Buccaneer

Buccaneer, born Andrew Patrick Bradford in 1974, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay and record producer who first attracted attention in 1994 with the Jamaican hit "Hey Yah Hey Yah." He distinguished himself visually with an eye patch, pirate-style dress, and a ring bleached into his hair, building on early productions with Patrick Roberts and King Jammy, including the Wayne Wonder collaborations "Sensi Ride" and "Trust."

His debut album, Now There Goes the Neighbourhood (1994, VP Records), featured production from Roberts, Bobby Digital, Dave Kelly, and Danny Browne; that same year he made a strong impression at the Reggae Sumfest festival. He went on to release Classic (1997, Greensleeves) and Da Opera (1998, VP Records), the latter reflecting his known interest in blending operatic and classical music elements into dancehall production, exemplified by 1995's "Skettel Concerto." Other notable tracks include "Bruk Out," a 1998 collaboration with the American punk band Rancid, and "Hot Bwoy" (1999), featuring Beenie Man.

Buccaneer later moved into production, founding the Opera House label and producing early recordings for artists including Mavado — reportedly the first producer to record him — as well as Vybz Kartel, Sean Paul, and Tami Chynn. He released the album The Darkside in 2014 on his Opera House imprint.