Music
Bounty Killer
Beenie Man
Machel Montano
Sports
Bounty Killer
Anywhere else in the world when you say “DJ”, you imagine a young person, head bent over a turntable spinning vinyl tracks for an adoring audience. In Jamaica, the term “DJ” is used to refer to the talent of voicing lyrics over remixed pop tunes made famous around the globe.
Born June 12 1972, Rodney Basil Pryce, aka “Bounti Killa” has been one of Jamaica’s best-known deejays since the burst of his career in the 1990’s. The last son in a family of nine, he grew up in the rough Trench Town neighborhood.
Also known as “the Warlord” and “the poor people’s Governor”, his career hits began with songs such as “Book, Book, Book”, a song geared toward the encouraging young people to aim for academic success. Bounti Killa has spent a great part of his career raising awareness for social issues in Jamaica, such as the effect of poverty on Jamaica’s youth and supporting the careers of new artistes. He continues to contribute to the upliftment of Jamaican youth through his involvement in inner-city community activities.
To date, Bounti Killa has voiced songs with top local and international producers and has been featured on hits with international A-listers such as The Fugees, Mobb Deep and No Doubt. His featured contribution to the latter went on to win a prestigious Grammy award.
In 2004, telecommunications giant Cable and Wireless Jamaica signed a celebrity endorsement agreement with the popular DJ, a relationship that continues today.
Beenie Man
Born in the tough Craig Town area in Kingston on August 22, 1973, Moses Davis aka “Beenie Man” and “the Doctor” has spent his life honing an enviable career. At age 5, Beenie Man debuted on Jamaica’s dancehall circuit performing for a crowd at a dance thrown by his uncle’s Master Blaster set. Three years later he recorded his first single “Too Fancy” that shot up the charts, solidifying his position as Jamaica’s newest talent.
In 1992 the then budding star appeared on Reggae Sunsplash, an international reggae concert which he later headlined in 1998, and began a recording series of singles with producer/manager, Patrick Roberts with whom he built his Shocking Vibes label and studios. In 1994 he copped the DJ of the year award, the same year that he delivered his chart topping single “no Mama no cry” which catapulted him to stardom. His combinations with Jamaican and international stars such as Janet Jackson, The Neptunes and Lil Kim heightened his cross over appeal in the international markets and which later earned him a Grammy award in 2000.
Beenie Man has remained closely tied to his roots, working to improve inner-city conditions through devoting his time and resources to development of the communities. He stages annual sporting and entertainment in inner-city communities, proceeds from which go towards youth development and training.
In 2004, he signed a sponsorship/celebrity endorsement with the telecommunications company Cable and Wireless Jamaica and their bmobile brand.
Machel Montano
Trinidadian Machel Montano and his band Xtatik has been the premier soca band in the Caribbean for more than a decade and have established themselves as the leading draw at major events in New York City, Miami, Toronto, and London and throughout the Caribbean Diasporas. Machel is recognized as the leading performer in the soca music genre and is highly regarded as well as a songwriter, producer and bandleader.
Machel began his career in 1982 at age seven. As early as 1984, he formed his band Xtatik, formerly Pranasonic Express, and in 1985 his debut album “Too Young To Soca” was released to rave reviews. In 1987, at the age of twelve, Machel became the first Trinidadian and youngest Entertainer to win the Caribbean Song Festival. In 1991 at sixteen, he won the Young Kings Competition and in 1995 Machel won Party Vocalist of the year and in 1996 Xtatik won Party Band of the Year.
In 1986, he appeared on Star Search in Hollywood bringing Soca Music to the screens of US National Television. He was described as the Stevie Wonder of Soca. Machel and Xtatik have performed with many popular international entertainment personalities including: TLC, Third World, Shaggy, El Debarge, Destiny’s Child, The Boyz, Kris Kross, Buju Banton, Ziggy Marley, Shabba Ranks, Bounty Killa and many others.
In 1997 Machel became the youngest ROAD MARCH KING of Trinidad & Tobago. Machel and Xtatik have produced sixteen (16) albums with seven (7) mini albums seventeen (17) singles - a ten (10) singles on compilation and three (3) cassette singles.
His relationship with telecommunications company Cable and Wireless and their bmobile brand blossomed with the signing of a sponsorship agreement in 2005.
Asafa Powell
The young Jamaican sprinter did not begin with lofty aspirations of becoming the fastest man alive in 2005. His goal was to become an engineer when he graduated from University of Technology, Jamaica when he sped onto the athletic scene. Born on November 11, 1982 into a family of six boys to devoutly Christian parents in Linstead, Powell enjoys immense support from his family. Powell followed his elder brother Donovan, a 100m semi-finalist into sprinting. So connected is he to both his country and his family that he continues to live and train in his home country, unlike many of his counterparts who opt to train overseas.
In 1999 Asafa was a 100m semi-finalist in the World Championships, and by 2004 he was the gold medal favorite for the 2004 Olympics in the 100m after consistently clocking under 10 seconds all season. The following season he broke the 100m-world record in Athens with his timing of 9.77.
Powell’s brilliant career has also seen disappointing times, but through diligence and tenacity he has risen to the top of his game. He attributes his success to his faith, which has carried him through many personal trials including the deaths of two of his brothers in 2002 and 2003, each in the week he was to compete in national trials.
2005, Asafa signed a sponsorship agreement with the telecommunications company, Cable and Wireless Jamaica as the official spokesperson for broadband services.
Brian Lara
Brian Lara nicknamed “the Prince of Port-of-Spain” is an outstanding West Indian cricketer, a talented left-handed batsman. Lara is recognized as one of the world’s greatest batsmen, having several times toppled the Test batting rankings and being the current world record holder for the highest individual innings score and the all time leading runs scorer in test cricket.
Born on May 2, 1969 in Cantaro, Trinidad and Tobago, he is the 10th child out of a family of 11. His father Bunty recognized his exceptional talent from an early age. Lara began his cricket career while at school in Fatima College. During his high school years, Lara played for both the Trinidad and Tobago national under 16 team, and for the West Indies under-19 team.
Lara has shown an almost unparalleled ability to build massive innings. He has the highest individual score in both first class cricket and Test cricket. Since November 2005 he has held the record for the highest total number of runs in a test career. He is the only man to have reclaimed the Test score record. He is second player since Don Bradman to score two Test triple-centuries and has scored eight double centuries, again second only to Bradman’s twelve.
Lara captained the West Indies team from 1997 to 1999 and again against the touring Australian team in 2003. In September 2004, the West Indies won the ICC Champions trophy in England under hi captaincy. On April 26, 2006 Lara was re-appointed captain of the West Indies team for the third time, and in may 2006 he led the West Indies to successful one-day series victories against Zimbabwe and India.
Brian Lara signed a sponsorship endorsement with Cable and Wireless in 2003.
