Miguel Orlando Collins, also known as Sizzla Kalonji or Sizzla, is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is renowned for his prolific output and is among the most popular and well-received contemporary reggae artists. As of 2018, he has released 56 solo albums.
Here is all that you want to know about Sizzla!
Early Life And Education
Sizzla Kalonji was born on April 17, 1976, in the parish of St. Mary, Jamaica, as the son of devout Rastafarian parents. Sizzla follows the Bobo Ashanti branch of the Rastafari movement just like his parents.
Early in his childhood, after having relocated to August Town, he started a career in the music business. He was also seeking to start a profession as a mechanic at the time because his father, Father Magnet ( also known as Daddy Sizzla), ran a garage. He was a student at Dunoon High School whose major was mechanical engineering. The career as a mechanic was quickly overtaken by music and eventually disappeared.
Sizzla spent most of his early years recording numerous minor and unappreciated tracks for various producers. He also spent a significant amount of his time as Homer Harris’ young mentee, the man who was in charge of guiding Sizzla on his predestined musical career when he was a youngster.
His sons Raheem Collins and Melech Collons, who perform as Reemus and Skorcha, have followed him in their musical careers.
Sizzla Kalonji’s Musical Career
Top Jamaican saxophonist Dean Fraser, the musical director for Philip “Fatis” Burrell’s Xterminator Family, was introduced to Sizzla by Homer Harris. When Sizzla started working with Fatis in 1996, it was a significant turning point in his career. The result of this partnership was the publication of Sizzla’s debut album, “Burning Up,” and a string of popular singles.
A year later, they collaborated once more on the follow-up, “Praise Ye Jah”(JetStar). His release of the Dixon-produced “Black Woman and Child” that same year swiftly eclipsed “Praise Ye Jah.” The album’s title tune was a big hit and evolved into a sort of reggae hymn.
“Like Mountain,” “Babylon Cowboy,” “Kings of the Earth,” and the Luciano duet “Build a Better World” are just a few of the other songs Sizzla scored in 1997.
Sizzla Kalonji has recorded over 56 solo albums and over 25 compilation albums that span several distinct reggae subgenres. He established his own record company, Kalonji Records, which in collaboration with Koch Records and Damon Dash Music Group produced the album “The Overstanding” in November 2006. Along with “Black History and Life,” this was his third album to be distributed by Kalonji Records.
The Firehouse Crew who also produced Sizzla’s first single “Burning Up,” produced his 2008 album “Ghetto Youth-ology.”
“The Messiah” was another album released by Sizzla in 2013. In 2014, Sizzla was featured in an album for Stephen Marley.
Awards And Recognitions
Sizzla’s first nomination for Best International Reggae Artist of the Year at the 1998 awards came along with widespread acclaim. Since then, Sizzla released several albums, including “Kalonji” from 1998 and “Royal Son of Ethiopia” from 1999.
He was nominated for the MOBO a second time in 1999. Sizzla continued to be a regular fixture in international reggae arts. Sizzla currently has around 25 albums that have reached the Top Reggae Albums music chart on Billboard, with “Words of Truth” peaking at number five.
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Sizzla Kalonji’s Controversies
Several of Sizzla’s songs contain anti-gay lyrics, which have drawn criticism around the world and led to the cancellation of numerous worldwide musical shows.
The latest controversy about Sizzla is that he allegedly destroyed the platinum disc that DJ Khaled sent to him. He reportedly showed disrespect by doing this, which is why it happened.
Sizzla claims that the title of the record DJ Khaled delivered couldn’t be read since the name was printed on it in such tiny type. Sizzla then took to Instagram Live to smash the disc to pieces, deleting the child-related photographs before bagging the fragments in plastic and setting them on fire.
Sizzla continues to hold the position that he is an artist using his freedom of speech and creative expression, but he will speak out against injustice when he sees it.
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