FULL NAME: Sheldon Benjamin BIRTH DATE: June 12th 1969, yes ‘69’ (ha, ha) STAR SIGN: Gemini BIRTH PLACE: Port of Spain, Trinidad BROTHER/ SISTER: 1 brother, 2 sisters INSTRUMENTS: Anything Midi and Digital since 1988, mostly drum machines and keyboards TRAINING: Self taught and asked a lot of questions HOBBIES: Drag racing, DJ, reading car magazines INTERESTS: Cars, music and travel knowledge GROUP ACTIVITY: Xtatik GREATEST LOVE: Myself, music and cars FAVOURITE FOODS: Macaroni pie, chicken (any style)
CAREER: Music producer/ programmer TRAVEL: USA, Canada, France, Spain, England TYPE OF MUSIC: Pop, Hip Hop, Reggae, Dance, Soca, anything with a groove
Sheldon Benjamin also known as “Shel Shok” is Xtatik’s programmer and has been with the band for the past year. Shel Shok is no newcomer to the music industry. He has been around since 1989.
A local entrepreneur with numerous accomplishments under his wing, he has been awarded the opportunity to share his talents and dreams with Xtatik. Having worked with names as Kindred, 3 Canal, General Grant, Supa Chile , Ataklan, Lord Nelson, Gailann & Rocky, Sean Caruth, Beenie-Man, Super Blue, Fate, Precious, Preacher, Bunji Garlin and none other than Machel Montano.
Shel has traveled the world and gotten international acceptance in USA and Europe . Known to have shaped Trinidad and Tobago modern sounds for 14 years, he has been mentioned three times in Billboard magazine, worked with labels like Motown Records, Virgin Records and collaborated with Saalam Remi (producer of the Fugees).
This Gemini was born in Trinidad and loves drag racing and reading car magazines. A good macaroni pie and any style of chicken will calm this big boy real well. Lover of hip hop, reggae and soca, Sheldon’s role in the band is Programming/ Producer.
From 1989, the Programming Producer begins to surface. He wrote the first original music track and never stopped since ‘90’. In 1992 while trying to leave for New York , he was picked up by Caribbean Sound Basin where he remained till 1996.
He has excelled in various types of music: ragga soca, ragga, jump up, reggae, crossover, hip hop and RNB.
He has shaped the modern sounds of Trinidad and Tobago for 11 years now and has gotten international acceptance in USA and Europe .
His work has been mentioned 3 times in Billboard magazine. He has worked with reputed artistes like Machel Montano and Xtatik (‘Come Dig It’ – Delicious Vinyl which was selected for a Pepsi ad in 1996), General Grant (‘D Shot Call’ – top ten RNB in 1993 on Billboard charts), Black Mayl (‘Every Body Go’ signed to Atlantik in 1993), Gailann (‘Brain Therapy’ signed with Warner in 2001) and has recently worked with 3Canal and Bunji Garlin, two top Caribbean artistes.
He has worked with labels like Motown Records USA, Virgin Records France and collaborated with
