Alborosie

Artist Profiles: Alborosie

Alborosie was born Alberto D’Ascola in Sicily, Italy on 4 July 1977. At 15, he created a reggae band called Reggae National Ticket. Signed to BMG Italia, they enjoyed huge success and record sales in excess of 200,000 units. Wanting to leave his “Italian Babylon,” Alborosie decided to quit the band, get rid of all his possessions and move to Jamaica.

Looking to find a place he could call his spiritual home, Alborosie immersed himself fully into the music, the people, and culture of the island. Soon after, Alborosie embarked on making a name for himself as a reggae artist.

Alborosie has released multiple albums and collaborated with various musicians throughout his career. His debut album, “Soul Pirate,” was released in 2006 and featured hit singles such as “Rastafari Anthem,” “Kingston Town,” and “Call Up Jah.” He followed up with his second album, “Escape From Babylon,” in 2009.

In the following years, Alborosie released albums like “Dub Clash” (2010), “2 Times Revolution” (2011), and “Sound The System” (2013). He became the first white artist to win the M.O.B.O. Awards in the Best Reggae Act category in 2011. He also collaborated with King Jammy on dub albums and released compilation albums showcasing his collaborations with other reggae artists.

In 2016, Alborosie released his fifth album, “Freedom & Fyah,” and his sixth studio album, “The Rockers.” He continued to collaborate with notable musicians like The Wailers and Roots Radics on albums such as “Unbreakable: Alborosie Meets The Wailers United” (2018) and “Alborosie Meets the Roots Radics: Dub for the Radicals” (2019).

In 2021, Alborosie released his eighth studio album, “In The Culture,” featuring tracks written, produced, and performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The album included collaborations with artists like Collie Buddz, Jo Mersa Marley, Quino of Big Mountain, and The Wailing Souls.

Alborosie’s most recent album, “Destiny,” was released in 2023. The album merges Roots Rock Reggae and Dub and features collaborations with artists such as Kabaka Pyramid, Buju Banton, Jaz Elise, and Burro Banton. The album explores themes of faith, life, love, and the power of music to transform.

Alborosie aims to create music that remains relevant to the present moment and resonates with listeners on a relatable and humble level.

Discography

Soul Pirate (Forward Recordings, 2008)
Escape From Babylon to the Kingdom of Zion (Greensleeves Records, 2009)
2 Times Revolution (Greensleeves Records, 2011)
Sound The System (VP Records, 2013)
Freedom & Fyah (VP Records, 2016)
The Rockers (The Saifam Group/Get Up Music, 2016)
Unbreakable: Alborosie Meets the Wailers United (VP Records, 2018)
For The Culture (VP Records, 2021)
Destiny (VP Records, 2023)




Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
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