Biography
Jamaican reggae artist Nesbeth connects to his audiences through joyful, socially-conscious music that tells authentic tales about his life’s most inspiring moments and his community’s past, present and future. His energetic live shows brighten stages worldwide, and he turns each performance into an intimate platform on which to share his viewpoints and experiences and to spread his free-spirited optimism. Each of his songs illuminates the animated, emotional layers of his resonant voice along with his ability to create striking melodies and improvise on unusual international rhythms. His solo work, various collaborations with other talented artists and on-going philanthropy illustrate his own perseverance, express his passionate political ideologies and reflect the colorful work and narratives of the artists and groups that continue to move him, including Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, K’naan and others.
Nesbeth grew up in the urban Arnett Gardens neighborhood of West Kingston on the island of Jamaica, referred to as “The Concrete Jungle” because of high crime rates and widespread economic hardship. Throughout his childhood, music was the sun in his life, and his curiosity about using it to communicate and to offer comfort to himself and others grew as he began to experiment with recording and discover his own voice.
Nesbeth recorded his first single, “Reflection of Love” in 1993 with singer Camera and since then has gathered an impressive list of accomplishments, both on his own and alongside other talented artists on stage and in the studio. His music has been released by labels such as Jack Scorpio, No Doubt Records, Down Sound Records and Shocking Vibes Production, a company that produced Nesbeth’s beloved single “So Let It Be” in 2002. In early 2007, he was introduced to renowned music producer Flava McGregor, with whom he has recorded over 10 well-received songs offering hope to people vulnerable to a culture of violence and uncertainty, such as “Board House,” “Guns Out,” “Friends for Sale,” “Drive By” and “A Nuh Suh Mi Waan Live.” During the past two decades, Nesbeth has been a force at international festivals such as Reggae Sumfest, Bob Marley Birthday Bash, STING, Rebel Salute, Irie Jamborie in New York City, Summerfest in Washington, D.C., New Jersey Reggae Fest and has played shows at venues in Ottawa, Canada, Antigua, Saint Kitts, Anguilla, Grenada and cities throughout the United Kingdom. In February 2010, he hosted “A Nuh Suh Mi Waan Live,” a love and unity concert in the Arnett Gardens community where he and other native artists performed. The event brought together thousands of residents that had been isolated in their communities for years by violence.
Nesbeth still strives to be the voice of his nation by creating music that tells a powerful story and supports his philosophies and by lending his support to a variety of charitable events. He won a 2013 Manchester Award along with an honorary award at the 2013 Music Industry Achievers Awards and completed a successful debut tour of the United Kingdom in September. His latest single, “Taking Over,” produced by Aza Yaad Muzic has been a hit on Jamaican radio. Having just signed with Entertainment Soul LTD, Nesbeth is currently in the studio working on an album and preparing for upcoming global tours in 2014 and beyond.
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