by Howard Campbell
NEW JERSEY – Forty years ago when Sister Nancy recorded Bam Bam for producer Winston Riley, the song had little impact on Jamaican radio. It helped make her one of dancehall music’s first female star deejays, but she had no idea one day it would be the toast of American entertainment.
“Living in Jamaica, I never heard Bam Bam. When I migrated here (United States) in 1997 that’s how I saw how big it was. It was a surprise, a shock to me,” Sister Nancy told Vibe Magazine five years ago.
Bam Bam’s stocks continue to soar as American marketing company LargeUp Agency has released a line of merchandise marking the single’s 40th anniversary. The capsule collection comprises a baby onesie, a limited-edition skateboard and a Bam Bam pin designed by RockersNYC and produced by Pintrill.
LargeUp, which is based in New York City, has worked with the Jamaican artist for the past 10 years. According to Dave “DJ Gravy” Susser, the company’s co-founder, they have helped her “to connect with audiences through original content, exclusive and large-scale performances, collaborations, merchandising and publicity.”
It was one year after she settled in the US, that Bam Bam’s remarkable resurgence began. The track was featured in the hit movie, Belly, and in 2007 found a new audience among skateboarders when it was used in Skate, the popular video game.
Since then, Bam Bam has appeared in a Reebok television commercial; movies like The Interview and Ozark, the hit Netflix series.
Its famous hook has been sampled by Jay Z, Kanye West and Lizzo.
Sister Nancy, who lives in New Jersey, is the younger sister of roots deejay Brigadier Jerry. Like her brother, her career started on sound systems in Jamaica, followed by recordings for producers like Riley.
Her success in the early 1980s paved the way for other female dancehall acts later that decade, including Shelly Thunder, Lady G and Sister Charmaine.
