Deejay

In Jamaica, a deejay is a vocalist who performs spoken or chanted lyrics over riddims — distinct from the selector who plays records. Deejays became headline artists from the 1970s onward as dancehall grew.

Why it matters: The Jamaican meaning of deejay differs from club DJ abroad. Deejays like U-Roy and Shabba Ranks reshaped pop vocals globally; the role remains central to how digital riddims are voiced today.