DeMarco

Born in Portmore, Jamaica, Demarco started out as a performer, producer, and songwriter at the island’s storied Cactus nightclub at just fifteen. One year after that, he relocated to the United States, arriving first in New York City before making Baltimore his home. In that city he began studying music production in earnest, balancing dull daytime work with every spare dollar funneled into studio gear. He soon offered his beats to a range of hip-hop and dancehall acts, drawing interest from figures such as Styles P and Elephant Man. A pair of his riddims appeared on Elephant Man’s 2003 release Good 2 Go, after which Bounty Killer cut two of Demarco’s compositions, “Warlord Reloaded” and “Hey Sexy Baby.” Assignments for G-Unit associate Olivia and reggae artist Sizzla came next, prompting Demarco to shift attention toward his own vocal career. A handful of modestly charting dancehall singles preceded his 2007 breakthrough “Fallen Soldiers,” whose vocoder-driven hook and poignant lyrics paid tribute to troops lost in service. The track quickly became a Jamaican favorite, holding the top spot on the national singles chart for more than a month. Koch Records then signed the artist and revealed plans to issue his debut full-length in tandem with Epic.