Biography
Ras BrandoScience gonna win this war
Is not yu nuclear
Is not yu war plane weh fall bomb
Have a secret lock lock up in old Egypt
Anytime I pull it, Vatican spit and kickLyrics from High Science by Ras BrandoHe comes in with a fury but the truth resounds. Listen to the clarity of his voice, with that unmistakable tingle...Atop the musical workings of bass, treble and snare, his voice dangles adroitly to create an unmistakably roots reggae sound. His music leaves an impression of unquestionable sincerity. He stays militant from tracks like Live Inna Earth to love songs like So Far, with the latter being an ode to a long distance love affair. Ras Brando's point of reference is at best street-side and that is perhaps the single most important strength he holds in his grasp as a songwriter; he makes no effort to chisel and buff his experiences. Truth is, Ras Brando is as authentic as they get.As a steadily rising artiste in the business, his mind is firmly affixed to creating music that will enhance the legacy of the numerous icons that paved the foundation of the reggae genre.His current single, High Crisis is one of many such works that will infiltrate the local airwaves. The single is an anti-inflation and anti-criminalization war cry. The track posits just enough social upheaval to invoke action and adds just the right musical blend to take things to the dancehall. With that said, Ras Brando has forged ahead in the music business. He has since signed with the independent Green Gorilla Media.
Vocally speaking, if he comes through as if he's been doing this for a while, it's because he has. His voice is a powerful infusion of seventies soul with early reggae and dancehall styles. He has woven this firmly between an untextured, not to mention compelling urban roar. Confidence is the sound of Ras Brando, who has long been paying his dues to the music business.When the artiste named Marlon Brown emerged on May 29, 1974, to his family it might have seemed unlikely that the Knoxwood, St Elizabeth native might have had music in his cards. Still, the early days of attending the local basic school must have prepared him to answer his musical calling, as by the time he reached Bull Savannah Primary he had already launched off into the school concert circuit. He soon began meeting some rave reviews. Whilst attending Lacovia Secondary, he transformed his early influences like Papa San and Early B into a flavourful sing-jay style of his own.It was the era of Barry G, hair etchings and stone wash jeans. By the time the famous JBC Boom Box reached his Santa Cruz locale in 1990, young Brando was fast on his way to mastering his craft. All it took was Bomber, the title of his entry, to cop a first prize in JBC's deejay competition on that said day.With Boom Box ratings under his belt, Brando worked diligently at perfecting his talent. It was while doing so that he discovered that his versatility was breaking way to a greater focus of singing. With limited prospects for musical development in his rural community, like so many other great musicians before him, he ventured into Kingston to see what the reggae capital could bring his way.As a fledgling musician, Ras Brando spent years on a whirlwind of studio sittings. His voracious songwriting was matched perhaps only by the many recordings which followed. Well instituted Kingston studios like Penthouse, Mixing Lab and Cell Block provided Ras Brando ample ground to voice for some of the biggest producers in the industry from early in his career. His first major recording in 1996, Rasta Man Know the Truth (Builders Music Label), earned him steady rotation on a few reggae stations across America. He then began to contemplate his next step and it was within this time that he joined forces with the legendary producer Derrick “Gurr†Smith. The collaboration proved quite significant as it really helped to open his eyes to industry business. He then proceeded to pen some seminal works such as Telegram, Dragon and the Bear and Truth for Smith's Gurr label. They provided him the opportunity to stage a small but fruitful state tour.Even with his feet more firmly planted in the business and several years of a being a tried and true studio veteran, Ras Brando still found himself without major representation. That was when he searched and found the likes of Green Gorilla Media. The label, albeit relatively new, was fresh on the heels of success with Lutan Fiyah's Phantom War album, which saw Green Gorilla's musical mastermind, Abidan Campbell at the reins. This is the perfect match of label and artiste, as Ras Brando has gained the full composite of management and artiste development. As High Crisis still continues to climb the charts, Ras Brando aims for completion of his debut album that will be more than worth the wait.
His lyrics are often times terse and straight forward. At best, Ras Brando is a storyteller of our urban times. Though when carried by his sonorous tenor, his music may often times seem like a series of warnings. Still, his appeal right across the reggae and hip hop cross section is not surprising. That is the conviction of Ras Brando's appeal.The fervor of his performances and those organic rhythm sections around which he hones his craft have simultaneously helped to restore a fresh anticipation to this music of ites, gold and green.
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