Regarded by many as Latin America’s dub master number one, Panamanian sound system selector Chiqui Dub has played most countries in that region. Last Wednesday, he was overwhelmed when he stepped on hallowed ground in Kingston.

The 37-year-old, who is also a music producer and booking agent, made his debut at Weddy Weddy, the popular dancehall event that attracts the genre’s major players.

“Di vibe at Weddy Weddy was nice! Magic! Weddy Weddy is my inspiration, di first (reggae) song mi hear was Stone Love,” he said. “If yuh ask mi now what is my favourite soun’, mi a guh tell yuh Bass Odyssey, but Stone Love is my school, since mi a likkle youth, mi hear Stone Love pon a tape, suh Weddy Weddy for me is a pleasure, is a honour, is a dream come true for Father Pow an’ Dwayne Pow give mi di opportunity to play in headquarters.”

Weddy Weddy takes place Wednesdays at Stone Love’s Burlington Road base. Winston “Wee Pow” Powell, founder of that sound system, welcomes hundreds of patrons weekly to hear classic songs and the latest dancehall hits.

It was one of the stops Chiqui Dub made on his latest trip to Jamaica which he first visited in 2009. He also attended the Island Music Conference at Courtleigh Auditorium in Kingston, where there is a focus on the industry’s business side.

Because he wears several hats, learning different aspects about an evolving music industry is critical for Chiqui Dub.

“It’s very, very, very important to know the business side of this industry. I live for reggae music; reggae music and dancehall music is the only thing that I know to do. I make bookings, [and] I am a producer so it is very important to know how di business gwaan,” he said. “If yuh don’t know about reggae business yuh always going to be in di stands, so yuh have to get links an’ know di industry well.”

Born Jean Alexander, Chiqui Dub is from Panama City. He began listening to Jamaican music over 25 years ago after hearing Panamanian artistes do Spanish versions of 1980s dancehall songs like What The Hell the Police Can Do by Echo Minott.

He said old-school Jamaican artistes stay busy in Panama and Latin America, because people there favour that era’s grooves compared to contemporary dancehall.

“They prefer early 2000s or di ’90s because di dancehall we consume right now, have too much fusion with trap. It different than when yuh play TOK, Mr Lexx, Mad Cobra or Beenie Man. Promoters inna Latin America an’ Panama prefer to book artiste from ’90s an’ early 2000s like Buccaneer, Red Rat, like Elephant Man, like Degree, because di type of dancehall they make before make you bounce an’ dance. Remember, dem nuh speak English, they love di lyrics, they love di melody, but they love di riddim too,” Chiqui Dub explained.

As a producer, he has collaborated with artistes such as Voicemail and Exile di Brave.