Artist description King Isaac is a singer and songwriter whose music is rooted mainly in Jamaican reggae and British Lovers’ rock, but also incorporates African American hip hop, and African music – allowing the music to attract a wide range of listeners. This brilliant lyricist is able to write deep, meaningful and catchy lyrics, as he spreads his message of romantic love and of the love humankind ought to have for one another. The King of Love was born in Harare, Zimbabwe on November 28, 1965. He started writing poems at age 14. At about the same time, reggae became unbanned in Zimbabwe with independence in 1980. The message and rhythm of reggae gripped the young poet who soon turned to writing lyrics to songs and singing with reggae bands; The Mighty Force and Mambakwedza with whom he recorded reggae songs by the mid to late 1980’s. At this time he was also a student at the University of Zimbabwe. In January 1991 King Isaac left Zimbabwe to study at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana in the USA. Although he was interested in an academic career, King Isaac also knew that a move to the USA would bring him closer to Jamaica and to the reggae world at large. Upon arrival in the USA, he immediately formed a reggae band named Zimbeggae (Zimbabwe + reggae), and by April of 1991 the band was already playing to packed audiences in their college town’s nightspots. Between 1991 and 1998, King Isaac had penned and recorded more than two dozen songs in demo form, and wrote another two dozen yet to be recorded. With the help of renowned reggae music promoter and manager, Gwen Clemens - King Isaac reached a milestone in his career in 1998, opening up shows for veteran reggae singer Leroy Sibbles in Detroit, Michigan. Noticing his talent, both Leroy Sibbles and Frankie Paul encouraged King Isaac to record his music professionally, a plan King Isaac had been working on with bass player Danny “Axeman” Thompson (Axeman has played on many Grammy winning and Grammy nominated albums including those by Bunny Wailer and Dennis Brown). In 1998 King Isaac traveled to Kingston to make his first recording there entitled, “Keeping it away” at Music Works Studios in Kingston. In the meantime, King Isaac had relocated from Indiana to East Lansing, Michigan. Since 1999, Danny Axeman and King Isaac have collaborated on the King’s debut album; “It’s All About Love.” Other noted musicians have added their skills and talents to it, including percussionist Bongo Herman, and the internationally renowned jazz trombone and trumpet player Wycliffe Gordon (of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and the Wynton Marsalis Septet). In addition, jazz saxophonist Andrew Speight, and saxophone giant Dean Fraser also appear. In March 2001, King Isaac traveled to Jamaica to put the final touches on the album and to mix it at Music Works Studios in Kingston. The result is what you have in front of you – a superb, well-crafted and most memorable set of songs that is likely to place this artist on the map as one of reggae’s brightest rising stars. ENJOY! STAGE NAME King Isaac got his stage name from Joseph “Bragga” Russell, a former aide of Bob Marley’s at the Bob Marley Foundation. As King Isaac and Bragga were talking, the singer mentioned that he did not have a stage name. Bragga turned to look at the singer, and without hesitation pronounced: “Why, you are King Isaac.” A taxi driver named Horace who drove King Isaac to his hotel further named him “The King of Love” after hearing the love message in King Isaac’s songs. King Isaac, The King of Love was born. Ironically, though, King Isaac comes from a line of Kings: The Kalumbu family of the Ngoni people of Ncheu, Malawi. The singer had never thought of bringing his royal background into his musical career. It took another African, out in the diaspora in Jamaica, to make this inspired connection.

Music Style Reggae

Musical Influences Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Beres Hammond, Frankie Paul

Instruments Lead vocals, harmonies, drums

Albums It's All About Love, King Isaac

Press Reviews "A fascinating mixture of classic reggae rhythms and an irresistible African feel that brings the Caribbean forward home to the Mother Continent in 21st century style." - Roger Steffens, founding editor, THE BEAT Magazine.

Location Lansing, MI - USA

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