Mavado (singer)
David Constantine Brooks (born 30 November 1981), better known by his stage name Mavado, is a Jamaican dancehall reggae recording artist.
Biography
David Constantine Brooks was raised in Kingston, Jamaica's Cassava Piece community. His grandmother gave him his first musical experience at a young age, bringing him to church to sing.
He cites the music of Bounty Killer as an early influence. The boyhood idol became his mentor when at the age of 15, Bounty took him under his wing to show him the ropes of the music industry and introduced him to his manager, dancehall music business legend Julian Jones-Griffith, who would go on to manage Mavado's illustrious career. He decided to name himself "Mavado" after the Swiss watch company Movado, with his manager altering the spelling.
His debut single, "Real McKoy" on the Anger Management riddim in 2004, provided him instant success. He further established himself with the follow-up record "Weh Dem a Do", on the Red Bull & Guinness riddim, that had the distinction of hitting Billboard. After a string of hits in 2005 and 2006, Mavado released the album Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks 10 July 2007 on VP Records. "Weh Dem A Do" and "Dying", two singles from the album, were featured heavily on R&B/hip-hop radio in the US and around the world.