Leftside
Craig Parks, also known as Leftside, is a Jamaican Dancehall artist, and Music Producer.
Background
Craig Parks was born June 15, 1978, in Kingston, Jamaica. Parks is the son of Reggae vocalist and Bass player Lloyd Parks of We the People Band. Parks received his start in music from his dad playing drums for his Band in 1996 which in turn was the band for well-known reggae artists like Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, and John Holt, as well as visiting R&B acts like Main Ingredient.
History
While playing drums for his dad, Parks had an earlier start in music, in 1995 Parks began working as a selector on Syndicate Disco, a well-known sound system in Kingston, Jamaica whose reputation was established by selectors like Zachary Harding (brother of dancehall producer and future Sean Paul manager Jeremy Harding) and Arif Cooper (son of Third World bassist Ibo Cooper). Harding and Cooper noticed that Parks always cut and scratched with his left hand. They called him Leftside, because, he explains, "My left hand does everything, and I was better at scratching on the left side."
Leftside and Esco Era
A few years later, Parks and his high school friend Matthew “Esco” Thompson moved on to start their own sound under the name Leftside and Esco. They soon distinguished by the strength of their state of the art “dubplate specials,” exclusive self-produced recordings that could be heard only on their sound. They built "riddims" for the sound, and then would write the dub for the artist, Leftside explains. That created a huge difference in the sound system era. They got a lot of recognition for that, until they started recording their own songs.
Leftside and Esco released a few hits “Passa Thing,” a scandalous cut that featured Esco as a gossip- entertainment journalist interviewing a wide range of dancehall artists —all flawlessly imitated by Leftside. In addition to "Tuk En yuh Belly", "Last Night" and "No STD’s" all hits.
In 2006 Leftside and Esco decided to pursue solo projects.
Solo career
Being such a prolific beat-builder, Parks caught the production bug in 1996 when his eldest brother, keyboardist Noel Parks, gave him his first drum machine at the age of 16. During that time, Parks was always listening to the old- school dancehall like Dave Kelly, Steely & Clevie and Sly & Robbie; so he used to build tracks like theirs. The following year, Parks joined with veteran producer Cordell “Scatta” Burrell and began releasing riddims on a label called Kings of Kings. The earliest releases were immediate hits, starting with the “Chiney Gal” riddim (including Ce'Cile’s breakthrough hit “Changez” and Sizzla’s “Blaze Up the Chalwah”), and the “Double Jeopardy” riddim. But none of his early productions hit harder than the massive “Martial Arts” riddim (including Sizzla’s massive “Karate,” and Bounty Killer’s “Look Good”). The “Martial Arts” riddim was the riddim, which Parks received, his acclaimed in Jamaica, England and USA. Everybody started to recognize who was Craig “Leftside” Parks.
In 2003 Parks worked on Wayne Wonder’s number one selling album No Holding Back which peak at number two on the Billboard Music Charts; and in 2005 Sean Paul’s album The Trinity (album).
Leftside biggest break came with the brilliant 2007 track “More Punany,” a song that sum up his many gifts in one 3-minute track. The song was not only a smash in Jamaica but also hit the top of Italy’s dancehall chart as well as breaking into rotation on Hot 97FM New York, America’s leading hip hop station. On the strength of that record’s impact, Leftside signed a deal with NY- based Sequence Records to release his debut album in 2008.
In 2013 Parks delivered an outstanding Epic performance at the staging of Cosmic Rotation, a live outdoor event, at the Red Bones Café in Kingston, Jamaica.
On April 17, 2014 Leftside performed at the I Love Hip Hop Fever Show in Sinsheim, Germany
April-May 2014 Parks completed a 10 show European tour, which ranged countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.
September 25,2014 – October 24,2014, Leftside “Ready to Party” tour was a complete success in Europe, gracing countries such as Germany, Denmark, Holland, The Netherlands and Switzerland. While on tour, Leftside released his mixtape “The Rebirth Volume 1.” His label Keepleft Records LLC produced the 19-track project.
KeepLeft Records LLC
With his newly established KeepLeft Records LLC label, Leftside is setting his sights on the next level without losing touch with the source of his inspiration. His riddims, such as “Hot Winter,” “Dem Time Deh,” and “Drop Drawers” are winning a strong reception across the Caribbean and Europe. In 2013 “Cry Fi Yuh," was released and immediately became a success on the scene.
Currently, Leftside has "Dream Chaser," "Dem- A–Worry," "Sexy Ladies," "Fresh Prince of Uptown," "Phat Punani," "Super Model Chick," "Ghetto Gyal Wine," and "Want Yuh Body" remix ft Sean Paul, which all are in rotation.
In April 2014 "Dem-A-Worry" debuted to the top 10 on the More Fire show and continually climbing the charts.
In May 2014 Leftside followed up with his official video for his smashing hit “I Wasn’t Ready.”
On October 15,2014 Leftside released his 19 track mixtape called ''The Rebirth Volume 1"
Discography
- Chiney Gal riddim (20xx)
- Double Jeopardy riddim. (20xx)
- Martial Arts riddim (20xx)
- Ghetto Dictionary Album, Bounty Killer (2001)
- No Holding Back Album, Wayne Wonder (2003)
- Blazay, Elephant_Man_(musician) with Don Corleon (2003)
- Pon de River, Pond de Bank, Elephant_Man_(musician) with Don Corleon (2003)
- Signal the Plane, Elephant_Man_(musician) with Don Corleon (2003)
- Tuck Een Yuh Belly (2004)
- Throwback Giggy riddim (2004)
- The Trinity (album) (Atlantic 2005), Sean Paul
- More Punany (2005)
- Dem Time Deh Riddim (2007)
- Nuh over Man, Mr. Vegas, Drop Drawers Riddim (2007)
- See Dem A Pree on the “Dark Again” riddim, (2009)
- Stamina Man on the “Two Thousand Seventies” riddim. (2009)
- Go Anywhere (2010)
- Mi Tyad (2010)
- I Wasn'tReady (2011)
- Phat Punani (2011)
- Clapp Dat (2012)
- Ghetto Gal Wine (2012)
- Hold Mi Tight (2012)
- Naught (2012)
- Super Model Chick (2012)
- Cry Fi yuh (2013)
- Monkey Biznizz ft Redman (2013)
- Want yuh Body Ft Sean Paul (2013)
- Dream Chaser (2014)
- Dem A Worry (2014)
- Sexy Ladies (2014)
- Fresh Prince of UpTown (2014)
- Push (2014)
- Every Little Thing (2014)
- Wi Deya (2014)
- What U Need (2014)
- The Rebirth Volume 1 (2014)