Singer Shango Trex says his name is really no ordinary name. “The Shango part of it was given to me by my former manager, who is Nigerian,” Shango Trex told Splash in a telephone interview from New York where he is based.

He continued, “That was very early in my career … before Capleton even started to grow locks … before he came to be known as King Shango,” the artiste explained.

According to Shango Trex, it was a visit to Japan — where he worked on an album project for a label there — that led to a series of events which he morphed into ‘Shango Trex’. As he relates it, he had to do some paperwork with the company and on the completion of the project, he discovered that he no longer legally owned the name ‘Shango’.

“I was young in the business and didn’t take time out to scrutinise what I was signing. It was only afterwards that I realised that the name Shango no longer belonged to me,” he lamented.

After seeking advice, he decided to add the name ‘Trex’ to the Shango as that would allow him to still use the name legally.

“Trex,” he explained, “is a little nickname used by family and close friends.”

And Shango Trex was born.

The singer was responding to an article in Splash in which a change of moniker was suggested, as Capleton is already known as King Shango and ‘Trex’ it was felt, sounded “like a pre-historic creature”.

According to his bio, Shango Trex, born Dennis Llewellyn, was given this “royal moniker” by a Yoruba priest who was impressed by his commanding stage presence and “fiery yet humble nature”. Born in Kingston, Trex found his passion for music while accompanying a childhood friend, Dexter, to classes at the National Cadet Orchestra. Though his first interest was in the horns section, this budding musician soon developed a passion for singing. Soon the group called The Matchmakers was born and Shango began to take himself seriously as a vocalist.

He honed his skills singing at St George’s Anglican Church and Wildman Street Pentecostal Church in central Kingston. Later, while working for the Ministry of Labour, Shango linked up with White Squall, a reggae band that practised nearby. He also began to work closely with Freddie Brown who coached him vocally.

He honed his skills singing at St George’s Anglican Church and Wildman Street Pentecostal Church in central Kingston. Later, while working for the Ministry of Labour, Shango linked up with White Squall, a reggae band that practised nearby. He also began to work closely with Freddie Brown who coached him vocally.

Shango eventually settled in Japan after many years of touring. More recently Shango has had the opportunity to tour the US with Luciano and Japan with Frankie Paul. He was part of the Moments in Time tour with Beres Hammond.

Now with the release of his self-titled debut album on the E2 Recordings label, Shango Trex is ready for the next chapter of his career.