Ranking Dread: From Sound System Star to Infamous Outlaw

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Ranking Dread: From Sound System Star to Infamous Outlaw

Tracing the Journey of Winston Brown — the deejay who rose with Ray Symbolic and fell into crime

Dubmatix

Jun 25, 2025

Transcript

(You can also download the show from my Podbean site here)

This one-hour tribute mix dives into Ranking Dread’s essential recordings, spanning early hits like Fattie Boom Boom and Bandulu (Hard Times) 12" Version, classic B-sides, and a few dub-heavy treats. It's a portrait —showing both the musical heights and the underworld shadows of a man whose life blurred the line between deejay stardom and outlaw legend.

Early Life & Identity

Birth name: Winston Brown (also known as Robert Anthony Blackwood), born May 9, 1956, in Trelawny Parish, Jamaica
Grew up in the Rema and Tivoli ghettos of Kingston
Took on the stage name Ranking Dread, later adopting aliases like Errol Codling and Michael Dicks

Sound System Roots

Gained prominence on Jamaica’s Ray Symbolic sound system during the mid‑1970s
After relocating to London in the late 1970s, he joined Lloyd Coxsone’s sound system, performing alongside notable UK reggae acts

Recording Career & Producers

Official debut album: Girls Fiesta (1978), produced by Linval Thompson
Second album: Kunta Kinte Roots (1979)
Third album: Lots of Loving (1980)—produced with Sugar Minott, featuring backing from Sly & Robbie
Further releases include In Dub (1982) and later compilations like Most Wanted

Hit Tracks & Style

Notable songs: Fattie Boom Boom (minor UK hit in early 1980s), Super Star, Shut Me Mouth, If Nanny Was Here
Style: Slurred and interjected deejay delivery over digital reggae rhythms, mixing boasting lyrics with cultural commentary

Labels & Releases

Burning Sounds (UK) – Girls Fiesta, Kunta Kinte Roots
Greensleeves Records (UK) – Compilation and single features
Cha Cha Records – UK 12″ singles
Additional labels include Justice, Vista Sounds, Live & Love, Do It (tracks like Girls Fiesta)

Criminal Allegations & Downfall

Accused of involvement with Jamaica's Claude Massop and later the Shower Posse
Labeled “the most dangerous man in Britain” and a “Yardie Godfather” by UK media, appeared on The Cook Report
Criminal activities in the 1980s included drug dealing, armed robbery, and violent crime in Hackney, UK
Arrested in the UK (1988), deported; later arrested in Canada (1990) for immigration fraud and assault

Death & Legacy

Disappeared from the music scene in the mid‑1980s; reportedly died in a Jamaican prison in 1996
His gritty vocal style and raw narratives left a mark on early dancehall
Enjoys a cult following among vinyl collectors; featured occasionally in modern reggae compilations

Discography Snapshot

1978 Girls Fiesta Burning Sounds Linval Thompson
1979Kunta Kinte Roots Burning Sounds
1980Lots of Loving Burning Sounds Sugar Minott (Sly & Robbie backing)
1982 In Dub
2007Most Wanted (compilation)Various