George Nooks
Encyclopedia
George Nooks, aka Prince Mohamed, Prince Mohammed, or George Knooks (born c.1958, Kingston, Jamaica
) is a reggae
singer who initially found fame as a deejay
.
tracks for producer Joe Gibbs
, notably on Dennis Brown
's 1978 hit "Money in my Pocket", and "How Could I Leave", as well as "Light Up Your Spliff" for producer Prince Tony Robinson. He moved on to work with other producers such as Alvin Ranglin
and Bunny Riley. His first album, a joint effort with General Echo
, People Are You Ready, was released on the United Artists
subsidiary Ballistic in 1978. This was followed by African Roots, recorded the following year for producer Linval Thompson
. He had a hit in Jamaica with "Forty Legs Dread", and the increasing violence in Kingston prompted Nooks to record a version of Little Roy
's "Tribal War", now singing rather than deejaying, and released under his real name, which he followed with a cover version
of Errol Dunkley
's "Darling Ooh". Nooks would subsequently concentrate on his singing, releasing the Today album in 1981, although he reverted to Prince Mohamed in 1982 for an album with June Lodge. His singing gained comparisons with Dennis Brown, who he would later pay tribute to with a double album of Brown covers.
It would be 1997 before Nooks released another album, his self-titled collection resulting in three Tamika Reggae Music awards, but since 1997 he has been quite prolific, releasing a string of solo albums, as well as albums shared with Glen Washington, Roland Burrell, Singing Melody and Lukie D
. He continues to perform and record, mixing reggae and Gospel
.
Nooks also works as a producer, and has run his own Total Records label since the early 1990s.
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
) is a reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
singer who initially found fame as a deejay
Deejay
A deejay is a reggae or dancehall musician who sings and toasts to an instrumental riddim .Deejays are not to be confused with disc jockeys from other music genres like hip-hop, where they select and play music. Dancehall/reggae DJs who select riddims to play are called selectors...
.
Biography
Nooks started his musical career in the youth choir at his church, and moved on to perform at school concerts and talent shows. After first recording professionally in 1974, Nooks first found success performing under the name Prince Mohamed, as a deejay on discomixDiscomix
A discomix, or simply a disco, is an extended reggae 12-inch single that typically features the vocal track followed by a dub version or a deejay version of the same track. The format became popular in the mid-1970s, with the extended bass range of 12-inch singles being better suited to dub music...
tracks for producer Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs (record producer)
Joe Gibbs born Joel A. Gibson was a Jamaican reggae producer.-Biography:Joe Gibbs worked as an electronics engineer in the United States before his career in music started. Gibbs eventually returned to Kingston, Jamaica and opened an electrical repair shop with television repairs and sales as its...
, notably on Dennis Brown
Dennis Brown
Dennis Emmanuel Brown was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers rock, a sub-genre of reggae...
's 1978 hit "Money in my Pocket", and "How Could I Leave", as well as "Light Up Your Spliff" for producer Prince Tony Robinson. He moved on to work with other producers such as Alvin Ranglin
Alvin Ranglin
Alvin 'GG' Ranglin is a Jamaican reggae singer and record producer.-Biography:Ranglin started to sing in public in his teens with an Adventist Church background. As a radio and television technician involved in the jukebox industry, he soon acquired his own sound system he named "GG"...
and Bunny Riley. His first album, a joint effort with General Echo
General Echo
General Echo aka Ranking Slackness, was one of the first reggae deejays to move away from 'cultural' lyrics towards 'slackness' ....
, People Are You Ready, was released on the United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
subsidiary Ballistic in 1978. This was followed by African Roots, recorded the following year for producer Linval Thompson
Linval Thompson
Linval Thompson is a Jamaican reggae and dub musician and record producer.-Biography:Thompson was raised in Kingston, Jamaica, but spent time with his mother in Queens, New York, and his recording career began around the age of 20 with the self-released "No Other Woman," recorded in Brooklyn, New...
. He had a hit in Jamaica with "Forty Legs Dread", and the increasing violence in Kingston prompted Nooks to record a version of Little Roy
Little Roy
Little Roy is a Jamaican reggae artist.-Biography:Little Roy launched his career in the rocksteady age, recording a few singles for Coxsone Dodd and Prince Buster, none of which made much headway. As reggae itself unfolded, Roy switched to Lloyd Daley's recording studio...
's "Tribal War", now singing rather than deejaying, and released under his real name, which he followed with a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Errol Dunkley
Errol Dunkley
Errol Dunkley is a Jamaican reggae musician, born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1951.-Biography:Dunkley's recording career began in 1965, when he was fourteen, with "Gypsy" for Linden Pottinger's Gaydisc label, "My Queen" for Prince Buster, and "Love Me Forever" on the Rio label...
's "Darling Ooh". Nooks would subsequently concentrate on his singing, releasing the Today album in 1981, although he reverted to Prince Mohamed in 1982 for an album with June Lodge. His singing gained comparisons with Dennis Brown, who he would later pay tribute to with a double album of Brown covers.
It would be 1997 before Nooks released another album, his self-titled collection resulting in three Tamika Reggae Music awards, but since 1997 he has been quite prolific, releasing a string of solo albums, as well as albums shared with Glen Washington, Roland Burrell, Singing Melody and Lukie D
Lukie D
Lukie D is a dancehall deejay. He is known for his singing rather than toasting style, which fits with the prominent theme of love in his songs. Kennedy began his career performing on various local sound systems, building a reputation as a dancehall singer...
. He continues to perform and record, mixing reggae and Gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
.
Nooks also works as a producer, and has run his own Total Records label since the early 1990s.
Prince Mohamed
- People Are You Ready (1978) Ballistic (with General Echo)
- African Roots (1979) Burning Rockers
- No One Remember Africa (1979) GG's
- Bubbling Techniques
- Inna Him Head (1980) Joe Gibbs
- Someone Loves You Honey (1982) Joe Gibbs/Ariola (June Lodge featuring Prince Mohamed)
George Nooks
- Today (1981) Jimpy's
- One of a Kind (1990), Mr. Doo
- George Nooks (1997) Correct
- This One's For You (1999) VPVP RecordsVP Records is an independent reggae record label, located in Queens, New York. It is best known for producing Caribbean singers.-The foundation:...
- Standing By (2001) VP
- Damage (2001) Charm
- Toe 2 Toe vol. 2 (2002) Jet StarJet StarJet Star was a United Kingdom record distribution company that grew out of Pama Records in 1978. It was one of the largest distributors of reggae music, the company themselves claiming the title "the world's largest reggae distributors".-History:Jet Star was formed in 1978 by the Palmer Brothers,...
(George Nooks & Glen Washington) - Better Days (2002) Jet Star
- Created by the Father (2002) Cactus (with Roland Burrell)
- No Power on Earth (2002) Jet Star
- Singers (2003) Brick Wall (Singing Melody, Lukie DLukie DLukie D is a dancehall deejay. He is known for his singing rather than toasting style, which fits with the prominent theme of love in his songs. Kennedy began his career performing on various local sound systems, building a reputation as a dancehall singer...
, and George Nooks) - Don't Give Up (2004) Jet Star
- Jet Star Reggae Max (2004) Jet Star
- Giving Thanks (2005)
- George Nooks Sings Dennis Brown: The Voice Lives On (2006)
- Come a Long Way (2006) Cousins
- So Excited (2007) Tafari
- Diamond Series (2008) Tad's/Total