Wayne Ford Levy (born c.1981),[1] known by his stage name Exco Levi, is a Brampton-based, Jamaican-Canadian reggae musician.[2][3][4] Levi has won five Juno Awards.[5]
Career
Born in Harmons in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, Levi's early singing experience came from the school choir.[1] His father, Michael 'Mr Cool' Levy worked as a selector on the Super Soul sound system in Clarendon.[6] He moved to Canada in 2005, and started his recording career in 2007, releasing the single "O' Canada" that year.[7] His 'Exco' stage name is a reference to his football idol, Andrés Escobar.[7]
Levi was introduced to producer Donovan Germain by Richie Stephens, and the two began working together.[4] His track "Bleaching Shop", recorded with Germain, won the Juno Award for Reggae Recording of the Year in 2012.[8] He also won Junos for "Storms of Life" (2013), and "Strive" (2014).[9] He has also worked with German producers Silly Walks.[4]
In December 2014 he performed at Sting, and in January 2015 he was on the bill of Rebel Salute.[4] In March 2015 he released his second album, Country Man.[10] He won a fourth Juno Award for 2015's "Welcome the King".[4][11]
In 2016, Levi was living and maintaining a studio in Brampton, Ontario, while also working at times in Jamaica. That year he was inducted into the Brampton Arts Walk of Fame.[7]
In 2017, Levi won a fifth Juno Award for his reggae song "Siren".[5][12] In November 2017, Levi released his third album, Narrative, featuring guest contributions from Raging Fyah and Sizzla.[2]
In 2019, Levi was nominated for a Juno Award for the seventh time in eight years for his Narrative album[13] which was produced by Silly Walks from Germany.
In 2020, the song "Wah Gwaan" earned Levi his eighth Juno nomination.[14]
Most recently Levi received his ninth Juno Award nomination[15] in 2022, for the song "By Any Means".
^Heinrich, Jeff (August 20, 2011). "Rulers of reggae have global message: Third World aims to 'give an insight into what is taking place in the world'", The Gazette, p. E3.
