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Christopher Ellis: 'Dad warned me not have a whole heap of pickneys!'
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Like father, like son: Christopher on stage with his father Alton Ellis
THE EXPRESSION 'like father, like son' may apply to Christopher Ellis as far as music making goes. But when it comes to baby-making, the rising reggae star has no intention of competing with his father, who left behind over 20 children when he died in 2008.
Born to Jamaican reggae star Alton Ellis - dubbed the Godfather of rocksteady - British-born Christopher made waves last year with the beautiful track End of Time, his collaboration with reggae stars Stephen Marley and Jah Cure. Signed to the legendary Marley family’s label Ghetto Youths International – and with music in his blood – Christopher’s potential success is promising to say the least.
He admits that being the son of a reggae legend has most definitely been a wonderful stepping stone, not least because his father always encouraged him to pursue his musical ambitions. But ask Christopher for the most memorable piece of advice his father gave him and surprisingly, the words of wisdom weren’t music-related.
“Boy, he gave me so much advice,” Christopher recalls of his father, who died of cancer. “But I think the best advice he gave me was: ‘Christopher – don’t have one bag ah pickney. It’s foolishness! A man have 15 pickney and can’t look after them, what sense does that make?’”
Alton was undoubtedly talking from experience, having fathered countless children (even Christopher doesn’t know the exact number of siblings he has) in his 70 years of life. He had four children with Christopher’s mother Sigma Ellis, who he married two years before Christopher was born.
However – much like the situation that emerged following the passing of reggae star Gregory Isaacs last year – when Alton died in 2008, both Sigma and another lady named Judith were referred to in the media as Alton’s “wife”.
“She was my dad’s mistress,” Christopher says of Judith. “Yeah… you done know how the woman woman ting go with some men… but my mum is his widow. They had four kids together and I’m the youngest.”
Suffice to say, 28-year-old Christopher – himself a father of a seven-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son – isn’t planning to mirror his father’s complex lifestyle. But the talented singer – who many have commented sounds much like his father when he sings – is keen to create a musical legacy that would make his dad proud.
“I did a show with my dad about two months before he died. He kind of collapsed on stage and when I took the mic from him, I said, ‘This is a baton and I’m taking it.’ I could see that my dad was on his way out and so now, I want to continue the legacy.”
Still, Christopher, who will perform this weekend at Choice FM DJ Daddy Ernie’s birthday bash, is equally keen to make a name for himself.
“I do want to continue my dad’s legacy but I’d love to get to the point where I’m known as Christopher Ellis first and Alton Ellis’s son second. It’s like [reggae singer] Jimmy Riley and [Jimmy’s son, fellow reggae star] Tarrus Riley. Jimmy was telling me how he was walking in Jamaica one time and some guy teased him by shouting, ‘Yo! It’s Tarrus Riley’s father!’ It’s like Tarrus Riley has exceeded his father’s success and become a star in his own right. I’ll never forget my dad but I want people to know that I can hold my own.”
But with Alton revered for hits including Rock Steady, I’m Still In Love With You and Willow Tree – which Christopher recently made a wonderful remake of – does Ellis Jr. fear that he’ll never be able to escape comparisons to his father?
“Look at Stephen and Damian Marley. They had that problem worse than me because of Bob Marley’s international status. But with time, they were able to prove themselves. They’ll always be Bob Marley’s kids but now, they get their own recognition. I’m hoping to do the same. So far, I’ve received some really great feedback on YouTube so I think people appreciate my music.
“My journey so far has been amazing. I can’t even put it into words. It’s almost like a dream. But you know, everyone that’s heard and praised my music, I would exchange them all for my dad hearing the music. He always encouraged me to write tunes and now he’s passed, he’s not here to see how things are progressing. It’s hard but I have to keep going. I’m doing this for him.”
* For more information, visit www.ghettoyouths.com
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Like father, like son: Christopher on stage with his father Alton Ellis THE EXPRESSION 'like father, like son' may apply to Christopher Ellis as far as music making goes. But when it comes to baby-making, the rising reggae star has no intention of competing with his father, who left behind over 20 children when he died in 2008.
Born to Jamaican reggae star Alton Ellis - dubbed the Godfather of rocksteady - British-born Christopher made waves last year with the beautiful track End of Time, his collaboration with reggae stars Stephen Marley and Jah Cure. Signed to the legendary Marley family’s label Ghetto Youths International – and with music in his blood – Christopher’s potential success is promising to say the least.
He admits that being the son of a reggae legend has most definitely been a wonderful stepping stone, not least because his father always encouraged him to pursue his musical ambitions. But ask Christopher for the most memorable piece of advice his father gave him and surprisingly, the words of wisdom weren’t music-related.
“Boy, he gave me so much advice,” Christopher recalls of his father, who died of cancer. “But I think the best advice he gave me was: ‘Christopher – don’t have one bag ah pickney. It’s foolishness! A man have 15 pickney and can’t look after them, what sense does that make?’”
Alton was undoubtedly talking from experience, having fathered countless children (even Christopher doesn’t know the exact number of siblings he has) in his 70 years of life. He had four children with Christopher’s mother Sigma Ellis, who he married two years before Christopher was born.
However – much like the situation that emerged following the passing of reggae star Gregory Isaacs last year – when Alton died in 2008, both Sigma and another lady named Judith were referred to in the media as Alton’s “wife”.
“She was my dad’s mistress,” Christopher says of Judith. “Yeah… you done know how the woman woman ting go with some men… but my mum is his widow. They had four kids together and I’m the youngest.”
Suffice to say, 28-year-old Christopher – himself a father of a seven-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son – isn’t planning to mirror his father’s complex lifestyle. But the talented singer – who many have commented sounds much like his father when he sings – is keen to create a musical legacy that would make his dad proud.
“I did a show with my dad about two months before he died. He kind of collapsed on stage and when I took the mic from him, I said, ‘This is a baton and I’m taking it.’ I could see that my dad was on his way out and so now, I want to continue the legacy.”
Still, Christopher, who will perform this weekend at Choice FM DJ Daddy Ernie’s birthday bash, is equally keen to make a name for himself.
“I do want to continue my dad’s legacy but I’d love to get to the point where I’m known as Christopher Ellis first and Alton Ellis’s son second. It’s like [reggae singer] Jimmy Riley and [Jimmy’s son, fellow reggae star] Tarrus Riley. Jimmy was telling me how he was walking in Jamaica one time and some guy teased him by shouting, ‘Yo! It’s Tarrus Riley’s father!’ It’s like Tarrus Riley has exceeded his father’s success and become a star in his own right. I’ll never forget my dad but I want people to know that I can hold my own.”
But with Alton revered for hits including Rock Steady, I’m Still In Love With You and Willow Tree – which Christopher recently made a wonderful remake of – does Ellis Jr. fear that he’ll never be able to escape comparisons to his father?
“Look at Stephen and Damian Marley. They had that problem worse than me because of Bob Marley’s international status. But with time, they were able to prove themselves. They’ll always be Bob Marley’s kids but now, they get their own recognition. I’m hoping to do the same. So far, I’ve received some really great feedback on YouTube so I think people appreciate my music.
“My journey so far has been amazing. I can’t even put it into words. It’s almost like a dream. But you know, everyone that’s heard and praised my music, I would exchange them all for my dad hearing the music. He always encouraged me to write tunes and now he’s passed, he’s not here to see how things are progressing. It’s hard but I have to keep going. I’m doing this for him.”
* For more information, visit www.ghettoyouths.com