Artist

King Jammy

1970s-present·Kingston

Lloyd James grew up on the same Waterhouse street as King Tubby around 1959, watching the older engineer work and picking up the trade by proximity. "I saw him doing his work and I got interested in it," he told United Reggae.

The full story is in Jamaican Dancehall.

At a glance

Active
1970s–present
From
Kingston, Jamaica
Listening guide track
“Duck Dance”

Listen

In the Jamaican Dancehall listening guide: “Duck Dance”

Spotify

In the issues

  • Jamaican Dancehall
    Principal · 1979-1995 · Members

    Jamaican Dancehall is a genre from Kingston, Jamaica, 1979–1995. Its principal artists include Yellowman, Shabba Ranks and King Jammy. This issue covers 8 essential albums and 14 dated events.

Terms

Riddim
A Jamaican term for an instrumental backing track, especially one reused by multiple singers or deejays to create different vocal versions over the same rhythm.
Sound system
A mobile setup of turntables, amplifiers, and large speaker stacks used to play recorded music at outdoor parties and dances, especially in Jamaican and Caribbean culture.