tapper zukie: man ah warrior

Tapper Zukie's debut album Man Ah Warrior was originally released in 1973. Its classic deejay style has been copied by many but bettered by few. Man Ah Warrior is proof that raw talent can more than make up for scarce resources. Tapper Zukie (born David Sinclair in 1956, Kingston, Jamaica) was raised in the rough and tough West Kingston area of Jamaica between the districts of Trench Town and Greenwich Farm. Living pretty much on the streets from an early age, Tapper and his peers had no choice but to fall into the hands of the political parties that controlled the various ghetto areas of the town. To prevent him from landing in even more trouble, Tapper's mother, brother, reggae producer Blackbeard, and family friend Bunny "Striker" Lee devised a plan to send the wayward Tapper to England to set him straight. A UK tour with the number-one reggae deejay U-Roy was already arranged upon Tapper's arrival; Bunny Lee got the young Tapper to toast over a Slim Smith rhythm and the London crowd loved it. He also caught the eye of producer Larry Lawrence, who took Tapper on and cut his first single, "Jump and Twist." Nine further tracks were recorded for producer Clement Bushay, and the result was Man Ah Warrior. An artist ahead of his time, whose music has influenced many -- as Patti Smith said, "Music of the Most High."