01. Never Loose Focus
- Artist: Tafari Watkis
- Single Name: Never Loose Focus
- ✓ For Promotional Use Only !!!
- Released: 2014
- Genre: Reggae
- Label: Mammen Prod.
- Born: Jamaica
- Resident: Jamaica
- Direction:
- Produced By:
- Edit:
- Track: 01
- Playtime: min
- Size: 7.3 mb
- Never Loose Focus(+)
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Tafari Watkis was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica to Grace Brown and Lloyd
Watkis.Currently working on his first EP titled "My Meditation",set to
release 2015. He spent his first five years of life in Bushy Park, Old
Harbor (near the capital Kingston). Due to economic demands, he and his
mother moved back to Race Coast, St. Mary to live with his grandparents.
He spent his childhood and teenage years in this rural coastal area of
the island. As with most islanders, he developed a lifelong affinity for
the joy, excitement and simplicity of Reggae music.
He immigrated to the United States at age eighteen. It was in America that Tafari rediscovered his relationship with estranged father, Lloyd. His father had a long history of musical inclination and started to peak Tafari’s interest. Having grown up in Jamaica and possessing this inbreed rhythm, Tafari was a quick study. He started paying attention to the details of the music he had heard all his life. The words, beats and spacing became important. Tafari said in an interview, “My heartbeat and the music became in sync. I can relate to reggae roots because of the substance, and the practical guidelines for life.” More so, he longed for the musical connection with his island home. Reggae offers a sense of oneness and bridges borders. This attitude of community and sharing had defined his childhood. Now it was time to solidify his interest and discover his true calling.
Tafari picked up the bass in the summer of 2007, with his dad as his first instructor. He gravitated to the bass because it is the ‘pounding heartbeat’ of Reggae. “No Man is an Island” was the first song he tried. He played it with enough conviction initially that he and his dad decided the bass was his instrument. Within eight months, he got the essentials down. After being comfortable with the bass, he started to both play and sing. After owning his skills privately, then came the public test.
Tafari joined his first band, Kingston 13 in the spring of 2009, as bass player and vocalist. He quickly rose to a professional standard and was affectionately given the name ‘Specialist’ by fellow band mates. He debuted professional with the band at The Dub Club in Los Angeles, California.
They backed world renowned act “Michigan and Smiley” and it
was a resounding success. He has also played for international reggae
artists such as; Andrew Bees of the group Black Uhuru, Garth Dennis of
Wailing Soul, international reggae star Daddy Roots of Anguilla, Jahmark and the Soulshakers, and lead singer of The Wailers, Yvad. Within a few
years he progressed into a well-rounded bass vocalist. He is currently
working his first Album,"Life In These Times",4iver Recordings.
Tafari is very excited about this new album. When asked about his experience making the album he said, “This album is about my own experiences, showing integrity and wanting to spread the message of love and unity. I believe this album reflects the legacy of the forefathers of reggae. It is a privilege to have people affected by what you have created. My only hope is that this album will impact people in a true and realistic way. I want to earn the audience’s trust and carve out a niche in the reggae industry.” It will be a privilege to watch this artist blossom over the next couple years. And this new album is sure to catapult him to new levels of artistic recognition.
