Michel Martelly

Biography

Haitian Performing & Recording Artists

Date of Birth (DOB): 2/12/61
From: Haiti
Best Known for: Compas most colorful superstar known as Sweet Mickey

Bio: Michel Martelly, better known as "Sweet Micky", is a musical marvel born in Port-au-Prince who has brought incredible energy, passion and sensitivity to the world of Haitian compas music. While his persona ignites great controversy throughout the Haitian diaspora, it is overstated with a pulsating, infectious beat, accompanied by satire and sharp commentary. It can also be ever so softly understated with a lilting, dream-like cadence. The only thing which is predictable about Sweet Micky is that he is completely un-predictable.
Over the past decade, Martelly has won the hearts of the Haitian people through his musical talent, irrepressible charm and charismatic persona. While he consistently shakes up the Haitian music world with new interpretations of compas, roots, salsa, Caribbean soca and jazz-fusion, he is steadily positioning himself for international recognition and popularity. He has the unstoppable "can-do" attitude which Americans admire and pride themselves on, tempered by the suave sophistication of the French Caribbean. When Wyclef Jean of the Fugees needed someone to spark the flames for his Carnival album, it was Martelly whom he called upon to record the title song. As Wyclef proclaims while the "Carnival" tempo rises tumultuously, "Surprise - it's Sweet Micky, y'all!"
While turning out hit after hit, Micky remains close to the pulse of his audience by doing incessant concert tours throughout the U.S., Haiti, Canada, the Caribbean and Europe.
Sweet Micky is often referred to as the "Bad Boy" of Haitian music, but this description is music more appropriate in its American slang definition where "bad" means really, really good. In 1997, Michel Martelly showed the world that his musical talent is a continuous means toward a very positive end by donating his time to participate in "Knowledge is Power", an HIV educational music video with a powerful message about preventing the spread of HIV.

Afiwi.com's complete profile on Michel Martelly
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for an extended Biography with photographs and links related to Michel Martelly and other famous Haitians and notable West Indians visit Afiwi.com's offical Caribbean Hall of Fame

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