Red Dragon was one of the sharpest voices to emerge from
Jamaica’s dancehall era, a deejay whose quick-witted style and
melodic delivery helped carry sound system culture into the 1980s
and beyond. Born Leroy May in Kingston, he first came to attention
as Redman before adopting the name Red Dragon after his “Laughing
Dragon” dubplate began making noise on the circuit. He learned his
craft on Barrington Hi-Fi and built his reputation through a run of
important sounds, including Rambo Mango, Stone Love and People’s
Choice, where his timing, crowd control and instinct for a
memorable line set him apart.
His early recordings quickly established him as a young artist to
watch. Tracks such as “Computer,” “Nah Get Nutten” and “Commander”
showed how comfortably he could move between playful bravado and
the tougher edge of early dancehall. By the time “Hol’ A Fresh”
broke through, Red Dragon had become known for a voice that could
cut through a riddim without sounding rushed or forced. He worked
with some of the key producers of the era, among them Charlie
Chaplin, Harry J, Winston Riley, King Tubby and King Jammy, placing
him firmly inside the core of Jamaica’s late-1980s dancehall
evolution.
In 1989, Red Dragon issued a split LP with his brother Flourgon,
another important figure in Jamaican music, and around the same
period he launched his own Dragon label. That move widened his role
from performer to mentor and producer, and he helped guide younger
talent including Buju Banton and Terry Ganzie. His label work,
along with his own releases, reflected an artist who understood
both the street-level pulse of the dancehall and the business
needed to sustain it.
Red Dragon’s biggest international moment arrived in the mid-1990s
with “Compliments On Your Kiss,” recorded with Brian and Tony Gold
and produced by Sly and Robbie. The song gave him a rare crossover
hit and remains his most recognisable recording outside Jamaica.
Even so, it was only one part of a career that stretched from the
raw sound system days through to more polished, radio-friendly
dancehall. Red Dragon died in 2015 after a long illness, but his
name still sits comfortably among the artists who helped define the
sound, swagger and wit of classic Jamaican dancehall.
