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Bios
Short bio
58 words
Kareem Shabazz is a UK reggae and lovers rock singer-songwriter who performs as Ryddim King. He started out with Nu-Vizion in 1992, and has sung on and written house records since 1997, most of them for Italian labels such as Airplane!, Purple Music, Groove Culture and Irma. His latest release is The Spirit of Henry Sloan EP (2025).
Medium bio
127 words
Kareem Shabazz is a UK singer-songwriter who performs as Ryddim King. He took over from Claudia Fontaine as lead singer of Nu-Vizion, then in 1998 began a long run of Italian house records with Airplane! Records, singing and writing for Tommy Vee, Soul Deluxe and, above all, Danny Losito of Double Dee. Tommy Vee's Life Goes On, which Kareem co-wrote and sings with Danny, was nominated for an MTV award in Italy, and the Ming remix of Falling Out, a song he wrote for Danny, was nominated for a Grammy in 2015. In London he fronted Kareem Shabazz and the Ryddim Kings. He has released two albums, Born on the Street (Stingray Records, 2016) and Lovers & Rockers (2021), and The Spirit of Henry Sloan EP (2025).
The long version is the Story page.
Key facts
- Name
- Kareem Shabazz
- Performs as
- Ryddim King
- Band
- Kareem Shabazz and the Ryddim Kings
- Music
- Reggae, lovers rock and house
- Albums
- Born on the Street (Stingray Records, 2016); Lovers & Rockers (Ryddim King Productions, 2021)
- Latest release
- The Spirit of Henry Sloan, EP (Rsf Records, 3 November 2025)
- In progress
- Resist to Exist, EP
- House labels
- Exploding Plastic, Airplane!, Train!, Champion Records USA, Purple Music, Time Records, GrooveJet, Groove Culture, Irma Records
- Worked with
- Danny Losito, Tommy Vee, Mike Patto, Derek "Demondo" Fevrier, SLAMTWISTED, Mr.Tune
- Recognition
- Life Goes On (Tommy Vee feat. Danny Losito & Kareem Shabazz): nominated for an MTV award in Italy. Falling Out, written for Danny Losito: its Ming remix was nominated for Best Remixed Recording at the 2015 Grammy Awards.
- Played
- Brixton Academy; Hootananny Brixton; Rhythms of the World, Hitchin; the Dublin Castle, Camden; Parliament Hill Bandstand, Hampstead Heath
Quotes
“UK based singer/songwriter straight out of Ladbroke Grove with a well accomplished debut album crafted with the Stingray production team...well worth a listen.”
Dub Vendor, on Born on the Street, 2016. Source
“uno dei pezzi dance più suonati in radio e nei club”
In English: “one of the dance tracks most played on radio and in the clubs”
RadioDate, on Life Goes On, 2014. Source
“The superb vocal performance by Kareem makes this record a must”
Purple Music, on I Love Muzik, 2011. Source
“slick Brit Reggae of a sweet sunny disposition”
The Dublin Castle, gig listing, January 2016. Source
Photos
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