"Reggae Singer Maxi Priest FINALLY Admits What We Always Suspected!"

Maxi Priest’s Early Life

Born Max Alfred Elliott in 1961 to Jamaican parents, Maxi Priest grew up in a large household shaped by Jamaican culture and music. He recalls racist abuse from neighbours, including a football returned with a knife inside and insults telling his family to go back to Jamaica.

His father died when Priest was 14, leaving him to help support the family. His mother later suffered serious illnesses and died when he was in his early twenties. Priest says Rastafari helped him develop a sense of identity amid the racism he experienced.

Finding Music and Building a Career

Priest worked in construction, taught himself carpentry, and built speaker boxes and a sound system. He became part of Lewisham’s Saxon Studio International scene. After initially using “Levi” on the sound system, he chose the name “Maxi Priest.”

Following early recordings and a deal with Virgin Records, he released You’re Safe in 1985. His cover of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World,” recorded in Jamaica with Sly and Robbie, reached No. 5 in Britain in 1988. The video says Virgin initially held back his U.S. releases because Ziggy Marley was already on the label there. Imports of Priest’s music helped prompt the American release of “Wild World.”

The Lockerbie Flight Near-Miss

The video recounts Freddie McGregor’s account that Priest, Sly, and Robbie were expected to travel on Pan Am Flight 103 in December 1988, but stayed in London and flew home separately. The flight was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie, killing everyone aboard and 11 people on the ground.

This account is attributed to McGregor; it is not presented as a story Priest has publicly told himself.

“Close to You” and the Rumor

The video disputes a long-running tale that “Close to You” came from an affair involving a dangerous man. In a 2015 interview, Priest described getting the lyrics while driving from southeast to north London on a sunny day, then bringing the idea to the studio.

“Close to You” reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1990. The video clarifies that UB40 had already topped the U.S. chart with “Red Red Wine,” so Priest was not the first British reggae act to do so.

Later Career and Recognition

Priest collaborated with Roberta Flack on “Set the Night to Music” and with Shabba Ranks on “Housecall.” He encouraged Shaggy to pursue “Oh Carolina” and later recorded “That Girl” with him. After feeling constrained by industry direction, Priest started Dugout Records in his basement. He continued working in construction and real estate alongside his music career.

The video reports that Priest was inducted into the Jamaica Music Museum Hall of Fame in 2025. It also says “Close to You” received its first UK certification—a silver award—in July 2026, decades after its international success.

Presenters and Contributors

The presenter and narrator are unidentified. Maxi Priest is the principal interview contributor, and Freddie McGregor supplies the account of the Lockerbie-flight near-miss.