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Sound Systems

Celebrate sound system culture with Rodney P and those for whom bass is a way of life

Sound systems arrived in Britain with the first wave of Jamaican immigration in the 50s and 60s, providing a link to β€œhome” as well as the backdrop and the soundtrack to the social life of black Britain.

But as second and third generation black Britons grew up in the 70s and 80s, sound system culture was remixed as not just reggae, but soul, disco and hip hop found their way on to the sound system turntables and the bass knob was jacked up to 11.

For many, sound systems are a way of life, a heritage and a culture and in this film sound boys old and young, male and female, celebrate the extraordinary story of the sound systems – an analogue force still going strong in a digital age of downloads and live streaming.

Release date:

17 minutes

Clip

Music Played

  • Young Warrior

    War in Kenya

  • Burning Spear

    Marcus Garvey

  • Dillinger

    Five Man Army

  • Wayne Smith

    Under Me Sleng Teng

  • Augustus Pablo

    King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown

  • Dave & Ansel Collins

    Double Barrel

  • Junior Reid

    One Blood

  • Cutty Ranks

    Limb by Limb

  • Devon Irons

    Vampire

  • Misty in Roots

    True Rasta Man

  • Bob Marley

    Crazy Baldhead

  • Dennis Brown

    V Rocket Dub

  • Yellowman

    Zungguzungguguzungguzeng

  • Nas & Damian β€œJr. Gong” Marley

    As We Enter

  • Buju Banton

    Champion

  • Mavado

    Amazing Grace

  • Tenor Saw

    Ring the Alarm

  • Young Warrior

    10 Steps to Africa

Credits

Role Contributor
Producer Vanessa Van-Yeboah
Director Vanessa Van-Yeboah
Associate Producer Louis Melvin
Narrator Rodney P

Carnival rhythm

From Bob Marley to Sia, check out the tunes from each episode on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Playlister.