Music: King Addies Sound System Hits 35 with "Gun Salute"

As Jamaicans migrated to North America, the U.K. and beyond, they took their vibrant culture with them, adapting the sound system/clashing prototype. Initially these were not taken as seriously as their island-based counterparts, but over time, the success of so-called foreign (even if owned and operated by Jamaicans) sound systems proved that geographical location was not a determining factor in dominance.

One such Brooklyn-based sound system’s competitive spirit, innovative selectors and close relationships with top reggae artists established them as a clashing juggernaut whose dub plate collection excites audiences while provoking their opponents’ envy. Addies Hi-Fi was founded in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn in 1983 by Jamaican immigrant Adolphus “Addie” Shawn, who hails from eastern Kingston, Jamaica. Addies began as a small set with a single turntable and speaker with Addie as the original selector alongside his friend Lenky. As the sound expanded and began playing out more, they recruited veteran selector Danny Dread (also from Kingston) and became known as Addies International. Respectfully called The Teacher because of his immense skill, Danny Dread’s career began in 1970; he has played with some of Jamaica’s most influential sound systems including Stereo Mars, producer Lloyd “King Jammy” James’ Jammy’s Hi Fi, and producer Junjo Lawes’ Volcano Sound.

Courtesy of King Addies Music

King Addies' current team of NYC based selectors.

In a phone interview with Billboard Dread recalls some of Addies earliest musical skirmishes before dub plates became a sound’s primary clashing tool. “Addies didn’t start out playing specials, but many of the artists who were around from when I played on Stereo Mars became part of Addies when they were in New York City. We would play a song, then the instrumental version and the DJ (Jamaican rapper) would freestyle their lyrics. Other sounds had their DJs and whichever artists did better, that would determine the winner.” The artists associated with Addies at that time included Super Cat, Junior Cat, Junior Demus and the late Nicodemus, Frankie Paul and Tenor Saw. “Addies competed with so many (New York City) based sounds including Downbeat The Ruler, Firgo Digital, Mini Mart Hi Power and we killed all of them,” Dread continued. “After a while, things changed, and when we started clashing Stone Love, Metro Media and (NYC’s) Afrique, we nah use artists again, we played only specials.”