Entertainment

Higher Trod for Ragga B

By TOUSSAINT SMITH, Staff Reporter

Higher Trod member O'Neil Cookhorn aka Ragga B. - contributed

HAILING FROM CASSAVA Piece, Hungry Town, O'Neil Cookhorn also known to his counterparts as "MIB Authentic" or "Ragga B" is on a Higher Trod to success in the music industry. With the music pulsating through his veins, Ragga B has already recorded tunes with popular deejay Turbulence, along with other singles with the Mighty Diamonds.

His first recorded song, Girl a Yuh Owna Friend Want Tek Yuh Man, was on the Al Ceeda Label.

Since 1995, Ragga B has recorded three songs on the Relic World Label. Two entitled, Party and Ten to One with the Mighty Diamonds, and a single entitled Friend Indeed. He currently has done four songs with Turbulence: Get Yourself a Girl, Talented, Let Jah Be Your Guide and a new single entitled Hail Jah.

Musical journey

According to Ragga B, music was in him ever since he was young. "It started out with a little talent show inna Cassava Piece and from deh so mi just continue, and dem have it every week and mi just continue go on pon it and me brethren dem say mi can do it."

But Ragga B's musical journey did not stop there. "And mi first dub plate mi do it with a sound call Small Axe and dem play it and it get a good response and from de so it start" he added.

Ragga B has appeared on a few major stage shows. In 1993, he made a brief appearance on Sumfest. This year he also performed at Western Consciousness and is introduced on stage shows by Turbulence whenever he performs.

Describing his lyrical delivery, Ragga B says he has different patterns for everyone.

"Well me a singjay and deejay - well more time me bring it cross to the people more conscious. Tune to elevate the youths dem and we have tune fi suit every needs of the people," he added.

Like most upcoming artistes Ragga B says his inspiration stems from Bounty Killer. "Killer is a artiste weh me rate over the years and is a youth weh check fi me to. Him a di only man whe come to me and say 'Youth just do weh yuh do ... nuh stop cause me a the only artiste round here nuh change'" he said.

His friend Turbulence is also a source of inspiration. "Turbulence is a youth weh a push me too and him play a great part to inna me career," he added.

Musically, Ragga B has his sights set on big things. "Me woulda love to do a collaboration with Britney Spears or Jennifer Lopez, and get signed to one a dem major label like Motown or Warner Brothers."