Rise of the DEEJAY

Before hip hop took over the Bronx, a different kind of mic mastery occurred in Jamaica. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Kingston's sound system culture gave birth to a new musical voice: the DJ (or deejay). Unlike the American version of a DJ, the Jamaican DJ was the one on the mic—hyping the crowd, cracking jokes, and talking rhythmically over instrumental tracks. This artform became known as "toasting."

Count Matchuki was the first known toaster to work with Coxsone Dodd’s Downbeat Sound System. Influenced by American radio DJs, Matchuki added spoken word flair to instrumental sides. King Stitt followed, bringing even more energy and charisma. But it was U-Roy who changed everything. In 1970, he released "Wake the Town," produced by Duke Reid and King Tubby. His style of laying vocals over existing tracks became a sensation. U-Roy had three songs in the Jamaican Top 10 at once, making the DJ the star of the show.