by Steve HueyMacka B was one of Britains most influential dancehall toasters, pushing the music back toward a Rastafarian political consciousness. His rough, gravelly vocals gave him an instantly identifiable sound, and his production — chiefly handled by Mad Professor — updated dub reggae techniques for the dancehall age, proving that the two sounds werent mutually exclusive. Although the vast majority of Macka Bs material was devoted to spiritual and social messages, he did lighten the mood with occasional humorous novelty material. He shunned any aspirations for a commercial crossover, however, staying true to the sound and spirit of reggaes roots. His 1986 album Sign of the Times still remains a milestone of British reggae, and he continued to record for Mad Professors Ariwa label into the new millennium.Macka B was born Christopher MacFarlane in the West Midlands town of Wolverhampton, England, near Birmingham. As a youth, he played viol...