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{{Notability|Music|date=July 2019}}
{{Use Jamaican English|date=January 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = Toyan
| image                 =
| caption            = Ranking Toyan in 1982.
| image_size            =
| background          = solo_singer
| birth_name          = Byron Everton Letts
| alias               = Ranking Toyan, Papa Toyan
| birth_date                = 1955
| death_date                = 1991
| origin              = Kingston, Jamaica
| instrument          = Vocals
| genre               = [[Reggae]]
| occupation          = Artist
| years_active        = 1974-1991
| label               =
| associated_acts     =
| website                 =
}}
'''Toyan''' aka '''Ranking Toyan''' (born ''Byron Everton Letts'', died 1991) was a [[Jamaica]]n [[reggae]] [[Deejay (Jamaican)|deejay]] active since the mid-1970s and best known for his early 1980s recordings.{{Example needed|date=July 2019}}
==Biography==
Toyan began his career in 1974, deejaying on [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]]'s [[Sound system (Jamaican)|sound systems]], such as ''Socialist Roots'' and ''Romantic HiFi''.<ref name="Larkin">Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, {{ISBN|0-7535-0242-9}}</ref><ref name="Barrow">Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.", Rough Guides, {{ISBN|1-84353-329-4}}</ref> He recorded his debut single, "Disco Pants" in the late 1970s for producer [[Don Mais]]. He went on to work extensively with [[Joseph Hoo Kim]] and [[Jah Thomas]], resulting in a string of hits including "Girls Nowadays", "Kill No Man", "John Tom", and "Talk of the Town", as well as combination hits with [[The Mighty Diamonds]] ("Pretty Woman"), Badoo ("Rocking the 5000"), and [[Freddie McGregor]] ("Roots Man Skanking").<ref name="Larkin" /> In 1981, he joined [[Henry "Junjo" Lawes]]' Volcano Sound system, and toured [[Canada]].<ref name="Larkin" /> With Lawes, he recorded the album ''How the West Was Won'', which is regarded as his best work,<ref name="Barrow" /> and went on to produce his own work and that of others such as [[Billy Boyo]] and [[Anthony Johnson (musician)|Anthony Johnson]]. He toured the [[United Kingdom]] with the Jah Prophecy band and performed in Jamaica alongside [[Dennis Brown]].<ref name="Larkin" />
He was murdered in Jamaica in 1991 with [[Little John (musician)]] present allegedly over the ownership of a gun.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ranking-toyan-mn0000336923/biography|title = Ranking Toyan Biography, Songs, & Albums|website = [[AllMusic]]}}</ref>
==Albums==
*''How The West Was Won'' (1981) [[Greensleeves Records|Greensleeves]]
*''Toyan'' (1982) J&L
*''Superstar Yellowman Has Arrived With Toyan'' (1982) [[Joe Gibbs (record producer)|Joe Gibbs]] (with [[Yellowman]])
*''DJ Clash'' (1982) Volcano/Greensleeves (with Nicodemus)
*''Spar With Me'' (1982) Jah Guidance
*''Ghetto Man Skank'' (1983) Silver Camel
*''DJ Daddy'' (1983) Upfront
*''Nice Time'' (1983) Jam Rock/Pre (with [[Triston Palma]])
*''Every Posse Want Me'' (1983) Live & Learn
*''Murder'' (1983) Vista Sounds (with Tipper Lee & Johnny Slaughter)
*''Hot Bubble Gum'' (1984) Power House
*''Early Days'' Roots Tradition
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.roots-archives.com/artist/291 Toyan at Roots Archives]
*[http://reggaelicious.pbwiki.com/Toyan Toyan at Reggaepedia]
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1991 deaths]]
[[Category:Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica]]
[[Category:Jamaican reggae musicians]]
[[Category:Greensleeves Records artists]]
[[Category:1955 births]]