Kabaka Pyramid's mother charts path from childhood gospel to Grammy-winning The Kalling

Marcia Salmon, Kabaka Pyramid's mother, explained to the Jamaica Observer that she had sensed early on that performance would become his calling, naming the religious music that surrounded him as a small boy.

"Keron (Kabaka Pyramid's birth name) had a very early exposure to music because I was always playing gospel music on the trips to/from grandma's house, for example. By age 10 he would quietly hum the songs, and later he expressed interest in joining the youth choir," she said.

"Around age 13 his passion for music became clear when he and his friends took over my den to create loud 'beats' with instruments," Salmon said.

He began drawing notice a little more than 15 years ago as one of several voices pushing roots reggae back into focus. Fans routinely single out Well Done; Mi Alright (with Chronixx); Kontraband; Red Gold and Green; Can't Breathe; and Nice Up the Dance. He won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2023 with The Kalling.

"Keron is the middle child [of three], and singing over him was the quickest way to get him to fall asleep. He learned to explore things with thoughtfulness and would rather not be in the limelight. As a child, he was contemplative, analytical, and mild-mannered. My friend recalls that he was a deep thinker, asking her lots of 'why' questions," Salmon shared.

"During his high school years, my ego was crushed when he told me he didn't need my help with his maths and chemistry homework. He displayed an early fashion sense when he competed with me for time to use the sewing machine to make/repair something." Salmon said.

Though the creative bent was plain from early on, Ms Salmon still hesitated to picture him depending on show business for a living. He later graduated from DeVry University in Orlando, Florida, holding a degree in electronics and computer technology.

"I was a bit hesitant at first, because of safety concerns, but my full support came after his first major performance at a festival in Toronto. At that point, I clearly saw his emerging talents on full display, especially how he worked the stage and kept the audience rocking to the music," said Salmon.