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King Yellowman Wiki Information
Yellowman
(born Winston Foster
in Negril, Jamaica in 1956) is a Jamaican reggae (rub-a-dub) and dancehall deejay, widely known as King Yellowman
. He was popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, coming to prominence with a series of singles that established his reputation.
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KING YELLOWMAN TICKETS
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Career
Winston Foster grew up in a Catholic orphanage called Alpha Boys School in Kingston, and was shunned due to having albinism, which was usually not socially accepted in Jamaica. Alpha Boys School was known for its musical alumni. [1] In the late 1970s Yellowman first gained wide attention when he won a contest event in Kingston, Jamaica called "The Tastee Talent Contest" where deejays would perform toasting. Like many Jamaican deejays, he honed his talents by frequently performing at outdoor sound-system dances. [2] In 1981, after becoming significantly popular throughout Jamaica, Yellowman became the first dancehall artist to be signed to a major American label ( CBS Records). [3] One reviewer of Yellowman was quoted as saying "Listening to Yellowman sing is like watching Michael Jordan play basketball. He knows he's got it, you know he's got it, and it's a trip just experiencing him perform." [4] Over time he became regarded by some as a sex symbol and even managed to gain fortune and fame by directing attention to his physical skin complexion in several of his songs. [
His first album release was in 1982 entitled Mister Yellowman
followed by Zungguzungguguzungguzeng
in 1983 earning instant success. Yellowman's sexually explicit lyrics in popular songs such as "Them a Mad Over Me" boasted of his sexual prowess, like those of other reggae singers/deejays, earned Yellowman criticism[who?] in the mid-1980s. Yellowman appeared in Jamaican Dancehall Volcano Hi-power 1983
which featured other major dancehall musicians such as Massive Dread, Josey Wales, Burro Banton and Eek-A-Mouse.
]
Yellowman has had a substantial influence on the world of hip hop. He is widely credited for leading the way for the succession of reggae artists that were embraced by the growing hip-hop community in America during the 1980s. NWA used a sample of his voice from his recording "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt", which also became a major hit by NWA with the same title.
By the mid-1990s however, Yellowman released socially-conscious material, rising to international fame along with singers such as Buju Banton. Yellowman became the island's most popular deejay despite being albino. During the early 1980s, Yellowman had over 40 singles and produced up to five albums per year. His success is seen by some as a rags to riches story.
In 1986, Yellowman struggled with cancer of the jaw and was told that he had only 6 months to live, but surgery saved his life. This has given him a more serious approach to his music, but like the struggles of his early days, he has not let these difficulties stand in the way of his aspirations. Yellowman took an extended leave from recording but came back with Blueberry Hill
. He re-invented himself with his 1994 album Prayer
, and since the mid-1990s he has devoted his time to spiritual and social concerns. His latest albums are New York
(2003) and Round 1
(2005). Yellowman was also a guest singer on the Run-DMC track "Roots Rap Reggae",[clarification needed] on which he did most of the vocals. Yellowman continues to perform internationally with his Sagittarius Band, and has toured through places such as Nigeria where he is massively popular, Peru, Sweden, Italy, Germany, England, France, Kenya and the United States. He is one of the widest-touring artists in the reggae industry. He also featured on OPM's 2004 album Forthemasses
Zungguzungguguzungguzeng
The melody for Yellowman's 1982 "Zungguzungguguzungguzeng" has been sampled and imitated repeatedly since its original release in 1967. Coxsone Dodd had already released two dub cuts, "Talking Dub" and "Lusaka", plus a 1980 cut by Jennifer Lara "Hurt So Good", while Sly and Robbie's "Johnny Dollar" by Roland Burrell was also voiced by Yellowman as "Soldier Take Over".
