Wayne Ford Levy, known by his stage name, Exco Levi, is a reggae musician based in Brampton, Ontario. Known as the “local Reggae King,” Levi holds the best winning percentage in Canada’s Juno Awards. His stage name is a nod to his favorite footballer, Andrés Escobar.

Levi was born in Manchester, Jamaica, in 1981. A love for music came very early on, as his father, Michael “Mr. Cool” Levy worked as a selector on the Super Soul sound system in Clarendon. Levi sang in the school choir as a young boy and looked up to his father.

He moved to Brampton in 2005 and began his recording career shortly after. He released his first single, “O Canada” in 2007 which became an instant hit, earning him the award for “Most Promising New Artist” at the Canadian Reggae Music Awards in 2007. He was then introduced to Reggae producer Donovon Germain, and the two began working together. They recorded “Bleaching Shop” which would win Levi his first of five Juno Awards in 2012. The album talks about how people of colour bleach their hair and skin to lighten their complexions to fit in, or to be more accepted in a predominantly white community. Levi also won Juno’s for his singles “Storms of Life” (2013), and “Strive” (2014).

In 2015, Levi released his first full length album, Country Man, which is now recognized as a global contemporary reggae essential. He won his fourth Juno this year for his song “Welcome the King.” The following year, he set up a studio in his home in Brampton and continued recording and releasing music. He was also inducted into the Brampton Arts Walk of Fame. He has since released three albums, Narrative (2017), Black Creek Mix (2021), and most recently, Born to Be Free (2024).

Levi tours annually around the world with his band, High Priest, and as a solo performer. His festival performances have included the Montreal Reggae Festival, the Vancouver Island Reggae Festival, the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Reggae on the River, and the world-famous Rototom Reggae Festival in Spain. He is a nine-time Juno nominee, a five-time Juno winner, and the first recipient in the Reggae recording of the Year Category to receive a Juno Award for four consecutive years. He is a global ambassador for positive and conscious music and continues to be aware of the messages he delivers to his fans.