Prolific Recordings

Tubby T

There’s no bigger name on the streets right now than Tubby T. Signed to Virgin records in 2002 after the a&r team were floored by his uniquely conscious lyrics on the huge underground garage track ‘Tales Of The Hood’, Tubby’s the thinking youths tonic to Britain’s bling, bling culture. His blazing ragga-soul style is the perfect foil for his story-telling lyrics, tales that any inner city kid can relate to. As the man himself says:

“Guns be out there, but happiness be out there too and people need to hear about both sides of life.”

Raised in West London’s notorious Stonebridge estate (one-time home of British ragga legend General Levy), Tubby was exposed to reggae from an early age. His love of music came through his Jamaican father, and soon Tubby was putting his talent to good use.

“I used to sing in the playground for a bit of money,” laughs Tubby. “It was to pay for my Kentucky and McDonalds. Where do you think the name Tubby comes from?”

Next came Tubby’s involvement with the seminal British sound system - Saxon Sound. He became a huge pull on the dancehall circuit, touring the country from Birmingham to Brockwell Park. But then came the catalyst that was to project Tubby out of the dancehall scene, and into the mainstream.

“1998 to ’99 were bad years. A couple of my men’s were shot. It made me step back from the street and have a think about what I was doing.”

Tubby had served his time smashing the dance: it was time to move on and become the spokesperson for his generation.

“I had some badness in my time,” admits Tubby, “but I had to go through all that to get to who I am today. Everything that I have done is coming out of me on my music.”

Which is why on Tubby’s debut album, you’ll hear stories of unwanted pregnancies and guns, slipped between simple tales of love and friendship.

“I might have the look of one of those guys on the corner, smoking and drinking, but that’s just the look I’ve grown up with. But I sing the stories to let them know why people look like how we look. I got to let the babies know what’s going on out there for real.”