Snoop isn’t the first major act from another music genre to suddenly wake up and decide they want to be a reggae artist. Country icons, iconoclastic Irish singers and provocative French pop stars have all given in to the lure of Jamaican music, making similar left turns with varying levels of success and authenticity. Here’s a look at 10 well-known and well-regarded, non-reggae artists who went all the way in, recording full-on reggae albums either in Jamaica, or at least with the help and support of some noted reggae producers and musicians. Get a taste of jafaican via Sinead O'Connor's one-off reggae album Throw Down Your Arms below and then hit the link to get all 8 of non-Jamaican reggae's greatest moments from Willie Nelson to Serge Gainsbourg.
Irish singer Sinead O’Connor, best known for her shaved head and outspoken politics (and also her 1990 cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”), recorded this album of mostly Rastafari-themed covers (including “Marcus Garvey,” among several others by Burning Spear, and Junior Byles’ “Curly Locks”) with Sly and Robbie while recovering from fibromyalgia in Jamaica. Word is Sinead put her money where her mouth was, donating 10% of the profits to support Rastafari elders in Jamaica. Snoop will be wise to follow her example.
>>>LargeUp's Top 8 Reggae Albums by Non-Reggae Artists
