It’s not the Rock Hall (which is clearly a joke anyway, right?) but finally, Billy Ocean has seen the permanent acclaim he so richly deserves with his induction to the International Reggae & World Music Awards Hall Of Fame on Sunday. Plus, the IRWMA HOF inductions were held at the Apollo and hosted by Doug E. Fresh, which is way more credible than Jann Wenner and his pals at the Waldorf, right?
Billy Ocean is in the midst of a comeback of sorts; he released a new album, Wilberforce 200, last month, about which no information seems to be available anywhere. Still, Ocean had three No. 1 songs in America, was prominently namedropped in a Ying Yang Twins track, and once wrote a song for Boyzone. Boyzone, people!
Here, to celebrate Billy Ocean’s induction into the International Reggae & World Music Awards Hall Of Fame, three selections from the vast sea of Ocean hits:
Love Really Hurts Without You:
Red Light Spells Danger:
Lover Boy:
Billy Ocean Inducted Into International Reggae Music Hall Of Fame [Carib World News]
I went to the IRWMA awards a few years ago when a mag I was working for got nominated. It was… um… interesting. I was held at Columbia University and I think their biggest sponsor was a company that manufactured car rims. It seemed like anyone who showed up got an award. Except us. We got beat out by Mutubaruka, for his “special contributions to world music” or something like that. He didn’t show up, though.
Did Big Boi ever succeed in his quest to legally change his name to Billy Ocean?
Billy Ocean? Fuck and yes.