by the artist Cannibus, recorded the song Frounsi
Sound Bwoy for the Universal label.
Throughout his career he has done numerous interviews for television, radio and
newspapers and performed extensively internationally. In a producing role,
Junior has lent his talents to various other artists. Early on, he worked with
Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs and the Mighty Diamonds to name few. More recently,
he has produced Andrew & 'Wada Blood (his sons), Elephant Man, Delly Ranks,
Luciano and Anthony B. Reid has worked closely with Rap artists such as Wu Tang
Clan, Goroo from Gangstar, the Absolute Beginners (from Germany) and Cold Cut.
In the year 2000 Mr. Reid/J.R. Productions distributed
the Emanuel Calling album, featuring the songs Mashing Up
the Earth, John Law and Trod Up A-Zion. He
toured the United States and Caribbean, garnering raves. In 2002 Rasta
Government was released. Lost Vinyl Classics was released
in 2005. This compilation of singles has sold exceptionally well. The cover
artwork is a classic. An EP of Junior’s newest
album - Junior One Blood Reid -Living Legend,
was released in July, 2008.
With his incisive, prophetic lyrics and unstinting support for the ghetto man,
Junior remains a powerful roots artist well known and loved worldwide. Now,
he is picking up the pace in the business, recently bringing in five
music awards for 2007. He has numerous great songs recorded, still un- released.
Junior Reid is hot.
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