Here comes the mighty gladiator!Based out of Hollywood, Fl, the gladiator sound crew has begun to make a staple in the reggae and dancehall industry. In 2005 gladiator sound made their official entry. Releasing “State of the Union†dancehall mix tape. With a semi aggressive progression from rhythm to rhythm, along with a unique remix segment themed from ghost busters. State of the Union was featured on www.youstation.com; where the mix tape took its right full position on the youstaion’s hit-list premiering 5th, of 15 mix tapes on the list, surpassing selectors in which they looked up to; such as black chiney and Fantacee.
The sound started with the brimming dream of selector Nicko Rebel. Nicko Rebel is an ambitious young selector and a full-time college student. Even though he resided in the island of Jamaica until he was 13. Reggae/dancehall music was never a genre of music that interested him in his childhood. It was all about the R&B, Hip-hop, and latest rock songs that were the talk in the states. In the last year of living in Jamaica he was introduced to the art of mixing reggae and dancehall rhythms by his neighbor FreX.
FreX the self proclaimed mad mixer of the sound. He delivers his touch of eccentricity with his far out mixing style. FreX recalled a time when he used to be fascinated with remixing dancehall, with hip-hop and other genres of music. His fascinations later on lead him to start trying to remix and mix rhythms himself. FreX then told Nicko Rebel and briefly started to interest him in the reggae/dancehall genre.
Shortly after, the reggae/dancehall group TOK had one of their hit singles “Chi Chi Man†out. When Nicko Rebel heard that song it was firmly established that reggae is where his passion was. A couple months after he got the opportunity to select on Corodory C.D. Sound, this was owned by his uncle. After playing and receiving nothing but positive feedback from party patrons. Nicko Rebel was then again given more motivation to start a sound system. Owning a sound system was always in the back of Nicko Rebel’s head, but school was his priority.
It was a year after; when he migrated to the United States that he said to himself it’s now or never. He fabricated the name gladiator. The name gladiator seemed to be a modern yet ancient sound name. Nicko Rebel already knew the perfect selector to recruit. Being that they were still in contact. Nicko Rebel approached FreX with the
concept. Without a doubt FreX was now apart of what has come to be the gladiator sound crew.
With a series of mix CDs that have been distributed around the world. The gladiator sound is slowly becoming a household name. In 2006 Nicko Rebel earned a position as radio personnel on a Jamaican underground/web based radio station; where the sound’s popularity reached new heights. Later that year, selector Frex recruited DJ Deliss. The family expanded further with the addition of selector Chokez early 2007.
