Queen Ifrica
Encyclopedia
Queen Ifrica is a reggae singer and deejay from the hills above Montego Bay
, Jamaica
. She is the daughter of ska music legend Derrick Morgan
but was raised by her mother and stepfather. Her career began in her home town in 1995 when she won a talent competition in a local club. From 1998 she began working with Tony Rebel
's Flames productions and she has gone on to perform all over the world in music festivals including Reggae on the River
in California and Reggae Sumfest
in Jamaica. Queen Ifrica, royal empress, also known as Fyah Muma, took the music world by surprise, when in 1995 she turned on a scorcher of a performance in a talent contest at the aptly named Club Inferno in Montego Bay. The Queen beat all other contestants to win by a landslide. Her baptism in the business included a performance on Reggae Sumfest’s Singer’s Nite; coming onstage after a blazing set by Buju Banton
, Queen Ifrica was not overawed by the occasion, but succeeded in commanding a good reception to her message.
Queen Ifrica joined the Flames Production camp in 1998 when, at a show in honour of the late Garnett Silk, Tony Rebel hearing the clean vocals and the unmistakable quality of her performance, asked her to join the Flames camp. Since then, she has worked her way up to being one of the premier female cultural reggae artists in the business. Queen’s stage craft, her repertoire, and her total artist development have bloomed over the years, ultimately making her into a staple in cultural reggae events around the world.
Queen has had several of her recordings become a staple on the airwaves, from the ever popular “Randy” to “Boxers and Stockings”. Queen Ifrica’s music resonates with conscious, purifying energy. She remains grounded in her way of life, her community and her children. She has a strong social consciousness, supporting her words with actions by being an active participant in several community outreach activities. Included in this is her work on the Committee for Community in the heart of Kingston
’s inner-city, particularly the S-Corner community in Kingston 13. The United Nations’ celebration of the Year of the Volunteers in 2001 saw her teaming with Tony Rebel and others to deliver a song recognized by the United Nations as a gem.
With her haunting melodies, clear sound and fluid delivery, Queen Ifrica sets out to be a force to be reckoned with, creating timeless rebel music in the ilk of her father Derrick Morgan, Garnett Silk, Nina Simone
and Miriam Makeba. Her aspiration is to make music that lives on.
A Rastafarian by faith, she is known for her work in the community and for writing songs about deeply personal subject matter in songs such as Below the Waist and Daddy. However, the subject matter of her work also has expressed homophobia
, such as in Keep It To Yourself.
Montego Bay
Montego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish and the second largest city in Jamaica by area and the fourth by population .It is a tourist destination with duty free shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches...
, Jamaica
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...
. She is the daughter of ska music legend Derrick Morgan
Derrick Morgan
Derrick Morgan is a musical artist popular in the 1960s and 1970s. He worked with Desmond Dekker, Bob Marley, and Jimmy Cliff in the rhythm and blues and ska genres, and he also performed rocksteady and skinhead reggae.-Biography:In 1957 Morgan entered the Vere Johns Opportunity Hour, a talent...
but was raised by her mother and stepfather. Her career began in her home town in 1995 when she won a talent competition in a local club. From 1998 she began working 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'...
's Flames productions and she has gone on to perform all over the world in music festivals including Reggae on the River
Reggae on the River
Reggae on the River is a reggae festival that was held annually on the first weekend in August in Humboldt County, California. It began in 1983 as a benefit for the Mateel Community Center, a nonprofit for southern Humboldt County...
in California and 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 Jamaica. Queen Ifrica, royal empress, also known as Fyah Muma, took the music world by surprise, when in 1995 she turned on a scorcher of a performance in a talent contest at the aptly named Club Inferno in Montego Bay. The Queen beat all other contestants to win by a landslide. Her baptism in the business included a performance on Reggae Sumfest’s Singer’s Nite; coming onstage after a blazing set by Buju Banton
Buju Banton
Buju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
, Queen Ifrica was not overawed by the occasion, but succeeded in commanding a good reception to her message.
Queen Ifrica joined the Flames Production camp in 1998 when, at a show in honour of the late Garnett Silk, Tony Rebel hearing the clean vocals and the unmistakable quality of her performance, asked her to join the Flames camp. Since then, she has worked her way up to being one of the premier female cultural reggae artists in the business. Queen’s stage craft, her repertoire, and her total artist development have bloomed over the years, ultimately making her into a staple in cultural reggae events around the world.
Queen has had several of her recordings become a staple on the airwaves, from the ever popular “Randy” to “Boxers and Stockings”. Queen Ifrica’s music resonates with conscious, purifying energy. She remains grounded in her way of life, her community and her children. She has a strong social consciousness, supporting her words with actions by being an active participant in several community outreach activities. Included in this is her work on the Committee for Community in the heart of Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
’s inner-city, particularly the S-Corner community in Kingston 13. The United Nations’ celebration of the Year of the Volunteers in 2001 saw her teaming with Tony Rebel and others to deliver a song recognized by the United Nations as a gem.
With her haunting melodies, clear sound and fluid delivery, Queen Ifrica sets out to be a force to be reckoned with, creating timeless rebel music in the ilk of her father Derrick Morgan, Garnett Silk, Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
and Miriam Makeba. Her aspiration is to make music that lives on.
A Rastafarian by faith, she is known for her work in the community and for writing songs about deeply personal subject matter in songs such as Below the Waist and Daddy. However, the subject matter of her work also has expressed homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, such as in Keep It To Yourself.