Tarrus Riley is a Jamaican-American reggae singer from New York City who got his start in music as a DJ for Busta Rhymes. Son of veteran reggae artist Jimmy Riley, he was encouraged to make his own music from an early age and eventually released his 2004 debut album, Challenges, with VP Records. With each subsequent release, and particularly for his 2009 studio album Contagious, he collected various critical accolades including several Reggae Academy Awards and the 2011 Jamaican EME Award for Cultural Artist of the Year.