Anthony B

Reggae singer Anthony B entered the world as Keith Blair in Clarks Town, Jamaica. Church and school choirs occupied his early years before he launched his career as a DJ on the local sound system Shaggy Hi-Power. His move to Portmore in 1988 brought friendships with fellow up-and-coming DJs Determine, Mega Banton, and Ricky General, and he issued his first single, “The Living Is Hard,” in 1993. Work with producer Richard “Bello” Bell soon yielded a run of successful tracks such as “Repentance Time,” “Fire pon Rome,” “Rumour,” and “Raid di Barn,” paving the way for his debut album Real Revolutionary in 1996. The following year brought Universal Struggle, whose single “Nah Vote Again” helped maintain calm during that year’s national elections. Seven Seals marked his return in 1999, and More Love arrived two years afterward.