Solid Gold U-Roy will soon be available on Trojan Jamaica, a few months after the death of the Jamaican toast pioneer, at seventy-eight years old.
The label Trojan Jamaica pays tribute to the Jamaican deejay, whose name is forever etched into the dancehall of his native country. Ewart Beckford, of his real name, was born in 1942 in Kingston. From the 60s, he gained considerable success and was appreciated by the public for his energy, reminiscent of American rhythm’n’blues! A sound system popularizer, U Roy was also known for his deep lyrics and his collaborations with Bunny Wailer, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Peter Tosh and Mad Professor.
The release of Solid Gold U-Roy, scheduled for 2020, was eventually delayed, due to the consequences of the health crisis. Trojan Jamaica now makes this artist eternal, alongside Jesse Royal, Mick Jones, Shaggy, Sly & Robbie or Ziggy Marley. In the “Man Next Door” video, U-Roy seems bright and benevolent, as if he were the godfather of American Santigold, singing: “There’s a man next door, in my neighborhood, he depresses me, he comes home so late at night, always fussing and fighting, always fighting and fussing, all night long. I have to get out of here, this is not a place for me to stay, I have to take my family, we will find a quiet place.”
Pre-order Solid Gold U-Roy before July 16, at Trojan Jamaica.
Catch U-Roy in our Songs of the Week playlist on Spotify and Deezer.
