Ini Kamoze

Biography

Ini Kamoze ( EYE-nee kə-MOH-zee, born Cecil Campbell; 9 October 1957) is a Jamaican reggae singer who began his career in the early 1980s and rose to prominence in 1994 with the signature song "Here Comes the Hotstepper×Here Comes the Hotstepper1994 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartical mix)4:132Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartipella)4:153Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartimental)4:134Here Comes the Hotstepper (Allaam mix)4:375Here Comes the Hotstepper (Allaamental)4:376Here Comes the Hotstepper (LP version)4:09". The single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 as well as charts in Denmark and New Zealand, reaching No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart.

Early work

Ini Kamoze, whose stage name means "mountain of the true God", made his first single, "World Affairs", in 1981, and he followed it with "Trouble You a Trouble Me"/"General" in 1983. His self-titled debut album came out in 1984 as a six-track mini-LP on Island Records. In the album notes, he describes himself as a "pencil thin... disentangled... six-foot vegetarian". The record included the song "World a Music (Out in the Streets They Call It Merther)", which was later sampled by Damian Marley on his 2005 hit "Welcome to Jamrock". The album was recorded with and produced by Sly and Robbie, with whom Kamoze also toured internationally, along with Yellowman and Half Pint. By 1988, however, Kamoze had effectively disappeared from the music scene following lukewarm reactions to his intermittent releases. In 1989, his single "Stress×Stress1989 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAStressBStress (version)" appeared on the compilation album Selekta Showcase. In 1992, he issued the greatest hits album 16 Vibes of Ini Kamoze×16 Vibes of Ini Kamoze1992 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Trouble You a Trouble Me3:152Them Thing Deh3:433Taxi for Me4:064World‐A‐Music3:485Settle With Me4:306Statement4:517I Want It Ital4:218Jump for Jah4:239Dream4:4410Pirate3:4311Betty Brown’s Queen3:5012Queen of My House4:2113Rough3:2814Gunshot4:5715Burning4:5216Pull Up the Cork5:52.

"Here Comes the Hotstepper"

In 1994, Kamoze released the song that would become his signature hit, "Here Comes the Hotstepper×Here Comes the Hotstepper1994 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartical mix)4:132Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartipella)4:153Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartimental)4:134Here Comes the Hotstepper (Allaam mix)4:375Here Comes the Hotstepper (Allaamental)4:376Here Comes the Hotstepper (LP version)4:09". Adopting the nickname from the song title, Kamoze would become known as the "Hotstepper", from the Jamaican Patois for a man on the run from the law. The song was originally recorded with Philip "Fatis" Burrell and later remixed by Salaam Remi and initially featured on a reggae music compilation titled Stir It Up, released by Epic. It was later included on Kamoze's album of the same name in 1995. "Here Comes the Hotstepper" was not an entirely new composition, having roots in the song "Land of 1000 Dances", which was a No. 1 R&B hit for Wilson Pickett in 1966 and was first recorded by Chris Kenner in 1962 and reprised in 1963 by Fats Domino. The remixed version of the track also incorporates the bass line from Taana Gardner's 1981 single "Heartbeat". The song appeared on the soundtrack to the 1994 fashion-industry satire film Prêt-à-Porter. "Here Comes the Hotstepper" remains Kamoze's only US No. 1 hit. The success of the single sparked an intense bidding war, with several major labels hoping to sign Kamoze. He went on to sign a seven-album deal with Elektra Records in November 1994.

Later work

Kamoze's career after this high-water mark featured the compilation album Here Comes the Hotstepper×Here Comes the Hotstepper1994 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartical mix)4:132Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartipella)4:153Here Comes the Hotstepper (Heartimental)4:134Here Comes the Hotstepper (Allaam mix)4:375Here Comes the Hotstepper (Allaamental)4:376Here Comes the Hotstepper (LP version)4:09, released in 1995 by Columbia Records (against Kamoze's wishes), around the same time as his first album for Elektra, Lyrical Gangsta×Lyrical Gangsta1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Trust Me0:332Hole in Ya Head4:073Listen Me Tic3:524Don’t Burn Ya Bridge3:595He Jus Jokin0:396Love Em Doe?4:297Who Goes There3:318Ballistic Affair4:199How U Livin4:0310King Selassie4:1411Hot Steppa3:5912Imagine... In Dub4:3113Turn Me On3:1414Kildatsounboy3:4015Hotter This Year (Hot Steppa remix)4:55.
In 2005, Kamoze released the double album Debut×Debut2006 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 34 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Vibin’0:222World a Reggae3:583Statement4:064Vibin’0:065Police4:106Gunshot Respect Not4:147Vibin’0:478Living in a Dream4:039Vibin’0:2910Reggae General4:0411Burnin’4:1012Wings With Me4:0913Betty Brown’s Mother4:0814One of Them Things4:0615Vibin’0:2916Hail Me Idren4:1117Ital4:09Disc 21Vibin’ 60:142Trouble4:063Gimme Your Attention3:174England Be Nice4:115Taxi4:056Vibin’ 70:237Settle3:568Queen4:049Vibin’ 80:3410A Little Love4:0511Pull the Cork4:1012Vibin’ 90:2313Pirate3:3814Vibin’ 100:3915Jump for Jah4:0516World Affairs3:4917Trainers Choice3:54 on his own 9 Sound Clik label, on which he re-recorded a number of tracks from earlier in his career.
In 2009, Kamoze published 51 50 Rule, which includes guest contributions from Maya Azucena ("Rapunzel"), Sizzla ("R.A.W"), and Busy Signal ("Ta Da Bang").
The artist's most recent album release is 2016's Ini Kamoze Meets Xterminator: Tramplin' Down Babylon, a collection of newly and previously recorded tracks that were originally issued as singles on Xterminator Records by producer Burrell.
Kamoze has also written a book on the history of the Jamaican city Port Royal, and a play, Runnings.

Albums

Studio albums

Ini Kamoze (1984)
Statement (1984)
Pirate (1986)
Shocking Out (1988)
Here Comes the Hotstepper (1995)
Lyrical Gangsta (1995)
Debut (2006)
51 50 Rule (2009)
Ini Kamoze meets Xterminator: Tramplin' Down Babylon (2016)
Compilations

16 Vibes of Ini Kamoze (1992)