The video explores the dynamic career of Washy, an extraordinary MC who blends energy, talent, and fearlessness in his performances. His journey, beginning with influences from family DJing events and school entertainment, showcases a seamless fusion of Jamaican and Miami musical cultures. With a strong historical foundation in reggae and dancehall music, combined with contemporary genres like hip hop and house music, Washy's style is both conscious and party-focused, appealing to a global audience.

The narrative also highlights the sound system culture embedded in Washy’s music, which plays a crucial role in bridging diverse cultural influences and creating a unique auditory experience. The conversation between DJ and audience becomes a spiritual exchange, reflecting a larger, global movement inspired by Jamaican sound systems. This impact of musical culture and the influence of the golden era of dancehall in Kingston define Washy's artistic foundation and worldwide appeal.

Main takeaways from the video:

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Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. bravado [brəˈvɑːdoʊ] - (noun) - A bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate. - Synonyms: (swagger, confidence, boldness)

The guy is a talent at its true form, and he just does it with such a bravado.

2. reap [riːp] - (verb) - To receive (something, especially something beneficial) as a consequence of one's own or another's actions. - Synonyms: (receive, obtain, garner)

I just know that, yo, I'm happy. So it's kind of hard for me to not put out happiness, but I reap happiness because of that.

3. emceeing [ɛmˈsiːɪŋ] - (verb) - The act of being a master of ceremonies, hosting an event or performance. - Synonyms: (hosting, presenting, facilitating)

He started emceeing about 1819 when he started in black Chinese.

4. catalyst [ˈkætəlɪst] - (noun) - An agent that provokes or speeds significant change, action, or a reaction. - Synonyms: (stimulus, impetus, spark)

Jamaican sound system culture, I think, is the catalyst for, like, a global movement.

5. era [ˈɪərə] - (noun) - A long and distinct period of history with a particular feature or characteristic. - Synonyms: (age, period, epoch)

I grew up in the golden era of dance hall.

6. vibration [vaɪˈbreɪʃn] - (noun) - A general atmosphere or ambience associated with a person or place. - Synonyms: (ambiance, aura, mood)

You know, I understood energy and vibration, and I learned that very young.

7. consecrating [ˈkɒnsɪkreɪtɪŋ] - (verb) - To make or declare something sacred; dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose. - Synonyms: (sanctify, bless, hallow)

There is a conversation that's taking place between the DJ and the audience, creating a kind of opportunity for consecrating this space.

8. spiritual [ˈspɪrɪtʃuəl] - (adjective) - Relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. - Synonyms: (ethereal, transcendental, non-material)

Seeing the dance hall space as a spiritual space.

9. perspective [pərˈspɛktɪv] - (noun) - A particular attitude or way of viewing something; a point of view. - Synonyms: (viewpoint, stance, outlook)

And so you end up finding that you have a very unique perspective on the world.

10. remotely [rɪˈməʊtli] - (adverb) - From a distance; without direct contact or involvement. - Synonyms: (indirectly, distantly, afar)

I didn't have to fly here. We can work remotely.

Walshy Fire - Pull Up - In the Making - American Masters - PBS

Washy is one of the greatest mc's that I know. Energetic, flowetic, and just simply amazing. The guy is a talent at its true form, and he just does it with such a bravado. No fear. You want to do exactly what he asks you to do on that microphone. I mean, I've been doing this for 28 years now.

I just know that, yo, I'm happy. So it's kind of hard for me to not put out happiness, but I reap happiness because of that, and I see how it just turns over. I don't consume my music, man. I'm really consumed my music. The djing as a kid, he always took to when my dad would dj our family parties. His early understanding of djing was just watching my dad or listening to my dad play music.

I often wondered, I said, did you go to school to entertain everybody, or did you go to school to learn? And he did both. He did very well in school, but he was also the entertainer. He started emceeing about 1819 when he started in black Chinese. Everything kind of, like, connected and connected and took off for him.

We started traveling worldwide, djing and emceeing. His musical history has always included him being on the microphone and everybody listening to his voice. Walshy met him on black chinese sound. Me and him used to tour in the early days, and we had. We had to work hard.

Growing up in Miami, you're getting the influence of different genres of music. The hip hop, the freestyle, the house music, you know, and we grew up with a reggae and dancehall, and we just fused all of them together, you know, so putting it together was natural for us. So we weren't trying to create something different. We were just like, this is what we do. Let's just do it.

What I do is an influence of half jamaican sound system culture and half Miami based culture. It's the two. The approach can be a little different. And so on the jamaican culture side, it's very news of the streets kind of thing, you know, very.

This is how we rebel. On the Miami side, it's much more party, party. It's like fun, fun. And so there's both of that, right? It's one, you want to have something that's conscious and meaningful, then on the other side, you want people to dance and have a good time. And so being able to blend both those, I think, is what influences almost pretty much everything.

Jamaican sound system culture, I think, is the catalyst for, like, a global movement. You have all of these sound systems that were becoming extremely popular. The legend of those things started to go outside of Kingston. There's been tons of other countries that look to Jamaica as the godfather of this thing.

Which island you come from? Mausachakia island. I'm from West India. I grew up in the golden era of dance hall. So the late eighties, you know, shabba papa san, benya, bounty, just starting. Super cat. That's what I would consider the golden era of dance hall.

I grew up in the middle of Kingston. I was able to see these artists perform because all these clubs and venues in halfway tree just shook where I lived. It was extremely sculpting. You know, I understood energy and vibration, and I learned that very young. It lives with you for life. That impact, for sure, brought me into music.

Everybody from out of town, put your hands in the air. Well, it all be right that everybody in here that's actually from Florida show you how to dance right now. Let's go. Let's go. There is a conversation that's taking place between the DJ and the audience, creating a kind of opportunity for consecrating this space and seeing the dance hall space as a spiritual space.

Music was still connecting us. Music was our bridge to the places we had left. In Miami. You get jamaican culture, central south american culture, caribbean culture. Then you get black american culture, white american culture, all mixed into this part, and so you end up finding that you have a very unique perspective on the world.

We are in Brazil. We're in Sao Paulo. We're working on my album called Walshinho. I didn't have to fly here. We can work remotely, but there's nothing like being in the studio with somebody and actually having your input and actually creating together and actually becoming friends as well. Yeah, I'm not. I'm telling you, man, I'm shocked, man.

Man. I never hear this before. Not from Brazil. Not from Brazil. Yeah, not from Brazil. This is kind of fire, man. Yeah. Yeah. I'm really shocked. We learn a lot with you guys. The way I make songs, there really is no set formula or plan. It could start with a melody. It could start with a beat. It could start with the words. It happens in every single way, but for the most part, you make a beat first.

Maybe you just keep going up. Let's try it. Let's try. It's not bad, you know? You know what? Maybe could you not crack the vote, the note, and just give it one long one? Yeah. A straight one without. Without the influx, the fluxing. Yeah. Just see if you can go straight for as long as you can. That sounded good.

He just knows when to say the right things, do the right things. Behold, crowds of 100,000 people on stage. And it means he gets so emotional. He's just a worldwide figure, in my opinion. Beyond the creeping side.

I'll never stop doing what I love and making sure that I do it to the best of my ability every single day. It's never gonna stop. Bless it. God wanting. God wanting. God wanting. God wanting. God wanting. God wanting. Laden.

Music, Culture, Dancehall, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Inspiration, Pbs