A. Garnet Silk – Hello Africa
B. Fire House Crew – Africa Dub
Charm – CRT 124
For this Double 12” Spin, we highlight the extraordinary talent of Garnet Damion Smith, better known as Garnet Silk. Born April 2, 1966, in Manchester, Jamaica, his music is showcased through a 12” single of his own and a tribute song performed by Sattalite, also on 12” vinyl.
Despite his tragically short career, Garnet Silk profoundly impacted reggae, spearheading a 1990s revival of cultural themes and conscious lyrics while re-popularizing Rastafari beliefs. His journey began as a young teenager under the moniker Little Bimbo, performing with Jamaican sound systems like Conquering Lion, Soul Remembrance, Pepper’s Disco, and Stereophonic. A pivotal encounter with Tony Rebel proved transformative. Rebel mentored him, guiding his career, albeit initially still as Bimbo. This period yielded numerous dub plates, a selection of which was posthumously released as Garnett Silk Meets the Conquering Lion: A Dub Plate Selection. Under the influence of Rebel and Yasus Afari, he embraced the Rastafari faith.
At veteran artist Derrick Morgan’s suggestion, Garnet transitioned from deejaying to singing, a decision that propelled him to international stardom. His smooth, yet powerful and emotionally resonant voice created a uniquely recognizable sound, attracting a flood of producers eager to work with him. He collaborated with Tony Rebel and, in 1990, recorded with Steely and Clevie, though only one track was initially released; the full sessions would later appear on the album Love Is The Answer. With producer Courtney Cole of Roof International, he recorded tracks posthumously released as Nothing Can Divide Us. His 1992 debut album, It’s Growing, produced by Bobby Digital, achieved massive success both in Jamaica and abroad.
Following the success of his debut, Garnet Silk’s career skyrocketed. He worked with prominent producers like King Jammy, Jack Scorpio, and Sly & Robbie, and toured extensively, including in the US, where exhaustion forced him to take a break. He returned triumphantly in 1994, headlining Reggae Sumfest and Reggae Sunsplash. After securing a distribution deal with Atlantic Records, he began collaborating with top Jamaican session musicians. Tragically, while visiting his mother in Mandeville, a propane tank explosion caused a devastating fire. Garnet and others escaped, but upon realizing his mother was still inside, he heroically re-entered the burning house to save her. Both he and his mother perished in the fire.
Released in the UK on Jet Star’s Charm label and in Jamaica on Star Trail, the 12” single includes Hello Africa, a Richard Bell production for Star Trail Records. The track is built on a memorable relick of The Silvertones’ Smile riddim. Instead of a dub version, the B-side offers an instrumental by the Fire House Crew.
A1. Mega Banton & Sattalite – Mount Zion I
A2. Mega Banton – Almighty Father
B1. Sattalite – Tribute To Garnett Silk
B2. Sattalite – Mount Zion I
Greensleeves Records – GRED 476
Our second single features the dancehall stylings of Mega Banton alongside the reggae vocals of Sattalite. Mega Banton, whose real name is Garth Williams, began his musical journey in the early 1990s, developing his Buju Banton-esque vocal style on Kingston’s sound systems. He started releasing singles in 1992, working with producers such as King Jammy and Black Scorpio. His 1993 track Sound Boy Killing became a breakout hit, leading to the release of his album First Position -produced by Jack Scorpio- that same year, with both the title track and Sound Boy Killing being big hits. He also collaborated with Ricky General on the Jack Scorpio-produced Showcase album in 1993.
Mega Banton continued to release albums in 1994 and 1995, and remained a highly influential dancehall deejay throughout the 1990s, releasing a large volume of singles. He stayed active into the 2000s, especially the first decade, and was particularly known for his successful combination tunes.
The connection to Garnet Silk on this second single is established through the singer Sattalite, also known as Singing Sattalite, whose given name is Delroy Dennis. Regrettably, information about him remains scarce. Though he released numerous singles, particularly during the 1990s, he never produced a full-length album. Sattalite’s vocal resemblance to Garnet Silk is remarkably close.
His most notable work is likely this 12-inch single, featuring Tribute To Garnet Silk, a medley of Garnet’s hits and a heartfelt homage following his death. This track, set to the Friends For Life riddim, was produced by Jack Scorpio. The single also includes three additional tracks, all produced by Jack Scorpio and based on the classic Studio One Please Be True riddim. Across these songs, both artists express their spirituality, love for Jah, and yearning for Mount Zion.
[These tracks were digitized directly from vinyl using a Technics SL-1210MK2 turntable equipped with an Ortofon cartridge. The recordings were captured in 24-bit/96kHz WAV format via SoundForge]