Age, Biography and Wiki

I-Roy (Roy Samuel Reid) was born on 28 June, 1942 in St. Thomas, Jamaica, is a Roy Samuel Reid better known as I Roy. Discover I-Roy's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 57 years old?

Popular As Roy Samuel Reid
Occupation N/A
Age 57 years old
Zodiac Sign Cancer
Born 28 June, 1942
Birthday 28 June
Birthplace St. Thomas, Jamaica
Date of death 27 November, 1999
Died Place Spanish Town, Jamaica
Nationality Jamaica

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 28 June. He is a member of famous artist with the age 57 years old group.

I-Roy Height, Weight & Measurements

At 57 years old, I-Roy height not available right now. We will update I-Roy's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

Family
Parents Not Available
Wife Not Available
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

I-Roy Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is I-Roy worth at the age of 57 years old? I-Roy’s income source is mostly from being a successful artist. He is from Jamaica. We have estimated I-Roy's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income artist

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Timeline

1942

Roy Samuel Reid (28 June 1942 – 27 November 1999), better known as I-Roy, was a Jamaican deejay who had a very prolific career during the 1970s.

1944

Born in 1944 in Saint Thomas Parish, Jamaica, Reid graduated from Dinthill Technical College before starting his musical career via his Soul Bunny sound system in 1968, running it on Victoria Pier on Wednesday afternoons, while working during the day as a government accountant.

He went on to work on the Spanish Town-based Son's Junior sound system, where he was spotted by producer Harry Mudie, who renamed him 'I-Roy'.

Deriving his name, and to some extent, his style from U-Roy, Reid was also heavily influenced in his early career by Dennis Alcapone.

1971

In 1971 he recorded four tracks for Mudie, all releases as singles, "The Drifter" and "Heart Don't Leap" (both in combination with Dennis Walks), "Let Me Tell You Boy" (over the Ebony Sisters recording), and "Musical Pleasure".

Reid and Mudie fell out over the details of a proposed European tour, and he went on to work on sound systems such as King Tubby's Home Town Hi-Fi, and recorded more material with many of the Island's top producers including Lloyd Campbell, Bunny Lee, Derrick Harriott, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Glen Brown, Rupie Edwards, Byron Lee, and Keith Hudson.

1972

One of I-Roy's hits was "Sidewalk Killer" (1972), a take on Tommy McCook's original "Sidewalk Doctor", produced by Ruddy Redwood.

1973

One of his most productive partnerships was with Gussie Clarke, who produced most of the tracks on his debut album, Presenting I Roy (1973), containing several hit singles recorded for the producer.

I-Roy's lyrics were often humorous, incorporating elements of songs and nursery rhymes.

1974

Hit singles with "Buck and the Preacher" and "Monkey Fashion" were followed by a second album, the mainly self-produced Hell and Sorrow, which was sufficiently popular in the UK that Reid relocated there to promote his third album, The Many Moods of I-Roy (1974), performing regularly at the Roaring 20s club with Sir Coxsone's sound system, and playing live shows backed by Matumbi.

He returned to Jamaica, where, with the popularity of DJ records waning, he worked as house producer at Channel One Studios, although his work was generally credited to the studio owners.

1975

In 1975, he returned with several Channel One-produced singles, before working again with Bunny Lee in what would be one of the most successful periods of his career.

For several years from 1975, I-Roy engaged in an on-record slanging match with fellow DJ Prince Jazzbo, the two trading insults on successive singles, starting with I-Roy's "Straight to Jazzbo's Head", although in reality they were good friends.

Later in 1975 he released the Truth & Rights album, compiling many of his hits from that year.

1976

In 1976, I-Roy signed to Virgin Records with whom he released five albums.

In 1976, he was signed by Virgin Records, who went on to release eight albums via various subsidiary labels, mainly utilising backing tracks played by the Revolutionaries.

1977

He also released other material in Jamaica, including the Alvin Ranglin-produced Best of I-Roy album in 1977.

1980

Reggae's move to the dancehall era in the 1980s saw I-Roy's popularity decline, along with the quality of his output.

This decline in popularity and recurring health problems led to financial problems and periods of homelessness during the later period of his life.

Dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson referred to I-Roy as "the mighty poet" in the track "Street 66" on the 1980 album Bass Culture.

1990

In the early 1990s he started building his own studio in Spanish Town, but it was never completed.

1999

In October 1999, one of his two sons was killed in prison.

On 27 November 1999 Reid died from heart failure in a Spanish Town hospital, at the age of 55.

2004

He gained renewed attention when the song "Sidewalk Killer" was used in the 2004 video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in the radio station called K-Jah West Radio.