Rudy Grant

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

Biography

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

Singles

As Little Brother Grant

• "Let's Do It Tonight" (1969)

As The Mexicano

• "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

• "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

The Mexicano

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

Rudy Grant

• 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

External links

• The Mexicano at Roots Archives
• Article on success of "Mash in Guyana" in Kaieteur News.

This page was last edited on 30 December 2023, at 01:08