Asher D (2)
Encyclopedia
Asher D is a British rapper
of origin who was part of a successful partnership with reggae
artist Daddy Freddy
. His name was later used by another British rapper.
in 1986 when he was spotted rapping on the street in Peckham
and put in touch with Music of Life
records. The label's founder, Simon Harris
, who was looking for an artist who could combine Reggae Music with Hip-Hop, was impressed by the rapper's ability and arranged for him to record a tune with another rapper. Unfortunately, the original rapper backed out at the last minute, and instead Harris brought in Daddy Freddy
as a last minute replacement. The tune, "Ragamuffin Hip-Hop
" (Music of Life, 1987), was one of the label's earliest successes and lay the foundations for a lasting partnership. The track spawned a subgenre that was also known as 'ragamuffin hip hop'.
"Ragamuffin Hip-Hop" was an instant success and immediately picked up radio airplay in the United Kingdom but it was the New Music Seminar in New York that broke the innovative new sound in the US when Simon Harris (who attended as a featured panelist at the convention) gave the new record to WBLS DJ Mr Magic, th top Hip-Hop DJ who immediately starting featuring the record. The high profile airplay on WBLS gained the attention of Run DMC's label, Profile Records
who released "Ragamuffin Hip Hop" in the US followed by the album that Harris produced, a new sound was unleashed, thanks to producer Simon Harris and his artists, breaking ground with "Ragamuffin Hip Hop", the exciting new sound influenced rap artists to this day and contributes hugely to the success of rap music and that original record has played a large part in the huge billion dollar rap industry.
The duo recorded and released an album, also called Ragamuffin Hip-Hop (Music of Life, 1988), described by Allmusic as "a sterling blend of reggae and hip-hop", and achieved modest worldwide fame for their tunes. Their next single, Brutality (Music of Life, 1988) was another success and was followed by a version of Mungo Jerry
's "In the Summertime". The duo then featured on Music Of Life's album Hustlers Convention (1989) which is regarded as Hip Hop's first live album. When Asher D was arrested and imprisoned on drug related charges. By the time he was released, Daddy Freddy had continued as a solo artist, leaving Asher to do the same - although the pair did team up again for We Are The Champions (Mango Records, 1991).
Asher's first solo release was the single "Raggamuffin Darlin'"(Music of Life, 1990), which was followed by a single and album Still Kickin (Music of Life, 1991). Since then, however, he has disappeared from the spotlight, and finding out information about him since the arrival of his namesake on the scene is all the more difficult. A sample of the Asher D and Daddy Freddy song "Raggamuffin Duo Take Charge" was used in The Prodigy song "Take Me To The Hospital" from their 2009 album Invaders Must Die.
British hip hop
British hip hop is a genre of music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. It is generally classified as one of a number of styles of urban music...
of origin who was part of a successful partnership with 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...
artist Daddy Freddy
Daddy Freddy
S. Frederick Small , better known as Daddy Freddy is a ragga vocalist.-Early life:Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.His neighbours were Jacob Miller and...
. His name was later used by another British rapper.
Biography
Asher D had recently returned from a trip to JamaicaJamaica
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...
in 1986 when he was spotted rapping on the street in Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
and put in touch with Music of Life
Music of Life
Music of Life is a British independent dance music label formed in 1986 by two influential DJ remixers, Froggy and Simon Harris. Following several successful productions, one of which reached No3 in the UK pop music charts Harris and Froggy decided to launch their own label, they were offered a...
records. The label's founder, Simon Harris
Simon Harris
Simon Harris , is predominantly known as the owner and founder of the record label Music of Life and writer/producer of most of its extensive catalog of songs, although he is also an influential DJ, award winning producer, remixer of several Grammy Award winning artists and pioneer of electronic...
, who was looking for an artist who could combine Reggae Music with Hip-Hop, was impressed by the rapper's ability and arranged for him to record a tune with another rapper. Unfortunately, the original rapper backed out at the last minute, and instead Harris brought in Daddy Freddy
Daddy Freddy
S. Frederick Small , better known as Daddy Freddy is a ragga vocalist.-Early life:Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.His neighbours were Jacob Miller and...
as a last minute replacement. The tune, "Ragamuffin Hip-Hop
Ragamuffin Hip-Hop
Ragamuffin Hip-Hop is an album by Asher D & Daddy Freddy.-CD:#"Ragamuffin Hip Hop" - 5:30#"Africa" - 2:55#"Brutality" - 5:10#"Summertime" - 3:00#"Don't Stop, Do It" - 5:55#"Posse Rock & Move" - 5:45#"Rough And Rugged" - 5:45...
