Queen Ifrica

Jamaica's Ventrice Morgan, aka Queen Ifrica, is a popular singer/toaster known for her dancehall-influenced style. Like some of the neo-soul singers who have been affected by both classic soul and hip-hop, Ifrica has been greatly influenced by reggae's classic era (the '60s and '70s) but also has a strong appreciation of the more modern dancehall recordings of the '90s and 2000s. Ifrica, however, has steered clear of the hedonism, gun talk, and gangsta imagery that have been common in dancehall; her more sociopolitical lyrics reflect her Rastafarian beliefs, although she has also performed her share of lovers rock (reggae that has romantic lyrics rather than socio political or spiritual lyrics). Born in Montego Bay on March 25, 1975, Ifrica is the daughter of Derrick Morgan (who was a major ska star in the early to mid-'60s and went on to become an important figure in rocksteady and early reggae). She started to pursue a real career in reggae in the mid-'90s, and in 1999, recorded the single "Royal Love" for the Flames label. However, she became much better known in the 2000s, when she recorded for various independent labels and her singles "Just My Bredrin," "Randy," and "Below the Waist" became hits in Jamaica. In 2009, Ifrica's album Montego Bay (which included "Daddy" and the hit "Streets Are Bloody," a poignant commentary on violent crime in Jamaica) was released in the United States by the well-known VP Records label. Over the next several years, Ifrica stayed busy performing live and touring. In 2017, she delivered her sophomore album, Climb. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi