Roots Archives Forum

I know I Roy sits on the throne of DJing, but I would want to argue that on any day, Big Youth could give
him a run for his money. First material I listened to was way back and it was the Isiaah First Prophet of Old LP(absolute gem, especially the title track). Now after listing to some of his 7s on the Negusa Nagast label...tracks such as Peace At Last/Royal Line Of David ,Spiderman Meets Hulk, Mr. Right(on the Can I Change My Mind riddim), etc, I'm prepared to say Big Youth would make it into the top 5 of Jamaica's best DJs.

What do you say!!!?

You would probably be arguing only with yourself!

Big Youth took DJing to incedible new heights. I-Roy was certainly clever, but not an originator the way Youth was. The only throne I-Roy sits on is the one that governs your personal opinion.

davek wrote:You would probably be arguing only with yourself!

Big Youth took DJing to incedible new heights. I-Roy was certainly clever, but not an originator the way Youth was. The only throne I-Roy sits on is the one that governs your personal opinion.

He he he...I actually meant U Roy.My mistake.
In fact, I would want to say my earlier post was just an
inch away from giving Big Youth the title.

Dave, will that change your response ?

I rate U Roy much more higher that Big Youth in the DJ'ing style, he is very much innovative & stylish. His nasal & pronounciation of words makes him stand out from the rest in my opinion.

I like Big Youth as much, his flowing smiling when chanting inna fine style...A Luta Continua!

Reggae has got the best artists who are very much creative in each way...no better feel no way.

Jah Guide,
Selah!

I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I really never got in to the sound of Big Youth. I have a couple of LP's but I can't say that I've given any of them the time they probably deserve. Still waiting for the day he'll make sense for me. But as of this moment I think he can be a bit dull. Same goes for U-Roy though (I know ... I'm making an ass of my self here ... hahaha). But I've always been enjoying the late 70's and forward deejays more than the originators.

I'd have to agree with you, in my opinion Big Youth is one of the top DJ's in Jamaica. Chi Chi Run one of my fav LPs although its not stricly Big Youth.
I dont know if hes better then U-Roy or not, I dont care much either! He just sounds good, so does U Roy.

digitalJ wrote:davek wrote :You would probably be arguing only with yourself!

Big Youth took DJing to incedible new heights. I-Roy was certainly clever, but not an originator the way Youth was. The only throne I-Roy sits on is the one that governs your personal opinion.

He he he...I actually meant U Roy.My mistake.
In fact, I would want to say my earlier post was just an
inch away from giving Big Youth the title.

Dave, will that change your response ?

It does. U-Roy popularized the form on record when he had simultaneous chart hits in 1970.

But Youth took DJing to internalitional heights, and was the first rasta superstar. A lot of people started growing locks after his break-through. One producer told me that it was Youth's success that made Marley decide to grow locks, and move out of his "soul man" period.

As for "favourites", mine change quite often, but both U-Roy and Big Youth will alwsys be at or near the top.

davek wrote: One producer told me that it was Youth's success that made Marley decide to grow locks, and move out of his "soul man" period.

and what breakthrough record of Big Youth might that be? marley had started growing his locks in 1970, 71 - can't think of any BY hit from that era, certainly none that gainded international success...

ice wrote:davek wrote : One producer told me that it was Youth's success that made Marley decide to grow locks, and move out of his "soul man" period.


and what breakthrough record of Big Youth might that be? marley had started growing his locks in 1970, 71 - can't think of any BY hit from that era, certainly none that gainded international success...

Youth was DJing Tippatone at the time, and was wildly popular in JA before his international success. Big Youth saw the version side as an open canvas to expound upon any subject he wanted to, and not just to continue the lyrical theme of the "A" side. IMO, he is one of the few JA srtists that can rightly be called "genius".

"Screaming Target" changed people's lives when it came out, and ushered in the possibility of an artist appearing on an LP cover wearing dreadlocks.....even before Bob did. Check your cover of "Screaming Target" (from 1972), where you see Youth with gorgon locks. Big Youth broke the "dreadlock barrier" in reggae, and created a wake that others rode.

The comment was actually made by Bunny Lee, and I don't think it was meant to desparage Bob as much as it was to simply recount history as he saw it (and he was pretty close to it....).

I've never actually been able to understand the majority of Big Youth's toasting. His accent is really thick and he 'chats' fast.

I just find myself only picking up the odd word here and there and have literally no idea what most of his tracks are even supposed to be about.

Not a criticism. Just an observation.