Sunday Session: The Rise of the DeeJay: Part One

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Sunday Session: The Rise of the DeeJay: Part One

How Jamaican Toasting Gave Birth to a Global Movement

Dubmatix

Mar 30, 2025

Transcript

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.

This opened the doors for a wave of toasters: Big Youth, Dennis Alcapone, I-Roy, Prince Jazzbo, Dr. Alimantado, and many others. Their lyrics ranged from party vibes to sharp political commentary. Around the same time, dub pioneers like King Tubby and Lee "Scratch" Perry were crafting stripped-down, echo-heavy versions of tracks—the perfect canvas for DJs to ride.

By the mid-70s, toasting was everywhere. Artists like Mikey Dread and Linton Kwesi Johnson brought the style into new cultural spaces in the UK. Across the Atlantic, DJ Kool Herc—a Jamaican immigrant in the Bronx—began applying Jamaican sound system principles to American funk and soul. His extended breakbeats and rhythmic mic work laid the groundwork for hip hop. Herc directly credited U-Roy and King Stitt as his inspirations.

As the 70s ended, deejays like Yellowman and Brigadier Jerry were evolving the style into early dancehall. But the foundation had already been laid. Toasting turned the mic into a rhythm, storytelling, and resistance weapon. It transformed parties, shaped global genres, and gave birth to hip-hop.

From Kingston to the Bronx, the rise of the DJ is one of the most influential stories in modern music.

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