Ras Attitude

Biography

Ras Attitude, born M. Goodwin, is a roots reggae artist from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, who began his musical career in the 1990s. Raised in the church by his mother, gospel singer Harrella Goodwin, he was introduced to performance at age 7 and developed his musical foundation by teaching himself to read music and play keyboards. During his high school years at Caribbean Community School, he founded the Lunch Room Session to showcase local talent and co-founded Tek-9 Sounds with neighborhood friends. While attending Becker College, he was nicknamed "Attitude" by Tippa Lee of Tippa Lee & Rappa Roberts, and there he met Ras Batch, with whom he would create Sound V.I.Zion Records.

Ras Attitude's professional recording career launched with his debut album "Happiness" in 2001, establishing him as a soulful roots reggae vocalist with a smooth, magnetic delivery. Over the following two decades, he maintained a prolific output, releasing seven albums within twelve years, including "Love Life" (2004), "Holding Firm" (2005), "Royal Lionage" (2006), "Trodding Home" (2007), "I Meditation" (2009), and "Hold The Vibes" (2012). His versatility spans reggae, R&B, hip-hop, and pop, with notable tracks including "War To Win," "All We Need is Love," and "Wrath of Jah" featuring Ras Batch. His later work "Warrior Status," released through Boondox Records in association with Partii Animalz Entertainment, showcased his continued artistic evolution and commitment to messages of pride, heritage, and social consciousness.

Throughout his career, Ras Attitude has established himself as one of the Virgin Islands' most significant reggae voices, known for his spiritual delivery, self-assured stage presence, and commitment to themes of love, unity, and positivity. His influence extends across the reggae diaspora, having performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe alongside legendary artists and maintaining his artistic integrity across two decades of recording.

Fun Facts

• Ras Attitude's mother played music to him before he was born by holding a speaker close to her body, establishing his musical connection from conception[2]
• At age 16, he created the Lunch Room Session at Caribbean Community School, which became a popular venue for local talent to showcase their abilities[2]
• He is described as a polyvalent artist capable of performing in multiple genres including digital dancehall, R&B, pop, and hip-hop, not just reggae[1]
• His album 'I Meditation' (2009) is considered by critics to be his finest artistic effort, despite receiving less commercial attention than his more well-known album 'Trodding Home' (2007)[5]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Tippa Lee - Dubbed him 'Attitude' at Becker College, providing the nickname that would define his stage identity (Tippa Lee & Rappa Roberts group) [College years (1990s)]
• Harrella Goodwin - His mother, a gospel singer who introduced him to music from infancy and influenced his vocal abilities and spiritual approach to music (Gospel music tradition) [Early life onwards]

Key Collaborators

• Ras Batch - Co-founder of Sound V.I.Zion Records; frequent musical partner and featured artist on multiple tracks (Sound V.I.Zion Records compilations, 'Culturellenium' volumes (2000, 2001), 'The Life' (2003), 'Wrath of Jah') [1990s-2010s]
• Barrington Levy - Performed alongside on various stages (Live performances) [Career span]
• Beres Hammond - Performed alongside on various stages (Live performances) [Career span]
• Capleton - Stylistic influence and live performance collaborator (Live performances) [Career span]
• Sizzla - Stylistic influence and live performance collaborator (Live performances) [Career span]
• Luciano - Performed alongside on various stages (Live performances) [Career span]
• Lutan Fyah - Performed alongside on various stages (Live performances) [Career span]
• Pato Banton - Performed alongside on various stages (Live performances) [Career span]

Artists Influenced

• Sizzla - Cited as a stylistic influence on Ras Attitude's musical development (General artistic direction) [Career development]
• Burning Spear - Cited as a stylistic influence on Ras Attitude's musical development (General artistic direction) [Career development]
• Capleton - Cited as a stylistic influence on Ras Attitude's musical development (General artistic direction) [Career development]

External Links

• Spotify
• [Wikipedia](Not found in search results)
• MusicBrainz