Youth Promotion – 1 Robert Crescent, Kingston 5, 25th May 1984
Ft: Santana, Jungle, Major Manzie, Robbie G, Dona P, Sugar Minott, Jah Walton, Naggo Morris, Blacka T
Selector – Pleasure Minott
Mixer – Peter Chemist
“This is a real bonus as there aren’t that many Youth Promotion sessions around from 1984 and this is just about the earliest that we’ve heard. This dance at Youth Promotions HQ celebrates Sugar Minott’s birthday and he flexes his granulated vocals, as only he can, in songs like “Devil’s Pickney” and “Gambling”. Santana is a deejay with plenty to say and both Dona P and Major Manzie have quickly incorporated the UK fast style, with the latter shining on “Listen We”. Jah Walton “passes through like a storm” before making way for the Heptones vocalist Naggo Morris who hails up the Youth Promotion set with soundbwoy lyrics. With a crisp musical selection from Sugar’s brother Pleasure and a good set of entertainers around the mic, this all adds up to a fine early YP dance”
Youthman Promotion - Sheffield, Westmoreland 1985
Ft: Tenor Saw, Sugar Minott, Hugh Griffiths, Yellow Bird, Principal Grundy, Yami Bolo, Colourman, Daddy Ants, Dona P, Jackie Knockshot
Selector: Major Stitch Mixer: Tulusie
Here’s another fine session featuring Youthman Promotion.
Albino Gregory Isaac’s soundalike Yellow Bird fires up the place with a couple of vocal excursions including his take on ‘I don’t want to be lonely tonight‘. Then Major Stitch drops ‘Them a Lickshot’ and Sugar steps up to give the Sheffield posse it live & direct backed up by Donna P.
Stitch then goes down inna Tony Tuff selection and over ‘Mix Me Down’ Colourman gives us his ‘Vibes up a Sound’ lyrics followed by ‘Booga’ singing ‘Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head’
Major Stitch then turns to Half Pint for the next few tunes and we get Hugh Griffiths & veteran Principal ‘Jah’ Grundy inna combination style over the ‘real rock’ rhythm.
We get more great combination vocals from Sugar & Hugh Griffiths then when the taxi rhythm drops Sugar brings in ‘the next youth to buss, the smallest singer in Jamaica’ Yami Bolo who in turn passes the mic to the late great Tenor Saw who delivers his ‘Down a Westmoreland, man a nyam man’
The tape finishes with Tenor Saw over the Stalag rhythm singing his classic ‘Ring the Alarm’..
Youth Promotion vs Blackstar Skyliner Entertainment Center, Savanna La Mar March 1986
PART 1
Featuring: Colourman, Yami Bolo, Sugar Minott, Thriller, Mikey General, Daddy Ants, Chris Wayne, Papa Dimes, Tony Rebel, Little Devon, Little Rohan, Jackie Knockshot, Joe Lickshot
Operator: Major Stitch
Mixer: Tolouse
**Another exclusive White Squall line-in straight form the master tape**
Thanks to Daddy White Squall we can now present to you the first part of this big soundclash between Promotion & Blackstar. It's dubplates galore from Major Stitch with specials from, King Kong, Teddy Brown, Sugar Minott, Chris Wayne, Superblack, Shinehead, Junior Reid & Johnny Osbourne.
Colourman is on this tape a lot flashing a whole heap of Bible lyrics and when he drops his big hit 'Kick up rumpus' he gets the crowd bawling for more. The crowd are whipped into a frenzy again when the two youthman DJ's Rohan & Devon go back to back over the 'Answer' Rhythm.
There's a small clash of the human guns, Jackie Knockshot & Joe Lickshot as Knockshot gives the Sav La Mar Posse 'The death of Joe Lickshot'. Joe comes back with his 'Original silencer'.
Sugar tells the crowd that "Danny Blackstar used to check him for nuff music" before Stitch drops a wicked version of the 'Rockfort rock' rhythm for Yami Bolo to sing 'Mother move' over.
A fantastic session this one, full of vibes and great music, and we are truly grateful to Daddy Squall for giving us yet another exclusive line-in session for the massive, Thank you my old friend.......
PART 2
Featuring: Sugar Minott, Hugh Griffiths, Tony Rebel, Yami Bolo, Chris Wayne, Conroy Smith, Mikey General, Mr Butter, Colourman, Talking Irie, Patrick Irie, Blacka T, Jackie Knockshot, Joe Lickshot
Operator: Major Stitch
**Another exclusive White Squall line-in straight form the master tape**
Youth Promotion are in an almshouse mood for this big clash in Sav La Mar. It starts off with the late great Booga Minott giving the Westmoreland posse his massive hit ‘Herbman hustling’ before bringing in Josey Wales brother Daddy Shark who rides the version inna fine style. Major Stitch then drops ‘Lazy Body’ by Echo Minott and over the version we get to hear from Youthman singers Chris Wayne and Mr Butter who models himself on the singer Thriller. The great Colourman is next up to the mic and he delivers his ‘Dirty ways girl’ lyrics.
Promotion then hand over to Blackstar, shame we don’t get to hear what Blackstar had to say because when Promotion sign back on they really are in a burial mood and indeed they drop a dub on the Burial rhythm featuring the godfather Sugar himself singing the Promotion national anthem
‘Eternal father bless this sound’ Another Sugar dub follows, the massive ‘You lick me first’ and Sugar tells Tiger that “I want to record you but the horse that your riding is not ready”
Major Stitch drops a great Half Pint special called ‘Due to Youth Promotion’ Sugar sings his classics ‘Vanity/Roll River Jordan’ over the version in a medley fashion, before Tony Rebel comes with ‘A funeral service for a big sound’ and a next lyrics aimed at Tiger.
Jah Stitch Plays some great specials including some killer Nitty Gritty's...
This is a great tape and a fitting tribute to the one and only Sugar Minott... R.I.P
Youth Promotion – Maxfield Avenue, Kingston, October 1985
Ft: Mellow Tuffy, Colourman, Don Angelo, Pinchers, Jackie Knockshot, Daddy Ants, Dicky Ranking, Joe Lickshot, Hugh Griffiths, Joy, Nitty Gritty, Shinehead
Selector – Major Stitch
Mixer – Tulusie
“Here’s a dance in the Maxfield area held not long after the annual Reggae Sunsplash and it’s still a topic of conversation for the Youth Promotion collective. Shinehead’s still on the island but sadly the tape runs out just as he gets started. The “Bible Man” Colourman is here to “Vibes Up A Sound” and during his time on the microphone he hails up Promotions number one selector, “Major Stitch A Kick Up Rumpuss”. His selections include hot numbers from Barrington Levy, Trevor Junior, Michael Prophet and Super Black. The singers are represented by Hugh Griffiths, who sparkles with a “Tribute To Ken Boothe” and not to be outdone Nitty Gritty draws his fresh “Hog In A Minty” lyrics. With Joe Lickshot and Jackie Knockshot both in the lawn there is even time for a mini “Lick Shot” sound effects clash to keep the crowd entertained.”
