Producer and vocalist Yabby You was one of reggae's most original characters as he was a Christian with dreadlocks, not a Rastafarian. That is how he came to be called "the Jesus Dread".
Vivian Jackson grew up in extreme poverty in the ghettos of Kingston JA. Working at a blast furnace at age 12, he became partially crippled from malnutrition and lost the job as a result. Finding no promise in the streets, he was given a chance by King Tubby to cut an original single at Tubby's studio. "Conquering Lion" was released in 1972 and went straight to the top. With the distinctive "you-yabbyyabby-you" chant, people kept asking for the record by Yabby You, and thus the name stuck forever.
Several more singles with Tubby dubs were made and a classic-to-be full-length album was released. A couple of amazing albums in '76 and '77 (Chant Down Babylon Kingdom & Deliver Me From My Enemies) are also classics. He went on to produce artists like Michael Rose, Big Youth, Tappa Zukie, Willie Williams, Sly & Robbie, Trinity, Half Pint and many more on his own Prophet label (and others). He died of a brain aneurysm.