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Macka B - Ganja Ladies
Macka B is a British-born reggae artist,
performer and activist with a career spanning
almost 30 years in the United Kingdom and
Jamaica. He is also a practicing Rastafarian.
On leaving school, Macka B became a technical
apprentice for Ever Ready GB Ltd, made
redundant three years later due to the
factory closure. In 1980 completed an
engineering inspection course. Macka B has
always been interested in music. At school,
he played the violin, and also joined the
school choir. Whilst at school, he became
more interested in Reggae music, especially
DJ's, I-Roy, U-Roy, Prince Jazzbo. He started
to practice at home, but never had the
courage to perform to an audience. He and
some friends started a sound system call
"Exodus", they had good reaction wherever
they played, and this encouraged him to write
his own lyrics.
In 1982, a trip to Jamaica inspired him
greatly, improving his talent. He entered a
talent competition in 1983 at the Rising Star
night club, Bilston, (including Pato Banton,
Ranking Ann) Macka B won, and from this, was
invited on radio several times, his name
became more known. Also at this time, he was
in a band called Pre-wax, they did many live
shows, and appeared on Channel 4's Rockers
Roadshow. A record entitled Maggie's Letter
was recorded with a producer called Papa P,
which became a local success. Derek Nelson,
producer of Ebony BBC2 heard Macka B perform
on radio, and as they had a show planned for
Birmingham, asked him to perform on that
show, He went down well, and so obtained a
regular spot on the next series. Macka B
never stopped working with sound systems,
Wassifa, and Skippy & Lippy being the main
ones. A tape of a show Wassifa v Saxon sound
in Leicester, was heard by Chris Lane of
Fashion Records, who invited Macka B to do
some recording. "Bible Reader" on disco mix
was released, and reached No 15 in the Reggae
Charts. Also released, a track called
"Gentleman with Manners" on an LP entitled
Great British M,C's. Met the Mad Professor,
joined the Ariwa label and recorded an LP
called "Sign of The Times". This reached No 1
in the Reggae LP charts. Appeared on Channel
4 Club Mix, and on the 1986 Sunsplash at the
Wembley Arena. Released "Don't Judge Me" in
late 1986. Macka B has had a successful tour
of Germany in January 1987, along with the
Ariwa Possee. His 2nd album for Ariwa "We've
Had Enough" was released in June 1987 to
coincide with his 2nd European tour for 1987.
Later that year, Macka B visited Bern in
Switzerland. 1968 Macka B visited Jamaica and
"Love It In Jamaica" was recorded. Later in
'88 he recorded his 3rd Ariwa album "Looks
Are Deceiving". This album proved to be quite
successful, and included current single
"Unemployment Blues" which was recently
featured on BBC2 in the programme DEF II -
Behind The Beat. On the flip side is the self
explanatory "Don't Sell Your Body". Macka B
has since recorded his fourth album "Buppie
Culture" which was on general release in mid
1989, with encouragingly good response. The
album contained tracks including "Dread a Who
She Love" a duet with Kofi. It was also
released as,a single in September of 1989,
and went to No 1 in the.Reggae charts in the
November of that year and stayed at that spot
for 6 weeks. It was also featured on a video
which was shown in places as far afield as
Jamaica, Germany, Sweden and Zimbabwe. Macka
B did the Buppie tour which took him to
Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy,
Switzerland, Poland, Finland, Sweden, and
Denmark. 1990 saw the recording and release
of "Proud of Mandela" which celebrated the
release of Nelson Mandela, it went straight
to No 1 and was also featured on his 5th
album "Natural Suntan" - 'Black Man' the flip
side was also very popular. Staying with the
social comments, Macka B recorded "Pam Pam
Cameroon" as his commentary of the Cameroon's
performance in at the 1990 World Cup. This
record was heard and appreciated in places
far as Cameroon, later that year Macka B
played Australia, thus becoming the first
British Reggae artist to tour this continent.
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