Yabby You

Vivian Neville Jackson, better known as Yabby You, was born on 14 August 1946 in the Waterhouse district of Kingston, Jamaica. One of seven children, he left home at the age of twelve to work at a furnace, but malnutrition and illness left him hospitalized at seventeen with severe arthritis, partially crippling his legs. Despite these challenges, he pursued music, inspired by spiritual visions, and developed a unique religious perspective that emphasized the divinity of Jesus rather than Haile Selassie I, earning him the nickname “Jesus Dread.” Yabby You rose to prominence in the early 1970s with his self-produced roots reggae recordings. His breakthrough came with the 1972 single “Conquering Lion”, which featured the distinctive chant “Be-you, yabby-yabby-you”, solidifying his stage name. He became known for his devotional and apocalyptic lyrics, often collaborating with King Tubby on dub versions of his tracks. Beyond his own music, Yabby You worked as a producer with notable reggae artists including Wayne Wade, Michael Rose, Michael Prophet, Big Youth, and Dillinger, helping to shape the sound of roots reggae while continuing to release his own material. His influence extended into film and later generations of musicians. Songs such as “Deliver Me From My Enemies” and “Free Africa” appeared in the 1980 British film Babylon, and his work was later remixed by artists like Smith and Mighty and Apollo 440. Yabby You continued recording and performing into the 1990s, even with physical limitations, and his legacy was honored with reissues including the acclaimed Jesus Dread set and the 2014 box set Dread Prophecy. He passed away on 12 January 2010 at the age of 63, leaving a lasting mark as a foundational figure in roots reggae and dub music.