Ranking Joe

Ranking Joe

Also known as: Joe Jackson, Little Joe

Ranking Joe a.k.a. Little Joe (born Joseph Jackson, 1 July 1959, Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae deejay who rose to prominence in the 1970s and had continuing success in the 1980s.

Biography
Jackson was initially inspired towards a musical career by his father, who operated a sound system. He attended secondary school with Winston McAnuff, U Brown and Earl Sixteen, and they would perform concerts. After starting out by toasting on the Smith The Weapon sound system, Jackson progressed to the El Paso sound system, where he performed under the name Little Joe (inspired by the character from Bonanza), inspired greatly by U-Roy. He first recorded for Coxsone Dodd's Studio One in 1974, releasing "Gun Court". Initially unsuccessful as a recording artist, he studied electronics before returning to recording in the mid-1970s with greater success, having a hit with "Honda 750", which was followed by singles such as "Psalm 54", "Natty Don't Make War" and the Bionic Man-tribute "Steve Austin". "Stop Your Coming and Come" provided the first deejay hit for Sly & Robbie's Taxi label. In the latter half of the 1970s he released three albums and also returned to sound system work with U-Roy's King Sturgav setup. His big break in international terms came in 1980, when the Ray Symbolic Hi Fi sound system, with which he was then the resident deejay, toured the United Kingdom, raising his profile and helping his Weakheart Fadeaway become a major seller for Greensleeves Records. A string of further albums followed in the early 1980s, which saw Joe move away from the "cultural" chants of his early work towards the "slackness" that had become popular. Ray Symbolic's death interrupted Joe's career, but he returned as a producer, with dubs of his productions released on the King Tubby albums Original King Key Dub and Dangerous Dub. He later moved to New York City, setting up a record label, also named Ranking Joe, which provided an outlet for his productions. He proved to be a major influence on one of the most successful deejays of the early 1980s, Eek-A-Mouse.

Albums (15)

Compilations (1)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
The Man And His Music Ranking Joe The Man And His Music
Mr Finnigan
YHR 1175 CD Jasrac 197X 1997

Credits & Appearances (33)

Production
Arranger 1
Armageddon
Kingdom • 1982
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Armageddon Ranking Joe Armageddon KVL 9010 LP Kingdom 1982 1982
Producer 17
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
I Shall Not Remove Cornell Campbell I Shall Not Remove BAFCD 030 CD Blood And Fire 1975-80 2000
Dub It In A Dance Ranking Joe Dub It In A Dance TRLS 194 LP Trojan 1980 1980
Shaolin Temple Ranking Joe Shaolin Temple DSR 6051-6052 LP Sharp Axe 1980 1980
Disco Skate Ranking Joe Disco Skate COP LP 5003 LP Copasetic 1981 1981
King At The Control King Tubby King At The Control TRD LP 41181 LP Tad's 1981 1981
Reggae In The City Tony Tuff Reggae In The City TR 528 LP TR International 1981 1981
Dangerous Dub King Tubby Meets The Roots Radics Dangerous Dub COP LP 5002 LP Copasetic 1981 1981
Showcase Ranking Joe Showcase TRDLP 4981 LP Tad's 1981 1981
Roots Radics Dub Errol Flabba Holt Roots Radics Dub TRLP 4881 LP Tad's 1981 1981
Tribute To John Lennon Ranking Joe Tribute To John Lennon TRDLP 12181 LP Tad's 1981 1981
Super Duper Earl Sixteen Super Duper JR 536 LP Time 1982 1982
Armageddon Ranking Joe Armageddon KVL 9010 LP Kingdom 1982 1982
John Tom Earl Cunningham John Tom LP Time 1984 1984
The Champions Clash Frankie Paul & Leroy Sibbles The Champions Clash KVL 9024 LP Kingdom 1985 1985
Bad Man Simple Simon Bad Man KVL 9023 LP Kingdom 1985 1985
Reggae Stars Explosion Vol 1 Various Artists Reggae Stars Explosion Vol 1 KVL 9022 LP Kingdom 1985 1985
Artist Of The 80's Barry Brown Artist Of The 80's TR 509 LP TR International 198X 1980
Technicians
Mixing Engineer 1
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
The Champions Clash Frankie Paul & Leroy Sibbles The Champions Clash KVL 9024 LP Kingdom 1985 1985
Musicians
Percussions 1
Comp. Vortex Dub
Orange Street • 197X-8X
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Vortex Dub Prince Lincoln & Rasses Vortex Dub CDUB 23 CD Orange Street 197X-8X 2003
Vocals 12
Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
The Best Of Ranking Joe Ranking Joe The Best Of Ranking Joe TR 7661 LP State Line 1977 1977
Weakheart Fadeaway Ranking Joe Weakheart Fadeaway GREL 2 LP Greensleeves 1978 1978
The Man And His Music Ranking Joe The Man And His Music YHR 1175 CD Jasrac 197X 1997
Shaolin Temple Ranking Joe Shaolin Temple DSR 6051-6052 LP Sharp Axe 1980 1980
Zion High Ranking Joe With Black Uhuru And Dennis Brown Zion High BAFCD 043 CD Blood And Fire 1980 2003
Saturday Night Jamdown Style Ranking Joe Saturday Night Jamdown Style GREL 16 LP Greensleeves 1980 1980
Natty Superstar Ranking Joe Natty Superstar JGML 6035 LP Joe Gibbs 1980 1980
Tribute To John Lennon Ranking Joe Tribute To John Lennon TRDLP 12181 LP Tad's 1981 1981
Showcase Ranking Joe Showcase TRDLP 4981 LP Tad's 1981 1981
Disco Skate Ranking Joe Disco Skate COP LP 5003 LP Copasetic 1981 1981
Armageddon Ranking Joe Armageddon KVL 9010 LP Kingdom 1982 1982
Rebel DJ Ranking Joe Rebel DJ LP Jam Rock 1982 1982

