Alborosie

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Alborosie
Alborosie performing at Chiemsee Reggae Summer 2013
Alborosie performing at Chiemsee Reggae Summer 2013
Background information
Birth nameAlberto D'Ascola
Born (1977-07-04) 4 July 1977 (age 46)
Marsala, Sicily, Italy
GenresReggae, dancehall, dub
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, record producer
Instrument(s)Vocals, drums, guitar, keyboard, bass
Years active1993–present
LabelsGreensleeves, VP
Websitewww.alborosiemusic.com

Alberto D'Ascola (Italian pronunciation: [alˈbɛrto ˈdaskola]; born 4 July 1977), better known by his stage name Alborosie, is an Italian reggae artist. He is sometimes called the "Italian Reggae Ambassador".

Music career[edit]

Early life (2001–2005)[edit]

Born Alberto d’Ascola and raised in Marsala, Sicily, Italy, but now residing in Kingston, Jamaica, he is a multi-instrumentalist, being proficient in guitar, bass, drums and keyboard. His musical career began in the Italian reggae band Reggae National Tickets [it], from Bergamo city, when he was 15 years old in 1993, in which he was known as Stena.

In 2001, Alborosie decided to try a solo career. He moved to Jamaica to be close to reggae music's roots and Rastafari culture.[1] There, he started working as a sound engineer and producer. He has also worked with artists like Gentleman and Ky-Mani Marley. His first solo album was called Soul Pirate. In the summer of 2009, he released his second album which was called Escape from Babylon.[2] In August 2008, Alborosie played at the Uppsala Reggae Festival.[3]

The name "Alborosie" comes from a name he was given in the early years after moving to Jamaica. "Borosie was what they used to call me. Let me put it like this. My early experience in Jamaica was...not nice. Borosie was a name they used to call me and it has a negative meaning. So I said, "I'm gonna use this name and mash up the place, turn a negative into a positive thing!". Basically my name is Albert so I add 'Al', Al-borosie. But I'm not gonna tell you what borosie mean!"[4]

Soul Pirate & Escape From Babylon (2006–2009)[edit]

In 2006, Alborosie released his debut album, Soul Pirate, which included hit singles: "Rastafari Anthem", "Kingston Town", and "Call Up Jah" on his own record label, Forward Recordings.

Alborosie performing live in concert in 2008

He released his second album, Escape From Babylon in 2009 on Greensleeves Records.[5] Through the years he has given concerts all round the world, including most of Europe and Jamaica. He also released a compilation, Escape from Babylon to the Kingdom of Zion on Greensleeves Records in 2010.[6]

Dub Clash, 2 Times Revolution, & Sound The System (2010–2013)[edit]

After releasing his first Dub music album, Dub Clash in 2010[7] and his third album, 2 Times Revolution,[8] Alborosie became the first white artist to win the M.O.B.O. (Music of Black Origin) Awards in the Best Reggae Act category for 2011.[9][10]

Alborosie released his fourth album, Sound The System on Greensleeves Records in 2013.[11] He followed it up with a dub music version with, Dub the System in 2013 on Greensleeves Records.[12]

He released Sound the System Showcase in 2014, a compilation album.[13]

Collaborations & Re-masters (2014–2015)[edit]

Alborosie released a dub album he collaborated with King Jammy called, Dub of Thrones – With King Jammy in 2013 on VP Records.[14]

In 2014, Greensleeves Records released, Specialist Presents Alborosie & Friends, a collection of collaborations with other reggae artists.[10] The album entered the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart at #7.[10]

Alborosie collaborated with King Jammy on another dub album, Reality of Dub, which was released in early 2015.[15]

In 2015, his classic debut album Soul Pirate, which was released by Evolution Music Group, was re-mastered and released in Deluxe Remastered Edition with 4 never-before-released bonus tracks: "Call Up Jah", "Slambam", "Streets", and "Jamaica".

Freedom & Fyah & The Rockers (2016)[edit]

In May 2016, Alborosie's fifth album Freedom & Fyah was released on VP records.[16] In the end of 2016, Evolution Music Group released his classic album Soul Pirate in an acoustic version. The album was released on CD and CD+DVD formats.[17] He also released his sixth studio album, The Rockers on August 24, 2016.

He also released another dub album, Freedom in Dub on VP Records in 2017.[18]

Collaborations with The Wailers and Roots Radics (2016–2019)[edit]

His 2018 seventh studio album, Unbreakable: Alborosie Meets The Wailers United peaked at #6 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.[19]

Alborosie collaborated with Roots Radics on the 2019 album Alborosie Meets the Roots Radics: Dub for the Radicals.[20][21]

For The Culture (2021)[edit]

On June 4, 2021, Alborosie released his eighth studio album, titled In The Culture.[22] It features fourteen tracks that were written, produced, and performed in the during the COVID-19 pandemic using vintage analogue gear, dub sirens, reel-to-reel tape, and live instrumentation by Alborosie and the Roots Radics band. Special guest performers Alborosie collaborated with were Collie Buddz, Jo Mersa Marley, Quino of Big Mountain, and The Wailing Souls, which Alborosie produced the duo's latest album Back-A-Yard.[23]

In December 2021, Alborosie was nominated for the fans-choice "2021 Album of the Year" award by Surf Roots TV & Radio for their album For The Culture. Voting was determined by Facebook, Instagram and Twitter users. This was the band's first time being nominated with the reggae rock streaming TV channel on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku.[24]

Personal life[edit]

Alberto D'Ascola was born on 4 July 1977 in Marsala, Sicily, Italy.

