Keith Blair (born 31 March 1976), better known by the stage name Anthony B, is a

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

n DJ and member of the

Rastafari movement Rastafari, sometimes called Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control o ...

.Moskowitz, David V (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall'', Greenwood Press, , p.13-14

Biography

Early life

Blair grew up in rural Clark's Town in the northwestern

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

of Trelawny in Jamaica. His deeply religious family life (his mother was a

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...

and his grandmother a Revivalist) imbued him with a profound spirituality. During his youth, his favourite singers were

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

legends

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

and

Peter Tosh Winston Hubert McIntosh, OM (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band the Wailers (1963� ...

, musicians who strongly influenced his own style.Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, , p.17 Peter Tosh's influence can definitely be heard in Anthony B's vocal delivery and revolutionary stance. Anthony B adopted

beliefs as a teenager, a decision which was not well received by his family. The stubborn and determined Anthony B refused to give up his new religion and his

dreadlocks Dreadlocks, also known as locs or dreads, are rope-like strands of hair formed by locking or braiding hair. Origins Some of the earliest depictions of dreadlocks date back as far as 1600–1500 BCE in the Minoan Civilization, one of Europe ...

and moved to the home of his aunt and uncle in the Kingston suburb, Portmore. He is a member of the

Bobo Ashanti The Bobo Ashanti (also variously called Bobo Shanti and Bobo Shanty), also known as the Ethiopian African Black International Congress (EABIC), is a religious group originating in Bull Bay near Kingston, Jamaica. The title of Bobo Ashanti essenti ...

branch of the movement. "Bobo Dreads", as they are known, are recognisable by their long robes and turbans. The strong Afrocentric pride and the other Rastafarian beliefs (or "overstandings" as Rastafarians prefer to call them) are reflected in his songs.

Career

While attending high school, Anthony B debuted as a

deejay A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile D ...

for the local sound system, Shaggy Hi-Power. In 1988, he befriended reggae artists such as Determine,

Mega Banton Mega Banton (born Garth Williams, 1974) is a Jamaican dancehall deejay who came to prominence in the early 1990s. Biography Williams was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1973.Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Boo ...

, Ricky General and

Terror Fabulous Cecil Campbell (born 20 December 1974), better known as Terror Fabulous is a Jamaican dancehall deejay, who had success in the 1990s. Biography Campbell was introduced to producer Dave Kelly after completing a course in electrical engineering. ...

. At this point in the reggae industry, singing "slack" songs about women was the popular thing to do. Anthony B did not believe in degrading women and chose to pen politically slanted songs instead. He collaborated with Little Devon and made his debut single "The Living is Hard" on the Wizard label in 1993. Anthony B tried many different producers before joining with Richard Bell, creating hits such as "Fire Pon Rome", "Raid Di Barn", "Rumour", and "Repentance Time".Ankeny, Jason " Anthony B Biography, ''

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'', Macrovision Corporation In late 1997, Anthony B released ''Universal Struggle'', followed by a large number of albums since including 1999's ''Seven Seals,'' 2003's ''Street Knowledge'', 2004's ''Untouchable'' which featured collaborations with artists including

Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, a ...

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

Bone Crusher A bone crusher is a device regularly used for crushing animal bones. Bones obtained during slaughter are cleaned, boiled in water and dried for several months. After that, they are suitable for crushing with the special machine into a relativel ...

, 2005's ''Black Star'' plus ''My Hope,'' and more recently, ''Life Over Death'' (2008). In January 2013, he was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after being stopped in

Georgia, United States Georgia is a state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee and North Carolina; to the northeast by South Carolina; to the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean; to the south by ...

due to illegally tinted windows in the vehicle in which he was travelling; He subsequently had to cancel several shows in South America as he was not allowed to travel outside the US. Charges were later dropped. In July 2013 he released ''Tribute to Legends'', an album of cover versions of songs by artists such as

The Maytals The Maytals, known from 1972 to 2020 as Toots and the Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group, one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music. ...

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

, and

Ini Kamoze Ini Kamoze ( , born Cecil Campbell; 9 October 1957) is a Jamaican reggae artist who began his career in the early 1980s and rose to prominence in 1994 with the signature song "Here Comes the Hotstepper". The single topped the US ''Billboard'' ...

; Speaking of the album, he stated "I chose to make a tribute album to firstly show how much these legends influence my music and my life."Jackson, Kevin (2013)
Anthony B's ode to legends
", ''

Jamaica Observer ''Jamaica Observer'' is a daily newspaper published in Kingston, Jamaica. The publication is owned by Butch Stewart, who chartered the paper in January 1993 as a competitor to Jamaica's oldest daily paper, ''The Gleaner''. Its founding editor i ...

'', 26 July 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013 In 2016, Anthony B released Tears Of Luv on his label Born Fire Music and collaborated with various producer around the world including Evidence Music on his track Life Good. In May 2020, Anthony B released his 20th studio album titled, ''King In My Castle''. Anthony B tours extensively in Europe and North America. He has collaborated with many singer-songwriters and producers Talking of his faith and music, Anthony B commented, "When we say 'burn fire' we don't mean take a match and light somebody, we are saying get rid of these things that are no good for humanity."

