Mr. Ram- Jam

Here you can learn more about the Red Bull Music Academy and be part of interactive discussions with the feature speaker “Mr. Ram Jam” himself, David Rodigan. For further information about the info session, call 674-9191 ext 544 or the request line 74-TITAN (84826).

Additionally, for more information on the Red Bull Music Academy log onto www.redbullmusicacedemy.com.

Meanwhile, later this evening Titan “The Art of Entertainment” will host the third installment of “The Real Deal”, which will feature for first time in Trinidad the living legend Rodigan in a one on one showdown with the world famous sound King Addies.

In 2008 Titan “The Art of Entertainment’ featured Bass Odyssey from Jamaica and in 2009 Mighty Crown from Japan.

“The Real Deal 2010”, as a growing event over the years, has filled a void for the sound clash/dj market locally. With this edition Titan “The Art of Entertainment” has decided to give Trinidad a show that will without a doubt go down in history.

Hailing from Trincity, Titan is a well-known name and face on TV and on the party circuit, Titan is indeed a staple within the entertainment industry as they bring their “Vibes Cyah Done” style to all.

Over the past years, the name Titan “The Art of Entertainment” has become synonymous with creative, exciting parties and shows. “The Real Deal 2010” is the first stop on their tour for the month of May titled the “MAY-hem Tour”.

Rodigan, born June 24 1951 on a military base in Hanover, Germany, is a British radio DJ who also performs as a selector. Known for his selections of reggae and dancehall music, he has played on stations including Radio London, Capital 95.8, Kiss 100 and BFBS Radio 1.

He has stated that his passion for Jamaican music was initiated by watching Millie Small perform her 1964 hit My Boy Lollipop at the Ready Steady Go! TV show as a school boy. By the age of 15, Rodigan was DJing at school dances and youth clubs. Leaving school in 1970, he spent a year studying economics before leaving to study drama. Despite pursuing an acting career, Rodigan kept his passion for music alive, selling records in Oxford then Putney, before obtaining a job on Radio London in 1978 to alternate with Tony Williams on the Reggae Rockers programme.

A year later he was offered a permanent slot at Capital Radio to present Roots Rockers, which ran for 11 years. In 1990 a change in management and music policy at the station lead to David leaving to start a new show for Kiss FM when it re-launched that September as London’s first legal 24-hour dance music station.

Rodigan has clashed established sound-systems like Killamanjaro (selected by Ricky Trooper) and Bass Odyssey. He has acted as tour DJ for reggae and dancehall artists including Shinehead.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Rodigan also worked as an actor and appeared in a variety of TV programmes, including a part in the Doctor Who serial, The Mysterious Planet.

In 2006, Rodigan was added to the Radio Academy hall of fame. He attended Gosford Hill School, Kidlington. Vocal samples of Rodigan can be found on the dubstep track “Together” by Breakage, on the introductory track of Caspa’s 2009 Album Everybody’s Talking, Nobody’s Listening and on the intro to Alborosie’s debut album Soul Pirate.

England’s award winning, and top ranked selector, Rodigan has been voted number 1 in the March/April edition of Riddim Magazine, the largest Reggae magazine in Europe! Fans were polled, and voted David ‘Ram Jam’ Rodigan as “Best International Sound System” for 2009, as well as ‘Best Sound System of the Decade.’

“I am deeply honoured that fans of Reggae music in Europe have chosen to vote for me in the Riddim Readers poll. My love for the music has been a passion since I was a teenager, and it gives me great joy to share it with like-minded fans. Thank you Riddim Magazine readers, and big respect to all other sound systems and Dj’s, who do so much to keep the people entertained with real Reggae across Europe.

David can be heard on Total KISS FM in London, England every Sunday from 11 pm to 12 am GMT (6pm to 7pm EST) on www.totalkiss.com

A musical machine, King Addies is definitely a blue print sound that inspired numerous sounds across the world.

Established in 1982 in the New Lots section of Brooklyn New York, King Addies quickly became the number one sound of the big apple. Started under the name “Addies HiFi”, Addies got crowned “King” by the New York massive in the early 90’s.

King Addies otherwise known by the sobriquet: “The Billboard Sound” became the first “foreign” sound to emerge victorious in Jamaica. Selected by the legendary selectors: Danny Dread, “the notorious” Baby Face aka Lion Face and “the mentally ill one” Tony Matterhorn, King Addies started to beat every sound in the business — big or small.

Countless numbers of Bounty Killer dubs, Super Cat dubs, Garnett Silk dubs not to mention the deep Hip Hop dubplate collection, King Addies is without a doubt, one of the greatest sound clash sounds of all time. King Addies can never be written off and with the notorious “Lion Face” behind the sound once again anything is possible, as no one knows the dub box better than him.