Ranking Toyan started his career in the mid-'70s with moderate success. Even though he recorded with Jamaica's top sound systems and producers (e.g. Henry Lawes, Scientist, Jah Thomas), his success didn't come until the early '80s. His first two noticeable 7" releases, "Disco Pants" and "Nah Kill Nuh Man", were released in 1979. With the aid of producers like Scientist, he made the jump to his first full-length and self-titled album in 1981. Later that year he came up with his masterpiece: "How The West Was Won", recorded at Channel One Studio, backed by the Roots Radics, produced by Henry Lawes, mixed by Scientist at King Tubby's and released by Greensleeves.

The key features of this album are the rhythms of the mighty Scientist and Henry Lawes' - a simply irresistible combination. The harsh, brutal and stripped down sound explodes out of the speakers, Toyan rides the rhythms and the whole effect is very exciting. The best tracks on this fantastic album are the title track, "Tribute To The Entertainer" and "Reggae Gone International".

Ranking Toyan was one of early dancehall's best and unjustly overlooked. Unfortunately he was murdered in the United States in 1991.

(Last edit: 2007, Feb 14, SB, Reggae-Shack)