Dancehall deejay Danny English died on Thursday evening at the Kingston Public Hospital after a long battle with diabetes. He was 54 years old.

Best known for his popular Party Time with fellow deejay Egg Nog, Danny English passed away at 5:45 pm, according to family members.

“In real life, mi father gone, mi father, mi father, this nuffi gwaan,” a grief-stricken Andrew ‘Bum Bam’ Cox, the son of Danny English, told Observer Online. “He had diabetes and he struggled with it for a while, and it just got worse and worse. He was on dialysis, he was getting treatment but his organs stopped working and he passed away.”

‘Bum Bam’ is an emerging deejay, following in the footsteps of his famous father.

A few years ago, Danny English released an EP with songs like Cut Dem Off, which featured his sons Static and Bum Bam. His other son, Jayblem, is also in the music business and had his major breakthrough in 2021 with a popular single, Account.

Born Donald Cox, he grew up in the parish of Kingston. He fell in love with music and was heavily influenced by acts such as Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton, Beres Hammond, Shaggy and Tuffy Melody. During his teens, he began pursuing music at the Camperdown High School.

He carefully honed his craft, recording several songs for noted producers. In 2002, English registered the Billboard Top 100 hit Party Time on the Diwali rhythm, firmly establishing his name alongside Egg Nog among the dancehall standouts. Though the two were never an official duo, English’s gravelly vocals combined well with Egg Nog’s smooth, velvety sound and the two made a formidable pairing.

Danny English has a track record worthy of note with musical performances at popular shows such as Sumfest, Sting, Champion In Action, Camp Fire, and Irie Jamboree. He also toured the world, hitting stages in London, Birmingham, Japan, Canada, and the Caribbean.

English later cut ties with Egg Nog following the success of Party Time due to constant disagreements between the two entertainers. They reunited in 2018 in an attempt to recapture the magic and released songs like Nuh Bother Pick Up the Gun Tonight, a take on Peter Tosh’s Johnny B Goode.

Danny English is survived by 23 children, 15 boys and eight girls.