Who Run The Place? Johnny Wonder, CEO of 21st Hapilos, Counts Down The Year’s Top Juggling
When pressed to identify his most influential rhythm track or “riddim” of all time, the late Clement S. “Coxsone” Dodd chose the “Real Rock.” And Downbeat ought to know, half a century ago his house band, Sound Dimension, laid down an instrumental track that provided the blueprint for countless reggae classics, as well as hits by international artists from The Clash to Boogie Down Productions. Such is the power of a great riddim. Fast forward to 30 years ago, when King Jammy’$ first released the mighty “Sleng Teng,” ushering in dancehall’s digital era. Such is the power of a great riddim. So where does reggae and dancehall music go from here? Few people are better qualified to predict the music’s future than Johnny Wonder, CEO of 21st Hapilos Digital, the leading digital distributor of new reggae and dancehall music. As the man who breaks most big riddims first, Johnny Wonder’s ranking is based strictly on sales—never payola or political influence. So if you want to know who ran the place in 2015, look no further. Audio & Video After The Jump… (more…)
