Patrice Bart-Williams

Patrice Babatunde Bart-Williams (born 9 July 1979), better known as Patrice, is a German reggae singer, songwriter and record producer.

Born in Germany to a Sierra Leonean father and a German mother, Patrice grew up listening to Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Champion Jack Dupree, Max Romeo, Buju Banton, dancehall and hip hop music, writing his own songs from the age of 12.

Patrice was born the same day his paternal grandfather died, causing his father to give him the middle name, "Babatunde", which means "the father has returned".

His first name was inspired by Patrice Lumumba.

Patrice's father, Gaston Bart-Williams, a Sierra Leone Creole, was the country's first film director.

He encouraged Patrice to meet many and interact with many musical acts passing through Germany, sparking an early interest in diverse genres.

Gaston died in a boating accident when Patrice was 11 years old.

Patrice began playing guitar and writing songs in early adolescence, after the loss of his father.

He attended Schule Schloss Salem, a private boarding school in Baden-Württemberg, Southern Germany often considered one of the most elite schools in Europe.

Influenced heavily by reggae, skate culture and punk music, Patrice began mixing genres and styles.

He formed an Afro-beat/reggae band called Bantu through which he met producer Matthias Arfmann, who subsequently produced Patrice's debut EP, Lions, released in 1999.

Later that same year, Patrice supported Lauryn Hill on the European leg of her Miseducation tour.

Lions began attracting attention from major labels who were interested in the reggae, soul and folk sound of the EP.

In 2000, Sony released Patrice's first full-length album, Ancient Spirits.

Two years later, the soulful full-length album "How Do You Call It" was released, featuring the single, "Sunshine".

Patrice had already begun to produce his own music.

Patrice went on to collaborate with German reggae collective, Silly Walks, in 2003 and released the project "Silly Walks Meets Patrice".

This constant output of albums and uncategorizable catalogue became emblematic of Patrice's musical style and allowed him to attract a diverse range of fans and critics.

He gained followings within different fan bases and began to successfully headline Europe's biggest music festivals.

Patrice soon began fighting for independence from major labels, and assumed almost all of the production responsibilities for his albums.

He fought to be known as an uncompromising indie artist.

"Every album is a fun struggle with my worst enemy; which is myself. I'm always trying to stay true to myself and therefore I need to change constantly. I need to destroy my habits, patterns and comfort zones to be able to make room for something new... something real. This always surprises or disappoints but it never goes unnoticed."

He formed his indie label, Supow Music, in Germany.

Patrice released his third studio album, Nile, in 2005.

It quickly rose to top 5 chart positions in Europe, and was followed by a year long sold-out tour that was featured in his 2006 « Raw & Uncut » live DvD, filmed in one of Paris' largest venues, le Zénith de Paris.

In 2008, the LP, "Free Patri-Ation" was released through Universal.

Singles "Clouds," and "Another One," topped the charts.

Patrice released his LP, "One," in 2010.

The moniker of the album was inspired by a personal philosophy of the musician.

"No living being is truly autonomous. The planet is a unique mass of materials and of moving energy, they are not separated by the elements that they are composed of. I think that in terms of music, it is the same."

In 2011, Patrice produced Selah Sue's top single, "Ragga Muffin," which was followed by a US version featuring J. Cole.

Production work was also done with Goody Mob's Cee Lo Green.

2013's "Rising of the Son," was mainly produced by Patrice.

Its opening song and single "Alive," featured a version with Busy Signal.

After "One," and expressed most with "The Rising of the son," Patrice coined a new genre for his music, termed "Sweggae."

He states, "I tried to find a common ground between all these things I love. Blues, Hip Hop, Dancehall, singer-songwriter music, Afro-Beat, Rock, philosophy, poetry, and the list is long. I didn't want it to sound like a mix but a style that in a very self explicatory way reflects these times that we're living in. Times in which it's getting hard to tell black from white. Times where cultures and genres are mixed to the point that you can't tell what's what anymore. I am a living symbol of these times. I am looking to create its soundtrack."

French newspaper, Le Monde, started using the genre "sweggae" and both they and Patrice describe it as music with reggae undertones with a more modernist take, reflective of someone who created his own culture out of many things.

Patrice continues to tour regularly throughout Europe, North and South America and Africa, often with his house band, The Supowers.

Patrice is currently represented under Because Music for France and Belgium and his own label, Supow Music, for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the rest of the world.

Patrice has produced or co-produced most of his own albums, including 2013's "Rising of the Son."