Jacob Miller

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For other people named Jacob Miller, see Jacob Miller (disambiguation)

Jacob Miller (May 4, 1952 – March 23, 1980^[1]) was a Jamaican reggae artist.

Jacob was featured in the film Rockers, alongside many other musicians including Gregory Isaacs, Big Youth and Burning Spear. In the movie, he plays the singer of a hotel house band, in reality Inner Circle, who are joined on drums by the films hero, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace and play a wicked live version of Tenement Yard.

Miller had close links with Bob Marley, who was known to promote him as 'my favorite singer'. One of Jacob Miller's biggest Jamaican hits 'Tired Fe Lick Weed' betrayed his political leanings as can be seen in his performance of the song in the film 'Heartland Reggae', where his open enjoyment of a 'ganja spliff' on stage was intended to be seen as a militant statement.

Miller's most potent works are often attributed to the 'rockers' singles of the mid 1970's with the band Inner Circle, with tracks like 'Tenement yard', 'Tired fe Lick Weed' and 'Stand Firm' among them. However the track which has brought him the most lasting recognition is the rockers standard 'King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown' with Augustus Pablo, a dub of 'Baby I Love you So,' engineered by King Tubby. Other notable tracks with Augustus Pablo include 'Keep on Knocking,' 'False Rasta' and 'Who Say Jah No Dread', all produced by Pablo. The album Who Say Jah No Dread features two versions of each of these tracks; the original and a dub engineered by King Tubby.

Jacob Miller had a unique vocal style, using staccato motifs in counter play with the rhythm section, a perfect example of which is 'Tired Fe Lick Weed'. Miller was an intelligent and original artist, and recognized his own potential to lead, releasing a re-cut of his own track 'Tenement Yard' with the title 'Too Much Imitator', a straight out attack on those trying to copy his style.

With an obvious energy, Jacob Miller was a magnetic presence on stage, and his appearance at the 'One Love Peace Concert' in Jamaica, April 1978 was typical 'Killer' Miller. Mesmerizing and full of life, Jacob Miller invited members of the Jamaican political coalition the 'Peace Committee' on to the stage for a rendition of 'Peace Treaty Special,' conducting crowd, band, press and guests all with his customary zeal.

Some of Millers later work has been seen by reggae purists to be too much of an attempt at finding a commercial avenue for his music, with his yearning for success becoming evident on the track, 'I've Learned My Lesson Well', from the 1979 Island Records album 'Everything Is Great.'

From a musical point of view, this album is almost totally detached from his earlier 'roots' work, and exhibits the ability of the Inner Circle band to adapt to different genres, using strong disco themes here. It is with some irony then, that Jacob Miller's lasting contribution to the reggae genre will be forever focused on those 'rockers' tracks, which are, at least culturally, perhaps more important than reaching 'The top 100.'

Miller died at age 27 in a car accident, abruptly cutting short a promising career that had already taken young Jacob from 'yard' (Jamaica) to an international record deal with Island Records.

Miller had planned to perform along with Bob Marley and Inner Circle in Brazil and then to tour with them; this tour was canceled after Miller's untimely death.

Jacob Miller is famous U.K. reggae artist Maxi Priest's uncle.