Vybz Kartel and Mavado

Raised in the challenging setting of Kingston’s Cassava Piece community, Brooks first began to take an interest in music singing in his local church choir with his grandmother. Strongly influenced by the rapper Bounty Hunter in his early teens, at 15, after visiting him at a recording studio, Bounty Hunter became Brooks’ mentor and showed his the ins and outs of the music industry. After being introduced to revered dancehall music legend Julian Jones-Griffith, who became Mavado’s manager, the singer and rapper released his debut single “Real McKoy” in 2004. Recorded over Daseca crew’s Anger Management riddim, the single proved an instant hit, and was followed by the Billboard-charting single “Weh Dem a Do” in 2006.

Mavado subsequently released the popular singles “Dreaming” and “Bawl Dem a Bawl” before his father’s murder and a feud with fellow dancehall artist Vybz Kartel threatened to halt the musician’s further success. The feud also proved to be the musical base for a number of Mavado’s songs including “Warn Dem” and “Informer”. In 2007 the singer and rapper released the full length “Gangsta for Life: The Symphony of David Brooks” on VP Records. Featuring the singles “Weh Dem a Do”, “Dying”, and “Top Shotta Nah Miss”, which featured prominently in charts around the world notably in the U.S., the album introduce the rapper to a host of new audiences.

In 2008 Mavado re-recorded a version of his song “Real McKoy” for the game "Grand Theft Auto IV", and began a period of collaborating with high-profile artists. The rapper appeared on the G-Unit track “Let It Go” from the album “T.O.S. Terminate” in 2008, starred as a gangster in Drake’s “Find Your Love” in 2010, as well worked with the likes of Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg. Mavado’s subsequent album arrived in 2009 entitled “Mr Brooks… A Better Tomorrow”, which featured the hit single “On the Rock”.

Two years later the musician launched his own label Mansion Records, aided by his single “Delilah”, which earned notable rotation on U.S. radio. Also in 2011, Mavado signed with DJ Khaled’s We the Best Music Group who issued the singles “Emegency” featuring Ace Hood, “Survivor” featuring Akon, and “Soulja Girl”, showcasing the rapper’s hip-hop sensibilities.