World of Jamaican Music

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An illustrated map of the creators of Jamaican music and how they are connected.

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Steely & Clevie

Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson
Sunrise 1961 or 1962, Trench Town, Kingston, Jamaica, Sunset September 1, 2009, East Patchogue, New York
Cleveland "Clevie" Browne
Sunrise Kingston, Jamaica

Producer. Dancehall

Active
1985-2009

Wycliffe "Steely" Johnson (c. 1962-2009) and Cleveland "Clevie" Browne were the production duo that set the sound of dancehall from the late 1980s through the 1990s.

Both were working musicians first. Steely, from Trench Town, learned keyboards from the Browne brothers, made his first record with the singer Earl 16, and worked in Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion circle, playing on Minott's Ghetto-ology, and later held the keyboard chair in the Roots Radics, the band behind Gregory Isaacs's Night Nurse. Clevie, from the Browne musical family, drummed with the In Crowd, in the Studio One house band, and on Augustus Pablo's sessions; by his own account the two had been working together since 1973.

King Jammy's "Under Mi Sleng Teng" in 1985 settled the argument about digital production for them, and they went to Jammy's studio in Waterhouse to work in the new way while most of the industry still insisted on live bands. "Sweet Reggae Music" for Nitty Gritty was the record that convinced them it would travel. Working first for Jammy and then on their own account, they made hits for Foxy Brown ("Sorry"), Tiger ("Ram Dancehall," "When"), Singing Melody ("Shower Me With Your Love"), Ninjaman ("Murder Dem"), Cocoa Tea ("Come Back Sonia"), Shabba Ranks ("Caan Dun," "Trailer Load a Girls," "Ting-a-Ling"), Beres Hammond ("Double Trouble"), Garnett Silk ("Love Is the Answer") and Bushman ("Call the Hearse"). From 1988 they ran their own Steely and Clevie label, later working from their Studio 2000, and built riddims for Gussie Clarke, Bobby Digital, Winston Riley and Donovan Germain; between 1986 and 1990 they were reportedly behind three quarters of the Jamaican top hundred. They also issued some of the first one-riddim albums and a rare all-digital dub album, Mount Zion the Highest Region. What set them apart was that both played: "We were able to put feel into our programming and used to make a lot of our own samples," Clevie said. He set his Oberheim DX to a swing of 58 percent and called it and Steely's minimal bass a "marriage made in heaven"; Steely, he said, heard phrases in an "unorthodox" way and played by "less is more."

Their riddims mattered more than any single vocal. "Fish Market," also known as Poco Man Jam, was cut in 1989, carried Gregory Peck's "Poco Man Jam," and became internationally known as dembow after Shabba Ranks's "Dem Bow" was voiced on it. Their taste for rocksteady produced two tribute projects, to Studio One in 1992 and to Joe Gibbs in 2002; the first yielded Dawn Penn's "You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)," a rebuild of the song she had cut with the Soul Vendors at Studio One in 1967, and the second Sean Paul and Sasha's "I'm Still in Love With You."

Steely departed in a hospital in East Patchogue, New York, at forty-seven. In 2021 Clevie and Steely's heirs sued in the Central District of California over the dembow rhythm, naming more than 150 artists, producers and labels and roughly 1,800 reggaeton recordings, among them "Gasolina," "Despacito" and "Taki Taki." Judge Andre Birotte Jr. ruled in July 2026 that a jury should decide whether the claimed arrangement was original, then reversed himself on September 1, 2026, holding that the plaintiffs had not identified a single work of their own containing the combination of elements they sought to protect. Claims over direct sampling survive.

