Wayne Smith

Wayne Smith (born Ian Flemmings Smith, 5 December 1965 – 17 February 2014) was a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist best remembered for his groundbreaking 1985 hit “(Under Mi) Sleng Teng.” Raised in the Waterhouse area of Kingston, Smith began performing on sound systems and recording music at just 14 years old. He worked closely with producer Prince Jammy, his neighbour, who produced Smith’s early albums Youthman Skanking (1982) and Smoker Super (1985). His early work blended roots reggae consciousness with the slower, more spacious dancehall style of the time, supported by musicians such as Earl “Chinna” Smith, Roots Radics, and engineers like Scientist and King Tubby. Smith’s most influential moment came in the mid-1980s with the release of “Under Me Sleng Teng,” a song widely credited with launching the digital era of reggae and dancehall. Built on a preset rhythm from the Casio MT-40 keyboard, the track marked a dramatic shift away from live instrumentation toward digital production. The song’s success reshaped reggae and directly influenced later genres such as ragga, jungle, drum and bass, and rave music. Smith followed up with additional hits including “Come Along” and “Ain’t No Meaning in Saying Goodbye,” further cementing his place in reggae history. In 1989, Smith relocated to New York, where he founded Sleng Teng Records and collaborated with producers across Jamaica, Europe, and the United States. He toured internationally later in life and returned to Jamaica in 2013, settling in Mandeville. Wayne Smith died on 17 February 2014 at the age of 48 after being hospitalized with severe stomach pains. Though his life was relatively short, his legacy remains immense, as “Sleng Teng” permanently transformed the sound and direction of reggae music worldwide.