Tippa Irie, born Anthony Henry, is a British reggae singer and DJ from Brixton, London. He comes to prominence in the early 1980s as an MC with the South London soundsystem Saxon Studio International, and becomes part of the generation of British MCs associated with the “fast talking” style of chat.

He gains wider attention in the mid-1980s through BBC Radio 1 and through singles including “It’s Good To Have The Feeling You’re The Best” and “Complain Neighbour”, both on Greensleeves Records. In 1986 he reaches the UK Top 40 with “Hello Darling”. His work also includes “Raggamuffin Girl” featuring Peter Hunnigale, “Stress” featuring Lloyd Brown, “Superwoman” featuring Winsome, “Baby I’ve Been Missing You” featuring Janet Lee Davis, and “Shouting for the Gunners”, which is recorded for Arsenal Football Team and reaches the British pop Top 30.

Albums and releases

Tippa Irie releases a long series of albums across several labels. His first album, Is It Really Happening To Me, appears in 1986, followed by Two Sides of Tippa Irie in 1987. He then releases JA To UK Clash with Papa San on Fashion Records, Original Raggamuffin and New Decade on Island Records, and Done, Cook, and Curry with Peter Hunnigale on Rebel MC’s Tribal Bass label.

His U.S. releases include A Me Dis on I.R.S. and Sapphire and Steel, also on I.R.S., with Peter Spence. Mad Professor produces Rebel on the Roots Corner for RAS Records. Later releases include the compilation Mr. Versatile on Jammin Records, Divide & Rule with Musical Sniper AKA Rappa Robert on Music Avenue in Belgium, I Miss and Sign of the Times on Resin Music in North America, Combinations with Lloyd Brown on Discoflex Records, and Greatest Hits on Sanctuary Records. He also has fifteen albums to his credit.

Collaborations and touring

Tippa Irie tours extensively with Pato Banton during the 1980s, including an appearance at Jamaica’s Reggae Sunsplash and tours in the United States. The pair become one of the better-known UK DJ combinations and later reunite in the studio with Peter Spence for “The Good Old Days”, which appears on Pato Banton’s Grammy-nominated album Life is a Miracle and on Tippa Irie’s tribute album I Miss.

He also works with the Long Beach Dub All Stars, contributing “Sensi” to Right Back and later recording “Life Goes On” with Half Pint and Jurassic 5’s Charli2na on Wonders of the World. Jurassic 5 then record “The Struggle” with him. He is also nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rap Song category for “Hey Mama”, his collaboration with Will-I-Am of the Black Eyed Peas on Elephunk.

Later activity

He supports UB40 on their Labour of Love III UK tour, and his catalogue continues to include classic tracks and compilation releases that draw on his long career in UK reggae and dancehall.