Snow

Early life and influences

Darrin Kenneth O'Brien was born on October 30, 1969, in North York, Ontario, a municipality that later became part of Toronto. He was one of three children in a family with an Irish-Canadian cabdriver father and a homemaker mother. An unusual childhood connection saw American funk musician Rick James serve as his babysitter during a period when James was dating a friend's mother. Snow is also cousins with NHL Hall of Famer Brad Park and musician Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies. Following his parents' divorce, he was raised by his mother in the Allenbury Gardens public housing project, where he became drawn to a gangster lifestyle involving fighting, drinking, and stealing. He struggled academically, never properly learning to read, and dropped out of school during the ninth grade. His early musical interest was in rock, but that shifted dramatically after an influx of Jamaican immigrants moved into his neighbourhood in 1983. Fascinated by the new culture, Snow immersed himself in reggae music and became adept at using the Jamaican patois, which would later define his signature sound. He began developing a unique style by blending dancehall and reggae with rock and pop elements, a fusion that would set him apart in the music industry.

His adolescence was marked by serious legal troubles that directly impacted his early career. In 1987, he served eight months of a one-year sentence after pleading guilty to assault with a crowbar during a bar brawl. A more severe incident occurred in 1988 at a North York pub, where two people were stabbed in a lane. Snow was charged with two counts of attempted murder and served eight months in jail before a jury acquitted him on both counts. It was during this period of incarceration at Maplehurst Correctional Complex that he began writing music in earnest, performing for fellow inmates. One of the songs written in jail was "Informer," which would become his breakthrough hit. The origin of his stage name stems from this era, as after embracing reggae, a Jamaican neighbour nicknamed him "Snow White," which was later shortened. His friend and early manager Marvin Prince later created the backronym "Super Notorious Outrageous Whiteboy," though Snow never claimed the title himself.

Breakthrough with 12 Inches of Snow

Snow's path to a recording career began when his friend Marvin Prince pitched his music to established rap star M.C. Shan during a trip to New York. In 1991, Snow travelled to New York where Shan introduced him to music producers David Eng and Steve Salem. Snow quickly signed a contract with their Motorjam/Elektra record label. Due to his impending return to prison on the earlier charges, his debut album was recorded at a frantic pace. The resulting album, 12 Inches of Snow, was released in 1992 while Snow was still incarcerated. Shan, Eng, Salem, and Prince promoted the album aggressively in his absence. By the time Snow was released from prison, the lead single "Informer" had become a chart-topping phenomenon. The album sold over eight million copies worldwide, with "Informer" reigning at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks. The single set two Guinness World Records, one for the best-selling reggae single in US history and another for the highest-charting reggae single in history. A follow-up single, "Girl I've Been Hurt," reached number 19 on the Hot 100. The album's success extended to Japan, where Snow received the Recording Industry Association of Japan's 1994 Japan Gold Disc Award for New Artist of the Year.

The production of the debut album later became the subject of significant legal dispute and conflicting claims about its creation. Marvin Prince, who had been Snow's early collaborator and DJ, abruptly left a tour in December 1994 after discovering Snow was receiving more money from management. Prince subsequently sued Snow, claiming he had co-written five songs and co-produced the album under an oral partnership agreement for an equal share of profits. He alleged the first agreement occurred in 1990 while working in his basement, and a second in August 1991 during Snow's audition for Shan. Key collaborators M.C. Shan, David Eng, and Steve Salem testified they were unaware of any such partnership, and Shan denied that Prince co-produced 12 Inches of Snow or co-wrote the songs. Officially, "Informer" was credited to Snow, Shan, and composer Edmond Leary. A jury initially awarded Prince a $1.5 million settlement, but the court later overturned the ruling and dismissed the suit, finding Prince had "no viable claims" to a partnership. In a 2019 interview, Prince maintained his version of events, alleging he helped write "Informer" over the phone while Snow was in jail, using Junior Reid's "Foreign Mind" flute melody as a basis and reworking verses from Eek-A-Mouse's "Tell Them." He claimed the final verse was originally performed by a vocalist named "Little Red" and argued race played a role in the judge's decision to overturn the ruling. Separately, co-writer Edmond Leary later claimed he deserved a larger share of credit for the album's success, stating he wrote most of the words and crafted the musical structures, suggesting he should have received 70 percent of writer's royalties. Leary struggled with addiction and homelessness, and in 2013 was performing as a street musician in Madison Square Park and Union Square.

