Artist Name: Stitchie
Birth Name: Cleve Laing
Birth Place and Date: Spanish Town, Jamaica, W.I.
Official Bio
Cleve "Stitchie" Laing was raised in Spanish Town Jamaica and has been recording reggae music since 1983. Initially a high school teacher by profession, in 1987 he chose to pursue a full-time career in music. In 1988 he made history by becoming the first dancehall reggae artist signed to a major label, Atlantic Records. He recorded three albums for Atlantic Records and one for Shanachie. This chart topping, award winning, world renowned, dancehall reggae rapper/singer has sustained momentum throughout his career with a dynamic stage show, heavy touring, and hit singles. Although he was a secular artist for well over a decade, his lyrics were always positive as he continued his search for spiritual truth in the world.
In 1995 Stitchie began thinking seriously about the eternal when he was devastated by the death of his mother. On August 7, 1997 on his way to perform at Reggae Sumfest, the world's largest reggae festival, a tragic auto accident nearly took his life. That life changing event made Stitchie think seriously about his mortality and where he would spend eternity. Although beaten up in the crash, he managed to perform that night. Backstage after the concert, Stitchie was handed a Bible by Tim "Jah Pickney" Linnard, a missionary sent to Jamaica by Mark Mohr of Christafari. He later read the salvation plan in the back of the Bible and prayed the salvation prayer. Since then, Christ has dramatically transformed his life. Since his conversion, Stitchie has been discipled, attended Bible college, and begun writing and performing only new and decidedly Christian material.
"Real Power" is Stitchie's first Gospel album. Refusing to imitate the world, this album reveals a more mature Stitchie with biblically sound lyrics and a powerful ministry. Although certain tracks capture his sound of old, the majority of the album is drastically different from his former projects. "Real Power" captures the energy of a Stitchie concert and the live musicianship far surpasses his computer programmed rhythms of the past. The album was engineered and mixed in the heart of Jamaica by 2000 Grammy Winner and five-time Grammy nominee, Barrington O'Hare. Smooth roots reggae is the foundation of "Real Power." A dash of dancehall, a touch of jazz, and the feel of black gospel combine to create this long-awaited album.
NOTE: Stitchie is no longer associated with Lion of Zion Entertainment. He now owns and operates his own company "Drum and Bass".
Now comfortably preaching and teaching the gospel, Stitchie, since his baptism in December of 1997, has witnessed the mighty power of God in his career and in every other area of his life. He is a member of the Covenant City Church in Kingston, Jamaica, where both he and his wife Sophia serve as praise and worship leaders when not on tour. Totally consumed by the gospel, Stitchie feels it vital to surround himself with musicians who are of the same mind; therefore all the members of his band are Christians, as are the member of his back ground vocals, SAS (Saved, Anointed and Sanctified), a group that he recently formed.
Now one of the most sought after gospel artistes in the genre of reggae, Stitchie has a reputation for high-energy performances, excellent stagecraft and an effective Christian ministry. Since the year 2000, he has been touring extensively as a headliner, performing and ministering at gospel concerts, crusades, church services, and various music festivals in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Wales, Switzerland, Germany, Jamaica and many other Caribbean Islands.
Although not one to revel in awards and take any praise unto himself, nevertheless the excellence of this bondservant and ambassador for Christ has been recognized nationally and internationally by various awarding bodies. Among them are the Jamaica Federation of Musicians (JFM) which awarded Stitchie the Best Gospel Artiste in 2001; the Caribbean Gospel Music Awards (Marlins) รณ Most Outstanding Reggae Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year and Most Outstanding Package; the Canadian Caribbean Gospel Award for Top Gospel Album in 2002 and again the JFM, also in 2002 for the Number One Gospel Artiste in Jamaica and the Caribbean, and the French International Caribbean Awards Top Gospel Artiste for 2003.
Exclusive Interview with GospelReggae.com
The following is an interview with DJ K for str8up.co.uk
DJ K: What does your Album title represent?
Stichie: Kingdom Ambassador represents the kingdom of God and in that kingdom there is a king, who is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The principals that run that kingdom are the principals that we should abide by and all things will be added onto us. It is my responsibility as an ambassador of the kingdom to take the ideology and philosophy to the rest of the world. From the constitution, (the Holy Bible), the message of the gospel, (the good news of Jesus), and the truth that the kingdom of God is at hand. 2 Corinthians: 5:20 declares that we 'are ambassadors of Christ' so I am representing the government of heaven.
DJ K: You have already won numerous awards and accolades internationally. What is your ambition with this album? And where do you want to go?
Stichie: The accolades that I have won cannot be attributed to me, they must be attributed to God, because God allowed it to happen, so that they can be used as keys to open doors to the next dimension. With "Kingdom Ambassador" the Lord has brought me to the next dimension, and God knows what He is doing and He shall provide whatever is necessary to take me to the next dimension after. So my expectation is to be an ambassador for Christ. Whatever the Lord wants to happen or wherever He leads me I will follow. I would love to see Reggae music being represented in an excellent way in the world. Reggae music was created by God for God and there is a lot of negativity surrounding Reggae music. We should be using the music as a platform through which Jesus Christ causes His "Kingdom Ambassador" to establish the people. And to realize that when you come to Christ, that is when you really start living.
DJ K: You have added a multimedia aspect to this album. Could you please explain to the people what you have got on over and above the music?
Stichie: First of all, the whole presentation of the album is in the color red, which signifies the blood of Christ. Red is also the color of the passport diplomats travel with, and I am a diplomat, because I am an ambassador for Christ, I represent the kingdom of God.
Secondly, on the first page of the inlay card is an album code, which represents the sequential order of the tracks, so that when you play it in this order it leads you to salvation. When you check the different pages, it is presented like a passport so you have the passport containing pages in English, Spanish and French. If you flip over you will see the different stamps on the pages signifying that as an ambassador of Christ we travel from kingdom to kingdom empowering people and therefore enhancing the kingdom of God. In the center of the booklet, the letter D represents a Diplomat and the number 7 with many zero's signify the amount of souls we intend to get into the kingdom of God. You will also notice there is 1KOG which means there is only one kingdom of God. There are 7s because seven is God's perfect number that represents different things that took place 7 times in His constitution. The letter M represents the middle of the bible followed by 118. Psalm 118 is the centre chapter of the bible. 1188 represents one thousand and eighty eight chapters of the bible. The number 66 represents the total of books in the bible followed by my credentials, when I got baptized and so forth. The booklet and interactive CD will send and minister a message of love, in seven different languages, with the scripture references that inspired the songs. If you click on the scripture references it takes you directly to the scripture in the bible, so when you're buying the CD you're actually buying a bible! This is the premier album for drum and base music, drum and base is the heart of Reggae music and God is interested in the heart of man and so our vision is to train the heart through reggae music with Jesus as our platform.
DJ K: You have collaborations on you album with Dr Myles Munroe. How did this come about?
Stichie: Dr Myles Munroe is my spiritual father, as I was on my honeymoon the song came up when I was having morning devolution with my wife and I just wrote it from there. When he was driving us home from church I told him the name of my album, because he is a kingdom man we went to the Bahamas and recorded it. "Saved Anointed and Sanctified" is a group I formed and they are my background vocalists and this is their first appearance as recording artists, on the song titled "Free". I also dedicated a song to Cedric Lue, called Daddy He was the one who baptized me and taught me the Word of God.
DJ K: What is the theme behind Fast and Pray, which is already getting lots of airplay across the UK?
Stichie: I was in the secular world and the Lord saved me and I am know expiring joy and peace through Christ, and I would love for them to have the same experience, so I am fasting and praying that God will bring them to that realization. I am speaking things into their life because God says there is "life and death in the power of the tongue", so I am speaking life for them. I am also doing a video which feature artists such as Beanie Man, Bounty Killa and many more.
DJ K: What do you have to say to your fans over here in the UK? What is your message for them?
Stichie: Let us be true to the call of Jesus Christ and be true ambassadors of Christ without wavering, let us declare that the kingdom of God is at hand without fear and without favor.
Ministry
Stitchie, a Bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ is committed to boldly proclaim the Gospel through reggae music globally, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, to save, heal, and deliver people in the name of Jesus Christ.
Discography
GOSPEL RELEASES:
Stitchie, Kingdom Ambassador, ERC, (2004) Stitchie, Real Power, Lion of Zion, (2000)
OTHER GOSPEL ALBUMS FEATURING STITCHIE:
Richie Stephens, The Man Upstairs
Various Artists, Africa Anointed
Jah Pickney, From the Heart
Various Artists, Raggamuffin Hip Hop
Soldiers of Jesus Christ, Called To Serve
Various Artists, Dancehall Baptism 1
Junior Tucker, Brand New
SECULAR RELEASES:
Lieutenant Stitchie, Ghetto Soldier, Greensleeves, (1994)
Lieutenant Stitchie, Wild Jamaican Romances, Atlantic, (1991)
Lieutenant Stitchie, The Governor, Atlantic, (1989)
Lieutenant Stitchie, Rude Boy, Atlantic, (1993)
Lieutenant Stitchie, Bangarang, Shanachie, (1995)
Lieutenant Stitchie, Gangsta, VP/Universal, (1995)
Lieutenant Stitchie, Raw Episode, PRG, (1999)
Lieutenant Stitchie, Ego Tripping, PRG Records
Lieutenant Stitchie, Best of Reggae Live, Innerbeat Music, (2001)
Lieutenant Stitchie, Wear Yu Size, Dynamic Sounds, (1992)
Concerts
There are currently no upcoming events listed.
Contact / Booking:
Telephone: 876-602-0402
Cell: 876-873-1564
Or 876-371-6761
stitchie@stitchiemusic.com
stitchie1@cwjamaica.com
Official EMail:
stitchie@stitchiemusic.com
Official Website:
http://www.stitchiemusic.com
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