Musical notes form the helices in his DNA and artistry runs deep to the roots of his family tree. The “he” is Nicholas “Nicky B” Bennett, son of legendary reggae songwriter and producer Mikie Bennett and his artistry is a fusion of Jamaican and American genres that he has dubbed “Rhythm and Dancehall.”
Nicky B developed as a complete musician at the renowned Grafton Studio in Vineyard Town where his father encouraged him to become a studio engineer and he was exposed to the vast talents of local stalwarts such as Shabba Ranks, Maxi Priest and international megastars like Roberta Flack and Cyndi Lauper. The raw material was all around him and after a fortuitous recording session with Dancehall star Beenie Man, Nicholas used the influences of Marvin Gaye, R. Kelly, Craig David and others to lay the foundation for the pioneering of a brand new genre.
That genre is “Island Pop” and Nicky B is considered the pioneer of this energetic yet soulful blend. Island Pop is a fusion of authentic dancehall and radio friendly pop combined with just the right amount of Reggae.
Since 2002, Nicky B has developed into a household name in Jamaica while enjoying success on the tour scene with performances in France, Japan, the United States and the Caribbean with the likes of hip hop virtuoso Kanye West, Sean Kingston and Lil Zane. Having featured on a number of the biggest dancehall rhythms over the past decade, Nicky B has also lent his unique vocals to collaborations with artistes such as Snoop Dogg, Beenie Man and Sean Paul. His collaboration with Sean Paul, “If it isn’t Love”, has garnered over two million views on YouTube and has developed into a cult hit.
Also gifted with the pen, Nicky B has written two songs from Sean Paul’s latest album, “Full Frequency” which has been nominated for a Grammy in the “Reggae Album of the Year” category. One of the two songs, “Take it Low” was featured in the hit CBS TV show “Stalker” and the other “Any Day” has been tracking well.
In recent years, Nicky B has also lent his writing talents to notable Jamaican acts such as Beenie Man, Konshens, Samantha J and Elephant Man among others. Previously, he has co-written with Rock City (writers for for Toni Braxton, Janet Jackson, Chris Brown, Sean Kingston, Jennifer Hudson), Andre Merritt (writers for Chris Brown, Rihanna, Marques Houston, Omarion), and Mikie Bennett (Maxi Priest, Shabba Ranks, Cyndi Lauper, Roberta Flack). He has also written on projects with super producer J.R. Rotem who has worked with Britney Spears, Sean Kingston and Jason Derulo. “See Her Again,” a song Nicky wrote for Hawaiian star, J Boog went on to reach the number one spot on iTunes and was also number one on the Hawaiian charts.
Also a budding producer in his own right, Nicky B has collaborated with industry powerhouses such as DJ Mustard, Dr. Luke, Toby Gad, Red One, Sho Nuff, Rob Knox and RoccStar.
Nicky B’s last album, “Under Caribbean Skies” was a hit in his adopted country, France, and several other countries and has set the stage for Island Pop to achieve its vast potential.
Nicholas “Nicky B” Bennett is poised for greatness and he is ready for it.