Veteran dancehall toaster Lloyd D Stiff is back in the island promoting a new lover’s rock single called ‘All Night Long’.
“I have been working on my mix tape entitled “Unfinished Business” and my album” Big People Sitten” to be released sometime this year. The mix tape Unfinished Business will be the first to hit the public, and will consist of some of my hits of the 80’s and early 90’s digi rub-a-dub style then a barrage of new more up to date songs dance hall style. The single All Night Long is one of the first singles from the album and the response has been great so far,” Lloyd D said.
The video for ‘All Night Long’ was released over the weekend, and will hit cable TV this week.
In the meantime, LLoyd extolled the virtues of the ‘Unfinished Business’ mixtape which has a mainstream appeal because of the lyrical content featured in the various genres of the music.
“This mix tape is one to look out for because unlike other mix tape this one has music for everyone. It has rub a dub style, one drop, soca music and of course nuff things fi di hardcore dance hall lovers. The album, ‘Big People Sitten’, however is a much smoother laid back, one drop style for the more mature audience,” Lloyd D said.
He said the album will be released in April and is ‘grown and sexy’ without being explicit.
“ The album has clean sexy non-explicit lyrical content that anyone could be played loud on a Sunday afternoon without offending your church-going neighbours. Trust me every song has a story to tell, a story that each of us could relate to,” he said.
Although Lloyd D is known for his roots rock and rub-a-dub material, he took time out to voice on the Aurora skies riddim, produced by Elvis Redwood of Unique Records, and the Mercury riddim produced by Claude Mills and Rohan ‘Jah Snowcone’ Fuller. Lloyd is also dabbling in the media as a co-host of popular cable show.
“I’m also currently co-hosting a monthly show called ‘Cool Storm’ which is aired on one of the local network cable stations in New York,” Lloyd D said.
Since his return to Jamaica, he has made appearances at Stone Love 40th Anniversary celebrations, the street dance Weddy Weddy, Rebel Salute press launch and the Sherlock All White Party.
Last year, the talented crooner released a video, directed by Deuce Benny, for the Call Me to rave reviews.
Lloyd is a stalwart in the West Indian community in New York because of his tireless, sterling contribution to the community through his music, and his charitable efforts to combat cancer and diabetes. Lloyd is still on a high after landing a Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed on him by the West Indian community in Albany, New York.
Lloyd grew up in Kingston but in 1980 he migrated to the United States with his parents. While living in Jamaica, Lloyd had begun deejaying on a sound system in the vein of early front-runners like General Echo and Brigadier Jerry, and when he got to Brooklyn, he found a vibrant dancehall scene waiting for him.
Taking the moniker Lloyd D Stiff, he recorded his first song in 1987 for Gyasi on the Witty Label titled Jamaica Girl, written by Phillip ‘Dark Vader’ Brian.
Although the track was a local hit, Lloyd didn’t receive prominence until the monster hit ‘Nuh Lef Yu Condom’ was recorded and released and became a safe sex anthem in the fear-addled early days of the HIV/AIDS virus.
He followed up with singles such as Wine Up, somewhat of an answer to Admiral Bailey’s Jump Up. His debut album Skin To Skin, produced by Gyasi in 1987, followed, and so did the request for shows internationally.
The entertainer’s unusual name often elicits a sly smile and a double take when people hear it for the first time. It conjures up all sorts of racy possibilities in their heads. Lloyd is only too aware of this reaction.
“It is Stiff for the ladies, and just Lloyd for the men,” he said with a big smile on his face.