International success and Asian market expansion

Following his global breakthrough, Snow expanded his artistic reach with high-profile collaborations and a strategic pivot to international markets. In 1994, he worked with Cyndi Lauper on the Junior Vasquez remix "Hey Now (Girls Just Want to Have Fun)" and also contributed to Sly and Robbie's Pop Goes the Dancehall remix of the same song. That same year, he recorded his second album, Murder Love, in Jamaica, Canada, and New York, utilizing producer David Eng's studio in Jamaica. While it did not achieve major commercial success in North America, the album was significant for featuring performances with a roster of celebrated reggae and dancehall artists including Ninjaman, Junior Reid, Half Pint, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Dave Kelly, and Sly and Robbie. The "Anything for You" remix became a club favourite and, according to Billboard critic Elena Oumano, made Snow a figure of respect on the Jamaican music scene. Murder Love found its largest audience in Asia, particularly in Japan, where the single "Sexy Girl" remained on the Top Singles chart for 16 weeks and reached number one. In Jamaica itself, "Anything For You" became the top-selling single of 1995, and "Si Wi Dem Nuh Know We" also reached number one. The album earned Snow a Juno nomination in 1996 for Best Reggae Recording and produced three music videos for "Anything For You," its "All Star Cast Remix," and "Sexy Girl." Snow also appeared performing "Rivertown" in the 1995 film Klash, directed by Bill Parker and produced by Kingston Pictures.

This Asian success led to a sustained business and creative focus on the region, fundamentally shaping the next phase of his career. Producer David Eng established an office in Bangkok in 1996, founding Dimsum Entertainment with Snow as part of the venture. That same year, Eng produced Thai rap artist Joey Boy's album Fun, Fun, Fun, on which Snow performed on the chart-topping title track and appeared in the music video. Joey Boy reciprocated by featuring on Snow's Thai single "Me and Joey," a collaboration that continued in 2008 on Snow's track "Catch a Kick." Snow's third album, 1997's Justuss (named after his daughter), continued this trend. Its first single, "Boom Boom Boogie," was a major hit in Asia, achieving gold status and receiving airplay on MTV Japan five to six times a day. Although the North American single "If This World Were Mine" failed to chart, its video aired regularly on The Box network. The album reached number 12 on the US reggae charts and earned a Juno nomination for Best Reggae Album in 1998. Later in 1997, Snow released a compilation, The Greatest Hits of Snow, followed by a Best Remix of Snow album in 1998. In 1999, he reunited with M.C. Shan to produce the album Cooler Conditions specifically for the Japanese market. The only single, "The Plumb Song," spent eight weeks on the Japan Singles chart, peaking at number 27, and was recorded at Metalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario.

Later career and chart resurgence

Snow returned to the Canadian charts in the early 2000s after signing with Virgin Music Canada. His 2000 album Mind on the Moon spawned the single "Everybody Wants to Be Like You," which charted in Canada and earned him three Juno nominations. In 2002, he worked with producers associated with Shaggy and Blu Cantrell on the album Two Hands Clapping. The lead single "Legal" reached number 13 on the Canadian Singles Chart. Snow maintained a presence through various projects, including a notable 2013 collaboration where he and the Jingle Punks recorded a custom hold music jingle for Yahoo after CEO Marissa Mayer complained about the company's existing hold music during a fourth-quarter earnings call. The lyrics specifically referenced the CEO's request, stating "The CEO didn't like the hold music / So Daddy Snow wrote this jam for you." The following summer, in 2014, he signed with Bugatti Music Entertainment in Miami and began working with Grammy-winning producers Cool & Dre, Kent Jones, and Scott Storch. In October 2014, he released the single "Shame" featuring Mykal Rose of Black Uhuru, donating all proceeds to cancer charities.

