Y E L L O W M A N
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Yellowman performing live Born in Jamaica in 1956 as Winston Foster, the person who would come to be known as Yellowman faced a youth frought with hardship. Because of his albinism, a condition that was looked down upon by natives of his country, he endured hostility and scorn from those around him and was placed in an institution. During those difficult years, he drew inspiration from the Jamaican folk music of the sixties, which encouraged him to create his own songs in the hopes that he would one day gain acceptance in spite of the stigma placed upon him.


MISTER YELLOWMANIn the course of his quest for fame and validation, Yellowman developed a bold, cocky personal style and engaged in shameless self-promotion, garnering the attention and opporunities he needed to showcase his abilities. With a major talent show victory under his belt by 1979, Yellowman went on to make scores of recordings, reaching clsoe to 40 by 1982. He thrilled audiences with his wild, raunchy dancehall performances, which transformed him into a national sex symbol. Yellowman eventually became Jamaica's top-selling reggae star, and scored a recording contract with US label CBS Records, leading to a worldwide tour and an international following. One reviewer remarks, "Listening to Yellowman sing is like watching Michael Jordan play basketball. He knows he's got it, you know he's got it, and it's a trip just experiencing him perform." In recent years, Yellowman's bouts with throat cancer and skin cancer have resulted in a mellower, more serious approach to his music, but like the struggles of his early days, he has not let these difficulties stand in the way of his aspirations.



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