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U-Roy

Reggae music

World music

Dub

A pioneering reggae DJ who helped popularize the technique of toasting, U-Roy was born Ewart Beckford in Jones Town, Jamaica, on September 21, 1942. He began DJing in 1961, working with Kingston-based producers like Coxsone Dodd and King Tubby throughout the decade. His debut single, "Dynamic Fashion Way," was released in 1969. One year later, U-Roy began releasing material for Duke Reid's Treasure Isle label, including the album Version Galore and the Number 1 pop hit "Wake the Town." "Rule the Nation" and "Wear You to the Ball" both became Top 5 hits in Jamaica that same year, ...