Desmond Dekker
Before Bob Marley became reggae’s global symbol, Desmond Dekker put a homegrown Jamaican record at No. 1 in Britain. “007” narrated rude-boy Kingston; “Israelites” made the world listen.
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Desmond Dekker developed his career with producer Leslie Kong and became one of Jamaica’s most important early international voices. “007 (Shanty Town)” carried the rude-boy world of post-independence Kingston into the British charts in 1967. “Israelites,” recorded with The Aces, went further: No. 1 in Britain in 1969 and a US top-ten hit. Dekker’s success matters because it predates reggae’s 1970s global industry. His high, unmistakable voice and concise story songs proved that Jamaican records made in Jamaica could cross the Atlantic on their own terms. He later remained especially important to British ska and reggae audiences until his death in 2006.
Where the history is argued
- “Israelites” was first recorded as “Poor Me Israelites” in 1968 and remixed/reissued for its 1969 international breakthrough, so both years appear in discographies.
How they stand with the others
Crossed over“Israelites” was a Jamaican-made international hit before the Marley/Island era reshaped reggae’s global image.
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Last checked 1 September 2026