Last updated November 5, 2026

Connections

Notes

  1. The Rough Guide says that in the period after "Sleng Teng" the two were "the dominant band," building rhythms "for practically every producer in Kingston" while keeping their most progressive work for their own label. Steve Barrow and Peter Dalton, The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd ed. (London: Rough Guides, 2004), 310.
  2. Wikipedia, citing Colin Larkin, says Steely debuted with Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion collective and played keyboards on Ghetto-ology (1978). "Steely & Clevie," Wikipedia, accessed October 5, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steely_%26_Clevie. Clevie recalls that "Steely took me there" and introduced him to Minott. Angus Taylor, "Interview with Cleveland 'Clevie' Browne - Making Music For The Public," Reggaeville, December 18, 2019, https://www.reggaeville.com/artist-details/steely-clevie/news/view/interview-with-cleveland-clevie-browne-making-music-for-the-public/. The Rough Guide calls Steely and Clevie "graduates respectively of the Generation Gap and the Browne Bunch." Barrow and Dalton, Rough Guide to Reggae, 310. Katz says the Browne brothers tutored Steely on keyboards and Clevie on drums in their band, the Browne Bunch, that by Dalton Browne's account Steely's recording debut was Earl 16's "Freedom" at Lee Perry's Black Ark, and that he also played on Hugh Mundell's "Time and Place." David Katz, "Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson Obituary," Guardian, September 28, 2009, https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/sep/28/wycliffe-steely-johnson-obituary.
  3. The Rough Guide lists Steely on keyboards in the Roots Radics, and calls Night Nurse the last album in Isaacs's series with the band. Barrow and Dalton, Rough Guide to Reggae, 249, 253. Campbell writes that Johnson "moved on to Roots Radics which backed singer Gregory Isaacs on hits like Night Nurse." Howard Campbell, "Steely leaves indelible mark on dancehall," Jamaica Gleaner, September 6, 2009, http://mobile.jamaicagleaner.com/20090906/ent/ent2.php. At Jammy's the Rough Guide calls him a "bass player." Barrow and Dalton, Rough Guide to Reggae, 297.
  4. Taylor describes Clevie as part of the Browne Bunch, the Studio One band and Fil Callender's In Crowd, and Steely as "the protégé of the Roots Radics' Flabba Holt"; the two "first laid rhythms together for Earl 16 and then Augustus Pablo." Taylor, "Making Music For The Public."
  5. Clevie told Taylor that their first session together, Earl 16's "Man Making Plan" at Harry J's, came when "I was 14 at the time on drums. Steely was 12," and disputed the often-repeated account that it was at the Black Ark. Taylor, "Making Music For The Public." Campbell has them first playing together "on a session for Pablo in 1974," and Clevie calling Steely "his friend of over 35 years." Campbell, "Steely leaves indelible mark." Wikipedia gives their years active as 1973 to 2009. "Steely & Clevie." Katz says they met in the mid-1970s at a sound system Glen Browne ran at the Penthouse club. Katz, "Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson Obituary."
  6. Clevie: "in 1985 Jammy's recorded Sleng Teng and we were looking for a producer who would accept that digital thing because everybody was saying 'No that's foolishness man, go live.'" Angus Taylor, "Interview with Cleveland 'Clevie' Browne - Memories of Steely," Reggaeville, December 29, 2019, https://www.reggaeville.com/artist-details/steely-clevie/news/view/interview-with-cleveland-clevie-browne-memories-of-steely/. The Rough Guide places Jammy's studio on St. Lucia Road. Barrow and Dalton, Rough Guide to Reggae, 309.
  7. Clevie: "we did the first recordings - Sweet Reggae Music, Nitty Gritty - and from there it was just hit after hit." Taylor, "Memories of Steely." Campbell calls it "a hit in Britain in 1985." Campbell, "Steely leaves indelible mark."
  8. The Rough Guide dates their own label to 1988 and credits them with Ninjaman's "Murder Dem," Cocoa Tea's "Sonia" and Shabba Ranks's "Ca'an Dun." Barrow and Dalton, Rough Guide to Reggae, 297, 311-12. The record labels credit Steely & Clevie as producers of Tiger's "When," Singing Melody's "Shower Me With Your Love," Cocoa Tea's "Sonia Come Back," Beres Hammond's "Double Trouble," Garnett Silk's "Love Is the Answer," Bushman's "Call the Hearse," and, on Shang Muzik, Shabba's "Trailer Load of Girls" and "Ting-a-Ling"; they built the rhythm tracks for Foxy Brown's Foxy (1989), which includes "Sorry," and played on Tiger's Ram Dancehall. "Tiger - When," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/2225563; "Singing Melody - Shower Me With Your Love," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/2194647; "Cocoa Tea - Sonia Come Back," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/3608495; "Beres Hammond - Double Trouble," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/3687168; "Garnett Silk - Love Is The Answer," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/2476341; "Bushman - Call The Hearse," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/2414336; "Shabba Ranks - Trailer Load Of Girls," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/5212557; "Shabba Ranks - Ting A-Ling," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/1712347; "Foxy Brown - Foxy," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/595293; "Tiger - Ram "Dancehall"," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/3086712.
