Jamaican-American selector, MC, producer and Major Lazer member Walshy Fire explores dancehall’s artistic legacy in a new book, showcasing flyers and vibrant visuals
Walshy Fire explores dancehall’s legacy through a unique collection of flyers and visuals (Photo: Chad Andreo)
Jamaican-American DJ, MC, producer, Grammy-nominated and Major Lazer member Walshy Fire is set to release his first book, Art of Dancehall: Flyer and Poster Designs of Jamaican Dancehall Culture, on April 1 via Rizzoli Universe.
Art of Dancehall is a definitive celebration of the distinctive art of poster and flyer design in the highly influential culture of Jamaican dancehall music, by one of the best-known ambassadors of the genre, and the first Rizzoli book to spotlight dancehall and Jamaican sound system culture.
Curated from private collections across Jamaica, London, New York, and Toronto, Art of Dancehall by Walshy Fire showcases the vibrant world of dancehall through flyers, records, and posters. As Rizzoli’s first book on dancehall and Jamaican soundsystem culture, it celebrates the genre’s visual artistry and global impact. Blending the energy of Jamaican folk art with rare ephemera, Art of Dancehall highlights the creativity and spirit that define this influential musical movement.
Art Of Dancehall Cover
Blending the vibrancy of Jamaican folk art with the authenticity of original ephemera, Art of Dancehall showcases flyers and posters that capture the creativity and spirit of one of contemporary music’s most influential cultures.
Dancehall emerged in late 1970s Jamaica as a club-ready reggae offshoot, shaping soundsystem culture in the Jamaican diaspora. It influenced hip hop and rave scenes in New York and London, while its vibrant flyer art became a defining visual language.
With cover design by noted contemporary Jamaican poster artist Nurse Signs, Art of Dancehall charts the global spread of dancehall and sound system culture through visual artifacts advertising legendary sound clashes in Brooklyn and Toronto to the formation of the first Jamaican-style soundsystems in Japan, with commentary from Walshy and collectors Lee Major DeBoss (New York), Sheldon “Muscle” Bruce (Toronto), Mark Professor (London) and StranJah. The book includes rare and little-seen flyers from the late Denzil “Sassafrass” Naar, Jamaica’s original celebrity poster artist, as well as contemporaries like New York’s Errol “Irie” Myrie.
Walshy Fire conveys dancehall’s culture through art (Photo: Chad Andreo)
Art of Dancehall is inspired by Walshy Fire’s upcoming solo album, a dancehall-focused follow-up to Abeng (Mad Decent), his groundbreaking 2019 debut that bridged Caribbean dancehall, reggae, and soca with Africa’s rising afrobeats stars.
