I-Roy

Roy Samuel Reid, known professionally as I-Roy (1944–1999), was one of Jamaica’s most prolific and influential deejays of the 1970s. Born in Saint Thomas Parish, he began his musical journey through sound system culture, operating the Soul Bunny sound system while working as a government accountant. His talent was spotted by producer Harry Mudie, who renamed him I-Roy. Influenced by pioneers like U-Roy and Dennis Alcapone, I-Roy quickly made a name for himself with witty, rhythmically sharp vocal style and early singles such as “The Drifter,” “Musical Pleasure,” and “Sidewalk Killer.” After parting ways with Mudie, I-Roy worked with nearly every major Jamaican producer of the era, including Bunny Lee, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Derrick Harriott, and Gussie Clarke. His debut album Presenting I Roy (1973) was a major success, followed by Hell and Sorrow and The Many Moods of I-Roy. His lyrics were known for their humor, wordplay, and clever references to nursery rhymes and popular songs. During the mid-1970s, he enjoyed peak popularity, signed with Virgin Records, released multiple albums, and engaged in a famous lyrical rivalry with fellow deejay Prince Jazzbo. As reggae shifted toward the dancehall style in the 1980s, I-Roy’s popularity declined, and recurring health and financial struggles affected his later life, leading to periods of homelessness. Despite attempts to revive his career, including building a studio in Spanish Town, he never regained his former success. After the tragic death of one of his sons in prison, I-Roy died of heart failure in 1999 at age 55. He remains highly respected, remembered by figures like Linton Kwesi Johnson as “the mighty poet,” and rediscovered by new audiences after “Sidewalk Killer” appeared in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in 2004.