Half-Pint
Encyclopedia
Half Pint is a Jamaica
n dancehall
, ragga
, and reggae
singer.
He released Money Man Skank, recorded in the early 1980s by King Jammy
, which possessed energy, ebullience and style that epitomised the dancehall feel.
, Dennis Brown
, Peter Tosh
, Lee "Scratch" Perry, and Toots Hibbert
.
Half Pint began singing in the school choir at All Saints' Primary School. After the completion of his secondary education in 1976, he sought work as a vocalist within the Jamaican music industry. Half Pint toured the island with various sound systems including Black Scorpio, Jammys, Gemini, Lee's Unlimited and Killimanjaro. He subsequently worked with record producers such as Errol (John) Marshall; Errol (Myrie) Lewis; King Jammy
; Sly and Robbie
; George Phang
; Jack Scorpio, Bobby "Digital" Dixon and Mass Hugh. He also collaborated with Garnett Silk, Tony Rebel
and The Tamlins
.
In 1983, Pint's first single
, "Sally," was released followed by the song "Winsome," and both tracks became reggae hits. He continued to release songs that became hits in the local and international reggae scenes, including "Mr. Landlord," "Level the Vibes," "Substitute Lover" and the chart-topper
, "Victory." Besides these singles, Roberts released a number of album
s. His largest fanbases are in Europe, Japan, Brazil, and the West Coast of the United States
.
Half Pint's 1983 Jamaican number-one song "Winsome" was covered by The Rolling Stones
in 1986 although it was renamed "Too Rude" for their Dirty Work album. The dub-punk group Sublime
released a cover of Half Pint's "Loving" in 1996. Half Pint maintained his public profile by frequent touring and guest appearances. He has performed at music festival
s and rock concerts. Half Pint's track "Giving/Sharing" was featured on the soundtrack
album for the film
, The Mighty Quinn (1989). His music has also been used on the films Substitute 2 (1998), and the French comedy Mookie (1998). In 1998, Half Pint was signed with the BMG Music Publishing Company.
Despite being noticeably absent from the recording studio
s for most of this decade, Half Pint enjoyed relative success with Legal We Legal (his first studio album within a ten-year period). This was followed by a fifteen city US
tour with Anthony B
. Half Pint was presented with "The Key to The City of Lauderdale Lakes" by the Mayor of the Florida
suburb in 2000. Half Pint was featured on Sly & Robbie's 25th Anniversary US Tour along with Tony Rebel
and Heineken Startime appearances in December 2004 in Jamaica. Half Pint has worked with the California based band, DubCat. The New York
based Sotti Records label
released a Half Pint single in 2005, "Wha Ya Wan," an updated remake of his "Winsome" with R&B singer DIA.
Half Pint was nominated and awarded the "Producer’s Respect Award" at the 26th International Reggae and World Music Awards held in New York City at the Apollo Theater on May 5, 2007. Half Pint headlined at the Jamaica 360 festival in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in May, and a return performance at the 15th Annual Reggae Sumfest
in Montego Bay, Jamaica in July. He also released No Stress Express that year.
Sublime
's 1996 hit, "What I Got
", was based on the chorus of Half Pint's track "Loving".
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
, ragga
Ragga
-Origins:Ragga originated in Jamaica during the 1980s, at the same time that electronic dance music's popularity was increasing globally. One of the reasons for ragga's swift propagation is that it is generally easier and less expensive to produce than reggae performed on traditional musical...
, and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer.
He released Money Man Skank, recorded in the early 1980s by King Jammy
King Jammy
Lloyd James , better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a dub mixer and record producer. He began his musical career as a dub master at King Tubby's recording studio...
, which possessed energy, ebullience and style that epitomised the dancehall feel.
Biography
He originates from the West Kingston enclave of Rose Lane; a community which has produced reggae acts such as Bob MarleyBob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, Dennis Brown
Dennis Brown
Dennis Emmanuel Brown was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers rock, a sub-genre of reggae...
, Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh
Peter Tosh, born Winston Hubert McIntosh , was a Jamaican reggae musician who was a core member of the band The Wailers , and who afterward had a successful solo career as well as being a promoter of Rastafari.Peter Tosh was born in Grange Hill, Jamaica, an illegitimate child to a mother too young...
, Lee "Scratch" Perry, and Toots Hibbert
Toots Hibbert
Frederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert is a ska and roots reggae singer and leader of the reggae band Toots & the Maytals.-Biography:...
.
Half Pint began singing in the school choir at All Saints' Primary School. After the completion of his secondary education in 1976, he sought work as a vocalist within the Jamaican music industry. Half Pint toured the island with various sound systems including Black Scorpio, Jammys, Gemini, Lee's Unlimited and Killimanjaro. He subsequently worked with record producers such as Errol (John) Marshall; Errol (Myrie) Lewis; King Jammy
King Jammy
Lloyd James , better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a dub mixer and record producer. He began his musical career as a dub master at King Tubby's recording studio...
; Sly and Robbie
Sly and Robbie
Sly and Robbie is the prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production team of drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare who joined in the mid 1970s after having established themselves separately in Jamaica as professional musicians...
; George Phang
George Phang
George Phang is a reggae producer born in the 1950s in south Saint Andrew, Kingston, Jamaica where still resides today.Phang started his reggae label Powerhouse in the early 1980s. His first hits were Little John's "True Confessions" and "Roots Girl", both released in 1983...
; Jack Scorpio, Bobby "Digital" Dixon and Mass Hugh. He also collaborated with Garnett Silk, Tony Rebel
Tony Rebel
Tony Rebel is a Jamaican reggae deejay. He was initially a singer, appearing as Papa Tony or Tony Ranking in local talent contests and on sound systems including Sugar Minott's 'Youth Promotion'...
and The Tamlins
The Tamlins
The Tamlins were a 1970s Jamaican reggae and dub vocal group. Composed of Carlton Smith, Junior Moore, and Derrick Lara, The Tamlins are among the most recognized back-up singers in reggae, especially for their years of international touring in support of Peter Tosh...
.
In 1983, Pint's first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Sally," was released followed by the song "Winsome," and both tracks became reggae hits. He continued to release songs that became hits in the local and international reggae scenes, including "Mr. Landlord," "Level the Vibes," "Substitute Lover" and the chart-topper
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, "Victory." Besides these singles, Roberts released a number of album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s. His largest fanbases are in Europe, Japan, Brazil, and the West Coast of the United States
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
.
Half Pint's 1983 Jamaican number-one song "Winsome" was covered by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
in 1986 although it was renamed "Too Rude" for their Dirty Work album. The dub-punk group Sublime
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
released a cover of Half Pint's "Loving" in 1996. Half Pint maintained his public profile by frequent touring and guest appearances. He has performed at music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
s and rock concerts. Half Pint's track "Giving/Sharing" was featured on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
album for the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, The Mighty Quinn (1989). His music has also been used on the films Substitute 2 (1998), and the French comedy Mookie (1998). In 1998, Half Pint was signed with the BMG Music Publishing Company.
Despite being noticeably absent from the recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
s for most of this decade, Half Pint enjoyed relative success with Legal We Legal (his first studio album within a ten-year period). This was followed by a fifteen city US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
tour with Anthony B
Anthony B
Anthony B is the stage name of Keith Blair , a Jamaican musician and member of the Rastafari movement....
. Half Pint was presented with "The Key to The City of Lauderdale Lakes" by the Mayor of the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
suburb in 2000. Half Pint was featured on Sly & Robbie's 25th Anniversary US Tour along with Tony Rebel
Tony Rebel
Tony Rebel is a Jamaican reggae deejay. He was initially a singer, appearing as Papa Tony or Tony Ranking in local talent contests and on sound systems including Sugar Minott's 'Youth Promotion'...
and Heineken Startime appearances in December 2004 in Jamaica. Half Pint has worked with the California based band, DubCat. The New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
based Sotti Records label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
released a Half Pint single in 2005, "Wha Ya Wan," an updated remake of his "Winsome" with R&B singer DIA.
