Official Reggae History: Dennis Alcapone Exclusive Interview

Official Reggae History: Dennis Alcapone Exclusive Interview

He wasn't the first -- U-Roy wasn't nicknamed "the Originator" for nothing -- but in Jamaica in the early '70s, Dennis Alcapone was part of a triumvirate of toasters, alongside U-Roy and Big Youth, who ruled the island. Crashing out of the sound systems and onto the airwaves like a tidal wave, this trio of talent was responsible for bringing the art of DJing to never before imagined heights. U-Roy was first off the starting block, releasing his debut single in 1969. But in his shadow, the young Dennis Smith was readying to follow suit. Born in Clarendon, Jamaica, on August 6, 1947, a move to Kingston and a name change were the first order of business. Then, with friends Lizzy and Samuel the First, Alcapone set up the El Paso Hi-Fi sound system in 1969. Its success was legendary, its popularity virtually unrivalled in its day. As the new decade dawned, the DJ recorded his first singles, both for Niney Holness and Rupie Edwards. Filling the platters with rhyming chatter -- catchphrases, exuberant exclamations, bouncing off the original lyrics -- while never losing step with the beats, Alcapone's unique singsong style immediately caught the public's attention.