Black Scorpio
Jack Scorpio | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Maurice Johnson |
Also known as | Black Scorpio |
Born | Jamaica |
Origin | Kingston, Jamaica |
Genres | Reggae, dancehall |
Occupation(s) | Sound system operator, record producer |
Years active | 1968–present |
Labels | Black Scorpio |
Black Scorpio is a Jamaican sound system and record label run by Maurice "Jack Scorpio" Johnson.
History[]
Johnson had started to operate a single turntable and speaker sound system in 1968 and started the Special I sound system in 1972, changing the name to Black Scorpio after the name caused friction in the area in which it was based, with the largely People's National Party-supporting locals suspecting sympathies with the Jamaica Labour Party due to its similarity to that party's slogan.[1][2] Also known as 'The Horseman Sound' to the close association of Johnson (who owned racehorses) and deejays that worked on the sound system (General Trees and ) with horse racing, it rose to become one of the top sounds in Jamaica.[2][3][4] Other deejays who worked on the system included Culture Lee, Shukashine, Barry Bak, and Lady G.[2] Black Scorpio expanded into a record label in the early 1980s with a studio on Molynes Road in the Drewsland area of Kingston.[5][6] Johnson had his first hit as producer in 1982 with "Pink Eye" by DJ Sassafrass, the pair having a bigger hit in 1985 with "Pocomania Jump", and Black Scorpio went on to become one of the top labels of the early era of ragga.[3][5]
Black Scorpio productions include recordings by Bunny Rugs, Dennis Brown (More), Gregory Isaacs (Consequence), Frankie Paul (True, Start of a Romance), Garnett Silk, King Kong, Mafia & Fluxy, Papa San (Style and Fashion), Capleton, Bounty killer, Pliers, Mega Banton, Barrington Levy, Beenie Man, and Luciano (Serve Jah).[3][5][7][8]
There are two sub-labels of Black Scorpio, Headley Avenue and Junior Scorpio, the latter named for Johnson's late son.[3]
In 2010, Johnson was inducted into the International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) Hall of Fame.[9]
References[]
- ^ Stolzoff, Norman C. (2000) Wake the Town and Tell the People: Dancehall Culture in Jamaica, Duke University Press, ISBN 978-0822325147, p. 96-7
- ^ a b c Lesser, Beth (2008) Dancehall: The Rise of Jamaican Dancehall Culture, Soul Jazz, ISBN 978-0-9554817-1-0, p. 81
- ^ a b c d Oumano, Elena (1995) "Jamaica's Reggae Industry Comes of Age", Billboard, 4 February 1995, p. 1, 97-98, retrieved 8 September 2012
- ^ Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn., Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-329-4, p. 248
- ^ a b c Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-7535-0242-9, p. 19, 41, 52, 154, 178, 217, 235, 268
- ^ "Survivalist is 'Glad To Be Alive'", Jamaica Observer, 22 December 2009, retrieved 8 September 2012
- ^ "Luciano to 'Serve Jah' on European jaunt Archived 12 November 2004 at the Wayback Machine", Jamaica Gleaner, 28 March 2003, retrieved 8 September 2012
- ^ Moskowitz, David V. (2006) Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p. 32-3
- ^ Campbell, Howard (2010) "Queen Ifrica Rules Awards", Jamaica Gleaner, 11 May 2010, retrieved 8 September 2012
- Jamaican record labels
- Jamaican record producers
- Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica