Wayne Smith (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wayne Smith
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Wayne Smith
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| Background information | |
| Born | 5 December 1965 Kingston, Jamaica |
| Died | 17 February 2014 (aged 48) Kingston, Jamaica |
| Genres | Reggae, dancehall |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Years active | Late 1970s–2014 |
Wayne Smith was a famous Jamaican musician. He was born on December 5, 1965, and passed away on February 17, 2014. He is best known for his 1985 song "Under Me Sleng Teng." This song was super important because it started the "digital era" of reggae music. He was a talented dancehall and reggae artist.
Contents
The Story of Wayne Smith
Wayne Smith grew up in a place called Waterhouse in Kingston, Jamaica. When he was young, he performed with local music groups called sound systems. These groups would play music very loudly for parties and dances.
Starting His Music Career
Wayne started recording music in 1980 when he was just 14 years old. His neighbor, a famous producer named Prince Jammy, helped him. Prince Jammy produced Wayne's first album, Youthman Skanking, in 1982. They also worked together on his next album, Smoker Super, in 1985.
The "Sleng Teng" Revolution
In 1985, Wayne Smith recorded his most famous song, "(Under Mi) Sleng teng". This song changed reggae music forever! It is seen as the start of the "ragga" style of reggae.
How the "Sleng Teng" Beat Was Made
The special beat for "Sleng Teng" came from a Casio MT-40 keyboard. It was a preset pattern already programmed into the keyboard. A person named Okuda Hiroko created this pattern. Wayne Smith and another musician, Noel Davy, found this cool beat. The words for the song were inspired by another reggae artist, Barrington Levy, and his song "Under Mi Sensi".
Wayne Smith had other popular songs too. These included "Come Along," which used a famous beat called the Stalag riddim. He also had a hit with "Ain't No Meaning in Saying Goodbye."
Life in New York and Later Years
In 1989, Wayne Smith moved from Jamaica to New York City. There, he started his own music company called Sleng Teng Records. He also worked with many music producers from New York, Jamaica, and Europe. Some of these included Heartical Sound and Evidence Music.
In 2011, Wayne Smith went on his first music tour in Europe. He toured with a group called Little Lion Sound from Switzerland. In 2013, he moved back to Jamaica. He lived in Mandeville with his youngest daughter, Arella, and his fiancé, Fiona.
Wayne Smith's Passing
Sadly, Wayne Smith passed away on February 17, 2014, when he was 48 years old. He had been admitted to Kingston Public Hospital a few days earlier. He is remembered for his amazing music and for changing the sound of reggae forever. He had five children and three grandchildren.
Music Albums
Here are some of the albums Wayne Smith released:
- Youthman Skanking (1982), released by Black Joy
- Smoker Super (1985), released by Chartbound
- Wicked Inna Dancehall, released by Rohit
- Showdown Vol. 7 (1986), a split album with Patrick Andy, released by Hitbound
- Under Me Sleng Teng (1986), released by Greensleeves
- Sleng Teng + Computerised Dub (1986), a split album with Prince Jammy, released by Greensleeves
