Once Upon a Time At King Tubby's

It’s been hard for fans of roots reggae since the passing of the revered Blood & Fire imprint in 2007. Heartbeat, Soul Jazz, and the On-U Sounds subsidiary Pressure Sounds are among the few remaining labels that consistently deliver impeccable reissues. Pressure Sounds’ compilation Once Upon A Time At King Tubby’s documents one of the most famous examples of a musical rivalry played out on record, a sometimes playful sometimes vicious exchange of jibes, insults and tunes that would come to be an indelible part of Jamaica’s fiercely competitive musical culture. This set documents the rivalry between the light-hearted, swift- witted I Roy and the lion voiced Prince Jazzbo, both veterans of the Jamaican DJ scene and, despite the stinging insults exchanged on tunes like “Gal Boy I Roy” and “Straight to Jazzbo’s Head,” both are good friends who clearly delighted in taking the opportunity to brag, taunt and proclaim their superiority.