CONTRIBUTED - Mr. Vegas (left) at Sting 2005 held at Jam World, Portmore, St. Catherine, on December 26.For all of this month THE STAR, The People Paper, will be featuring dancehall singjay Mr. Vegas. As a part of introducing the artiste to you we are publishing the first segment of his biography. Take note of every word and line as they may be used later in the month to construct questions that you can answer to win prizes from the artiste.
HE CATAPULTED TO the top of the Jamaican charts in 1997 with the dancehall 'boomshots' 'Heads High' and 'Nike Air', his distinctive vocals fusing melodious singing with precision deejaying (rapping).
Since then he has built an international fan base with hit singles like Pull Up, Tamale and Hot Gal Today but it is on his latest CD "Constant Spring" that Mr. Vegas' spectacular sing-jay approach and cleverly crafted lyrics dazzle with the intensity of an evening in, well, Las Vegas.
Born Clifford Smith in Kingston, Jamaica, he was given the nickname Mr. Vegas by his cousin for the neon pink shorts he wore on the football field; in addition to his athletic skills Mr. Vegas also demonstrated musical talents early on.
However an unfortunate dispute over the ownership of a DAT resulted in Vegas being hit in the jaw with an iron pipe; after the assault Vegas' mouth was wired shut so he was forced to create a unique method of vocalising through his teeth. That style was first heard on Nike Air, the song that initially positioned Vegas on the dancehall charts.
Characterised by uplifting lyrics aimed (especially) at young women, Nike Air was followed with another affirming and very appealing tune, Heads High which appeared on local and international charts.
Vegas' 1997 debut album "Heads High" (Greensleeves Records) further displayed his captivating vocal capabilities on songs like Jacket, Sweet Pineapple and Everywhere I Go; it also earned him a British Mobo Award as Best Reggae Artiste, while establishing his fan base beyond the Jamaican dancehall.
However, Vegas demonstrated even greater versatility on his 2001 sophomore release Damn Right (Greensleeves) which featured a stronger R&B and hip-hop flavour on hits like Girls Time, She's A Ho, Rise and a sensational duet with Sean Paul on Hot Gal Today.
Also see several features later this month including A Day In The Life of Mr. Vegas, Mr. Vegas Date, Cook Off and the chance to pick the songs for Vegas' upcoming album.
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