BIOGRAPHY
WHERE THE JOURNEY BEGAN
Jah Troopers Sound System was founded in the Midlands, UK, in 1998 by a group of youths aged between 11 and 13, all of Jamaican heritage. Their unique blend of Jamaican culture and British environment gave rise to a distinct Sound System model, which later evolved into an artist development platform. Over time, it expanded into various creative enterprises, including an event brand, recording studio, record label, and youth organisation.
THE NAME
Many of the group members came from a Rastafarian backgrounds, which provided them with a strong spiritual foundation and biblical influences. In Rastafari, God is referred to as Jah—another name for Jehovah, Yahweh, or Elohim. The term “Troopers” symbolises soldiers, and together, Jah Troopers represents “Soldiers of Jah,” reflecting the group’s militancy, discipline, and dedication to their faith.
Throughout the years, depending on the environment or engagement, the group has used different variations of their name—Jah Troopers for their Reggae Sound System and “Troopers” for other activities.
MUSIC STYLES
The group’s music library began by collecting old vinyl record collections from their parents, uncles, aunties, and second-hand shops. A significant portion of their vinyl came from Hussla’s father and uncle, who had their own Sound System in the 1970s, which consisted mainly of Reggae and Soul from the 1960s and 70s. Dolla’s father also contributed vinyl from his Sound System days in the late 80s and early 90s.
This legacy provided Jah Troopers with three decades of music ranging from Ska, Rocksteady, and Reggae to early Dancehall, Soul, Motown, RnB, Rare Groove, and Hip Hop. In their early years, they became known for their rare revival selections and deep music knowledge. Initially, this was all they had, and they used their expertise to grow their fanbase, earn and reinvest to expand their music collection with more up-to date music.
By the early 2000s, Jah Troopers diversified their musical selection, building a presence across genres. They gained recognition in Dancehall, performing alongside top Reggae Sound Systems, while on the rave scene they would perform as a crew alongside other Garage and Grime crews, and as DJs, they would support international artists on the Hip Hop and RnB concert circuit.
CREATIVITY & PRODUCTION
With limited financial resources, the group learned to be resourceful and creative. They built their own record boxes from scrap wood, pieced together their Sound System from second-hand equipment, and modified stereo speakers. Capitalising on the fact that in the UK most venues have built in sound systems, they would often connect their system to the in-house venue systems to maximise sound impact.
While other established Sound Systems had the resources to buy expensive dub plates and new releases, Jah Troopers had to take a different approach. They began creating their own exclusive remixes and started recording young local artists, writing original songs, and recording cover tracks.
This marked the birth of their production team and led to a roster of artists, which played a crucial role in their Garage, Grime, Hip Hop & RnB team forming a crew of MCs, and providing support acts to perform at stage shows and concerts.
ARTISTS
Within Reggae the group had the son of the legendary Dee-Jay ‘Brigadier Jerry’ T.J. aka Likkle Briggie and Ras Xprshn an elder who would mentor the group. Hussla D served as both the selector and artist, while Lickle Jay crossed genres into Garage and Grime as an Artist and MC. On the Garage and Grime front the group had female MC’s Lady C and Macka C and younger male MC’s such as ILL Murk and Steady, who also ventured into Hip Hop.
Jah Troopers also had a strong lineup of female singers, including Shanade (Lady Bumper), Shniece, Ms Kim, Miisha, and Lu Angel. These singers recorded exclusive tracks for the group and performed as solo artists and harmony singers at their stage shows.
EVENT BRANDS
Jah Troopers hosted their first event in 2002, and since then, their portfolio of Artists, DJs, and Sound Systems featured on their events has grown extensively, with acts from Jamaica, the US, Africa, and Europe. Two of their most notable event brands are Caribbean City and Reggae Sound System Corner.
Caribbean City, launched in 2011 as a weekly event, encapsulates the essence of Caribbean culture through music, food, decor, and atmosphere. Over the years, it has been hosted at various venues and has collaborated with event brands like Sidewinder, Brown Sugar, and Heads Up High in Germany. Artists who have performed at Caribbean City include Stone Love, Bass Odyssey, Chuckie Online, Seani B, Shashamane Int’l, LionFace (formerly King Addis), Stamma Kid, Kenne Blessing (US), Notrelle and many more.
Reggae Sound System Corner, launched in 2015, celebrates Sound System culture by allowing Sounds to showcase their collections of dub plates, exclusive records and Sound System. After hosting renowned Sound Systems like Downbeat The Ruler (NYC), King Tubbys, Natural Affair, and Sovereign Roadshow, the brand expanded into a digital platform, featuring video content, artist spotlights, and showcases.
Now rebranded as Global Reggae Corner, the platform has expanded its reach internationally, with a growing presence in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia.
