Toussaint Smith, Staff Reporter 
Father of deejays, U-Roy, dished out a few crowd favourites at the opening of Reggae Sunsplash. - FILE
The Gleaner has had its fingers on the pulse of the entertainment scene for decades. Naturally, our picture archives contain many a 1000-word story about those who have given us happy, memorable moments. In our series `From the Archives` we pluck a pic and take a peek into the past, speaking to the central figure about the moment and subsequent events.
The story reads: The jubilant crowd rocks to the rhythm of rhyming reggae as U-Roy, the father of deejays, belts out a few of the songs that made him famous. URoy performed on Wednesday evening's opening of Reggae Sunsplash. Bryon Lee and the Dragonnaires provided music.
Sunday Gleaner: Tell us about the concert.
U-Roy: It was a nice awesome crowd. First time mi perform in front a so much people at Reggae Sunsplash and mi remember mi do it couple years straight.
Dem time deh, mi was kinda famous still. So is like right now you would a have Bounty Killer and Beenie Man dem man deh haffi deh pon Sumfest, so it was like that. Man like Jacob Miller did deh pon the show. Yuh know Sunsplash always carry the tops dem time deh still.
I don't really remember most of the people dem weh did perform, but mi sure Jacob Miller was there cause me and him was the same side and side room at the same hotel.
It was a nice vibe man, dem time deh the music was different. It is like comparing to now is a different thing right now.
SG: How have you life changed since musically?
U-Roy: Trust me it a great changes. Because even though you nuh hear me current pon the market, but yuh have some people weh deh cross Europe and some other place weh want hear mi still, so mi have mi fair share of little thing inna the crowd so mi nuh really mek it worry me. Me nuh envy the youths dem, me rather more endorse then and happy fi dem fi see dem a make some kkind of money I never ever did dream coulda did make outta the business. So mi really respect dem fi whatever dem a do; just keep the music clean, cause years and years after you can still a collect some royalty offa yuh thing and yuh can have oldies after yuh thing like how most times yuh stand up a some place and yuh hear some man a play some oldies and is U-Roy oldies and mi never know dem things deh woulda happen. Now mi think and say 'bwoy mi must did a do something good'; people still recognise me. Trust me, it make some great changes. Father bless me everytime.
SG: People call you the 'Father of Deejays'. How did you get that title?
U-Roy: Well, believe me, the title given to me by people; is not something I just get up and say yeah 'a me is the father fi dis', cause self praise is no recommendation. My parents always tell me that, so never you ever get up and praise yourself and talk bout you is this and you is that. Until the people say who you is, you is nobody. So whatever title her added to my name, is people do that. Is like from a youth coming up yuh have some youth call me the 'Gargon', some call me U-Roy, some call me Natty Rebel, Natty Rainbow, all kind a little name and a just the people dem mek you be weh you be man. And me thank dem 150 per cent.
SG: How different are the deejays back then compared to now?
U-Roy: The youth dem change the music fi fi dem style and however dem can manage it. Yuh haffi respect that, cause as time goes by things must change. Now there is no way I coulda expect that from my time till this time the youth dem gonna keep the things dem the same way. Dem going to have to have it fi dem way, but to me is just big them up just the same cause dem a keep the music alive. Dem a keep the deejay thing alive, dem is mi co-worker. So I can't afford fi put dem down. This is just me; fi I come fight you me woulda just outta place.
SG: What are you up to now?
U-Roy: Right now I just still go out there and do me little concerts dem. Me jus come offa Heineken Startime the other day and mi come offa a little tour inna Europe deh; me did deh pon a big festival a Germany, Sweden and Switzerland, so is like dem little thing deh keep me going right now. And me have a sound, me call it King Stur Gav, and right now mi have it pon the road and mi a focus pon dem thing deh right now and just gwaan live cause me is a old soldier inna the army now and me just have to give thanks. Me really happy at this time that me have health and strength and still can gwaan. Me have a album a come out call Rebel in Style. Me a do mi own little thing man.
