Dr Garth McDonald also goes by the name Shaka Pow as a musical artiste. Shaka Pow started deejaying at about age three, and soon after he began mimicking the major dancehall acts of the time. His musical talents, along with his academic brilliance, were discovered by his parents Kasmir and Nellie, both ardent music lovers. 

Kasmir was the owner of a small sound system, and Nellie a stepper of popular dance from her teenage years. Pow attended Waterford Primary, St Catherine High, and Kingston College, where he excelled and gained direct entry into the Faculty of Medical Science at The University of the West Indies, Mona, at age eighteen. While at UWI, he was not seen as the ordinary medical student because of his avid involvement in entertainment, manifested in him being on stage as an opening act for Beenie Man, Bounty Killa, Scare Dem and Monster Shack, at Countdown and Spectrum.

Shaka Pow graduated from UWI in 1997 and after internship in 1999 he plunged into recording with Jamaica’s top producers such as: Q45, Steely and Clevie, King Jammy’s, Jack Scorpio, Jan Screw, Syt Gordon, Robert French, and Massive B to name a few. His leading singles include: Book, God Bless, Too Experienced with Barrington Levy, Jerry Springer, and Stress.

The 2001 US release of the album Am The Doo for inner Beat Records, a Florida-based company, further contributed to Pow’s rising. Since then, Shaka Pow has made numerous appearances at Sting, Professionals in Cabaret, Dancehall Rock, Barrington Levy and Friends and Teen Splash, among others. Shaka Pow has become a force to be reckoned with in the dancehall.

His jovial and kind manner has gained him the love and respect of his fellow dancehall and medical counterparts. In addition to music, Shaka Pow, the medical doctor, has participated in numerous charity events, including community health fairs and school functions. The song Book, based on its lyrical content with an emphasis on education, yielded recognition and resulted in him being summoned to give numerous talks at graduations and prize-giving ceremonies.

Shaka Pow is now enjoying heavy rotation on the radio in Jamaica and internationally with two new singles. They are Kings produced by Baby G and Make It Clap produced by Rick Wizard for Shaka Pow’s Outfytt Records and Iwaad Music.