Carl Malcolm

Carl Malcolm (born 18 July 1952) is a Jamaican reggae and conscious roots singer, percussionist, and drummer, known for both his vocal and instrumental contributions to reggae music. He began his musical journey learning keyboard at his local Methodist church and played in early groups such as The Volcanoes and Big Relations. He initially recorded socially conscious tracks like Father Free Us for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd’s Studio One label before spending time in the United States. Upon returning to Jamaica, he worked for Rupie Edwards and resumed recording, producing hits like No Jestering and Miss Wire Waist, the latter topping the UK reggae chart in 1975. Malcolm achieved his greatest mainstream success with the 1975 single "Fattie Bum-Bum", which reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart and stayed there for eight weeks. Produced by Clive Chin and later covered by other artists, the song remains his most widely recognized work. Despite limited chart success, Malcolm continued to make a strong impact on the reggae scene with discomix and conscious roots tracks such as Repatriation and Take a Tip From Me, collaborating with artists like Ranking Trevor and appearing on labels like Grove Music, which were favorites of sound system followers including Lloyd Coxsone and Jah Shaka. In addition to his singing career, Malcolm is a skilled percussionist and drummer, contributing Rockers, One Drop, and Steppers rhythms to recordings by artists such as The Melodians (Swing & Dine), Pat Kelly (Butterflies), and Glen Brown (The Way to Mt. Zion). His dual talent as a vocalist and musician helped cement his reputation in reggae, blending socially conscious lyrics with rhythmically innovative instrumentation.