Queen Ifrika - Nathaniel Stewart

Queen Ifrica, born Ventrice Morgan hailed as Fyah Muma, has made a regal entrance into the musical world of reggae. She is poised to lead the next generation of reggae's finest.

The talented musician's career began in 1995 when she turned on a scorcher of a performance in a talent contest at Club Inferno in Montego Bay and outshone all the other contestants. Her baptism in the business included a performance on Reggae Sumfest's Singers' Nite in Montego Bay. Gracing the stage after a blazing set by Buju Banton, Queen Ifrica was not overawed by the occasion but succeeded in commanding a good reception to her message.

Subsequent to a performance on a show in honour of the late Garnett Silk, Queen Ifrica joined the Flames productions camp in 1998. Impressed by her musical virtuosity and quality of performance, Tony Rebel and his Flames crew could not resist embracing such talent. Since then, she has paved her way to becoming one of the premier female cultural artistes in the sphere of reggae music.

Magical voice

Queen Ifrica's stagecraft, her repertoire, her total artistic style has bloomed over the years, ultimately making her a staple on the cultural reggae events around the world.

Her magical voice has been lacing the airwaves with hot singles such as Randy and Jus my Brethren. Her latest single and the most popular track, Below the Waist, which deals with the difficulty in sustaining amorous heterosexual relationships, has also created heatwaves across the nation.

She has worked on projects with some of reggae's finest producers and has done combinations with numerous artistes including Tarrus Riley - Stay With You (remix); Gentleman - Fire Red; Junior Kelly - Goodbye. More recently, she joined with several other reggae artistes, including: Tony Rebel, Buju Banton, and Beres Hammond for the remake of Peter Tosh's hit single, African.

The Queen's dynamic personality and magnetic stage presence has not gone unnoticed on the international scene. She has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe; performed on major festivals such as Summer Jam (Germany, 2005), Reggae on the River (California, 2006), One love Festival Tour (US, 2006), Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (California, 2007) and Reggae Sundance Festival (Holland, 2007).

Ifrika has shared the stage with the legendary Abyssinians, Black Uhuru, Gregory Isaacs, Buju Banton, Culture, Burning Spear and a host of others. Although not officially released, Queen's debut album Fyah Muma, is currently available and is guaranteed to motivate and elevate.

More Than Just An Artist

Queen Ifrica remains grounded in her way of life, her community and her children. She has a strong social conscience, supporting her words with actions by being an active participant in several community outreach activities such as her work in the heart of Kingston's inner-city, particularly the S-Corner community in Kingston 13. Notably, she has performed on numerous free shows whose proceeds are in aid of community development. The United Nations celebration of the year of Volunteers in 2001 witnessed her partnering with Tony Rebel and others to deliver a song labeled by the UN as a gem. Additionally, she has given numerous motivational speeches to Jamaicans of all ages islandwide, and even delivered an insightful presentation on the theme, Women In Reggae, at the University of the West Indies.

With roots firmly secured in the Rastafarian faith, Queen Ifrica says her duty is to be an example to women through entertainment. Her haunting melodies, clear sound and fluid delivery are elements of a force to be reckoned with; creating timeless rebel music in the ilk of her father Derrick Morgan, Garnett Silk, Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba. Simply put, her aspiration is to make music that lives on.