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Jazzie B, obe

"We came up with the name Soul II Soul not just because of the music we played, but it also stood for Daddae and myself - two souls moving together." They quickly achieved a name on a community level, but they still needed funding. Soul II Soul then landed a gig at the now legendary Africa Centre in London's Covent Garden. There they created the Soul II Soul experience. Unlike other sound systems on the same circuit, Soul II Soul wasn't just about the big name DJs, it was about a vibe.

The Africa Centre caught the attention of record industry executives and it wasn't long before Soul II Soul were being persued by record labels. In 1986 Soul II Soul signed to Virgin as an artist/band. This partnership catapulted Soul II Soul into a tornado of success.

The Soul II Soul sound was original, new, fresh, and infectious, but above all it was a UK thing. It was homegrown. It represented without alienating itself. Jazzie enjoyed chart success with 'Keep On Moving' and 'Back To Life'. And he and Soul II Soul quickly became household names.

Merchandise and the Funky Dred logo appeared all over town alongside the slogan "A happy face, a thumpin' bass, for a lovin' race." There were the resident club nights throughout the UK and abroad, concerts, radio, television appearances, and Jazzie's show on London's Kiss FM.

America embraced Jazzie B and Soul II Soul. They were awarded 2 Grammy's, the keys to seven US cities including LA and New York, and honours from the NAACP. There's even a Soul II Soul day in America.

This US success brought more record company deals: they signed to Motown as a label, and a production deal with Epic came shortly afterwards. Then, in 1996, Jazzie signed an artist deal with Island.

Jazzie B's has produced and re-mixed for artist such as The Fine Young Cannibals, Incognito, Maxi Priest, Charlene Smith, James Brown, Kym Mazelle, Rose Windross, Family Stand, Cheryl Lynn, Public Enemy, J.T. Taylor, Johnny Gill, Charlotte, Caron Wheeler, Isaac Hayes, Sinead O'Connor, Alison Williams, Teena Marie, Ziggy Marley, The Jones Girls, Nas, and Destiny's Child. Somewhere along the line there's been the handshake with Prince Charles, and he even once shared a dressing room with the legendary Sammy Davis Jnr.

Jazzie now runs the successful independent label Soul II Soul Recordings, DJ's regularly and presents his own radio shows along with regular guest spots.

These projects are more about Jazzie B the man, rather than Jazzie B the business. This is the area of the industry he sees as his enjoyment.