Starting a Jamaican Music Collection-- Part 3a: The Deejays. The Start Of Rap?

delving into the best of first wave Jamaican deejays

So far we've covered ska in Part 1, rock steady the singers in Part 2a and rock steady the groups in Part 2b. We now come to the deejays and how in the early 1970's they became Jamaica's most popular recording artists.

Some of the most famous deejays got their start working for sound systems. As recounted in part 1 of our survey, these sound systems often consisted of a truck equipped with a turntable, speaker, cables and amplifiers. The owners, primarily Clement Dodd and Duke Reid in the mid 1960's to the early 1970's, tried to outdo each other by picking and playing the very best songs to bring out the crowds. When they were successful, parties sprang up in the streets with joyous singing and dancing. But sometimes the song was not enough. You can picture an audience standing around listening to a record on a single turntable and not much else going on. So the proprietors of these sound systems hired men to liven up the proceedings, hoping the crowd would not lose interest and walk away. They would quick talk in rhymes, holler, jive talk and in general whoop it up, exhorting the audience to sing, dance and have a ball. Anything to prevent dead time when the record was being changed (only one turntable in those days.) Gradually, these future deejays would take the next step. When an instrumental R&B cut was being played they began interjecting their own words over the rhythm, frequently in a jive talking style they had picked up from American deejays.

From a 2015 article by Heather Augustyn.

"One of these jive-talking DJs was Vernon Winslow who broadcast his show, 'Jam, Jive, ‘n’ Gumbo,' from New Orleans, with his character, 'Dr. Daddy O,' and partner DJ Duke Thiele who portrayed the character of Poppa Stoppa.' Winslow explains, 'Poppa Stoppa was the name I came up with. It came from the rhyme and rap that folks in the street were using in New Orleans. Poppa Stoppa’s language was for insiders.'

"Tommy Smalls was a DJ in New York known as Dr. Jive,' though he got his start in Savannah, Georgia. His catchphrase was, 'Sit back and relax and enjoy the wax. From three-oh-five to five-three-oh, it’s the Dr. Jive show.' He was known as the 'Mayor of Harlem' and unfortunately, in 1960, along with Alan Freed, he was one of the DJs arrested in the payola scandal.

"And Douglas Henderson, known as 'Jocko' broadcast from a number of cities with his show, Rocket Ship.' Henderson was also known as the 'Ace from Outta Space.' Author Bill Brewster writes of Henderson: 'Using a rocket ship blast-off to open proceedings, and introducing records with more rocket engines and "Higher, higher, higher…" Jocko conducted his whole show as if he was a good-rocking rhythmonaut. ‘Great gugga mugga shooga booga’ he’d exclaim, along with plenty of ‘Daddios.’ ‘From way up here in the stratosphere, we gonna holler mighty loud and clear ee-tiddy-o and a bo, and I’m back on the scene with the record machine, saying oo-pappa-do and how do you do?'

(My memory is "E to the ock, ho this is the Jock, back on the scene with the record machine, correct time now ten fifteen."_W.L.)

"Who cut the first rap record has been a hot topic of conversation on the internet for many years Jack 'The Rapper' Gibson in Chicago was another of these rhyming deejays who some have put forth as the beginning of rap music and the deejays in Jamaica, the subject here, have their champions too. But talking over a rhythm has existed as far back as 1927 with the Beale Street Sheiks' recording of 'It's a Good Thing.'"

"It's a Good Thing"

Another early example of rapping on a record is from The Jubalaires, a gospel group in 1941.

"The Preacher and the Bear"

In the second part of this deejay survey, we'll hear three more examples of early rap and formulate an opinion on who really started rap. U-Roy will chime in too with his opinion..

The two deejays who broke the ice in Jamaica were Sir Lord Comic and Count Machuki (also spelled Matchuki.)

Sir Lord Comic

From a 2014 article by Heather Augustyn

Sir Lord Comic, whose real name was Percival Wauchope, began as a dancer, a “legs man.” He began toasting for Admiral Deans’ sound system on Maxwell Avenue in 1959. In Reggae: Deep Roots Music by Howard Johnson and Jim Pines, they explain how Sir Lord Comic got his start at the microphone. “It was Count Machuki from Sir Coxsone’s Downbeat who inspired him to become a deejay. He started following the selector Willy Penny closely and would occasionally play records when Willy Penny wanted to dance. The Christmas of 1959 Willy Penny had drunk too much and the boss of the sound, Mr. Dean asked Sir Lord Comic if he could manage it. He said yes and enthused he went to Spanish Town Road to borrow a mic from a man called Nat King Prof. Nat King Prof lent him a Grampian mic.

