Mavado (singer)

Mavado

David Constantine Brooks November 30, 1981, better known by his stage name Mavado, aka Gully God, is a Jamaican dancehall artist. He was raised in an area known as "Cuba", a micro ghetto within the heart of Kingston, Jamaica's Cassava Piece community. The community was considered dangerous and Mavado was exposed to many different things in his youth. Mavado had two major influences in his life that made him want to pursue a career in music. His grandmother who raised him, brought him to church with her each Sunday, and this helped to ignite his love for music. What kept the flame burning was his second influence in his music; his idol, and current labelmate Bounty Killer.

Musical career

Bounty Killer and legendary dancehall manager Griffith began to take Gully God under their wing and showed him the ropes of the music business. Gully God &[ Matthew Samuels] (Assistant Manager) met the Daseca Production Crew in 2004, and recorded his debut single "Real McKoy" over the Anger Management Riddim, which in turn made him a sensation in Jamaican dancehall music. His next single brought him more mainstream success, and outside of Jamaica people began to notice him. In 2006, the single "Weh dem a Do" (recorded over the Red Bull and Guinness Riddim) got major airplay worldwide on radio stations such as New York's WQHT (Hot 97). Gully God continued to pursue his musical interest despite turbulence in his personal life including the murder of his father and numerous run-ins with the authorities. His debut album Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks, includes "Fathers Prayer", "Cassava Piece Radio", "Sadness", "Gully Side", and much more. He signed a deal with VP Records and released his debut album in July 2007. A slimmed down and remixed version of "Real McKoy" was featured in the fourth Grand Theft Auto IV trailer entitled "Everyone's a Rat". "Real McKoy" was also used in the Grand Theft Auto IV in-game radio station, Massive B Soundsystem. Recently, Jay-Z was featured on Mavado's track "I'm On The Rock" bringing his acclaim to even greater heights and his music to a wider audience. In 2008, he appeared on Terminate on Sight by G-Unit, in a song called "Let It Go". Mavado was on Digicel's Rising Stars with the new sensation "KHALIL" on September 21, 2008. Mavado has an ongoing rivalry with the Jamaican Dancehall artist, Vybz Kartel. However, inside sources tell us that it seems to be the surface of the matter.On the inside, they seem to have an ongoing relationship, of which is very intimate. As a result, the Jamaican fans are very confused as to what their actual position is. Mavado seems to have greatly influenced the career of rival Vybz Kartel who originally was a deejay (Jamaican rapper) but now seems to have (since lately) switched to singing and trying to put melody to his rhymes , a style dubbed as singjay in Reggae music. In addition to high demand for shows in USA, Mavado has made appearances on high profile events such as BET's Rip The Runway in February 2009. Jamal "Gravy" Woolard, star of Notorious movie, flew back with Mavado to Jamaica in February 2009 to record some tracks after meeting him in New York after confessing that he was a big fan of Mavado and was impressed with his music.

Controversy

Feud with Vybz Kartel

A very public feud between Mavado and former collaborator Vybz Kartel arose towards the end of 2006, stemming from Vybz' much publicized departure from the dancehall conglomerate group, The Alliance. The feud resulted in numerous diss-tracks released, in which each artist dissed the other and their associates over popular dancehall riddims. Some of these tracks include:

Mavado

• "Song Writer" - (Power Cut Riddim)
• "Top Shotta Nuh Miss" - (Power Cut Riddim)
• "Mr. Palmer" - (Drumline Riddim)
• "Chat Too Much" - (After Dark Riddim)
• "Warn Dem" - (power cut riddim)

Vybz Kartel

• "Gang Fighter" - (Power Cut Riddim)
• "Start War & Dead" - (Power Cut Riddim)
• "Mofraudo" - (Drumline Riddim)
• "Criminal War" - (After Dark Riddim)
• "Come Defen It" - (After Dark Riddim)
• "Warn Dem Counteraction" - (After Dark Riddim)

The feud threatened to escalate beyond lyrics, however, in the following months with shoot outs at the popular hangouts of the artists, and on-stage scuffles between members of each camp. This intensification prompted a police-overseen press conference in which both Mavado and Vybz publicly announced an end to hostilities and apoligized to fans There was some speculation from local media that the entire feud was staged as a means to increase both artists popularity.

