Sweetie Irie facts for kids

Dean Bent (born in January 1971), known by his stage name Sweetie Irie, is a British reggae singer and deejay. He is famous for his unique voice and his work in reggae, dancehall, and UK garage music.

Sweetie Irie's Early Life

Sweetie Irie started his music journey when he was a teenager. He began working with local sound systems, which are groups of DJs and engineers who play music at parties and events. This early experience helped him develop his skills as a performer.

Sweetie Irie's Music Career

Sweetie Irie's talent soon caught the eye of Angus Gaye from the famous reggae band Aswad. Angus asked Sweetie Irie to be an MC (Master of Ceremonies) on a dancehall remix of Aswad's 1989 song "On and On". This was a big step for him.

First Album and Chart Success

After working with Aswad, Sweetie Irie signed with Island Records. In 1991, he released his first album, DJ of the Future. This album was very successful and earned a gold award, meaning it sold many copies.

He also had songs that appeared on the music charts. He reached No. 53 with Aswad on their song "Smile". Later, he teamed up with the band Scritti Politti for the song "Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me", which reached No. 47 on the charts.

Collaborations and New Sounds

In 1999, Sweetie Irie joined a UK garage music group called Middle Row. UK garage is a type of electronic dance music. In 2001, he worked with Ed Case on a remix of Gorillaz' popular song "Clint Eastwood". This remix was a huge hit, reaching number four on the UK charts and earning a platinum award for its sales.

Following this success, he released another top 30 song called "Who" with Ed Case. This led him to sign a record deal with Sony BMG, a major music company.

Recent Music and Performances

In 2016, Sweetie Irie collaborated with artists Kideko and George Kwali, featuring Nadia Rose, on a song called "Crank It". This track was released on the Ministry of Sound label and reached No. 31 in the UK.

Sweetie Irie has also performed on big stages. In 2017, he appeared on a special edition of Top of the Pops, a famous music TV show. He also made history by performing at the BBC Proms, becoming the first reggae artist to do so. In 2018, he worked with Redlight on the single "Zum Zum".

He has been touring and performing for over three decades. He has played at major music festivals like Glastonbury, Wireless, Love Box, and Boom Town.

Sweetie Irie has worked with many different artists throughout his career. Some of these include No Doubt, Ian Brown, Gwen Stefani, Sly and Robbie, Maxi Priest, Shy FX, Congo Natty, Roni Size, Redlight, Zinc, and Ms Dynamite.

He also teamed up with drum and bass producer Benny Page to create the album Purple. This album blended Sweetie Irie's reggae and dancehall style with Benny Page's drum and bass sound. He also featured on the Radar album by Afrobeats producer Julz.

In 2020, Sweetie Irie worked with Blaise and Nono on a song for the Jin Jin label. Since 2020, he has been touring with the band Gorillaz, performing the "Clint Eastwood" garage remix live.