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Gavin B. · 07-12-2009, 07:41 AM

U-Roy: Original Deejay Is Still Top Ranking

Ewart Beckford began his career in his teens in 1961 as a DJ. U-Roy would select the music and to motivate the audience to dance would add a "toast". Sound Systems played the hits of the day and their own special remixes in an attempt to out-do each other. Eventually some of the new versions of well known hits with the "added toast" became more popular with the crowd than the original. Calling himself, “your ace from outer space”, this 28-year-old Jamaican welder revolutionized the musical style of reggae in 1969. Even though U-Roy was not the first microphone artist, he was the first to gain recognition through recording this style. U-Roy popularized and gained a wider audience for “toasting”; rapping over “versions” of popular songs remixed by dub music pioneer King Tubby. This style of vocals was a major influence on the early rap scene (Disco/Electro/Break Beat) and the later American hip-hop movement

Rule the Nation- U-Roy This is a U-Roy performance from Sunsplash in 1980. Rule the Nation is one U-Roy's earliest hits.

Soul Rebel- U-Roy This is a rare video of U-Roy and his frontline crew performing at an outdoor dancehall event in Sav La Mar in 1978.

Lover's Rock- Love Trio in Dub In 2006 U-Roy joined a group of New York based performers to form a side project called Love Trio in Dub. Other members of the loose collective were Sabina of the Brazilian Girls and members of Wax Poetic a group Norah Jones performs with periodically. Love Trio in Dub brings a jazzy trip hop sound to U-Roy's sound and has reached a whole new generation of music fans.

07-12-2009, 07:41 AM	#47 (permalink)
Gavin B. Model Worker Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,248	U-Roy: Original Deejay Is Still Top Ranking Ewart Beckford began his career in his teens in 1961 as a DJ. U-Roy would select the music and to motivate the audience to dance would add a "toast". Sound Systems played the hits of the day and their own special remixes in an attempt to out-do each other. Eventually some of the new versions of well known hits with the "added toast" became more popular with the crowd than the original. Calling himself, “your ace from outer space”, this 28-year-old Jamaican welder revolutionized the musical style of reggae in 1969. Even though U-Roy was not the first microphone artist, he was the first to gain recognition through recording this style. U-Roy popularized and gained a wider audience for “toasting”; rapping over “versions” of popular songs remixed by dub music pioneer King Tubby. This style of vocals was a major influence on the early rap scene (Disco/Electro/Break Beat) and the later American hip-hop movement Rule the Nation- U-Roy This is a U-Roy performance from Sunsplash in 1980. Rule the Nation is one U-Roy's earliest hits. Soul Rebel- U-Roy This is a rare video of U-Roy and his frontline crew performing at an outdoor dancehall event in Sav La Mar in 1978. Lover's Rock- Love Trio in Dub In 2006 U-Roy joined a group of New York based performers to form a side project called Love Trio in Dub. Other members of the loose collective were Sabina of the Brazilian Girls and members of Wax Poetic a group Norah Jones performs with periodically. Love Trio in Dub brings a jazzy trip hop sound to U-Roy's sound and has reached a whole new generation of music fans. __________________ There are two types of music: the first type is the blues and the second type is all the other stuff. Townes Van Zandt Last edited by Gavin B.; 03-16-2010 at 05:03 PM.