MARCIA GRIFFITHS: REGGAE QUEEN? :: Essays Papers

MARCIA GRIFFITHS: REGGAE QUEEN? BEGINNING YEARS These two quotes are critical in answering the question of whether or not Marcia Griffiths is the true Reggae Queen. After looking at her success as a female artist, the answer to this question becomes obvious. Women have been oppressed across the globe for centuries, which make Griffiths success as a female Reggae artist that much more outstanding. Looking at her achievements throughout her life starting at a young age to thirty-seven years in the music business, the audience will understand why she is the true Reggae Queen. Linneth Marcia Griffiths was born and raised in Kingston. Music had always been apart of her upbringing from her father’s influence as a singer. Her talent was recognized very early by producers Clement Coxsone Dodd and Byron Lee, â€Å"who were said to be competing for her father’s signature on a recording contract even before she was ten. Coxsone won the compitition and his legendary Studio One and its downbeat rhythms became her musical college.† (Tafari, pg. 1) Marcia reached the big stage for the first time at the Carib Theater in Cross Roads, Kingston at the age of twelve. At the age of sixteen she achieved her first Jamaican # 1 with the Rock Steady hit â€Å"Feel Like Jumping.† After that, she opened shows in Jamaica for Carla Thomas, Betty Wright and Ben E. King among others. Since those vintage days, music has been her life and she has risen to the top of Rock Steady and Reggae Charts in Jamaica. While growing up she listened to and admired singers like Aretha Franklin, Carla Thomas and Deon Warkick. There were not many female artists in Jamaica, but one that she admired was the late â€Å"Hortense Ellis† who was a local singer. At a young age Marcia established a name for herself before teaming up with Rita Marley and Judy Mowatt. Over the years Marcia has built up a long list of solo hits, but the re-make by Marcia and Bob Andy of the Nina Simone hit â€Å"Young, Gifted and Black† in the 1970’s put her into a household name throughout the Caribbean and Europe. (Tafari, pg. 2) The record’s popularity rose the charts in the UK and soon became popular across Europe.