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Zerby

Dancehall Reggae's First White Female Artist

About Me

What are the chances of a born and bred Midwestern female from a midwestern family becoming a reggae dancehall deejay? (Jamaican rapper) Pretty slim But the story of Zerby is nothing short of sensational. With a lot of guts, determination and talent, she defied the odds and has proven that she can “bust a mic” just as well as a Jamaican yardie. She threw herself into a world of the unknown and learned the know-how, survived, and has become the next female deejay sensation. Zerby’s lyrics include a broad range of topics from make-you-move dancehall to cultural lyrics that exercise your brain.Nicole Williams was born in Ludington, Michigan on August 28, 1978. She spent all of her childhood in a town called Hudsonville. While she growing up there, she learned how to master many musical instruments including the piano, trumpet and bass guitar.While she was attending Central Michigan University as a music major, she met up with the “Ark” band, who she went out on the road with as their new found member. “I linked up with them one night and played all the trumpet lines with their trombone player.” They then asked me to go on the road with them and I accepted. I didn’t want to sit in school; I wanted to travel around.” So that she did. Nicole moved with the “Ark” band to Columbus, Ohio, and found herself traveling all over the midwest and south as the trumpet player for the band. But because of artistical differences between rival siblings that continuously tormented the band, Nicole decided to leave.Soon after the split-up, she met the “Ark’s” ex-lead singer (before she was a member), Ras Shaggai, and decided to help him form a new band entitled, “Liviration.” Her membership lasted three years with the group. During that period several things changed in Nicole’s life. First, she relocated to Youngstown, Ohio. Then “Liviration” recorded their debut E.P. “Liviration Posse,” which was released by the “Conscious Vision” label. After a year of touring the midwest as the band’s keyboard player, “Liviration” members Zerby and Ras Shaggai decided to pack up and move to St. Croix. In St. Croix, they played many local clubs including the Moonraker in Christiansted, where they performed for a standing room-only crowd every weekend, as well as toured the U.S. and headlined such shows as the Detroit State Theater. Later, Nicole decided to venture out to Jamaica and seek out her long awaited love-Dancehall Deejaying.On her own, with her new found identity ZERBY (a coined name give to Nicole by Ras Shaggai) booked her own studio time at the famous Penthouse Studios in Jamaica. She soon linked up with George from the Firehouse Crew and produced her own collaboration tune with DJ Easy Fresh entitled, “Culture Shock.” This was released on the C&G label and was distributed by the Tuff Gong music group. Next to follow was her second single “Mash Up,” which was released on the Firehouse label.Zerby has worked with many producers such as Sly Dunbar, Steelie and Clevie, and Bobby Digital to name a few. She has performed with several sound systems in Jamaica and received an overwhelming response at Star Wave, Beach Bash, the Mirage nightclub and Godfathers Night Club in Kingston, Jamaica. She has shared the stage with deejay greats like Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Spragga Benz and the great Beres Hammond.In 2007, Zerby scored a spot on the movie soundtrack “Mo” starring Eric Per Sullivan (of “Malcolm in the Middle” fame) with her song “Boast.” She also had her hit single “Damage” featured on ABC’s Ugly Betty Television show episode entitled “A Tree Grows in Guadalajara.” There is no doubt that Zerby’s positive influence and talent is opening many doors for reggae music.Zerby now has a catalog of over 400 original songs. Check out Zerby's second album which is being released in the fall of 2008. Her CD is available at www.cdbaby.com join the reggaelution and donwload Zerby's single Wine on ITUNES ..

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 8/3/2005
Band Website: zerbymusic.com
Band Members:
Influences:
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CLICK DOWN BELOW AND GO TO ZERBY’S PAGE ON PURE VOLUME, ADD BE A FRIEND AND FANZerby "Ready Now"

Add to My Profile | More VideosZERBY "Ready Now" video on set interview2nd half "Ready Now" video on set interviewZerby performing LiveBUY ZERBY MP3’s at http://cdbaby.com/cd/zerby
Sounds Like: New ZERBY INTERVIEW at www.caribbeanvibes.com with DJ SOLO. Click Archives, Island Groove Show open audio file ..
Record Label: Dark Continent Entertainment
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

READ THIS IF YOU ARE FROM THE U.K OR JAPAN

Hey guys you can now order my cd at the following locations, please note that the cd wont be in the store you will have to talk to the person at the counter, and place a special-order for it. It will ...
Posted by Zerby on Sat, 04 Aug 2007 01:07:00 PST

Female Dancehall Reggae Artist New Album

Zerby is dancehall reggae's first white female artist.  She has lived in Kingston, Jamaica, the U.S. Virgin Islands, New York City, and now is based in Atlanta, Georgia.  She has performed m...
Posted by Zerby on Sat, 20 Aug 2005 03:13:00 PST

THE MTV MICROWAVE GENERATION

THE MTV "MICROWAVE GENERATION" Working hard with the new label.  I love reggae; it's the only music I ever performed.  Jamaicans have the best vibes, especially I like the yute in Dunkirk,...
Posted by Zerby on Sat, 10 Mar 2007 12:10:00 PST

THE MTV MICROWAVE GENERATION Continued

Music is about working hard at something you love, not bank accounts.  I never fell for the "quick bust" outlook-there have been times when people promised me airplay, etc, in exchange to a compr...
Posted by Zerby on Sat, 10 Mar 2007 12:14:00 PST

ZERBY SIGNS TV DEAL

Zerby has just signed a non-exclusive contract with Touchstone Television to use her song "Damage" on the episode "A Tree Grows in Guadalajara" of the TV show Ugly Betty, which airs Thursdays on ABC ...
Posted by Zerby on Wed, 29 Nov 2006 09:18:00 PST

ZERBY SIGNS SONG RIGHTS TO FILM SOUNDTRACK

As previously reported, Zerby's song "Boast" has been added to the movie soundtrack, "Mo" starring Erik Per Sullivan, star of T.V. show "Malcolm in the Middle" airing on FOX network.  The film wo...
Posted by Zerby on Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:40:00 PST