Wayne Smith, the author of the legendary Under Me Sleng Teng, died on Monday 17 February. He was 48.
Wayne Smith had been admitted to hospital in Kingston last Friday, complaining of stomach pains, reports the Jamaica Observer, informed by his son, Tidel Smith. An autopsy will determine the cause of his death.
Born in Waterhouse on 5 December 1965, it was with King Jammy that Wayne Smith found success, tipping reggae into the digital age with the Sleng Teng riddim. Composed with Noel Bailey (and not Davey, as you can read almost everywhere) on the basis of a rhythm built into the Casio MT-40 keyboard, the track was first turned down by Myrie and Marshall (Sunset Records), to whom they presented it. King Jammy would not make the same mistake, and pulled out this "secret weapon", in his own words, on 23 February 1985, in a clash against Scorpio. (In interviews, King Jammy, Anthony Red Rose and Tonto Irie look back for us on the birth of this track, editor's note).
It was only later that the track came out on 45. Jamaica rushed into the breach, and the Sleng Teng opened the way for digital riddims and a new generation of producers, such as Steelie & Clevie.
In 1989, Wayne Smith settled in the United States where he set up his own label, naturally named Sleng Teng. After a first European tour in 2011, Wayne Smith was due to return to the Old Continent this winter. He was notably due to perform in France, at the eighth edition of the Spring Reggae Fest, in Le Mans, on 1 March.
Under Mi Sleng Teng :
Ain't no me without you :
In Studio (Deep Roots documentary) :
