Gyptian facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gyptian
Gyptian in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Windel Beneto Edwards
Born	(1983-10-25) 25 October 1983 (age 41) Kingston, Jamaica
Genres	Reggae roots reggae lovers rock dancehall
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	2004–present
Labels	VP

Windel Beneto Edwards, known as Gyptian, is a reggae singer from Jamaica. He was born on October 25, 1983. Gyptian is famous for his reggae songs, especially those in the roots reggae and dancehall styles.

Gyptian's Early Life and Musical Start

Gyptian grew up in a small community in Jamaica called King Weston District. His mother was a Seventh-day Adventist, and his father was a Rastafarian. Gyptian felt a strong connection to music from a young age. He started singing in church when he was only seven years old.

His parents saw his talent and introduced him to a music producer named Mr. Wong. Mr. Wong lived in Portmore. At first, Gyptian didn't take music seriously. He would often try to avoid going to the studio. But one day, his family left him there, and that's when his music journey truly began.

How Gyptian's Career Began

With help from Mr. Wong and Earl Chinna Smith, Gyptian improved his singing style. In 2004, he won a talent show called Star Search. This win earned him a spot at Sting 2004, which is known as a very big reggae music show.

Gyptian got his stage name because he used to tie a shirt around his head. He also twisted his chin hair, which made him look a bit like an Egyptian pharaoh. In 2005, he had two popular songs: "Is There A Place" and "Serious Times."

In 2006, Gyptian was nominated for Best New Entertainer at the International Reggae and World Music Awards. He became very popular in Jamaica with songs like "Is There a Place," "Beautiful Lady," and the hit song "Mama, Don't Cry."

On September 12, 2006, Gyptian released his first album, My Name Is Gyptian. It was released by VP Records. In 2007, he filmed a music video for his song "I Can Feel Your Pain" in New York City. This song was part of his second album, also called I Can Feel Your Pain, which came out in 2008.

Gyptian's Big Success in 2010

By May 2010, Gyptian's song "Hold Yuh" became a huge hit. It reached number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It also topped the Reggae Digital Songs chart for nine weeks in a row.

In June, "Hold Yuh" climbed even higher on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 77. It also did well on other charts, showing its popularity across different music styles. The song was also number one on the Jamaica Weekly Music Charts for two weeks. In Canada, it reached number 69 on the Canadian Hot 100. A special version of the song featured the rapper Nicki Minaj.

Gyptian's third album, Hold You, was also very successful. It reached number 2 on Billboard's Reggae Albums Chart. The song "Hold Yuh" became popular all over the world. Billboard magazine noted that Gyptian was getting a lot of attention in the United States, similar to other famous reggae artists.

The song "Hold Yuh" also became popular in the UK. It was released there in November with special remixes by other artists.

In October 2012, Gyptian released an EP (a shorter album) called SLR. This EP included songs from his next album. His fourth album, ... Love & Reggae, was released in October 2013. It quickly became number one on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart.

His album Nothing to Lose was planned for release in April 2015, but it was not released.

Gyptian's Music Style

Gyptian's music is often described as lovers rock and roots reggae. He sings about important topics and love. His singing and songwriting style has been compared to other well-known Jamaican artists like Sizzla, Luciano, and Beres Hammond.

Gyptian's Personal Life

Gyptian lives in Jamaica. He is a Rastafarian, and you can hear this in the lyrics of some of his songs, like "Leave Us Alone," where he sings about Selassie I. In June 2006, his twin sons passed away after being born too early. In June 2010, he had a motorbike accident but only had minor injuries.

Gyptian's Music Releases

Albums

EPs

Singles

Songs Featuring Gyptian