Spragga Benz

Spragga Benz pon the cell and dancers

Ace veteran DJ Spragga Benz and sexy singer Jana Bent were in Los Angeles recently to shoot a big budget music video for their new single "Thuggin' and Lovin'." The song is the lead single from the Ocho Rios based Drop Di Bass label on the Cardiac Arrest rhythm. Drop Di Bass producer Freddie Kruger and top label exec, Wayne, were on hand as the artistes had a long two days on location for the video shoot.

Spragga Benz, Jana Bent and Kymani Marley take a break during the video shoot

The multi-talented musician and actor, Kymani Marley, was also on the set and made a cameo appearance as one of Spragga's bredren in the video. The two artistes starred in the yet unreleased "Shottas" film that is a favorite in the underground pirate DVD market. Hot cars along with a collection of female dancers shook their bon-bons non-stop giving the video a party vibe.


Spragga Benz, Kymani Marley and bredren have a party with some female friends.

Spragga Benz met Jana Bent at the Star Awards last year and he called her to record with him on "Thuggin' and Lovin'." "Mi a look for big promotion pon this single and I know it can go far," said Spragga on location. "I met the Drop Di Bass crew through mi bredren Super Twitch (sound) and everything is pon a very professional level."


Chuck B (Rempage's manager) and artiste Rempage

Drop Di Bass shot a second video the following day for a three artiste medley on the Cardiac Arrest rhythm with Spragga Benz "Huff and Puff," the "warhead" Merciless on "Miss Martha," and the young up and coming DJ, Rempage, for his track "Got It Like Me."

Other tracks on the Cardiac Arrest rhythm include Red Rat and are now available through All Access Distribution with a full length CD of all tracks on the rhythm in early 2004. Drop Di Bass is a part of the M.B.I.G. Music Group, an entertainment company that includes artist management, concert promotion, and the recording label with expansion coming in early 2004.
- http://www.mbigmusic.com

Foxy Brown, Noreaga, and Pras of The Fugees are a few of the folks lending their talents to Jamaican dancehall reggae artist Spragga Benz.

Benz' upcoming LP, titled "Fully Loaded," features Foxy Brown trading verses with Spragga on a song called "Too Stoosh." Foxy also makes a cameo in the video for the Jamaican toaster's first single, "Wey Ya Say Star." That clip also features appearances from Noreaga, Fugee member Pras, Shinehead, and dancehall queen Lady Saw (who also appears on the album on track called "Backshot").

This isn't Spragga Benz's first brush with hip-hop's finest, as last year he scored a club hit with his song "No Way," which was remixed over Busta Rhymes' "Put Your Hand Where My Eyes Can See." Spragga also chimed in on Wyclef Jean's song "All The Girls" from 'Clef's "Carnival" album.

Known to his parents as Carlton Grant, Jamaican-born Spragga Benz originally began toasting on a dare from fellow reggae rapper Buju Banton and has been performing for nearly a decade since.

Spragga has two previous albums under his belt: 1994's "Jack It Up" and 1995's "Uncommonly Smooth."

"Fully Loaded" is set for an April 25 release, and he will appear at the HMV Record Store in New York's Times Square the same day.





- MTV (John Gill)

COLLABORATIONS with respected 1970s singer/songwriter, Carly Simon, and 1980s dance siren Shannon, could be the trump card veteran deejay, Spragga Benz, has been waiting for to give him the overdue breakthrough in the United States.

Benz, who has recorded a number of 'combinations' with several big-name American acts, is yet to hit American charts in a big way.

However, Jerry Greenberg, president and owner of Mirage Music (the California-based company which now handles Spragga), believes with the Billboard surge of other dancehall acts like Sean Paul, Beenie Man and Wayne Wonder, his charge can make a major impact stateside.

"Absolutely, without any question," Greenberg told Splash. "With the success of Sean Paul, Beenie Man and Wayne Wonder, Spragga has all the potential of being a gigantic seller."

Greenberg has been in the music industry for nearly 40 years, his biggest assignment being as president of Atlantic Records from 1967-1990. While at the helm of that major label, he was responsible for the signing of acts including Chic, Genesis, ABBA, Foreigner, the Blues Brothers, Sister Sledge and rap trio, JJ Fad.

From 1980-1988, he was president of Mirage Music, where he of acts such as Shannon, The System, Whitesnake and Brenda K Starr.

Between 1993 and 2000, Greenberg was president of Michael Jackson's MJJ Records; there, he signed acts including Brownstone, Tatyana Ali and Jackson's nephews, the boy group 3T.

Greenberg says his company plans to take Spragga to heights similar to that of Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder, who have made the Billboard charts with catchy singles in the past year.

