I Roy

I.Roy

1944-1999

The latest sad news from Jamaica came with the death of deejay I.Roy

on Saturday 27th November 1999. Apparently he died of a heart attack.

Brought on it seems by the death of one of his sons in prison. Roy had

not been well for some time, and had recently been living on the

streets of Kingston.

Roy Reid aka I.Roy, along with U.Roy and Dennis Alcapone more or less

created deejaying as it is known today. I.Roy's output in the

seventies was incredible with some 25 albums released between 1973 and

1979. By the mid-seventies he had signed with Virgin, releasing a

number of works with them including a rap set - under his real name of

Roy Reid.

Roy had always used what is now known as 'Gangster Rap' in his

lyrics, usually working in the titles of the big black films of the

day. His sound system work included deejaying on the great King

Tubby's HiFi in the mid seventies. While in the early eighties he had

set up his own sound system - Turbotronic. Small Axe sends its

condolences to his friends and family.

I.Roy - Something - Impact 7".

Although I.Roy was in at the start of deejaying his contribution has

always been affected by the fact that he was next talking deejay to

U.Roy. To be accurate I.Roy had a yankee slang style that would be now

called rapping. Hubert Lee's great early seventies recut of 'Something

On Your Mind' provides him with great inspiration here.