Where it all began.

In Jamaica, the world of dancehall music is a vital part of the culture. While dancehall artistes create the music, it is the selectors who often make or break the popularity of the music by the way they mix them or if they play them or not to live audiences. Out of Kingston, Jamaica in the late 1980s, came the mighty Renaissance Disco. It was a mainly an uptown sound system that crossed music genres into hip hop, mainstream reggae, R&B, house, and soca into.

Renaissance Disco has seen tremendous commercial success with its original members and some additional members who came along a few years later, including Tarik “Jazzy T” Thompson, who joined the sound system in 1993.

Jazzy T has been a professional selector since 1991 and was thus already well-seasoned in his craft when he joined Renaissance Disco. He had a passion for music as a child. He recalls his father having a large record collection at home, and that he would use his lunch money to buy the current records just so that he could practice on the belt drive turntables he had received as a gift from his uncle. He remembers fondly having such a great admiration for the art of mixing on turntables. He also took inspiration from DJs who came before him, not only in Jamaica, but even American DJs such as DJ Jazzy Jeff.

“I used to listen to the radio and try the same mixes from Hol Plummer and Donovan Dacres from Fame FM in Jamaica,” Jazzy T reminisced. As his interest in this artform deepened, his next-door neighbor, Super Don, a radio DJ on Jamaica’s RJR, noticed, and took Jazzy T to work with him to do mixes on his radio show. This served as an incredible opportunity for a young Jazzy T to practice and polish his craft. This experience left an indelible impression on Jazzy T and as his career took off, he felt it was his duty to return to radio where it all began. He was one of the first DJs to helm the position on ZIP103FM in 2002, along with his Renaissance Disco partner, Delano. They also took on the role as mentors by training future DJs, and by so doing, passed their craft on to others.

Milestones

As of 2025, Jazzy T proudly celebrates 35 years as a Dancehall Ambassador (DHA), marking over three decades of influential contributions to the genre. This year also commemorates the 20th anniversary of his signature “Step Out Riddim,” a groundbreaking production that has left an indelible mark on the dancehall scene.

In 2024, Jazzy T was honored with the Dancehall & Reggae Ambassador Award by Let There Be Reggae, recognizing his global impact and dedication to the culture.

Throughout his career, Jazzy T has worked with a wide array of top-tier talent, including Bounty Killa, Vybz Kartel, Sizzla Kalonji ,Giggs and many more. His path in music spans over 35 years, rooted deeply in dancehall and reggae music, with his influence continuing to shape the sound of the Caribbean and beyond.

Bookings

Jazzy T is now accepting bookings through his official website. For inquiries, please visit

http://JazzyTent.com

or contact him directly via email at bookings@jazzytent.com