U Roy

A groundbreaking figure in the evolution of reggae, U-Roy was among the first to introduce toasting, whereby a DJ would rap over instrumental dub records. U-Roy was toasting as early as 1961, freestyling rhymes and lyrical tangents between songs to keep the energy flowing at dances. This practice would become a phenomenon of Jamaican music and also lay the framework for hip-hop, with U-Roy's lackadaisical flow in particular influencing East Coast emcees during the late-'70s dawn of hip-hop. Known as "The Originator," U-Roy's output throughout the '70s silently guided the devel...