Written by Kareem LaTouche
I had the privilege of going to school with Yellowman’s oldest child Karim Foster, who was a naturally bright student without even trying. We were in the same class from first to sixth form, so by extension, I got to know a little bit about his father. For the most part, he didn’t have much information to give, as his father’s reign occurred when he was an infant.
It’s impossible to mention the origins of Dancehall without the likes of King Tubby, Daddy U Roy and Winston ‘Yellowman’ Foster, the first king of Dancehall. He took the baton from heavyweight hitmaker Prince Buster, who in 1969 did a song called Wreck a Pum Pum, which also shares the same title with a song released by Yellowman years later in 1984. This bit of information is for all the persons who thought slackness started with Lady Saw or Kartel. Kareemsquest.com believes, Yellowman extended the concept of putting witty lyrics in a provocative context, which was an instant hit. Listening to his anthology, I didn’t find him to be slack, just forthright, for example Morning Ride, a song that references Fae Ellington, who was hosting a popular radio program on JBC, called Morning Ride, of course Yellowman put his majestic spin on it.
Video review of cheap hotel
Not surprising, during the height of his lyrical onslaught, in the early 80s, only few of his songs were not banned on local radio, three of which were Married in the Morning, Zungguzungguguzungguzeng and Body Move.
I did an interview with him several years ago, where I reminded him that I knew his son, who he refers to as the ‘brains’, and from that point the conversation was smooth sailing. The first thing I did, was ask him to corroborate a story Buju told me about Yellowman helping him. It was the early 2000s and Buju had broken his leg playing football and decided to perform in a wheelchair at a concert in Florida. He did not have his bandsmen, so Yellowman elected to have Buju use his musicians after his set was completed. Something Buju was very grateful for, when he and I were talking.
After I told him the story, “of course, we have to help each other,” he said to kareemsquest.com. The ease at which he went about doing it was admirable and it made me question a major flaw in our Dancehall culture – the lack of reverence for our history.
After my fan-moment question was finished, I asked him how he felt about pausing his career due to skin cancer. “During all the surgeries, I would never have been here without Almighty God; I had seven life-threatening surgeries.” Even though Yellowman had the option to put in a replacement jawbone, he said the pain was too excruciating. To make matters worse, it was revealed to kareemsquest.com that all this occurred while he was on a major music contract with CBS. As he was telling the story the tone of his graveled voice sunk when he reflected on the missed opportunity.
His reign may have been over by the 90s, but the remnants of his monarchy are deep in the roots of Dancehall.
Talking with him was very special given the love I have for reggae music, and it reminded me of the conversations I had with Toots from Toots and the Maytals.
Long live Winston ‘Yellowman’ Foster OD, born January 15, 1956.
Song below is Army Life sampled by Goddy Goddy in his hit song Chacka chi chi
After all thes yrs of listening to King Yellowman, I didn’t even know his true name: Winston Foster!
Interesting enough, mother came to like him and Eric Donaldson’s music I used to play on father’s Radiogram in the 80s and early 90s before I moved out of our family house!