@pamarecordsuk

Today marks 17 years since we lost ska and skinhead reggae icon Laurel Aitken. 💛 Aitken's second relocation to the UK was when he began working with us, Pama Records. He recorded hits such as "Fire in Mi Wire" and "Landlord and Tenants", which led to a wider recognition outside of Jamaica and the UK. This cemented his position as one of ska's leading artists and earned him the nicknames "The Godfather of Ska", and later "Boss Skinhead". He gained a loyal following not only among the West Indian community, but also among mods, skinheads and other ska fans. He had hit records in the United Kingdom and other countries in the 1950s through to the 1970s on labels such as Blue Beat, Pama, Trojan, Rio, Dr. Bird, Nu-Beat, Ska-Beat, Hot Lead and Dice. Aitken's career took in mento/calypso, R&B, ska, rock steady, and reggae, and in the 1990s he even turned his talents to dancehall. What's your favourite Laurel Aitken era? Let us know in the comments! #laurelaitken #pamarecords #skinheadreggae #bossreggae #reggaemusic #ska #skamusic #rocksteady #jamaicanmusic