Chris Bonafide

Born in St. Andrew, Jamaica, West Indies with muzik all around from birth and always love singing, Chris Bonafide a student from St. Francis Kindergarten & Elementary School and Meadowbrook High School and was already influenced by all forms of music. Through his family life and among friends he's always singing and getting down. Debon Panton, a high school friend and paramilitary colleage had brought to Chris's attention the idea of starting a drum corp for their high school Cadet Unit. When it was all set up the Unit and Drum Corp came second place in the island's annual competion. Though his love for instruments are very strong and passionate, the singing was never left out at all. The love of the bugle and trumpet had gotten him in to music classes, training with the Jamaica Defence Force Military Band. Though he did not pursue fully the classes, he never stop working in music from ground to top, continuously working his way in any area possible. At the time of creating the drum corp, both friends were now founding members of their high school first paramilitary music body and by so doing, they also were the founding members of the first female cadet unit in the history of The Jamaica Combined Cadet Force.

Chris Bonafide's first onstage performance was also at his high school. There he sang the song " Killing me softly" by Roberto Flask. The showcase was backed by the band 'Bloodfire Posse'. On stage also was a class mate of his, now actor Michael Ralph, the brother of George Tim Ralph and Acting Diva Sheryl Lee Ralph. His second major performance was at another high school name Campion, for another fund raising concert. Even his long time high scool friend Debon, after so many decades, recently reminded Chris Bonafide about that show when Chris became known as the 'Master Of Ceremony' for the first time. This was more of an accident to Chris Bonafide who had been wroking on the dicsjockey end for the fundraiser as well as being a singer in the concert. The Master of Ceremony, Sharon Dimontenaq, who actually had gotten him his part to work and sing in the concert, had taken off on some other job right at the opening time, leaving him with the microphone in hand as the curtains opened. He also went on to performing at other high schools concerts and dance contests throughout the city. As well and becoming a master of ceremony he was also one of the first disco rappers of his time. This was by then in the late '70 when Rapper's Delight' by Grandmaster Flash/SugerHilll Gang and 'These are the Breaks' by Curtis Blow were the new incoming tunes called Rap. He is amongst the earliest record sales person and Disc-jockey to introduce 'Rap' muzik to the island's entertainment scene, thanks to his beloved friends Andrew Edmondson, Tony and Chris Jarrett from 'Oddessy' Sound Systems, who Bonafide had met while working at "Vibrarions" record store in Manor Park Plaza, an upscale shopping center in upper St. Andrew residential vicinity. These friends had opened another door and genre of music for him, which, as he has always done, magnetize his heart and soul to new music.