Similar Artists I hate when musicians compare themselves to greats such as Bob Marley, Lee "Scratch" Perry , Peter Tosh, et. al. What happened to the days where you just said "I'm a reggae artist?"

Artist History Mikey's mother has two children and his father has so many, they are uncountable. He comes from a family which is mixed with Irish, German and Maroon (black). He was raised by his grandmother after being born in the parish of St. Catherine Freetown Glengoffe, Jamaica. Michael Minott attended Glengoffe Secondary High School where he studied carpentry. His hobbies were cooking, climbing trees and singing. THe first song that inspired Michael was "Rat Race" by Bob Marley, and the second "Chick Abowe" by Uroy. While listening to these artists he started building his career in music. Mr. Minott's first unrecorded song was "I'm an Englishman." What motivated him to sing this song was the fact that England was the place where every native Jamaican wanted to go. When singing, his friends usually teased him by saying "the goat is hanging." That means he sounded like a goat, but Michael did not let this hold him back. In 1983, his grandmother died, giving him the courage and responsibility to take care of himself. He then migrated from the country in 1984 to start his music career in Kingston. At that time, King Jammys was the top recording studio in JA. Michael Minott went to King Jammys -- uneducated about music -- to get his music career started and to release his first song. To his surprise, there were two large iron gates at the entrance of the studio. There were other artists like Michael Minott who came to Jammys to get recorded with no financial backing. There was one person he could remember was in the same position who eventually became a successful artist. This artists name is Shabba Ranks. Michael spent three weeks hanging out at King Jammys where he found it difficult to get in the music biz. So he left and decided to take up a career making slippers with his old friend Priest Oppy. He found it interesting to make slippers and sell to people working in companies like Air Jamaica, the American Embassy, Mutual Life, exclusive shoe stores and many other businesses. In 1985, Michael's uncle George Crooks started him in his own business known as Jamaica Craft Market, in Kingston. In 1986, he decided to employ someone to keep the business flowing. He went on to be a mini-bus conductor, finding it fun to communicate with people. In 1987 Michael migrated to New York City where he continued singing in his house and recording himself on his boombox. One day he played his tape to his uncle, but Crooks told him to instead take up fishing. Ignoring his uncle, he kept singing and recording his music. In 1988, his uncle came between Mikey and his music career. George shuttled Micheal to Miami to take over his laundromat. When he was in Florida, Michael started singing on a sound system named Embassador. It was then that he met Truck Turner, Major Mackrel and Al Campbell. At this point, the music business started getting interesting and Mikey was meeting other artists. In 1989 when business was slow, he ended up in the fast lane where he was pulled over by a cop. He ended up on holiday in a Florida State Institution. While on vacation, the environment opened his eyes and pushed him to write "Bank to Bank, Black People Getting Nowhere." When his vacation was over in 1991, Michael decided Florida was no place for him and he returned to New York. Once back, Michael started promoting dance parties and stage shows with his uncle. In 1993, the time came to take his music to a higher level. He started practicing with a band named Creation, where he went on to buy a 24-track recorder. Michael and the sixteen-year-old leader of the band went on to record Michael's first record, "Bank To Bank" at Don One studio in New York City. In 1994, the song was released in Jamaica. The single was also successful in the Carribbean and was distributed by Youth Man Promotion. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and fifty copies were sold. After "Bank To Bank" had small, but good success it gave him the insight he needed to arrange his music to suit the people.In 1995, Micheal decided that to make it in the music biz, he needed to produce his own music. He started work on his album, thirty-two songs, five of which he would release ("Mamma I Love You", "If you Believe in God", "World News Stick It Up" with Bongo General, "Love Me Or Leave Me", and "Stuck On You For A Loving" with Treasure.) All songs were pre-released in 1996-7. The next two songs to be released are entitled "Money Talk" and "Moving to the Top of the World." Micheal says if these songs don't make it, Michael Mafiano gun will have to take it or break it.

Group Members Michael "Mikey Silk" Mafiano

Albums Money Is Power (© 1998 Jamaica House Records)

Additional Info Bank to Bank (1994)

Location Brooklyn, NY - USA

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