Paul Elliott

b. 1971, Waterhouse, Western Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies. Elliot was raised in a ghetto area rich in a musical tradition associated with artists such as Don Carlos, Junior Reid and Half Pint. The area attracted producers such as King Tubby, King Jammy, and Maurice Johnson. It was with the Waterhouse producers that Elliot embarked on his recording career. In 1981, the 10-year-old singer released his debut ‘Mini Van Man’ with Jah Life. Elliot performed under the guise of Culture Paul but his initial foray into the Jamaican music industry was met with indifference. In spite of his unfortunate inauguration King Jammy was suitably impressed and enrolled the young singer as an errand boy. Elliot played an important role in the studio’s promotional activities, although his own releases remained few and far between. However, one of the early Jammy productions, ‘Brutalise A Sound Bwoy’, proved an exception to the rule when it was a hit in the dancehall. Frustrated by the gradual progress toward stardom, Elliot decided to pursue his goal with Black Scorpio who he had met previously while working at Jammy’s studio. Determined to breakthrough into the mainstream Elliot financed and arranged his recording sessions assisted by Scorpio. He recorded ‘Fat Belly Rat’ in response to the needless violence that resulted in kindred fatalities. In the mid-90s the singer enjoyed a series of hits such as ‘Hype Roll’, ‘Cut And Clear’, ‘Seek Jah Blessing’ and ‘Save Me Oh Jah’. In 1998, the Jamaican football team qualified to play in the World Cup competition. The unprecedented success of the team resulted in a series of celebratory recordings from within the reggae community, and Elliot demonstrated his approval when he released ‘Win Or Lose’ that was featured on A Tribute To The Reggae Boyz. Following the soccer hit he maintained a high profile with songs such as ‘True Love’ and ‘It’s Strange’. In addition to his independent work Elliot also recorded with a variety of Jamaican producers and in 1999 released his debut, Save Me Oh Jah. He maintained a low profile through to 2000 when he licensed Meaning Of Life to a French record label. The album featured earlier works with producers such as Richard Bell and Colin McGregor, as well as Elliot’s self-productions. In 2001, the singer starred in the annual Rebel Salute tour.
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