Prince Buster

Cecil Bustamente Campbell (24 May 1938 – 8 September 2016), professionally known as Prince Buster, was a towering figure in Jamaican music whose work in the 1960s helped define and shape ska, rocksteady, and early reggae. Born in Orange Street, Kingston, he grew up immersed in church music and American rhythm and blues, experiences that strongly influenced his musical direction. Before becoming an artist, he worked within Kingston’s sound system culture, notably with Coxsone Dodd, gaining firsthand knowledge of music selection, production, and promotion. In the early 1960s, Prince Buster launched his own sound system, Voice of the People, and soon turned to recording original material. His early releases and productions—most famously “Oh Carolina” by the Folkes Brothers—were groundbreaking, blending Jamaican rhythms with African-influenced Nyabinghi drumming. Throughout the decade, he released a string of hugely influential ska and rocksteady hits such as “Madness,” “One Step Beyond,” “Wash Wash,” “Al Capone,” and “Judge Dread,” becoming one of Jamaica’s most prolific and innovative artists. His music gained major traction in the UK, where songs like “Al Capone” entered the charts and helped fuel the global spread of ska. Although his output slowed in the 1970s as roots reggae rose to prominence, Prince Buster’s influence only grew with time. The UK 2-Tone movement of the late 1970s reintroduced his catalog to new audiences, with bands like Madness, The Specials, and The Beat heavily drawing from and covering his work. Awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in 2001, Prince Buster remained a revered elder statesman of Jamaican music until his death in 2016 in Miami, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape reggae and ska worldwide.