Lexxus

Born Christopher George Palmer in 1970 in Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies, the future artist received his schooling in Trenchtown next to Little Kirk. Dancehall culture shaped both their ambitions, prompting the pair to hone their skills on local sound systems. Initially billed as Spragga Lexxus, Palmer later trimmed the handle to prevent mix-ups with Spragga Benz. His first outing came in 1995 alongside newcomers Steve Harper and Anthony Green on the commercially ignored “Shining Star.” Two years later the 1998 single “Dancehall Style” announced his arrival and cemented his standing as a leading ragga DJ. Sessions at King Jammy’s studio yielded “Get Wid It,” a track that gradually ascended Jamaica’s Star Top 40. International recognition followed when Ward 21’s chart-topping reggae single “Judgement Day” placed Lexxus’s “Divine Reasoning” on the b-side; cut over a ubiquitous computerized rhythm, the release prompted another pairing, “Skettel Night.” Celebrity solidified with the next hit, “Ring Mi Cellie,” a light-hearted commentary on mobile-phone culture that recalled Bounty Killer’s “Cellular Phone.” Additional dancehall staples such as “Who” and “Pressure Dem” broadened his appeal. Further combinations arrived with Captain Barkey and Morgan Heritage on “We Are Di Flavour,” plus the cautionary “Own A Home” and “Cutie,” the latter shared with Thriller U. By the close of the decade a steady sequence of successes—“Jigga,” “Rather Than,” “Straight Up,” “Holla Holla” and “Wuk Right Away”—had secured a loyal audience. In 1999 Lexxus teamed with Elephant Man and Kip Rich to launch the Bling Bling Crew.