Tiger

His breakthrough came with a string of local hits, including “No Wanga Gut” and “No Puppy Love,” which led to wider recognition and a deal with Mango Records. That label released his debut album, Mi Name Tiger, in 1986, introducing a performer who could turn humour, swagger and streetwise commentary into sharp, immediate dancehall records. Through the second half of the decade, Tiger became a familiar name across Jamaica, working with producers such as King Jammy, Gussie Clarke, Harry J, Sly & Robbie, Donovan Germain and Philip “Fatis” Burrell.

Tiger’s appeal was never only about raw energy. He had a way of sounding playful and dangerous at once, a quality that made his singles memorable and gave his voice a lasting identity. He also moved into production, forming his own Tiger label and shaping material that carried his attitude beyond his own performances. Among his better-known songs, “Cool Me Down” reached a wider audience after appearing on the Cool Runnings soundtrack, while “T’ings Na Go So,” his 1989 collaboration with the Fat Boys, brought him into a hip-hop crossover moment that reflected dancehall’s growing international reach.

By the early 1990s, Tiger had extended his profile further with Columbia’s Chaos imprint and the album Claws of the Cat, before a serious motorcycle accident slowed his momentum. Even so, his recordings remain part of the core dancehall canon: inventive, characterful and rooted in the lively, competitive spirit of Jamaican sound system culture.