I-Roy

Roy Samuel Reid (28 June 1944 – 27 November 1999), better known as I-Roy, was a Jamaican deejay who had a very prolific career during the 1970s.

Biography Born in 1944 in Saint Thomas Parish, Jamaica, Reid graduated from Dinthill Technical College before starting his musical career via his Soul Bunny sound system in 1968, running it on Victoria Pier on Wednesday afternoons, while working during the day as a government accountant. He went on to work on the Spanish Town-based Son's Junior sound system, where he was spotted by producer Harry Mudie, who renamed him 'I-Roy'. One of his most productive partnerships was with Gussie Clarke, who produced most of the tracks on his debut album, Presenting I Roy (1973), containing several hit singles recorded for the producer.

Hit singles with "Buck and the Preacher" and "Monkey Fashion" were followed by a second album, the mainly self-produced Hell and Sorrow, which was sufficiently popular in the UK that Reid relocated there to promote his third album, The Many Moods of I-Roy (1974), performing regularly at the Roaring 20s club with Sir Coxsone's sound system, and playing live shows backed by Matumbi. He returned to Jamaica, where, with the popularity of DJ records waning, he worked as house producer at Channel One Studios, although his work was generally credited to the studio owners. Later in 1975 he released the Truth & Rights album, compiling many of his hits from that year.

He gained renewed attention when the song "Sidewalk Killer" was used in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in the radio station called K-Jah West Radio.

Discography Studio albums Presenting I Roy (1973), Gussie/Trojan Hell and Sorrow (1974), Trojan Many Moods of I Roy (1974), Trojan Truths & Rights (1975), Grounation Step Forward Youth (1975), Live & Love - with Prince Jazzbo Can't Conquer Rasta (1976), Justice Crisus Time (1976), Caroline/Virgin Dread Baldhead (1976), Klik Ten Commandments (1977), Micron Heart of a Lion (1977), Front Line Musical Shark Attack (4 Feb 1977), Front Line The Godfather (1977), Third World The General (1977), Front Line World on Fire (1978), also released as “Word Magic” Front Line Cancer (1979), Virgin African Herbsman (1979), Joe Gibbs Hotter Yatta (1980), Harry J Whap'n Bap'n (1980), Virgin - produced by Dennis Bovell I Roy's Doctor Fish (1981), Imperial - also issued as The President (19??), Gorgon Outer Limits (1983), Hawkeye We Chat You Rock (1987), Trojan - with Jah Woosh The Lyrics Man (1990), Witty's Head To Head Clash (1990), Ujama - with Prince Jazzbo Sound System Anthology (1993), King's Music

Compilations The Best Of (1977), GG's Don't Check Me with No Lightweight Stuff (1997), Blood and Fire Touting I Self (2001), Heartbeat The Observer Book of I-Roy (2011), 17 North Parade Anthology 1969-1990 (2012), Attack