Just don't show them the record labels! All hail the Champion sound!
Sound system operators in Jamaica in the 1950's/1960's were commonly known to destroy or soak off the record labels on their 45 records to create heightened intrigue around the most successful of their audio artillery. These open-air traveling shows would also be responsible for the advent of toasting or chatting on the mic, which would later spawn rapping. These highly-competitive traditions would carry over and go on to serve as the archetype for hip-hop battles in the Bronx roughly a decade later.
Great Britain in the mid-1960's saw a tremendous growth of Caribbean influence in its music, and on the strength of this popularity, many Jamaican artists would move permanently to UK during this time. Sound systems often served as the social scene and natural conduit for Jamaican immigrants to foster their ties to the Caribbean.
