Nicodemus

Born Cecil Willington in Jamaica during 1957, Nicodemus first gained notice in the closing years of the 1970s and the opening years of the 1980s as a deejay on the Socialist Roots sound system, where selector Danny Dread provided the records. In 1978 Prince Jammy, still known at the time by that earlier title, lent his own name to the Tapetown sound, which gained momentum once Nicodemus became part of the team. His deliveries echoed the approach of Prince Far I and Prince Jazzbo. Numerous successful sides followed, among them several strong collaborations with the Roots Radics and sessions conducted at Channel One Studio. A 1980 duet with Ranking Trevor titled “Jamaican Rockers Hop” signaled his wider breakthrough. The following year brought further successes, notably the paired releases “Gunman Connection” and “Bone Connection.” Issued with an accompanying voting card, the DJ Clash album shared with Ranking Toyan spotlighted standout tracks such as “Hail Nico Dread,” “Bubble Nicodemus Bubble,” and “Tubby’s Daddy.” Nicodemus supplied the deejay voice on Bingi Bunny’s “Him A Natty Dread,” thereby exposing his distinctive delivery to larger audiences. Additional combination successes with Linval Thompson on “Holding On To My Girlfriend” and with Leroy Sibbles on “Rock Steady Party” reinforced his standing, while the solo cut “Natty Sell A Million” appeared under the slightly altered credit Top Ranking Deejay Nicadeamus. His example directly motivated the young John Taylor, who initially performed as Nicodemus Junior before adopting the name Chaka Demus and later forming a partnership with Pliers. Occasional further hits appeared into the late 1980s, when Nicodemus aligned himself with Supercat, the artist Early B had mentored. That association revived his profile and led to recordings for Don Dada’s Wild Apache label. The 1988 duet with Supercat, “Cabin Stabbin,” achieved notable American success and prompted renewed attention to his earlier catalog. Two well-received albums were then completed with protégés Junior Demus and Junior Cat under the collective Wild Apache banner. The same four deejays appeared in a promotional clip for “Scalp Dem” that adopted an unconventional Western motif. Complications arising from diabetes led to Nicodemus’s death on 26 August 1996.