Singjaying is a Jamaican style of

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

vocals combining toasting and

singing Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singi ...

in an elastic format that encourages rhythmically compelling and texturally impressive vocal embellishments. The performer is called a singjay, a combination of

singer Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singi ...

and

deejay A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at nightclubs or music festivals), mobile DJ ...

. The fusion of singing and deejaying occurred early in reggae music. Artists like

Big Youth Manley Augustus Buchanan (born 19 April 1949, Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica),Thompson, Dave (2002) "Reggae & Caribbean Music", Backbeat Books, better known as Big Youth (sometimes called Jah Youth), is a Jamaican Toasting (J ...

combined singing and toasting on tracks like "Sky Juice", "Every Negro Is a Star" and "Hit the Road Jack". However, the term "singjay" more accurately describes the transition from singer to deejay, rather than deejay to singer. This phenomenon happened years after the deejay style had gone

mainstream Mainstream may refer to: Film * ''Mainstream'' (film), a 2020 American film Literature * ''Mainstream'' (fanzine), a science fiction fanzine * Mainstream Publishing, a Scottish publisher * ''Mainstream'', a 1943 book by Hamilton Basso * ...

. Among the earliest performers of what would later be known as singjaying is Michael Rose, who used to integrate highly rhythmic but completely meaningless deejay " scatting" in his

roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusin ...

songs. As the rhythm of reggae changed in the late 1970s and became what is now known as "rockers" style reggae, the themes changed as well. The classic roots themes were slowly being replaced by songs inspired by life at the

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots reggae, roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2 ...

. A change in vocal delivery accompanied this thematic change. Artists such as Echo Minott and

Little John Little John is a companion of Robin Hood who serves as his chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men. He is one of only a handful of consistently named characters who relate to Robin Hood and one of the two oldest Merry Men, alo ...

represent this "rockers" singjay style. Half Pint, known mostly for his "lovers" style, incorporated a singjay vocal style into his classic hit "Greetings". Around the mid-'80s, the singjay style became the dominant and mainstream form of expression in Jamaican music. Dennis Alcapone, Prince Hammer, Prince Jazzbo, Dillinger, Clint Eastwood, Trinity, U Brown, U-Roy, I-Roy, Eek-A-Mouse, Anthony Red Rose, King Kong, Pinchers, Wayne Smith, Courtney Melody, Conroy Smith, Lilly Melody, Eccleton Jarrett,

Nitty Gritty Glen Augustus Holness (1957–24 June 1991), otherwise known by his stage name Nitty Gritty, was a popular reggae singer. Born in the August Town section of Kingston, Jamaica, he was the second of eleven children born to religious parents. ...

and Yami Bolo are all original singjays. Today's singjays include artists such as Shalkal Carty, Mr. Vegas, and Mavado, among others.

References

Poetic rhythm Reggae Music of Jamaica Dancehall {{reggae-stub