Mr. Vegas
Encyclopedia
Mr. Vegas is a Jamaica
n dancehall
star.
-mates, who thought that he kicked the ball like a Las Vegas
dancer. In his early years as a singjay
, Vegas sang covers of Jamaican hits at local parties and shows, and acquired a reputation as a troublemaker. During a scuffle over stolen master tape
s, Vegas was hit in the face with a crowbar
and had his jaw wired shut
for six weeks. Vegas claims that, after hearing Beenie Man
's hit "Who Am I", he immediately demanded that his still-healing jaw be unwired, changing his speech pattern but allowing him to practice toasting.
He found fame in 1998 with hits such as "Yu Sure", "Jack It Up", and "Latest News". For his first major hit, Vegas played off of "Who Am I" to create "Nike Air", which became a huge hit in Jamaica. The next single, "Heads High", followed its success in Jamaica with a chart run in the UK and a #69 peak on the US
R&B chart, and Vegas became increasingly in demand as a guest artist by acts such as Sean Paul
.
In 1998 his debut album, Heads High, was released, which hit #5 on the US Reggae chart. Vegas won a MOBO
for Best Reggae Artist for the Heads High album as well. 2000's single "Hot Gal Today" was a minor hit on the US R&B charts, peaking at #66. In 2001, he issued Damn Right, featuring guest appearances from Shaggy
and Big Yard; this album went to #2 on the US Reggae chart. 2004 saw the release of the Pull Up LP, and the title track scraped the bottom of the Billboard Top 200, peaking at #98 (as well as #68 on the R&B chart). In 2006 he did a Soca
collaboration with Machel Montano
, Dance With You on Machel's B.O.D.Y.
album. His latest, 2007's Hot It Up, featured the Jamaican hits "Hot Wuk", "Taxi Fare" and "Tek Weh Yuhself". In 2008 Mr. Vegas also recorded "On The Floor" with Trinidadian artiste Destra Garcia
on her album, Soca or Die.
) and Fi Get Rich
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 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,...
star.
Biography
Smith was born in Kingston in 1974. The moniker "Mr. Vegas" was given to Smith by his schoolyard footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
-mates, who thought that he kicked the ball like a Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
dancer. In his early years as a singjay
Singjay
Singjaying is a Jamaican style of reggae vocals combining toasting and singing in an elastic format that encourages rhythmically compelling and texturally impressive vocal embellishments. The performer is called singjay, a combination of singer and deejay.The fusion of singing and deejaying...
, Vegas sang covers of Jamaican hits at local parties and shows, and acquired a reputation as a troublemaker. During a scuffle over stolen master tape
Magnetic tape
Magnetic tape is a medium for magnetic recording, made of a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic. It was developed in Germany, based on magnetic wire recording. Devices that record and play back audio and video using magnetic tape are tape recorders and video tape recorders...
s, Vegas was hit in the face with a crowbar
Crowbar (tool)
A crowbar, a wrecking bar, pry bar, or prybar, or sometimes a prise bar or prisebar, and more informally a jimmy, jimmy bar, jemmy or gooseneck is a tool consisting of a metal bar with a single curved end and flattened points, often with a small fissure on one or both ends for removing nails...
and had his jaw wired shut
Oral Surgery
Oral Surgery is a recognized international specialty in dentistry. It includes the diagnosis, surgical and related treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the head, mouth, teeth, gums, jaws and neck.It involves,...
for six weeks. Vegas claims that, after hearing Beenie Man
Beenie Man
Anthony Moses Davis , better known by his stage name Beenie Man, is a Grammy award winning Jamaican reggae artist. He is the self-proclaimed "King of the Dancehall".-Biography:...
's hit "Who Am I", he immediately demanded that his still-healing jaw be unwired, changing his speech pattern but allowing him to practice toasting.
He found fame in 1998 with hits such as "Yu Sure", "Jack It Up", and "Latest News". For his first major hit, Vegas played off of "Who Am I" to create "Nike Air", which became a huge hit in Jamaica. The next single, "Heads High", followed its success in Jamaica with a chart run in the UK and a #69 peak on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B chart, and Vegas became increasingly in demand as a guest artist by acts such as Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
.
In 1998 his debut album, Heads High, was released, which hit #5 on the US Reggae chart. Vegas won a MOBO
Mobo
Mobo can refer to:*Shorthand for the motherboard in computers and other electronic equipment*Shorthand for a mobile [network] operator or MNO *Shorthand for a mobile bohemian, a person who embraces mobile technology...
for Best Reggae Artist for the Heads High album as well. 2000's single "Hot Gal Today" was a minor hit on the US R&B charts, peaking at #66. In 2001, he issued Damn Right, featuring guest appearances from Shaggy
Shaggy (musician)
Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
and Big Yard; this album went to #2 on the US Reggae chart. 2004 saw the release of the Pull Up LP, and the title track scraped the bottom of the Billboard Top 200, peaking at #98 (as well as #68 on the R&B chart). In 2006 he did a 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....
collaboration with Machel Montano
Machel Montano
Machel Montano is a soca singer, record producer and songwriter based in the Trinidad and Tobago....
, Dance With You on Machel's B.O.D.Y.
B.O.D.Y.
B.O.D.Y. or Band Of De Year is an album released by popular Soca artist Machel Montano and his group Xtatik from Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 . The album features several solo and collaborative tracks, with popular artists such as: American Doug E...
album. His latest, 2007's Hot It Up, featured the Jamaican hits "Hot Wuk", "Taxi Fare" and "Tek Weh Yuhself". In 2008 Mr. Vegas also recorded "On The Floor" with Trinidadian artiste Destra Garcia
Destra Garcia
Destra Garcia is a Soca singer and songwriter based in Trinidad and Tobago. Destra is noted for her high energy performances, harmonious vocal skill and eccentric fashion style...
on her album, Soca or Die.
Retirement
In September 2008, Smith announced that he was retiring from the music industry, citing unhappiness with his work and a desire to spend more time with his children and be "closer to God Almighty". Although he had been suffering from ill-health for some time, he denied that this was a factor in his retirement. However, in 2009 and 2010 Mr.Vegas has made new songs such as Man A Gallis, Can't Stop Now ( Major Lazer ), Mix Up Peggy, Wanna See You Move ( DJ GQDJ GQ
DJ GQ is a Miami-based disc jockey recognized as one of the first to blend Hip Hop and Reggae to create a unique sound. . DJ GQ was born as Gary Hardie in Miami, Florida. DJ GQ has been a sponsored DJ since he was 14 years old and has been the official DJ for Kevin Lyttle, Mr. Cheeks, Akon and...
) and Fi Get Rich
Discography
- Heads High (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....
, 1998) - Reggae Max (Jet StarJet StarJet Star was a United Kingdom record distribution company that grew out of Pama Records in 1978. It was one of the largest distributors of reggae music, the company themselves claiming the title "the world's largest reggae distributors".-History:Jet Star was formed in 1978 by the Palmer Brothers,...
, compilation, 1999) - Mr. Vegas (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:...
, 1999) - Damn Right (Greensleeves, 2001)
- Pull Up (Delicious VinylDelicious VinylDelicious Vinyl is an American independent record label founded by Matt Dike and Michael Ross in 1987 and based in Los Angeles. Throughout its history, the label has had distribution deals with [Island Records/[PolyGram]], Warner Music Group, EMI, Red Ant, Rhino and Universal Music Group.-Early...
, 2004) - Hot It Up (Universal RecordsUniversal RecordsUniversal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
, 2007) - The Hits (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....
, 2008)
External links
- Official Website
- Mr. Vegas at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....