The Sounds of Jamaica

Meeting some of London's favourite selectors

It’s undeniable the cultural impact that Jamaica has had on the rest of the world, especially when it comes to music. Genres originating from the island, most notably Reggae and Dancehall, have gone on to influence numerous other significant genres, including the likes of Reggaeton, Rap and Grime, to name a few. And with the timeless sounds from musical greats such as Bob Marley, Lee “Scratch” Perry & Sister Nancy continuing to inspire the world of music to this day, as well as more recent pioneers like Popcaan, Koffee & Skillibeng (and all those who came in between) making their mark internationally, it’s fair to say Jamaica will always be established as one of the greatest musical origins.

For the release of the new adidas x Jamaica football collection, designed by Wales Bonner, we caught up with some of London’s hottest selectors to discuss their heritage, the influence it has had on the music they play today, and what we can expect to see next from them.

SNS : Just to start off... name your top 3 Jamaican songs of all time…

Shaun Sky : Owwww this one is always difficult to answer! I have a deep rotation, but my current favourites are Romain Virgo - Love Doctor, Chronixx - Thanks and Praise, Dexta Daps - Owner

Keyrah : Chronixx - Here Comes Trouble, Bob Marley - Could You Be Loved, Vybz Kartel - Gal a Weh Do You / Nah Let Go

ELLADHC : Skillibeng - She love Eastsyde, Vybz Kartel - Compass, Bitty McLean - Walk Away From Love

Malika Green : Jah Cure - That Girl, Sanchez - Missing You, Super Cat - Don Dada

Peart : Dennis Brown - Love & Hate, Sister Nancy - Bam Bam, Buju Banton - Champion

SNS : Tell us about yourselves, how you got into DJ'ing, and your type of DJ style…

Shaun Sky : I literally started DJ’ing in secondary school, at lunchtime to be exact; we used to throw a ‘shoobz’ in the theatre hall called “the space” which later transcended into house parties and school proms. I’d like to thing my DJ’ing style is an experience mixing different genres and swings, fusing contemporary flavours with nostalgic bites.

Keyrah : There’s a lot of factors that play into this, but the short answer is I fell into it through my love for music and wanting to work within the industry in some capacity. I don’t really let genres define what I play, I like to go for a pick-and-mix approach and allow my ear to make sense of it all.

ELLADHC : I started DJ’ing during lockdown off of the back of a comment that the scene needed more female dancehall DJ’s. Being obviously curious, I decided to buy a pair of pioneer decks. Unfortunately, they took several months to arrive (due to the worldwide microchip shortage) and I kinda gave up on the idea.. however, when they finally came, enough time had felt wasted so I was determined to consistently practice for at least 30 minutes every day. I was terrible at first, then eventually came around lol. My type of DJ style? I would call it many things, sporadic, experimental, current, spontaneous, and for sure, chaotic. I play what I want to hear as well as what I think others would and should want to hear, I don’t follow any rules of what should go next or how songs should be played but most of all, I make sure that my personality and heritage consistently shines through in my selections.

Malika Green : I got into DJ’ing for my love of music! One of my favourite movies is a film based in New York called “Juice” - this is when I first saw DJ’s scratching. From then, I knew I wanted to get into music at some point, and I started making combination mix CDs at school for people. I’ve always listened to a vast amount of music, and have an eclectic taste overall so it was only right I got into DJ’ing as time went on.

Peart : I used to put together a bunch of J Dilla beats into a mix (not beat-matched, just phasing out the tracks at the end) for revision at uni. Then in 2019 I wanted to commit to learning to beat match and DJ after being inspired from legendary nights out at Miranda/Ace Hotel.

SNS : How did your parents/family influence your music taste growing up - what kind of music were they playing?

Shaun Sky : With my dad being an avid record collector and former MC for a sound system, naturally Reggae music is a pillar in my household. My brother was a sweet boy lol, so slow jams, and R&B became my portion too, big up the sing along crew.

Keyrah : Road trips with my dad consisted of The Beatles, Thin Lizzy, Michael Jackson and The Police. My mum played a lot of The Osmonds, Queen, Prince and classic rock in the house, I’d say between the two of them I’m a bit of a rock chick at heart haha. They both have quite eclectic tastes in music so I’d say that’s reflected in mine too.

ELLADHC : My dad, Jamaican born and bred (St Mary <3), is a musician and singer; he plays a range of instruments such as the saxophone, trombone, drums, piano and flute. My mum plays the piano. I heard a lot of different types of music growing up because of them, which is why I enjoy playing pretty much every sound. I could find my dad sitting down with his MP3 player listening to all types of music, from classical to country, or RnB. He would also blast VYBZ FM through his stereo day or night. My mum’s music taste was more refined, she liked listening to Jazz FM before it was discontinued & turned into Smooth FM, but particularly enjoyed listening to the band Queen.

