Mad Cobra
Encyclopedia
Ewart Everton Brown better known by his stage name of Mad Cobra or simply Cobra is a Jamaica
n reggae
musician.
, raised in the parish of St. Mary
and relocated back to the place of his birth during his teenage years. He began performing under his stage name, taken from a character in the G.I. Joe
comic books, while still in his teens. He honed his talents on several local sound systems before entring the studio. His first single, 1989's "Respect Woman", was produced by his uncle, Tuff Gong
engineer Delroy "Spiderman" Thompson. His next single, "Na Go Work", featured Tricia McKay, giving him his first hit, and bringing him to the attention of producers Captain Sinbad
and Carl Nelson
. Together they released a string of hit dancehall
singles, including "Shoot to Kill", "Merciless Bad Boy", and "Ze Taurus", which featured tough, gangsta rap
-style lyrics in keeping with the current trends of that time.
In 1990, Cobra began working with producer Donovan Germain
and songwriter Dave Kelly
on the Penthouse Records label. This partnership spawned a series of major hits in Jamaica, including "Yush", "Gundelero", "Bad Boy Talk", and "Feeling Lonely" (with Beres Hammond
). He released his first full-length album in 1991, entitled Bad Boy Talk, and over the next year worked with several different producers on yet more hit tracks ("O.P.P" with King Jammy
, "Tek Him" with Bobby Digital
, "Be Patient" with Sly & Robbie). In 1991 and 1992, Mad Cobra broke into the UK Reggae charts with five number one hits, bringing with it a backlash over concerns about the anti-gay
sentiments of tracks such as "Crucifixion".
In the wake of his British success, Mad Cobra signed a deal in America with Columbia Records
. His next LP
was entitled Hard to Wet, Easy to Dry, and featured "Flex", a single which interpolated
elements of The Temptations
' "Just My Imagination". It was a smash hit, topping the US Rap Singles chart, hitting #7 on the R&B chart, and peaking at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100
. The success of the single propelled the album to #125 on the Billboard Top 200, but the follow-up, "Legacy", failed to chart, and for the next several years Cobra's hitmaking remained primarily in Jamaica with songs such as 1993's "Mek Noise" and "Matti Haffie Move". Around this time, Cobra became involved in rivalries with fellow reggae artists Ninjaman
and Buju Banton
. He also made a guest appearance on rap group Run-D.M.C.
's "What's Next" on their album Down with the King.
In 1994, Cobra returned with Venom, again recording with King Jammy. Jamaican hit singles from the 1994-1995 period included "Length and Bend", "Fat and Buff", and "Selassie I Rules", now adopting "conscious" lyrics. In 1996, Columbia Records
released Milkman in the US market. The album peaked at #12 on Billboard's Top Reggae Albums chart and featured a minor hit, "Big Long John", which charted briefly on the US Dance and R&B Singles charts. In 1998, a track with Mr. Vegas
entitled "Guns High" charted in some countries in Europe, and a number of re-releases of his Jamaican material were issued on VP. Further albums were issued in 2001 (Cobra) and 2004 (Words of Warning). Most recently, Cobra was heard on "Cobrastyle
", a single from Teddybears
' 2006 album, Soft Machine
.
On the night of May 11, 2010, Mad Cobra was shot three times in the upper body near his home in Braeton, only a day after another dancehall artist, Oneil Edwards of the group Voice Mail
, was also shot in Duhaney Park. He was carried to the Spanish Town Hospital for treatment. It was later ascertained that the vehicle Mad Cobra was traveling in had shone its light on a group of men and this had angered them. When Mad Cobra came out to appease the men, he was shot. He was released from hospital later that week. On the following Monday night, his house was shot up by unknown assailants but no one was injured during the incident.
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 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...
musician.
Biography
Born in Kingston, JamaicaKingston, 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...
