LIV UP rides the Zion Train
THE year 2009 was a big one for West Kingston’s Liv Up Records. The label scored five number one hits, making it a major player in the dancehall arena.
After a hiatus, Liv Up is back with a reggae beat called the Zion Train. The project is spearheaded by the team of Clinton Marsh, Orlando Allen, Oneil Clarke and Leighton Coke.
Zion Train is distributed by the VP Music Group subsidiary VPAL Music.
Some of the artistes and songs on the beat are Zion Train by Jah Cure, Liv Up (Tarrus Riley), My Kinda Girl (Christopher Martin), Attitude of Gratitude (Zagga), Moments of Greatness (Tony Frass) and Rise by Alborosie.
Another of Liv Up Records’ new productions is Joyful Noise, an EP by singer Tony Frass.
Liv Up Records was launched in West Kingston in 2005. According to Marsh, getting artistes to ‘voice’ for the new label was difficult. However, that changed as the hits flowed.
“Once you get the break, everyone wants to work with you,” he said.
That break came five years ago with the Good Life ‘riddim’ which reeled off hits such as Cyaan Get We Out by Assassin, High Under (Mavado), I am Blessed (Mr Vegas) and Mind Pon Di Money (Dollar Sign) by Vybz Kartel.
Since then, the label has released several beats including the Liv Up, Money Tree, Stronger, Grind and Asphalt.
Following the bloody unrest in West Kingston in May 2010, management at Liv Up Records decided to take a break.
The 29-year-old Marsh grew up in the Grants Pen area of Kingston and attended Calabar High School. His interest in music developed as a teenager when he began hanging around King Sonic, his father’s sound system.
