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Last updated: Monday 19 Oct 2009
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The Upsetter


Lee Scratch Perry

''An all round musical wizard...still light years ahead of what's going on now''.

That's how hop legend Roots Manuva describes the man at the heart of our 3rd Black History Month documentary.

Lee Scratch Perry, nicknamed The Upsetter.

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It's widely believed that Lee Scratch Perry's vocals and rhythms have influenced most genres of music including hip hop, drum and bass, dubstep, dancehall and bashment.

The 70-something-year-old (no-one's sure when he was born) has been sampled countless times by everyone from Jay-Z to the Prodigy and it was him who took a very young Bob Marley and his band the Wailers under his wings.

In The Upsetter we hear from: artists who worked with him in the famous Black Ark studios which Scratch claims to have burnt down himself; producers who are still being influenced today by his work and the very eccentric Lee Scratch Perry who says: ''If you think you are old you'll be very old ...I'm only eight.''
What do you know of Lee Scratch Perry?
 
How do you rate his musical influence?

Would you regard him as one of the fathers of modern music?

matigari waciuri
as a diehard fan of roots reggae scratch perry is one of a kind. not many who broke away from dodd's stable amounted to much creativity he did and he also defined reggae as we know it. he is a dreadlock inna moonlight as he say coz him mad as they say but him still doin music! well if he aint a sonic genius then trul;y he is mad.!

UWIZEYE aime
mo we hit from rwanda

Dapper Dan
He is the man of the last and this century for me! All he touches turns to aural gold with a countenance and manner so bold.

Chris Nelson
Lee Scratch Perry a living reggae artist,producer.My father used to own a sound system & when he played duppy conqueror, everybody said "wha dis you a play" with distain, it was different to everything else coming out of Jamaica.The first album my father owned of Lee Perrys was the Super Ape album, this album was wicked considering the equipment he was using.Lee Perry is one of a kind " A TRUE LEGEND"

digital tubby's
Scratch is true master of his craft a legend, Nuff of his stuff as being sample my everyone. He help bob marley aswell..,.As for his mental case that is part of the show ,., That is a smart human....,,,

Louisa B
I've allways loved all forms off reggae especially because I had the influence from my carribean parents from when I was growning up. I was not aware of the genres and artists' names until I studied Music Technology at college a few years ago. This grew on my knowledge and drive to increase my music collection. Lee scratch perry is a legend!

Andy from Bristol, UK
Absolutely fabulous - I saw Scratch at the Bristol Academy a few years ago and I wasn't disappointed. I remember it was before the smoking ban and he lit-up a huge spliff half way through the set. He's mental but you've got to love him and his music!

digital Tubby's
Scratch is 10 in my book King Tubby's is 20

benjamin Francis Mayhew
Lee Perry is a true genius,the sounds he makes are revolutionary.We will never ever get another Lee Perry, he is a one off.Is he from this planet?



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