The sound clash is one of the most electrifying competitions in music.
In a sound clash, DJ crews, known as “sound systems” pit their skills against each other,
fighting for the crowd’s love and a place in history.
Originating in the streets of Kingston, Jamaica in the late 1950s, sound system and clash
culture predates dancehall, reggae and ska.
It started with sound systems pulling up on the street, equipped with an assembly of huge
speakers, turntables and mics.
Their ultimate goal, outblast the neighborhood’s other sound system.
Crowds judged a sound system by music played, how the physical sound system looked and how
loud the music got.
They approved with a “forward”
A forward can be anything from throwing a gun finger in the air, whistling, banging
on walls, or clapping.
It can even go as far as lighting things on fire which in the context of sound clashes,
is a good thing.
The first reported clash was between two prominent names in sound system history, Tom the Great
Sebastian, created by Tom Wong, whom many credit as a forefather of the scene, and Count
Nick in 1952.
Ex-policeman Arthur “Duke” Reid is another icon.
He ran one of the most popular sound systems of the 1950s called Duke Reid's the Trojan
and was infamous for firing a pair of revolvers, riling up the already aggressive crowd even more
In the 1980s, audience members themselves would show appreciation for a good performance
by firing guns into the air.
The gunfire was later replaced by lighters and glowing cell phones.
But fans may still make hand gestures and sounds to replicate approving gunfire.
The central figure of a sound system is the selector, who's responsible for picking which
records to play.
Selectors were so revered for their choices, they became celebs in their own right.
Ainsley Grey was one of the best-known selectors of the 1980s, leading sound systems like Killamanjaro
and Stereomars to victory.
Now, it wouldn’t be a sound clash if competitive systems didn’t go at each other’s credibility,
so of course sound systems brought on the insults to gain crowd favor.
Slang terms like drum pan or drum pan sound were most commonly used in a derogatory manner.
Exclusive tracks or remixes known as dubplates were introduced into clashes by the 1980s
as well, popularised by sound systems Bass Odyssey and Killamanjaro.
After that, if your dubplate collection was weak, you could kiss winning a sound clash goodbye.
Jamaica’s influence spread, with a vibrant sound clash scene developing in the UK starting
in the 1960s as Jamaicans emigrated to the area, culture in hand.
Sound Systems also arose in Japan, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Germany, and Canada.
And in the early 1970s, the architect of New York hip hop, DJ Kool Herc, was so influenced
by the sound clash culture of his native jamaica that he brought sound systems to his parties
in the Bronx.
In 2010, Red Bull Music Academy launched Culture Clash, a modern spin on sound clashes.
Since then, artists like Major Lazer, Disclosure, Just Blaze, ASAP Mob have played clashes all
around the world.
Today, the sound clash’s spirit of competition and its innovative dubplate techniques have
influenced many genres of music, from hip-hop to EDM.
What started off on the streets of Jamaica has touched music fans across the globe.