4 months ago
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When legendary sound clash titan David ‘Ram Jam’ Rodigan takes control of the wheels of steel on February 8 at Tranquillity Gardens, Dunn’s River Park, in St Ann, to play “with” — the promoter insists that it’s not “against” — his nemesis, Bass Odyssey, true sound clash fans know that tranquil is not necessarily the first word that comes to mind.
Rodigan, “the best black music presenter on British radio”, was awarded an Order of Distinction by the Government of Jamaica in 2020 for his global promotion of Jamaican music. He is currently in the island on vacation, but, as fate would have it, the dates have aligned perfectly with the birthday bash for his good friend Gary Thompson, and, when asked to play at the event, Rodigan agreed.
“Me and Rodigan friendship go back years and years … decades,” an excited Thompson told The Sunday Gleaner. “I know that he really just wants to cool out while here in Jamaica, and I respect that, so I am thankful … happy … that he will be at Tranquillity Gardens to help me celebrate my 60th. And, it’s not a clash … it’s a juggling, but yuh know, music is music, so, as Rodigan seh, ‘we just going to let the music breathe’.”
In an interview on CVM Television last week, Rodigan spoke of his years of friendship with Thompson and said that he was looking forward to playing with Bass Odyssey.
“They’ve been my nemesis over the years,” Rodigan said.
It was in April 1999 that Rodigan and Bass Odyssey had an epic clash Club Warehouse in Brooklyn NY and videos of them playing ‘dub fi dub’ at 2012 World Clash at Reset are thrilling.
“I’ve been welcomed into Jamaica as a clash DJ and I never thought that would have happened. So big up to Bodyguard Sound because they were the first ones to invite me back in 1991 in May Pen, and that was crazy,” Rodigan said during the CVM interview.
Bass Odyssey has not publicly said anything about this juggling, but they did remind that it’s 2025 and they are “still strong like cerasse tea”.
The Genesis
In a 2020 interview with The Gleaner, Rodigan shared how he became a sound clash DJ.
“It started in 1983 when I clashed with Barry G on JBC Radio one Saturday night, and Jamaica loved what we did. The most famous clash was in 1985. It’s now known as the ‘Sleng Teng Clash’. Then we took the clash to the Brooklyn Empire in ‘85, and it was a roadblock!” he recalled.
By the early ‘90s, he had started clashing with the big Jamaican sounds like Bodyguard and then Kilimanjaro and Bass Odyssey. “I then started playing in World Clash shows promoted by Irish and Chin, and I won World Clash in 2012, which was a great night,” he shared.
In one of the popular clash videos on YouTube, after playing exclusive dub plates from Phyllis Dillon, Super Cat, Prince Buster and Tenor Saw and getting mega “fawuds”, Rodigan took time to count his blessings.
“For me, it has always been about the music and the blessings I have had to meet the stars who made the music. In December when the snow was falling in Brooklyn, I cut this dubplate in 1985,” he told the massive as Tenor Saw’s Ring di Alarm blazed through the dance, sending fans into a frenzy.
Rodigan is the very soul of humility and has proven to be an exceptional student of Jamaican music. But he unwittingly opened a can of worms when he posted a clip on social media fom the CVM interview and host Khadine ‘Miss Kitty’Wilkinson describing him as a “foundation” of reggae music.
The chat got festive as persons clashed with each other, rather than waiting for February 8 at Tranquillity Park, Dunn’s River, St Ann, Jamaica.
This is the comment that started it all: “She is calling Rodigan foundational. What exactly is he a foundation of? He is someone who is using our culture to his benefit. There’s nothing fundamental about what he’s doing.”
While some agreed, many more sought to educate. Below are some of the comments:
“Sir Coxsone opened many many doors for Rodigan but he definitely is not the foundation in any way, shape or form. Educate yourself first before you say these inaccurate/ridiculous statements.”
“Kitty a worship Massa. If it was a Jacan artiste she would skaan!”
“He brought reggae culture to the UK. From the 1970s through until today. He has educated at least four generations. If you knew about UK culture, you’d know this. If it wasn’t for Mr R, I never would have known about reggae, selection and sound clash culture. I would never have heard of Jammy, Stone Love, Shabba, Gregory, Dennis and all the other elements of reggae. In the UK, Mr R is the man who brought reggae to UK shores and is highly respected within the music industry.”
“Those of us in their 60s who grew up in the UK will forever be grateful to Rodigan for bringing us our two-hour show on a Saturday night when few stations wouldn’t barely play any reggae at all. Rodigan would bring all the new releases from yard and DROP them. Nobody went out of their yard on a Saturday night while Rodigan was on the radio, and, when the show done, then it was time to go party and clubbing. I still have I don’t know how many cassettes that I taped from those Saturday night Rodigan shows!!!”
“Yes, I remember listening to him on the radio, on a Saturday night, and he gave us the music we wanted to hear, no other radio presenter wanted to know our music, so he is a legend in his own rights. He brought reggae music to us in the UK., when no other radio stations wanted to know our music.”
Rodigan has already addressed this whole cultural appropriation scenario. He told The Gleaner in 2020 that he has issues with the term “because I fail to see why someone’s genuine love and appreciation of a particular culture, art, or music should be seen as an appropriation of it simply because they are not from the culture that originated the art form”.
“But I do strongly object to individuals and organisations that misuse a culture by hijacking for monetary gain and then discarding it. That’s totally unacceptable, but it has always pervaded the world of business and commerce. The arts, in all their truest forms, from music to dance, etc, are created by artists, and it’s morally wrong for the world not to be allowed to appreciate it.”
Ready to play some music on Febraury 8, Rodigan urged fans to come out early and promised that “I’ll be allowing the music to breathe”. Hopefully, that means “no bag a chatting” from the selector.
English (US) ·