Splicerr – Relentless in his Pursuit of Positives

Some artistes pursue a musical career because of their quest for fame and fortune, others do it because creating music is what they are most talented at, and then there are others such as Oral “Splicerr” Williams for whom music is a tangible expression of a spiritual conception. Splicerr has been in the music business for the better part of two decades; and while major label success has so far been slow in coming, he remains unwavering in his commitment to his craft. He recorded his first song in 1992 at Chris Meredith’s studio in Kingston. He went to the recording session without a stage name and with some amount of nervousness. He left the session christened with the stage name Splicerr – given to him by popular reggae personality John Wayne -- and with the confidence that he would pursue music as a career, if only on a part-time basis at first.
In 1994, Splicerr got his first taste of commercial success when he recorded You Can’t Test My Sound, a collaboration with Dawn Penn of No No No fame. The song was well received in Jamaica, mainland Europe, and the UK, where it climbed to #25 on the reggae chart. The positive response to You Can’t Test My Sound encouraged Splicerr to forsake his day job and to devote his full energies to his music career. In 1996, Splicerr was again in the limelight with Montell, a response to the then popular Skettel, on Steelie and Cleevie’s Gigi rhythm. Montell was one of three songs Splicerr recorded to fulfill his obligations to Manhattan-based Fountainhead Music. The other songs, Sorry Susan and Live and Let Live, garnered further recognition for him in the dancehall. Sorry Susan fared well in the USA and earned Splicerr a number of tour dates on the US college circuit. Splicerr followed up this success with two self-produced tracks, Dis Yah Man and Baby Girl. These songs and their accompanying videos received heavy rotation in Jamaica. The success of Dis Yah Man and Baby Girl earned Splicerr a place on a number of tours and stage shows where he performed alongside icons of reggae such as Freddie McGregor and Sanchez.

In 2001, harsh economic conditions made even more pressing by the birth of his son – forced Splicerr to sharply reduce his number of live performances and recordings. Semi-permanent relocation to New York and assimilation into the New York working world – so often the death knell for the musical career of many immigrant Jamaican artistes – ostensibly seemed to hold no benefit for Splicerr’s musical aspirations; however, Splicerr, chose to focus on the positives and was able to use what appeared to be a setback to benefit his music career in the long term.

The 2002 to 2005 period may best be described as a maturation period for Splicerr. Drawing inspiration from sources such as his family, the teachings of H.I.M. Haile Selassie and Marcus Garvey, appreciation to the Almighty for keeping him on a daily basis, and from his daily goings and comings in the working world, Splicerr wrote a large number of songs during this period. He also honed his music production skills and widened his artistic repertoire to include graphic design and web development. Splicerr took these steps with the singular design that when he chose to refocus his energies as a musician and recording artiste, he would be self-sufficient in many areas. Finally, Splicerr’s ongoing introspection led to him embracing the name Splicerr in a manner consistent with the message he wanted to bring to a global audience: Solid Positive Life Interesting Candid Educating Relentless and Real.

Splicerr remerged on the music scene in a big way in 2006. He produced Only Jah Jah (Luciano), which peaked at #7 on the New York reggae chart, for his Oz1 (pronounced “as one”) Entertainment record label. Only Jah Jah was recorded on the Time and Weather beat, which also featured Splicerr’s own Road So Foggie. Splicerr also returned to the performing stage, thrilling the audience at Westchester Reggae Fest 2006, where he shared the stage with artistes such as Sizzla and Buju Banton

Today, Splicerr, deep in his Rastafarian faith, appears far removed from the young man with uncertain direction who recorded Montell more than a decade ago. His clearly-defined goal now is to record and produce music that can teach and inspire and that is relevant to a global audience. Splicerr certainly achieves this objective with recent recordings such as Road So Foggie and Holding On, two entertaining and uplifting tracks that showcase Splicerr’s talent as both singer and producer. Got it Going On, a tribute to his “Empress,” is also another notable track that Splicerr has short-listed for his self-titled debut album. Splicerr has certainly traveled the long road in the music business. His ongoing journey is a testament to persistence and faith in the Almighty. With his wealth of experience, sense of purpose, and undeniable talent, Splicerr appears set to be a major force on the reggae music scene.