Knocklife...Jamaican rapper

No. 51 Monday, February 08, 2010
Only a few Jamaican entertainers have a penchant for rapping. One of them is Knocklife. His moniker has an interesting beginning.

    In 2000, one of his male cousins accidentally broke his Jay-Z CD entitled Hard Knock Life. The owner was visibly upset and his cousin saw how attached he was to this Hard Knock Life CD, began to refer to him as Hard Knock Life reassuring him that he would have a new copy replaced at the shortest time possible.
    Soon he was called Hard Knock Life by almost everyone, thanks to his cousin. However, his birth name is Sherwayne Morgan and he was born on October 1, 1977 at the Kingston Jubilee Hospital. He was soon taken to Vere in the parish of Clarendon where he lived at Water Lane. At the age of five, he left Jamaica for New York where he lived for 17 years in an area called Wave Crest.
    It was in New York that he got the rap music in his bones. Names like N as, Mob Deep, Jay-Z, Biggie Smalls, Tupac, Big L, Lord Tariq, Peter Gunns, Das Effects and EPMD had a profound effect on him to the extent that he had to become a rapper.
    While at school, he contemplated a career in basketball. He was an outstanding athlete participating in other sporting disciplines such as rugby, table tennis, pool, volleyball and baseball. But· it was really the rappers who held sway over his career choice and he then set his sight on becoming a rap star. He did not, however, lose sights of the
things he learned in his New York schools which included P.S.215 Basic, 1.S. 53 Junior High, Beach Channel High
and Farrockaway High.
    However, his parents decided to head back in Jamaica in February 2000 and he made up his mind to return
with them. Since then he has been in Montego Bay linking up with dancehall talents as he continues his surge towards making a name.
    Despite the overwhelming popularity of dancehall music in Jamaica, Knocklife remained committed to rap. He has already collaborated with three dancehall artistes. The first was done by Danger One Production through the introduction of a deejay called Kashew Man. The single was called 'Peace for the Youths' done with Danger Chris; the second was 'Suffering' with J ah Moore; the third was 'Dreams' with Top Halling; and the fourth is 'Joy' with singer Gripwrench.
    Despite his strong liking for rap music, he appreciates local icons too such as Bounty Killer and his Alliance crew; Beres Hammond; Jah Cure and I-Octane. 
   When he wants a break he enjoys a game of soccer or cricket. Apart from this, he spends a great deal of time partying.