FOR THE LOVE OF SOUND SYSTEM FREQUENCY
Festus Coxsone
Hailing from the hills of St. Thomas, Jamaica, Festus Coxsone embodies the enduring spirit of Sound System Culture. From sneaking out at age 10 to operate local sets, to co-founding the mighty Sir Coxsone Outernational with Lloydie and Glen, his journey has always been driven by one mission: delivering the frequency.
The Dub
Organiser
More than a name, The Dub Organiser captures his mastery of sound – a lifelong commitment to balancing pressure and clarity, roots and revolution. His sets are more than sessions; they are live dub experiences infused with emotional weight and sonic authority.
Festus’s impact spans Europe, the Caribbean, and London’s West End, Sunday Times Christmas parties to grassroots dances. A versatile selector, he navigates the full arc of Jamaican music – R&B, Mento, Ska, Rocksteady, Roots, Rub-a-Dub, Reggae, Early dancehall, inventor of Specials – always honouring sound system as theatre, ritual, and community
For over a decade, Festus anchored a weekly show on London Hott Radio, later co-creating RealMusic FM, a platform grounded in foundation values and cultural preservation. In 2024, he brought fire to City Splash Festival in Brockwell Park!
With renewed fire, Festus returns – a revitalised dubplate catalogue, fresh hand-cut mixes, and bookings that promise nothing less than joy. Collaborations with the Legendary Scientist Dub Master are on this way – One Frequency Sound Tour/Exhibition – for blending sound science with spiritual fire into the One Frequency Sound Tour, with appearances from Gappy Crucial, mentored by Festus – bridging foundational dub with jungle, dancehall, and UK bass culture.
His YouTube platform, Hot Wax Corner, extends the mission: reasoning on Jamaica, sound system culture, and Black musical history – preserving the foundation and passing the flame forward.
In 2026 Festus features in V&A East’s landmark exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story.
HotWax Corner
A lockdown-born video series where Festus and leading players in record shops and promotion talk all things jamaican music from childhood, sound system roots, and cultural legacy. 14 episodes and more on the way.
Dub Standards
What makes a DUB unforgettable?
A precision recipe for dub, engineered by Festus Coxsone himself. Eleven foundational principles shaped by decades in the dance — from subtlety and individuality to imagination and respect.
Roots, Rhythm Rock UK
From the early days of radio technicians like Lloyd “The Matador” Daley to the rise of handmade amplifiers and street corner clashes, the story moves through community halls, West End blues dances, and onto international stages.
Gallery