Reggae Lover Podcast 43 artwork

Hear some essential works from the 60s and 70s by the predecessors of rappers and today’s dancehall artists. Who was the first DJ (dancehall deejay)? This is often debated and I’m not going to get into the argument, but I personally credit U-Roy as the DJ daddy.

If Daddy U-Roy wasn’t the 1st, then he certainly had the earliest and largest impact with toasting (rapping) over previously recorded instrumentals in the live dancehall setting. Coxsone Dodd, among many other innovations to his credit, pioneered the recording and production of DJs at Studio One.

This mix merely touches upon some of this important dancehall history and I intend to thoroughly exhibit more of the talented foundation artists in future episodes of the Reggae Lover Podcast.

There are too many DJs to name who rose to prominence by delivering rhymes over beats on the Jamaican music scene long before The Sugar Hill Gang‘s ‘Rapper’s Delight‘ was released in 1979 as the first ever rap record.

Playlist

1 Junior Byles – Beat Down Babylon
2 Lyricson and Dennis Alcapone – Alpha and Omega
3 Cuture – Zion Gate
4 Prince Mohammed – 40 Leg Dread
5 Johnny Osborne – Murderer
6 Lone Ranger – Keep On Coming A Dance
7 Mighty Diamonds – Pass the Kutchie
8 Charlie Chaplin – Bubbling Telephone
9 Carlton and The Shoes – Love Me Forever
10 Dennis Alcapone – Forever Version
11 Dennis Brown – Money In My Pocket
12 Big Youth – Ah So We Stay
13 Barrington Levy – Mine Your Mouth
14 Louie Lepke – Late Night Movie
15 Alexander Henry – Please Be True
16 Johnny Osborne – Sing Jay Stylee
17 Big Youth – Dread Is Best
18 Delroy Wilson – Never Conqueror (Cousins version)
19 Dennis Alcapone – The Conqueror (Studio One version)
20 Dennis Brown – How Could I Leave
21 Prince Mohammed – Bubbling Love
22 The Heptones – Pretty Looks
23 Michigan and Smiley – Compliment To Studio One
24 Larry Marshall – Throw Me Corn
25 Rude Boyz International – Bring Back The Loving (dub plate)
26 The Techniques – Queen Majesty
27 U-Roy – Chalice In the Palace
28 Gregory Isaacs and U-Roy – Love Is Overdue
29 Jacob Miller and U Brown – Keep On Knocking
30 Freddie McGregor – Bobby Babylon
31 Lone Ranger – No Call Me Cracky
32 Dennis Brown – Sitting and Watching
33 Ranking Dread – Lots of Loving
34 Willie Williams – Armageddon Time
35 Michigan and Smiley – Nice Up the Dance
36 Slim Smith – Never Let Go
37 Lone Ranger – The Answer
38 Horace Andy – Fever
39 Jim Brown – Cure Fi the Fever