Echo Minott — Pioneer of Digital Dancehall
Introduction:
Born Noel Phillips in 1963 in the Maverley area of Kingston, Jamaica, Echo Minott is one of the most historically significant artists in the development of modern dancehall — credited with recording the first track to use the raggamuffin beat that defines today's genre, and with creating a string of Jamaican and international number one hits that placed him at the forefront of the digital revolution that transformed Jamaican music in the mid-1980s. From his breakthrough "Lazy Body" in 1985 to his three-month Jamaican number one "What the Hell" in 1986, Echo Minott was among the architects of a sound that the world is still dancing to.
From Youth Man to International Star:
Echo began his career in 1981 when, still a teenager, he recorded his first album Youth Man Vibrations for producer Prince Jammy. The album was released not in Jamaica but in London on the Starlight label — an early sign of the British reggae market's importance. Performing in the sing-jay style that was sweeping Jamaica's dancehall scene, he built his reputation steadily through the early 1980s. His first UK hit "Man in Love" followed, then an album with Sly & Robbie — Echo Minott meets Sly and Robbie — produced by George Phang, which connected him to the very finest musicians on the island.
His first Jamaican number one "Love Problems" (produced by Joe Gibbs) announced him to the wider reggae public, and the follow-up "Farmer Man" on Henry "Junjo" Lawes' Volcano label confirmed him as a major force. Then came 1985's "Lazy Body" on the Black Scorpio label — a monster hit that reached number one across the global reggae scene and launched a wave of version albums. Echo was now a genuine international reggae star, a regular on both Black Scorpio and King Jammy's sound systems — two of Jamaica's greatest.
Echo Minott - The Best Of Track Listing:
01 Chinchilla Choons Intro - (George Nooks).mp3
02 Lazy Body - Echo Minott.mp3
03 Hand Pon the Key - Echo Minott.mp3
04 Original Fat Ting - Echo Minott.mp3
05 Ting Ling - Echo Minott.mp3
06 What the Hell the Police Can Do - Echo Minott.mp3
07 Emmanuel Road - Echo Minott.mp3
08 Been Around The World - Echo Minott.mp3
09 Sweet Dreams Are Made of This - Echo Minott.mp3
10 Chinchilla Choons Skit (Tony Curtis).mp3
11 Shine Yuh Gun (Murder Weapon) - Echo Minott.mp3
12 What A Heat - Echo Minott.mp3
13 Living In The Ghetto - Echo Minott.mp3
14 No Jolly Bus - Echo Minott.mp3
15 Trouble Nobody - Echo Minott.mp3
16 Cool & Deadly - Echo Minott.mp3
17 Pickney Fi Mine - (Original Version) - Echo Minott.mp3
18 Judge & Jury - Echo Minott.mp3
19 In Love With Jamaica - Echo Minott.mp3
20 One Man Alone - Echo Minott - The Best Of.mp3
* Play Tracks Directly On Your Mobile Phone.
* All Tracks Are Individual.
* Full Tracks. *
* All Tracks Are Mp3 (320kbps) Quality.
* No Jingles Over The Tracks*
What the Hell — A Historic Track:
In 1986 Echo Minott made dancehall history. "What the Hell the Police Can Do?" — recorded for King Jammy on a rhythm by Steely & Clevie — stayed at number one on the Jamaican charts for three consecutive months. More than that, it was the first track ever to use the raggamuffin beat that would become the foundation of modern dancehall. The song's controversial subject matter — addressing the police's reluctance to intervene in domestic violence — inspired a cascade of answer versions, including the huge Lovindeer hit "Babylon Boops". Echo followed it with "Me and My Girl Gone Back" and the reworked Jamaican folk song "Emmanuel Road", piling hit upon hit through the late 1980s.
His 1992 track "Murder Weapon" (using a rhythm from Shaggy's "Oh Carolina") topped charts internationally and was subsequently reworked in the UK jungle explosion of 1993–94, introducing Echo to an entirely new generation of music lovers. He has remained active in reggae and dancehall ever since.
Key Albums & Singles:
- Youth Man Vibrations (1981) — debut
- Lazy Body (1985) — international #1
- Rock and Calypso (1985)
- What the Hell (1986) — Jamaica #1 for 3 months
- Emmanuel Road (1986)
- Murder Weapon (1992) — international hit / jungle remix
- Roots of Dancehall (2005)
Echo Minott on Reggae On A Stick: 
Echo Minott is one of the featured artists on our Reggae On A Stick USB — 100 of the greatest reggae albums compiled onto a single plug-and-play USB drive. Hear the man who helped build modern dancehall alongside 99 other legends of Jamaican music.
👉 Shop Reggae On A Stick — 100 Reggae Albums On 1 USB