Also Appears On (38)

Artist Album Release Type Label Rec Rel
Champion D.Js From Studio 1 Various Artists Champion D.Js From Studio 1 SOCD 50151 CD Studio 1
Studio One Dj's Vol 2 Various Artists Studio One Dj's Vol 2 SJRCD 137 CD Soul Jazz 2006
Studio One Soul 2 Various Artists Studio One Soul 2 SJRCD 128 CD Soul Jazz 2006
In Memoriam Various Artists In Memoriam JGECD 012 CD Crazy Joe 1968-80 2008
The Trojan Story Vol 1&2 Various Artists The Trojan Story Vol 1&2 TALL 100-200 LP Trojan 196X-7X
DJ Andy Smith Presents Trojan Document Various Artists DJ Andy Smith Presents Trojan Document TJZCD 317 CD Trojan 196X-8X 2006
Trojan Slack Reggae Box Set Various Artists Trojan Slack Reggae Box Set TJETD 348 CD Trojan 196X-8X 2007
If Deejay Was Your Trade Various Artists If Deejay Was Your Trade BAFCD 001 CD Blood And Fire 1974-77 1994
Dread Locks In Jamaica Various Artists Dread Locks In Jamaica LALP 05 LP Live And Love 1976 1976
The Joe Gibbs DJ Albums Collection Various Artists The Joe Gibbs DJ Albums Collection DBCDD 119 CD Doctor Bird 1976-80 2023
Hits Of 77 Various Artists Hits Of 77 DBCDD 051 CD Doctor Bird 1977 2019
Culture And The Deejays At Joe Gibbs Culture & Friends Culture And The Deejays At Joe Gibbs VPCD 4116 CD 17 North Parade 1977-79 2008
Green Bay Killing Various Artists Green Bay Killing LP 56810 LP Pantomine 1978 1978
Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 Various Artists Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 SAVL 1001 LP Savannah 1978 1978
Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 Various Artists Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 CD Castle Communication 1978
Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 Various Artists Roots Rock Reggae Vol 2 DBCDD 058 CD Doctor Bird 1978 2020
Irie Reggae Hits Various Artists Irie Reggae Hits DBCDD 106 CD Doctor Bird 1979 2022
Top Ranking DJ Session Vol 1&2 Various Artists Top Ranking DJ Session Vol 1&2 DBCDD 110 CD Doctor Bird 1979-80 2022
Different Fashion Various Artists Different Fashion DBCDD 072 CD Doctor Bird 1979-81 2021
Joe Gibbs Presents Dancehall Stylee Various Artists Joe Gibbs Presents Dancehall Stylee DBCDD 117 CD Doctor Bird 1979-81 2023
The Biggest Dancehall Anthems Various Artists The Biggest Dancehall Anthems GREZCD 4101 CD Greensleeves 1979-82 2002
Strictly Rub-A-Dub Various Artists Strictly Rub-A-Dub CDTRL 439 CD Trojan 1979-85 2000
12'' Reggae Discomix Showcase Vol. 1 Joe Gibbs 12'' Reggae Discomix Showcase Vol. 1 VPCD 4159 CD 17 North Parade 197X 2009
Can't Stop The Dread Various Artists Can't Stop The Dread DBCDD 068 CD Doctor Bird 197X 2021
Mandingo Klassiks Various Artists Mandingo Klassiks MLP 002 LP Mandingo 197X 1989
Step Forward Youth Various Artists Step Forward Youth VPGS 7059 CD Greensleeves 197X 2018
Joe Gibbs Original DJ Classics Vol 3 Various Artists Joe Gibbs Original DJ Classics Vol 3 RGCD 0019 CD Rocky One 197X-8X
Trojan Dancehall Box Set Various Artists Trojan Dancehall Box Set TRBCD 023 CD Trojan 197X-8X 2000
Clarks In Jamaica Various Artists Clarks In Jamaica VPGS 7034 CD Greensleeves 197X-9X 2015
Ready When You Ready Various Artists Ready When You Ready GUMSCDXX007 CD Smugg 197X-9X 2002
Heavyweight Dub Champion Scientist Heavyweight Dub Champion GRE 2104 CD Greensleeves 1980 2016
Rub-A-Dub Soldiers Various Artists Rub-A-Dub Soldiers MKS 18 CD Makasound 1980-83 2007
Dub Landing Scientist Dub Landing VPGS 7052 CD Greensleeves 1981 2018
Shank I Sheck Various Artists Shank I Sheck TRD LP 41381 LP Tad's 1982 1982
Shank I Sheck Various Artists Shank I Sheck CD Tad's 1982 2024
Allform Various Artists Allform MAHLP 004 LP Mandingo 1983 1983
Smashing Superstars Various Artists Smashing Superstars STLP 1015 LP Vista 1983 1983
Hidden Treasures Various Artists Hidden Treasures ES 1003 CD Easy Star 198X 1999
16 albums
33 credits
18 labels
1977 - 2003