EPISODE · Oct 4, 2020 · 38 MIN
Runkus
from Emancipate · host Kel, Runkus
Born Romario Sebastian Anthony Bennett in Portmore, Jamaica, Runkus is the son of reggae artist Determine and booking agent Paula Francis. While most artists choose their stage name at the start of their career, he earned his before he was even born. “When my mom was pregnant with me, I would give her a lot of trouble and a lady who lived nearby would rub my mom’s belly and say ‘runkus,’” the singer recalls. “I think she was trying to say ruckus. But here I am today: Runkus.” Growing up in Portmore, Runkus was raised in the same fertile music soil that’s produced Jamaican music icons Vybz Kartel, Spice and Popcaan. It was his father, Determine, who was his greatest influence, introducing him to the teachings of Rastafari and the movements of the Jamaican reggae business. The two began recording together when Runkus was just 7 and, when he was 15, they released a joint mixtape, Like Father Like Son.
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What this episode covers
Runkus is a Jamaican singer, deejay, MC, songwriter and producer, and one of the island’s most sought-after young talents. Blending the cultural gravitas of reggae and dancehall with the wordplay of hip-hop, his music is global in its perspective yet unmistakably Jamaican at its root. Now aligned with Delicious Vinyl Island, the new Caribbean music imprint from iconic hip-hop label Delicious Vinyl, he is taking his message to the world with the new single “99%.”
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Runkus
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