WMV — Reggae singer Shinehead is set to headline a concert in New York’s Central Park dubbed ‘VP Records Presents Dancehall Meets Hip Hop 90s Style’. For those wishing to bask in the nostalgia, other acts on the show include 80s hip hop act Slick Rick, Wayne Wonder, Red Fox, Lady G, Jazzy Joyce, Peter Panic and hosts Ralph McDaniels and Dahved Levy according to a release sent to World Music Views.
Shinehead began his music career by performing for different New York City in the 1980s, performing on Tony Screw’s Downbeat the Ruler, based in The Bronx.
His recording debut was in 1986 on the African Love Music independent record label with “Who the Cap Fits (Let Them Wear It)” from the album Rough & Rugged. He appeared on Sly and Robbie’s 1987 album, Rhythm Killers. He then got a record deal with Elektra Records in 1988, where he remained until 1995.
His best-known single is the cover version of Sting’s “Englishman in New York”, retitled as “Jamaican in New York” which reached No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart in April 1993. The single was featured on the Sidewalk University album.
The Jamaican-New Yorker is credited as being one of the original acts to pioneer ‘reggae fusion’, with songs such as “Try My Love” in 1992. Throughout his career he released 6 albums between 1986 and 1999.
He last performed on Damian Marley’s Welcome To Jamrock cruise in 2015.
His 1991 song ‘Strive’, was recently included on Rolling Stone Magazine’s ’60 Years of Jamaican Music in 60 Songs.’
