Mouseketeer

Deejay is a Jamaican vocal style in which an MC "toasts"—rhythmically talking, chanting, or half-singing—over pre-existing instrumental tracks called riddims. Unlike the club turntablist sense of “DJ,” the Jamaican deejay is the voice on the mic, not the person selecting records. Emerging from Kingston sound-system culture, deejay performance foregrounds cadence, patois wordplay, call‑and‑response, and crowd control. Its delivery ranges from nimble, percussive chat to singjay (melodic hybrids), often treated with dub-style echoes and dropouts. The form prefigured rap and has been central to reggae and dancehall, influencing MC traditions worldwide.