The Best Music You've Never Heard: Jah Jah Yute

Jah Jah Yute was born with the name Steadman Anthony Shearer, in the parish of Hanover, Jamaica in a little district called Rock Spring. He is the 2 eldest of 5 siblings. While growing up he said he was like a shephard boy caring for the goats, cows and chickens his family raised as well as farming sugar cane and yams. In his middle school days he walked nine miles to and from school in between taking care of his home chores. This was a very creative time for Jah Jah Yute because he had the secluded time to look into life as he knew it and with his spiritually he wrote his meditations. In Rock Springs, his father owned a nightclub with a sound system called Sir King B. Jah Jah first performed as a DJ, on this sound system. One evening Jah Jah heard the Sound System of Black Star playing and during entertainer time, instead of dj-ing he started singing free style of his spiritual meditations and was well received by the audience. This inspired Jah Jah and he soon went to Kingston and was introduced by a friend to the owner of Mixing Lab Studio where he met Bunny Wailer, Yellow Man and others. This is where he was introduced to the recording studio. While visiting Montego Bay he was directed to African Symbol Studio where he recorded his first couple of songs, "Do Rasta Work" and "Too Much Slackness Inna Di Music". Jah Jah recorded dub plates for sound systems and became linked with Iron Dogg Studio. Here is where he recorded "Gun Shot Blazes" and "No War". Jah Jah was visiting a friend in Montego Bay there he met Helene McLeod who was on vacation from America. He sang "Gun Shot Blazes" for her and she told him that it was #1 and they decided to work together and formed Enel Productions, their recording label.