Nikki Royal is not what one would expect to emerge from a suburb town of a tiny city like Atlantic City, NJ but the foundation was being laid from the time she was born. Born in Baltimore, Maryland to musically inclined parents, Nikki’s initial exposure to reggae was natural. "The first artists I got into as a kid were Bob Marley, Gregory Issacs, the records that my parents used to play," Nikki says. "My dad was a promoter when he was my age, doing rock shows and promoting all over Baltimore ...
Nikki Royal is not what one would expect to emerge from a suburb town of a tiny city like Atlantic City, NJ but the foundation was being laid from the time she was born. Born in Baltimore, Maryland to musically inclined parents, Nikki’s initial exposure to reggae was natural. "The first artists I got into as a kid were Bob Marley, Gregory Issacs, the records that my parents used to play," Nikki says. "My dad was a promoter when he was my age, doing rock shows and promoting all over Baltimore for a long time... He also worked at a music studio, Sheffield Studios in Maryland, and guys like Ziggy Marley would cut tracks there.” However it wasn’t until a chance encounter with dancehall music during a high school spring break trip to Florida inspired what has become her life's passion. Despite her childhood exposure, Nikki says, “...it wasn't until that spring break when i herd Beenie Man's sin simmer that it really took over.” Moving to Linwood, New Jersey at age 8, by high school Nikki had grown tired of the lack of musical diversity available in the area. When able, she began traveling back and forth to Jamaica making connections and redefining her passion for reggae dancehall music. Her first event, a small birthday bash in Negril, Jamaica at “The Jungle” in 2005, confirmed her desire to start coordinating her own events. One might say she was destined for the promotion biz. "I feel like this is what I always wanted to do. I wanted to go to Full Sail, a recording school in Florida, out of high school, but I couldn't afford it," Nikki says. “Following in my father’s footsteps, I figured promoting was my calling.” Nikki started booking major and local artists to help create and support a local reggae dancehall scene in Atlantic City; booking sounds like stone love and artists like Baby Cham and Collie Buddz. She has even created Rebel Sundays, a Reggae Dancehall Night every Sunday since June of 2009. In addition to events, Nikki started managing reggae dancehall artists with her partner Benardo West. Most recently, she has crossed from managing to being managed, now involved with singing her own music. Her first song, “Fly Away”, was met with such enthusiasm that she has decided to continue to sing and collaborate with other artist.
please visit her at
www.facebook.com/nikkiroyal16
www.myspace.com/nikkiroyal16
show more...
