More than five years ago, aspiring Dominica-born, Harlem-based music producer, Clem Harrigan, began dreaming of a new way to carry and distribute his music.
He was frustrated by the limitations of mainstream storage and distribution and he made it his goal to create a unique and convenient way for musicians to carry their work with them.
From this, the idea of the “ume” was born.
The ume is an indestructible, waterproof wristband or bracelet embedded with flash-drive technology.
It is essentially a USB drive that you wear and it is the first of its kind.
“It took a few years to figure out how to make and patent a USB bracelet to look hot and serve a purpose, but we’re there now,” Harrigan said of his invention.
He has his roots in the Green and Harrigan families in Roseau and attended the St. Mary’s Primary, St. Mary’s Academy, and Clifton Dupigny Technical College.
He grew up on Hillsborough Street and Kings Lane and migrated to the United States in his early 20’s.
Harrigan told DNO that he has always been interested in the music industry and he found his niche in Harlem, New York after he migrated.
“I always wanted to be in music, and when I came to New York, I was exposed to studios and that kind of thing,” he said, adding that he learnt a lot from Dominican calypsonian, Wizard, who left the island in the early eighties.
After finishing school, Harrigan had already met and made several connections in the industry and he and his wife started their own music production company.
“By then I was a producer, I was producing the labels in independent artists, TV shows, we produced music for the MTV Cribs, music for the real Housewives series, a few movies…and while we were working on the music and production aspect of music that’s when we came up with what we are really doing now: the ume drive,” he noted.
Harrigan said that although other forms of storage, such as Cloud, have become popular, he “wanted to create something that artistes and supporters of the arts can be proud to rock, all day, every day.”
The idea of a wearable and fashionable storage device is catching on since the project has already secured one investor, Magnolia Innovation, a NYC-based incubator and innovation consultancy.
“We saw the product and immediately recognized the value,” Ken Howie, Founding Partner of Magnolia, said. “Clem has created a wearable piece that is brilliantly simple and infinitely customizable for many different types of people.”
According to Howie the potential of the device “is really amazing if you think about the different uses and the different people who would enjoy wearing one of these bracelets.”
Harrigan’s team is even going beyond the storage of music and has talked with patients and doctors who may want to carry medical information on the ume.
He has started a fundraising campaign on Kickstarter.com to raise funds for the bracelat’s first manufacturing run.
For more information on the ume drive click HERE.
To visit the fundraising campaign site click HERE.
Good Luck!
bring in the music business as well it’s thing but most people want to put there music in there phone and play it.good lock wish you the best bless
This is a great Idea! would like to support your initiative.
nice work brother
Thanks for all the support and encouraging words, I appreciate it all so very much. I’ve been blessed in that I’ve had a lot of help with this. I could not have done this by myself. We have a beautiful island that we should be proud of and our people are always willing to help. I have to thank, people like Cornel Phillip, Jeffery Alexander, and Wizard for exposing me to studios and giving me a start, also Felix Augustine has been a major source of advice and support for me.
I’m committed to playing it forward in helping anyone in anyway I can, it is our responsibility to help each other and develop our people.
Ma boy clem…Yu already know….But to me where they said you raised up not to clear to me….I swore you were from King’s hill…..
Congratulations — this is genius!! This is an absolutely, awesome and amazing accomplishment Mr. Harrigan! You are a genius and by far, an outstanding example for all to follow. This is a major accomplishment for someone who has lived here for a short time. It speaks volumes to your determination and character. I know first-hand how difficult it can be to breakthrough at that level in the U.S. I’m impressed beyond words and I’m looking forward to your continued success. You are in the big leagues – real big. You should be very proud of yourself. God bless you.
Thank you for your kind and encouraging worlds, much appreciated
billionaire in the making. Before the end of the year some big shot is gonna buy over this product
Hey Clem been a while congrats though last time we spoke it was just an idea. Glad to see it come through.
It’s been a fun and educational journey
very good bro proud of u as a dominican
That’s what happens when your vision have no boundries;An egg in Domiica busrt in de Disapora,great innovation my man.
Good luck Clem so nice to see your creativity and success, i am beaming with excitement for you, very happy you have made it this far.
Congrats to you man…I remember this guy living in kings lane he had a younger brother and I think an uncle name Paris, ofy memory serves me right
I need me one of these for school, I would totally buy it
Thank you, you can get it at umedrive.com or http://kck.st/1dtz9ny
Free shipping to Dominica
Dominica may be small in size but some of our folks are indeed visionaries. Extremely proud of this one. I’ll be buying a few of these drives once they hit the market.Congrats young man.
Thanks for the kind words, and for your support, yes we do have many visionaries, Dominicans have accomplished so much on so little, as a people we have a lot to be proud of.
Big’s to clem
Good luck. Dreams do come true.
Congratulations, Clem Harrigan. You are an insoiration to our youth.
Thanks for the kind words
Impressive. Good luck.
My brother Clem I always knew you had it in you, congratulations bro, keep working hard, and being innovative..
Brilliant idea. Was this guy formerly called Clement Boyce? Just checking. He fits the description of a guy by the name of Clement Boyce
Yes he is one in the same
Well done. This si a brilliant idea. Just checking, was this guy formerly called, Clement Boyce? he looks like a guy who went by the name of Clement Boyce that fits the description.
Yup, same person
Congrats Clem and you really deserve all the encouragement we can give you (financially and morally) for your innovative product which could become the next hot item!
Thanks for the support, we very much appreciate it
Thank you