, raised in the parish of St. Mary
Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica
Saint Mary is a parish located in the northeast section of Jamaica. With a population of 115,000 it is one of Jamaica's smallest parishes, located in the county of Middlesex. Its chief town and capital is Port Maria, located on the coast. It is also the birthplace of established dancehall reggae...
and relocated back to the place of his birth during his teenage years. He began performing under his stage name, taken from a character in the G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
comic books, while still in his teens. He honed his talents on several local sound systems before entring the studio. His first single, 1989's "Respect Woman", was produced by his uncle, Tuff Gong
Tuff Gong
Tuff Gong is a record label that was formed by the reggae group The Wailers in 1970 and named after Bob Marley's nickname, which was in turn an echo of that given to founder of the Rastafari movement, Leonard "The Gong" Howell. The first single on the label was "Run For Cover" by The Wailers...
engineer Delroy "Spiderman" Thompson. His next single, "Na Go Work", featured Tricia McKay, giving him his first hit, and bringing him to the attention of producers Captain Sinbad
Captain Sinbad
Captain Sinbad was the deejay alter ego of Jamaican record producer Carl Dwyer .-Biography:Dwyer was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and entered the music industry as a deejay under the name Captain Sinbad on the Sound of Silence sound system, which at the time also featured Sugar Minott, with whom he...
and Carl Nelson
Carl Nelson
Carl Nelson was a Danish Greco-Roman wrestler. He was the European welterweight champion....
. Together they released a string of hit 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,...
singles, including "Shoot to Kill", "Merciless Bad Boy", and "Ze Taurus", which featured tough, gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
-style lyrics in keeping with the current trends of that time.
In 1990, Cobra began working with producer Donovan Germain
Donovan Germain
Donovan Germain is a reggae producer, one of the most successful of the digital era.-Biography:Germain's entry into the music industry was via his record shop in New York City in the 1970s. He began production in 1972, visiting Jamaica for recording sessions, working in both roots reggae and...
and songwriter Dave Kelly
Dave Kelly
Dave Kelly may refer to:*Dave Kelly , Canadian TV host and voice actor*Dave Kelly , guitarist, vocalist, and member of the Blues Band*Dave Kelly , songwriter, musician, engineer, producer, and owner of Madhouse Records in Jamaica...
on the Penthouse Records label. This partnership spawned a series of major hits in Jamaica, including "Yush", "Gundelero", "Bad Boy Talk", and "Feeling Lonely" (with Beres Hammond
Beres Hammond
Beres Hammond is a reggae singer known in particular for his romantic lovers rock and soulful voice...
). He released his first full-length album in 1991, entitled Bad Boy Talk, and over the next year worked with several different producers on yet more hit tracks ("O.P.P" with 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...
, "Tek Him" with Bobby Digital
Bobby Digital
Bobby Digital may refer to:*Robert Dixon , an influential dancehall producer, also known as "Bobby Digital"*RZA, a rapper and music producer who has performed under the name Bobby Digital...
, "Be Patient" with Sly & Robbie). In 1991 and 1992, Mad Cobra broke into the UK Reggae charts with five number one hits, bringing with it a backlash over concerns about the anti-gay
Heterosexism
Heterosexism is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships. It can include the presumption that everyone is heterosexual or that opposite-sex attractions and relationships are the only norm and therefore superior...
sentiments of tracks such as "Crucifixion".
In the wake of his British success, Mad Cobra signed a deal in America with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. His next LP
LP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
was entitled Hard to Wet, Easy to Dry, and featured "Flex", a single which interpolated
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
elements of The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
' "Just My Imagination". It was a smash hit, topping the US Rap Singles chart, hitting #7 on the R&B chart, and peaking at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The success of the single propelled the album to #125 on the Billboard Top 200, but the follow-up, "Legacy", failed to chart, and for the next several years Cobra's hitmaking remained primarily in Jamaica with songs such as 1993's "Mek Noise" and "Matti Haffie Move". Around this time, Cobra became involved in rivalries with fellow reggae artists Ninjaman
Ninjaman
Ninjaman, alias Don Gorgon, is a popular dancehall deejay / Actor, known for his controversial and pro-gun lyrics and his stuttering and melodramatic style...
and 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....
. He also made a guest appearance on rap group Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C...
's "What's Next" on their album Down with the King.
