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Exco Levi

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Exco Levi
Exco Levi photographed in Montréal , Québec, Canada in La Sala Rossa.
Background information
Birth nameWayne Ford Levy
Bornc.1981
Harmons, Jamaica
GenresReggae
Years active2007–present
LabelsVP, Penthouse, High Priest
Websitewww.excolevimusic.com

Wayne Ford Levy (born c.1981),[1] known by his stage name Exco Levi, is a Brampton-based, Jamaican-Canadian reggae musician.[2][3][4] Levi has won five Juno Awards.[5]

Career

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Born in Harmons in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, Levi's early singing experience came from the school choir.[1] His father, Michael 'Mr Cool' Levy worked as a selector on the Super Soul sound system in Clarendon.[6] He moved to Canada in 2005, and started his recording career in 2007, releasing the single "O' Canada" that year.[7] His 'Exco' stage name is a reference to his football idol, Andrés Escobar.[7]

Levi was introduced to producer Donovan Germain by Richie Stephens, and the two began working together.[4] His track "Bleaching Shop", recorded with Germain, won the Juno Award for Reggae Recording of the Year in 2012.[8] He also won Junos for "Storms of Life" (2013), and "Strive" (2014).[9] He has also worked with German producers Silly Walks.[4]

In December 2014 he performed at Sting, and in January 2015 he was on the bill of Rebel Salute.[4] In March 2015 he released his second album, Country Man.[10] He won a fourth Juno Award for 2015's "Welcome the King".[4][11]

In 2016, Levi was living and maintaining a studio in Brampton, Ontario, while also working at times in Jamaica. That year he was inducted into the Brampton Arts Walk of Fame.[7]

In 2017, Levi won a fifth Juno Award for his reggae song "Siren".[5][12] In November 2017, Levi released his third album, Narrative, featuring guest contributions from Raging Fyah and Sizzla.[2]

In 2019, Levi was nominated for a Juno Award for the seventh time in eight years for his Narrative album[13] which was produced by Silly Walks from Germany.

In 2020, the song "Wah Gwaan" earned Levi his eighth Juno nomination.[14]

Most recently Levi received his ninth Juno Award nomination[15] in 2022, for the song "By Any Means".

Discography

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Albums

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  • Words of the Wise EP (2014), VP
  • Country Man (2015), High Priest/Penthouse
  • Narrative (2017), Silly Walks Discotheque
  • Black Creek EP (2021), High Priest.

References

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  1. ^ a b Krewen, Nick (2017) "Local reggae king Exco Levi busy uplifting and uniting", Toronto Star, August 5, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017. (Aged 36 in August 2017)
  2. ^ a b Patrick, Ryan B. (2017) "Exco Levi, Canada's Most Acclaimed Reggae Artist, Faces an Uphill Climb", Exclaim!, December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017
  3. ^ Heinrich, Jeff (August 20, 2011). "Rulers of reggae have global message: Third World aims to 'give an insight into what is taking place in the world'", The Gazette, p. E3.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Exco Levi — sticking to his roots", Jamaica Observer, 6 March 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015
  5. ^ a b "Gord Downie wins three Junos at music awards gala dinner Saturday night". London Free Press, Lynn Saxberg and Peter Hum. April 1, 2017
  6. ^ Campbell, Howard (2012) "Bleaching Shop scores for Exco Levi", Jamaica Observer, March 4, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2017
  7. ^ a b c Panjwani, Radhika ""Canada’s high priest of reggae Exco Levi finds a spot in Brampton’s Walk of Fame"", Brampton Guardian, September 19, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2017
  8. ^ Sterdan, Darryl (March 31, 2012). "Underdogs have their day at Juno Gala[usurped]", Jam!. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
  9. ^ "Exco Levi strives for Juno triple", Jamaica Observer, 12 February 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014
  10. ^ Patrick, Ryan B. (2015) "Exco Levi Country Man", Exclaim!, March 17, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2017
  11. ^ Johnson, Richard (2015) "Another Juno for Exco", Jamaica Observer, 16 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015
  12. ^ Jackson, Kevin (2017) "Juno number five for Exco Levi", Jamaica Observer, 3 April 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2017
  13. ^ "Juno Nominee Interview: Exco Levi".
  14. ^ "Exco Levi". The JUNO Awards. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  15. ^ "And the Nominees Are." The JUNO Awards. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
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