Half Pint was nominated and awarded the "Producer’s Respect Award" at the 26th International Reggae and World Music Awards held in New York City at the Apollo Theater on May 5, 2007. Half Pint headlined at the Jamaica 360 festival in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in May, and a return performance at the 15th Annual Reggae Sumfest
Reggae Sumfest
Reggae Sumfest is the largest concert festival in Jamaica, taking place each year in mid-July in Montego Bay. Sumfest, started in 1993, is officially sponsored by Red Stripe....
in Montego Bay, Jamaica in July. He also released No Stress Express that year.
Sublime
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
's 1996 hit, "What I Got
What I Got
"What I Got" is a song from Sublime's eponymous third album titled Sublime and was the band's biggest radio hit, posthumously after singer Bradley Nowell's 1996 heroin overdose. It was the second single to be released by the band, following "Date Rape" . The song was one of the most popular singles...
", was based on the chorus of Half Pint's track "Loving".
Work with other musicians
Half Pint has been featured as a guest on a number of songs by other artists including:- "Pass It On" by Long Beach Dub AllstarsLong Beach Dub AllstarsThe Long Beach Dub Allstars were a dub reggae/ska/rock band formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2002.-History:Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh met in childhood and later started their first garage punk band, consisting of drums, bass and vocals. They later formed Sublime with Brad Nowell...
, from the album Right BackRight Back-Guest Artists:This album features many additional artists, including:* Barrington Levy, performing on "Righteous Dub" & "Saw Red"* H.R., performing on "New Sun"* Dangr, performing on "Kick Down"* Tippa Irie, performing on "Sensi"... - "Life Goes On" by Long Beach Dub Allstars, from the album Wonders of the WorldWonders of the World (album)Wonders of the World is the second album from dub band Long Beach Dub Allstars. It was released during the September 11, 2001 attacks, and was the final album from the band...
- "Sunday Afternoon" by Lucky Boys ConfusionLucky Boys ConfusionLucky Boys Confusion is a rock band from the Chicago suburbs in DuPage County. Their music is a mix of rock, punk, ska, and hip hop. The band consists of bassist Jason Schultejann, drummer Ryan Fergus, vocalist Kaustubh Pandav, guitarist/vocalist Adam Krier, and guitarist Joe Sell...
, from the album CommitmentLBC CommitmentCommitment is the fourth album by Lucky Boys Confusion, released on October 21, 2003. It is their second album released on a major label.-Track listing:# "Champions Dub" – 1:04# "Hey Driver" – 2:36# "Broken" – 3:08# "Mr. Wilmington" – 3:20... - "Rivertown" by SnowSnow (musician)Darrin O'Brien , better known by his stage name Snow, is a Juno Award-winning Canadian rap and reggae musician. He is best known for his 1992 single "Informer", which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.-Life and work:...
, from the album "Murder LoveMurder LoveMurder Love is Canadian reggae musician Snow’s second album. While his preceding album featured a wide array of musical genres fusing hip-hop, pop, and reggae, Murder Love was recorded in Jamaica and primarily featured dancehall tracks...
" - On 2006's "Bongidae! Silverback Music Festival" version, Dubcat featured on tracks "Level the Vibes", "Cost of Living" and "Winsome". Also, Half Pint collaborated with Slightly StoopidSlightly StoopidSlightly Stoopid is an American band based in Ocean Beach, San Diego, California, who describe their music as "a fusion of acoustic rock and blues with reggae, hip-hop, and punk". As a band, they have released eight albums with their sixth studio album, entitled Slightly Not Stoned Enough To Eat...
.