Contents - Beth Lesser

Promotion dance, and laid to rest any suspicions that he might have lost the
vibes by staying so long abroad
In 1972, Nicodemus, brother of Blacka Morwell, was just getting his feet
wet on a small sound from Independence City called Emperor Slave where
he worked under top deejay Trevor Ranking. Although he deejayed many
sounds, such as Channel One, Taurus and King Jammy when Liza and Kojak
were around, he is best remembered and for his work with selector Danny
Dread on Socialist Roots. Mikey Faith, owner of Emperor Faith, was a big
fan of Nicodemus. “They used to say Nicodemus lie down on the rhythm like
a lizard pon a limb. He carried a lot of vibes.”
Nicodemus was working at the Caymanas Park Race Track as a groom in
the early ‘70s. “He was trying to get to be a jockey,” Ranking Trevor recalls.
“But he was so short and thick and heavy, he would never reach that stage.
But he work with them, groom the horses and thing. One night I perform
over Independence City and him hear me and from that night, Nicodemus
decide him nah leave me. So, he come a my house come live. So, that’s where
Nicodemus career start – right in my yard.”
Nicodemus eventually followed Trevor to Papa Roots where Trevor was
the main deejay. Then Trevor crashed on his motorcycle and had to stay in the
hospital for a time and Nicodemus had to handle the sessions alone. It was a
big responsibility as Trevor was the top deejay with the most hits at the time.
Nicodemus handled it well and began earning a name for himself. He
and selector Danny Dread became inseparable and even left to work Jammy’s
together for a short time in the ‘70s. Although he was rated more as a live deejay
than for his recordings, Nicodemus cut some popular records, like ‘Susie
Wong’ (Skeng Don) and ‘Bone Man Connection’ (Volcano). *
A versatile and experienced selector, Danny got his start with a small set in
Greenwich Farm called Ioses where he was able to aid in the development of
such crucial singers as Sammy Dread and Michael Prophet. He came to work
with Papa Roots while it was still King Attorney. When Nicodemus joined
Papa Roots, the deejay and selector became a team and stuck together, even
long after the sound folded. When Papa Roots was abandoned in 1980 due
to internal disputes, Danny Dread and Nicodemus remained together, moving
temporarily to Jammy’s ** where they helped the sound win three cups in
competitions held at Skateland.
But, soon after, Nicodemus went abroad and Danny, on his own again,
joined hit maker Junjo Lawes’ Volcano Hi Power, as it’s primary selector, until
* A one-off album named Tidal Wave, which featured Nicodemus along with Bobby Culture, Louie
Rankin, Brimstone & Fire, all part of Jack Ruby’s Hi-Power’s core crew, was recorded in New York, in
Phillip Smart’s HFC studios. (Unicorn, ‘83). Channel One also released ‘She Love it in the Morning’ in
1982 at the height of their interest in recording popular dancehall deejays. In the same year they also
put out Ringo’s Riding West, Lone Ranger’s M 16, Yellowman’s One Yellowman and Toyan’s Toyan.
** In those days, Jammys sound was still being played using the equipment that had belonged to the
Payneland sound, Tapetone, with all tube amps.
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