NEW YORK (Virgin Records) - Virgin Records recording artist and dancehall superstar
Beenie Man is set to unleash a collection of his most raucous and rhythmic romps with "Kingston to King of the Dancehall: A Collection of Dancehall Favorites," the greatest hits collection that will be hitting stores on February 1.
A compilation of smash tracks spanning the breadth of his extraordinary career - from 1995's wickedly controversial "Slam" to the hilariously catchy "Dude," the long running hit from Beenie Man's last studio album, 1994's "Back to Basics" - the new disc also includes an exclusive previously unreleased track, "The Specialist," featuring Vybz Kartel, one of Jamaica's hottest rising stars.
An incredible document of Beenie Man's long and diverse reign as "King of the Dancehall," the new collection includes many of his chart-topping collaborations with some of Jamaica's most legendary dancehall producers, including Dave Kelly ("Slam," "Dude"), Tony Kelly ("Bookshelf," "Miss L.A.P.)," "King of the Dancehall"), and Sly and Robbie ("Foundation"), plus hits from up-to-the-minute studio wizards like Wyclef Jean ("Love Me Now") and The Neptunes ("Girls Dem Sugar" and "Bossman"). Guest artists on the various tracks include R&B princess Mya and fellow dancehall stars Sean Paul, Miss Thing, and Lady Saw.
Performing in Kingston dancehalls since the age of 5, Beenie Man has had more than 60 No 1 hits in his native Jamaica. The prodigiously talented artist first came to worldwide attention with his Jerome Harding-produced crossover smash "Who Am I" (also included here), the first dancehall track to ever crack the Top Ten of the Billboard "Hot 100" in it's original version. The track ushered dancehall - and Beenie Man - boisterously into the mainstream and helped open doors for many of his fellow Jamaican riddim-riders.
Known for his brilliantly kinetic wordplay and his ability to handily transform the stark, hardcore beats of dancehall into multi-dimensional hits, Beenie Man has delighted audiences and critics alike with his three phenomenally-regarded Virgin-released records: "Art and Life" (2000), which earned a Grammy for Best Reggae Album, "Tropical Storm" (2002) and "Back to Basics" (2004).
Both an overview of an incredible musical legacy and a confirmation of the infinite artistic potential still to be tapped, "Kingston to King of the Dancehall" demonstrates one of the world's most unique artists truly at the top of his powers.
