Biography
Born Horace Henry in Linstead, Jamaica, West Indies, the singer launched his professional path in 1985 under the stage name Shaggy Wonder. His first recording, the Jamaican hit “Blue Bomber,” was cut at King Tubby’s studio. The track’s popularity prompted the Mango label to license it for the Jamaican Go-Go compilation, an anthology spotlighting late-1980s dancehall styles. In 1990 Henry relocated to Ocho Rios, where he maintained a steady schedule of sessions and live appearances on the regional dancehall circuit. The following year a string of local successes earned him slots at both Reggae Sunsplash and Sting. Additional visibility came through collaborations with Sanchez on “She’s Gone,” Luciano on “The Program,” Gregory Isaacs on “Hide And Lick,” and Garnett Silk on “Give Us Strength.” Toward the close of the decade he adopted the name Mr. Absolute to sidestep mix-ups with Shaggy. Under the new moniker he first teamed with ARP for “Gangster,” a track that registered strongly on specialist charts, then followed with the similarly well-received “Win Or Lose” and “Smokey Eyes.” Although widely recognized for his cultural material, Mr. Absolute explored hip-hop territory on the album C.I.A. Files, whose track list featured “New Recruit,” “None Of Mama’s Children,” “Blessed Son Of Love,” “African Empress,” and the stark “Bad Mad Smady”; the set drew divided critical notices.
Albums
