David Rodigan is joining 1xtra
The legend that is David Rodigan is to join BBC 1Xtra with a primetime reggae slot. The British-born but Jamaican-by-heart radio DJ will bring his reggae expertise to the station for a regular Sunday evening show from 7 ‘til 9pm.
Granted an MBE by Prince Charles last February, “Ram Jam” Rodigan began his broadcasting career over 30 years ago at the BBC. Famed for his encyclopaedic knowledge of Jamaican music, he travels the world performing in Sound clashes with international soundsystems and has recently gathered a following of younger generations due to his involvement in dubstep culture.
The news comes less than two months after Rodigan announced his departure from Kiss FM) over their “continued marginalisation of reggae music.” Due to their apparent “refusal” to schedule reggae shows at a “socially accessible time”, the reggae veteran left the station with “great sadness.”
Rodigan stated “I am absolutely delighted to be joining BBC Radio 1Xtra where I can share my passion for both new cutting edge reggae and classic cuts, reflecting a genre of music which continues to play a paramount role in urban bass culture music.” He will also return to BBC Radio 2 with a new 13-part series this summer.
Watch Rodigan perform at a Sound clash in 1997:
