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The royal sensation Ishmael I, has a mission to spread love, bring cultures together and create opportunities for the disenfranchised through his music.
Born and raised in the Waterhouse inner-city community of Kingston Jamaica, Ishmael hails from the concrete jungle that also shaped greats like King Tubby, King Jammy, Black Uhuru, Don Carlos, Mykal Rose, Junior Reid, Beenie Man, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce and many more.
With musical roots that run all the way back to Jamaica’s Ska and Rocksteady era, Ishmael literally has the blood of this era’s pioneers and legends flowing through his veins. His elder cousin, Justin Hinds of Justin Hinds & The Dominoes, was one of the biggest acts in Jamaican music during the 1960s and 70s. His first recording with Duke Reid in 1963 was “Carry Go Bring Come” was done in one take. “Carry Go Bring Come” became a big hit, topping the Jamaican chart for two months. Another one of Ishmael’s elder cousins, Horace “Sleepy” Andy (Horace Hinds) is a renown roots reggae singer, songwriter and musician who has been recording since 1967. Having such musical giants and firm believers in the Rastafarian tradition and faith in his lineage has greatly influenced Ishmael’s artistry and the trajectory of his career.
The singer/songwriter recorded his first cover song “Sweet Loraine” in tribute to Justin Hinds, with whom he shares a birthday. Hinds originally performed and recorded the song in 1984. The cover released on November 19, 2021, is the first single from Ishmael’s sophomore EP Taurean, released May 7, 2022 from the World Conquerors Inc. collection. Ishmael’s first EP, Mister Sun, was released on July 23, 2020, in honor of the birthday of the Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. It is available on all listening platforms.
When listening to the young Rastafarian’s silky, melodic and golden voice the magic of his artistry cannot be denied. Ishmael is an artist that reminds us of some of the cultures beloved acts. He has the calming presence of Garnett Silk, an assured resonance like Dennis Brown and Justin Hinds and the fire of Peter Tosh. He has a smile that brightens a room and an energy that uplifts. All this is displayed in his mannerism, his ability to command an audience during his performances and his constant repetition that “we are all here to serve, guide and protect each other.”