Ishmel Mcanuff

About Ishmel Mcanuff

(expired link) Mcanuff aka Macklaw borned the 27th of July 1984 in Kingston Jamaica, son of Winston Mcanuff and Viviene Johnson.

He started at an early age in 1987, 2 ½ years old, at Sunsplash while his dad was performing on (expired link) Mcanuff who was on stage too, watching and waiting his dad went to him and starts asking for Mic forcing his father to stop on stage and give him the (expired link) for about few seconds just waving and dancing then give back the Mic to his dad.
We can even see him at 3 years old in the cover picture and the DVD “I and I after BoB Marley 21.000 Miles “produced by Izaba and edited in Japan.
About 7 years old he started DJing at parties and events with the encouragement of his mother and he was singing and writing his own songs from age 9.

After been in Kingston violence was very high in school at this time John Mills all age, left and start living in the country Christiana Manchester. In 1996 at Treasure Beach St. Elizabeth, Ishmel Mcanuff opens for Dennis Brown, Culture and Tyrone Taylor. At the time his name was “Little Lion”,.He was also working with a Band with his brother Rashaun Boyd – Mcanuff aka Kush who was the drummer also for Ishmel Mcanuff when he open for dennis Brown

Ishmel Mcanuff has a talent for music but also won The Best Junior Actor in Jamaica Gold , for Knox College in 1998 where he attend at the time but his love for music was stronger.
Music was in his blood so the same year he opened for Bounty Killer and Baby Cham at Fayers entertainments Mandeville by this his name was Trouble Double after changing the name Little Lion. In year 2000 winner for GT Taylor Red Label competition and won a recording contract to record at Arrows Studio but days before they start to work the man for the studio was killed and so did not get to record.
His first song recorded was “Me a old Don” at 10 years old at Matic Studio Christiana, Manchester. Ishmel Mcanuff, under the name Maclaw, recorded “Nuh Worry your mind”, his first release on the” Row Fisherman Riddim” owned by Lee Scratch Perry and in 2006 by Blood and Fire an album called Congos and Friends, this song was voice at Leggo Beast Studio Down town Kingston Orange Street and mixed by Bravo, the engineer.
Later he recorded several famous tunes as:
«Who» on the Wet Clothes Riddim for Pink Panther of the Blackkat Sound
«Work Hard» for M&M Step Up Records at Bermuda
«The Road» on the Addiction Riddim by Flavor Squad production
A Featuring with his father Winston Mcanuff attended by Baz Baz Orchestra on the album Kingston Love produced by Step Two released in may 2006 the song is «Reggae on Broadway» under the name Macklaw.
“Can’t stop and Big Fish”at Leggo Beast Studio Down town Kingston Orange Street not yet released
«Fire Must Burn» recorded as Ishmael on the Drum Melody Riddim released on the Drum Melody album produced by Andrew Bassie Campbell – 2010 Prod.
“The System” recorded in 2005 with the name Ras Ismael Mc Anuff vrai nom Ishmel Mcanuff on the Be Careful Riddim has been remixed and released on the Album Secret of Living produced by James Manko in 2011
A featuring with Broussaï for the song «Rebel Music» released in the album Kingston Town released in Oct. 2012.
«Hard TimeTough» on the I Drop Riddim by Roots Time Production released in 2013, at Category 5 Studio Jamaica.

Ishmel was being used to go by the names: Little Lion, Little Dragon, Trouble Double, et Kenniyata, Ishmael, Ishmel, Macklaw but finished to used his own name Ras Ishmel Mcanuff.
In 2012 he recorded the song «Me No Trust Them» for the independant Label Cultural Production based in France that was released July the 13th 2012 on the Cultur’Hall Riddim.

Ras Ishmel Mcanuff is natural and charismatic he can be sometimes compared to Sizzla, Capleton, Jah Mason but he has his own inspired style and is working with JAH