During their heyday of the 1980’s and 1990’s, Haldaine “Jimmy Metro” James and his Metro Media sound system were regulars at New York dances. Currently going through a re-branding phase, the veteran ‘sound’ returns to the Big Apple in September for a popular date.
Jimmy Metro (center) with Metro Media’s selectors. From left are DJ Hotta Blaxx, Charlie General, Sky Juice and DJ
Metro Media are scheduled to play the annual LaRoose Backyard Fish Fry on White Plains Road in The Bronx. The show is dubbed ‘House of Leo Reunion’ and features several selectors who made their names during that period; they include Rory Gilligan, formerly of Stone Love, Jabba of Hot 97 and Glamour Wayne, formerly of Gemini.
The dance is a big assignment for Metro Media which was started by Lou Gooden in the late 1960’s at Woodford Park, a community in central Kingston, Jamaica. James assumed control in the mid 1970’s when Gooden migrated to the United States.
While stalwart selector Sky Juice is still with Metro Media, James wants to introduce its younger crew to a new bloc of dancehall fans.
“It’s very important to do that. With a younger generation of fans out there, they might think wi playing old music an’ dat’s not the case,” he said.
Charlie General, DJ Mafi, Hotta Blaxx and Papa Scully are some of the young turks at Metro Media who play alongside Sky Juice and DJ Oliver, another veteran.
Unlike their contemporaries, Stone Love, which has won new fans through the popular weekly dance, Weddy Weddy, Metro Media does not have a marquee gig. Their Metro Media Wednesday Night Out in Woodford Park was put on hold three years ago but James said they are looking to resume once they locate an appropriate venue.
Currently, Metro Media plays as much as three times per week, mainly in Jamaica’s rural areas.
Metro Media had a purple patch in the 1980’s when their ranks included deejays Peter Metro, Squiddly Ranks, Dominic and Tanto Metro. They had a strong presence throughout Jamaica, as well as the United States and the United Kingdom.
James admits Metro Media’s overseas presence has toned down in recent years, but expects things to pick up for the remainder of 2019. They are scheduled to return to the UK for the first time since 2017, in December.
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