One of the world’s most accomplished soca artists, Rupee has brought the Caribbean sound into the UK and European charts with the hit singles ‘Tempted to Touch’ and ‘Do the Damn Thing’. This widely acclaimed musician and performer has worked with a list of artists that stands as a testament to his widespread influence and respect within the global musical community: Rihanna, Daddy Yankee, Sean Paul, Shaggy, Wisin, Alison Hinds and Lil’ Kim have all collaborated.
Born in Germany but later migrating to Barbados, Rupert Clarke – best known as Rupee – was exposed to a variety of sounds throughout his childhood that allowed him to develop a broad and vibrant musical perspective. After emerging on the local soca scene as part of the Bajan band Coalishun, Rupee chose to go solo, issuing the debut single ‘Ice Cream’, which soon became a local hit. The track was followed by a series of hit singles taken from three self-released solo records, releases which won Rupee consecutive Road March titles at West Indian carnivals across the world. ‘Tempted To Touch’ became his mainstream breakthrough, earning spots on radio playlists across the world and leading to a major-label deal with Atlantic Records.
Following the signing, Rupee released his major-label debut, 1 on 1. The album dominated charts across the Caribbean, Europe and Japan, turning the artist into a household name and leading to global recognition and success. He’s since continued to collaborate with high-profile names from across the music industry and release popular singles that invariably receive major airplay: his latest release, a Zaeden rework of his debut single ‘Tempted to Touch’, has earned over 100k streams and hit the No 1 spot on the Apple Music Chart.
