RAYVON

In case you don’t know, Barbados native and New York transplant Rayvon, along with Shaggy, is the voice behind such hit singles as “Big Up,” “It Wasn’t Me,” and, most recently, “Angel.” Together, the two played a key role in bringing the reggae flavor to the ears of mainstream America. Even though Shaggy is a household name across the world, Rayvon hasn’t always gotten as much recognition. Rayvon’s second solo album, “Big Up,” which drops June 28th, 2002, through MCA Records, should help dispel any misconceptions of him as Shaggy’s backup singer.

As a child, Rayvon always had musical talents. “I started playing pots and pans in the islands, and my father realized I could hold a beat,” he laughs. His father bought him a small drum set to practice with. His family relocated to New York when Rayvon was young, and he was soon enrolled in classes where he learned to play the bass guitar. Growing up in Flatbush, he was introduced to hip-hop and helped form a rap group called High Post 3. He was soon DJing, and gradually went from behind the turntables to in front of the mic, on a reggae vibe. As he graduated from high school, he started frequenting a friend’s recording studio in Flatbush. “Shaggy and I used to bounce around in the same circles in the New York reggae fraternity,” he says, “But we never met until one day in the studio.” They’d each come to the studio intending to do a solo reggae track, but instead ended up doing a collaboration.

Shaggy’s rough voice and thick accent, along with Rayvon’s smooth R&B singing style, proved a hot combination. In 1990, they released “Big Up,” which was a great success. “At that time, there was sort of a separation between the New York reggae artists and the Jamaican dancehall artists,” Rayvon explains, “Being from New York, they didn’t always accept us.” Once “Big Up,” hit the streets and the airwaves of radio stations like 98.7 KISS, the reggae mainstream started to accept them as legitimate reggae artists. Not long after, when Shaggy released the hit single, “Oh Carolina,” they started to crossover to the pop market, with their music being played on Top 40 radio stations. On the surface, it might appear that the two had compromised their sound in order to reach a wider audience, but Rayvon disagrees. “As long as you keep your roots, it’s okay to expand because the roots will turn into a tree, which leads to more and more branches, more and more opportunities.” Rayvon’s exposure to many types of music throughout his life is expressed in his own music, a melting pot of sounds.

Most of Shaggy and Rayvon’s hit singles have been released on Shaggy’s albums, but if you’ve ever been to a live show, you know that it’s a Shaggy and Rayvon show. Is it difficult for Rayvon, sometimes overshadowed by his musical partner, to establish his own identity as an artist? To him, it’s not an issue. “People don’t know that a lot of times it went back and forth between Shaggy and I. We started out as solo artists, and throughout the years we’ve helped one another,” he says. In the early 90s, while Shaggy’s album was breaking new ground overseas throughout Europe, Rayvon collaborated with Funkmaster Flex on several albums in the States. “Before that,” he says, “I had done a lot of singing, but nobody knew me as a reggae artist. [The collaborations with Flex] helped to establish me as a reggae artist. I did the Apollo and a few other shows, and Shaggy would come on my shows at that time.” The release of Shaggy’s album, “Boombastic,” took them both to the next level.

Shaggy’s most recent album, “Hotshot,” sold over 8 million copies throughout the world. Being on a worldwide pedestal, for an artist, means the pressure to appeal to fans of all ages, races, and backgrounds. “Music transcends all boundaries,” Rayvon explains, “If it hits your heart and you like it, then great. If you don’t like it, then it’s not for you.” The two have toured throughout the world, to places like Russia, India, China, and Europe, and the response is always different, but always positive.

In the midst of his worldwide travels, Rayvon had the chance to come through Orlando, attend the IMPACT convention, and chill with OZONE at Disney’s All Star Café. “I just flew in from the Caribbean,” he laughs, “I can’t complain, at least I got a suntan.” While in town, Rayvon performed to an enthusiastic crowd at Caribbean Beach Club’s Jamaican Me Crazy for promoter Mr. CC. “I was feelin’ the crowd,” he says, “The band was a surprise, but at the end of the night, it was a real nice show. When the album drops big time, I gotta come back to Orlando and represent.”

After leaving Orlando, Rayvon has a busy tour schedule ahead of him - Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, California, Hawaii, and more. When he does have a few days off, most likely he’s in New York spending time with his sons, Malik and Rayvon Jr. Make sure you cop Rayvon’s new album, “Big Up,” when it hits stores on June 28th. The second single, the title track, is out now. “It’s been a great reaction from the people,” he says, “Call your local radio station and request it!” - Julia Beverly