Ricky Trooper Says British DJ David Rodigan Undeserving Of Jamaica’s Order Of Distinction

Veteran music selector Ricky Trooper is not happy with the recent announcement that the Jamaica Order of Distinction (Officer Class) national award is to be presented to British radio disc jockey and sound system selector David Rodigan.

On Independence Day, August 6, the Jamaican Government announced that Rodigan would be presented with the honour “for outstanding service to the promotion of Jamaican music across the world” on National Heroes Day in October.

Rodigan, 69, is internationally acclaimed for pushing and promoting Jamaican ska, rocksteady reggae, and dancehall music, during his decades-long broadcasting career which spanned radio stations including Radio London, Capital 95.8, Kiss 100, BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Radio 2.

However, the revelation that Rodigan will be getting an award has left Trooper and some of his colleagues seething with fury.   According to him, no other sound system selector from Jamaica has received such an honour, and he is upset that the Government had chosen to give such an award to a non-national.

“All the veteran selectors who were before me, respect for the works you put in for us to have a sound system culture.   You started it, and we a carry on the culture but so sad when our own people honour a German man over all of us,” he fumed in a recent Instagram post.

“No selector from Jamaica has ever gotten a OD but so it go.   All who a cuss slave mentality still alive in 2020 so why it surprise you all?   Dany Dread, IIawi, Jah Screw, Ainsley Toops, Archie, Glamour Wayne, Ian, Captain Midnight, Dragon and Danny and Tony.  All the dinosaurs, Panther, Links, Matterhorn, Squingie RIP, Trooper, Juxsie, Fire Marshall, Alpachino, Wicked and who me nuh mention, respect our thing we build it,” Trooper added.

Still fuming Trooper declared: “RESPECT ALL MY COLLEAGUES.OUR THING WE BUILD IT WHO NO RATE WE A SO.”

But Trooper might have some serious fact-checking to do, as, contrary to his claims, official Government records and media reports, show that founder of the Stone Love sound system, the legendary Winston’ Wee Pow’ Powell, received the Order of Distinction for “Outstanding Contribution to Jamaican Music”, during the National Honours and Awards ceremony at King’s House six years ago.

Powell had started the internationally-acclaimed sound system in the Molynes Road area of Kingston in 1972.

Nevertheless, Trooper and his followers, apparently oblivious to the fact that their statements were incorrect, and seemingly not understanding the specifics of the award, expressed a myriad of complaints as to why they thought Rodigan was undeserving.

“Well I guess David paved the way, carried lot of speaker box and wrap up lots of wire, off load trucks ride on the truck back too, so he deserves it,” one man said sarcastically.

“Dis caah go so Iya, mek noise or start a protest, Yardman selecta build Sound System Culture, no white man caah get honour over we,” one follower claimed.

The Order of Distinction is the second major award being bestowed upon Rodigan, by Jamaicans for his contribution to the music.  In 2015, the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA) also presented him with an award for his record in promoting Jamaican music.

Rodigan was overwhelmed with joy, upon learning of his award and expressed his gratitude to the Government on all his social media pages.

“Last Friday I was notified that I have been awarded the ‘Order Of Distinction’! I am overwhelmed that the Jamaican Government have seen fit to award me with such a highly distinguished honor,” he wrote on Instagram.

I have been awarded the Order Of Distinction! I’m overwhelmed that the Jamaican government have seen fit to award me with such a highly distinguished honor. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine this happening, and the fact that I’m not Jamaican resonates with me even more. pic.twitter.com/4OG2SWvp1w

— David Rodigan (@DavidRodigan) August 10, 2020

“Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine this happening, and the fact that I’m not Jamaican resonates with me even more. I’m truly humbled and I am still reeling from the shock. Thank you,” he added.

He was congratulated by veteran dancehall deejay Yellowman, who noted: “Well deserved King” in response.

The complaints about Rodigan’s award did not end with Trooper, though, as some other dissidents, who too seemed to have misunderstood the nature of the award, have also started a petition on change.org, aimed at getting the Government to reverse its decision.

The petition, which has attracted just under 600 signatures at midnight on Saturday, claims that, among other things, there were Jamaicans who were more deserving of the award than Rodigan.

“We the concerned supporters of Reggae demand that the JLP Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness and Olivia Grange the Culture Minister in Jamaica must withdraw the Jamaican government’s wrong cultural move in announcing their decision to award David Rodigan a British citizen the Order of Distinction, O.D. for our Reggae music,” the petition reads.

“This behaviour is all the more insulting because Owen Gray a singer-songwriter and musician who began his recording career in 1957, Duke Vin the first Sound System man in Britain in 1955, Lloyd Coxsone producer, promoter and sound system, Tony Williams radio DJ and promoter and numerous Jamaicans of like calibre have not been awarded Orders of Distinction.

The proponents of the petition argued that the Jamaican Government is refusing to post the petition on its official website and “does not want a petition against their unpatriotic act of awarding an undeserving non-Jamaican” the award.