Clappers?
Lister Hewan-Lowe is a charismatic, radical and politically incorrect DJ who hosts predominantly reggae genre music on two New York based radio shows. He is also the founder of Clappers Records.
Early Days
In September 1952, Lister was born at Victoria Jubilee Lying-in Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica. Rumour has it that "Lister was born under the Clock..." Which clock? The clock at Half-Way-Tree, Kingston, JA W.I. on a Friday. That's what was written... This rumor is fake news because he would have been a roadside delivery. His middle class mother would never sanction such an event. Lister's early education was at Camperdown High School and the elementary school associated with Mico Teacher Training College . After migrating to Crown Heights, Brooklyn he attended Wingate High School (1968 - 1969) on Kingston Ave, in Kings County, Brooklyn. In 1970, he was admitted to Stony Brook University for collegiate studies. His academic career may have faltered but his passion for reggae and production of pop culture music flourished.
Clappers Records
In 1980 Lister launched the Clappers record label. This small indy label had tremendous influence on both reggae and hip hop. There are 30 listings in the discography. Unfortunately, in the absence of new original releases, each record in the Clapper's discography has become a collectors item that is only seen on E-bay. Black Slavery Days (CLPS-1982 US, UK Reissue 2003) used to be found at Ernie B's Reggae. You can get the CD or vinyl at Amazon. [Listen online ]. A vintage collection of Clappers records is known to exist at undisclosed site(s) in the USA.
Island Records
Chris Blackwell, Island Music mogul will never acknowledge that Lister Hewan-Lowe was a project manager at Island Records. Lister Hewan-Lowe was the key link in the successful partnership between Island Records and Bob Marley. Thus Lister, not Chris Blackwell, can be credited with introduction of the reggae music genre into the United States pop culture (Blackwell got de money. Lister got de reggae. Money talks). Lister's role in Mango Records, a subsidiary of Island Records that was created to promote Jamaican music in the US, should not be overlooked. Lister's successful promotion of artistes such as Michael Rose [Black Uhuru] and Buju Banton are a tribute to his identification of first class reggae acts.
DJ Lister
Lister's love and devotion to the reggae, hip hop and rap genre are reflected in his radio broadcasts. Each Saturday, unless pre-empted, he is politically incorrect and live on Saturday's A Party, WUSB. This is the longest running broadcast reggae radio show in the United States (36 years or more on the airwaves). His even more radical reggae rants surfaced on Burn Baby Burn, which is broadcast on WBAI Pacifica. When asked how long can he continue to host these shows, Lister replies "Until the station manager says, NO MORE, Lister!".
Comment
Besides hosting his reggae shows, DJ Lister spends his time doing long distance runs to maintain that ripped rasta body, which all binaries and non binaries love. He has been sighted running backwards in the countryside of Warwick. When he is not in Brooklyn, he can be found at his favorite vacation spots, which are Ocracoke Island, Fort Meyers Beach and Topsail Island. Minimalist clothing and flip flops in the snow are Lister's key fashion statement.