Prince Far I

During the roots period, Prince Far I stood out among numerous distinctive voices. Classification as a singer does not fit, even though his vocals sometimes carried a melodic chant quality, particularly in certain sections, drawing the nearest parallel to Winston Rodney from Burning Spear. Yet lyrics were composed by that ensemble, whereas Prince Far I's output flowed as spontaneous expressions suited to the DJ domain. Labeling him a toaster proves just as imprecise. An Old Testament prophet's style came through in his performance, condemning the sinful with a fervent stream of faith-driven moral fervor.

Michael James Williams entered the world in Spanish Town, Jamaica, in 1944. He launched his path in the sound systems by spinning records for the Sir Mike the Musical Dragon setup. That role failed to cover living expenses, so the young man also served as a security guard at Joe Gibbs' studio. Coxsone Dodd later hired him as a bouncer for the producer's Studio One sound system. A complete accident placed Williams in front of the microphone for his first single with Dodd. King Stitt had booked a session in 1970 but failed to appear, prompting Dodd on impulse to hand the mic to the bouncer instead; the outcome was the single "Queen of the Minstrel." Released under the name King Cry Cry, a moniker the producer imposed after observing the employee weep when enraged, Williams retained the alias even after working with additional producers. In the following year King Cry Cry achieved his initial minor success with "I Had a Talk," cut alongside Bunny Lee. By coincidence the track was coupled in the U.K. with "Zion Train" by a then-unknown Burning Spear.

Back in Jamaica the follow-up "The Great Booga Wooga," a version of Lester Sterling's "Spring Fever," matched that modest success. The performer's development remained gradual, and early single titles reveal he had not yet discovered his authentic approach. Even after Enos McLeod suggested adopting the name Prince Far I—the Voice of Thunder, credited as such on "Let Jah Arise"—the artist had not yet ignited widespread attention across the island. Another minor hit arrived with the Coxsone Dodd-produced "Natty Farmyard," a version of Larry Marshall's "Mean Girl." Several joint recordings also featured the newly renamed Prince, including one with Bobby & Tommy and another with the Maytones on the Alvin Ranglin-produced "Creation Time." Not until 1976 did Prince Far I complete his debut album, Psalms for I. Lloydie Slim produced the ten-track set comprising the Lord's Prayer and nine psalms, on which the artist first displayed the sermon-like deliveries that would define his style. Although the album possessed a strong roots atmosphere, rhythms sufficiently weighty to anchor the apocalyptic vision were still absent. The single "Zion Call" sustained interest in Jamaica during the interim.

Joe Gibbs supplied the missing component in 1977 with the pivotal single "Heavy Manners." Drawing on the rhythm from Naggo Morris' "Su Su Pon Rasta," the producer fashioned a profoundly dubbed backdrop whose bass line carried rhinoceros-like heft and menace. Over that intense, dread-infused foundation Prince Far I delivered a sardonic commentary on the severe laws passed by the government to curb the island's violence. "Heavy Manners" instantly provoked fervent endorsement from Rastafarians and ghetto youth living under conditions resembling martial law, alongside indignation from those who viewed no alternative solution. Lord Stitch responded with the Bunny Lee- and Clive Chin-produced "Crazy Joe." Chin's nearby Randy's shop broadcast the reply at high volume around the clock, yet Prince Far I and his "baldhead followers" were not driven away. Instead the artist immediately began work on the album Under Heavy Manners. The Roots Radics supplied the thunderous rhythms, Gibbs shaped the ominous and dread-soaked atmosphere, and Prince Far I contributed Rastafarian diatribes together with biting political observations.