Malika Green : In my household I grew up listening to the likes of SOS band, Atlantic Starr, Meli’sa Morgan, Mary J. Blige, Blackstreet, Aaliyah, Erykah Badu, SuperCat, Red Rat, Beres Hammond, Sanchez, Beenie Man, to name a real small selection of artists. Through this I developed a real love for Dancehall, Hip Hop, RnB and Reggae! I’m all about music that tell stories and makes you wanna dance!

Peart : Both my parents are heavily into music. My mum would play all the modern R&B at the time, disco and funk each day. Older cousins were playing the 00s UKG, Grime and Jungle, whilst my dad would have stacks of Dub, Reggae and Dancehall, which I would explore for hours every weekend.

SNS : Are there any standout memories from your childhood where you were exposed to Jamaican music, and does this translate in your sets today?

Shaun Sky : Let me set the scene: it’s 2008 as a teen landing in Jamaica for the 3rd time. Waking up to humid air, graced with a hug from the warmth; in contrary to the temperatures that I was familiar to. My eyes slowly begin to open, as did my ears and heart, the rumble of my uncle’s Jeep speakers bellowing out “Brown Skin” by Richie Spice then followed (ever so smoothly) with Alaine “Heavenly”. These two songs carved my experience of Jamaica and revolve around my sonic solar system.

Keyrah : There’s a strong Jamaican presence in Birmingham and so music & culture comes hand in hand with that. Growing up if I went to a birthday party there’s a 99.9% chance the DJ was a yardie. They played a lot of dancehall and that’s still reflected in the music I play now.

ELLADHC : Standout memories? I remember my dad picking me up from school, I would know he had arrived because I would be able to hear him from class. He would stand outside the school gates playing his flute, or sitting down banging his mini drums. I remember him singing songs that I didn't even realise were by other Jamaican artists such as "My Boy Lollipop" (he would sing "my gyal lollipop”). Another standout memory would be learning steel pans in school or watching Sean Paul's “Like Glue” on tv for the first time. I know these experiences do translate into how I play today. I dabble in multiple genres, in a bit of everything really, but will always shamelessly try to combine whatever sounds with my foundation of Caribbean music.

Malika Green : My family are originally from Leeds, so growing up we used to go to a space called the West Indian centre. People would rent it out for different events like parties, subdubs and christenings. We’d go down there and hear the different sounds of music coming out of the Caribbean, but predominantly Jamaica. It gave you a real sense of the culture and felt like a home away from home. I always aim to bring those authentic vibes to my sets!

Peart : When I was young, I spent a little time out in Jamaica. I remember walking through Mandeville and seeing street parties. Remembering seeing the energy from everyone and the community at the street parties, inspired my sets today to have a key focus on taking people on a memorable musical journey.

SNS : Is there anything that you want to do in the near future to bring the Jamaican culture forward?

Shaun Sky : Continue to share my experiences and knowledge of the culture that I was manufactured in. I would love to be on the land and study in the mountains with the natives, further exploring and learning about myself from the source/sauce.

Keyrah : I think as long as we all continue to expose Jamaican culture to new and fresh environments, collectively we’ll bring it forward. Wales Bonner debuted this shirt on a runway at Paris Fashion Week - that’s the level of exposure we should all aspire to aim for.

ELLADHC : Definitely! There is a lot I have planned, from DJ workshops to presenting, it would also be great to teach worldwide and combine different types of Caribbean music with “newer” sounds such as future beats. I always want to keep that nostalgia that Jamaican music holds, but show how malleable it is. It could never lose its essence, in any environment.

Malika Green : Continue to play Jamaican music at every opportunity! There’s so much influence in it that we can hear in many other genres and it’s important that we keep the vibes up!

Peart : I think there is a lot of talent in Jamaica, not just in music and athletics. So I would love to create spaces in Jamaica to allow people to hone in on their creativity.

SNS : And on a more general note, what can we expect to see next from you?

Shaun Sky : We stay flying.

Keyrah : New sets, new music and new experiences

ELLADHC : A whole lot. I intend to come out of my comfort zone a lot more this year so that I can excel in what I already know. I never know myself but good great things only.

Malika Green : I’ve got a couple things coming up; obviously continuing with the events and festivals, but I hope to bring some different flavours to my roster.

Peart : This year I’m looking to expand from 2022. Host more workshops, be more hands on with visual campaigns for future parties. Just taking myself out of my comfort zone and challenging myself this year.