Bling Dawg

Born Ricardo Williams in 1975 in Portland, Jamaica, West Indies, the artist launched his professional path in 1994 while studying in Miami, USA. There he built a firm following by appearing alongside touring Jamaican artists such as Shabba Ranks, Bounty Killer and Spragga Benz. Romeo ‘Dugsy Ranks’ Hinds and Samuel ‘Beetle Bailey’ encouraged him to relocate back to Jamaica to advance further. Hinds facilitated his introduction to the Shocking Vibes crew, though Williams has also credited Louie Culture with providing crucial early support. His 1999 appearance at the Cactus nightclub raised his profile when he unveiled the track that would become a dancehall staple, ‘It’s Major, It’s Minor’. He initially released material under the name Rickie Rudie before issuing ‘If Yah Nah Like Bling Dawg’, a recording prompted by a personal dispute. Prior to the change he had already secured a Star Top 40 number 1 with the Beenie Man collaboration ‘Circumstances’. Steady work with Jamaica-based producers including Sly And Robbie, Colin ‘Bulby’ York and Anthony Red Rose yielded a string of hits that cemented his standing. Regular acclaimed sets at Sumfest, Sting and Fully Loaded reinforced his position as one of the leading figures within the Shocking Vibes crew. Jamaican audiences responded strongly to singles such as ‘Say My Name’, ‘Perfect Lady’, ‘Like We Do’, ‘Johnny’, ‘Dignitary’, ‘Pass Dem Remarks’ and ‘Give Thanks’, as well as the pairings ‘Father And Son’ with Captain Barkey and ‘Let It Be Me’ with Sanchez. Although widely known as ‘the DJ with two names’, the Bling Dawg persona ultimately prevailed after an accompanying video strengthened his ‘dawgish’ image.