Beenie Man facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beenie Man
OD
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Beenie Man in 2017
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Moses Anthony Davis
22 August 1973 Kingston, Jamaica
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| Years active | 1979–present |
| Spouse(s) |
D'Angel
(m. 2006; div. 2011) |
| Children | 12 |
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Moses Anthony Davis OD (born 22 August 1973), known professionally as Beenie Man, is a famous Jamaican dancehall DJ. He is sometimes called the "King of Dancehall." He has won the DJ of the Year Award eight times in a row. His album Art and Life won a Grammy Award in 2001.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Moses Davis was born in the Waterhouse area of Kingston in 1973. He started making music at a very young age. When he was just five years old, he began "toasting," which is a style of rhythmic talking or chanting over music. His uncle, Sydney Knowles, who played drums for the famous musician Jimmy Cliff, encouraged him.
In 1981, Beenie Man won the Tastee Talent contest. A radio DJ named Barry G helped him meet local sound system operators. These operators helped make the young DJ, known as Beenie Man, very popular.
First Recordings and Album
Beenie Man recorded his first song, "Too Fancy," in 1981. It was made with record producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes. Lawes also included him on an album in 1983 called Junjo Presents Two Big Sounds. This album featured other well-known artists.
His first album, The Invincible Beenie Man: The Ten Year Old DJ Wonder, was released in 1983. It was produced by Bunny Lee. His first hit song, "Over the Sea," came out the same year. In 1984, Beenie Man recorded some music with Barrington Levy. However, he paused his music career to finish school and travel. In July 2009, he was honored as the King of the Dancehall at the Reggae Sumfest music festival.
Rise to Stardom
In the 1990s, Beenie Man continued to perform and improve his skills. He worked alongside other big dancehall artists like Ninjaman and Shabba Ranks. He found a creative home at the Shocking Vibes studio, where he kept recording songs.
Gaining Momentum
Beenie Man's career really took off after he performed at the Reggae Sunsplash festival in 1992. The next year, a friendly rivalry began between him and another artist, Bounty Killer. This rivalry was even featured on a 1994 album called Guns Out. The two artists later settled their differences with a music battle.
In 1993, Beenie Man had his first number one song in Jamaica, called "Matie." He also won the DJ of the Year Award that same year. This was the first of eight awards he would win in a row.
Becoming an International Star
In 1994, Beenie Man signed with Island Records. He released the album Blessed, which helped him become known around the world. In 1995, he toured the United Kingdom. He also teamed up with Barrington Levy again to record a new version of Levy's song "Under Mi Sensi."
Beenie Man worked with many other artists in the mid to late 1990s. He collaborated with Dennis Brown, Lady Saw, and Sanchez. In 1996, he released the important album Maestro, which made him famous in the UK. During this time, Beenie Man was so popular in Jamaica that many called him the "Dancehall King."
Breaking into the United States
Beenie Man's big break in the United States came in 1997. He heard a new beat by a producer named Jeremy Harding. He quickly recorded his voice over it, creating his first international hit song, "Who Am I." This song quickly sold very well and helped introduce him to a global audience. In the same year, Beenie Man had seven different songs top the Jamaican charts.
He also appeared as himself in the 1997 movie Dancehall Queen.
In 1998, Beenie Man was a main performer at Reggae Sunsplash. He then signed with Virgin Records to release albums in the United States. His first album released in America was The Doctor (1998). He continued to have hits like "Romie" and "Girls Dem Sugar," which featured American R&B singer Mýa. He won many international music awards, including a MOBO Award in 1998.
In 2000, Beenie Man released Art & Life. This album featured famous musicians like Arturo Sandoval and Wyclef Jean. It won a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. Beenie Man often speaks out on social issues through his music.
In 2002, he had a big hit with a song called "Feel It Boy" with Janet Jackson. His biggest success in America came in 2004 with a remix of "Dude." This song featured Ms. Thing and Shawnna. This helped him gain many fans in both America and Europe.
He had hit songs in the United Kingdom, including "Who am I" in 1998, "Street Life" and "Feel It Boy" in 2003, and "Dude" and "King of the Dancehall" in 2004. By 2004, the Associated Press said that Beenie Man had become a "name-brand artist worldwide."
Recent Activities
In April 2008, it was announced that Beenie Man would help write and star in a film called Kingston. In 2011, he released the album I'm Drinking ... and Red Bull.
In April 2009, Beenie Man signed with Brookland Entertainment. This was for his new album, The Legend Returns. The music video for his song "Gimme Gimme" was filmed in Canada.
In 2014, Beenie Man and his long-time rival, Bounty Killer, worked together on a song called "Legendary." They also performed a popular online music battle together in May 2020 during the global health situation. At that time, Vibe magazine called them "two of the most legendary icons in dancehall."
Personal Life
Beenie Man married Michelle "D'Angel" Downer on August 22, 2006. They separated in June 2007. In March 2010, they released a song together called "You Are My First," even though they were separated. The couple filed for divorce in 2011, and it was finalized in 2019.
Discography
