Mavado (singer)

Biography

David Constantine Brooks was raised in the Cassava Piece community of uptown Kingston, Jamaica. He cites the music of Bounty Killer as an early influence. Bounty took him under his wing to show him the ropes of the music industry and introduced him to his manager, Julian Jones-Griffith. He decided to name himself "Mavado" after the Swiss watch company Movado, with his manager altering the spelling.

In 2005, Mavado had his breakthrough with his first single, "Real McKoy". Mavado released the album Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks 10 July 2007 on VP Records. The single "Dying" from the album was featured heavily on New York's WQHT (Hot 97) R&B/hip-hop radio station.

That same year brought Mavado off-stage controversy, as he was detained by Jamaican police. Mavado was released two days later on a $3000 bail and was subsequently refused entry into the United States.

Mavado did not sign the Reggae Compassionate Act and has been criticised for anti-gay lyrics (in such songs as Batty Bwoy Termination where the lyrics say "Battyboy must die, Lesbian must die, Sodomite must die"), as well as alleged promotion of gun violence. The issue caused him to be banned at times from several Caribbean countries.

In March 2008, Mavado was featured performing a rendition of his song "Real McKoy" for Grand Theft Auto IV Trailer #4 "Everyone's a Rat". "Real McKoy", along with "Last Night" (both from the album Gangsta for Life), were also featured in the game on the radio station "Massive B Radio". Mavado was also featured on the G-Unit track 'Let It Go' along with Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks for the album: T·O·S (Terminate on Sight) in 2008. He was the only non-G-Unit feature on the album. In 2008 Mavado was given the UK MOBO Award for Best Reggae Act.

In April 2010, Mavado starred in a music video as a gangster in Drake's song "Find Your Love" for Drake's album Thank Me Later. Mavado formed his own label, Mansion Records, in 2011, which debuted with the single "Delilah". Along with Bounty Killer, he has cited 2Pac as a childhood idol, comparing the late rapper's life to his own.

In 2011, Mavado recorded with U.K. grime artist Chipmunk on the track "Every Gyal". On 1 September 2011, Mavado appeared on the Angie Martinez show on New York's Hot 97 radio station to announce that he had signed a deal with DJ Khaled's record label We the Best Music Group. Mavado released three singles "Emergency" featuring Ace Hood, Soulja girl and "Survivor" featuring Akon on We the Best Music Group.

In May 2012 he was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and malicious destruction of property after a driving incident, and was fined a total of $100,000. An appeal against the sentence was unsuccessful. In 2012, it was announced that Mavado would feature in a "Shottas 2" a sequel to the Shottas movie, which had starred Ky-Mani Marley and Spragga Benz.

In 2016, Mavado's song "Progress" on the Mineral Boss Records produced "Money Boss Riddim" was featured in DJ Khaled's Major Key album. The album was nominated for the 2017 Grammy Awards on the "best rap" album category. In 2017, Mavado, Alkaline and Jahmiel formed a camp known as MVP, which Mavado claimed to be the "biggest thing" in dancehall at that time.

In 2018, Mavado collaborated with Sean Paul for an inspirational song called "I'm Sanctify". In 2019, Mavado released a song called "Top Shotta Is Back" On a Riddim called The Aircraft Riddim produced by Chimney Records.

In 2020, Mavado recorded and released a Drake diss song called "Enemy Line".

Discography

Albums

• 2007: Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks
• 2009: Mr. Brooks...A Better Tomorrow

Singles

As lead artist

• "Weh Dem Ah Do" (2007)
• "Real McKoy" (2007)
• "Lost Dem" (2011)
• "Do Road" (2011)
• "Take It" featuring Karian Sang (2012)
• "Give It All to Me" featuring Nicki Minaj (2013)
• "Million Dollar Man" (2013)
• "Tie Yuh" (2014)
• "Ben Ova" (2014)
• "My Pan " (2014)
• "Ain't Going Back Broke" featuring Future and Ace Hood (2015)
• "Ghetto Bible" (2015)
• "My League" (2015)
• "Big League" (2016)
• "Progress" (2016)
• "Mama" (2017)
• "Red Rose" (2017)
• "Dress to Impress" (2018)
• "Enemies" (2018)
• "I'm Sanctify" featuring Sean Paul (2018)
• "Father God" (2018)
• "Enemy Lines" (2020)

As featured artist

References

References

1. "Mavado Joins DJ Khaled's We the Best Music Group \r \r {{!}} News {{!}} BET".
2. Jeffries, David. "Mavado {{!}} Biography & History". AllMusic.
3. [http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1049714/mavado-life-after-death Mavado: Life After Death]. ''Billboard''. Retrieved 2011-3-8.
4. "Jamaica Gleaner News - Mavado: Dancehall lovers/Haters' fantasy - Sunday | April 27, 2008".
5. Cole, Debra. [http://www.yardflex.com/archives/001362.html Mavado - "Gangsta For Life: The Symphony of David Brooks"]. YardFlex. 6 June 2007. Retrieved 2011-3-8.
6. link. (13 July 2011 . ''Jamaica Star''. 10 January 2010. Retrieved 2011-3-8.)
7. Patrica Meschino. (5 April 2008). "Controversial Jamaican singer faces the music".
8. (2012-06-18). "Who Is Mavado And What Is He Doing Now?".
9. "Sveriges kvalitetssajt för nyheter".
10. Alexander, Gail. (2011-06-01). "Banned Mavado gets 'one-off' show in T&T".
11. (2009-09-11). "Guyana lifts ban on Jamaican reggae artist Mavado".
12. [http://hypelifemagazine.com/celebritynews/mavado-vybz-kartel-rich-net-worth/ Is Mavado Richer Than Vybz Kartel?]. ''Hype Life Magazine'', 27 October 2008 . Retrieved 29 October 2016.
13. Brooks, Sadeke. (17 May 2011). "Mavado forms own label - Set to release new single soon". Jamaica Star.
14. Sparks, Marvin. (13 April 2011). "Chipmunk feat. Mavado – "Every Gyal"". Soul Culture.
15. "[http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Mavado-loses-conviction-appeal_15283682#ixzz2iF6aJVzY Mavado loses conviction appeal] {{webarchive. link. (19 October 2013 ", ''[[Jamaica Observer]]'', 19 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013)
16. Online, Jamaica Star. "Mavado to star in Shottas 2 - Entertainment - Jamaica Star - April 24, 2012".
17. (2017-08-20). "Mavado Says MVP Is Biggest Thing in Dancehall". The Tropixs.
18. (9 March 2018). "Sean Paul, Mavado cry for peace through 'I'm Sanctify'".
19. (6 December 2019). "Mavado Declares War With New Track 'Top Shotta Is Back': Listen".
20. "Mavado Accuses Drake of Appropriating Dancehall on New Song "Enemy Line"".
21. Hung, Steffen. "lescharts.com - Discographie Mavado".
22. (13 October 2017). "Mwaka Moon by Kalash on iTunes".
23. Cummings-Grady, MacKenzie. "Billboard.com - Matisyahu Releases Energetic New Single 'Coming From Afar' Featuring Mavado".
24. (13 December 2019). "Watch XXXTentacion's "Hot Gyal" Featuring Mavado And Tory Lanez".