General Degree

Born in Manchester (Jamaica) on April 28, Degree often had to hide as a

child from his strict christian parents in order to get a taste of

what was happening on the airwaves. It was only a few years

later in his early 20's, that Degree was hitting those same

airwaves with his brilliant imitation of a grandmother in his

first number one hit 'Granny'- his first recording for Main

Street producer Danny Browne. 'Granny' reigned in the

dances and charts for one year straight, and that humorous

vine has thrived throughout Degree's career and is a

component he naturally possesses.

Degree's impressive parade of number one hits continued

both at home and abroad, and lends great credence to the

fact that he certainly does know what he's talking about.

Tunes such as 'Granny, Brinks, Mr Dweet Nice, Bodyguard,

Papa Lover, Hold Yuh Tonight, Spark plug and countless

others have had fans skanking .

General Degree is also renowned for his provocative lyrics

that always leave just enough up to the imagination. The

little they do leave, is also plenty for them not to be certified

XXX-rated. Girls crying for his 'Pianist' is the perfect example

of a Degree double-entendre, that gets his earthy message

across whilst leaving the censors with nothing to do. The

reason why Degree's suggestiveness works so well is because

of the pure invention in his work. It's a trademark that

ensures no two Degree tunes sound similar, even if the

subject matter might be. Always vocally ambidextrous on a

rhythm, his spoken voice lingers at double bass. Reflecting

this, the 1998 smash "Bag a Tings" has become the blueprint

for an almost monotone flow that has been utilized by many

deejays since.

'Cartoon Character', 'Traffic Blocking', 'Boom Boom' among

others, kept the artiste on the charts and satisfied his fans

appetite for more of the 'Bush Baby'- which happened to

be the title track of the album for which he copped a Reggae Soca Award for

best

dancehall album.

Being often described as a "consistent" DJ, Degree has entered the 21st

century with new ideas and a slew of new hits. Tracks like 'My Girls'

'Inna', 'Man Shortage', 'Bounce Somebody' and most recently 'The Specialist'

have proven

his consistency, and are doing well both locally and on the international

market.

A new album is in the works for the entertainer in 2003. So once again the

wheels are turning for yet another lyrically creative production from Degree

and will be an addition to his growing catalogue.

Not to be outdone by the young bloods in the business, Degree has and will

continue to rank among the best, and has pledged to maintain and continue

contributing to the development and success of dancehall music. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.