Top Cat

Emerging from the British sound system scene, Top Cat made his mark in London in the late 1980s with a reggae deejay style strongly influenced by Jamaican dancehall, ragga and a highly rhythmic diction rooted in toasting. His career was built first through contact with English sound systems, a central circuit for UK reggae, and extended into the 1990s toward more hybrid territories where Top Cat incorporated elements of jungle and hip-hop without abandoning the dancehall grounding of his tracks. This movement between reggae and the rave scene has made Top Cat a voice regularly associated with British ragga jungle. Early entries in his discography include the single "Love Me Sess" (1988) and the album Sensimelia Man (1989). In 1993 Top Cat released From JA to UK Clash Vol. 3, a title that neatly sums up his position between Jamaican heritage and English urban culture. Tracks like "Request the Style" and "Push Up Yu Lighter" have since accompanied his lasting presence on the UK's reggae and jungle stages. Top Cat also developed work as a producer, notably around the 9 Lives label, continuing a career anchored between sound system culture, dubplates, local dancehall and electronic crossovers.