Spragga Benz

Spragga Benz was born Carlton Errington Grant on May 30, 1969 in Kingston, Jamaica, and has been an icon in the dancehall scene since the early 90s.

Spragga Benz got his start as an assistant DJ to Ricky Villa of the La Benz Sound System. In no time at all, he was able to release his debut album, ‘Jack It Up’. The album was an instant classic, including hits like, “Girls Hooray”, “Fun Thing”, and “Jump Up & Swear”.

The natural next step for Spragga was a record deal with a major label, and he did just that with Capitol Records. The deal catapulted his music to new heights outside the realm of dancehall and reggae and allowed him to collaborate with Hip Hop, R & B, and Pop artists. He has worked with artists like Ben E King, Wyclef Jean, KRS-One, Foxy Brown, Lil’ Bow Wow, Stephen Marley and Damian Marley.

Spragga Benz didn’t stick to just making music, the reggae icon took his talents to the big screen, playing himself in his debut movie “Brooklyn Babylon”. His most notable roll however was in the Jamaican crime film, “Shottas” (2002), starring alongside Ky-Mani Marley, Paul Campbell, Wyclef Jean and Louie Rankin as ‘Wayne’.

Spragga has always had a philanthropic heart and has been giving back since the early 90s when he started the “Stay In School” program, providing help to needy students in Jamaica. The organization was renamed to “The Carlyle Foundation” after the tragic and untimely death of his first born son, Carlton “Carlyle” Grant, Jr. “The Carlyle Foundation” now provides computers and scholarships to students in Jamaica who excel in school.

Benz continues to give back in earnest with his Red Square Rebelnation, and independent label he started to help up and coming artists in East Kingston, Jamaica.

“Spragga Benz utilizes the Red Square Rebelnation platform to elevate talented musicians by offering them musical opportunities- teaching them ways to sharpen their skills & amplify their creativity.”