From Rappa Robert To Musical Sniper – New EP – Tables Turning
KINGSTON, Jamaica — During the late 1980s, the deejay duo of Rappa Robert and Tippa Lee fit in with their pastel outfits and ‘fade’ hairstyles. In Nuh Trouble We, they had one of the period’s biggest hit songs.
Longtime fans still refer to him as Rappa Robert, but for over a decade the lanky artiste has recorded as singer Musical Sniper.
Since 2004, he has lived in Toronto, cutting a number of roots-reggae songs that has given him a profile in Canada’s second largest city.
Jamaica-Toronto-Hawaii-Link Up
This Friday, Musical Sniper dropped his latest release, a 5 song EP entitled Tables Turning on the Roots Time Record Label. The EP is co-produced with Jason Murphy who operates out of Hawaii.
“Wi jus’ stepping up right now with the real reggae music an’ a couldn’t feel more comfortable,” he said. Musical Sniper added that even when he was deejaying with Tippa Lee, singing was what he preferred. “Mi love harmony, that’s me. Its what I always what I wanted to do,” he continued. “Wi been singing a long time but a lot of the songs were neglected.”
Migration
After Tippa Lee migrated to the United States in the 1990s, Rappa Robert’s life and music took a different course. He became a Rastafarian and began recording as a roots artiste. His first major solo project was Rough Upbringing, an album done for UB40’s Oracabessa Records in 2001. It featured a strong cast of musicians including bassist Robbie Shakespeare and Monty Alexander on piano. According to Sniper, the album was not properly promoted. He said that was the case with subsequent songs for Jamaican producers and he decided to settle in Canada. “Mi jus’ get a raw deal wid the producer dem inna Jamaica.”
Country Boy Moved To Town
Rappa Robert aka Musical Sniper was born Robert Wilson in Bamboo, St Ann but grew up in the Maxfield Avenue area of Kingston, where he was exposed to the sound system culture. His introduction to live performing came through appearances on the popular Radio Jamaica weekly programme, The Colgate Cavity Fighters Club, hosted by Marie Garth and Neville Willoughby. He went on to record a number of songs as a singer for different producers but it was his partnership with the diminutive Tippa Lee, that gave him the breakthrough.In 1988, they hit pay dirt with Nuh Trouble We.
Connect With Musical Sniper
Though he considers Rough Upbringing a solid effort, Musical Sniper admits his expectations for the set ‘were a bit too high’.
Settling into a more conventional routine since moving to Canada, he is satisfied songs like Tables Turning have done well on regional charts and radio in that country.
There’s a goodness in the music so wi won’t water it down like some people. Wi compelled to put out quality.
Musical Sniper
Entertainer
Musical Sniper as he is now called, explained that his name change from Rappa Robert is a representation of his versatility beyond rapping (Djing) when he said, “Rappa is for rapping” his new moniker encompasses his talents as a rapper, singer and musician.
“Tables Turning” Is distributed by Asani Ali Music through Believe Digital Worldwide and is available on all major Digital Platforms.
Label & Artist Solutions
Asani Ali Music is one of the world’s leading digital music company which is supported by our parent company Believe Digital. Our mission is to develop independent artists and labels in the digital world by providing them the solutions they need to grow their audience at each stage of their career.
Asani Ali’s passionate team of digital music experts around the world leverages the Group’s global technology platform to advise artists and labels, distribute and promote their music.
Believe Digital has 1,651 employees in more than 50 countries aim to support independent artists and labels with a unique digital expertise, respect, fairness and transparency. Believe offers its various solutions through a portfolio of brands including TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naïve, Groove Attack and AllPoints.
For more than 15 years, Asani Ali Music Label & Artist Solutions has been creating and extending distribution and marketing solutions to independent labels and artists in 50 territories across the world. Thanks to in-house technology from Believe built and supported by music and data experts, we deliver all music content and formats to our vast network of over 200 digital platforms and streaming services.
If You are an artist, a label or a manager and you are interested by our distribution solutions? Please get in touch if you’d like to work with us.
Our Solutions
Your Music On All Platforms, Fully Optimized!
- Audio Distribution
- Video Distribution
- Social Media Distribution
- Physical Distribution
- Audience Development
