Music

Dillinger, born Lester Bullocks in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1953, is a legendary reggae artist known for his quick wit and humorous lyrics. Growing up in Kingston, Dillinger was influenced by DJ toasters like Big Youth and U Roy, and by local sound systems, especially Dennis Alcapone‘s El Paso Setup, to the point that he started […]

Bunny Lee’s “Flying Cymbals” dominated the Dancehalls and the charts during 1974 and 1975. But what are they? The flying cymbals (or flyers rhythms) style in reggae is characterized by a distinctive, rapid hi-hat pattern that mimics the sound of a cymbal flying through the air. It became a hallmark of producers like Bunny “Striker”

Johnny Clarke has influenced Jamaican music for decades. While not widely known outside Jamaica, he was among the island’s top reggae artists in the 1970s, influencing future stars like Sugar Minott. Born in Bull Bay, Jamaica, in 1955, Johnny Clarke discovered his love for singing in church as a boy. He initially put aside musical

“When you talk about Dancehall you have to talk about me; I am the founder. Even now they are talking about Dancehall, those artists nowadays not dancehall really. They need to know who is the founder for this thing; People need to know; They want to know.” Little John (John McMorris) asserts his place as

In the late 1960s, Kingston was a vibrant city fueled by the rhythms of ska and rocksteady. Against this backdrop, the four Hoo-Kim brothers – Joseph (Jo Jo), Ernest, Paulie and Kenneth – laid the foundation for what would become a reggae mecca: Channel One. History of Channel One Studios The Hoo-Kim (sometimes also spelled

Dennis Emmanuel Brown was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on February 1, 1957. His father, Arthur Brown, was a prominent Jamaican actor, while his brother Basil was a popular radio personality when Dennis was a child. Surrounded by art and music, Dennis Brown started singing at school early. Byron Lee soon discovered him, booking ‘Little Dennis

In the vibrant world of reggae music, the legacies of iconic artists often extend beyond their earthly presence through posthumous releases that echo their profound musical contributions. Here are five reggae albums released after their singers’ untimely death.

In the realm of reggae, Barry Brown stands out as one of the few singers who gracefully navigated the transition from the late roots phase to the emerging dancehall style. Blessed with a distinctive high tenor, Brown’s voice was instantly recognizable, leaving a lasting impression every time it echoed through the airwaves. His lyrics blended

Renowned as a record producer and entrepreneur, Duke Reid was a crucial figure in the inception of the Jamaican music industry, an enigmatic character with a lasting impact on the music scene. According to some sources, Arthur ‘Duke’ Reid was born in the parish of Portland, Jamaica, in 1915, while others claim it was in

Culture is an iconic Jamaican reggae group, a vocal trio that helped shape the sound and style of Rastafarian roots reggae. As suggested by the name, Culture’s lyrics focused mainly on spiritual, social, and political themes. The group is best known for its legendary album “Two Sevens Clash” and its charismatic leader, singer and songwriter

John Holt, one of Jamaica’s superb vocalists and enduring songwriters, was born in the Greenwich Farm area of Kingston in July 1947. His talent was evident as soon as he was 12 when he won his first singing contest. He won 28 titles over the next four years and then launched his recording career in

Kenneth George Boothe, known simply as Ken Boothe, has left an indelible mark on the music industry for over five decades. He has garnered local and global acclaim over artistic prowess, vocal talent, dancing skills and versatility, spanning genres from ska to reggae to R&B. Ken Boothe was born in the Denham Town area of

Born David Sinclair in 1955 in Kingston, Jamaica, Tapper Zukie (also known as Tappa Zukie) became a singer, producer, and dub master in London in the early ’70s. He was immersed in Kingston’s sound system scene as early as his pre-teen years, but by age 17, he was getting in trouble to the point where

Nkrumah Manley Thomas – a.k.a. Jah Thomas – was born in 1955 in Kingston, Jamaica, and grew up between the districts of Trench Town and Rose Town. He was named after Kwame Nkrumah, the African nationalist who secured Ghana’s independence from the British in 1957. After completing his education, Jah Thomas started working in a

