Top Ten Dancehall Producers

1. Henry “Junjo” Lawes

Henry Lawes is the father of modern dancehall music and lifestyle he than most defined the genre in term of musical direction and lifestyle

2. Lloyd “King Jammy” James

King Jammy is the most prolific hit makers and innovator of dancehall in the 1980s and early 1990s. Jammy was responsible for the introduction the digital sound to Jamaican popular music and made dubplate an essential accessory of sound system culture

 

3. Clement “Coxsone” Dodd

One of the fathers of Jamaican music, Downbeat kick started dancehall with the music of Lone Ranger, Michigan and Smiley and Sugar Minott. His label Studio One, was responsible for the first dancehall album Live Loving Sugar Minott and dancehall classics such Nice up the Dance and Rub a Dub Style

4. Tony Kelly

The most prolific hit maker of the 1990s and early 2000s in terms of national and international output. Involved in major hits such as Flex Cobra Ghetto Red Hot Super Cat plus countless big songs such Chi Chi Man, King Of the Dancehall. Tony does not get the credit he deserve.

5. Dave Kelly

He made the most fun oriented dancehall songs as writer and producer, along the way giving dancehall a major hype. The 2000s belonged to Dave Kelly who despite his impact in Jamaica the Diaspora and the a Caribbean did not score a lot of big hits internationally

6. Steelie and Cleavie the most creative and innovative producers reintroducing traditional artform like mento, revival and pocomania in popular music. The duo drum track from Poco man Jump was the foundation of reggaeton in Panama and Porto Rico. They provided the most backing track for dancehall and did work for many international artists including Billy Ocean.

7. Bobby “Digital” Dixon 

Noted for his signature sound and seamless production values, Bobby ruled the 1990s and 2000s with hit songs galore from Shabba Ranks, Admiral Tibet Garnet Silk and Sizzla.

8. Donovan Germain

Noted for his work with Buju Banton, Wayne Wonder Tony Rebel and Cutty Ranks, Germain is known also for his seamless production values and his discography is an amazing blend of reggae and classic dancehall gems.

9. Sly and Robbie the best international producers of Jamaican music hands down the incredible catalogue started in the 1980s and continues into the present providing dancehall with an eclectic mix of sound and styles. Like dancehall fusion, One Pop and latrengae.

1. King Tubby

There could be no Dancehall genres without King Tubby, the Ruddock techniques were the essential toolkit for early dancehall and he also contributed the early digital sound. King Tubby not only redefine Jamaican recordings but also he changed the way music is produced and represented globally prefiguring Pro- tools technology.