It was at the turn of the Millennium that one man sought to change the landscape of Jamaican music with the formation of the Danger Zone Sound. A part of the Danger Zone Music Group (DMG), the idea for the Danger Zone Sound was thought up in the mind of DMG CEO Delmar ‘Della Danger’ Drummond.
It was in 1999 while listening to a mix tape by Tony Two Pack that Delmar heard Capleton’s Danger Zone at that moment he recognised that his dream could be realised: “I Was planning to go into the sound system business and thought that the Danger Zone song was the ideal mission statement for such a project. We are all living in a Danger Zone and I feel that music can steer us out of that zone. The ideal that brought about the Danger Zone Sound is unification through music and we want to use music to unify the world” – Danger Zone Music Group CEO, Delmar ‘Della Danger’ Drummond
Before the year 2000 Delmar had been playing at small shows in Jamaica and Miami but wanted to make his sound bigger and naming it Danger Zone was the first step. Delmar had already started buying equipment for the new Danger Zone Sound System by the time the launch came about in the year 2000.
Since the turn of the millennium the Danger Zone sound system has grown for strength to strength, now having physical branches in Los Angeles, Miami and Jamaica. The Jamaica branch is one of the most technologically advanced sound systems in the country. The sound uses only top quality proven equipment and has: Four Columns, Four Rocks, 3000volt QSC AMPs, Rane SL1 Interface with Serato, Pioneer CD Mixers and Techniques Turntables. The Danger Zone sound System gives a clear signal that is a cut above the rest.
Danger Zone sound in Jamaica is selected by Jigsy and Penny Bling who are supported by Fire Life, Mabush and Fatta British with Kevin as the engineer. In Los Angeles, Ringo, Cash Cartel and Escobar do the honours while in Miami Tony Two Pack mans the wheels of steel.
All the selectors are very popular in their own right but in Jamaica Jigsy is the most popular. Jigsy has appeared on RDX’s Dance, Richie Stephens’ Loving You and Elephant Man’s Tight Pants Boy. Jigsy is also credited with coining the popular phrase “tight pants boy, Jigsy want &%@# unuh” as well as being one of the selectors to start the popular weekly shows phenomena with ‘Bembe’. Jigsy is also credited as the producer of the Wipe Out Riddim of 2006 which is still one of the most popular dancehall riddims worldwide.
Since it began in 2000 the Danger Zone sound system has been a staple on the dancehall scene both locally and internationally. Locally the sound has done the rounds at Passa Passa, Weddy Weddy Wednesday, Lady Saw’s Birthday Bash, CureFest, Beenie Man’s Summer Sizzle, Ragashanti’s Birthday Bash, Blitz Tuesday at the Plush Nightclub, Boasy Tuesday’s , Reggae Sumfest (since 2000) and Pepsi Teen Splash (since 2000) to name a few. The sound has played in all hemispheres except the southern, has dates throughout the year and just returned from Eleuthera in the Bahamas.
This year the Danger Zone sound system is set to pass another milestone as it is to participate in the Guinness Sound of Greatness competition. Guinness Sound of Greatness is a competition that seeks to rekindle some of the big lawn nostalgia of Dancehall’s past with a modern flavour. The competition seeks to crown the hottest sound in the county and Flava Squad has the ominous task of facing the Danger Zone sound on October 24.
