Oneal Bryan, better known by his stage name Elephant Man is a Jamaican dancehall musician and singer. He started out his musical career as a member of the Scare Dem Crew, later continuing as a solo artist. He was later characterised for several trademarks, such as his dyed yellow-orange hair, his unique low-key voice, and his stage performance, which included jumping and running, or even climbing on stage props and monitors. His acoustic trademark is a light lisp.
Links to Peel
Elephant Man has been criticised for his lyrics calling for violence against gay people. Peel noticed some of the homophobia lyrics of dancehall artists when on his 21 March 2000 show, after playing an Elephant Man track, he ceremoniously broke a dancehall compilation album called Virus, in protest of the homophobia of the track “No Dyke” by Foxy Cat.
Peel apologised on his 25 October 2001 show when listeners complained of an Elephant Man track played the previous night on his programme, called, Log On, whose Jamaican Patois lyrics called for stamping on and setting fire to a gay man. Despite this, Peel continued playing Elephant Man tracks on his shows, although he tried to avoid playing homophobic songs from the artist.
Shows Played
- 1998
- 27 August 1998: One & Move (7”) Greensleeves
- 1999
- 07 January 1999: 'Dis Wicked Man (7")' (Black Shadow)
- 07 January 1999 (Radio Eins): Dis Wicked Man (7") Black Shadow
- 2000
- 16 March 2000: Pown Daddy & High Grade Anthem (single) Pown Daddy
- 21 March 2000: Go Look A Life (7” single) Greensleeves
- 20 June 2001: Ready Fi Dun Dem
- 16 August 2000: 'Mekkim Know' (7" Single)
- 22 August 2000: 'Again' (7" Single) Size8
- 01 July 2001 (BBC World Service): Ready Fi Dun Dem (7") Techniques
- 17 July 2001: Miss Twiddle (7") Bad 2000
- 24 October 2001: Log On (7” single) 2 Hard
- 2002
- 20 June 2002: 'War And Peace (7")' (Maximum Pressure)
- 2003
- 28 May 2003: Egyptian (Version) (7") Blaxxx
- 03 July 2003: 'Burn Fi Burn (7")' (Baby G)
- 31 July 2003: Burn Fi Burn (7") Baby G
- 28 August 2003 (Radio Eins): 'Bun Fi Bun (CD-Good 2 Go)' (VP)
- 14 October 2003: Blasé (7") Don Corleon
- 15 October 2003: Warn Dem (7") Jam II
- 28 October 2003: Here We Go (7") Star Kutt
- 06 November 2003: Wangsta An Wannabees (7") Massive B
- November 2003 (FSK): Here We Go (12") Star Kutt
- 09 December 2003: Badman Holiday (7") In The Streetz
- 23 December 2003: 'Badman Holiday (7 inch)' (In The Streetz)
- December 2003 (FSK): (JP: 'And this is indeed a Christmas record and it's from Elephant Man, noted homophobe, but I can't detect any homophobia in this particular track, perhaps he cleaned up his act because he signed to a major label and realises that it's not a cool idea after all or perhaps actually he's just a wiser man, anyway let's hope it is the latter really, this is Badman Holiday') Badman Holiday (7") In The Streetz
- 2004
- 04 February 2004: 'No Trouble Wi (7")' (New York! New York!)
- 18 February 2004: 'Shake Baby Shake (Split-7" with Seeed)' (Germaican)
- 03 March 2004: No Trouble Wi (Single: No Trouble Wi) New York, New York
- 31 March 2004: 'Jook Gal (Wine Wine) (Head Gawn Version) (7")' (Greensleeves/Livingstone)
- March 2004 (FSK): Pown Daddy & High Grade Anthem (7") Pown Daddy
- 22 April 2004: Signal The Plane (7") VP
- April 2004 (FSK): Signal The Plane (7") Q45
- 12 May 2004: 'Position (7")' (In Time Music)
- 25 May 2004: 'Position (7")' (In Time Music)
- May 2004 (FSK): Krazy Hype (7") H2O Productions
- 07 April 2004: 'Signal The Plane (7")' (VP Records)
- 15 April 2004: 'Jook Gal (Wine Wine)
- 05 May 2004: Krazy Hype (7") H20
- 14 May 2004 (BBC World Service): Crazy Hype
- 02 June 2004: 'Krazy Hype' (7") - (H2O)
- 08 June 2004: 'Position' (7") In Time Music
- 18 June 2004 (BBC World Service): Position
- June 2004 (FSK): Krazy Hype (7") H2O Productions
- 14 July 2004: Position (single) In Time Music
