Justuss

Freedom

In 1993, a white Canadian rapper known as Snow became America’s most improbable reggae superstar with his record-setting #1 smash, “Informer.”

Born Darrin O’Brien, the rapper was discovered in Ajax, Ontario by Jamaican-born DJ Martin Prince, who bestowed upon his protégé the nickname “Snow” (a backronym for “Super Notorious Outrageous Whiteboy”). Prince soon brought Snow to New York, where he signed with David Kenneth Eng and Steve Salem’s Motor Jam Records, distributed by Elektra. With Eng as manager and executive producer, Snow soared to the top of the charts in 1993 with his phenomenally successful debut single, “Informer,” featured on the RIAA platinum-certified album, 12 Inches of Snow. The patois-laced track was a million-selling blockbuster, topping Billboard’s “Hot 100” for seven consecutive weeks on its way to becoming certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest selling reggae single in chart history.

Two further EastWest collections of pop-flavored reggae followed, earning Snow a number of Jamaican hit singles and a pair of Juno Awards nominations. He continues to be among the world’s most popular reggae artists, regularly releasing albums and touring extensively.