Patra Praises Lady G, Charmaine & Lady P; Hails Sting For Sony/Epic Records Break
Queen of the Pack Patra has hailed her veteran female Dancehall colleagues, who embraced her when she emerged on the music scene as a teenager.
The Westmoreland native also praised the Sting stage show for being instrumental in her big break where she was signed by Sony/Epic Records.
The gold-selling artist made her feelings known in an Instagram post on Thursday, where she shared a video of herself on the Sting 1989 show, in the legendary four-the-hard-way clash featuring herself, Lady P, Sister Charmaine, and Lady G.
“This was my first performance on a big show, this how it all started. #sting @dubshowcase thanks so much for this moment. Lady P was and still a good friend, and Lady G and Sister Charmaine who has passed recently, treated us with so much love and respect. #emotional #tears #joy,” Patra noted.
She was joined by her friend Tanya Stephens who noted: “It was a VERY big moment! A VHS me watch it back pon cause me never deh deh but it was wicked 🔥🔥🔥🔥”, who which she replied: “I was nice and crazy at the same time. Ninjaman kill every body. Lol,” referring to the clash legend whom she credits with sending her onstage to represent at that clash.
Patra has said in the past that her ascension in music was swift, as after she went into the studio and voiced a few songs, within a couple weeks, she was on Sting, and from there “walked straight off into Sony’s hands, cause they were looking for the female Shabba”.
She has also described Sting, as “Baghdad’ as in the event that an artiste is “not good, the lyrical battleground event, is the most formidable show in Jamaica”.
In the meantime, Patra appears to have made another about turn with her hairstyle. After ditching her trademark Egyptian braids more than two years ago, for a blonde afro and later a half-mohawk, she noted that her fans had been calling for her to return the long braid tresses, now known internationally as “Patra braids”.
“Today is the last day you’ll see me in this hair style,” she had noted in reference to her latest blonde hairstyle. Just finished one of the biggest projects of my career, and that’s going to be the look. My journey begins now. #gettingready”.
Patra who recently released the track Love Your body via Notnice Records, also collaborated with firebrand Dancehall singjay Tanya Stephens for the track, Fifty.
A week ago she had also noted that she would be releasing an album early next year.
In the 1990s, Patra was huge on the US musical scene, rubbing shoulders with icons such as Tupac Shakur and her Jamaican compatriots Shabba Ranks, Madd Cobra, and Orville “Shaggy” Burrell.
One of her two gold-selling albums was Queen of the Pack, which featured the timeless Queen of the Pack title track, as well as the sultry Workerman, and Romantic Call. Queen of The Pack, which was released in 1993, peaked at number one on the Reggae albums chart. It was led by the single Think (About It) which peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart and at number 89 on the R&B charts.
The Worker Man single was a massive hit, reaching Number 53 on the Hot 100, the Top 20 on the R&B chart, as well as number one on the U.S. Dance chart. Patra’s Romantic Call, a collab with rapper Yo-Yo, peaked at number 55 on the US charts and number 21 on the US Dance charts.
Patra also appeared an the US charts where she deejayed on the Shabba Ranks song, Family Affair, which rose to number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1994.
In 1995, Patra, whose given name is Dorothy Smith, released a cover of Grace Jones’ Pull up to the Bumper. That track peaked at number 60 on the Hot 100, number 21 R&B, and number 15 on the Dance charts.
Her second album, Scent of Attraction followed later that year, and peaked at number 151 on the Billboard 200, number 28 on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums, and rose to number one on the Reggae charts.
The Scent of Attraction title track which featured Aaron Hall went on to peak at number 82 on the Hot 100. It also became Patra’s fourth Top 40 song peaking at number 31.