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Kirk Diamond

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Kirk Diamond
Birth nameKirk Douglas
Born (1984-06-24) 24 June 1984 (age 40)
Spanish Town, Jamaica
OriginBrampton, Ontario, Canada
GenresReggae, Dancehall
OccupationSinger-Songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active2010–present
LabelsThe Movement Of Ahryel
Websitekirkdiamondmusic.com

Kirk Douglas (born 24 June 1984), better known by his stage name Kirk Diamond is a Jamaican-Canadian Reggae and Dancehall singer-songwriter, producer and entrepreneur based in Brampton, Ontario.[1]

Early life

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Diamond was born Kirk Douglas in Spanish Town, Jamaica.[2][3] He immigrated to Canada with his family in the 1990s at the age of ten.[4][5]

Music career

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[5] In 2010 Diamond joined the Dancehall music group Don Dem.[6] Don Dem released two projects. In 2011, "Loaded Mixtape" and In 2013 "The ReMixtape".[3] In 2014 Kirk Collaborated with "T.G." a.k.a "Tommy Gunn" to release the single, Dem Nuh Real under the "Armzhouse" label in "Jamaica".[7]

In 2015, Kirk and Bob Da Builda of Don Dem were nominated for a Juno Award for the single Love Inna We Heart which was produced by France based "Galang Records".[4] In 2016 he traveled to Jamaica to collaborate with Derrick Morgan on a remake of the latter's 1960s song "Conqueror".[8]

With high anticipation for the release of Diamond's solo debut EP entitled,Greater. Kirk flew to the UK to promote the project in 2017. The final stop on the media run was to BBC Radio 1Xtra where he joined Seani B on his program. What was to be a normal interview, ended up being much more when Kirk delivered a well-received freestyle.[9][10][5] After returning to Canada, Kirk took on the festival circuit starting with the Grace Jerk Festival in Toronto,[11] and the Reggaefest in Calgary, Alberta.[12]

In 2018 the EP, "Greater" won the Juno Award for Reggae Recording of the Year.[13][14] 2018 is also when Diamond would emerge as one of the most sought after performers in Canada, performing at over 72 shows including the "Love Thy Labourer festival" in Norfolk, Ontario[15] and the Jambana Festival where Kirk would open for the legendary Third World Band.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Harvest party in downtown Simcoe". Monte Sonnenberg, Simcoe Reformer, September 14, 2018
  2. ^ "Reggae & Dancehall Recording Artist Kirk Diamond “Greater” Than Ever". Jamaicans, 2016
  3. ^ a b "Don Dem", BOSS Magazine, Winter 2013–14 issue,
  4. ^ a b "Kirk Diamond wins Juno". Jamaica Observer, By Kevin Jackson, March 26, 2018
  5. ^ a b c "Kirk Diamond’s time to shine". The Voice, May 17, 2017
  6. ^ "Jamaican Reggae/Dancehall Group Don Dem Successful In Canada". Reggae Times, December 13, 2012 . reprinted from Tropical Fete
  7. ^ "Canada-Based Reggae Singer Kirk Diamond, Yearns for the Big Break!". MIX 102, September 15, 2014
  8. ^ "Derrick Morgan remakes 'Conqueror' with Kirk Diamond". Jamaica Gleaner, February 3, 2016 | Curtis Campbell
  9. ^ "- YouTube". YouTube.
  10. ^ "Kirk Diamond shining bright with Juno nod". Jamaica Obsrver, by Kevin Jackson. Monday, February 19, 2018
  11. ^ " Grace Jerk Festival Takes Over Toronto With Fun For The Whole Family!". Toronto Caribbean, Noel Cunningham August 24, 2017
  12. ^ "Calgary's Reggaefest cancelled after 14 years". Daily Hive, April 6, 2018
  13. ^ "Junos 2018: the complete list of winners". CBC News, · March 25, 2018
  14. ^ "Early Junos Go to Gord Downie, Grimes, Alvvays and More". Exclaim!, March 24, 2018
  15. ^ "Harvest party in downtown Simcoe". Simcoe Reformer, Monte Sonnenberg, September 14, 2018
  16. ^ "Jambana rocks Brampton". August 8, 2018, also "Jambama celebrates its 10th anniversary in Brampton". August 7, 2018, both by Marta Marychuk, Brampton Guardian
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