This dance hall super star’s career trajectory has been truly spectacular and continues from strength to strength: “Mavado… combines hip-hop influenced beats with ominous minor key vocals about street life and salvation." Rolling Stone
Born David Constantine Brooks 30th November 1981 in the tough Cassava Piece area of Kingston he was initially inspired as a child when he sung with his grandmother in church at Grant's Pen. However, the music emanating from the radio and dance halls would prove an even bigger influence especially the work of musical legends Tupac Shakur and Bounty Killer. David was only fifteen when he first met Bounty Killer at Junior Reid's studio but his boyhood hero immediately recognised David's youthful talent, took him under his wing and introduced him to his manager, Julian Jones-Griffiths. He was advised to change his chosen stage name from Movado (after the luxury Swiss watch manufacturers) to Mavado and his incredible meteoric rise to the highest heights of the dance hall firmament as artist and producer followed immediately afterwards. Whatever might happen with his Swiss namesake there was no stopping Mavado...
Mavado's debut single, a cut of the 'Anger Management' rhythm entitled 'Real McKoy', was released in 2004 and was a big hit which he followed up with 'Weh Dem A Do' on the 'Red Bull & Guiness' rhythm... another huge hit. Throughout 2005 and 2006 the hits kept on coming and Mavado released his debut album 'Gangsta For Life: The Symphony Of David Brooks' in the summer of 2007 on VP Records. The following year saw him further consolidate his international success when the 'The Real McKoy' and 'Last Night' were featured on the infamous 'Grand Theft Auto IV' soundtrack and Mavado went on to win the prestigious UK MOBO Award for Best Reggae Act in 2008. His second long player 'Mr. Brooks... A Better Tomorrow' was released on VP Records the following year.
There is a long established tradition of Jamaican sound system rivalry, both on and off record, with singers and deejays and the publicity accorded in recent times to these rivalries is a reflection of the grass roots popularity and ubiquity of dance hall culture. The war of words between Mavado and Vybz Kartel featured extensively in the Jamaican tabloid headlines and there have been a series of serious repercussions. Although the schism was supposedly settled following an indurate press conference in early 2007 where both artists apologised to their followers, a lyrical showdown at Sting 2008 again exacerbated the argument. Their on record altercations led to violent street clashes between the youth followers of Mavado (known as Gully) and of Vybz Kartel (known as Gaza) and on 7th December 2009 the two opponents deejayed at the West Kingston Jamboree before meeting the next day with Jamaican Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, to try and ease the tension. These clashes serve to illustrate how real dance hall music is to the young people of Jamaica and just how important it is to the sufferers in Kingston's ghettos.
The off stage controversies might make the headlines but Mavados' inexorable musical rise has continued unabated progressing from strength to strength. Never forgetting where he was coming from he has been a stalwart and outspoken critic of inequality and iniquity on every level as he commented in Jamaica's Star newspaper:
"Mi sing weh mi come see. A tings whe mi grow up on. Notice mi neva sing song seh di cow jump ova di moon..." Mavado
However, the music and message of Mavado has reached far beyond Kingston's dance halls and his tireless, committed stance has led to collaborations with American urban artists of the calibre of Akon, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg & Wyclef and he is the only Jamaican artist to have worked with Jay Z. He established his own Mansion Records label in 2011 with the release of 'Delilah' and that same year he also worked with DJ Khaled's We The Best Music Group.
Mavado has achieved outstanding international success and recognition by remaining ever loyal to his roots with the poor, disenfranchised sufferers of Kingston's ghetto communities... long may he continue to make music.
Sources: Mel Cooke: Mavado: Dance Hall Lovers/Haters' Fantasy Jamaica Sunday Gleaner 27th April 2008
Aug 6, 2014 (Jun 13, 2018 Update) Text by Harry Hawks
