Sister Carol is, without a doubt, one of the most intelligent and well-known reggae performers of the last 30 years. Easy Star Records is proud to work with Mother Culture–she is a multi-talented woman who also happens to be able to grab the mic and deliver lyrics with the best of them. She is a mother of four, holds a degree in Education from the City University of New York and has appeared in the Jonathan Demme-directed movies Something Wild and Married To The Mob. But her skill as a performer is what sets her apart as one of the top deejays in reggae.

Sister Carol moved from Jamaica to New York in 1973, and soon became a fixture on the city’s growing dancehall scene. Early on in her career, she worked extensively with Brigadier Jerry and developed her skills to the high level they are at today. Her first record, Liberation For Africa (1983), was followed in 1984 by the classic Black Cinderella – songs from that album, like “Black Cinderella” and “Oh Jah (Mi Ready),” are still staples of her electrifying live performances today. Since then, she has released Mother Culture (1991), Call Mi Sister Carol (1994) and the Grammy-nominated Lyrically Potent (1996), among others.

Early in 1998, she collaborated for the first time with Easy Star and recorded the song “Original Drum” for Easy Star Volume One. The track is over an original riddim played by the Easy Star All-Stars and written by the label’s musical director, Michael Goldwasser. On this song, she tells us to “listen the original drum/the heart/that is where wisdom starts.” The song also addresses many topics current to the day, including a hilarious verse on the dangers of cloning sheep. It appeared in the movie Failure To Launch, starring Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Easy Star and Sister Carol teamed up again in 2001 to release All I Have Is Love: A Tribute To Studio One. This compilation, produced by Sister Carol, featured covers of classic Studio One songs and new songs on those classic Studio One riddims. Singers included Dennis Brown, Johnny Osbourne, Freddie McGregor, Pam Hall, Sugar Minott, Sluggy Ranks, Jr. Jazz, Empress Trejah, Sister Carol herself, and more. (This release is no longer in print.)