This KGNU interview features legendary Jamaican dancehall artist King Yellowman ahead of his headlining performance at the 23rd annual Soul Rebel Festival in Denver. Yellowman shares his early life story, from growing up at Alpha Boys School in Kingston to winning the Tasty Talent Competition, joining sound systems, and becoming the first Jamaican reggae artist signed to Columbia Records. He reflects on his music career, collaborations with Sister Nancy, Grammy nominations, and receiving Jamaica’s Order of Distinction. Yellowman also speaks about overcoming a cancer diagnosis in the 1980s, crediting his faith and mindset for his survival. The conversation highlights both his musical legacy and personal resilience, while inviting fans to celebrate his upcoming Colorado performance. (Interview: 9/4/2025)
BloodPreshah: [00:00:00] Greetings, KGNU! We’re joined today in the studio by none other than King Yellowman. King Yellowman, welcome to KGNU, brother—the King of the Dancehall! Welcome to Colorado.
Yellowman: Yeah, man. I love Colorado.
BloodPreshah: Why are you in Colorado right now?
Yellowman: We have this festival.
BloodPreshah: Coming up this Saturday at the Levitt Pavilion. It’s the 23rd annual Soul Rebel Festival.
Yellowman: Right.
BloodPreshah: Featuring the one, the only, the headliner of the whole show—you know him as King Yellowman. We had to take this opportunity to sit down and talk with the I to learn a little more about Yellowman—who you are and where you come from.
Yellowman: I was born in 1957, in Western Kingston.
BloodPreshah: And in the track The Life Story, it says when you were born, your mother disowned you. [00:01:00]
Yellowman: Right. That is true.
BloodPreshah: Where did you spend your childhood?
Yellowman: Boys’ Home. Alpha Boys School, with Swift Pursen.
BloodPreshah: Who were your classmates at that time? Who did you go to school with?
Yellowman: I went with Jim Brown, that’s the strong one—used to be there. Yeah, they was the guard. Many, many.
BloodPreshah: And Alpha was a musical school, right? They had a music program there. Did you perform as a group, or were you more of a solo vocalist?
Yellowman: No, I just used to listen. Sister Ignatius—she had her own sound system. So I used to listen.
BloodPreshah: So the nuns had their own sound system?
Yellowman: Yeah, man. Alpha Sound System, run by Sister Ignatius.
BloodPreshah: Wow. And what kind of music was she playing at that time?
Yellowman: She played a lot of radio music—different genres.
BloodPreshah: All kinds of music.
Yellowman: Big Ellis. Ken Boothe.
BloodPreshah: Tell me about the Tasty Talent Competition.
Yellowman: Well, I joined the Tasty Talent Competition in the late ’70s.
BloodPreshah: Which song did you sing?
Yellowman: Money, because Lone Ranger didn’t have a man. But I sing Ani.
BloodPreshah: Okay, give us a little sample.
Yellowman: ♪ Ani… Yes. ♪
BloodPreshah: And you won the Tasty Talent Competition, and that’s what led to you becoming a vocalist.
Yellowman: Right.
BloodPreshah: Did you perform on a sound system at that time?
Yellowman: It was after the talent contest. I was employed on a sound system called Aces International.
BloodPreshah: Aces.
Yellowman: Yes.
BloodPreshah: And that was—what year was that? [00:03:00]
Yellowman: Yeah, man, it was in the ’80s.
BloodPreshah: And then you became the first Jamaican reggae artist to be signed by a major U.S. record label.
Yellowman: Yeah. That was Columbia.
BloodPreshah: Columbia Records.
Yellowman: Yeah.
BloodPreshah: That’s when you put out the album Zungguzungguguzungguzeng.
Yellowman: Yeah, I put out the Zungguzung album. But the Columbia album was King Yellowman, featuring songs like London, Jamaican Nights, and songs with Sister Nancy.
BloodPreshah: Tell us about your relationship with Sister Nancy. Was she your girlfriend?
Yellowman: No. She was the sister of Brigadier Jerry. She and her sister used to follow me.
BloodPreshah: But you guys weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend?
Yellowman: No.
BloodPreshah: Did you have any controversy over slackness at that time? Did Columbia or the record labels give you a hard time over your slack lyrics?
Yellowman: No, no, no. They let me do my thing.
BloodPreshah: Wow. That’s cool. Because that song has been sampled by many different artists—just like Sister Nancy’s Bam Bam. Right? A lot of people have sampled that track.
Yellowman: Sister Nancy’s Bam Bam—it was my idea.
BloodPreshah: Yeah?
Yellowman: She took it.
BloodPreshah: She heard your song first, then voiced it with Winston Francis, right, and made Bam Bam.
Yellowman: Yeah.
BloodPreshah: And I want to congratulate you too—throughout the ’80s and ’90s, you were nominated for two different Grammys.
Yellowman: Right.
BloodPreshah: For King Yellowman in 1984—
Yellowman: And—
BloodPreshah: Freedom of Speech in 1997.
Yellowman: I never knew!
BloodPreshah: See? Grammy-nominated artist inside KGNU right now—twice!
Yellowman: Two times.
BloodPreshah: And another accolade you deserve congratulations for: in 2018, they gave you the Order of Distinction. People shouldn’t just introduce you as King Yellowman—they should say King Yellowman, O.D. Winston Foster, O.D.—Order of Distinction.
Yellowman: Yeah. And I’m in the Guinness Book of Records.
BloodPreshah: Oh wow—for what?
Yellowman: Nine women in one year—which none of them didn’t know.
BloodPreshah: See, you hear that? Look it up! King Yellowman inside the Guinness Book of World Records.
Yellowman: Yeah.
BloodPreshah: The doctors diagnosed you in the ’80s with cancer. They told you you had a few years to live.
Yellowman: Yeah.
BloodPreshah: The ’80s was a long time ago—three years, huh?
Yellowman: Yeah.
BloodPreshah: And here we are in 2025. What did you do—or what was it that helped you survive and keep you alive all this time? [00:06:00]
Yellowman: Well, when the doctor told me I had two years to survive, I didn’t take it serious. I just went ahead and lived the way I always lived. God give me life.
BloodPreshah: You’re in control of your life—not what the doctor says.
Yellowman: Yeah, man. Your thinking can be a healing, you know.
BloodPreshah: Amen. Are you married?
Yellowman: Yes.
BloodPreshah: I heard a rumor that you got married and divorced in the same day.
Yellowman: Oh, that was my son.
BloodPreshah: Yeah?
Yellowman: Yeah.
BloodPreshah: How many children do you have?
Yellowman: Six—four boys and two girls. Some of them are musicians.
BloodPreshah: I think I’ve heard some tracks you guys did together. We’re stoked to have you here, man. We can’t wait for the Soul Rebel Festival. Saturday is the day to be at the Levitt Pavilion in Denver to see Yellowman live and direct at the 23rd annual Soul Rebel Festival!
Yellowman: Yeah.
BloodPreshah: Robbie Energy, Pan Jamma, Donovan, and the crew.
Yellowman: Yeah, man. Energy!
BloodPreshah: Saturday is the day.
Yellowman: Yeah.
BloodPreshah: Thank you, King Yellowman, for coming here today.
Yellowman: Alright.
BloodPreshah: And I hope you don’t have any more blood pressure.
Yellowman: Yeah, my man.
BloodPreshah: No problems with my blood pressure—it’s all good. Do me a favor—give us a couple of jingles for the station. It’s called KGNU.
Yellowman: Nobody move, nobody get hurt! [00:08:00] And you—you’re a real boom man. Perfect.
