Originally released in Jamaica on Jammy’s Records in 1983 and then in the UK on the Chartbound label in May 1985, Wayne Smith’s Smoker Super followed up the singer’s 1982 debut LP Youthman Skanking, which was produced and mixed by Prince Jammy (later King Jammy). The much sought-after Smoker Super set was reissued in Germany on black wax in 2014, and now, remastered by VP Records and King Jammy, gets it reissue on all digital and streaming
platforms.
Recorded at Jammy’s Waterhouse studio and mixed on Channel One’s legendary API console, the album is a time capsule of early 1980s Jamaican dancehall, capturing the raw energy and youthful spirit of a genre on the cusp of transformation. This ten-track album showcases Smith’s vocal prowess at just 18 years old, backed by the rich, live instrumentation of Kingston’s finest session musicians. The riddims they laid are far removed from the digital revolution that Smith himself would later ignite with Under Me Sleng Teng in 1985.
Tracks like Crazy Eyes, Nowadays Style, and the title cut Smoker Super, performed on a relicked version of Junior Byles’ Beat Down Babylon riddim, exemplify the Waterhouse style, also championed by artists like Junior Reid, Yami Bolo, Don Carlos and Michael Rose. Smith’s voice is youthful yet commanding, weaving tales of street life, love, and social commentary. Songs like Too Damn Craven and Cheating Woman blend humor and grit, while Run Up And Down and Trod It On reflect the restless energy of Kingston youth.
This remastered album not only offers insight into the genre’s roots before the seismic shift of computerized riddims, but also allows new listeners to appreciate Smith’s artistry beyond his pioneering digital hit.