General Degree
Born in Manchester (Jamaica) on April 28, Degree often had to hide as a
child from his strict christian parents in order to get a taste of
what was happening on the airwaves. It was only a few years
later in his early 20's, that Degree was hitting those same
airwaves with his brilliant imitation of a grandmother in his
first number one hit 'Granny'- his first recording for Main
Street producer Danny Browne. 'Granny' reigned in the
dances and charts for one year straight, and that humorous
vine has thrived throughout Degree's career and is a
component he naturally possesses.
Degree's impressive parade of number one hits continued
both at home and abroad, and lends great credence to the
fact that he certainly does know what he's talking about.
Tunes such as 'Granny, Brinks, Mr Dweet Nice, Bodyguard,
Papa Lover, Hold Yuh Tonight, Spark plug and countless
others have had fans skanking .
General Degree is also renowned for his provocative lyrics
that always leave just enough up to the imagination. The
little they do leave, is also plenty for them not to be certified
XXX-rated. Girls crying for his 'Pianist' is the perfect example
of a Degree double-entendre, that gets his earthy message
across whilst leaving the censors with nothing to do. The
reason why Degree's suggestiveness works so well is because
of the pure invention in his work. It's a trademark that
ensures no two Degree tunes sound similar, even if the
subject matter might be. Always vocally ambidextrous on a
rhythm, his spoken voice lingers at double bass. Reflecting
this, the 1998 smash "Bag a Tings" has become the blueprint
for an almost monotone flow that has been utilized by many
deejays since.
'Cartoon Character', 'Traffic Blocking', 'Boom Boom' among
others, kept the artiste on the charts and satisfied his fans
appetite for more of the 'Bush Baby'- which happened to
be the title track of the album for which he copped a Reggae Soca Award for
best
dancehall album.
Being often described as a "consistent" DJ, Degree has entered the 21st
century with new ideas and a slew of new hits. Tracks like 'My Girls'
'Inna', 'Man Shortage', 'Bounce Somebody' and most recently 'The Specialist'
have proven
his consistency, and are doing well both locally and on the international
market.
A new album is in the works for the entertainer in 2003. So once again the
wheels are turning for yet another lyrically creative production from Degree
and will be an addition to his growing catalogue.
Not to be outdone by the young bloods in the business, Degree has and will
continue to rank among the best, and has pledged to maintain and continue
contributing to the development and success of dancehall music. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
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