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'{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Use Jamaican English|date=March 2012}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Capleton | image = Capleton1.jpg | caption = Performance in Spain 13 November 2008 | landscape = Yes | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Clifton George Bailey III | alias = King Shango, The Fireman, The Prophet | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1967|4|13|39}} | birth_place = [[Islington, Jamaica|Islington]], [[Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica|St. Mary, Jamaica]] | death_date = | instrument = Vocals | genre = [[Reggae]], [[roots reggae]], [[dancehall]] | occupation = Musician | years_active = | label = [[VP Records]] | associated_acts = | website = [http://www.capletonmusic.com/ www.capletonmusic.com] | notable_instruments = }} '''Capleton''' (born '''Clifton George Bailey III''',<ref name=orion/> 13 April 1967, [[Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica|Saint Mary]], [[Jamaica]]) is a Jamaican [[reggae]] and [[dancehall]] artist. He is also referred to as '''King Shango''', '''King David''', '''The Fireman''' and '''The Prophet'''. His record label is called David House Productions. He is known for his [[Rastafari movement]] views expressed in his songs. ==Biography== Bailey was born in [[Islington, Jamaica|Islington]] in St. Mary in 1967.<ref name="Walters20120720">Walters, Basil (2012) "[http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/Entertainment/Capleton-lauded-for-charity-work_11982686 Capleton lauded for charity work]", ''[[Jamaica Observer]]'', 20 July 2012, retrieved 29 July 2012</ref> As a youth, he was given the surname of a popular St. Mary lawyer and friend of the family, Capleton, as a nickname by his relatives and friends.<ref name=Chi>[http://www.chicagoreggae.com/capletoninterview.htm Capleton interview]. ChicagoReggae.com. Retrieved 24 January 2011.</ref> Capleton rejects the name given to him at birth, given its European origin. He now prefers "King Shango", given its roots in the [[Yoruba language]].<ref>Barrow, Musa. [http://www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1562 Art and Music: Interview With Jamaican Reggae Star, Capleton]. ''Foroyaa Online''. 4 June 2008.</ref> As a teenager, he sneaked out of his home to catch local dancehall acts, eventually leaving St. Mary for Kingston at the age of 18 to work on his career as a dancehall deejay.<ref>"Capleton." Contemporary Musicians. Ed. Leigh Ann DeRemer. Vol. 40. Gale Cengage, 2003. eNotes.com. 2006. Retrieved 2011-4-15. [http://www.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/capleton-biography]</ref> == Early career == [[File:Capleton.JPG|thumb|220px|right|Capleton in concert, 2006, in Germany]] In 1989, he got his first big international exposure. Stewart Brown, owner of a [[Toronto]]-based sound called African Star, gave the untested artist his first break, flying him to Canada for a stage show alongside [[Ninjaman]] and Flourgon.<ref name=Chi/> When Capleton first arrived on the scene in the late 1980s, [[slackness]] and gun talk were the dominant lyrics in the dancehalls. The pre-Rasta Capleton had a string of hit songs from "Bumbo Red" to "Number One on the Look Good Chart" and "No Lotion Man". He recorded the song that began to establish his significant place in Dancehall, "Alms House" in 1992. The tune became a big hit in the dancehall, followed up immediately by "Music is a Mission" and the massive hit "Tour". By 1993, he was voicing tunes which became increasingly conscious, such as "Prophet" and "Cold Blooded Murderer". Tunes such as "Tour" and "Wings of the Morning" earned him a deal with Russell Simmons' [[Def Jam Recordings]],<ref>Campbell, Howard. [http://www.vprecords.com/index.php?page=ArtistNewsRuz&a_id=16&n_id=126219 Capleton Finds His Way Back To VP]. VPRecords.com. 30 June 2010.