RAGGABUND

Biography

Germany’s RAGGABUND (aka Caramelo Criminal) consists of artists who came together to lift the local reggae and dancehall music onto the next level. The group’s most striking personalities are the South-American brothers PACO MENDOZA & DON CARAMELO.

El Criminal“ aka Paco Mendoza was part of many formations; though he started with rock music, he soon discovered his love for reggae, Latin and dancehall music. In addition to Raggabund, Mendoza also works on his on projects and made several 7-inch releases on national reggae productions, e.g. „World Report“ by Germaican Records, „Rootdown Allstars Vol.1“ and lately a song on Mellow Mark’s record „Sturm”.

Don Caramelo, who first gained experience in hip hop and was part of Munich’s successful band Blumentopf, became singer of the band Les Babacools in 1995. Mixing hip hop with reggae, funk and Latin music, the band released five records and is touring through Europe successfully for years.

Beeing Les Babacools’ charismatic singer and frontman, Don Caramelo knows how to spellbound the audience. On the one hand, he is a master of exeptional freestyle-rap in Spanish and German, on the other, he displays his mastery in beat-boxing.

The record CARAMELO/CRIMINAL, produced by Hamburg’s well-known sound system Silly Walks Movement, released by PIAS, became, with the reggae cover version of Jeanette’s 70ies song “Por qu? te vas” a radio hit in Germany and Switzerland. Also the record’s second single, “Que sera” was an immediate success and is part of every reggae-dancehall sampler.

EL CRIMINAL & DON CARAMELO offer very fine reggae and dancehall music sung in Spanish, German and English; either by a-cappella scratches, acoustic guitar tunes or beat box, the brothers know how to excite the breathless crowd.

But spreading good vibrations is not the only intention of this musicians: taking a closer look at their current record “1.Welt” (First World), it becomes clear that their themes include critical, sometimes cynical, but always accurate lyrics about our lives dominated by consumation and media. As we all are part of this world and probably make similar experiences, CARAMELO CRIMINAL’s matters of concern are highly credible.

After beeing on tour with Seeed and gigs with Jean Paul, Fettes Brot, Shaggy and Gentleman, the brothers repeatedly provided proof for their shows’ diversity and professionality. CARAMELO CRIMINAL continues to spread good vibrations as well as their concerns also in the years to come!