'Bam Bam' is an iconic dancehall/reggae song recorded in 1982 by ground-breaking MC Sister Nancy. On her way to Aotearoa for the first time, the 55-year-old tells the story of the track's wayward rise from Jamaican obscurity to worldwide dancehall staple.
It’s been sampled by Kanye West, Jay Z, and Lauren Hill, it’s been remixed and re-versioned, and has featured on the soundtracks to movies and commercials. No reggae selector would leave home without it.
This woman never troubled no one / I'm a lady, I'm not a man / MC is my ambition
I come from nice up Jamaica / So bam bam, what a bam bam
Inspired by a Toots and the Maytals song of the same name, ‘Bam Bam’ was the B-Side opener on Sister Nancy’s one and only album, One Two. It wasn’t a hit in her homeland.
Sister Nancy - One Two cover Photo: supplied
“I never heard it in Jamaica. I can’t explain that … they used to play [opening track] ‘One Two’ and ‘Transport Connection’ but never ‘Bam Bam’.”
It wasn’t until it turned up in Belly, a 1998 crime film by Hype Williams, starring rappers Nas, DMX and Method Man, that she became aware of its cult status.
“I was shocked.”
She hadn’t been asked if they could use it, and hadn’t received any royalties for the song. She let it slide, but in 2014, when it was used for a Reebok campaign, she took action.
“I was in my bed lying down and that’s when my daughter told me to change the channel and I change it, I saw it on the T.V. on the Reebok commercial, and that’s when I said, 'I have to do something about this' because no one has contacted me, no one is paying me and that’s when I took some legal advice.
"My sistren put me on to someone and I sought legal advice and sued them.”
‘Them’ being the sons of One Two producer, Winston Riley, who had taken over the family business. Riley was one of the most successful producers in Jamaica at the time of recording, and Nancy believes he hid ‘Bam Bam’s' popularity from her so she wouldn’t ask for money. He’d died two years before the lawsuit.
She won the legal battle and was given 50 percent of the rights and although they didn’t agree to back-pay her for the full 32 years, they agreed to 10 years. She’s happy with the outcome.
Back in 1982, money wasn’t discussed: “I worked for free, in my days coming up I wasn’t collecting anything, I just wanted my voice to be heard.”
Sister Nancy, born Ophlin Russell in 1962, first got on the mic as a teenager, inspired and encouraged by her brother, Brigadier Jerry, a highly respected live deejay.
Photo: Supplied
The dancehall deejay scene (deejay is the term for MC) was (and some would say still is) heavily dominated by men.
“I can remember going to dances and listen to my brother ... and other deejays. The first time I took the mic up was far away that no one could see me because I was so nervous.”
“I have to give him [Brigadier Jerry] all the praises because if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t do it, I am telling you, I just wanted to do what he does and they had women before me it’s just I was the one took it internationally and took it from Jamaica and bring it abroad.
"There was Mother Liza before me, but I have to give all the glory to Brigadier Jerry.”
Sister Nancy worked as an accountant in New Jersey up until 2015 and now goes back to Jamaica every few months where her husband is based. She says she’s in no rush to write a follow-up album to One Two, but is still dedicated to performing live on the mic.
Sister Nancy arrives in Aotearoa next week and is performing on the 17th of November at Raglan’s Yot club and on the 18th at Galatos with Lion Rockers, Ras Stone and Legal Shot.
