|
 |
Biography
|
|
 |
|
|
My name is Michael
Lionel also known as Xkaliba. I was born on St. Croix,
U.S. Virgin Islands on April 7, 1975. I am the son of an
Antiguan/Christian mother and a St. Lucian/Rastafarian
father.
As a young child growing
up, my two sisters would go to church with my mother
while my brothers and I would stay home with our dad.
While spending time with dad, we were educated and
motivated by the great reggae of the 70’s and 80’s era.
As a child going to elementary, I was singing and
listening to songs by some of the early legends. Artists
like Bob Marley and the Wailers, Burning Spear, Steel
Pulse, Big Youth, Third World, and Culture were my first
reggae influences. During elementary, I was never
chanting. I was a fan of the reggae music that I heard
before any other genre music, rap, R&B, calypso, gospel,
etc. My older brother, seven years older than me, Pulse,
was already chanting. Pulse had a friend in our
neighborhood, “Seferally” project, named Danto. Danto
had a sound system and was one of the best chanters in
the neighborhood. Danto and my brother, Pulse, and other
chanters on the island would perform in the ghetto every
now and then. Danto’s sound system was the first one I
used. During the summer, while I attended jr. high, my
dad got me a keyboard and paid for me to take piano
classes from Archie Thomas. During my years in jr. high,
I became more familiar with dancehall. Charlie Chaplin,
Super Cat, Ninja Man, and Shabba Ranks were my early
dancehall influences. After listening to artists like
Lovindeer and Commander Shad, I told myself if they
could do it, so could I. Their style of dancehall
incorporated comedy and storytelling. When I first began
to chant, most of my songs were counter action; that is
what you call it when someone changes the lyrics of a
song, but uses the same flow. My first performance
chanting was at Arthur A. Richards Jr. High School for a
Black History Month show.
When I reached high
school, I became better in chanting and I began to write
original songs instead of counter actions. Garnett Silk,
Tony Rebel, Jr. Reid, Buju, Capelton, and Bounti Killa
gave me motivation. I also got plenty other influences
from watching dancehall videotapes such as Sting,
Sunsplash, Sound Clash, etc. In 1992, while working a
summer job in a metal shop, my right hand was crushed in
a machine and my right index finger was amputated. Ever
since, I labeled myself “Original Nine Fingers.” In
1993, my older brother now “Ranking Pulse” released his
1st reggae CD named Shake U Down on Prime Record label
in Puerto Rico. He was also the 1st Virgin Islands’
artist to be interviewed and had his video shown on
Caribbean Satellite Network (CSN). In my last year of
high school in 1994, I performed in a show we called
Central High Sun Splash (C.H.S.). This was my first time
performing in front of a big crowd. This show featured
ten (10) artists from different parts of the island who
attended school. The first artist out of the show to
release his own CD was Goldfish. After graduating from
high school, I was inspired by new reggae artists like
Luciano, Sizzla, Anthony B., and Jr. Kelly. I also began
to purchase music that my dad never had from artists
like Aswad, Black Uhuru, Israel Vibration, Twinkle
Brothers, and Jah-Shaka. In 1997, I started to attend
“Chant-out” in Whim, where I discovered DJ Swain of the
Underground Sounds. We became friends and he was the
first to record me and put my songs out on his mixtape
(CD’s). I began to record on his mixtapes year after
year along with other V.I. artists. This introduced me
to Donny Dread, who gave me the opportunity to record
three whole songs on his first various Artists CD named
“7th St. Faren Heights.” The songs I recorded were
“Babylon Pan We Mind,” “Raspect the ladies,” and “Come
Together.” Donny Dread was a young artist and producer
who was forming his own label, “Groundbreaking Records.”
During this time I met Tippy and Kenyatta, who were two
young musicians and producers. In 1999 when Midnite
returned to St. Croix, I was inspired and became a fan
of the band and Idren to Vaughn Benjamin. When Tippy
released his 1st (Various/Weep Not/I-Grade), I recorded
“Baptized in the Ghetto” to give the world a sneak
preview of what was coming. “Baptized in the Ghetto” is
also the title track for my album that I began to record
with Donny Dread. When he released his 1st solo, Set De
Pace in 2004, I was featured on a combination tune named
“See and Know” along with “YAHADANAI.” From 1999 to
2004, I have been working off and on with a local reggae
band named Gravity. They were known for singing covers
so I performed as a backup singer and chanter with them
to develop my skills. In 2005, I linked up with a next
band, Reggae Bubblers, who had their own studio. In May
2005, they released their 1st various Artists CD,
“Blackstarliner Vol. #1,” which featured my song, “Mr.
Problem.” Shortly after, I began recording for
“Blackstarliner Vol. #2,” and recorded “Life,” which was
released in October 2005, followed by
Vol. #3, which featured "Reggae Lives On". I am
currently awaiting the release of my 1st album “Baptized
in the Ghetto” and recording whenever I get the
opportunity.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interviews
Xkaliba Interview
January 7, 2006
St. Croix, USVI
Running Time: 6:47
Click on Image to hear
Interview |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Album Reviews |
|
|
|
Baptized In The Ghetto
Reggae Reviews:
Xkaliba -- the 'Original Nine Fingers' as
he labeled himself since his right hand was crushed in a
machine while working a summer job in a metal shop in
1992, which made that his right index finger was
amputated -- belongs to a group of lesser known V.I.
roots artists, who already have shown potential on
compilation albums, but are waiting for an international
breakthrough. On the basis of his musical efforts
gathered on this debut album, there's no doubt Xkaliba
will succeed in his mission to become a familiar name
amongst reggae fans on a far wider scale.
-
More
Amazon.com:
Xkaliba's style is strictly
Virgin Island roots. His style definitely works
throughout the entire album and by my own rule, when
every song is about something, it generally makes the
album much easier to listen to (and review!). Although I
rarely describe a roots album as such, the word that
first comes to mine when really listening to Baptized in
the Ghetto is FUN. It is thoroughly informative and even
more so entertaining to listen to this album. The
production is top notch (and even up to a few years ago,
in my own experience with the music, that wasn't
necessarily always the case in VI reggae as the talent
was still developing and the attention and necessary
funds were still accruing) from Donny Dread, and for his
own part, Xkaliba not only has a full understanding of
his topics (which run the usual roots gambit from first
and foremost HIM Jah, the Empress, Mama, Babylon
business and Black enlistment) but a unique method of
creating not only vibes and melodies, but odd little
stories which more than get his point across, and
although I mentioned that he wasn't as talented as was
Sabbattical Ahdah, he's no rookie at the game and his
actual lyrical and flow ability is top notch, whether
pure roots or dancehall.
-
More
For
The People
BigUp Radio:
XKaliba, also known as
"Original Nine Fingers", the chanter from St. Croix in
the U.S. Virgin Islands has released his second album
"For the People." It is full up of crucial tracks taken
from the compilation albums "Black Star Liner" and "Itinual
Jah" along with newer tunes that creates some real
conscious music, "For the People". XKaliba's music is an
authentic, Rastafari driven sound, enveloped inna roots
and culture message.
-
More
If you are aware
of any additional reviews of this artist, please  .
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
