The Pioneers: Trailblazers of British Reggae Tickets

The UK reggae market has always been a central pillar of the global reggae scene. No sooner had the Windrush generation had brought their vibes and culture to these shores, a new generation emerged, creating a UK-born industry, building their own sound and rules, and carving out their own place. 

This panel, hosted by BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Seani B presents and salutes some of the originators of that scene – the ones who helped make British reggae such a unique and enduring phenomenon.

With artist and producer Carroll Thompson, producer and label owner, Mad Professor 

Sound System Owner, Lady V (V Rocket Sound) and DJ and broadcaster Daddy Ernie.

This talk is part of a day of events in The British Library on Sunday 2 June. Ticket holders for The Pioneers: Trailblazers of British Reggae (3 - 4.15pm) can arrive early at no extra cost for A Tribute to Sonny Roberts (1.30-2.30pm) and can stay on after for 0121 – Birmingham’s Black Music Legacy (4.30 – 5.30pm).

Outside on the Piazza, Lin Kam Art hosts a free afternoon celebrating sound system culture with BASS TONE REGENERATION, Original Sounds Collective, LIGWA sound system, talks, workshops and much more.

The new exhibition Beyond the Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music (26 April – 26 August) will also be open on the day. Ticket purchase required.

Event presented by BRUKOUT and THE PLAYMAKER GROUP, for The British Library as part of the Beyond the Bassline exhibition season. Explore the full exhibition events programme here.

Daddy Ernie was born in London to Jamaican parents. His father was a renowned sound system operator within the Caribbean community. Following in thes footsteps, Ernie went on to become one of the most respected and important British contributors to the history of Jamaican music. His DJing career started in his teens when he earned his apprenticeship as one of the creators of the President Downbeat sound system, inspired by the King Trojan sound system – and he then went on to spend 23 years hosting SuperJam, one of Choice FM’s most listened to programmes, and a crucial source of information, Jamaican music, and culture, in the days before the internet. He has appeared as a DJ across the UK, in Europe, the Caribbean, the U.S.A. and Africa,

Lady V, aka Valerie Robinson, of the V Rocket International Sound System was born in Spanish Town, Jamaica and arrived in the U.K. at the age of six. Her parents had a small sound system called V Rocket, providing music and entertainment at gatherings for Jamaicans in Nottingham during the late sixties and seventies. As the V Rocket International Sound System evolved, Lady V became a cornerstone of the organisation, as manager, DJ, agent, producer and promoter. She forged links between Jamaican producers and British sound systems and set up a dub plate business with Channel One and helped put together the V Rocket International 12-week tour of Jamaica in 1987. After more than sixty years in the business, Lady V continues to be a vital and relevant contributor to reggae music and sound system culture.

Mad Professor
Neil Fraser was born in Guyana and came to London as a young teenager. Because of his early interest in electronics, he became known as Mad Professor – and is now acclaimed as one of the all time great dub reggae music producers and engineers - instrumental in dub’s second wave, transitioning it into the digital age. In 1979, he set up Ariwa Sounds, a studio and record label in London, and an institution of British music. He has collaborated with reggae artists like Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Sly and Robbie and Horace Andy, and also with artists outside the realm of traditional reggae and dub, such as Sade, Massive Attack and The Orb. He has toured extensively and still performs at venues in the UK and all over the world.

Carroll Thompson is an award-winning singer, songwriter, pianist, producer, and composer. Raised in the gospel tradition, Thompson knew she wanted to be a singer by the time she was 16. Whilst studying for a business degree, she set up her own production company and the record label Carousel, recording artists such as Sugar Minott. As a singer/songwriter, she had her first hit with ‘I’m So Sorry’ in 1980, followed by the iconic Lovers Rock album Hopelessly In Love which sold more than a million copies worldwide. She has provided vocals and arrangements for artists such as Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, as well as reggae stars Dennis Brown, Maxi Priest, and Gregory Isaacs.

Seani B is a radio presenter, international DJ, remixer, label owner and award-winning producer and the host of BBC 1Xtra’s Dancehall Show. London born, he was inspired by his multicultural surroundings, incorporating dancehall, hip hop, reggae, R&B, house, soca and rock into his unique musical blend. Realising there was a demand for both his technical skills and crowd-pleasing sounds, he set up his own production company, Big League Productions, remixing work by some of the world’s biggest artists like Lauryn Hill, Sugababes and Shaggy. Shortly after that, the Big League record label was born, resulting in collaborations with dancehall superstars like Vybz Kartel, Sizzla and Beenie Man amongst others. In 2016, he received a Grammy for his production work on the Morgan Heritage album, Strictly Roots. He co-owns production company BrukOut.

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