Kiprich

Vocalist Kiprich displays range by moving fluidly from rowdy dancehall toasting into polished crooning, first drawing notice from reggae listeners while serving as Elephant Man’s sideman. Jamaican native Marlon Plunkett, who had performed earlier under the name Crazy Kid, adopted the Kiprich moniker and issued his initial hit solo single, “Leggo Di Bwoy,” in 1999. Additional dancehall tracks such as “Imagine This,” “Ediat,” “Bad Man,” and “Jook Gal” with Elephant Man and rap superstar Lil Jon soon followed, yet global recognition arrived after the early-2005 release of “Telephone Ting.” The smooth, summery ballad, issued by the Big Yard label, featured a memorable chorus alongside Kiprich’s playful lines about romantic mishaps over mobile phones. The song quickly claimed the Jamaican number-one position before circulating internationally. High-profile label VP then signed Kiprich and issued his first full album, Outta Road, in late 2005.