Shinehead facts for kids

Edmund Carl Aiken (born on April 10, 1962, in Kent, England), known as Shinehead, is a British-Jamaican reggae singer and rapper. He is famous for mixing reggae with hip-hop music.

Shinehead's Music Journey

Starting Out in New York

Shinehead began his music career in the 1980s. He performed with different reggae music groups called "sound systems" in New York City. One of the most well-known groups he worked with was Tony Screw's Downbeat the Ruler, based in The Bronx.

First Recordings and Big Labels

His first recording came out in 1986. It was a song called "Who the Cap Fits (Let Them Wear It)" from his album Rough & Rugged. This was released on an independent record label called African Love Music. Later, in 1988, Shinehead signed a contract with Elektra Records. He stayed with this major record label until 1995.

Mixing Styles: Reggae and Hip-Hop

Shinehead is known for being one of the first artists to combine hip hop music with reggae. This mix is now called reggae fusion. Songs like "Try My Love" from 1992 show this unique blend.

His albums Unity (1988) and The Real Rock (1990) feature his vocal talent. You can hear his fast deejay style on tracks like "Cigarette Breath" and "Gimme No Crack". He also uses a melodic singing style in songs such as "Strive". For a hip-hop feel, listen to tracks like "Chain Gang." "Chain Gang" was even the first music video shown on the TV show Yo! MTV Raps in 1988.

Famous Songs

Shinehead's most famous song is "Jamaican in New York" (1993). This song is his own version of Sting's "Englishman in New York". "Jamaican in New York" became very popular and reached number 30 on the UK Singles Chart in April 1993. This hit song was part of his album Sidewalk University.

Still Active Today

Shinehead continues to make music and perform. In 2015, he was part of the yearly Jamrock cruise. He also performed at the CES event in Las Vegas that same year. He has also found success with his own music group, Kingston 12.

Shinehead's Albums

• Rough & Rugged (1986)
• Unity (1988)
• The Real Rock (1990)
• Sidewalk University (1992)
• Troddin (1994)
• Praises (1999)

Songs That Charted

Shinehead had several songs that appeared on music charts around the world.