"I plan to help him with film and television projects as well as his musical direction," said Greenberg. "Right now, we are gathering top producers to work on the album that he is doing for Mirage Music. He doesn't make any career decisions without consulting with me first."

Commenting on the duets and what he believed they held for his career, Benz was not as enthused. "It's like any of the other collaborations that I have done in the past. It's okay, I know Carly was a big star back in the day, but working with her was alright."

The Simon and Shannon projects came about largely through Greenberg's friendship with both artistes. (The Simon song) "is actually a sample from a single (Why) that we had previously released on Mirage Music. It was produced by Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards of Chic," Greenberg explained. "The collaboration with Shannon was recorded earlier this year. It's a new version of Give Me Tonight."

Spragga Benz has recorded with rappers, Foxy Brown and Li'l Bow Wow, rock act, Charles and Eddie, R&B legend, Ben E King, Brownstone, and Wyclef Jean.

In the mid-1990s, he was signed to Capitol Records. That association produced one album, Uncommonly Smooth, and the hit single, A1 Lover. His most recent album, Thug Nature, was released last year.

Simon was one of the most popular of the new breed of singer/songwriters who emerged in the early 1970s. The youngest child in an upper-class New England family (her father, Richard Simon, co-founded the giant Simon and Schuster publishing company), Simon broke through as a solo act in 1971 with the release of her self-titled first album which contained the hit song, That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be.

Her second album, Anticipation, spawned another Top 40 hit in the title song, and she won the 1971 Grammy Award for Best New Artiste. Her third album, No Secrets, produced the number one smash, You're So Vain. Other major hits by Simon include The Right Thing to Do, Mockingbird (with then husband, James Taylor); Haven't Got Time for The Pain; Nobody Does It Better (theme song for the James Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me), You Belong to Me and Jesse. - KEVIN JACKSON, Observer writer

Spragga Benz Bringing the trendsetting vibe of a dancehall renaissance while maintaining the raw and unfiltered vibes of street dances and back home clubs that popularized this music the world over. Release "Star-remiX" a refix version of his trendsetting hardcore hit single "Wey Yah Sey Star" on his new label Red Square Records in partnership with Centron Sound Label. "Star" topped record pool and DJ's club play list in the USA and the UK's spring-summer of 2001.

Also Spragga is Featured on Foxy Brown's "OH YEAH" hit single from her 2001 Def Jam album release "Broken Silence"

Starring in the upcoming movie "SHOTTAS" from Access Pictures LLC.

Set to release his 4th album "THUG NATURE" the album on is own label November 13th 2001.

Spragga Benz "Thug Nature" Undiluted Dancehall From Jamaica.

Dancehall reggae's most consistent deejay is back with his most anticipated album ever.

Fresh off of his "Fully Loaded" album tour and filming of the video "Oh Yeah" with Def Jam's first lady Foxy Brown, as well as his big screen debut in "Shottas" the movie produced by Access Pictures (which also features Kymani Marley,Wyclef Jean, Paul Campbell, and "OX" from Belly ), Spragga Benz is back with another dancehall classic.

The album features the combined talents of some of dancehall's most notable artistes and producers such as Rookie, John John & Elephant Man as well as the most promising newcomers such as Snow Cone, Mentally Disturbed, Chris "CJ" Jammys & Baby G (The new Jammys killer producers), the always on target Assassin, Twice, and the sweet soothing vocals of Sugar Slick.

The album boasts bonafide hits such as "Warriors Cause" feat. Elephant Man, "Analogy" & "Gi Wi Dem" feat. Red Square Crew. Also new anthems for the ladies such as "Spin Yu Roll", "African Move", and "Di Rooster". For the rudeboys killer tunes like "Dem Lik Dem Head", "Gunz Up", "Coochie Daddy" and many more.

"Thug Nature", following in the footsteps of "Jack It Up", is by far the most hardcore representation of authentic dancehall music in the new millenium.

It is sure to open doors for all upcoming, as well as other established veteran practitioners, of this vibrant artform.

Bringing the trendsetting vibe of a dancehall renaissance while maintaining the raw and unfiltered vibes of street dances and back home clubs that popularized this music the world over.

For all reggae fanatics this album is going to be a necessity to every collection. For first time fans "Thug Nature" is a perfect compliment to any hip hop collection based lyrical prowess and infectious beats.

As for the rest of the world who just loves music that you can dance to "Thug Nature" delivers that added pep in your step as only Spragga Benz can.

Keep your eyes and ears open for more information and enjoy the following in the mean time.

Maximum Benzpseculous from all of us here at where everybody welcome and vibes cyan done! 2001 & Beyond:

The Benz in the biz just keeps getting better!! - Centron Music, Inc (Dennis "Senitor" Allen)