Kiddus I

Biography

Kiddus I, born Frank Louis Dowding Jr. in December 1944 in Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, to a homemaker mother Maria Cathcart Dowding and bookkeeper father Frank Dowding, grew up in a middle-class family before embracing Rastafarianism in the early 1970s, adopting the Amharic stage name meaning 'blessed one.' In 1971, he established a Rastafarian commune and craft center between uptown and downtown Kingston, bridging social divides, and joined Ras Michael's Sons of Negus as a singer and funde drummer until 1978. His early recordings included self-produced tracks in 1972 with Aston Barrett at Joe Gibbs' studio, though unreleased due to funding issues, and singles like 'Security In The Streets' recorded with Lee Perry at Black Ark.[1][4][6]

Kiddus I gained prominence through his role in the 1978 film Rockers, where director Theodoros Bafaloukos filmed him recording 'Graduation In Zion,' a track he had cut in 1976. A key figure in Jamaica's Peace Movement, his song 'Security in the Streets' honored the 1978 Peace Treaty between rival gang leaders Claudie Massop and Bucky Marshall. After sporadic singles on his Shepherd label and a lost album, he reemerged in 2005 with the acoustic Inna De Yard on Makasound, followed by reissues like Graduation In Zion: 1978-1980 (2007) on Dub Store and his electric debut Green Fa Life (2009) on Naya Records, featuring roots legends Earl 'Chinna' Smith and Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace. His style draws from blues, soul, jazz, R&B, and roots reggae.[1][2]

In 2007, 1981 album tapes surfaced, leading to the 2009 release of Rocking Rebel Volumes 1&2. Kiddus I launched the Green Fa Life project around 2009 to promote Moringa tree planting and products, and in 2014 staged the first Rastaman Vibration concert in Cheapside, St. Elizabeth, aiming for an annual festival. Later albums include Topsy Turvy World (2013), Take A Trip (2015), and Shepard Singles: 1979-1985 (2023), cementing his enduring legacy in reggae.[1]

Fun Facts

• His appearance in the 1978 film Rockers featured live filming of him recording 'Graduation In Zion,' a track from two years prior.[1]
• He ran a Rastafarian commune in Kingston that uniquely bridged uptown and downtown social classes.[1]
• In 2009, he launched the Green Fa Life project to promote Moringa tree planting and derived products.[1]
• 'Security in the Streets' was among the first songs celebrating Jamaica's 1978 Peace Treaty between political gang leaders.[1]

Associated Acts

• Ras Michael & The Sons of Negus (1971–1978)
• Inna De Yard All Stars

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Ras Michael - Band leader who mentored him in the Sons of Negus collective (Sons of Negus recordings) [1971-1978]

Key Collaborators

• Aston Barrett - Bassist on early self-productions (Unreleased 1972 recordings at Joe Gibbs' studio) [1972]
• Lee Perry - Producer at Black Ark studio ('Security In The Streets' single) [1970s]
• Earl 'Chinna' Smith - Guitarist on album (Green Fa Life) [2009]
• Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace - Drummer on album (Green Fa Life) [2009]
• Ken Boothe - Shared studio time (Grass Yard Productions Vol. 1 & 2) [2009]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Old White Miserable & Rich (Old White Miserable & Rich)
2. Ya U (Lover Boy)
3. Talk.2.U (Talk.2.U)
4. Time (1gdhr) 2020 (TIME)
5. i like it/. (i like it/.)
6. PAIR
7. Heart (Heart)
8. Kiddus' Interlude (The Pursuit)
9. Closer (The Pursuit)
10. Here Comes The Pain! (Ooh La La) 2022 (PAIN)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz