Hail King Hopeton - CEO married to his music, wants world peace
Published: Monday | September 28, 2009
King Hopeton
"I started playing music at the age of four. Sitting, and watching an old lady play Come Back Charlie, a popular classical piece - The moment she got up from around the piano, I started playing the same piece as if I had learned it before ... She started teaching me from that point .... I did my first classical piano recital at age seven. I got my first standing ovation, and from that love I felt I said 'It's only music for me'," declared King Hopeton, a Jamaican-born musician, based in California, United States.
And this love affair with music has grown into one eternal 'wedding' for this father of two beautiful daughters, aged nine and four. "I would more say I am married to my music because all relationships I have been through say that I am married to my music," he asserted.
Different type of marriage
It's a different type of marriage, naturally, than that to a woman, so he doesn't compare his tie to music with marriage to a woman as they conflict, he said. They are two different concepts. "Music is beyond comparison to anyone in my life, as it has been that centre point, that healing and that comfort that no one, except for God Almighty, could possibly give to me.
And in return for the comfort he gets from God, he said, "[I am] doing what God wants me to do, going out there in the world preaching and teaching, through music. That's why I play all instruments, which would make me a 'maestro' ... My greatest achievement comes from God, knowing that He has created me as a god in the music."
Born Horace Campbell, in Alexandria, St Ann, in 1972, this talented 'King', who lived in St Thomas as a youngster, is also a singer, studio-recording engineer, producer, who is starting a revolution. He's producing his first reggae festival to promote world peace.
"Yes, I do believe in world peace, and yes, it is humanly possible. We create world war, which is humanly possible, so why not world peace. It's possible, once you believe," King Hopeton said.
As a very young drummer, pianist, bass and rhythm guitarist he played wit6h a band, rapture, which record its first album in 1988. "I then had to leave from Morant Bay back to St Ann, to get a job as my grandmother was getting really sick, and life was getting harder by the seconds," he recalled.
United Force
In Ocho Rios, King Hopeton got the job the first time he auditioned (on keyboards), and subsequently joined a band called United Force, with Hart Richards as his manager. Being on the hotel circuit gave him the opportunity to work with Ernie Ranglin, Mandella (jazz bass), Nicky OJ, Karen Smith, Sabrina Williams and Ebony.
After years of being on the road, things changed for King Hopeton somewhat in 1999. "I got a proposal from Sony Records (Germany) to do an album, I accepted and started working on my first project for Sony. I went and build a recording studio, I started out with my label - DoubleLion Records in Ocho Rios, producing and developing, artistes like Teflon, Zamunda, Little Hero, etc," he said.
From the little boy who watched an "old lady" playing the piano, Horace Campbell is now chief executive officer of his own music business, DoubleLion Records and Ent USA Inc, managing himself and his band, and other artistes and musicians.
He has a 2008 album, King of Kings, on the market, as well as some singles - King of King, Hard Times, My Destiny and Can You See the Light.
"It's hard work building your own company, especially in a market where hip hop and rock music are dominant. So, what I do is to ride the bandwagon. I found a rock band and few other hip-hop artistes, and started producing and developing their talents. So, basically I will be using those musicians and artistes to crossover. These artistes I know will get big," the world peace advocate said.
paul.williams@gleanerjm.com
Reggae king lays beats, crown at show
King Hopeton's braids hang all the way down to his knees. He has not cut a single strand in 17 years, but they're not weighing him down.
Hopeton was the king of the stage Saturday night at Cafe Culture, where he shared his hope of world peace through reggae beats.
The singer from Jamaica started playing classical piano music before he went in to reggae.
When he is on stage he feels music and the people accepting it, he said.
"Reggae is my heart," he said.
Hopeton uses a lion as his logo as a representation of strength, family and king, he said. He has quite the resume working with artists like Sean Paul. Other great singers have also passed through his music donating their skills to be recorded with him.
His inspirations are King David and Solomon because they both played instruments, such as the harp, before they became kings.
And they played beautifully, he said.
Although it was a long way to Chico from Jamaica, fate brought him here, Hopeton said.
"In this Earth, all is destiny," he said.
For Hopeton, music brings out people's true essence, and it makes him be the real him and represent what he stands for, and that is world peace, he said.
It all started back home when he helped people off the street, Hopeton said. He took care of them before they turned into criminals and helped them with music and some would become great artists.
Music can bring world peace, he said. When artists campaign, they come together and gather a crowd, akin to Michael Jackson's peace tour. Genre doesn't matter, as long as the lyrics and energy are concentrated on the message.
He is not yet finished with his message of world peace, Hopeton said. In fact, he is barely starting and it might take forever.
"If it's going to take forever, fine," he said. "It can happen tomorrow, right now."
People have to believe it's possible, Hopeton said. Everybody needs to join into that force. It doesn't make sense killing another human being. Every country within their own regime, they want pace. People have to come together and agree with each other.
Brooke Piercy, a freshman psychology major, liked the energy and the lovely people at the show, she said. Piercy also enjoyed the lyrics to all of the songs.
"Reggae makes me feel happy and calm," she said.
Piercy's friend Aimee Zarzynski, an undeclared freshman, also enjoyed Hopeton's laid-back sound.
"It gets me dancing," Zarzynski said.
Jon Trefault, a junior criminal justice major, had never heard Hopeton's music, but he was looking for a good time.
"Good music, good people, good times," Trefault said.
Hopeton's song "Crying out for Peace" is a plea for peace, justice, love and hope, which is needed in this world.
"Tons of it," Hopeton said.
Creamy rock-steady riddims serve as a fitting backdrop for the prophetic words of Jesus Christ.
Kinghopeton sings the scripture wholeheartedly while backing band United Force keeps a tight pocket of bubbling Jamaican soul.
The Rastafarian’s version of the most famous prayer on Earth spiritualizes an already divine musical piece.