Brigadier Jerry

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Brigadier Jerry

Background information
Birth name	Robert Russell
Also known as	The General
Born	28 September 1957 (1957-09-28) (age 50)
Origin	Kingston, Jamaica
Genre(s)	Reggae Dancehall Dub
Occupation(s)	Deejay
Years active	1975 – present
Label(s)	Jwyanza
Associated acts	Josey Wales, Charlie Chaplin, U-Roy

Brigadier Jerry, born Robert Russell on September 28, 1957 in Kingston, is a Jamaican dancehall reggae deejay whose lyrics are strictly roots & culture. A member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel ^[1] Rastafarian branch, Briggy (as he is affectionately called) often chats verses directly from the Bible, and preaches against the evils of slackness in dancehall music when performing. He attributes his unique pattern to melding together the styles of a few artists who came before him, including U-Roy, Prince Jazzbo, Big Youth, and Dennis Alcapone. ^[2]

Jerry first touched the microphone as a young man performing stand-up comedy, but quickly switched to deejaying when invited by area sound men. By the mid-1970s, Briggy was performing regularly over two prominent reggae sound systems in Jamaica: JahLoveMuzik, the official sound of the Twelve Tribes, and Sturgav, the sound system originated by deejay pioneer Daddy U-Roy. By the year 1980, Brigadier Jerry was one of Jamaica's most sought-after performers by sound systems across the island, and a well-respected deejay among his peers.

However, despite enormous popularity on the sound system circuit, Briggy did not have his first hit record until 1982, with the smash hit on the Answer/Never Let Go riddim entitled "Pain" [Jwyanza label].^[3] Brigadier has recorded six albums over the years, but the bulk of his career has been spent touring the world, as well as Jamaica, performing over countless sound systems. He still records the occasional single, most recently for the Ranking Joe label, but remains prominently a live performer (mostly for King Sturgav). He is considered by many to be U-Roy's greatest student; a stable which includes Ranking Joe, Josey Wales, Charlie Chaplin, U Brown on down to modern-day deejays such as Buju Banton.

He has lived in New York since 1988, where he moved to be with his wife & children full-time.