Johnson and Pines say that Sir Lord Comic’s first song was a Lynn Hope tune called “Hop, Skip, and Jump.” Sir Lord Comic recalls, “When the tune started into about the fourth groove I says, ‘Breaks!’ and when I say ‘Breaks’ I have all eyes at the amplifier, y’know. And I says, ‘You love the life you live, you live the life you love. This is Lord Comic.’ The night was exciting, very exciting.” Lord Comic’s first toast, he says, was “Now we’ll give you the scene, you got to be real keen. And me no jelly bean. Sir Lord Comic answer his spinning wheel appeal, from his record machine. Stick around, be no clown. See what the boss is puttin’ down.”

"Lon Chaney"

(Sir Lord Comic's voice was first heard on this storming Skatallites' track from 1965. Lon Chaney was a famous movie star and makeup artist in Hollywood in the silent era. He was known as "The Man of a Thousand Faces.")

Generally considered the very first deejay record in Jamaica, Sir Lord Comic's "Ska-ing West" (1966) was a cover of Billy Hope's "Riding West" a massive tune heard all over Jamaica's sound systems in the late 1950's.

"Riding West"

"Ska-ing West"

("Adam and Eve went up my sleeve and they never came down until Christmas eve." Classic first line for Jamaican deejaying.)

"The Great Wuga Wuga"

(Originally released on Wirl in 1967)

Count Machuki

Count Machuki (b Winston Cooper ca 1929) in Kingston, Jamaica, began working on sound systems in the 1950s, when the music played was largely American R&B. His stage name of Count Matchuki derived from his habit of chewing matchsticks. He initially worked on Tom Wong's Tom the Great Sebastian system and later the Tokyo the Monarch system, before moving on to Clement "Coxsone" Dodd's Downbeat Sound System. He added talkovers to the songs, emulating the jive talk of American radio DJ's at the request of Dodd, who became familiar with the US style on his visits to the States to buy records to play on his sound system. He has also been credited as the originator of beatboxing, adding what he called "peps to records he thought sounded weak.

Machuki recalled "I used the words (at sound systems) to sell our local recordings. "French Canadian home-cooked musical biscuits" and folks dug it. So I found myself preparing some new jives. In my time a deejay was a man responsible for conduct and behavior, and what went on inside the dancehall. We would actually talk to the audience and everybody was happy. We didn't really have to be singing on the records to keep everybody happy. We just made utterances before a record, introduced the artist, gave a idea of the message the artist was going to give. And sometimes when we just listened to a record and found that the music was wanting, we would interject something like "Get on the ball..." and cover that weakness on the record. It was live jive and it really made people feel happy.

From Heather Augustyn

Machuki is widely considered the first true toaster. He was raised in a family that had more money than others so he grew up with two gramophones in the home and was exposed to swing, jazz, bebop, and rhythm & blues. He says that he got the idea to begin toasting over records after hearing American radio. He told this to Mark Gorney and Michael Turner as they recounted in a 1996 issue of Beat Magazine. “I was walking late one night, about a quarter to three. Somewhere in Denham Town. And I hear this guy on the radio, some American guy advertising Royal Crown Hair Dressing. ‘You see you’re drying up with this one, Johnny, try Royal Crown. When you’re downtown you’re the smartest guy in town, when you use Royal Crown and Royal Crown make you the smartest guy in town.’ That deliverance! This guy sound like a machine! A tongue-twister! I heard that in 1949. On one of them States stations that was really strong. I hear this guy sing out ‘pon the radio and I just like the sound. And I say, I think I can do better. I’d like to play some recordings and just jive talk like this guy."

A rare short clip of Count Machuki

U-Roy has cited Machuki as a major influence on his work. He said of Machuki, "Count Machuki, well he was a man I used to love to listen to. Whenever you been listening to this man, it was like you never hear anybody like that before. This man phrases his words in time, he doesn't crowd the music when he's talking. You can always hear what the vocalist got to sing. I used to say, I'd like to be like this man."

"Warfare"

(The one and only Jackie Mittoo at the organ leading the Bunny Lee Allstars, released on Randy's label in 1969)

"Movements"

(Big chune! A top Joe Gibbs production released on Pressure Beat in 1970.)

Since they both recorded very few songs, no albums have been released by either Sir Lord Comic or Count Machuki. As of this writing only 7" singles or tracks on compilations are available.

King Stitt

Born Winston Sparkes in 1940, Stitt earned the nickname as a boy because of his stuttering and decided to use it as his stage name. Stitt began deejaying on Clement Dodd's Sir Coxsone's Downbeat Sound System in 1956.

Count Machuki, the original Jamaican deejay, noticed him for his dancing and offered him to try his hand on the mic. Stitt soon built his own deejay set, occasionally replacing him and eventually becoming one of the most popular deejays on the island's dances. He became King Stitt when he was crowned "king of the deejays" in 1963, in the heyday of ska.