Discography

Albums

*''Predator & Prey'' (1996, Alpha Enterprises) *''Real Revolutionary'' – UK / ''So Many Things'' – US (1996, Greensleeves) *''Universal Struggle'' (1997, VP Records) *''Seven Seals'' (1999, VP Records) *''More Love'' (2001, AO ! Records) *''That's Life'' (2001, VP Records) *''Street Knowledge'' (2003, VP Records) *''Wise Man Chant'' (2003,

Black Scorpio Black Scorpio is a Jamaican sound system and record label run by Maurice "Jack Scorpio" Johnson. History Johnson had started to operate a single turntable and speaker sound system in 1968 and started the Special I sound system in 1972, changing ...

) *''Smoke Free'' (2003, Bogalusa Records) *''Voice of Jamaica'' vol. 2 (2003, Nocturne) *''Judgment Time'' (2004, 2B1 Records) *''Justice Fight'' (2004, Nocturne) *''Untouchable'' (2004, Togetherness Records) *''Powers of Creation'' (2004, Nocturne) *''Black Star'' (2005, Greensleeves) *''Live on the Battlefield'' (2005, Jahmin' Records) *''Confused Times'' (2005, Penitentiary) *''My Hope'' (2005, AL.TA.FA.AN. / Minor 7 Flat 5) *''Gather and Come'' (2006 Penitentiary) *''Suffering Man'' (2006 Tad's Records) *''Higher Meditation'' (2007 Greensleeves) *''True Rastaman'' (2008 Penitentiary Records) *''Life Over Death'' (2008 Born Fire) *''Rise Up'' (2008 Greensleeves) *''Rasta Love'' (2011 Born Fire) *''Freedom Fighter'' (2012 Irievibrations) *''Choices'' (2012) *''My2K Vol. 1'' (2013 Born Fire) *''Tribute to Legends'' (2013 Born Fire) *''Tears of Luv'' (2015 Born Fire) *''Anthony B'' (2016) *''King In My Castle'' (2020 Born Fire)

Compilations

*''Chanting Down Babylon'' (1997, Power Play); live, with

Buju Banton Mark Anthony Myrie (born 15 July 1973),Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, professionally known by his stage name Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall musician. He is considered to be one of the most ...

*''2 Strong'' (1998, Star Trail/VP Records); with

Sizzla Miguel Orlando Collins (born 17 April 1976), known by his stage name Sizzla Kalonji or Sizzla, is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is noted for his high num ...

*''Anthony B & Idren'' (1998, Jamaican Vibes) *''Anthony B & Friends'' (1998, Rhino Records) *''Nazarene Vow'' (1999, Records Factory); with Junior Timba *''3 Wise Men'' (1999, J&D); with Sizzla and Luciano *''One Mission'' (1999, J&D); with

Capleton Clifton George Bailey III (born 13 April 1967),Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, , pp. 67–69 better known by his stage name Capleton, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician. He is also referred to as Kin ...

*''Saddle to the East'' (2001, Brick Wall); with

Jah Mason Andre Johnson (born 29 December 1970), better known by his stage name Jah Mason, also known as Fire Mason, is a reggae singer/deejay from Jamaica, active as a recording artist since 1991. Biography Jah Mason was born in Jamaica's Manchester Pari ...

and Steve Machete *''4 Rebels'' (2001, VP Records); with Sizzla, Luciano, and

Yami Bolo Rolando Ephraim McLean (born 1 October 1970), better known as Yami Bolo, is a Jamaican reggae singer. Biography Yami Bolo grew up in postal zone 13 of Kingston. His first professional job and exposure was with Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion C ...

*''The Five Disciples'' (2001, Penitentiary / Jet Star); with Sizzla, Luciano,

Junior Kelly Keith Morgan (born 23 September 1969), better known by his stage name Junior Kelly, is a Jamaican reggae singer. Career Born in Kingston, Morgan was educated at St. Catherine High School.Jet Star) *''5 Blazing Fires'' (2002, Fire Ball); with Admiral Tibbett, Sizzla, Capleton, Positive Jayz and Michael Fabulous *''Five Disciples Part II'' (2003, Jet Star); with Capleton, Luciano, Sizzla, and Jr. Kelly *''Kings of Zion vol. 3'' (2005, Charm); with Capleton, Sizzla, and Turbulence *''Jah Warriors vol. III'' (2005, Penitentiary); with Luciano *''The Pow Pow Trilogy'' (2008, Pow Pow); with Turbulence and Jah Mason *''Encore'' (2010) *''NYC-2-Africa'' (2010, Suatomic Sound); with Subatomic Sound System, Nomadic Wax, Jahdan Blakkamoore, and Bajah *''Guns Riddim'' (2021, Iyah Music); with LePrince and

Maneaux Jermano Ashwin van Rabenswaay (born in Capelle aan den IJssel on May 16, 1998), known professionally as Maneaux, is a Dutch artist and music producer. Maneaux has collaborations with many artists which include: Murda, Yssi SB, OFB (rap group), ...

References

{{Authority control 1976 births Living people Jamaican Rastafarians Jamaican reggae musicians People from Trelawny Parish Performers of Rastafarian music Converts to the Rastafari movement Easy Star Records artists Jamaican former Christians Former Seventh-day Adventists VP Records artists Greensleeves Records artists