Jah Bami
Encyclopedia
Damian Marvin Walters was born in 1979 in Trinidad and Tobago
. He is better known to his fans as Jah Bami meaning ‘Jah Take Me’, an influential entertainer, vocalist and song writer making conscious music that teaches his listeners while giving them a sound to move to. His musical style embodies a mix between reggae
and soca
pulling influence from hip-hop and R&B. Jah Bami’s unique sound and personality has taken him around the world and back as a host for Viacom’s, MTV
Caribbean network MTV Tempo
. Weekly Jah Bami introduced trail blazers in the music and entertainment industries throughout the Caribbean into more than 5 million homes around the world, making him one of the most recognizable faces in the Caribbean today.
, Cameo
and Prince
and was inspired by their sound and ability to influence people with their music. He recalls watching his father DJ at clubs in Trinidad and seeing him perform on the microphone, ignited his desire to move the crowd.
In his teens he gained major recognition for his amazing talents on the steel drum teaching himself how to play difficult songs by ear. However, trained to play and write music he mastered instruments including the guitar
, piano
, and drums, which later helped him organize full orchestra ensembles later on in life. At age 17 he earned himself a music scholarship at the University of the West Indies
where he led his school to become school Panorama Champions. Jah Bami also played with the “Exodus Steel Orchestra” who was National Panorama Champions four years in a row.
He spent most of his young adult hood living between New York
and Trinidad visiting his father, who moved to the States when he was younger. In 2000 he made his official move to New York, making Brooklyn
his home. During his time in New York he began to embrace ‘Rastafari'Rastafari and a Japan
ese label Thello Entertainment recognized his unique sound and (astonishing) performance style.
and Ky-Mani Marley
(son of Bob Marley
). It was during his time in Japan
that his welcome embrace by the Japanese spawned a style they deemed ‘Mutant Chant’ for his evolving sound that embodied styles that were conscious and uplifting. His Japanese fans supported his vision and ability to sound almost religious birthed his name Jah Bami.
Upon his return to the United States
, Jah Bami has gained full reorganization for his work around the world. He was immediately invited to the leading radio station in New York ‘Hott 97’http://www.hot97.com/ and interviewed by Massive B, a world-renowned radio host and station producer Bobby Konder. Jah Bami is well known for his trendsetting fashion sense and his iconic relationship with Reggae Rastafarian Lifestyle Apparel Brand Color Heritage http://www.colorheritage.com as the official face and spokesman for the company. He continues to grow his success around the world producing chart-topping hits in continuous rotation throughout the United States
, Asia
, Europe
, and the Caribbean
. Jah Bami has recorded and shared the stage with industry legends including Wu Tang Clan, Norris Man and Damian Marley
and continues to be a beloved artist creating music that the world and his fans can connect with.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. He is better known to his fans as Jah Bami meaning ‘Jah Take Me’, an influential entertainer, vocalist and song writer making conscious music that teaches his listeners while giving them a sound to move to. His musical style embodies a mix between 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...
and soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
pulling influence from hip-hop and R&B. Jah Bami’s unique sound and personality has taken him around the world and back as a host for Viacom’s, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Caribbean network MTV Tempo
MTV Tempo
Tempo Networks, LLC is a pan-Caribbean television channel broadcasting the music and culture of the Caribbean. Programming includes music videos, news, dramas, and documentaries addressing all aspects of Caribbean life. Musical genres broadcast include Reggae, Soca, Dancehall, Ska, Calypso,...
. Weekly Jah Bami introduced trail blazers in the music and entertainment industries throughout the Caribbean into more than 5 million homes around the world, making him one of the most recognizable faces in the Caribbean today.
Early years
His musical background began early on in life at the age of 6, with his mothers push as the lead choirboy in his family’s church. As a youth the steel drum played a major role in his musical upbringing, watching his fathers group tour Trinidad as the first steelpan with such a musical background. Jah Bami grew up listening to entertainers such as Anita BakerAnita Baker
Anita Baker is an American R&B/soul jazz singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has four platinum albums and two gold albums to her credit....
, Cameo
Cameo (band)
Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
and Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
and was inspired by their sound and ability to influence people with their music. He recalls watching his father DJ at clubs in Trinidad and seeing him perform on the microphone, ignited his desire to move the crowd.
In his teens he gained major recognition for his amazing talents on the steel drum teaching himself how to play difficult songs by ear. However, trained to play and write music he mastered instruments including the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, and drums, which later helped him organize full orchestra ensembles later on in life. At age 17 he earned himself a music scholarship at the University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
where he led his school to become school Panorama Champions. Jah Bami also played with the “Exodus Steel Orchestra” who was National Panorama Champions four years in a row.
He spent most of his young adult hood living between 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...
and Trinidad visiting his father, who moved to the States when he was younger. In 2000 he made his official move to New York, making Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
his home. During his time in New York he began to embrace ‘Rastafari'Rastafari and a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese label Thello Entertainment recognized his unique sound and (astonishing) performance style.
Musical career
Thello Entertainment quickly invited him to join them on a yearlong Japanese tour alongside other reggae super stars including Wayne WonderWayne Wonder
Wayne Wonder is a Jamaican reggae fusion artist...
and Ky-Mani Marley
Ky-Mani Marley
Ky-mani is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist whose east African name means Adventurous Traveler. The only child of table tennis champion Anita Belnavis and reggae icon Bob Marley, Ky-mani Marley was born in Falmouth, Jamaica...
(son of Bob Marley
Bob 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...
). It was during his time in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
that his welcome embrace by the Japanese spawned a style they deemed ‘Mutant Chant’ for his evolving sound that embodied styles that were conscious and uplifting. His Japanese fans supported his vision and ability to sound almost religious birthed his name Jah Bami.
Upon his return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Jah Bami has gained full reorganization for his work around the world. He was immediately invited to the leading radio station in New York ‘Hott 97’http://www.hot97.com/ and interviewed by Massive B, a world-renowned radio host and station producer Bobby Konder. Jah Bami is well known for his trendsetting fashion sense and his iconic relationship with Reggae Rastafarian Lifestyle Apparel Brand Color Heritage http://www.colorheritage.com as the official face and spokesman for the company. He continues to grow his success around the world producing chart-topping hits in continuous rotation throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. Jah Bami has recorded and shared the stage with industry legends including Wu Tang Clan, Norris Man and Damian Marley
Damian Marley
Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley is a Jamaican reggae artist who has won three Grammy awards. Damian is the youngest son of Bob Marley....
and continues to be a beloved artist creating music that the world and his fans can connect with.