Dennis Brown, Aswad, Janet Kay, The Cimarons among reggae pioneers honoured with London street plaques
Official ceremony on International Reggae Day celebrated the icons who made Harlesden a cornerstone of British reggae
Dennis Brown, Janet Kay, General Levy and Aswad are among the music pioneers honoured with permanent plaques as Harlesden launches its own reggae answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Harlesden Walk of Music celebration took place on Wednesday 1 July, International Reggae Day, at the CAVA Centre of Excellence, formerly known as the Picture Palace, in north-west London.
Hosted by broadcaster Daddy Ernie and actor Judith Jacob, the event brought together musicians, relatives, industry figures and members of the local community for the initiative’s public launch.
Jamaica’s top diplomat in the UK, High Commissioner His Excellency Alexander Williams, was among those to address guests, alongside Brent Mayor Amer Agha and representatives of the honourees.
The plaques recognise 12 artists, groups, labels and music pioneers whose work helped shape reggae in Britain:
Artists: Dennis Brown, General Levy, Janet Kay and Delroy Washington
Bands and groups: Aswad, The Cimarons and Ruff Cutt UK
Labels and studios: Trojan Records, Jet Star, Starlight Records and Hawkeye Records
Music pioneer: Sonny Roberts, the Jamaican-born trailblazer behind Planetone, widely regarded as Britain’s first Black-owned recording studio, and Harlesden’s famed Orbitone Records
The honourees were selected through a two-part process combining industry recognition, achievement and community input.
Some were chosen following an assessment of their contribution to reggae and Black British music, while others were selected through a public survey hosted on Brent Council’s website between 21 July and 14 September 2025.
The ceremony was particularly poignant following the death of Starlight Records co-founder Cleveland ‘Popsy’ Deer on 27 May.
A well-respected figure in the reggae community, Mr Deer helped build Starlight Records into one of Harlesden’s most influential record shops and labels.
In a tribute shared ahead of the official launch, Cleon Roberts, director and co-founder of the Harlesden Bassline Project, which produced the Harlesden Walk of Music, said she had spoken with Mr Deer shortly before the original Starlight Records commemorative paving stone was laid.
Cleon, who’s also the daughter of Sonny Roberts, said Mr Deer had been “so thankful and very pleased” to know that his life and immense contribution to music would be recognised.
Though too unwell to attend a private unveiling of the plaques in March, he had hoped members of his family could be present in his place.
Cleon wrote that, while discussing the honour, Mr Deer sounded “bright, happy, and truly uplifted” during their conversation, adding: “Popsy left us knowing he was honoured. He left us happy, grateful and proud.”
Relatives of music legends Dennis Brown and Alton Ellis were among those in attendance at the ceremony, with Brown’s widow, Yvonne, delivering remarks.
Multi-award-winning actor and rapper Kano supported the occasion by sponsoring his Duppy White rum.
Coral J Reid, head of publicity and marketing for the Harlesden Walk of Music Project, said: “The Harlesden Walk of Music, like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, will link famous reggae musicians/producers to the previous and existing vinyl record shops and the proposed Reggae Museum in Picture Palace to be a physical footnote of public art and recognition.”
The cultural heritage project, backed by Brent Council and funded through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, recognises Harlesden as the UK’s reggae music capital.
From the record shops that supplied generations of selectors to the artists, bands and entrepreneurs who carried Jamaican music across Britain and around the world, Harlesden’s legacy is woven into the fabric of Black British music.
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