He was born in Saint James Parish, Jamaica, probably in 1946 though some sources state 1949, and moved to Port Antonio after his father's death.

He studied mechanics at the Montego Bay Technical High School, and then moved to Trenchtown in Kingston, where he lived with his aunt and auditioned unsuccessfully for Lee Perry and Coxsone Dodd.

Though written in the context of Jamaica's turf wars and police violence, it became closely associated with the rioting at London's Notting Hill Carnival that year.

[4][5] The title song was heard by British punk rock band The Clash, whose version appeared on their debut album released in April 1977.

His other local hits included "Miss Kushie", "Cool Out Son", "I'm in Love", "Bad Man Posse", and "Muggers in the Street".