About

A TAV Curator's Pick.

Tippa Lee was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. He started performing on his fathers Sound System as a child, standing up on a beer bottle box to reach the mic. He made his first recordings at King Tubby​'​s studio at the age of 12. Eventually he teamed up with Rappa Robert and as a duo had a number of hits including “No Trouble We”, an anthemic statement against police harassment, which was a number one Jamaican hit in 1988 and is still played often on Jamaican radio. In more recent years he has been based in the US, performing live and releasing his own underground CDs.

Cultural Ambassador was produced by Tom Chasteen, DJ and promoter at LAs long-running Dub Club. Tom and Tippa have been working side by side for years and this record is the result of many hours performing and recording together and much mutual respect.

 The musical tracks were recorded by a hand picked studio band including Reggae legends Tony Chin on guitar and Fully Fullwood on bass, who between them probably played on a fourth of all the records that came out of Jamaica in the 70s.

The LP covers, in two variations, were screen printed in yellow & green by Hit & Run, with artwork by Ellen G.  - Stones Throw Records

“With some 30 years having passed since he last had a bona fide dancehall hit, Cultural Ambassador might not be an apt title for singer Tippa Lee's return, but it does call out this album's key cut. The man's journey from Kingston, Jamaica to Los Angeles, California is chronicled on the creeping, Burning Spear-like song, and while there's little explanation for his long stretches of inactivity, the track is a prime example of why it's great to have him back. Dub Club producer and leader Tom Chasteen is in charge of production, preferring things to echo and crack like a Mikey Dread session, something especially evident on the creeping "Double Trouble" and the joyful yet dank "Smoke the Weed.” – AllMusic

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