Today is a special day for popular 90s dancehall artiste, General Degree. The Traffic Blocking singer celebrates his 55^th birthday today.

Degree was born, Cardiff Butt, on April 28, 1968, in Manchester, Jamaica.

Despite having a love for music from a young age, Degree worked as a tailor before finally answering his call to become a musician.

Once he realised his passion for music, the Manchester native left his home, for Kingston, to pursue his music career.

It didn’t take long for Degree’s voice to hit the airwaves with his brilliant imitation of a grandmother in his first number one hit Granny.

The hit song reigned in the dances and charts for one year straight and has thrived throughout Degree’s career.

The artiste’s impressive parade of number one hits continued both at home and abroad throughout the 90s and early 2000s.

Tunes such as Granny, Brinks, Bodyguard, Pianist, Papa Lover, Hold yuh Tonight, and countless others have had fans tuned in the artiste over the years.

In 2008, the artiste was named as one of the resident judges on the ‘Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall’ contest.

Degree returned to the studios in 2014 and in January of 2015 the entertainer released his one-drop reggae EP, Feeling Irie.

Since 2005, Degree has held the annual ‘Manchester Fiesta’ show in his birth parish.

With that, let’s take a walk down memory lane, here are five of General Degree’s hits.

Pianist/P’N’S

Release date: 1994

Synopsis: Known for spewing provocative lyrics, the artiste uses this hit as a double-entendre, as he sings about a ‘pianist’, prompting listeners to use their imagination.

When I hold you tonight

Release date: 1995

Synopsis: In this popular hit, Degree sings about the performance he will showcase, later in the night, once he meets up with his woman.

Traffic Blocking

Release date: 1997

Synopsis: This fan favourite is a dedication to all females who are able to – you guessed it, block traffic. The artiste sings about the overall appearance of women who are able to turn heads when they walk down the street.

Boom Boom

Release date: 1998

Synopsis: Degree sings about a stunning woman who, through her appearance, has captured the hearts of many men, including the artiste causing his heartbeat to go ‘boom, boom’.

Inna

Release date: 2002

Synopsis: Degree’s hit on the popular Dawali Riddim, Inna, is one in which the entertainer expresses his love for all women, no matter their size or colour Degree just wants to get up ‘inna’.