No release more accurately captured Jamaica's atmosphere in 1977. The preceding year had witnessed bloodshed on an unprecedented scale that began at an IMF meeting in Kingston and reached its peak during the election campaign. Order was gradually returning, yet the scars ran deep and paranoia now pervaded the island. Earlier political turmoil contributed, as did Culture's single "Two Sevens Clash," whose apocalyptic message—foretelling upheaval in 1977—had seized the public's imagination. Into this turbulent climate arrived Under Heavy Manners, carrying its own portentous prophecies, righteous anger, and revolutionary political statements. Britain, likewise experiencing upheaval, embraced the album, which became a cult favorite throughout Europe. Its success led Prince Far I to sign with Virgin's Front Line subsidiary. The first results appeared in 1978 with Message From the King. Self-produced, the album nearly matched its predecessor and contained further classics such as "Blackman Land" and the aptly titled "Armageddon." Long Life followed later that year and came close in quality, though it omitted the remarkable single "No More War."

Also in 1978 Prince Far I established his Cry Tough label to house his own material and that of like-minded artists. Several of those performers appear on the 1980 album Showcase in a Suitcase, whose tracks were remixed by Far I. Working with the exceptional Roots Radics (appearing as the Arabs), Cry Tough issued a succession of powerful singles. In Britain, Adrian Sherwood took note and launched his Hit Run label to release Cry Tuff material domestically. Sherwood also handled the remix of the first Cry Tuff Dub Encounter, the initial installment in a series of dub collections showcasing the formidable force of the Roots Radics at their most menacing.

Health and Strength was slated for 1979 release but vanished when the master tapes disappeared from Front Line's London office. Featuring the single "Uncle Joe" (pairing Prince Far I with Gregory Isaacs), two further tracks built on Isaacs rhythms, and the singles "Frontline Speech" and "Weatherman Tam," the album remained missing until 1998, when a former employee rediscovered an earlier cassette copy. In its historical moment, Health and Strength would have transformed 1979; instead listeners received the weaker Livity. A second Cry Tuff Dub Encounter volume appeared in time for the Roots Encounter U.K. tour, which included Prince Far I alongside Hit Run labelmates Bim Sherman and Prince Hammer. Although Sherwood's label backed the tour, he played no role in the second dub volume, prompting the Englishman to respond with Dub to Africa, which featured performances by Prince Far I. Dissatisfied with Front Line, the artist fulfilled his contract and moved to Trojan, issuing the uneven 1979 album Free From Sin, which ranged from the forceful title track to the ordinary "Reggae Music." For the remainder of his career Prince Far I's strongest work emerged not on his own for Trojan but through collaborations with Sherwood.

Alongside the equally influential Creation Rebel and Singers and Players, the artist recorded numerous singles between 1979 and 1981 as well as the album Prince Far I & Singers and Players, released on Sherwood's On-U label. (The Roots Radics, also known as the Arabs, recorded for Sherwood under the additional alias Dub Syndicate.) By comparison, 1980's Jamaican Heroes appears lightweight, with only a revised "Deck of Cards" standing out, although the vocal delivery remained lyrically and thematically potent. The following year's Voice of Thunder improves on its predecessor, most notably with "Ten Commandments." The third and fourth Cry Tuff Dub Encounter volumes surfaced during this period, offering further compelling explorations of dub's heaviest, most ominous dimensions.

In 1982 Prince Far I teamed with the British band Sons of Arqa on the single "Wadada Magic." Later that year the group and artist reunited onstage in Manchester during the Jamaican's British tour, yielding the live album The Musical Revue. Returning to Jamaica, Prince Far I issued his final album the next year, Musical History. The set was not among his strongest, as he had not yet adapted to shifting dancehall trends.

Additional recordings with Sons of Arqa were planned; their dense, winding approach and experimental bent would have supplied a more suitable backdrop than prevailing Jamaican styles. That remains conjecture, however, because the participants never entered the studio together again. On September 15, 1983, Prince Far I's preaching ended suddenly when he was killed during a robbery at his home. His legacy endures undiminished. Through electronics Prince Far I continues in new form. In 1991 Adrian Sherwood sampled earlier vocals for Dub Syndicate's album Stoned Immaculate. The band brought him onstage again in 1996, where sampled vocals once more supplied thunderous presence. The long-delayed appearance of Health and Strength may itself have been providential, its eventual release acquainting a new generation with the artist at his height while reminding longtime listeners of the enduring strength of his message and vision.