Daddy Freddy


S. Frederick Small and better known as Daddy Freddy, is a Jamaican ragga vocalist.

Early life

Small was born in 1965, in Kingston, Jamaica, and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.
His neighbours were Jacob Miller and Ranking Joe. Ranking Joe took Freddy under his wing and taught him the basics skills of performing. Freddy's natural ability meant he was quickly enlisted to work with Lt. Stichie and then later with Sugar Minott. It was performing on Minott's soundsystem that founded Freddy's fame in Jamaica.
He recorded his first single, "Zoo Party", in 1985 for Studio One.

Gaining fame

He released his first album, Body Lasher, in 1986, and that year had six top ten hits in Jamaica, including a number one with "Joker Lover", a collaboration with Pinchers.
After successful touring in the US under the Chrysalis record label, Freddy came to England in 1987. His first UK work was a collaboration with Asher D called, Raggamuffin Hip-Hop. This album created a new style of music that was a fusion of Jamaican ragga and UK hip-hop. The anthemic title track has the much sampled vocal, "The ragga-muffin, the ragga-muffin, hip-hop". Freddy also managed to influence and support fledgling UK reggae stars, Top Cat, Tenor Fly and Prento Youth who went on to the Lloyd Coxsone Sound and the record label Congo Natty Rebel MC.
This album created even more interest for Freddy. Artists such as Dr. Dre, Cypress Hill, David Morales and Norman Cook all requested collaborations and others like The Prodigy, Meli'sa Morgan, Salt 'n' Pepa and KRS-One all sampled his unique voice.
This fame culminated in Freddy attempting and breaking the World Record for World's fastest rapper in 1989 as part of the Capital radio Music Festival. Eventually Freddy broke the record four times taking it from 346 to 598 syllables a minute. The First and second time in the UK and two times in America. Renowned live performances have always been Freddy's hallmark, most notably at the New Music Seminar in New York and Tim Westwood's live rap shows on Capital Radio.
He was signed to Chrysalis Records in 1991 by A&R VP Duff Marlowe, joining Gang Starr and Arrested Development as part of Marlowe's stateside re-make of the UK rock label, releasing the album Stress.

Career break

By the end of the 1990s, Freddy was exhausted. His hectic life-style had taken it out of him so he found time to return to Jamaica and re-discover his roots. Whilst he still lent vocals to prominent dancehall tracks in Jamaica his next major work did not come until he came back to the UK, with a new lease of life. Freddy teamed up with the dub producer The Rootsman in 2000 to make the new album, Old School – New School.
Since then Freddy has relocated to Bristol, England, where he has been making new music — often teaming up with Blackout JA — and recording and training dancehall artists.

Discography

Albums

  • Body Lasher
  • Ragamuffin Hip-Hop
  • Cater Fe She
  • Stress
  • Raggamuffin Soldier
  • The Big One
  • Greatest Hits
  • Old School New School
  • ''Hardcore''

    Singles

  • "Ragamuffin Hip Hop", Music of Life
  • "Brutality", Music of Life
  • "Summertime", Music of Life
  • "We Are the Champions", Chrysalis/EMI
  • "Daddy Freddy's in Town", Chrysalis
  • "Ragga House", Music of Life
  • "Respect", Music of Life
  • "Don't Stop the Music", Living Beat Rec
  • "Freddy's Back", Music of Life
  • "The Crown", Music of Life
  • "Haul and Pull", Chrysalis
  • "Dancehall Clash", Live
  • "Respect Due", Music of Life
  • "Respect Due", Music of Life
  • "Pain Killa", Music of Life
  • "Freddy's in the Jungle"
  • "War"
  • "Muggle"
  • "Can't Take This No More", Acid Ragga/Ninja Tune
  • "Ganja Baby", Acid Ragga/Ninja Tune

    Compilation and guest appearances

  • 1989: Kreem of the Krop; songs: "Dance Hall Clash", "Must Want A Man", "Rude Boy" and "Advert"
  • 1989: Hustlers Convention ; song: "Live Jam", "The Ragamuffin Duo Take Charge", "Come Selector" and "Grand Finale"
  • 1989: Silver On Black; song "Londons Finest" by Simon Harris featuring Asher D and Daddy Freddy
  • 1993: Music ; Special Guest on song "Nix Hex" by 311
  • 2003 Politicians and Paedophiles and Run the Place Red on The Bug album Pressure
  • 2003: Smojphace EP; song "Run The Place Red "
  • 2007: Vavamuffin; song "Poor people "
  • 2012 Drużyna Mistrzów compilation – Firma, Daddy Freddy, Młody Bosski "Fi Di Youths"