Here we go again! Another amazing Dub Club live performance. This is Kingston LA! These guys are bringing the love.

New York City, home to a sizeable population of Jamaican emigrants, maintained a relatively low profile in the reggae world until the 1980’s. Then, the music’s transition from roots to dancehall was accompanied by explosive growth in New York’s local reggae scene. In the Jamaican tradition, this scene was centered around locally-run sound systems, and of these, the sound now known as Downbeat the Ruler has proved to be the most enduring.

In the “rub-a-dub” era of the 1980’s, sound systems were as much a showcase for live performances as they were for records, and Downbeat ensured its success by regularly featuring the best of Jamaica’s microphone talent. Brigadier Jerry of JahLoveMuzik was a frequent visitor, and other top artists like Josey Wales, Charlie Chaplin, Lone Ranger, Nicodemus, Early B, Jim Brown, Johnny Osbourne, Ninjaman, Papa San, Professor Nuts and more came to New York to perform for the sound.

In addition to hosting these Jamaican performers, Downbeat provided exposure for New York’s local artists, some of whom went on to achieve worldwide recognition. The core of the Downbeat crew included Shinehead, Louie Ranking, Sister Carol, and Santa Ranking.

In addition to this large and varied supply of first-class live performers, Downbeat also had a deep box of “dubplates,” exclusive recordings cut by artists for Downbeat alone to play. Featuring custom-built lyrics proclaiming Downbeat’s dominance, these dubplates served the sound well in “sound clashes,” face-offs in which competing sound systems would exchange exclusive tunes and improvised lyrics in order to win the favor of the crowd.

Armed with its fearsome record selection and sizable host of artists, Downbeat successfully clashed not only American rivals like African Love and Papa Moke, but also top sound systems from Jamaica like Silverhawk, Black Scorpio, Volcano, and Stereo One, who would fly to New York to battle the local champion.

Today, after almost three decades in the business, Downbeat remains a force to be reckoned with. The sound is traditionalist in its choice of artists and songs to voice, and does not constantly chase the most-hyped “bashment” rhythm or artist-of-the-week. Instead, Downbeat maintains what is quite possibly the deepest, heaviest collection of exclusive foundation dubplates in the world, a record box only rivaled by a small handful of other long-established sounds.

Unlike so many other sounds from the past that have fallen by the wayside, Downbeat still regularly holds dances, and occasionally flexes its sizeable muscles in clashes. Nearly unmatched in longevity and might, there is no doubt that Tony Screw and his sound have long since earned their title: Downbeat the Ruler.

© Michael Villet 2004

Wednesday February 25th
Dub Club presents Tony Screw aka DOWNBEAT THE RULER
@ the Echoplex 1154 Glendale Blvd. in Echo Park
$10 Cover Doors @ 9pm

FOR MORE INFO: www.myspace.com/dubclubla