David Boomah

David Boomah is a singer and songwriter from Birmingham, England, who is raised in St Catherine, Jamaica, and later returns to the UK in 1990, living in London. He sings in reggae, dancehall, jungle and drum and bass, and is also associated with ragga. His early singing comes through church and school concerts in Jamaica, and he also performs on the local dancehall sound system Small Axe.

Career

After moving back to the UK, Boomah quickly performs alongside a number of reggae and dancehall artists, including Sanchez D, Sweetie Irie, Red Dragon, General Levy, Michael Prophet, Daddy Freddy, Flourgon and Dennis Brown, after being booked as the opening act at the 1990 British Reggae Awards. He continues to work in UK reggae and dancehall venues with his dancehall DJ partner UK Apachi before both move into jungle and drum and bass in 1993.

Jungle and drum and bass work

In 1994 and 1995, Boomah records Who Run Tings with Shy FX. The track reaches number two in the chart and then number one the following week. He later supports UK Apachi and Shy FX on UK and European tours, and his vocals are also used by producers in the UK and abroad across reggae, dancehall, jungle, drum and bass and dubstep.

He works with producers and MCs including Rebel MC, Shy FX, Potential Badboy, Curtis Lynch, Benny Page, Remarc, G-Corp, Code:Breaker, Engine Earz, Stenchman, DJ Panik, Kyshido and M-Rode, and collaborates with Tenor Fly, Daddy Freddy, Topcat, YT, Navigator, UK Apachi, Juxci-D, Gunsmoke, Fredi Kruga and ProFit MC.

Notable releases and appearances

Boomah scores four number ones in the jungle and drum and bass charts. These include Murderation, a remix of Who Run Tings, which reaches number one in 2003 and receives regular play on BBC Radio 1Xtra; Two Tone Sound with Crystal Clear and Code:Breaker on the Ganja label; and On the Run with Shy FX, which also reaches number one in 2007. On the Run is also used on the soundtrack to the British film Rolling With The Nines.

Later work

In 2008 and 2009, Boomah tours with Rebel MC, also known as Congo Natty, and in 2010 he appears on the Bassline Circus stage at Glastonbury. Alongside his music work, he also holds down a full-time job in the youth sector supporting young people.

He later prepares a debut album project featuring work with Rebel MC, Benny Page, Marcus Visionary, Curtis Lynch Jr, Potential Badboy, Remarc, Liondub, G-Corp, Q-Bik, Stenchman, Rogue State and Demolition Man.