General Echo aka Ranking Slackness, was one of the first reggae

Reggae

Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...

 deejays to move away from 'cultural' lyrics towards 'slackness

Slackness

Slackness refers to vulgarity in West Indian culture, behavior and the music. It also refers to a subgenre of dancehall music with straightforward sexual lyrics performed live or recorded. Its form and pronunciation varies throughout the Caribbean....

' (risqué or sexually explicit lyrics).

Biography

General Echo is regarded by some as the most original deejay since Big Youth

Big Youth

Manley Augustus Buchanan , better known as Big Youth , is a Jamaican deejay, mostly known for his work during the 1970s....

. He had a profound influence on many of the deejays that followed, particularly in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. After coming to prominence on sound systems such as Gemini, Stereo Phonic, and Ray Symbolic, he operated his own Echo Tone Hi Fi sound system, and was one of the first major artists to achieve popularity on 'yard tapes'. Echo had achieved success with "Drunken Master" for George Phang

George Phang

George Phang is a reggae producer born in the 1950s in south Saint Andrew, Kingston, Jamaica where still resides today.Phang started his reggae label Powerhouse in the early 1980s. His first hits were Little John's "True Confessions" and "Roots Girl", both released in 1983...

, and had a number one hit in Jamaica with "Arleen", on Winston Riley

Winston Riley

Winston Riley worked as a songwriter and record producer of Jamaican music. According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Riley has a claim to being the most successful reggae producer of all-time.-Biography:...

's "Stalag" rhythm, which was followed by the album The Slackest. This was followed by 12 Inches of Pleasure for producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes.

Echo was shot dead by police in Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston, Jamaica

Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...

 in 1980 along with selector Flux (who also worked on his Echo Tone sound system), and Stereo Phonic owner Leon 'Big John' Johns, after they had stopped the car they were travelling in. The incident has never been satisfactorily explained. Echo's death inspired Clint Eastwood & General Saint

Clint Eastwood & General Saint

Clint Eastwood & General Saint were a reggae deejay duo of the early 1980s, consisting of Clint Eastwood and General Saint...

 to team up and release the "Tribute to General Echo" single.

Albums

• People Are You Ready (1978) Ballistic (Prince Mohammed & General Echo)
• Rocking & Swing (1979) Manzie
• Slackest LP (1979) Techniques (as Ranking Slackness)
• 12 Inches of Pleasure (1980) Greensleeves
  Greensleeves Records
  Greensleeves Records & Publishing is a record label specialising in dancehall and reggae music. The company was founded by Chris Cracknell and Chris Sedgwick and started as a small record store in West Ealing, London, in November 1975 and is based in Britain....
  
  
• Tribute To General Echo (1983) Mandingo
• Teacher Fe Di Class (2007) Equalizer (expanded edition of Rocking & Swing)
• Stereo Phonic Live Session (with Madoo)