Kabaka Pyramid
Jamaican rapper, singer, and producer Kabaka Pyramid rose to popularity in the early 2010s with his socially minded fusion of hip-hop, reggae, and dancehall. Born Keron Salmon, the Kingston native adapted his moniker from the Ugandan word for "King" (Kabaka), while referencing the spiritual power of the pyramids. Already a rising star at home, his 2013 full-length, Lead the Way, reached well beyond the Caribbean, earning him a Juno Award in Canada and a widespread fan base. A respected producer and collaborator working out of Kingston's Bebble Rock Studios, he has worked with a variety of acts, from Protoje to Akon. His popularity continued to rise with 2018's Kontraband, eventually leading to a Grammy Award for his acclaimed third album, 2022's The Kalling.
As a child in Kingston, Pyramid developed an early love of music, rewriting the lyrics of popular songs and recording himself on his mother's tape recorder. Infused with a native love for reggae, he found himself deeply attracted to the rhythms and lyricism of hip-hop during his high-school years and began his career performing primarily as a rapper. After landing a track on a mixtape by New York's DJ Green Lantern, he issued his own mixtape, The Transition, Vol. 1, in 2007. A year later, he became involved with Kingston-based studio, label, and production company Bebble Rock, a connection he would continue to develop over the next decade. The Transition, Vol. 2 mixtape followed in 2009 as Pyramid broadened his reach through features and collaborations with artists like Five Steez and Keznamdi, while also working as a producer for acts like Ashanti and Massyka.
Around this time, his music began to move increasingly toward a fusion of reggae, hip-hop, and dancehall with 2011's Rebel Music EP and his full-length debut, 2013's Lead the Way. A major success at home and a career breakout elsewhere, Lead the Way earned Pyramid two Jamaica Reggae Industry Association Awards as well as a Juno Award for Best Reggae Album in Canada. He also became more active in charitable and social outreach programs like Manifesto Jamaica, which serves to empower Jamaican youth through the influence of arts and culture.
A bevy of singles arrived in the years following Lead the Way, including tracks like 2015's "Phenomenon," the fiery 2016 Raekwon collaboration "Be Inspired," and 2017's more laid-back "Revolution of the Mind." In May 2018, Pyramid returned with his sophomore full-length, Kontraband, which featured guest spots from Damian Marley, Akon, and Protoje.
Alongside singles like 2020's "So Much Love" and "I Don't Care," his first major project of the next decade was producing the 2021 juggling mix Victory Rock Riddim, a 15-track set that highlighted various emerging artists like MediSun, Iyaz, and Irie Soldier. More significant, though, was his third album, The Kalling. Released in 2022, the record was a critical breakthrough for Pyramid, netting him a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.
© Timothy Monger /TiVo
Similar artists
-
The Kalling
Reggae - Released by Ghetto Youths International - Bebble Rock Music on 30 sep. 2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Red Gold and Green
Reggae - Released by Ghetto Youths International - Bebble Rock Music on 22 jul. 2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
-
Can't Breathe (Genius T Remix)
Reggae - Released by Bebble Rock - Ghetto Youths International LLC on 24 mei 2019
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lead The Way (Deluxe Edition)
Dancehall - Released by Bebble Rock Music on 5 nov. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dancehall Anthems
Sean Paul, Kabaka Pyramid, Beenie Man
Reggae - Released by VP Records on 16 okt. 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Natural High
Kabaka Pyramid, MediSun, Collie Buddz
Reggae - Released by Ineffable Records on 2 apr. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Kalling (Deluxe)
Reggae - Released by Ghetto Youths International - Bebble Rock Music on 19 apr. 2024
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Wrath
Samory I, Kabaka Pyramid, Capleton
Reggae - Released by Easy Star on 18 aug. 2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Kalling
Kabaka Pyramid, Stephen Marley, Protoje
Reggae - Released by Ghetto Youths International - Bebble Rock Music on 16 sep. 2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Faded Away
Dancehall - Released by Ghetto Youths International - Bebble Rock Music on 29 sep. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Feel the Love (Remix)
Dukes Of Roots, Kabaka Pyramid
Dancehall - Released by Migration Records - YoungPow Productions on 1 dec. 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
-
Police & Badboy
Ska en Rocksteady - Released by King I-Vier Music - Loud City on 26 mrt. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mystik Man
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Ghetto Youths International - Bebble Rock Music on 30 sep. 2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Believe
Reggae - Released by TipGod Music Limited - Kabaka Pyramid on 15 jan. 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lead The Way
Dancehall - Released by Bebble Rock Music on 19 nov. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Betta Muss Come (Remastered)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by Bebble Rock Music on 22 okt. 2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Make Things Work
Reggae - Released by Ghetto Youths International on 13 mei 2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo