Admiral Tibet (sometimes Tibett), also known as "Mr. Reality" (born Kenneth Allen, Freehill, Saint Mary, Jamaica, 1960) is a Jamaican dancehall singer known for his "cultural" lyrics. Tibet was one of the few artists from the early days of digital reggae to focus on "conscious" themes in his lyrics. A member of the Rastafarian group, The Twelve Tribes Of Israel since his youth. He has been described as "the most consistently conscious singer of his age". Allen described how he got his nickname: "I was going primary school and my cousin, both of us were sitting together looking into an atlas, and saw the name 'Tibet'. My cousin took it as a mockery and seh 'Tibet! Tibet!' and it stuck."
Links to Peel
Peel was a fan of dancehall music and would receive regular imports of records from that genre including artists like Admiral Tibet, whose vocal styles has been described as "multi-voiced and totally deranged".
Peel mentioned reading a letter from his friend, Dirk, who was complaining about dancehall music from singers such as Admiral Tibet, which he responded on his 23 June 1990 (BFBS) show:
"I got a letter from my pal Dirk to complain about the inclusion in these programmes of records by Tiger and Admiral Tebbit, both of them superb artists in my view and quite clearly if Dirk continues to listen to these things he'll eventually come round to my way of thinking. He'd better."
Admiral Tibet's music was regularly played by Peel from the 80's until the early 00's, when the artist used many various spellings of the Tibet name.
Shows Played
- 20 January 1986: Leave People Business (7") Techniques
- 28 January 1986: Leave People Business (7") Techniques
- 1987
- 27 May 1987: 'Don't Run, Don't Hide (12 inch)' (Reggae Rock)
- 15 December 1987: New Tactics (7") Redman International
- 1988
- 24 August 1988: Some People Life Is Not Comfortable (7") Small Axe
- 1989
- 10 July 1989: Why Should I (7") Jammy's
- 18 July 1989 (Radio Bremen): Why Should I (7") Jammy's
- 22 July 1989 (BFBS): Why Should I (7") Jammy's
- 26 July 1989: Why Should I (7") Jammy's
- 27 July 1989 (Rockradio): Why Should I (7") Silver Globe
- 27 November 1989: Hang Them (7") Jammy's
- 04 December 1989: Tell Me Which One (7") Music Works
- 06 December 1989: Tell Me Which One (7") Music Works
- 07 December 1989: Hang Them (7") Jammy's
- 13 December 1989: Tell Me Which One (7") Music Works
- 14 December 1989 (Rockradio): Hang Them (7") Jammy's
- 1990
- 01 January 1990: Tell Me Which One (12") Greensleeves
- 13 January 1990 (BFBS): Tell Me Which One (12") Greensleeves
- 11 July 1990: Executor Sound (7") Digital-B
- 20 July 1990 (BFBS): Executor Sound (7") Digital-B
- 15 August 1990: 'Leave People Business (12")' (Techniques)
- 15 December 1990: Watch Yuh Step (7") D & S Unfailing
- 1991
- 12 January 1991: Watch Yuh Step (single ) D&S Unfailing
- 24 February 1991: Serious Time (7") Digital-B
- 08 March 1991 (BFBS): Serious Time (7") Digital-B
- 10 March 1991: 'Keep On Telling Me'
- 22 March 1991 (BFBS): Take Off The Handcuff (album - Reality Time) Digital B
- 31 March 1991: Serious Time (7") Digital-B
- 14 April 1991: Keep On Telling Me (album - Reality Time) Digital B
- 17 August 1991: Knowledge Increase (7") Digital-B
- 26 August 1991 (Radio Bremen): Knowledge Increasing (LP - Separate Class) Blue Mountain
- 30 August 1991 (BFBS): Knowledge Increasing (12") Digital-B (Peel mentions the track by Steely & Cleevie, but they're actually the backing vocalists of this song)
- 21 September 1991: Happiness (7") Rockers Master
- 09 November 1991: Don't Try To Dis Me (probably from 12") Digital B
- 27 December 1991 (BFBS): Don't Try To Dis Me (single) Digital-B
- 1992
- 23 February 1992: unknown
- 28 November 1992: Permission (12") Riz
- 23 April 1993: 'Tell Me Why (7 Inch )' (Digital B)
- 24 April 1993: 'Tell Me Why (7")' (Digital-B)
- 21 May 1993: Tell Me Why (7") Digital-B
- 1998
- 18 June 1998: Power & Will (7”) Charm
- 24 June 1998: Power & Will (7”) Charm
- July 1998 (FSK): Day Or Night (7") Charm
- 10 November 1998: Poor People Bawling (7") Plenty Hot
- 16 November 1998 (BFBS): Poor People Bawling (7") Plenty Not
- November 1998 (FSK): Poor People Bawling (7") Plenty Not
- 1999
- 21 September 1999: No One Knows (7" single) Determine C
- 28 September 1999: No One Knows (7" single) Determine C
- 2000
- 24 February 2000: Time Is The Master (7") Finatic
- 07 March 2000: Time Is The Master (7") Finatic
- 11 April 2000: 'Some People Life Is Not Comfortable (7")' (Small Axe Promotion)
- 16 April 2000 (BFBS): 'Some People Life Is Not Comfortable (7")' (Small Axe Promotion)
- 2001
- 27 September 2001: They Don't Realise (Pre-release)
- 2002
- 24 July 2002: Battle Field (7") Spyda Web
- 29 August 2002: Battle Field (7") Spyda Web
