DJs and Toasting in Jamaica

Along with the rise of ska came the popularity of Deejays like King Stit, Sir Lord Comic and innovator Count Matchuki, who started talking stylistically over the rhythms of famous songs at sound systems. In Jamaica music, the Deejay is the one who work talks (which is known elsewhere as the MC) and the selector is the person who chooses the records. The popularity of Deejays as an essential units of the sound system, created a need for instrumental songs, as well as instrumental version of the famous vocal songs.

In the late 1960s, producers like Lee Perry and King Tubby started stripping the choral away from the tracks recorded for sound system parties, with the bare beast and bass playing and the lead instruments dropping in and out of the mix. Deejays started toasting or delivering funny and often provoking jabs at fellow Deejays and local artists.  Over time, toasting became an increasingly difficult activity, and became as big a draw as the dance beats played behind it. In early 1970s, Deejays like DJ Kool Herc took the practice of toasting to the New York City, where it changed into rap music. The basic elements of the hip pop boasting raps, rival possess, uptown throw-downs and political commentary were all present in the Trinidadian music as long ago as the 1800s, and however they did not reach the form of the commercial recordings until the 1920-s and 30s. calypso like other forms of music it continued to change through the 50s and 60s, when rock steady and reggae ensembles looked to make their music a form of the national and even international black resistance, they took calypso’s instance. Calypso itself, like the Jamaica music, moved back and forth between the majority of the boasting and toasting songs packed with slackness and sexual insinuation and a more topical, conscious style and political.