I have loved reggae music as long as I can remember. I grew up in a household where music was always on the 'gram' in the background. I was brought up listening to Studio 1, Blue Beat, Coxsone sounds and Rock Steady. As I got older I was also influenced by the music that my older siblings enjoyed and became familiar with artists such as U Roy, I Roy and Big Youth.
In my teenage years I would scrape my money together to buy twelve inch records and would try to own as many different coloured Vinyl's as I could.
I was born and brought up in Old Trafford Manchester. My musical taste was further influenced by the climate of unrest that was prevalent at the time. The SUS laws, National Front and riots provided the backdrop to the militant music that was predominant in the late seventies and eighties.
In my late teenage years, I presented reggaes shows as Special K on pirate radio stations in Manchester for three years and loved it. I was especially pleased to given the opportunity to return as Special K on reggae4us.com.
Visits to my parents' homeland of Jamaica and Africa have given me an eclectic love of all types of reggae. I believe conscious vibes and roots are my favourite genre of reggae but I am also partial to Rock Steady, Dancehall and Bashment.
I don't have one favourite artist but tend to lean towards any artist who fits my mood and circumstances in a situation. I do love music with a message so of course Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Beres Hammond are typically played on all of my shows. I admire latter day artists such as Lutan Fyah, Etana, Tarrus Riley and Fantan Mojah for the positive vibes they always portray in their music. Veteran artists such as Marcia Griffiths and Freddie McGregor I respect deeply for their unyielding and relentless contribution to decades of good quality reggae music.
The alpha to omega of it all is that I love reggae music. Presenting as Special K on reggae4us gives me the opportunity to indulge and express my true inner self through the music that I adore.