Jamaica’s Reggae music is legendary but the international music industry has also been flavored with musicians who have a Jamaican lineage. You may be surprised to know that there are a number of well-known singers and rappers of Jamaican descent. Here are 11 of them.
1. Tyga
L.A. rapper Micheal Ray Stevenson known as Tyga was born to a Jamaican father. His stage name Tyga is a backronym for Thank You God Always.
2. Will.i.am
Will.i.am is the stage name for William James Adams who was born in the US to Jamaican parents. He is best known as a member of the Black Eyed Peas, and songs like ‘I Like To Move It’ and ‘Scream and Shout’.
3. Canibus
Germaine Williams, popularly known as Canibus, is an American rapper and member of the supergroup HRSMN. He was born in Jamaica and fathered by Jamaican cricketer, Basil Williams.
4. Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes was born Trevor George Smith Jr . in Brooklyn, New York City, New York on May 20, 1972 to Geraldine Green and Trevor Smith Sr. who are from Jamaica.
5. Peppa
Sandra Denton, known by her stage name Peppa, is a Jamaican-American Hip Hop artist and actress. She was born in Kingston, Jamaica and is known for her membership in the rap trio Salt-n-Peppa.
6. Chrisette Michelle
Chrisette Michele Payne, Grammy award-winning American R&B singer, soul singer and songwriter was born in the US to a Jamaican parent. She is known professionally as Chrisette Michele and has been featured on several Hip Hop albums such as Kingdom Come with Jay Z and Kanye West’s Still Dreaming.
7. Biggie Smalls or The Notorious B.I. G.
American rapper, the late Christopher George Latore Wallace, was born to a Jamaican preschool teacher and Jamaican politician. He was popularly known the monikers The Notorious B.I.G or Biggie Smalls.
8. Uncle Luke
Rapper Luther Campbell, who goes by the stage name Uncle Luke, was born in the US but has a Jamaican father. Uncle Luke is known for songs like ‘It’s your Birthday’ and ‘Bust A Nut’.
9. Mya
R&B and Hip Hop singer Mya, correctly named Mya Marie Harris, was born to a Jamaican father and Italian mother in the US. Mya is known for singing Shall we Dance, Case of the Ex and My Love is Like…Woo.
10. Slick Rick
Ricky Walters, more popularly known by his stage name Slick Rick, is an English born rapper with Jamaican parents. He is known for La Di Da Di and Children’s Story – two of the songs which follow his narrative style of rapping.
11. Alicia Keys
Alicia Cook, popularly known as Alicia Keys, was born to a Jamaican father and Irish-Italian mother. The R&B singer is most famously known for producing hits such as Fallin, No One and Girl on Fire.
