Walshy Fire’s ‘Art of Dancehall’ Celebrates the Visual Vibrancy of Jamaican Music Culture

 

SOUTH FLORIDA – Walshy Fire—Grammy-nominated, Jamaican-American musician, DJ, MC, and producer and one-third of the platinum recording act Major Lazer—has released his first book, Art of Dancehall: Flyer and Poster Designs of Jamaican Dancehall Culture (ISBN: 978-0-7893-4576-9, $50.00 US), out today through Rizzoli Universe. Order the book HERE.

Art of Dancehall is a definitive celebration of the distinctive art of poster and flyer design in the highly influential culture of Jamaican dancehall music, by one of the best-known ambassadors of the genre, and the first Rizzoli book to spotlight dancehall and Jamaican sound system culture.

This book showcases unique private collections from Jamaica, London, New York, Toronto, and Tokyo. It offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of dancehall. The book celebrates the creativity and beauty of DIY flyers. It also tells the story of DJs, records, and venues. These elements helped make dancehall a musical and cultural phenomenon. This genre still captivates audiences today.

The energy and vibrancy of Jamaican art come together in Art of Dancehall. The flyers and posters show the creativity and spirit of a culture that has greatly influenced modern music. They also provide unique cultural insights that only original items can offer.

Jamaica Dancehall Culture

Originating in Jamaica in the late 1970s, dancehall music is a club-friendly offshoot of reggae. The genre had a strong impact on the Jamaican diaspora. It shaped the soundsystem cultures in New York and London. This influence helped create hip hop and rave culture. Just like graffiti did for hip hop, the artwork for dancehall nights became important. The handmade flyers featured unique styles, colors, and lettering. They created a visual language for the culture.

With cover design by noted contemporary Jamaican poster artist Nurse Signs, Art of Dancehall charts the global spread of dancehall and sound system culture through visual artifacts advertising legendary sound clashes in Brooklyn, London, Washington D.C. and Toronto to the formation of the first Jamaican-style soundsystems in Japan, with commentary from Walshy and collectors Lee Major DeBoss (New York), Sheldon “Muscle” Bruce (Toronto), Mark Professor (London) and StranJah.

The book includes rare and little-seen flyers from the late Denzil “Sassafrass” Naar, Jamaica’s original celebrity poster artist, as well as contemporaries like New York’s Errol “Irie” Myrie.

Art of Dancehall is also the title of Walshy Fire’s forthcoming second  solo album, a strictly dancehall-focused follow-up to Abeng (Mad Decent), his groundbreaking  2019 debut album which paired dancehall, reggae and soca artists from the Caribbean with the emerging stars of Africa’s afrobeats movement.