Timeline [7]:
- Yellowman, "Zungguzungguguzungguzeng" (see also, Live at Aces version, w/ Fathead)
(1982)
- Sister Nancy, "Coward of the Country"
(1982)
- Frankie Paul, "Alesha"
(1984)
- Toyan, "Hot Bubble Gum"
(1984)
- Super Cat, "Boops"
(1985)
- BDP, "Remix For P Is Free"
(1987)
- Sublime, "Greatest hits"
(1987)
- BDP, "Tcha Tcha"
(1988)
- Nice & Smooth, "Nice & Smooth"
(1989)
- Nice & Smooth, "Dope on a Rope"
(1989)
- K7, "Zunga Zeng"
(1993)
- KRS-One, "P Is Still Free"
(1993)
- Us3, "I Got It Goin' On"
(1993)
- Buju Banton, "Big It Up"
(1993)
- Ninjaman, "Funeral Again"
(1994)
- Bounty Killer, "Kill Or Be Killed"
(1994)
- Buju Banton, "Man a Look Yu"
(1995)
- Junior M.A.F.I.A. (feat. Biggie Smalls), "Player's Anthem"
(1995)
- 2pac, "Hit 'Em Up"
(1996)
- Black Star, "Definition"
(1998)
- Mr. Notty, "Sentencia de Muerte"
(1998)
- Dead Prez, "It's Bigger than Hip-Hop"
(2000)
- Beenie Man, featuring Wyclef Jean, "Love Me Now"
(2000)
- Nejo, track 14 (DJ Joe's Fatal Fantassy 1)
(2001)
- Joe Budden, "Pump It Up"
(2003)
- Tego Calderon, "Bonsai"
(2003)
- Jin, "Learn Chinese"
(2004)
- Vybz Kartel, "Tight Pussy Gyal"
(2004)
- DJ /rupture (Filastine + dead prez), "Judas Goat" + "It's Bigger than Hip-Hop (acapella)"
(2005)
- POD, featuring Matisyahu, "Roots in Stereo"
(2006)
- White Rappers, "One Night Stand"
(2007)
Albums
- Mister Yellowman
(1982) Greensleeves Records
- King Mellow Yellow Meets Yellowman
(1982) Jam Rock (with King mellow yellow)
- Superstar Yellowman Has Arrived With Toyan
(1982) Joe Gibbs (with Toyan and Johnny Ringo)
- Duppy Or Gunman
(1982) Volcano
- Jack Sprat
(1982) GG's
- Just Cool
(1982) Jah Guidance
- Live At Reggae Sunsplash
(1982) Sunsplash
- Them A Mad Over Me
(1982) J&L
- Bad Boy Skanking
(1982) Greensleeves (with Fathead)
- For Your Eyes Only
(1982) Arrival (with Fathead)
- Live At Aces
(1982) VP (with Fathead)
- One Yellowman
(1982) Hitbound (with Fathead)
- Supermix
(1982) Volcano (with Fathead)
- The Yellow, The Purple & The Nancy
(1982) Greensleeves (with Purpleman and Sister Nancy)
- Zungguzungguguzungguzeng
(1983) Greensleeves/Blue Moon/Arrival
- Live At Kilamanjaro
(1983) Hawkeye
- Live In London
(1983) Thunder Bolt
- Live At Ranny Williams Entertainment Center
(1983) Roots Rockers (with Lord Sassafrass & Peter Metro)
- Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt
(1984) Greensleeves
- King Yellowman
(1984) Columbia
- One In a Million
(1984) Joe Gibbs
- Operation Radication
(1984) Top 1000
- Showdown Vol 5
(1984) Hitbound (with Fathead and Purpleman)
- Two Giants Clash
(1984) Greensleeves (with Josey Wales)
- Galong Galong Galong
(1985) Greensleeves/Blue Moon
- Walking Jewellery Store
(1985) Power House
- Girls Them Pet
(1986) Taxi
- Going To The Chapel
(1986) Shanachie/Greensleeves
- Yellow Like Cheese
(1987)
- Yellowman Rides Again
(1988)
- Yellowman Sings The Blues
(1988) Rohit
- Yellow Man Meets Charlie Chaplin
(1989) Power House (with Charlie Chaplin)
- A Feast of Yellow Dub
(1990)
- Party
(1991)
- Mi Hot
(1991) Pow Wow
- Reggae on the Move
(1992)
- Live in England
(1992) Sonic Sounds
- Prayer
(1994) RAS
- Blueberry Hill
(1994) JA
- Message to the World
(1995)
- Divorced (For Your Eyes Only)
(1983) Burning Sounds (with Fathead)
- Freedom of Speech
(1997) Black Scorpio
- Yellowman Rides Again
(1997) RAS
- Ram Dance Master
(1997) Nyam Up
- A Very, Very, Yellow Christmas
(1998)
- Stone Wall Rambo
(1998) Jamaican Vibes (Sly & Robbie and Yellowman)
- One in a Million
(1999) Shanachie
- Chronic
(1999) X-Ploit (with Fathead)
- Yellow Like Cheese
(1999) RAS
- In Bed With Yellowman
(2000) Greensleeves
- Good Sex Guide
(2000) Greensleeves
- New York
(2003) RAS
- Round 1
(2005) Nuff (Yellowman vs. Ninjaman)
;Compilations:
- 20 Super Hits
(1991) Sonic Sounds
- The Best of Yellowman
(1996) Melodie
- RAS Portraits – Yellowman
(1997) RAS
- Reggae Anthology - Look How Me Sexy
(2001) VP
- Just Cool
(2004) Charly
- Yellow Fever
(2004) Trojan
- Reggae Chronicles
(2006) Hallmark
- Most Wanted
(2007) Greensleeves
- Gold
(Yellowman and The Paragons)
DVD, Video
- Yellowman Peace Tour
CRS (VHS)
- Live in San Francisco
(2003) Music Video Distributors/2B1 (DVD)
- Yellowman/Chaka Demus and Pliers: Living Legends in Concert
(2007) Funhouse (DVD)
;Various Artists:
- Kingston Signals Vol.1
(2004) Music Video Distributors
- Stars in Action, Part 2
(2007) Island Entertainment
References
- Alpha: the power of one, The Jamaica Observer April 18, 2005
- Kenner, Rob. "Dancehall", in ''The Vibe History of Hip-hop'', ed. Alan Light, 350-7. 1999
- King Yellowman / Biography
- Yellowman
- [1], Follow Me Now: The Zigzagging Zunguzung Meme May 10, 2007
- [1]
- [1]Wayne Marshall, "Follow Me Now: The Zigzagging Zunguzung Meme"
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