News Americas, KINGSTON, Jamaica, Weds. Dec. 14, 2011: Internationally celebrated dancehall star, Mr. Vegas, has released his latest single, “You Make Me Happy.”
The song is a remake of reggae pioneer Alton Ellis’ 1967 cover of Motown singer Brenda Holloway’s Top 100 hit, “You Make Me Happy.” It is one of the featured singles on Mr. Vegas’ first full reggae album, ‘Sweet Jamaica,’ due to be released on February 7th.
Vegas is honoring Ellis, and many of reggae’s foundation artists who crafted Jamaica’s signature sound, on Sweet Jamaica.
“Alton Ellis is the ‘Godfather of Rocksteady’ and an important figure in Reggae music,” says Clifford ‘Mr. Vegas’ Smith. “I was watching a YouTube video of his last concert, he gave the audience his all, and called for a helper backstage to help him finish his show because he was unable to – I am answering his call and making ‘You Make Me Happy’ the first official release from this new album.”
Catch the song here:
Vegas, a MOBO award winner known for Billboard charting smash singles like “Heads High,” “Pull Up,” and urban radio bangers “Tek Weh Yuhself,” “Hot Wuk,” “I Am Blessed” and “Gallis,” has a dancehall single, “Bruk it Down,” in the Top 10 on local charts. “Certain Law” is #1 on the MTV Base Dancehall video charts.
Last week, Vegas, in collaboration with Shelliann McBayne, initiated the Save Foundation Reggae campaign with a petition appealing to radio disc jocks to include music of Reggae pioneers like Ellis, Bob Marley, Gregory Issacs, and Cynthia Schloss into their daily playlists. The petition also appeals to the island’s producers who have traded Jamaica’s bass-heavy rhythms for Hip Hop, R&B, and Techno sounding beats. To date, over 450 people from as far away as Kenya, Australia, and Qatar have signed the petition.
Vegas is appealing to all radio disc jocks, and sound systems to honor the pioneers of Jamaican music by adding ‘foundation’ reggae music into their daily playlists.
