jaries topanoris
dancehall | afropop
Passion will never die. It grows
Stay Hungry
Oneil Burrell, also known as “Jaries Topanoris” was born and raised in Jamaica. He grew up in a community called Seaview Gardens, an area that had produced many popular entertainers such as Shabba Ranks, Bounty Killa, and Elephant Man. He started singing at 12, writing lyrics and tapping beats on anything around him to display his passion for music to the surrounding people. Jaries attended many events across the Island to showcase his talent.
At 16, a friend of his told him about a recording studio called Youth Man Promotion, owned by the late Sugar Minott. He visited the studio the next day, and this is where he practiced and mold his craft. A year later, he recorded his first single under the name Diamond Neil. Jaries wasn’t getting the results he expected at Youth Man Promotion, and left the label a few years later. He hung out at another studio called Buss Out, owned by Christopher Meredith. It was here he got his music released, and released four singles for the label, among other recordings.
The lack of connection in the business and financial difficulties made it very hard for him to get the break he needed. Still holding on to his dream, he began doing regular jobs to support himself and his career. He was working as a technician for a telephone service called Cable and Wireless, now known as Lime. With his heart set on music, he eventually left the job to pursue music full time. He hit the streets promoting mix tapes and met quite a few producers along the way. It was still a struggle to break into the music business, but his passion and vigor kept him going. He is still honing his craft and ready to share it with the world.