The Power Of The Word

A tribute to the Jamaican deejays who started the jiving or toasting tradition in the 1950s and 1960s and then refined it in the 1970s when it reached its golden age. Some of these deejays like U-Roy, I-Roy, and Dillinger had international careers and became quite popular in Europe in the mid-1970s. Others had to be contented with local careers and were less successful as recording artists. But all the deejays mentioned in this book made great records and extended the Jamaican oral tradition that gave birth to their art. So, after delving into some aspects of the Jamaican oral tradition, this book traces the history of the Jamaican deejay tradition from the 1950s, with pioneers like Count Matchuki, to the late 1970s, with innovators like Mikey Dread and Tapper Zukie.