In August 2008 the feud erupted again, with a new round of diss-tracks. Some of the new tracks include:

Mavado

• "Nuh Bleach With Cream" - (Day Break Riddim)
• "Dem A Fag" - (Self Defense Riddim)
• "Real Killa (No Chorus)" - (Empire Diss)(Day Rave Riddim)
• "Dem A Pree" - (Silent River Riddim)
• "Battyman Kartel" - (Self Defense Riddim)
• "Gangster Nuh Play" - (Beast Riddim)
• "Caa Bad Mi Up" - (Magazine Riddim)
• "Money" - (Advocate Riddim)
• "Gun Down" - (Frequency Riddim)
• "Talk" - (Eclipse Riddim)

• "Walk Wid Dem Casket (Don't Run Counteraction - Not certain because the producer claimed it was done before Don't Run was produced)"

Vybz Kartel

• "Broad Daylight" - (Day Break Riddim)
• "Send A Hell" - (Self Defense Riddim)
• "Weh Dat Fah" - (Self Defense Riddim)
• "Weh Dem A Go" - (Day Rave Riddim)
• "Rise Di K" - (Silent River Riddim)
• "Seh Weh You Feel Fi Seh" - (Cool Shade Riddim)
• "Kill Dem All And Done" - (Beast Riddim)
• "Dem A Nuh Gangster" - (Godfather Riddim)
• "Send Fi Di Magazine" - (Magazine Riddim)
• "Talk With Gunshot" - (Red Alert Riddim)
• "Nuh Fraid" - (Advocate Riddim)
• "Last Man Standing (Don't Run)" - (Diss to Mavado after sting 08)

The feud came to a lyrical head with a deejay clash between Mavado and Vybz Kartel at Sting 2008.With diss-tracks still being released the feud is going to continue into 2009.

Awards

In addition to receiving Jamaican awards, On 15 October 2008, Mavado won a MOBO award for best reggae artist of the year in a contest that included his Alliance colleague Busy Signal (artist), self proclaimed king of dancehall Beenie Man, singing sensation Etana and reggae star Taurus Riley.

Discography

• Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks (2007)
• Mr. Brooks...A Better Tomorrow (March 2009)

International collaborations

• "Real Patriots (Informer)" - w/ Brasco (2007)
• "Informer" - w/ Wyclef Jean & Uncle Murda (2007)
• "Welcome To The East" - w/ Wyclef Jean, Uncle Murda & Sizzla (2007)
• "Dying Remix" - w/ Uncle Murda & Serani (2007)
• "Clear The Air (Remix)" - w/ Akon, Major Mackerel, Busta Rhymes & Shabba Ranks
• "On The Rock (Remix)" - w/ Jay-Z (2008)
• "We Need Barack" - w/ Barack Obama & Green Lantern
• "Got Money/Money Changer (Remix)" - w/ Lil Wayne & T-Pain (2008)
• "We're On Fire" - w/ Foxy Brown (2008)
• "Let It Go" - w/ G-Unit (2008)
• "Back Yard" - w/ Bludshot (2008)
• "Hot Long Time" - w/ Flo-Rida, Junior Reid & Jah Cure (2008)
• "Come Out And See" - w/ De La Ghetto (2008)
• "So Long" - w/ Dolamite (2008)
• "Caribbean Connection" - w/ Wyclef Jean & Lil Kim (2008)
• "So Special (Remix)" - w/ Foxy Brown (2008)
• "So Special (Remix)" - w/ Tony Yayo (2008)
• "So Special (Remix)" - w/ Tru-Life (2008)
• "Come Out And See" - w/ De La Ghetto (2008)
• "Grudge We" - w/ Gravy (2009)
• "So Blessed (Remix)" - w/ Busta Rhymes (2009)

Film

• Mavado made a cameo as the 'Gully Gad' in the Steve "Tehut-Nine" McAlpin directed movie "What Goes Around" (2008)

References

http://www.vprecords.com/index.php?page=discs&a_id=37&d_id=601 Mr Brooks...A Better Tomorrow

External links

• Mavado MySpace page
• Mavado Profile on Record Label Website