Ricky General is a Jamaican dancehall deejay whose name is woven
into the sound system era that shaped modern hardcore dancehall.
Born Ricardo Anderson in Kingston, he built his early reputation on
the Waterford sound systems during the 1980s, where sharp timing, a
sure sense of riddim, and a gritty, straight-to-the-point delivery
helped him stand out in a crowded field. By the early 1990s, he had
moved from local favourite to wider recognition with tunes like
“Slam Bam,” and he soon became one of the voices associated with
the tougher, street-level side of the genre.
What gave Ricky General his staying power was not just one breakout
record, but a steady run of dancehall material that kept him
present through the genre’s changing eras. Singles such as “Sketell
Bomb” and “Informer” helped cement his reputation, while
collaborations with artists including Mega Banton, Dennis Brown,
and Frankie Paul placed him firmly inside the wider Jamaican music
conversation. His style fits the classic deejay tradition:
rhythmic, direct, and built for the dance, but also adaptable
enough to work across different producers and riddims.
That versatility is part of why his catalog has remained relevant
to selectors and listeners who still value 90s dancehall’s raw
energy. He has continued recording well beyond the years that first
made his name, and more recent activity shows an artist who has
never fully stepped away from the music. In interviews about his
later releases, he has spoken about staying active and reaching
younger listeners without losing the flavour that made his early
work recognizable.
Ricky General has also taken more control of his output in recent
years through his own Orange Diamond Records imprint, a move that
reflects both experience and independence. For archive listeners
coming to his work through compilations like Rare 90s Old School
Dancehall Ragga Mixtape or classic riddim collections such as Bam
Bam a.k.a Murder She Wrote Riddim, he represents a durable link
between the sound system roots of the 1980s and the enduring pull
of 1990s dancehall. His career has lasted because the voice, the
timing, and the attitude still fit the music.
