Eddy Grant

Edmond Montague Grant was born in Plaisance (then part of British Guiana and now in Guyana) on 5 March 1948. He later moved to Linden. His father, Patrick, was a trumpeter who played in a band called Nello and the Luckies. He attended Acland Burghley Secondary Modern in Tufnell Park, where he learned to read and write music. He became an avid fan of American musician Chuck Berry, and decided on a career in music after seeing Berry perform at the Finsbury Park Astoria. ==Career==

The Equals with the Equals, April 1968 In 1964, at the age of 16, Grant formed the Equals with some schoolmates. They were one of the UK's first racially mixed bands. He played lead guitar and sang background vocals, and the band had two hit albums and a minor hit single with the song "I Get So Excited". Their most famous work came when Grant wrote their No. 1 hit song "Baby, Come Back" in 1968. Willie Nile also released his version of "Police on My Back" on his Streets of New York CD. The Equals' song "Green Light", co-written by Grant from their 1968 album Supreme, was later covered by the Detroit Cobras for their 2007 album Tied & True. During his time in the band, Grant worked as a songwriter and producer for other artists, including the Pyramids (producing their debut single "Train Tour to Rainbow City") and Prince Buster, for whom he wrote "Rough Rider". He also started a record label called Torpedo, which released British-made reggae songs. Solo career A self-titled solo album released in 1975 made little impact, as did the proto-soca album Message Man, completed and released in 1977, on which Grant played all the instruments himself. Grant began incorporating elements of rock, pop, soul, calypso, and African music into his sound. The album included two further hit singles with "Can't Get Enough of You" and "I Love You, Yes I Love You". In the late 1980s, he pursued other business interests including music publishing and owning a nightclub, and built up the success of his Blue Wave studio, which was used by The Rolling Stones, Sting, Cliff Richard and Elvis Costello. He said, "What ringbang seeks to do is envelop all the rhythms that have originated from Africa so that they become one, defying all geographical boundaries." In 2004, Grant created parody of his own song "Gimme Hope Jo'anna" called "Gimme Yop Me Mama", which was used in television adverts for the yoghurt-based drink Yop. On 18 April 2006, he released the album Reparation. The title is a call for restitution for the transatlantic slave trade. There was an 11-year gap before his next album, when he released his 2017 album Plaisance. In 2008, Grant performed at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert, and also played several dates in the UK, including the Glastonbury Festival. However, in February 2024, his album Killer on the Rampage became available on the aforementioned streaming services again as he wanted to allow his music to reach a wider audience. == Musical style ==

Grant is known for his unique style that blends various Western, African, and Caribbean musical traditions. Grant's music is primarily classified as reggae rock and soca, but his sound has blended various musical elements, such as pop, electro-pop, funk, soul, calypso, ringbang (which he invented), == Lawsuit against Donald Trump ==

In September 2020, Grant sued U.S. President Donald Trump for unauthorised use of Grant's song "Electric Avenue" in an August 2020 presidential campaign video. Trump posted the video on Twitter where it was viewed more than 13 million times before Twitter took it down after Grant's copyright complaint. Grant's song plays during 40 seconds of the animated 55-second video. Trump unsuccessfully attempted to have the suit dismissed, citing fair use and "absolute presidential immunity". Grant asked for $300,000 in damages. On 13 September 2024, the court ruled that fair use policy did not apply to the campaign video and that Trump had to pay Grant damages in an amount to be determined by a jury, as well as Grant's legal fees. Copyright Lately noted that "with liability established, the case will now focus on determining damages". On 20 November 2024, the court issued an order stating that the two sides had settled the lawsuit and that the case would be discontinued, with no terms of the settlement being made public. ==Personal life==

Grant has lived in Barbados since 1982. In 2016, it was announced that Grant would receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the government of Guyana. He had previously been honoured with a postage stamp featuring his likeness and the ringbang logo by the Guyana Post Office Corporation in 2005. In 2018, Grant was bestowed with an honorary doctorate from the University of Guyana. He was then awarded, in February 2020, the Cacique Crown of Honor, by the Guyanese government. On 30 November 2024, Grant also obtained an Honorary Order of Freedom, at Barbados' Kensington Oval. Grant has advocated for the teaching of calypso music in schools and the establishment of a calypso college in Barbados. ==Discography==

• Eddy Grant (1975) • Message Man (1977) • Walking on Sunshine (1979) • Love in Exile (1980) • ''Can't Get Enough'' (1981) • Killer on the Rampage (1982) • Going for Broke (1984) • Born Tuff (1986) • File Under Rock (1988) • Barefoot Soldier (1990) • Paintings of the Soul (1992) • Soca Baptism (1993) • Hearts and Diamonds (1999) • Reparation (2006) • Plaisance (2017) ==Bibliography==