Edi Fitzroy

Edi Fitzroy, born Fitzroy Edwards on November 17, 1955, in Chapelton, Clarendon, Jamaica, is a celebrated reggae singer and pioneering radio personality. Growing up around music thanks to his father’s sound system, he started his career while working as an accounts clerk at the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation before becoming a star vocalist and the first person to play reggae on Jamaican radio—an act that initially caused controversy but ultimately helped popularize the genre across the island. With early hits like “Miss Molly” and later influential tracks such as “Princess Black,” Edi Fitzroy rose to national fame and even toured internationally, performing for crowds in the UK and supporting bands like The Clash.

His debut album, *Check for You Once* (later released in the US as *Youthman Penitentiary*), topped the Jamaican charts and became a bestseller in England during the early 1980s, featuring beloved songs like “Youthman Penitentiary,” “African Queen,” and “People Dem a Suffer”. Edi has remained active in music since the 1970s, known for his connection to the dancehall era and his ongoing commitment to community-focused performances and benefit concerts.