Prince Buster: The King of Ska and the Beat That Built Jamaican Music

Born Cecil Bustamante Campbell on May 24, 1938, in Kingston, Jamaica, Prince Buster was a singer, songwriter, and producer who helped invent the sound that would shape Jamaican and British music alike.

From Kingston’s Streets to Sound System Royalty

Before he was a global music icon, Campbell was known around Kingston as both a streetwise boxer and a sharp entrepreneur.

The nickname “Buster” originated from a shortening of his middle name, Bustamante, which honoured Jamaica’s political leader, Sir Alexander Bustamante. Meanwhile, “Prince” was the name he was known by during his amateur boxing days.

His early energy and confidence caught the eye of legendary producer Clement “Coxsone” Dodd, who hired him as a security guard and assistant for the Downbeat Sound System — one of Jamaica’s first mobile DJ operations. It was there that Prince Buster learned the nuts and bolts of the island’s new music economy: records, sound systems, and street promotion.

By the late 1950s, he’d branched out on his own with Buster’s Record Shack and his own sound system, The Voice of the People, which quickly became a Kingston favourite.

The Birth of Ska: “Oh Carolina” and Beyond

In 1960, Prince Buster made a pivotal move into the recording studio that would reshape Jamaican music. He conducted marathon sessions at the RJR radio station studios with various artists, steering the island’s sound away from the dominant American R&B influence.

One of the standout tracks from these sessions was the Folkes Brothers’ “Oh Carolina”, produced by Buster and quickly becoming a Jamaican hit. In a bold and innovative step, he incorporated the Rastafarian percussionist Count Ossie and his drumming group to provide a distinctive backing rhythm. Crucially, Buster directed guitarist Jah Jerry to play the afterbeat—emphasising the offbeat rather than the downbeat—a syncopation that defined the emerging ska style.

This revolutionary rhythm was also present in other key recordings from that period, such as “Little Honey,” “Humpty Dumpty,” “They Got to Go,” and “Thirty Pieces of Silver,” marking the birth and development of ska music.

The Ska to Rocksteady Revolution

Through the 1960s, Prince Buster was unstoppable. As both a singer and producer, he released a constant flow of hits that told the story of Jamaica’s new independence and its rough-edged “rude boy” youth culture. Tracks such as Madness, Al Capone, and Judge Dread became anthems — sharp, witty, and bursting with rhythm.

As ska evolved into the slower, smoother rocksteady sound, Buster adapted once again. His productions helped bridge the transition to reggae, influencing artists like Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, and later, the U.K. ska revival acts of the late 1970s.

Crossing the Atlantic: Prince Buster in the U.K.

By the mid-60s, Prince Buster’s influence had spread far beyond Jamaica. His singles were staples on Britain’s Blue Beat label, fueling the mod and skinhead scenes. His bold charisma and musical vision made him one of Jamaica’s first true international superstars, long before Bob Marley carried reggae to global fame.

Influence on the Ska Revival

Though he slowed his output in the 1970s and moved to Miami, Prince Buster’s legacy refused to fade. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, his music experienced a resurgence through the British ska revival. Bands like Madness and The Specials worshipped his records. Madness named themselves after their 1963 hit Madness and scored a hit with The Prince.

Additional Career Highlights

Prince Buster was notable not only as a pioneering artist and producer but also as a business innovator in the Jamaican music scene. He was one of the first to establish a successful record label and distribution network in Jamaica, contributing to the creation of a self-sustaining music industry on the island. His boldness in integrating Rastafarian music elements and his sharp social commentary in songs have cemented his legacy as a foundational figure in Jamaican music culture beyond just ska. He continued to perform occasionally into the 1990s, touring with the Skatalites and re-recording classics like “Whine and Grind.”

Recognition and Later Years

In 2001, the Jamaican government awarded Prince Buster the Order of Distinction for his monumental contribution to music and culture. Prince Buster passed away in 2016, but his rhythms continue to echo wherever ska vinyl plays.

Sources:
rollingstone.com
theguardian.com
Cover image from laut.de