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"SWEET REGGAE MUSIC" Drops With Some Fyah!



“Sweet Reggae Music” dropped down in the beginning of August, 2011 and the minute it hit the ground it left a fiyah trail behind it on a global scale.  This is Ricky Grant’s newest compilation after a bit of a hiatus from the music scene.  It seems however that a little time off didn’t hurt his style at all.  But Mr. Grant assures everyone that he has been writing and recording all along, yet with a family to feed and the need to survive, his musical career was secondary to his career as a Special Ed. Instructor in the New York  school system.

So what has brought him back to stepping up and stepping out ? It was the endless messages and requests from a very loyal fan following. “This is something they were waiting on for a very long time...” says Mr. Grant. The messages came from all ages and all over the world. They were relentless, so Ricky Grant conceded defeat and headed to the studio to lay down tracks. The original plan was for the CD to have been dropped in 2010, but performances in Europe delayed the process. Sales are firing up with hard copy Cd’s, 12” vinyls, as well as online  (rgrantsweetreggaemusic.blogspot.com)


The CD has a life saving effect as well... Yes you heard it right! And no we are not talking about the socially conscious and ethically driven vibes well known as Ricky Grant’s style. As the CD was dropping he was introduced to an organization called “ImGonnaBeYourFriend.org”  dedicated towards the relief efforts of drought victims in the Horn of Africa. There are many artists who are backing this organization’s efforts and Ricky Grant can be counted in as one.  If you buy one or more of his download songs online then $.99 will automatically be dedicated towards the relief effort. This is truly a win/win for everyone and a very Rastafarian way of doing things, typically Ricky Grant.

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Music Legend Ricky Grant Weighs in on The Reggae Hip-Hop Trend
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As former member of the Afrotones and “The Gaylads,” (who recorded a number of hit songs which included “My Jamaican Girl”- “Soul Sister”- and “Fire and  Rain;”) Ricky Grant has a musical career that has spanned the globe for the past 5 decades. He has worn many different hats in the industry as well, from artist to producer. Ricky has certainly watched and has been a part of the evolutions that the music industry experienced for quite some time. This includes the evolving collaboration and union between Reggae and Hip-Hop.  Now there are very vocal enthusiasts  sitting on both sides of the pro and con  fence and we were curious as to exactly how this singing legend who is best identified with Root Reggae weighs in on the subject. His response is very refreshing:


“I am not a turncoat by collaborating with different genres, you have to understand, I am one of Reggae’s foundations,” explains Ricky Grant

Mr. Grant is very quick to point out that he not only grew up listening to many genres (R&B, Soul, .Calypso, Merrengue, The Waltz(Slowmusic), Blues,  Jazz, Gospel, Classical, Country & Western...) but has over the years collaborated with many different artists spanning across many different flavors throughout his entire career, including Jazz. It certainly hasn’t polluted or diluted his effectiveness in crafting  “Roots Rocking Reggae” which he has established a long term and very loyal fan base. “I'm just flexing my versatility,” explains Ricky Grant. To him, his music was always about passing on a positive vibe to reinforce global concepts such as:  unity, peace and compassion.  The world is a big place we all have different preferences in which we absorb and assimilate information and music is no exception. In order to touch a wider audience with his message of humanity, Ricky Grant is willing to extend his hand over the threshold of many different musical genres.

The audio clip below is one such extension that indeed entered into Hip-Hop circles. It is a collaboration with Roni Oslip entitled  “Live and Love.” In addition there is also a collaborative effort with POW’s from Long Island New York: “Come Party” and “Let’s Get it On.”
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