Mr. Vegas (born Clifford Smith, December 29, 1974, Kingston, Jamaica)
is a Jamaican dancehall star.
Smith was born in Kingston in 1974.[1] The moniker "Mr. Vegas" was
given to Smith by his schoolyard football-mates, who thought that
he kicked the ball like a Las Vegas dancer. In his early years as
a singjay, Vegas sang covers of Jamaican hits at local parties and
shows, and acquired a reputation as a troublemaker. During a scuffle
over stolen master tapes, Vegas was hit in the face with a crowbar
and had his jaw wired shut for six weeks. Vegas claims that, after
hearing Beenie Man's hit "Who Am I", he immediately demanded
that his still-healing jaw be unwired, changing his speech pattern
but allowing him to practice toasting.
He found fame in 1998 with hits such as "Yu Sure", "Jack
It Up", and "Latest News".[1] For his first major
hit, Vegas played off of[clarification needed] "Who Am I" to
create "Nike Air", which became a huge hit in Jamaica.[citation
needed] The next single, "Heads High", followed its success
in Jamaica with a chart run in the UK and a #69 peak on the US R&B
chart, and Vegas became increasingly in demand as a guest artist
by acts such as Sean Paul.[citation needed]
In 1998 his debut album, Heads High, was released, which hit #5
on the US Reggae chart. Vegas won a MOBO for Best Reggae Artist for
the Heads High album as well. 2000's single "Hot Gal Today" was
a minor hit on the US R&B charts, peaking at #66. In 2001, he
issued Damn Right, featuring guest appearances from Shaggy and Big
Yard; this album went to #2 on the US Reggae chart. 2004 saw the
release of the Pull Up LP, and the title track scraped the bottom
of the Billboard Top 200, peaking at #98 (as well as #68 on the R&B
chart). In 2006 he did a Soca collaboration with Machel Montano,
Dance With You on Machel's B.O.D.Y. album. His latest, 2007's Hot
It Up, featured the Jamaican hits "Hot Wuk", "Taxi
Fare" and "Tek Weh Yuhself". In 2008 Mr. Vegas also
recorded "On The Floor" with Trinidadian artiste Destra
Garcia on her album, Soca or Die.
In September 2008, Smith announced that he was retiring from the
music industry, citing unhappiness with his work and a desire to
spend more time with his children and be "closer to God Almighty".
Although he had been suffering from ill-health for some time, he
denied that this was a factor in his retirement.[2] In the ending
of the 2009 & beginning of 2010 Mr.Vegas has made new songs such
as Man A Gallis, Can't Stop Now ( Major Lazer ), Mix Up Peggy, Wanna
See You Move ( DJ GQ ) and Fi Get Rich
Discography
* Heads High (Greensleeves Records, 1998)
* Reggae Max (Jet Star, compilation, 1999)
* Mr. Vegas (VP Records, 1999)
* Damn Right (Greensleeves, 2001)
* Pull Up (Delicious Vinyl, 2004)
* Hot It Up (Universal Records, 2007)
* The Hits (Greensleeves Records, 2008)