General Degree Dancehall reggae artiste and Promoter

Dancehall reggae artiste General Degree (real name Cardiff Butt) was born on April 28, in Manchester, Jamaica.

Music was Degree second love after Tailoring, but music was calling him more, so he decided to leave the cool, cool Manchester for capitol Kingston to persue a career in the Dancehall and Reggae music industry.

It was only a few years later In his early 20’s, that Degree was hitting those same airwaves with his brilliant imitation of a grandmother in his first number one hit ‘Granny’- his first recording for Main Street producer Danny Browne.

Degree’s impressive parade of number one hits continued both at home and abroad, and lends great credence to the fact that he certainly does know what he’s talking about.

Tunes such as ‘Granny’ Brinks, Mr do it nice, Bodyguard, Pianist, Papa Lover, Hold yuh Tonight, and countless others have had fans skanking.

General Degree is also renowned for his provocative lyrics that always leave just enough up to the imagination. The little they do leave, is also plenty for them not to be certified XXX-rated.

Girls crying for his ‘Pianist’ is the perfect example of a Degree double-entendre, that gets his earthy message across whilst leaving censors with nothing to do. The reason why Degree’s suggestiveness works so well is because of the pure invention of his work.

It’s a trademark that ensures no two Degree tunes sound similar, even if the subject matter might be. Always vocally ambidextrous on a rhythm, his spoken voice lingers at double bass. Reflecting this, the 1998 smash “Bag A Tings” has become the blue print for an almost monotone flow that has been utilized by many deejays since.

‘Cartoon Character’, ’Traffic Blocking’, ‘Boom Boom’ among others, kept the artiste on the charts and satisfied his fans appetite for more of the ‘Bush Baby’ which happened to be the title track of the album for which he copped a Reggae Soca Award for best dancehall album.

He not only a recording artiste, he is the promoter of the annual Manchester Fiesta All Food Festival.

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