Shabba Ranks

Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon, known professionally as Shabba Ranks, was born on January 17, 1966, in Sturge Town, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica. He is a Jamaican dancehall musician who gained prominence through his distinctive toasting style. His career began in the late 1980s when he started performing under the stage name Co-Pilot and was mentored by DJ Josey Wales. Shabba Ranks' international breakthrough came with the release of Just Reality in 1990, which featured the influential song "Dem Bow", a track that laid the groundwork for the reggaeton genre. Shabba Ranks secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1989. His subsequent albums included As Raw as Ever, released on May 21, 1991, and X-tra Naked on October 26, 1993, both of which won Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Album in 1992 and 1993, respectively. Notable songs from his career include "Mr. Loverman", "Ting-a-Ling", and collaborations such as "Housecall" with Maxi Priest and "Slow and Sexy" with Johnny Gill. In June 1995, he released A Mi Shabba, but was subsequently dropped by Epic Records in 1996. His greatest hits album, Shabba Ranks and Friends, was released on January 26, 1999. Despite facing controversies related to homophobic remarks, Shabba Ranks made a partial comeback in the late 2000s with appearances on tracks by artists like Busta Rhymes and Tech N9ne.