Artists

Vybrid

Ashley Howard Johnson also known as Vybrid, is an artist that cannot be placed in a box. Whether he decides to sing a hardcore Dance Hall song, a soothing Reggae tune or a sultry R&B song all depends on the “Vybz” he feels at the moment. Vybrid was born in the Richmond Park community of Kingston Jamaica to Guyanese parents who attended the University of the West Indies. Due to his outgoing personality and the fact that he was always lively, his peers called him Vybz. As a result of his natural versatility and his ability to connect with a wide range of people, he changed his name to Vybrid, which is a combination of Vybz and Hybrid. This name is a true representation of Vybrid as a person and also as an artist.

Vybrid displayed musical talent at an early age and began performing in Church at the age of 7. His performances were never monotonous and on some days he played instruments and on others he would sing. You never knew what to expect from Vybrid.

He later migrated to the United States, where he settled in Atlanta, Georgia. He began to take music very seriously after he left high school realizing that there was a deep love and passion for it. He recorded his first track in his basement at the age of 18. On this track he recorded, mixed and mastered it himself. VyBrid would then continue to work and perfect his craft by incorporating different styles and sounds into his music. Vybrid has performed at universities, charity events and carnivals. He has opened up for artists such as Spragga Benz, Ky- Mani Marley, Junior Reid, Dexta Daps, Mr. Vegas and many more. He has worked with producers such as Patexx, SlayBad, Delly Ranx and many more. Due to his talent and versatility Vybrid has the ability to hypnotize people of all ages and backgrounds. This is particularly evident in his live performances. Vybrid’s plan is to bring his Hybrid, Vibrant style to the masses and is on a mission to engulf the world with his music.

DUANE HOWARD

Superstars are born, not bred. Such is the case for 27-year-old Brooklyn, New York native, Duane Howard. From his charming good looks to a vocal range that most young talent only dream of, Duane’s talent stems from his church upbringing of a long family line of Jamaican roots.

Since the age of six, Duane Howard has demonstrated a unique gift for singing and playing the drums; a gift that his parents and older brother noticed right away. As Duane’s talents grew into early adolescence, Duane’s brother and now manager, Narrel Howard, would take him to different studios in New York to record, teaching Duane about music production. But Duane equally had a love for football, which initially kept him from actively pursuing a music career prior to him finishing high school. Duane admits that even though his passion for football was great, music was something that never really left him and kept growing in his heart and soul. “I just couldn’t ignore what I was feeling anymore,” says Duane, which led him to approach his brother after graduating from high school for assistance with his career.

Ready to embark on an independent journey to R&B/Pop stardom, Duane has been hard at work writing and producing several songs from his first EP entitled “Blue Light”. Growing up with influences such as Stevie Wonder, Usher, to Bob Marley, the infectious sounds of reggae music to the powerful impact of gospel, infused with R&B has shaped a sound that has made Duane an electrifying force to be reckoned with. Duane’s warm, playful personality comes across in his hit single “Gimme Your Body” which also has a trace of Duane’s Jamaican roots intermixed into the song. Duane’s cleverly smooth writing ability is apparent in the song “That’s My Girl”. “Blue Light” displays a more classic R&B style, showcasing Duane’s ability to appeal to the R&B masses.

Versatile as he is talented, Duane has the ability to hypnotize people of all ages and backgrounds.His music is to be viewed as a coalescence of various experiences, times, emotions, and moods. When Duane writes, his aim is to pull on heartstrings, to captivate, to touch on human emotions. Whether he is singing about love, life, or joyfully belting out dance tunes, Duane never seems to disappoint, capturing the hearts of new fans daily.

It is only a matter of time before airways are flooded with the addictive sounds of Duane Howard. New York radio station Hot 97 has already featured the single “Gimme Your Body” before its release and has noted Duane as the artist you need to know about. Stay tuned!

www.dhowardmusic.com

Brian Gordon

Brian Gordon was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in South Florida by Jamaican parents. Brian began playing classical music at age five and began singing at age nine. He is proficient in the Piano, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums and Organ. Brian prides himself on being a quintessential musician. He has played in bands, served as back-up singer for other artists and produced various genres of music. Brian’s mix of NYC toughness, South Florida’s warmness and his Jamaican family’s vibrance all contribute to his brand of music. His drive and focus all come from this mix of cultures and the desire to spread positivity. Brian believes that the journey is often as savory as the destination and aspires to be a living example of the process.

Javid Skeene

Javid Skeene also popularly called Dj Insaneo is a 26 year old DJ who attended St. Georges College, Jamaica and nurtured his passion for playing music at the age of 15. Since starting to receive bookings in 2010 under the Management of Black Water Entertainment, playing for the likes of Rebel Sound, you can say, “He’s been around the block a few times”. With 11 years under his belt and influencers such as Stone Love, Tony Matterhorn, Fire Links, Kilamanjaro and Arif Cooper just to name a few the driving force and determination with perseverance will get him to the ultimate goal of being a household name and international brand. From starting out not many can say they’ve grown up through the many musical softwares that have come about. Dj Insaneo however, has been through the likes of Vinyl then a CD program called “Otis” followed by Virtual DJ, Tracktor and now Serato. Dj Insaneo’s musical style can be described as risk taking, unorthodox and unpredictable. He reads his crowd’s vibe and plays accordingly. He tries to dabble in every genre during his sets and stays away from fitting into the predictable mold of playing “top 40 songs” or hit songs. He has also developed his skill set of being able to make cleaner, smoother transitions due to the little to no scratching he does during his sets. For such a young age and having displayed such great talent his playing has gotten him bookings at some of the top events both locally and internationally. Locally; Ova Suh, Ratingz and Zimi Seh Brunch and Internationally; Kgn 5, Drinkaz Paradise, Carib Brunch and Cooler Fete just to name a few.So experience is far and vast and comes with no age as you can see from the young and talented Dj Insaneo

Xo Tingz

Courtney Malcolm also known as XO Tingz is a Jamaican vocalist, singer-songwriter whose rhythmic melodies and soulful harmonies cut straight to the core of his listeners’ emotions and creates a positive vibe. He labels himself as a young man with big dreams.

Xo Tingz grew up in Harbour View, a small community around 10 minutes from the Norman Manley International Airport in Jamaica. He discovered his passion for the arts and singing at an early age, and with the support of his family, started working on developing that passion into a career. In his second year of high school, Xo Tingz aced auditions to become a member of the St George’s College Choir. At that point he was exposed to the theory of music.

After completing high school, he auditioned for the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company, and was cast as Tiger in the Tuff Gong-produced musical Nesta’s Rock. After that, he accepted an opportunity to perform for the family members of both Bob Marley and Nelson Mandela, on separate occasions.

He later joined the Ashé Company, a professional performance group in Jamaica. While at Ashé, Xo Tingz found his love for dance. The group’s artistic director Michael Holgate gave him two very important lessons that Xo Tings considers life changing. Mr. Holgate told him “Don’t learn the steps, learn the vibe” and “don’t doubt yourself, if you believe it you can achieve it.”

He began actualizing his dreams when he went to the United States. Xo Tingz decided to follow his dream of becoming a Modern Dancehall artist. He believes that “In life, you have to see it, believe it, and go get it; never limit yourself!”. Xo Tingz’ debut EP Inception was released on August 8, 2020, on all streaming platforms. The 5-track record peaked at #2 on the iTunes reggae charted and #11 on the Billboard Reggae Albums charts. This was done through hard work and a natural knack for promoting.

Xo Tingz, is a vibrant, talented, multidimensional artist whose brand of music is allowing him to become a household name around the world.