U-Roy
Ewart Beckford OD (born 21 September 1942), known by the stage name U-Roy, is a Jamaican vocalist and pioneer of toasting. U-Roy is noted for a melodic style of toasting applied with a highly developed sense of timing.
Early life
Ewart Beckford was born in Jones Town, Saint Andrews Parish, Kingston, Jamaica, on 21 September 1942. He was raised within a religious and musical family; his mother was an organist for the choir at a local Seventh Day Adventist church. The sobriquet U-Roy originated from a younger member of his family who found it difficult to pronounce his first name. Beckford attended Denham Town High School in Kingston. As a young man Beckford listened to the music of Louis Prima, James Brown, Ruth Brown, Fats Domino, Rufus Thomas, Smiley Lewis and was especially influenced by the vocal phrasing of Louis Jordan.
Career
Inspired by Count Matchuki he started his professional career as a DJ in 1961 on Dickie Wong's sound system (originally called Doctor Dickies later changed to Dickies Dynamic) moving later to the Sir George the Atomic sound system. Beckford then worked on Sir Coxsone Dodd's sound system where he ran the number two set while King Stitt "The Ugly One" ran the main set. This was followed by a period with Sir Percy before he moved to King Tubby's Hometown Hi-Fi sound system. Beckford's first single "Dynamic Fashion Way" (1969) was a Keith Hudson production. It was followed by the Bunny Striker Lee production "Earth's Rightful Ruler" with Peter Tosh.
Podcasts:
U-Roy
ALBUMS
- I Am the Originator released: 2009
- Rebel In Styylle released: 2003
- The Rightful Ruler released: 2003
- Version Galore released: 2002
- The Lost Album - Right Time Rockers released: 2001
- Serious Matter released: 2000
- Wake the Town released: 1999
- Trenchtown Rock released: 1999
- Your Ace From Space released: 1995
- Super Boss: The Great Treasure Isle Collection, Volume 1 released: 1994
- Musical Vision released: 1993
- Rock With I released: 1992
- Natty Rebel released: 1991
- Rasta Ambassador released: 1991
- True Born African released: 1991
- Version of Wisdom released: 1990
- Dread in a Babylon released: 1990
- Music Addict released: 1987
- Jah Son of Africa released: 1978
- The Lost Album - Right Time Rockers released: 1976
- Natty Rebel released: 1976
- Now released:
- Babylon Kingdom Must Fall released:
Version Galore
Released 2002- Your Ace From Space
- On the Beach
- Version Galore
- True Confession
- Tide Is High
- Things You Love
- The Same Song
- Happy Go Lucky Girl
- Rock Away
- Wear You to the Ball
- Don't Stay Away
- Hot Pop
- Wake the Town
- Big Boy & Teacher (a.k.a. What Is Catty)
- This Station Rule the Nation
- Love I Tender
- Tom Drunk
- True True
- I'm Flashing My Whip
- Do It Right
- Drive Her Home
- Behold
- Way Back Home
- Everybody Bawling
- Ain't That Loving You
- Do Re Mi (a.k.a. Super Boss)
- My Girl
- Peace & Love
- Words of Wisdom
Serious Matter
Released 2000- Intro
- Half Me Get (feat. Dennis Brown)
- Attention (feat. Third World & PierPolJak)
- Money (feat. Horace Andy)
- A Cappella
- Same Vibe (feat. Israel Vibration)
- Half 3 The Hard Way (feat. Dennis Brown & Cheb Aïssa)
- Know Yourself (feat. Ernest Wilson)
- Love Fe Me (feat. Jimmy London)
- Serious Matter (feat. Beres Hammond)
- Ska Version (feat. Johnny Dizyy Moore)
- When Jah Come (feat. Dennis Brown)
- Interview
- Bass Power (feat. Horace Andy)
- Know Who I Am (feat. Third World)
- Night Nurse (feat. Gregory Isaacs & Dennis Brown)
- Miss Till I Kiss (feat. Jimmy London)
- Love Fe Me 3 The Hard Way (feat. Jimmy London & Manu from Baobab)
Your Ace From Space
Released 1995- Tide Is High
- On the Beach
- Flashing My Whip
- Wear You to the Ball
- Happy Go Lucky Girl
- Same Song
- Merry Go Round
- Drive Her Home
- Tom Drunk
- Rock Away
- Super Boss
- Everybody Bawlin'
- Version Galore
- Words of Wisdom
- My Girl
- Rule of the Nation
- Ain't That Loving You
- Wake the Town
- Hot Pot
- Peace and Love in the Ghetto
- Things You Say You Love
- Treasure Isle Skank
- True Confessions
- Do It Right
- True True
- Big Boy and Teacher
- Behold
- Don't Stay Away
- Honey Come Forward
- Your Ace From Space
Super Boss: The Great Treasure Isle Collection, Volume 1
Released 1994- What' Is Catty? (Big Boy and Teacher)
- Rock Away (You'll Never Get Away)
- Wake the Town
- Rule de Nation
- Version Galore
- Wear You to the Ball
- True Confession
- Things You Love
- On the Beach
- Everybody Bawling
- Ain't That Loving You
- Flashing My Whip
- Way Back Home
- Drive Her Home
- Hot Pop
- Your Ace From Space
- Treasure Isle Skank
- Words of Wisdom
- Super Boss (Do Re Mi)
- The Same Song
- The Tide Is High
- Merry Go Round
- Happy Go Lucky Girl
- My Girl
- Don't Stay Way
- Honey Come Back
- I Can't Lose
Natty Rebel
Released 1991- Babylon Burning
- Natty Rebel
- Badie Boo
- If You Should Leave Me
- Do You Remember
- So Jah Jah Say
- Jah Son of Africa
- Peace and Love in the Ghetto
- Running Around With Tom, Dick and Harry
- I Got to Tell You Goodbye
- Africa for the Africans
- Runaway Girl (live)
- Babylon Burning (live)
- Chalice in the Palace (live)
- Wear You to the Ball
Version of Wisdom
Released 1990- Your Ace From Outer Space
- Rule the Nation
- Honey Come Forward
- Version Galore
- Things You Love
- Wear You to the Ball
- On the Beach
- Rock Away
- True Confession
- Everybody Bawling
- Wake the Town
- Words of Wisdom
- Treasure Isle Skank
- The Same Song
- Tide Is High
- Hot Pop
- Tom Drunk
- Drive Her Home
- Merry Go Round
- What Is Catty?
Latest News for: u-roy
Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Mouni Roy And Others Who Did Their Own Stunts On Screen
Morris, Glen Roy
Idaho State Journal
09 Apr 2025
Naveent Malik On Working With Mouni Roy In 'The Bhootnii': She Makes You Feel Comfortable ...
Man United icon Roy Keane's future son-in-law 'heartbroken' as huge disappointment confirmed
Who is Roy McIlroy's wife? Meet Erica Stoll
TMC's Saugata Roy claims ‘Mahua Moitra was crying’ after spat with Kalyan Banerjee, demands his sacking
'Stop grandstanding!' Trump yells at Republican holdouts threatening to sink budget bill
Court approves $11m settlement in Shaquille O’Neal’s Astrals NFT lawsuit
The House Republicans Holding Out Against Trump’s Budget and Tax Cut Plan
- 1
- 2
- Next page »