Jah Shaka is considered the father of sound systems in the U.K. and hailed for his forward-thinking style with dub experimentalism incorporating electronic elements without losing any heaviness. Born in Jamaica around the 1950s, Jah Shaka moved to Southeast London with his parents at the age of eight. Jah Shaka’s real name is not known

Dub mixer and record producer Lloyd James – better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy – was born in 1947 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. He moved to Kingston and took to music at an early age, also thanks to the fact that he lived in the Waterhouse district on the same street as the

Donat Roy Mittoo, a.k.a. Jackie Mittoo, was born on March 3, 1948, in Browns Town, Jamaica. Mittoo was taught to play the piano by his grandmother from age four and began performing in public before he was ten. As a teenager, Mittoo performed professionally in groups including the Vagabonds and the Vikings and hooked up

Born Cecil Campbell in a seaside shack in Jamaica on 9 October 1957, Ini Kamoze was the son of an authoritarian police superintendent dubbed “The Scorpion” and a factory worker mother. In a fit of anger over not hearing from his father, his mother placed the baby in a cardboard box and left him at

The Mighty Diamonds was a Jamaican vocal trio composed by founder and harmony singer Pat “Lloyd” Ferguson (the Judge), lead singer Donald Shaw (Tabby or the Prophet), and harmony singer Fitzroy Simpson (Bunny or the Jester). Raised in the poverty and despair of Kingston’s ghetto of Trenchtown, the group formed in 1969 and eventually became

Cornell Campbell was born in 1945 in Kingston, Jamaica. Some sources claim that his birth year was 1948. His voice was noticed immediately at the Church choir when he was a young boy. In an interview with Reggae Vibes, Cornell remembered people being fascinated, saying: “Bwoy, this child have an angelic voice, him sound like

Yabby You was one of the most unique figures in Jamaican music, beginning from the fact that he was a committed Christian yet wore dreadlocks and lived amongst one of the most militant Rastafari communities of Kingston’s ghettos. This is how he got his ironic nickname “Jesus Dread”. His music was characterized by sublime lyrics

Byron Lee, leader of one of Jamaica’s top bands – the Dragonaires – played an instrumental role in popularizing Jamaican music around the world in the years before reggae and ska were known outside of the Caribbean. He was born Byron Aloysius St Elmo Lee in Christiana, Jamaica, in 1935. His father was an immigrant

In the early 1970s, Dennis Alcapone was one of the toasters that ruled Jamaica, alongside U-Roy and Big Youth. Crashing out of the sound systems and onto the airwaves like a tidal wave, these artists were responsible for bringing the art of deejaying to the forefront. Born in Clarendon, Jamaica, on August 6, 1947, Dennis

Known as the “Cool Ruler” for his remarkably smooth and passionate voice, Gregory Isaacs was one of reggae music’s most popular singers in the 1970s and 80s. He remained active as a recording artist, live performer, and producer in the decades that followed. Gregory Anthony Isaacs was born in the Fletcher’s Land area of Kingston,

Earl “Sixteen” Daley was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1958. His passion for music started at home, where his ingenious dad would create simple string instruments, such as a banjo made of coconut, fishing lines and bamboo strings. At the age of 13, Earl entered a talent show and won it, beating future stars such

This article was last updated in July 2025. Reggae has always been more than just music—it’s a cultural force, a spiritual language, and a historical voice for the marginalized. What many fans don’t realize is that some of reggae’s most influential artists began their careers as child prodigies, lighting up sound systems, studios, and stages

Discover Nasio Fontaine’s biography in his own words! The following is an extract of Nasio’s interview that ran in The Beat in the December 2003 issue. Scroll down for a shorter biography, and to discover where Nasio Fontaine is now. “I was born in Bagatelle/Carte-Bois, a little village on the South-eastern coast of Dominica. The