ANTHONY B BIOGRAFIA

ANTHONY B BIOGRAFIA

Early life

Blair grew up in rural Clarks Town in the northwestern parish of Trelawny in Jamaica. His deeply religious family life (his mother was a Seventh-day Adventist and his grandmother a Revivalist) imbued him with a profound spirituality. During his youth, his favorite singers were reggae legends Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, musicians who strongly influenced his own style. Peter Tosh's influence can definitely be heard in Anthony B's vocal delivery and revolutionary stance.

Anthony B adopted Rastafari 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 and moved to the home of his aunt and uncle in the Kingston suburb, Portmore.

Career

Anthony B performing in 2005

While attending high school, Anthony B debuted as a deejay for the local sound system, Shaggy Hi-Power. In 1988, he befriended reggae artists such as Determine, Mega Banton, Ricky General and Terror Fabulous.

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 hooked up with Little Devon the Half Pint sound-a-like singer he made his debut single "The Living is Hard" on the Wizard label in 1993. Anthony B tried many different producers but found that their production values didn't give him the sound that he wished for. Finally, Anthony B teamed up with Richard "Bello" Bell, creating hits such as "Fire Pon Rome", "Raid Di Barn", "Rumour", and "Repentance Time". Anthony B's 1996 debut album entitled Real Revolutionary in the U.K. and "So Many Things" in the U.S. was highly acclaimed in the reggae community. In late 1997, Anthony B released Universal Struggle which showed that Anthony B had a consistent, high-caliber talent. Anthony B has released 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, Snoop Dogg & Bone Crusher, 2005's Black Star & My Hope, and most recently, Life Over Death in 2008.

Anthony B tours extensively in Europe and North America and is known for his fiery, high-energy performances.

Anthony B is a member of the Bobo Ashanti branch of the Rastafarian movement. "Bobo Dreads", as they are known, are recognizable by their long robes and turbans. The strong Afrocentric pride and the other Rastafarian beliefs (or "overstandings" as Rastafarians prefer to call them) which Anthony B holds are reflected in his songs.

ESPAÑOL

El nombre artístico de Anthony B es Keith Blair (nacido el 31 de Marzo de 1976), un cantante Jamaicano. Blair creció en el barrio rural de Clarks Town en la capilla al noroeste the Trelawny en Jamaica. Su famlia, profundamente religiosa, (his mother was a Seventh-day Adventist and his grandmother a Revivalist) le insufló con una profunda espiritualidad. Durante su juventud, sus cantantes favoritos eran leyendas del reggae como Bob Marley, Peter Tosh y Bunny Wailer, músicos que influyeron mucho en el estilo que mas tarde describiria a Anthony B. La influéncia de Peter Tosh queda patente en el nacimiento como cantante de Blair y en su postura revolucionaria.

Anthony B adoptó las creencias rastafaris de adolescente, decisión que no fué bien recibida en su familia. El obstinamiento y determinación de Anthony B le llevaron a seguir con su nueva religión y con sus dreadlocks y se mudó con familiares suyos al suburbio de Portmore, situado en KIngston.

Carera

Anthony B comenzó sus actuaciones en 2005.

Mientras estudiaba en el instituto, Anthony B debutó como DJ para el soundsystem local, Shaggy Hi-Power. En 1988, trabó amistad con artistas del mundillo reggae tales como Determine, Mega Banton, Ricky General y Terror Fabulous.

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