Ranking Joe

Ranking Joe, also known as Little Joe (born Joseph Jackson on 1 July 1959 in Kingston, Jamaica), is a reggae deejay who emerged during the 1970s and maintained strong success into the 1980s. Influenced early by his father, who ran a sound system, Jackson was immersed in sound system culture from a young age. While in secondary school, he associated with future reggae figures such as Winston McAnuff, U-Brown, and Earl Sixteen, performing at concerts and developing his skills as a deejay. He began his career toasting on the Smith The Weapon sound system before joining the El Paso sound system, where he adopted the name Little Joe, inspired by the Bonanza character and musically influenced by U-Roy. His first recording came in 1974 at Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One with “Gun Court,” though early releases brought limited success. After briefly studying electronics, he returned to music in the mid-1970s and gained popularity with hits such as “Honda 750,” “Psalm 54,” “Natty Don’t Make War,” and “Steve Austin.” He also scored the first deejay hit for Sly & Robbie’s Taxi label with “Stop Your Coming and Come.” Ranking Joe released several albums in the late 1970s and continued working with major sound systems, including U-Roy’s King Sturgav. His international breakthrough came in 1980 when Ray Symbolic Hi Fi toured the UK, boosting sales of Weakheart Fadeaway on Greensleeves Records. During the early 1980s, his style evolved from socially conscious lyrics to the more popular slackness style. After Ray Symbolic’s death slowed his momentum, Joe transitioned into production work, contributing to King Tubby dub releases and later establishing his own Ranking Joe label in New York City. His influence extended to the next generation, notably shaping the style of Eek-A-Mouse.