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Ras Fraser - Contributed
Born Jhemel Fraser on January 5, 30 years ago, Ras Fraser Jr. was influenced by his grandparents, parents, and extended family. "It's an inborn thing; nothing I picked up outside," he explained. "I grew in a rasta home with father, grandfather, all rastas, on my father's side. We saw the real life, so there is no need to change and go to another thing. I've already seen the real life," he said.
It wasn't by chance that Ras Fraser Jr pursued music. In addition to his father, he said his grandfather, Sparky, "was one of the biggest dancers in Jamaica in the '70s. I am coming out of a musical family."
In 1988, at the tender age of seven, he made his stage debut when his father called him up on the stage at Fort Clarence beach in Portmore. The crowd was taken with young Jhemel. Afterwards, he was asked to perform at George 'Father Binns' Duhaney's annual show in his hometown of Greenwich Farm.
However, education came first, and Ras Fraser Jr excelled in music and sports at Excelsior High, for which he played football when they won the Manning Cup in 1993.
His career took flight when in 1999, he wrote and recorded his first single, No Escape, on the Real Rock rhythm. Inna the Giddion, Gather Around and Come, Come, Come Away, later followed.
His debut album, Roots Man Time, also featuring his father, was also released in 1999 on the Razor Sound label. Other recordings made at that time included Hard Times, recorded for Bunny General; Let The Words Of My Mouth and Jah Jah Love So Sweet featuring John Mouse for Azullu on the High Fence label; When Mi Buss on the Free Willy label; True Girl Friend on the Vertex label; Mama Cry, Babylon World, Love Yourself and Show Love on the Chilla label, among others.
Ras Fraser Jr has a single out, Be Strong, on the Yahbel label and the Mama Rhythm. He is currently working with the INK Records label.
Having performed live overseas more than he has in Jamaica, Ras Fraser Jr said reggae music is more appreciated off the island. "Dancehall is just a myth, a make-believe thing. Reggae music is reality, real life, based on what you see every day. It (dancehall) is like a sickness. If you're not saying these things about under women or gun things, they're not glorifying you as a musician," he said. "Outside of your country, when you see the works you do, sing a song about the trees, wind, people gravitate to that. In Jamaica, they're lost to the facts of reality. They want to hear you with some long gun, girls look sexy, and how much party you go, but it doesn't make sense."
