Mr. G

Kingston native Chad Simpson first attracted notice in dancehall circles through a gravelly vocal style that would later define his work as Mr. G. Performing earlier under the name Goofy, he cut a series of upbeat, comic singles that included “Fudgie,” “Whining Machine,” “Brush Yuh Teeth,” and “Big Man, Little Youth.” Simpson began spinning records at neighborhood gatherings when he was twelve, amassed an extensive vinyl collection during adolescence, and held a position with the event-production company Jampop Ltd. before stepping into the recording studio in 1990. While racking up Jamaican successes as Goofy, he absorbed every aspect of studio craft he could. The 1996 chart-topping status of “Fudgie” brought fresh openings; Luciano, Bounty Killer, and Beenie Man soon enlisted him for production duties. In 1999 Simpson launched his own imprint, Young Blood. That same year he issued the album I Don't Give Damn!! still billed as Goofy, yet he had grown reluctant to remain confined to comic material. Adopting the Mr. G moniker, he kept producing for fellow artists while cutting personal demos. S-Curve responded favorably to the material and issued his first full-length project, Issues, in 2004.