Tiger

One of dancehall's most eccentric DJs, Tiger rose to fame during the latter half of the '80s with a distinctively offbeat toasting style, full of growls (true to his name), grunts, odd vocal effects, rapid-fire rhymes, and witty asides. Tiger was born Norman Washington Jackson in Kingston on June 6, 1960, and got his first taste of the music scene during his teenage years, while working as a dancehall security guard. Eventually, he started picking up the mic himself after the headlining DJs had finished their sets. Under the name Ranking Tiger, he made his first recording in 1978 for producer Philip Grant; that single, "Why Can't You Leave Dreadlocks Alone," presented him as a singer, not a toaster. Two more singles, "Love Line" and "Knock Three Times," appeared in 1981 before Tiger became a full-time DJ.