  9. Katz gives the label, the studio, the producers, and the albums, and writes: "between 1986 and 1990, Steely and Clevie were reportedly responsible for 75% of the Jamaican top 100." Katz, "Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson Obituary."
  10. John Masouri, "Steely and Clevie: Digital Revolution," JohnMasouri.com, May 10, 2018, https://www.johnmasouri.com/single-post/2018/05/10/steely-and-clevie-digital-revolution. Taylor, "Making Music For The Public."
  11. Discogs dates the first issue of Gregory Peck's "Poco Man Jam," on Steely & Clevie Records, to 1989. "Gregory Peck - Poco Man Jam," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/6842086. The Rough Guide dates the duo's Pocomania-based productions, "beginning with the deejay Gregory Peck's massive 'Pocoman Jam,'" to 1990. Barrow and Dalton, Rough Guide to Reggae, 5, 311.
  12. DancehallMag describes "Steely and Clevie's 1989 riddim titled Fish Market, also known as Poco Man Jam but known internationally as Dem Bow after Shabba Ranks' hit track." Claudia Gardner, "'Despacito' Under Scrutiny After Steely & Clevie File Copyright Infringement Lawsuit," DancehallMag, October 31, 2021, https://www.dancehallmag.com/2021/10/31/news/despacito-under-scrutiny-after-steely-clevie-file-copyright-infringement-lawsuit.html. "Dem Bow" (1990) was a Digital B production by Bobby Digital, with Steely & Clevie credited as arrangers on one pressing. "Shabba Ranks - Dem Bow," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/9391180.
  13. The Rough Guide describes Steely & Clevie Play Studio One Vintage, with the original artists singing their songs again, and Old to the New, which did the same for Joe Gibbs's hits. Barrow and Dalton, Rough Guide to Reggae, 311. The Heartbeat edition of the Studio One album, which includes Dawn Penn's track, is dated 1992; Sean Paul and Sasha's single was issued in 2002. "Steely & Clevie - Play Studio One Vintage," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/595860; "Sean Paul / Sasha - I'm Still In Love With You Boy," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/2038104.
  14. The Rough Guide says Steely & Clevie recut the song with Penn twenty-seven years later as part of their tribute to Studio One, and that it became a "huge international hit." Barrow and Dalton, Rough Guide to Reggae, 70. The single was issued in 1994. "Dawn Penn - You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)," Discogs, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.discogs.com/release/165487. Katz calls it a UK top ten hit. Katz, "Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson Obituary."
  15. The Rough Guide notes that Alton Ellis's song had been recorded for Gibbs by Trinity and Marcia Aitken. Barrow and Dalton, Rough Guide to Reggae, 311.
  16. Campbell says Johnson died "at a New York City hospital" after kidney failure, surgery for a blood clot on the brain, and "multiple organ failure," of "a fatal heart attack." Campbell, "Steely leaves indelible mark." Wikipedia names the hospital's location as East Patchogue. "Steely & Clevie." Katz says he died "after complications related to diabetes." Katz, "Wycliffe 'Steely' Johnson Obituary."
  17. Gardner reports the suit as filed "in a California Central District court." Claudia Gardner, "'Despacito' Under Scrutiny After Steely & Clevie File Copyright Infringement Lawsuit," DancehallMag, October 31, 2021, https://www.dancehallmag.com/2021/10/31/news/despacito-under-scrutiny-after-steely-clevie-file-copyright-infringement-lawsuit.html. Stereogum gives the figure of over 1,800 tracks and names "Gasolina" and "Despacito." Tom Breihan, "'Fish Market' Lawsuit Can Move Forward With Claim That Over 1,800 Reggaetón Songs Ripped Off Steely & Clevie Riddim," Stereogum, May 30, 2024, https://stereogum.com/2265690/fish-market-lawsuit-can-move-forward-with-claim-that-over-1800-reggaeton-songs-ripped-off-steely-clevie-riddim/news. Rolling Stone adds "Taki Taki." Tomás Mier, "Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee & More Want This Reggaetón Lawsuit Thrown Out," Rolling Stone, June 17, 2023, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/bad-bunny-karol-g-daddy-yankee-want-reggaeton-lawsuit-tossed-1234773891/.
  18. DancehallMag reports that Birotte had found "in July that competing expert testimony raised enough factual questions to let a jury decide," that the reversal left the more than 150 defendant artists shielded from the broadest claims, and that "narrower claims involving songs accused of directly sampling Steely & Clevie recordings are still alive." "Judge Reverses Ruling in Historic Reggaeton Dembow Copyright Lawsuit, Shielding 150+ Artists," DancehallMag, September 3, 2026, https://www.dancehallmag.com/2026/09/03/news/judge-reverses-ruling-in-historic-reggaeton-dembow-copyright-lawsuit-shielding-150-artists.html.

World of Jamaican Music: the whole map