# Michigan & Smiley

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Jamaican reggae/dancehall duo

**Michigan and Smiley** are a [Jamaican](/source/Jamaica) reggae/dancehall duo consisting of Papa Michigan (born Anthony Fairclough) and General Smiley (born Erroll Bennett). They rose to popularity during the first wave of [dancehall](/source/Dancehall) music in the late 1970s.

## Career

The duo of Michigan (Anthony Fairclough) and Smiley recorded at [Clement "Coxsone" Dodd](/source/Coxsone_Dodd)'s [Studio One](/source/Studio_One_(record_label)) in Jamaica, pressing their first [number one](/source/Record_chart) [hit single](/source/Hit_single), "Rub a Dub Style", which featured their call and response style vocals, overdubbed on the Studio One [riddim](/source/Riddim), "Vanity" (the instrumental alias given to [Alton Ellis](/source/Alton_Ellis)' Rocksteady classic, "I'm Just A Guy").[1] Their next single, perhaps a larger hit, "Nice Up the Dance" was a version of the quintessential [Studio 1](/source/Studio_One_(record_label)) rhythm, "Real Rock". These singles, with four other tracks, also versions of Studio One rhythms, were released as their first [album](/source/Album), *Nice Up the Dance*. The names of these two singles were quickly incorporated into the [lexicon](/source/Lexicon) of [dancehall](/source/Dancehall) phraseology. Their call and response style was likewise influential on the future developments of the music, blending together straightforward singing styles and [toasting](/source/Deejay_(Jamaican)). By 1982, they caught the attention of [Henry "Junjo" Lawes](/source/Henry_%22Junjo%22_Lawes), who recorded their biggest hit, "Diseases" over the "Mad Mad" riddim. This track was featured on their second LP, *Downpression*. They went on to cut an album for [Channel One Records](/source/Channel_One_Studios), *Step by Step*. The last of their hit records was "Sugar Daddy", pressed on [RAS Records](/source/RAS_Records), which featured yet another reworking of "Mad Mad".

Michigan & Smiley recorded a version of [Suzanne Vega](/source/Suzanne_Vega)'s hit single "[Tom's Diner](/source/Tom's_Diner)" that is included on the compilation album *[Tom's Album](/source/Tom's_Diner#Remakes_and_samples)*. [2] The duo continue to record and make appearances at [festivals](/source/Music_festival) and have both released solo recordings. Papa Michigan released his EP, DJ Legend, in September 2014, which served as the forerunner to his album of the same name. The project—co-produced by Flash Hit Records, Manudigital, and his own Rashanco Music label—marked a throwback to his original foundation sound.

## Discography

### Albums

- *Rub a Dub Style* (1980) [Studio One](/source/Studio_One_(record_label))

- *Downpression* (1982) [Greensleeves](/source/Greensleeves_Records)

- *Live at Reggae Sunsplash* (1982) [Trojan](/source/Trojan_Records) (with [Eek-a-Mouse](/source/Eek-a-Mouse))

- *Sugar Daddy* (1983) [RAS](/source/RAS_Records)

- *Back in the Biz* (1991) [VP](/source/VP_Records)

- *Reality Must Rule Again* (1992) VP

- *Uptown/Downtown* (1995) VP

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Larkin_1-0)** Larkin, Colin (1998). *The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae*. Virgin Books. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7535-0242-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7535-0242-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** *Tom's Album* (Album cover), Los Angeles: A&M Records, 1991

## External links

- [Michigan & Smiley](https://x.com/generalsmiley) on [X](/source/X_(social_network))

- [General Smiley & Papa Michigan - Nice Up The Dance (Ba Ba Boom Riddim)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWvanKrzxTg)

- [Michigan & Smiley- Stress- Pepperseed Riddim](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGs_Q6MZGsA&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9B2jyuv1botAmF17iGT9Kf1)

- Steffens, Roger "[Michigan & Smiley Biography](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p29951/biography)", *[Allmusic](/source/Allmusic)*, Macrovision Corporation

Authority control databases International VIAF National United States Artists MusicBrainz

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Michigan & Smiley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_%26_Smiley) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_%26_Smiley?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.