In the mid to late 1950s, the Jamaican music scene was dominated by two giants: Duke Reid, with his Trojan sound system, and Clement “Sir Coxsone” Dodd, the force behind Downbeat. Both men played pivotal roles in shaping the trajectory of local music. But there was another towering figure whose influence was just as profound—Prince Buster. He didn’t just enter the scene, he disrupted it. Drawing himself up by the bootstraps, Prince Buster challenged the dominance of Reid and Dodd and, in doing so, helped to redirect the course of Jamaican music. His innovations were instrumental in laying the foundation for ska, as well as for its smoother successor, Rock Steady.
Growing up on Beat Street
Born Cecil Bustamante Campbell on May 24, 1938, in Orange Street, Kingston—also known as Beat Street, the former musical capital of Jamaica—Prince Buster attended Central Branch and St. Anne’s Schools. Like many others who would go on to shape Jamaica’s musical identity, he got his early grounding in church. As a schoolboy, he regularly performed at the popular Glass Bucket Club as part of a Frankie Lymon-inspired rock ‘n’ roll troupe. He was also an avid follower of Tommy Wong’s famed sound system, Tom the Great Sebastian, which played a steady diet of American R&B and jazz, music that greatly influenced his early tastes.
Boxer, Bodyguard, and Tune Spotter
Young Campbell had a rough streak and once aspired to be a boxer, idolising stars like Kid Chocolate. But he quickly realised the sport offered little financial reward. Instead, he found work with Sir Coxsone’s Downbeat sound system, not spinning records, but serving as a bodyguard, security man, and crucially, a tune spotter. It was dangerous work. Buster often found himself on the receiving end of beatings from thugs affiliated with rival systems. And for all this, Coxsone paid poorly. Disillusioned, Buster broke away at the end of the decade to start his own sound, The Voice of the People.
Running a sound system, however, required a steady supply of quality records. Hoping to source them firsthand, Buster applied to the U.S. “Farm Work” programme but was rejected, allegedly due to interference from Coxsone’s stepfather, trade unionist Edgar Darlington. Undeterred, Buster decided to forge his own path in music production. He knew Reid and Dodd recorded local musicians playing a “blues beat,” a blend of jazz and R&B, but kept these recordings exclusive to their systems. Meanwhile, they also imported American R&B records to compete with Tom the Great Sebastian.
Building His Own Original Sound
Buster’s counter-strategy was to create a distinctly Jamaican sound, one that resonated with the everyday people. He teamed up with Arkland “Drumbago” Parks, a respected drummer from the Baby Grand Club, and guitarist Jah Jerry who would become a member of the Skatalites. The trio began rehearsing at the Baby Grand, eventually producing Buster’s first single Little Honey / Luke Lane Shuffle, recorded at the newly built JBC studios in 1961 and released under the name Buster’s Group, which also included trombonist Rico Rodriguez.
Bringing Rastafari Into the Mainstream
Emboldened by his early success, Buster quickly ramped up production, seeking an even more original sound. In a groundbreaking move, he brought together his musicians with Count Ossie and his Nyabinghi drummers—at a time when Rastas were still marginalised in Jamaican society. The collaboration produced Oh Carolina, written by John Folkes and recorded by the Folkes Brothers at RJR studios. Fusing Rasta spirituality with the raw energy of ska, the track was hypnotic and rebellious, breaking new ground with its call-and-response vocals and African-inspired drumming.
Premiered on Buster’s Voice of the People sound system, Oh Carolina eventually broke through on radio, forcing open the doors for Rastafarian music in the mainstream. It signalled a shift not just in sound, but in cultural acceptance.
In 1994, Buster’s legacy faced a legal challenge when John Folkes and Greensleeves Records successfully sued him and Melodisc over the authorship of Oh Carolina, by then a classic. Despite this, Prince Buster’s contributions remained undeniable.
The Undisputed Leader of Ska
Later that year, Buster licensed Oh Carolina to Blue Beat Records in the UK. This moment marked the beginning of ska—a high-energy, horn-driven sound that would define 1960s Jamaica. He followed it with a wave of hits including Madness (1963), Wash Wash (1963), One Step Beyond (1964), and Al Capone (1964). By 1967, Buster had gone global, with Al Capone reaching number 18 on the UK charts. That same year, he toured the UK and US, promoting his album The Ten Commandments (From Man to Woman).
Ushering in the Rocksteady Sound
By the late 1960s, Buster was once again at the forefront of a musical shift, this time to rocksteady, a slower, more soulful sound. Tracks like Shaking Up Orange Street reflected this evolution, standing shoulder to shoulder with works by contemporaries like Alton Ellis. His 1967 album Judge Dread Rock Steady, and the tongue-in-cheek hit Judge Dread, exemplified his knack for satire and storytelling.
What a Hard Man Fi Dead
Prince Buster’s music laid the foundation for reggae, influenced the UK’s two-tone ska revival, and opened the door for deeper cultural expression through sound. In 2001, the Jamaican Government awarded him the Order of Distinction for his contribution to music. He passed away on September 8, 2016, at age 78, leaving behind a towering legacy. More than just a pioneer, Prince Buster was a cultural force whose impact still echoes through Jamaican music today.
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