</ref> which culminated in the ''[[Prophecy (Capleton album)|Prophecy]]'' and ''[[I-Testament]]'' albums of the mid-1990s. == Later career == In 1999, Capleton headlined [[Reggae Sumfest]]'s dancehall night, to much fanfare.<ref>[http://www.reggaeweb.com/events/sumfest/1999/sumfest.htm Summer Fest ‘99 – Dancehall Nights]. Reggaeweb.com. Retrieved 2 February 2011.</ref> The performance, which led to a subsequent headliner placement the following year, is credited with "re-bussing", or creating a comeback for, his career.<ref>[http://www.reggaeweb.com/events/sumfest/2000/index.htm Reggae Sumfest 2000]. Reggaeweb.com. Retrieved 2 February 2011.</ref> The 1999–2000 period elicited a string of hits, many of which can be found on the album ''[[More Fire]]''.<ref>Huey, Steve. [http://www.allmusic.com/artist/capleton-p29881/biography Capleton biography]. allmusic. Retrieved 2 February 2011.</ref> By 2004, some argued the quality of Capleton's music had been downgraded by over-proliferation on numerous [[riddim]]s, while Capleton himself argued his continued recording over both [[dancehall]] and [[roots reggae]] riddims created balance in his musical output.<ref>Smith, Germaine. [http://jamaica-star.com/thestar/20040507/ent/ent1.html REIGN OF FIRE – Capleton still blazes]. ''Jamaica Star''. 7 May 2004.</ref> Nonetheless, he scored hit singles over one of the most popular riddims of 2004,<ref>[http://www.reggae-vibes.com/rev_var/dropleaf.htm Drop Leaf album review]. Reggae Vibes Productions. Retrieved 2 February 2011.</ref> "That Day Will Come" over the Hard Times riddim. After a hiatus from the label, Capleton returned to [[VP Records]] in 2010 with the release of ''[[I-Ternal Fire]]''.<ref>Campbell, Howard. [http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100630/ent/ent1.html Capleton finds his way back to VP]. ''Jamaica Gleaner''. 30 June 2010.</ref> After headlining a U.S. tour which included [[Romain Virgo]], Munga Honorable, and Kulcha Knox in the fall of 2010, Capleton embarked upon a tour of the African continent for late 2010 and early 2011. Stops included Gambia, Senegal, South Africa and multiple dates in Zimbabwe.<ref>[http://www.thestandard.co.zw/entertainment/27427-warming-the-stage-for-capleton.html Warming the stage for Capleton]. ''The Standard (Zimbabwe)''. 21 November 2010.</ref> Capleton's annual 'A St Mary Mi Come From' live show has raised funds for several charities since it was first staged in 2000, including local schools and hospitals.<ref name="Walters20120720" /> == Religious views == Capleton makes reference to Bobo Ashanti, one of the various [[Mansions of Rastafari|mansions]] of the [[Rastafari movement]].<ref>Park, Esther. [http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/crossfade/2010/02/capleton_bob_marley_festival_2010_miami.php Bob Marley Movement Caribbean Festival 2010: Interview With Capleton]. ''Miami New Times''. 25 February 2010.</ref> Yet he frequently mentions there's no separation between the mansions of Rastafari as he see it. He stated in an interview on TraceTV that he doesn't eat meat of any kind, consume dairy in any form, or even eat anything from soya. "Not an ordinary vegetarian..." he stated, "I'm [[Veganism|vegan]]." He also touches on the subject of his lyrics regarding fire, saying they are metaphoric references of purification, not violence or murder.<ref>Mbiriyamveka, Jonathan. [http://allafrica.com/stories/201010180910.html Capleton Show Organisers Hunt Ghetto Rappers]. ''The Herald (Zimbabwe)''. 18 October 2010.</ref> == Criticisms == Capleton has faced criticism for [[Heterosexism|anti-gay]] lyrics in some of his songs though homosexuality remains illegal in his native Jamaica.