In 1994, Cobra returned with Venom, again recording with King Jammy. Jamaican hit singles from the 1994-1995 period included "Length and Bend", "Fat and Buff", and "Selassie I Rules", now adopting "conscious" lyrics. In 1996, Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
released Milkman in the US market. The album peaked at #12 on Billboard's Top Reggae Albums chart and featured a minor hit, "Big Long John", which charted briefly on the US Dance and R&B Singles charts. In 1998, a track with Mr. Vegas
Mr. Vegas
Mr. Vegas is a Jamaican dancehall star.-Biography:Smith was born in Kingston in 1974. The moniker "Mr. Vegas" was given to Smith by his schoolyard football-mates, who thought that he kicked the ball like a Las Vegas dancer...
entitled "Guns High" charted in some countries in Europe, and a number of re-releases of his Jamaican material were issued on VP. Further albums were issued in 2001 (Cobra) and 2004 (Words of Warning). Most recently, Cobra was heard on "Cobrastyle
Cobrastyle
"Cobrastyle" is a single performed by Teddybears featuring Mad Cobra from two of their albums, Fresh, and Soft Machine. Cobrastyle uses the piano riff from "Good Thing" by Fine Young Cannibals, and uses elements from Erick Sermon's "Bomdigi" and Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight"...
", a single from Teddybears
Teddybears
Teddybears is a Swedish band formed in 1991, known for mixing pop, rock, hip-hop, electronica, reggae, punk and many other genres.-History:...
' 2006 album, Soft Machine
Soft Machine (Teddybears album)
Soft Machine is the fifth studio album by Teddybears, released on September 12, 2006 on Big Beat Recordings and Columbia Records. Excluding "Intro", "Riot Going On" is the only new song from the group...
.
On the night of May 11, 2010, Mad Cobra was shot three times in the upper body near his home in Braeton, only a day after another dancehall artist, Oneil Edwards of the group Voice Mail
Voice Mail (band)
Voice Mail is a dancehall reggae fusion duo, hailing from Kingston, Jamaica.-History:Recognized for their intro trademarks, "You've got mail - VoiceMail" and "Heyeee"; Voice Mail were founded in 2003, and had a chart hit in Jamaica with "Weh Di Time"...
, was also shot in Duhaney Park. He was carried to the Spanish Town Hospital for treatment. It was later ascertained that the vehicle Mad Cobra was traveling in had shone its light on a group of men and this had angered them. When Mad Cobra came out to appease the men, he was shot. He was released from hospital later that week. On the following Monday night, his house was shot up by unknown assailants but no one was injured during the incident.
Discography
- Ex-clusive (Charm, 1991)
- Bad Boy Talk (Penthouse Records, 1991)
- Spotlight (Top Rank, 1992)
- Bad Boy Talk (Penthouse, 1992)
- Merciless Bad Boy (Sinbad, 1992)
- Hard to Wet, Easy to Dry (Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, 1992) - Goldmine (RAS RecordsRAS RecordsRAS Records, also known as Real Authentic Sound, is a reggae record label.-History:RAS Records was founded in 1979 by Doctor Dread. In his travels to Jamaica he created a network within the reggae artist community there. By the early to mid 1980s RAS had signed artists such as Black Uhuru, Inner...
, 1993) - Mister Pleasure (VP RecordsVP RecordsVP Records is an independent reggae record label, located in Queens, New York. It is best known for producing Caribbean singers.-The foundation:...
, 1994) - Venom (Greensleeves RecordsGreensleeves RecordsGreensleeves Records & Publishing is a record label specialising in dancehall and reggae music. The company was founded by Chris Cracknell and Chris Sedgwick and started as a small record store in West Ealing, London, in November 1975 and is based in Britain....
, 1994) - Step Aside (VP, 1994)
- Your Wish (Culture PressCulture PressCulture Press is an independent record label from UK specialized in Jamaican music. Many of their releases are of questionable legality and are often titled incorrectly.-LP Discography:*VSLP5000 - Bob Marley - Interviews...
, 1994) - Exclusive Decision (VP Records, 1996)
- Sexperience (Critique Records, 1996)
- Playaz in Paradise (New Quest, 1996)
- Milkman (Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, 1996) - OK Ride On (EMI, 1999)
- Cobra (Artists Only Records, 2001)
- Exclusive (Charm, 2003)
- Words of Warning (Heartbeat RecordsHeartbeat RecordsHeartbeat Records is an independent record label based in Burlington , Massachusetts. The label specializes in Jamaican music. Founded by reggae music enthusiasts Bill Nowlin and Duncan Brown, the label's first release was a vinyl LP reissue of Linton Kwesi Johnson's Dread Beat an' Blood...
, 2004)