Reggae legend Wayne Smith died on Monday at the age of 48. The Jamaica Observer confirmed that the singer passed away shortly after checking into Kingston Public Hospital for stomach pains, but the cause of death is still undetermined.
Smith will always be most remembered as one of the original architects of the Sleng Teng riddim in 1983 along with musician Noel Davey and record producer King Jammy. Thanks in part to some human fumbling and preprogrammed sounds on a Casio MT-40 keyboard, the instrumental was born. Two years later it was put into play and the rest is history.
Regarded as one of the first digital riddims, it was key to ushering in the computer-driven beats that helped form the foundations of modern dancehall. It’s also the most popular with numerous remixes and versions, and nearly 400 tracks featuring the instrumental, spawning countless hits starting with Smith himself, who called his tune “Under Mi Sleng Teng.” It’s very pro-weed:
Way in my brain, is way in my brain
Is way in my brain, well, nowUnder me sleng teng, me under me sleng teng
Under me sleng teng, me under me hey hey
Under me sleng teng, me under me sleng teng
Under me sleng teng, me under me hey heyWay in my brain, no cocaine
I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna go insane
Way in my brain, no cocaine
I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna go insane
Respect to the veteran.
Below are some of Sleng Teng’s other notable anthems (and remixed versions) that cross generations of artists.
John Wayne – “Call The Police”
Tenor Saw – “Pumpkin Belly”
Johnny Osbourne – “Buddy Bye”
Ninja Man – “Murder Dem”
Frankie Paul – “Cassandra”
Terry Ganzie – “Mi Gun Talk”
Bounty Killer – “Lodge”
Bounty Killer & Wayne Smith – “Sleng Teng Resurrection” 2004
Sleng Teng Refuelled 2009 mix
Tippa Irie “Sleng Teng Yu Know Mi Ready” 2010 (He gives a nice history)
Sleng Teng International 2011 mix
Sleng Teng 2014 mix
Ridiculous bonus shit. Here’s Cutty Ranks tearing it up live at a PNP rally, circa 1986.
