Hawkeye

"Arrest Mi Officer" provided the launching pad that his career needed. That was back in the mid 1990's when he was with the Main Street label. But after the label's head honcho, Danny Browne switched from secular music to producing gospel, he teamed up with Byron Murray of In the Streets Records. His real name is Christopher Smith, but to the dancehall fraternity, he is known as Hawkeye, the toaster whose hypnotic growls and uttering have made him a household name both in Jamaica, the Caribbean and in the UK.'

A former Chef by profession, Hawkeye gave up the sweltering heat of the kitchen for the entertainment business, a change he has no regrets making, some 10 years later. His first venture into a recording studio resulted in a song called "Patois" which was produced by John Mills. The song did not do very well, but it did give him the encouragement to continue in his pursuit of a place among the top toasters in the island.

After being introduced by a friend to Browne, Hawkeye recorded "Advertise Your Brand", but it was the 1997 effort "Arrest Mi Officer" for Browne which flung the doors open for him. He later followed up with "Beg Fi Him", "Ooh Ah Ah", "Man a Bad Man" and "More". The public embraced him, and Hawkeye was on his way.

Since joining the In the Streets label, he has scored some of his more prolific hits. "Reality Thing", the UK hit "Go Rachel", "Just Like We", "You Nuh Beg" and "Money Making Guy" have been flowing like fine wine.

Hawkeye is currently working on his debut album for Greensleeves Records, "Money Making Guy", which he anticipates should be out before the end of 2000.