" (Music of Life, 1987), was one of the label's earliest successes and lay the foundations for a lasting partnership. The track spawned a subgenre that was also known as 'ragamuffin hip hop'.
"Ragamuffin Hip-Hop" was an instant success and immediately picked up radio airplay in the United Kingdom but it was the New Music Seminar in New York that broke the innovative new sound in the US when Simon Harris (who attended as a featured panelist at the convention) gave the new record to WBLS DJ Mr Magic, th top Hip-Hop DJ who immediately starting featuring the record. The high profile airplay on WBLS gained the attention of Run DMC's label, Profile Records
Profile Records
Profile Records was a record label that specialized in many types of urban-oriented music, such as hip hop, active until 1996..- History :In 1980, at 23 years old, after working briefly for MCA, Cory Robbins was looking to start a record label. He invited his songwriter friend Steve Plotnicki to be...
who released "Ragamuffin Hip Hop" in the US followed by the album that Harris produced, a new sound was unleashed, thanks to producer Simon Harris and his artists, breaking ground with "Ragamuffin Hip Hop", the exciting new sound influenced rap artists to this day and contributes hugely to the success of rap music and that original record has played a large part in the huge billion dollar rap industry.
The duo recorded and released an album, also called Ragamuffin Hip-Hop (Music of Life, 1988), described by Allmusic as "a sterling blend of reggae and hip-hop", and achieved modest worldwide fame for their tunes. Their next single, Brutality (Music of Life, 1988) was another success and was followed by a version of Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry is an English rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most...
's "In the Summertime". The duo then featured on Music Of Life's album Hustlers Convention (1989) which is regarded as Hip Hop's first live album. When Asher D was arrested and imprisoned on drug related charges. By the time he was released, Daddy Freddy had continued as a solo artist, leaving Asher to do the same - although the pair did team up again for We Are The Champions (Mango Records, 1991).
Asher's first solo release was the single "Raggamuffin Darlin'"(Music of Life, 1990), which was followed by a single and album Still Kickin (Music of Life, 1991). Since then, however, he has disappeared from the spotlight, and finding out information about him since the arrival of his namesake on the scene is all the more difficult. A sample of the Asher D and Daddy Freddy song "Raggamuffin Duo Take Charge" was used in The Prodigy song "Take Me To The Hospital" from their 2009 album Invaders Must Die.
Discography
- Ragamuffin Hip-HopRagamuffin Hip-HopRagamuffin Hip-Hop is an album by Asher D & Daddy Freddy.-CD:#"Ragamuffin Hip Hop" - 5:30#"Africa" - 2:55#"Brutality" - 5:10#"Summertime" - 3:00#"Don't Stop, Do It" - 5:55#"Posse Rock & Move" - 5:45#"Rough And Rugged" - 5:45...
lp/cd (Music of Life, 1988) - with Daddy FreddyDaddy FreddyS. Frederick Small , better known as Daddy Freddy is a ragga vocalist.-Early life:Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.His neighbours were Jacob Miller and... - "Ragamuffin Hip-HopRagamuffin Hip-HopRagamuffin Hip-Hop is an album by Asher D & Daddy Freddy.-CD:#"Ragamuffin Hip Hop" - 5:30#"Africa" - 2:55#"Brutality" - 5:10#"Summertime" - 3:00#"Don't Stop, Do It" - 5:55#"Posse Rock & Move" - 5:45#"Rough And Rugged" - 5:45...
" 12" (Music of Life, 1988) - with Daddy FreddyDaddy FreddyS. Frederick Small , better known as Daddy Freddy is a ragga vocalist.-Early life:Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.His neighbours were Jacob Miller and... - "Brutality" 12" Music Of Life (1988) - with Daddy FreddyDaddy FreddyS. Frederick Small , better known as Daddy Freddy is a ragga vocalist.-Early life:Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.His neighbours were Jacob Miller and...
- "Summertime" 12" Music Of Life (1988) - with Daddy FreddyDaddy FreddyS. Frederick Small , better known as Daddy Freddy is a ragga vocalist.-Early life:Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.His neighbours were Jacob Miller and...
- "We Are The Champions" 12" Chrysalis (1989) - with Daddy FreddyDaddy FreddyS. Frederick Small , better known as Daddy Freddy is a ragga vocalist.-Early life:Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.His neighbours were Jacob Miller and...
- "Ragamuffin Darlin'" 12" - (1990)
- Still Kickin lp (Music of Life, 1991)
- Hustlers Convention (1989 appearance)