A major career resurgence arrived in 2019 through Latin music, reintroducing Snow to a global audience. On January 23, 2019, Puerto Rican superstar Daddy Yankee released "Con Calma," a reggaeton and dancehall track featuring Snow that was explicitly a remake and reimagination of "Informer." The song became a global smash, peaking at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Snow's first entry on that chart since 1993. It reached number one on the US Hot Latin Songs chart and topped the charts in five Spanish-language countries while reaching the top 10 in ten others across Latin America. In Europe, it charted in numerous countries, peaking at number 14 in Italy and number 23 in Switzerland, and reached number one in the Netherlands in April 2019. In Canada, "Con Calma" gave Snow his first-ever entry on the Canadian Hot 100, debuting at number 99 in February 2019 and eventually peaking at number 6. The track's success led to a string of major award wins in 2020 and significant industry recognition. Key honours from this period include the Song of the Year award with Daddy Yankee at the 2020 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, the Top Latin Song of the Year at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, and six awards at the 2020 Latin Billboard Music Awards on October 21, 2020. He was also nominated for three awards at the 5th Annual Latin American Music Awards in 2019, which he attended with his wife Tara O'Brien at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Earlier, in 2017, Snow's enduring radio play in Canada was recognized when he was awarded the SOCAN Classics award for over 100,000 radio performances of his music in the country. In March 2020, he also received a Pop Music Award from SOCAN.

Media appearances and personal life

Snow has made several appearances in television and film over the years, often playing himself or contributing music. A longtime fan, comedian Drew Carey had Snow record a reggae version of The Drew Carey Show theme song, "Moon Over Parma," for the series' eighth and ninth seasons. He appeared as himself in a concert performance in the 1995 film Kla$h, directed by Bill Parker and produced by Kingston Pictures, where he was also interviewed by Jamaican media. In 2001, he played a prison guard in the film Prison Song, and he appeared as himself in the 2012 promotional film The Movie Out Here produced by the Canadian brewing company Kokanee and Alliance Films. In 2015, Snow and his then-fiancée Tara Elizabeth appeared on the CBC web series True Dating Stories to recount a chaotic first date that turned into a police operation. Their episode was the most watched, and the series won Best Web Series at the Hollywood Comedy Shorts Film Festival.

Snow's personal life has experienced significant loss and subsequent renewal. His common-law wife, Tamei Edberg, who was the subject of many of his songs, was diagnosed with cancer in November 2009 and died three weeks later on November 27 at age 41. The couple had a daughter, Justuss, born in 1995. In June 2010, Snow held a fundraiser called ClosURE For Cancer at Alley Catz Restaurant in Toronto, raising $15,000 for cancer-related causes. He founded the Pure Snow NGO, which assists tenants living in non-profit housing. On May 22, 2016, Snow married model and actress Tara Elizabeth Singh at St. Anselm Catholic Church in Toronto. The ceremony was covered by CTV, and the couple gave an interview on Toronto's KISS 92.5 radio station on The Roz and Mocha Show. They have since attended major award shows together, including the 2019 Latin American Music Awards and the 2020 Latin Billboard Music Awards in Florida, where Snow won his six awards.

Awards and recognition

Throughout his career, Snow has been recognized with numerous awards and nominations from Canadian and international institutions, reflecting both his early impact and his later resurgence. His early success in Japan was marked by the 1994 Japan Gold Disc Award for New Artist of the Year from the Recording Industry Association of Japan. In Canada, he has received multiple Juno Award nominations across several categories, acknowledging his consistent output in the reggae genre. The following table outlines his major Juno nominations.

His work with Daddy Yankee on "Con Calma" triggered a new wave of accolades from the Latin music industry, resulting in one of the most awarded periods of his career. At the 2020 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, the pair won Song of the Year. The track also earned them Top Latin Song of the Year at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards. The pinnacle came at the 2020 Latin Billboard Music Awards, where Snow took home six awards for his role in the hit. In 2017, the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) honoured him with the SOCAN Classics award for achieving over 100,000 radio performances of his music in Canada, a marker of the lasting impact of "Informer" and his other work on Canadian airwaves. He received a further SOCAN Pop Music Award in March 2020. His award history also includes nominations at the 2019 Latin American Music Awards and the Latin Grammy Awards.

Discography and selected works

Snow's recorded output spans three decades, comprising studio albums, compilations, remix collections, and numerous singles. His debut album, 12 Inches of Snow (1992), remains his most commercially successful release, driven by the record-setting single "Informer." His subsequent studio albums reflect his geographic and musical shifts, particularly towards the Asian market. The following list details his major studio album releases, along with key compilation and remix albums.

