Baddiz

Born Greg Bryan on 15th March 1974, the youngest child to Alfred Bryan and Veronica Baker, he started his life in St Catherine’s Spanish Town, Big Lane Central Village, also spending his time in Barbican, St Mary and St James. His love for music started at the early age of six when he attended Rasta Man meetings with his father in Barbican. The community would congregate to study the Bible, cook and chant together. “This had a profound effect on my life as a child. I felt as if I have a divine purpose with music.” Playing instruments such as the shante drums and the bass box, he relished the spiritual connection invoked and procured during these times. Sadly, his father died in 1983 and he went to live with his mother in Duncans’ Pen, Spanish Town where he shared a five bed home with 8 people attending Jewsland Primary and Pembrooke Hall Secondary schools. When he left school he worked various jobs as a security guard, a Pharmacy assistant and then as a baker in Tastee Patty until he married then became a bus driver when the couple migrated to England. A significant turning point for Bryan occurred on a normal afternoon when his two young daughters, Monique and Tiffany, played in the garden whilst he prepared dinner. The youngest, aged 6 came to him and said; “Daddy, you’re always singing. When you’re cooking, you sing. When you’re driving, you sing. When you’re taking us to school, you sing. In everything you do, you sing. So daddy, is it your dream to become a singer, why don’t you follow your dream?” These words reminded him of the feelings evoked when he would commune with the Rastas back in his formative years in Barbican and he could not deny that feeling of divinity from that spiritual connection. Shortly after this occurrence he emancipated himself from his day job to dedicate his life to singing and hasn’t looked back since. Greg Bryan became Baddiz on stage and his style draws inspiration from some of the greats; practising his dancing skills like Bob Marley, with the cool demeanour of Gregory Isaacs and as melodious as Dennis Brown. “I want to thank Jah for the gift of reggae music and for sending my 6 year old to remind me of my responsibility in the music industry.” You can connect with Baddiz on YouTube and MySpace or join him on Facebook by simply searching BaddizReggaeArtist