<ref name=homophobia>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/tx/documentaries/gayinja.shtml "Gay in JA: What's it like to be gay in a society where it's illegal to practice your sexuality?"], ''BBC''. First aired 2008, updated Tuesday 16 June 2009. (Only regionally available)</ref> His manager has argued that some of the controversial lyrics have been mistranslated and do not actually refer to gays.<ref name=orion/> Capleton himself has admitted that through his Rastafari faith he believes that a homosexual lifestyle is not right, but has insisted that terms such as "burn" and "fire" are not to be understood in the literal sense "to go out and burn and kill people", but as a metaphor for "purification" and cleansing.<ref name=orion>Savage, Shannon (6 October 2004)[http://media.www.theorion.com/media/storage/paper889/news/2004/10/06/Entertainment/Dancehall.Music.Silenced-1506515.shtml "Dancehall music silenced"], ''[[The Orion (student newspaper)|The Orion]]'' (student newspaper of [[California State University, Chico|CSU Chico]]) – Entertainment. Updated 11 May 2009.</ref> As part of an agreement to end the [[Stop Murder Music]] campaign, Capleton and other artists allegedly signed the Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA) in 2007.<ref>[http://www.newnownext.com/2007/06/13/reggae-stars-sign-on-to-cut-out-homophobic-lyrics/ LOGOonline.com: NewNowNext Blog: Reggae Stars Sign On To Cut Out Homophobic Lyrics<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.towleroad.com/2007/06/reggae_stars_re.html Reggae Stars Renounce Homophobia, Condemn Anti-gay Violence – Towleroad, More than gay news for more gay men<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> However, Capleton has continued to sing songs that some claim violate the RCA, causing the cancellation of a concert in Switzerland in 2008 and a United States tour in 2010,<ref>http://calcoastnews.com/2010/02/hate-singer-capleton-cancels-u-s-tour/</ref><ref>[http://another-green-world.blogspot.com/2008/11/capleton-concert-cancelled-in-basel.html "Capleton Concert cancelled in Basel, Switzerland"], ''[[Another Green World (blog)|Another Green World]]''. Thursday, 6 November 2008.</ref> == Discography== {{Multicol}} *''Lotion Man'' – 1991 *''Alms House'' – 1993 *''Good So'' – 1994 *''[[Prophecy (Capleton album)|Prophecy]]'' – 1995 *''[[I-Testament]]'' – 1997 *''[[One Mission (Capleton album)|One Mission]]'' (compilation) – 1999 *''Gold'' – 2000 *''[[More Fire]]'' – 2000 *''[[Still Blazin]]''' – 2002 *''[[Voice of Jamaica, Vol.3]]'' – 2003 *''[[Praises to the King]]'' – 2003 {{Multicol-break}} *''[[Reign of Fire (album)|Reign of Fire]]'' – 2004 *''[[The People Dem]]'' – 2004 *''Duppy Man'' (featured with [[Chase & Status]]) *''[[Free Up]]'' – 2006 *''Hit Wit Da 44 Rounds'' – 2007 *''[[Rise Them Up (album)|Rise Them Up]]'' – 2007 *''[[Bun Friend (album)|Bun Friend]]'' – 2008 *''[[Yaniko Roots]]'' – 2008 *''[[Jah Youth Elevation]]'' – 2008 *''Liberation Time'' (featured with AZAD) (2009) *''[[I-Ternal Fire]]'' – 2010<ref>http://www.unitedreggae.com/news/n583/032510/capleton-unleashes-his-i-ternal-fire</ref> {{Multicol-end}} ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==External links== *[http://www.capletonmusic.com/ Official website] *[http://www.vprecords.com/artisteinfo.php?artiste_number=25 Capleton's profile] at [[VP Records]]' website *[http://jamaicansmusic.com/artists/93-capleton.html History of Capleton] *[http://bestreggaemusic.com/capleton-the-fire-man Capleton Biography] {{Authority control}} {{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> | NAME = Capleton | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = Jamaican musician | DATE OF BIRTH =1967-04-13 | PLACE OF BIRTH = St. Mary, Jamaica | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = }} [[Category:Jamaican reggae musicians]] [[Category:1967 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica]] [[Category:Jamaican Rastafarians]] [[Category:Performers of Rastafarian music]] [[Category:Dancehall musicians]] [[Category:Jamaican songwriters]]'