Jah Warrior Shelter Hi-Fi
Jah Warrior Shelter High Fidelity is an award winning sound system based in California’s Bay Area. Selector Jahson Reuben, alongside MCs E-Dom, Quality and Monty Irie, originally ran the sound out of Free Port Long Island, NY in 1987. In the summer of 1988, Rocker T, hailing from Brooklyn NY, linked with the crew and became the official Singjay for Jah Warrior Shelter. Over the next 4 years Rocker T continued to build JWS, adding DJs and MCs including Puppy Ranks, Major 1, Jamalski, GT English, Lenky Don, Ronnie Dread and Smoki. With regular resident dances in Manhattan, NY including The Wetlands, Lonestar Café, S.O.B.’s, Tramps and The Z-Bar, JWS was a fixture on NY’s reggae scene. In 1992, Jahson Reuben officially handed the sound to Rocker T. Teaming up with Daddy B and International Hi Power, JWS ran the legendary Lions Den in Manhattan from 1994-1996. In 1996, after linking with Monty Joe (Culture Yard), Jah Warrior Shelter had its first clash at Culture Yard in Spanish Harlem. Held at Twelve Tribes of Israel Dance with Freddie McGregor and Jah Faith, JWS played the few dubs that they had and gained a reputation as the “likkle big sound”. Rocker T moved to California in 1997, toured the West Coast, released several albums and established himself as a top selector in the area. After being introduced by Jamalski to selector Jah Yzer, Rocker T began MCing for Jah Yzer across The Bay Area. In 1998 Rocker T invited Jah Yzer to join him for studio production work in NY. Bringing along DJ I-Vier, Jah Yzer headed East. After running a few dances in Manhattan over the course of that summer (Spoon, Coney Island High), Rocker T added the two rising DJs to Jah Warrior Shelter. All three returned to the Bay Area and in 1999 DJ Irie Dole joined the crew.Throughout the 2000’s Jah Warrior Shelter has established itself as one of California’s leading sounds, winning 9 Sound Clash titles.Each selector in the crew has his unique style, earning well deserved recognition, not only as a clash sound, but a top juggling sound as well. In The Bay Area, you can always find a Jah Warrior Shelter Hi Fi dance to go to and have a good time, either with individual selectors or together as one sound.
Performing/Recording Artist, DJ, Producer
Best Reggae Toaster in the Bay 2008: East Bay Express
As a young child, Toby Petter Herskind Sorensen a.k.a. Rocker-T was taught to sing in a Lutheran choir in Brooklyn, New York. From a very early age into his teens he played the piano and the classical guitar. By the time he was in High School he was playing in a Rock band, a Punk band and a New Wave band. The Punk band known as Noize Police evolved into a Ska-Reggae trio named the Ska-Danks which by 1989 had mutated into an underground dancehall-Reggae-HipHop phenomenon boasting guests like Jamalski, Sugar Minott and Shaggy. Also around 1988 he began toasting for the Brooklyn based Eruption Hi-Power and TNT Boys & Girls as well as Manhattan based BBC2 HiFi which was run by the current Editor-in-Chief of Vibe Magazine, Rob Kenner. Of note are opening gigs for Buster Poindexter & the Bansees of Blue, Cypress Hill, Lee Scratch Perry, Burning Spear and Super Cat among a myriad of others. At the same time Rocker-T formed Jah Warrior Shelter Hi-Fidelity Sound System fronting the sound as both a selecter and an MC. Skadanks signed to Edutainer/Elektra in 1991 releasing Whole World African produced by KRS One in 1991 and Give Thanks produced by the band and D2 in 1994. The Biltmore Ballroom, Reggae Lounge, the Wetlands, S.O.B.'s, Tramps and the Lion's Den are among many venues that Rocker-T and company shredded on a regular basis.
DJ, MC, Producer
Best DJ in the Bay 2007:
San Francisco Bay Guardian
Best DJ in the Bay 2005:
San Francisco Bay Guardian
Wickedest Selector 2004:
East Bay Express
Best Reggae DJ 2004:
Best of the Bay
Wickedest Selector of the East Bay: East Bay Express
From East Bay Express, May 5, 2004:
Gotta go with Jah Yzer on this one. The bearded Miami export pretty much has the whole Bay Area dancehall scene on lock. He's known for his residencies at Frisco clubs such as Club Dread and Storyville, but has been fairly busy on this side of the bridge as well the past few years, rotating in and out of the mix at Oasis' Lion Rock on Wednesdays and the Down Low Lounge's King of Kings on Sunday. Yzer is always equipped with a fresh stack of criss 45s straight from yard, and his crates hold 'nuff history, as far as roots reggae or classic dancehall goes. If you're lucky, you might even catch Yzer spinning breakbeats as if he was born to do that, too, vamping to Lowell Fulson's "Tramp" as fluidly as the latest Sizzla or Bushman dubplate.
DJ, MC, Engineer, Graphic Designer, Radio Personality
KPOO 89.5 Wednesdays
Noon-3pm
Best DJ Mix, "Irie Times Part I":
American Marijuana Music Awards 2008
Irie Dole is Selector/Operator/ MC/Dubplate & Remix Engineer for Jah Warrior Shelter Hi-Fi Champion Sound System. He's created the mashup series, Warrior Remix, providing quality Hip-Hop/Dancehall remixes for the masses at home and abroad. He is a well established and recognized personality in the California Reggae scene who has been exposed to the music since well before birth, Bob Marley was playing in the car on the way to the hospital when he was being born and Jimmy Cliff was a regular on the home record player. But it wasn’t until high school, when he started digging through his parent’s old collection, that he become interested in the DJ life. It was then he first linked up with DJ I-Vier, with whom he started making mixtapes and buying fresh vinyl. Irie Dole has come a long way since the days of using “DJ Shack” equipment and photocopied tape covers. Dubbed “The Bay Area Remix King,” he has been DJing all around California since 1996 and is notorious for rocking parties with his unique style of mixing. His music selection spans from early roots reggae to today’s hottest dancehall, and even dipping into some hip-hop and r&b. With a party almost every night, a weekly radio show, sought after DJ mixes, flyer designing and more recently, event organizing and promotion, Irie Dole keeps very busy and on the favorite list of many reggae fans.
By DJ Stepwise:
I-Vier has been down for daaays, helping further the Bay Area reggae scene in too many ways to mention. The force behind the recently closed (but always remembered!) Wisdom Records, I-Vier is a Bay DJ veteran, having played at most of the top reggae parties this area has to offer. The resident sound at the slammin BLESS UP party at Milk on Tuesdays, Jah Warrior also recently claimed 1st prize in the West Coast's revered LA Rumble soundclash.