Decked out in a purple corduroy suit, a leather beret perched on his close-shaven head, Field Marshal is headed out. It’s a balmy, rainy Saturday night in February, and Marshal, who deejays WHPK radio’s weekend dancehall program, sees cruising the growing local dancehall scene as part of his job.
“Sound systems cost on the average about $12,000 to put together,” says Johnny Mega. Mega Sounds, like most systems, advertises for the parties with fliers, mostly at West Indian restaurants and bakeries. Sporting a black-and-gold-sequined shirt and a thick gold rope, the clean-cut Johnny looks pensive as he watches his emcee, Phantom, take the mike.
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“Reggae is one of those powder kegs that’s been bubbling for years. We’re going to see a lot more explosions, locally and internationally. Look at all the dancehall artists being signed to major labels–Patra, Barrington Levy, Buju Banton.”
“I came up last night, I leave tomorrow. Next week we do New York,” says Glamour Wayne, Gemini’s muscular selector. “We travel from Jamaica three times a month,” he says, pushing up his black-mesh tank top. The 28-year-old Kingston native has been deejaying for eight years, and his system pulls down $2,000 to $4,000 a night on top of hotel and airfare.
It’s 3 AM and the room is getting steamy. Two men in furry Kangol hats and gold chains perform a crazy-legged dance that includes back bends. A woman drifts by in a white chiffon top and pants, a silver tube top barely covering her size 40D chest. “These outfits are conservative,” says Marshal, eyeing a white linen Nehru-collared, gold-studded suit. “They can get outlandish, with thong bikinis.”
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): Photos/Steven D. Arazmus.
