Created for a Reason b/w Na Lose This Battle

Lascelles Douglas is a Jamaican-born reggae singer, songwriter and producer whose career has moved through the music communities of Clarendon, Kingston, Toronto and Florida. Born in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica, he began singing with his older brother Brinkman and sister Marguerita at community and church events before joining the local church choir.

After leaving the choir, Douglas formed His Majestic Affair with his college friend Derrick Thomas. The duo was later joined by Joseph Hill, who went on to become the lead singer and founder of Culture. With Hill in the group, they adopted the name The Imperial Minstrel and recorded ‘Illiteracy Whip’ for Studio One.

Douglas moved to Toronto during the mid-1970s and became involved in the city’s growing Jamaican and Canadian reggae community. He also participated in experimental music activities connected with York University, while developing a vocal and songwriting style shaped by roots reggae, soul and socially conscious music.

During the 1980s, Douglas released several independent recordings and received a Best New Artist nomination at the Canadian Reggae Awards. His Canadian single ‘Created For A Reason’ / ‘Na Lose This Battle (Long Long Time)’ was issued on the S.E.E. label, produced by Douglas and W. Mattis. He also recorded ‘Fireworks’ and a version of Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’, and performed at Toronto’s Lion Heart Studio for CIUT-FM’s Black History Month programming in 1992 and 1993.

After relocating to the United States, Douglas continued writing and recording. In 1995, he worked with Jamaican rhythm section and production team Sly and Robbie, resulting in recordings that included ‘Under Siege,’ ‘Late Men of Great’ and ‘Revolution.’ He later stepped away from music to concentrate on his family and business interests before returning to recording in Florida.

Douglas revived Starlyte Entertainment Enterprise and Media Inc., known as SEEMI, in Florida in 2015 and began releasing new music through the company. The singles ‘Soldier,’ ‘Worthy’ and ‘Lives in the Balance’ appeared between 2015 and 2017. In 2022, he released ‘Stop the Violence,’ written in response to continuing violence in Jamaica, followed by the six-song EP Touch Me. The EP also included ‘Mesmerize,’ ‘Move On,’ ‘You’ve Done It Again’ and ‘Battlefield.’ His version of India.Arie’s ‘Ready For Love’ followed in 2023, and ‘Life’s Journeey’ appeared on the Inner Light Riddim collection in 2024.

Throughout his work, Douglas has moved between romantic reggae, spiritual reflection and social commentary, maintaining the conscious lyrical approach heard on recordings such as ‘Created For A Reason,’ ‘Na Lose This Battle’ and ‘Stop the Violence.’

-Robert Williston