Following the folding of Sir Coxsone's Downbeat's sound system around 1968 (as Coxsone preferred to concentrate on recordings), Stitt found himself working as a mason in Ocho Rios. He had been deejaying at the mic for over ten years when he was first recorded over brand new reggae rhythms in 1969, creating some of the first deejay records ever.

Born with a facial malformation, Stitt took advantage of it, calling himself "The Ugly One", in reference to the Sergio Leone spaghetti western film The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

From The Jamaican Observer March 1, 2012 comes this wonderful, heartfelt letter to the editor. Stitt passed away in January 2012.

Dear Editor,

King Stitt was and is my friend, teacher and mentor. I say this because his musical contribution, like his soul, will never die but will always be present to remind and inspire us who love the music that Africans in Jamaica produced. Winston Sparks is the name on his birth certificate, but the name King Stitt is the one that is known internationally.

As a young man, I remember attending the dances in Spanish Town where King Stitt played Sir Coxsone's sound which was owned by the world's greatest record producer. His ability to galvanise the adoring crowds with lyrics as he selected and operated the sound system simultaneously was unrivalled. He was a master of selection and in any sound clash he was devastating. He knew the records or wax, later called dubplates, to draw and when to draw or play them. His introductions of what he was about to play each time was peerless. Count Machukie who recruited and trained King Stitt was of course an inspiration and mentor for me as well. It was at a dance in Central Kingston that Count Machukie who was playing Sir Coxsone's sound saw Stitt, a "legsman", dancing brilliantly to the tunes he was playing and asked Stitt if he wanted to be a deejay. Stitt told Count that he did not know about being a deejay and Count told him that the way he was dancing to the music he was sure he would make an excellent deejay and that he, the Count,would teach him.

Over the years King Stitt promoted music throughout Jamaica with Sir Coxsone's sound. I recall a clash dance at Pieceaman Lawn on the Old Harbour Road in Spanish Town in 1967 when Sir Coxsone and Stereo owned by the genius sound builder from Spanish Town, Seymour Williams, clashed with King Stitt deejaying for Sir Coxsone and Prince Mango for Stereo.

Stereo was the heavier and cleaner sound by far, but Coxsone had the music. That night King Stitt unleashed numerous "brand new biscuits", as he called the waxes, to counteract Stereo's majestic sound excellence that Stitt gracefully admitted to. That was the night that Ernest Wilson of the Clarendonians had his first solo song Undying Love played exclusively on wax, of course. That was the night that Sitting On the Dock of the Bay by The Heptones was first played exclusively on wax - new tunes like sand.

Guess what? King Stitt and Prince Mango never ever cursed any bad words like some deejays now who delight in using bad words and dirtying up the music. King Stitt was the first deejay to popularise deejaying on records with tunes like Fire Corner, Vigorton 2 and Herbsman Shuffle, etc, yet he has not been given an OD by PNP and JLP governments for his priceless contributions to Jamaican music nationally and internationally, and neither Count Machukie nor Duke Vin, aka Shine Shoes Vinnie, when he played Tom the Great Sebastian Sound. It was Vinnie who gave Machukie the chance to be a deejay and Vinnie started the first sound in Britain in 1955. These three pioneers must be honoured, because artistes who began their careers in the 1980s long after have been given ODs on account of political favouritism, it seems.

King Stitt, you will always be my beloved friend, elder brother, adviser, mentor and teacher. Until we meet again, King Stitt, in the next Sound Dimension with Sir D the greatest producer. Long live the king, King Stitt.

Mandingo Williams

Another rare clip of an early Jamaican deejay. King Stitt this time. Thank heaven someone had the foresight to film these wonderful artists.

Stitt might not have had the free flowing toasting style of U-Roy (up next) but when he spoke it was powerful. His introductions to songs such as Lee Van Cleef are undeniably captivating. "This are the day of wrath, Eastwood/I am the ugly one/If you want me, meet me at the big gundown/I am Van Cleef!/Die! Die! Die!"

The CD that collects 18 of his greatest tracks is Reggae Fire Beat. Produced by Clancy Eccles on his label and backed by The Dynamites band, this compilation from the master tapes is a total joy from beginning to end--all early reggae from 1969 to 1970 and The Dynamites are killing it all over the place.

Discogs has four for sale starting at $25.

King Stitt Reggae Fire Beat + letter remembering Stitt Originally issued on Jamaican Gold in 1994

"Fire Corner"

("No matter what the people say/These sounds leads the way/It's the order of the day/From your boss deejay/I, King Stitt, hot it from the top to the very last drop." The original recording is a Clancy Eccles' vocal "Shu Be Doo")

"Soul Language"

(Deemed too strange and never released as a single, this song is so appealing. Original recording is Clancy Eccles' "Mount Zion." but Stitt completely transforms it into something unique.)

