A. Super Black – Love Sick
B. General Trees – Boom Shack-A-Tak
Label: Unity Sounds – UN 016
Super Black, born Howard Black, was a Jamaican singer who rose to prominence in the 1980s dancehall and rub-a-dub scene. With his powerful, slightly husky voice and energetic stage presence, he stood out in Kingston’s fast-changing musical landscape. While some listeners compared his style to Tenor Saw, Super Black developed a distinct sound of his own.
His breakthrough came in 1985 with the single Deh Wid You, released on King Jammy’s label. The track became his biggest hit and opened the door to more recordings including One Time Girlfriend and No Gimme No Crop. Another standout, Love Sick — also produced by King Jammy — paired plaintive vocals with a crisp digital riddim, earning strong airplay and enduring as a Jammy’s ’80s favorite.
In 1986, Super Black released his debut album We Ready Fe Them on Jammy’s. Although his discography remained relatively small, his songs have lived on through various compilations and reissues.
Throughout his career, Super Black worked with some of Jamaica’s most influential producers, including King Jammy and King Tubby, and quickly built a loyal fan base. Despite this promising start, he never fully broke into the international market.
In later years, Super Black faced personal and health challenges that slowed down his career. He passed away in December 2014. He remained remembered in Jamaica as a gifted and charismatic performer whose impact could be felt both live and in the studio.
General Trees (born Amos Edwards is one of the most distinctive dancehall deejays of the 1980s. Known for his tall stature and deep, animated delivery, he rose to fame as the star deejay of the Black Scorpio sound system. His breakthrough came with hits like Mini Bus (1986), a humorous social commentary, and Gone a Negril, both of which cemented his reputation as a witty storyteller with sharp lyrical skills.
Trees’ style blended comedy, rapid-fire rhymes, and strong stage presence, making him a favorite in both sound clash arenas and on record. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, he recorded extensively for producers such as Maurice “Black Scorpio” Johnson and King Jammy, scoring numerous local hits, but his international exposure remained limited.
On the Love Sick 12-inch, Super Black rides Jammy’s lick of Slim Smith’s Happy Times riddim with soulful finesse, while the flip features General Trees’ quick-fire Boom Shack-A-Tack on a refreshed Heavy Rock riddim.
A. Echo Minott – Fat Millie
B. Echo Minott – Fattie
Label: Witty – MM 016
Echo Minott (born Noel Phillips, 1963) is a veteran reggae and dancehall singer whose smooth yet commanding voice has been a fixture on the Jamaican music scene since the early 1980s. Raised in a neighborhood alive with music, he honed his talent through school concerts and local talent shows before, at just 17, recording his debut album as Noel Phillips — Youth Man Vibrations — for producer Prince Jammy. Although the record saw release only in the UK, it became the first step in what would grow into a prolific and enduring career.
In 1983, Minott debuted under his stage name with Ten Miles, produced by his cousin Errol Marshall. He quickly gained traction with UK hit Man in Love and Jamaican chart-topper Love Problems, produced by Joe Gibbs. His breakthrough came in 1985 with Lazy Body on the Black Scorpio label — a track that became a global dancehall anthem.
Minott’s versatility shone through collaborations with heavyweight producers like Sly & Robbie, George Phang, Harry J, and King Jammys. As a member of top sound systems Black Scorpio and King Jammys, he helped define the era’s sound. His hits Original Fat Thing and Put Your Hand Pon The Key rode the revolutionary Sleng Teng riddim, while What the Hell (1986) — a bold commentary on domestic violence — topped Jamaican charts for three months and sparked a wave of answer songs.
The late ’80s and ’90s saw Minott exploring new territory, from reworking folk classics like Emmanuel Road to venturing into jungle music with a remix of Murda Weapon. In recent years, albums like Man a Do Road have showcased his commitment to “conscious dancehall,” addressing issues like racism, police brutality, and the preservation of reggae’s roots.
Still active on international stages, Minott embodies the enduring heartbeat of Jamaican music — a voice that carries both the island’s joy and its struggles into every performance.
Echo Minott’s Fat Millie, produced by Jammy’s in 1983, rides the infectious pulse of the Solomon riddim — a Jammy’s classic that sparked a wave of killer cuts across dancehalls of the era.
[These tracks were digitized directly from vinyl using a Technics SL-1210MK2 turntable equipped with an Ortofon cartridge. The recordings were captured in 24-bit/96kHz WAV format via SoundForge]