Marcia Griffiths & Queen Ifrica (2023)

​‪@LeoOReggio‬

Marcia Griffiths calls on Queen Ifrica at the Bob Marley Day public concert held at the Emancipation Park, Kingston, Jamaica, February 6, 2023.

Marcia Llyneth Griffiths (born 23 November 1949) is a Jamaican singer. One reviewer described her by noting "she is known primarily for her strong, smooth-as-mousse love songs and captivating live performances".
Born in West Kingston, Jamaica, Griffiths started her career in 1964, performing on stage with Byron Lee and the Dragonaires at the behest of Phillip James of The Blues Busters, who had heard her singing in her home neighbourhood. Her performance was sufficiently impressive that the following day Ronnie Nasralla and Clement Dodd both offered her recording contracts. She chose to record for Dodd's Studio One label, where she recorded a series of duets with male singers such as Tony Gregory ("You're Mine"), Bob Marley ("Oh My Darling"), Jeff Dixon ("Words"), and Bob Andy ("Always Together"), with whom she would have a relationship lasting several years. In 1968 she had her first success as a solo artist, with "Feel Like Jumping", which like her other early Studio One solo hits (including "Truly" and "Melody Life"), were written by Andy.
From 1970 to 1974, she worked together with Bob Andy as a duo (Bob and Marcia), on the Harry J label. She also recorded for Lloyd Charmers.
Between 1974 and 1981, she was a member of the I Threes, a trio of backing singers, which supported Bob Marley & the Wailers. She continued to record as a solo artist throughout the 1970s, working with producers such as Sonia Pottinger, and Joseph Hoo Kim.
In 1983, she released her re-recording of the Bunny Wailer song "Electric Boogie", originally recorded and released by Wailer in 1976. Although the 1983 version became a minor hit for Griffiths, the song was remixed in 1989, and it was this version that made the Electric Slide, a line dance, an international dance craze. It reached number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it her most successful single. It is currently the highest-selling single by a female reggae singer of all time. She has more recently had further hits with producer Donovan Germain.
She has two children with JBC disc jockey Errol Thompson and raised them alone after his death in 1983.
Griffiths was featured on the album True Love by Toots and the Maytals, which won the Grammy Award in 2004 for Best Reggae Album, and showcased many notable musicians including Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Trey Anastasio, Gwen Stefani / No Doubt, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, Manu Chao, The Roots, Ryan Adams, Keith Richards, Toots Hibbert, Paul Douglas, Jackie Jackson, Ken Boothe, and The Skatalites.
Griffiths appeared in the 2011 documentary Reggae Got Soul: The Story of Toots and the Maytals which was featured on BBC and described as "The untold story of one of the most influential artists ever to come out of Jamaica".
In August 2014, it was announced that Griffiths would receive the Jamaican Order of Distinction (Commander class) in October of that year.
Yes! She is the Empress and nothing less. The Reggae Matriarch never fails to spark. In the recording studio or live on stage, she appeals to one and all and soothes any age.

Ventrice Morgan (born 25 March 1975), better known by the stage name Queen Ifrica, is a reggae singer and disc jockey from the hills above Montego Bay, Jamaica. She is the daughter of ska musician Derrick Morgan but was raised by her mother and stepfather.
A Rasta by faith, she is known for her work in that community. While some of her songs are about a deeply personal subject matter such as "Below the Waist" and "Daddy," she also moves forward a strong social critique in songs such as "Tyad A Dah Sumn Yah" and "Serve and Protect."
Queen Ifrica began her career in 1995 after shining at a local talent contest in her hometown of Montego Bay, Jamaica. This eye-opening experience eventually led to major stage performances in her country including the esteemed Reggae Sumfest as well as a union with Tony Rebel’s Flames Crew in 1998.
With roots firmly secured in the Rastafarian faith, she blossomed as one of the top cultural artists in reggae, swarming the airwaves with hits like “Randy”, “Jus My Brethren”, “Below the Waist” and “Daddy” and stealing the stages at major festivals and stage shows around the world (Summer Jam in Germany, Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Bob Marley Festival, Reggae on the River in California and Reggae Sundance Festival in Holland). As an active community leader, Ifrica is involved in several outreach programs for children in Jamaica’s inner-city and charity shows where proceeds are donated to the cause.
She signed a record deal with VP Records, leading to the release of her first album, Montego Bay, in July 2009. Her second album, Climb, was released in March 2017 and topped the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.
She is also known as the "Fyah Mumma".