By the late Seventies, increasing numbers of Jamaican performers were turning their hand to studio production work, and of these few made the transition more effectively than Linval Thompson.

Having already made his mark as one of the island’s premier roots performers, the singer-songwriter launched his Thompson Sound label in 1977, finding immediate success with a series of best-selling recordings, all produced at Kingston’s revered Channel One studio, where he enlisted the services of celebrated in-house band, the Revolutionaries.

Among the first artistes to benefit from Thompson’s talents as a producer were leading dee-jays, Big Joe and Trinity, whose work spawned two popular longplayers, “African Princess” and “Rock In The Ghetto”.

Released by Trojan Records in 1978 and 1979, respectively, both of these lauded collections finally see their official reissue with this 2CD set, which also includes Thompson’s own best-selling album, “I Love Marijuana”, and ten bonus tracks, first issued by the famed London-based reggae company on its Attack subsidiary.


1. I Love Marijuana
2. Dread Are the Controller
3. The Children of the Ghetto
4. Don't Push Your Brother
5. Begging for Apology
6. Not Follow Fashion
7. Roots Lady
8. Big Big Girl
9. Just Another Girl
10. Starlight
11. Jamaican Colley
12. African Princess
13. Solomon Agunda
14. Don't Fuss and Fight
15. Smoke Marijuana
16. Merry Go Round
17. Tubby at the Controls
18. Judy
19. Big Disgrace
20. Love Can Conquer
21. Pauline Love the Natty
22. Follow My Heart (12' Version)
23. Pope Paul Dead and Gone (12' Version)
1. Easy Does It
2. Life Is Not Easy
3. Tell It to Me Mother
4. Have a Little Faith
5. Dangerous Rockers and Ting
6. Don't Lose Me
7. Every Trick in the Book
8. Rock in the Ghetto
9. Pope Paul Dead and Gone
10. Freedom Style
11. Follow My Heart
12. Mr. C.I.D.
13. King Tubby's Rockers
14. There's a Song
15. Lover's Style
18. Pop No Style
17. Come On Baby, Dub Style
16. Here With Me
19. Second Hand Girl