Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
TCOOO is proud to present the release of the long awaited classic reggae compilation 18 Karat Reggae Gold. The album contains 18 classic reggae tracks ranging from conscious roots reggae to hype dancehall tunes and easy smooth listening love songs. The album is now available at Tower Records, Amazon, CD Baby, Bath Tub Music and numerous retail record shops.
The album starts off with a hot party track entitled 'Are you ready to party'' Stapler is the lead singer and this track and is backed up by Attorney who laces the track with some real 'grab a partner and dance' lyrics. The Jamaican Star refers to Stapler as a cross between Sanchez and Tenor Saw. You can also find this golden voice singer on other tracks on the album. He goes solo on 'Wife type', which is a tribute to every woman who has all the qualities to be the wife of any great man. He then teams up with Attorney again on the heated break up track 'F You'. This track catches the singer belting out notes such as:
'Since we've been together girl, I've never done you wrong / I don't think you have a heart, you dirty Vagabond / So F you and your friends and everything you do / I've reached the point of no return / I want nothing to do with you.
The album also features two blazing tracks from Vineyard. Chanting over beautiful acoustics, the Rasta man chant against oppression and imperialism in 'stolen Legacy'. Stolen Legacy is a must have, the lyrics are very deep yet uplifting and gives an eerie reminiscent of Bob Marley's 'Old Pirates'.
Next there is Afayah who also have a beautiful break up song called 'I still love her'. Unlike Stapler in 'F You', Afayah can't seem to get over this special someone who has broken his heart. So in a kind of Keith Sweat's style he sings to her ''roses under your pillow, that's what you're missing'
'Just when reggae was getting tired of the same old Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Shaggy and Sean Paul then here comes a breath of fresh air in 18 Karat Reggae Gold. There is not one song on the entire album that I did not want to listen to ever and over again. It is packed with great reggae beats, excellent flows and deep conscious, yet sometimes funny lyrics. With this album you can dance, laugh, vent, all while having an enjoyable time.' Geoffrey Garland - ENTERTAINMENT TIMES
- Yahoo
Discography
"Do You Wanna Live",Rebel Priest, Sak Pase, Thank You Jah, Mama Africa, No Man Should be Alone, Stolen Legacy, You Don't Have to be Like Them,Buss Way,Until,Higher Grade Marijuana.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Henry St. Hilaire jr. (Vineyard) was born on February 22, 1970 in Kingstown, St. Vincent. As a child Vineyard loved music and enjoyed singing and dancing. He worked in his father's bar and nightclub DJing and bartending until he was fifteen years old. He moved to St. Croix of the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1985 with his mother.
Vineyard was behind in his schooling because in St. Vincent he didn't attend much school. He still managed to graduate high school in 1991. Now while in high school Vineyard started singing for fun in the corridors. He then joined a Pan African Group doing plays about African pioneers and singing. At the same time keeping the vibe alive chanting on sound systems in the ghettos of St. Croix. Vineyard became very popular on the small island and exactly one week after graduating High School he bought a plane ticket to Brooklyn, New York, to pursue his music career.
While in New York City Vineyard met a woman named Jacqueline Dixon who is orginally from Kingston, Jamaica. She admired his ambition for coming to a big city all alone as a youth, going to school and pursuing what he enjoyed. She invited him to live with her and her children in the Bronx. While living in the Bronx, Vineyard began to meet a lot of people in the Reggae Industry such as artists, sound owners and radio personalities. Vineyard started Djing on different sounds like Down Beat, The Ruler and Shaka Zulu to name a couple.
In 1995 after the birth of his first daughter, Vineyard decided he had to take his life on a higher path. He started studying the bible and going to an African Church. While in church he met many people from Nigeria and especially Ghana and thus became very close with a lot of people from the Ashanti Tribe. Vineyard sang in the church band called "Echoes of Praise". He would travel to different churches throughout the East Coast and people loved his vibes and the energy he poured out when he would sing. The band also recorded two CDS that did well in the gospel music Industry.
By 1998 Vineyard had his second child, a son. He then saw a greater fullness within, through the revelations of the scriptures, which led to him putting on the Rastafarian covenant. He did, however, perform one last time at a major church event. According to Vineyard there will never be a night like that. The vibes was so powerful that night, that after singing the church members asked him to be the Sunday school teacher, and the dean from Hezekiah Walkers Love Fellowship Ministries offered him a scholarship to their bible school. But Vineyard denied both offers. He broke away from the church and wrote the songs "Stolen Legacy" and "You don't have to be like them". In 2001 Vineyard released both songs on his own independent label named Sinai Records. The music got worldwide attention and enjoyed heavy rotation on numerous radio stations throughout New York. He then started doing shows with major artists like Luciano, Morgan Heritage, Buju Banton and Ghost.
Vineyard then migrated to Jamaica the heartland of Reggae and lived in Harborview. The birth place of Mrs.Dixon who became his mother figure. While living in Jamaica he made a few trips to Bobo Hill where he would reason with the Prophets and Priests. After Prophet Imos heard Vineyard's songs "Stolen Legacy" and "You don't have to be like them" he told him that Immanuel is calling him. A lot of Vineyard time in Jamaica was also spent in St.Elizabeth.He also did shows throughout Jamaica including St. Elizabeth, Harbor View and Flankers. When it was time to depart Jamaica, he was blessed by the prophets and priests from ZION HILL. They also told him that on his next trip to Jamaica, he should make sure his first stop is Bobo Hill.
Vineyard then went to Florida to headline a major show. What was supposed to be a short visit took some unfortunate turns. He ended up staying in Florida a lot longer than he planned. Vineyard had gotten mixed up with the wrong set of people and even spent some time in jail. The good thing was he got even more inspiration to write more songs about the many tribulations that he faced in Florida.
After three years in Florida, Vineyard linked up with the record company TCOOO (Taking Care of Our Own). Right now he's currently working on a project called "Do You Want to Live" to be released the first week of April 2006. This project is said to be very promising for him, because it has true messages that everyone will be able to relate to in someway.
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