• 12 Inches of Snow (1992), Debut album recorded quickly due to impending incarceration. Sold over 8 million copies.
• Murder Love (1994), Second album recorded in Jamaica, Canada, and New York. Featured major Jamaican artists and was a hit in Asia.
• Justuss (1997), Third album named after his daughter. Lead single "Boom Boom Boogie" was a gold record in Asia.
• Cooler Conditions (1999), Album produced with M.C. Shan for the Japanese market.
• Mind on the Moon (2000), Album released on Virgin Music Canada. Generated Juno nominations.
• Two Hands Clapping (2002), Album involving producers from the Shaggy and Blu Cantrell circle.

In addition to these studio works, Snow released The Greatest Hits of Snow compilation in 1997 and a Best Remix of Snow album in 1998. His single "Con Calma" with Daddy Yankee, released in 2019, is a major late-career hit that appears on Daddy Yankee's album but is a defining part of Snow's own discography. Other notable singles across his career include "Girl I've Been Hurt" (1992), "Anything for You" (1994), "Sexy Girl" (1994), "Everybody Wants to Be Like You" (2000), "Legal" (2002), and "Shame" (2014). The single "Fun, Fun, Fun" with Thai artist Joey Boy from 1996 was also a chart-topper in Thailand.

Questions about Snow

What is Snow's most famous song?

Snow's most famous song is undoubtedly "Informer," released in 1992 as the lead single from his debut album 12 Inches of Snow. The track spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and set two Guinness World Records for the best-selling and highest-charting reggae single in American history. Its distinctive patois-delivered lyrics and catchy flute melody made it a global phenomenon, selling over eight million copies worldwide and defining Snow's career. The song's popularity was so immense that it led to a successful remake, "Con Calma," with Daddy Yankee in 2019.

Is Snow Canadian?

Yes, Snow is Canadian. He was born Darrin Kenneth O'Brien on October 30, 1969, in North York, Ontario, which is now part of Toronto. He grew up in the Allenbury Gardens public housing project in Toronto and developed his musical style there, blending the reggae influences of his neighbourhood with pop and rock. Despite his international success, particularly in the United States and Asia, he has remained based in Canada and is a multi-time Juno Award nominee. He also received the SOCAN Classics award in 2017 for over 100,000 radio performances of his music in Canada.

How did Snow get his stage name?

Snow's stage name originated from a nickname given to him by Jamaican neighbours after he developed a deep interest in reggae music. One neighbour began calling him "Snow White," which was later shortened to just "Snow. His friend and early collaborator Marvin Prince later created the backronym "Super Notorious Outrageous Whiteboy," but Snow has never claimed that title for himself, sticking with the simpler nickname from his youth. The name distinguished him as a white artist operating within a predominantly Black musical genre.

What was Snow's big comeback song?

Snow's major career comeback came in 2019 with the song "Con Calma," a collaboration with Puerto Rican reggaeton star Daddy Yankee. The track is a direct remake and reimagination of Snow's own hit "Informer. It became a global smash, reaching number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 (his first entry since 1993), number one on the US Hot Latin Songs chart, and number 6 on the Canadian Hot 100. The song earned him numerous awards in 2020, including a Billboard Music Award, six Latin Billboard Music Awards, and Song of the Year at the Premio Lo Nuestro Awards.

Did Snow go to jail?

In 1987, he served eight months of a one-year sentence after pleading guilty to assault with a crowbar during a bar brawl. In 1988, he was charged with two counts of attempted murder following a stabbing incident at a North York pub. He served eight months in jail before a jury acquitted him on both counts. It was during his incarceration at Maplehurst Correctional Complex that he wrote much of his early material, including the song "Informer."

What awards has Snow won?

Snow has won several significant awards across different eras. His early success in Japan earned him the 1994 Japan Gold Disc Award for New Artist of the Year. In 2017, he received the SOCAN Classics award for over 100,000 radio performances in Canada. His biggest award haul came from the 2019 hit "Con Calma" with Daddy Yankee, winning Song of the Year at the 2020 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, Top Latin Song at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, and six awards at the 2020 Latin Billboard Music Awards. He has also been nominated for multiple Juno Awards in 1996, 1998, and 2001.

Sources and further reading

• Snow (Wikipedia)
• Snow talks newly-inducted CSHF song “Informer ... (cshf.ca)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-11-04.