Tiger

One of dancehall's most eccentric DJs, Tiger achieved prominence in the second half of the 1980s through an unmistakably quirky toasting approach marked by growls that matched his stage name, grunts, unusual vocal effects, rapid-fire rhymes, and witty asides. Born Norman Washington Jackson in Kingston on June 6, 1960, he first encountered the music world as a teenager while serving as a dancehall security guard. Before long he began seizing the microphone once the featured DJs had wrapped up their performances. Credited as Ranking Tiger, he cut his debut track in 1978 for producer Philip Grant; the single "Why Can't You Leave Dreadlocks Alone" showcased him as a singer rather than a toaster. Two further singles, "Love Line" and "Knock Three Times," surfaced in 1981, after which he committed to working full-time as a DJ.

He spent several years building a reputation on the dancehall circuit while performing with the Black Star Sound System. Although he issued multiple singles during this period, widespread recognition arrived only in 1986 with the massive success of "No Wanga Gut"; its successor "Puppy Love" also enjoyed considerable popularity. Additional hits such as "Mi Lover Mi Lover" and "Me Name Tiger" appeared soon afterward and were compiled on his debut LP, Me Name Tiger, released in 1987. Throughout the rest of that year Tiger worked with an assortment of producers and even handled production duties on several selections himself. His follow-up album, Bam Bam, arrived in 1988 and was driven by the popular title track. The next year he teamed with Steely & Clevie on the well-received Ram Dancehall. He also contributed guest vocals to lovers rock numbers by Anthony Malvo on "Come Back to Me" and Maxi Priest on "I Know Love," then in 1990 collaborated with the American rap group the Fat Boys.

Despite steady demand for his featured appearances, Tiger went without a major solo hit for some time. This changed in 1991 when he rejoined Steely & Clevie for "Cool Me Down," which was included on the Cool Runnings film soundtrack. The subsequent single "When" became one of his biggest successes and secured him a major-label contract with Columbia. Meanwhile he continued releasing material through various Jamaican producers, scoring further hits with "Beep Beep Move Over," "Crying Fool," and "Yuh Dead Now." His only Columbia release, Claws of the Cat, came out in 1993 and featured production from Sly Dunbar, Steely & Clevie, and the acid-jazz outfit the Brand New Heavies, along with a guest rap by A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip. In January 1994, however, Tiger suffered a near-fatal motorcycle accident that interrupted his rising profile; although he eventually recovered, he required extensive speech therapy before he could recapture his signature toasting delivery.