"Vigorton Two"

(Winston Wright busts a step on the mighty Hammond organ. If you like an organ sound as much as I do, you will love Reggae Fire Beat. "Look how you're sad and blue/I've got a discovery for you/It's the bad bad Vigorton Two/Lord have mercy!/Do it to it" Vigorton Two is a Jamaican tonic taken to increase vitality. It is sometimes promoted as a sexual stimulate)

U Roy

"Wake the town and tell the people/:Bout the new musical disc coming your way"

U- Roy, born Euwart Beckford was born in Jones Town, Saint Andrews Parish, Kingston, Jamaica in 1942. He was raised within a religious and musical family; his mother was an organist for the choir at a local Seventh-day Adventist church. The sobriquet U-Roy originated from a younger member of his family who found it difficult to pronounce his first name. As a young man Beckford listened to the music of Louis Prima, James Brown, Ruth Brown, Fats Domino, Rufus Thomas, Smiley Lewis and was especially influenced by the vocal phrasing of Louis Jordan.

U-Roy was not the first Jamaican deejay but he was the first to enjoy massive popularity and his influence on countless deejays down through the years is undeniable. He differed from Sir Lord Comic, Count Machuki and King Stitt in that he rode the rhythm all the way through the song instead of just interjecting a word or phrase here and there. His robust voice could hold a crowd transfixed at a dancehall or sound system and his witty jive talking style had no peer.

U-Roy has stated "First, I used to love this deejay by the name of Count Machuki. He used to play a sound named Sir Coxsone's.I like his style because this man is a man who you can understand what he talking about.He don't talk no stupidness. He don't clash with no vocals and stuff like that. I used to love that.That's really the man who inspire me to do certain things.But my style is kinda different from Machuki or other people's style. because I just do things the way I feel."

In 1969 U-Roy recorded his first tracks for Lee Perry, Bunny Lee and Keith Hudson but it was the following year for Duke Reid that he dropped three massive hits.All were U-Roy riding the rhythms of recent rock steady classics. So Duke Reid now was making money twice from the same rhythm. These rock steady songs from just a few years earlier were so appealing then and just as appealing now with U-Roy voicing them. In fact, these deejay records were now outselling some of the most popular singers on the island. U-Roy's first three records for Duke Reid, "Wake the Town," "Rule the Nation" and "Wear You To the Ball" were irresistible and just like that U-Roy had the top three records on the Jamaican charts.

Here is U-Roy recording over the Melodians song "You have Caught Me" which we referenced in the Rock Steady The Groups part of our survey. This is great!!

U-Roy recalls "Tubby's used to play a lot of Duke Reid and Coxsone music. John Holt came to a dance one night and hear me deejaying on one of his records, and went back to Duke Reid and tell him about this. So Duke Reid tell Tubby's that he want to talk to me. To tell the truth I did not want to talk to him. I know this man have a whole heap of gun around him. When I see him I think he try to intimidate people .and I never like that. But then I go to him and we talk and I do the first two tunes for him--"Wake the Town" and "Rule the Nation." Believe you me, when I do the two tunes I never had the slightest idea it was going to be the way it was. Because we never thought people would ever make money out of this deejay business, talking over records .But the tunes release, got played on the radio, and people started to check me different from now. The two tunes come out, and play on the radio a lot until they reach number one and two. That was a big surprise. I was never checking for that. even when I start deejay sound system, if somebody ever tell me a time would come when I'd buy a $100 shirt, I'd laugh. I did it for fun."

U-Roy's first two albums, Version Galore (1971) and U.Roy (1974), subsequently renamed With Words Of Wisdom, would make a fine purchase, especially later reissues on Trojan and Virgin Front Line respectively. I would steer clear of a first Jamaican pressing of Version Galore on Treasure Isle Jamaican first pressings from this time period are a hit and miss affair as far as condition is concerned. While these two albums are good, each is missing crucial U-Roy tracks. Instead I'm recommending Super Boss, a compilation that gathers together all his breakthrough sides for Duke Reid. You get 27 tracks of great Jamaican music! Discogs has 6 listings for the CD starting at $25. The 2LP compilation starts at $50.

U-Roy Super Boss + U-Roy quotes Originally issued on Lagoon in 1992.

We'll hear the original track first, then U-Roy's version

"Girl I've Got a Date"

(Classic Alton Ellis song. We recommended two of his albums in Starting A Jamaican Music Collection Part 2a Rock Steady The Singers)

"Wake the Town"

(U-Roy's startling debut for Duke Reid. The first deejay record to be #1 in Jamaica, beating out much more established singers. An unforgettable, game changing track.)

"Love Is Not a Gamble"

(We posted this song in Starting a Jamaican Music Collection Part 2b Rock Steady The Groups. I called it "sublime" U-Roy certainly picked some very special songs to make his own.)

"Rule the Nation"