Daddy Freddy

Daddy Freddy
Birth name	S. Frederick Small
Also known as	Daddy Freddy
Born	1965
Origin	Kingston, Jamaica
Genres	Raggamuffin
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1985–present
Labels	Chrysalis/EMI Records
Associated acts	The Bug

S. Frederick Small (born 1965), better known as Daddy Freddy, is a Jamaican ragga vocalist.

Small was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and grew up in the city's Trenchtown district. His house was a few minutes walk from Coxsone Dodd's influential record studio Studio One.

His neighbours were Jacob Miller and Ranking Joe. Ranking Joe took Freddy under his wing and taught him the basics skills of performing. Freddy's natural ability meant he was quickly enlisted to work with Lt. Stichie (of "Natty Dread" fame) and then later with Sugar Minott. It was performing on Minott's soundsystem that founded Freddy's fame in Jamaica.

He recorded his first single ("Zoo Party") in 1985 for Studio One.

He released his first album, Body Lasher, in 1986, and that year had six top ten hits in Jamaica, including a number one with "Joker Lover", a collaboration with Pinchers.

After successful touring in the US under the Chrysalis record label, Freddy came to England in 1987. His first UK work was a collaboration with Asher D called, Raggamuffin Hip-Hop. This album created a new style of music that was a fusion of Jamaican ragga and UK hip-hop. The anthemic title track has the much sampled vocal, "The ragga-muffin, the ragga-muffin, hip-hop". Freddy also managed to influence and support fledgling UK reggae stars, Top Cat, Tenor Fly and Prento Youth who went on to the legendary Coxsone Sound and the record label Congo Natty.

This album created even more interest for Freddy. Artists such as Dr. Dre, Cypress Hill, David Morales and Norman Cook all requested collaborations and others like The Prodigy, Me'lissa Morgan ("Through the Tears"), Salt 'n' Pepa and KRS-One all sampled his unique voice.

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