His father is a retired policeman and his mother was a housewife.[25] D'Ascola developed an interest in reggae music and joined the band Reggae National Tickets in 1992 (at the age of 15.) He is a dual citizen of both Italy and Jamaica.

Discography[edit]

Solo studio albums[edit]

  Chart History[citation needed]
Year Album Label Billboard peak
 2008 Soul Pirate Self-produced —
 2009 Escape From Babylon Greensleeves Records —
 2011 2 Times Revolution Greensleeves Records —
 2013 Sound The System VP Records —
 2016 Freedom & Fyah VP Records #2[26]
 2016 The Rockers The Saifam Group/Get Up Music —
2018 Unbreakable: Alborosie Meets the Wailers United VP Records #6[27]
2021  For The Culture VP Records TBD
2023  Destiny VP Records TBD

Dub albums[edit]

  Chart History[citation needed]
Year Album Label Billboard peak
 2010 Dub Clash  J.D.F. —
 2013 Dub The System  Greensleeves Records —
 2015 Alborosie Meets King Jammy: Dub of Thrones  Greensleeves Records —
 2017 Freedom In Dub  VP Records —
 2019 Alborosie Meets the Roots Radics: Dub For The Radicals  VP Records —
 2021 Back-A-Yard Dub  VP Records —

Re-edition albums[edit]

  Chart History[citation needed]
Year Album Label Billboard peak
 2010 Escape From Babylon to the Kingdom of Zion Greensleeves Records —
 2010 Specialists & Friends Greensleeves Records —
 2014 Specialist Presents Alborosie & Friends VP Records #7[28]
 2014 Sound The System Showcase VP Records —
 2015 Soul Pirate: Deluxe Remastered Edition Evolution Music Group —
 2017 Soul Pirate: Acoustic Evolution Music Group —

With Reggae National Tickets[edit]

  • Squali (1996)
  • Un affare difficile (1997)
  • Lascia un po' di te (1998)
  • La Isla (1999)
  • Roof Club (2000)

Produced by Alborosie[edit]

  • Alborosie presents His Majesty Riddim (2016), VP [29]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Organisation Award Result
2011 2011 MOBO Awards Best reggae act Won

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Alborosie marks journey from Sicily to Kingston Town". The Jamaica Observer. 10 June 2007. Archived from the original on 30 June 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2008.
  2. ^ Moore, Malcolm (19 January 2008). "Sicilian reggae performer wows Jamaica". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 24 October 2008.
  3. ^ "Första artisterna till Reggaefestivalen klara". Upsala Nya Tidning. 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2008.
  4. ^ "Interview : Alborosie". unitedreggae.com. 28 February 2008.
  5. ^ "Escape From Babylon - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 15 April 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Alborosie - Escape from Babylon to the Kingdom of Zion". AllMusic.
  7. ^ "Dub Clash - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 17 January 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  8. ^ "2 Times Revolution - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 3 June 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  9. ^ "MOBO 2011 2011". Archived from the original on 4 July 2013.
  10. ^ a b c "Alborosie debuts on Billboard Archived 20 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine", Jamaica Observer, 4 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014
  11. ^ "Sound the System - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 28 June 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Alborosie - Dub the System". Discogs.
  13. ^ "Sound the System Showcase - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 28 November 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Dub of Thrones - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 10 April 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  15. ^ "King Jammy and Alborosie join forces", RJR News, 2 October 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014
  16. ^ "Alborosie looks to Freedom & Fyah", Jamaica Observer, 20 May 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2016
  17. ^ " https://www.reggaeville.com/artist-details/alborosie/news/view/new-album-release-alborosie-soul-pirate-acoustic/reggaeville, 17 November 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018
  18. ^ "Freedom in Dub - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 11 August 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  19. ^ Jackson, Kevin (2018) "Alborosie is Unbreakable", Jamaica Observer, 10 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018
  20. ^ "Alborosie releases album on Friday", Jamaica Observer, 16 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019
  21. ^ "Alborosie Meets The Roots Radics: Dub For The Radicals - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 18 January 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Alborosie - for the Culture". 11 June 2021.
  23. ^ "ALBOROSIE ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM - FOR THE CULTURE". Reggaeville.
  24. ^ "Album of the Year 2021 - Fans Choice – Surf Roots". surfroots.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021.
  25. ^ "Alborosie Interview". reggaenews.de. 22 June 2009.
  26. ^ "Freedom & Fyah - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 20 May 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Unbreakable: Alborosie Meets the Wailers United - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 20 May 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  28. ^ "Specialist & Friends - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 23 June 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  29. ^ "Alborosie presents His Majesty Riddim - Album by Alborosie on Apple Music". Apple Music Store (U.S.). 28 October 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2021.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alborosie.
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