Rudolph Grant, also known as Little Brother Grant, Rudy Grant and The Mexicano, is a reggae deejay and singer.

Rudy Grant
Birth nameRudolph Grant
Born1950s
Plaisance, British Guiana (now Guyana)
GenresReggae, soca
OccupationMusician
Years active1969–present
LabelsIce, Ensign, RAK

Biography

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Born in Plaisance, Guyana, Grant settled in the United Kingdom with his family in 1960.[1] His brother, Eddy Grant, was a member of The Equals in the late 1960s, and Rudolph also recorded in this era, as Little Brother Grant, releasing the single "Let's Do It Tonight".[1] In the 1970s, he recorded as a reggae deejay under the name The Mexicano, releasing singles such as "Gorilla in Manilla", and "Cut Throat".[1] Grant had his biggest success in 1978, with his Starsky & Hutch-inspired single "Move Up Starsky", on which he deejayed over Delroy Wilson's "I'm Still Waiting" rhythm.[1] The single topped the UK reggae chart, with an album of the same name following it, and inspired the less successful "Move Up Hutch" by Superstar.[1] Grant followed this with several other singles, including "Lover's Conversation", but none matched the success of "Move Up Starsky". Another 1977 single, "Every Step I Made",[2] found a wider audience by way of inclusion in Eddy Grant's "Smash Disco Hits on ICE" compilation.[3]

By 1981, Grant had abandoned the Mexicano alias and began recording as a singer under his own name, recording cover versions of songs including John Lennon's "Woman", and, most successfully Stevie Wonder's "Lately", with which he had a minor UK Singles Chart hit in February that year.[4] The single's success led to a contract with Stiff Records, although he failed to score any further hits.

Grant's 1987 single "Mash in Guyana" proved a major success in his country of birth, and has been described as "the unofficial anthem of Mashramani".[5] He wrote the song on a visit to Guyana in 1986 and recorded it at his brother Eddy's Coach House Studios on his return to London.[5] Grant performed the song at the Notting Hill Carnival and it went on to top the first soca chart in London, published by the Black Echoes music paper.[5]

In 2002, Grant's version of "Lately" was included on the Dynamite Reggae Classics album.[6]

Discography

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Singles

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As Little Brother Grant

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  • "Let's Do It Tonight" (1969)

As The Mexicano

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  • "Gorilla in Manilla"
  • "Cut Throat"
  • "The Mexicano v. The Dreadlocks at O.K. Corral" (1977) Serious Business
  • "Every Step I Made" (1977) Ice
  • "First of May" (1977) Ice
  • "Move Up Starsky" (1977)
  • "Lover's Conversation" (1978) Ice
  • "Annie's Song" (1978) Ice
  • "Treasure the Moments" (1978) Ice
  • "Move Up Starsky" (1979) Ice
  • "Harry the Fool"
  • "Rock It"
  • "Lonely Street"
  • "The Israelites Can Dance Some More" (1980) Ice
  • "Better Love Next Time" (1980) Ice (Jackie Robinson featuring The Mexicano)
  • "Dallas" (1980) Mercury
  • "Jamaican Child" (1980) Stiff Records
  • "Gimme Little Loving" 1977 (Golden age records)

As Rudy Grant

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  • "Woman" (1981) Ice
  • "Lately" (1981) Ensign UK No. 58
  • "Space Oddity" (1981) Ensign/Ice
  • "Funny Girl" (1982) Ice
  • "Without Your Love" Ice
  • "Trial by Television" Stiff
  • "Everyday People" (1983) RAK
  • "Get Ready Get Right" (1984) RAK
  • "Mash in Guyana" (1987) Seara
  • "You Got to Be Drunk" Seara
  • "Melvina"
  • "Jump and Play Mas" Seara

Albums

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The Mexicano

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  • Move Up Starsky (1977) Pioneer
  • Goddess of Love (1978) Ice
  • The Best of The Mexicano (1980), Ice

Rudy Grant

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  • Sings the Hits (1982) Pinnacle
  • Soca For Lovers volume 1 Seara
  • Reggae and Soca for Lovers vol. 2
  • Soca For Lovers Part 4 Seara
  • Hello Africa Tabansi
  • Peace and Love (2005) Seara

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p.195
  2. ^ First Of May b/w Every Step I Made (The Mexicano), Discogs
  3. ^ Smash Disco Hits on ICE (Various), Discogs
  4. ^ Rudy Grant, Chart Stats
  5. ^ a b c "‘Mash in Guyana’ turns 20", Stabroek News, 20 January 2007
  6. ^ Rutherford, Linda (2002) "Guyanese artiste, Rudy Grant, inks deal with Deca Dance UK", Guyana Chronicle, 21 July 2002
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