Sister Nancy
#41,414 Most Popular
About
Jamaican dancehall DJ and reggae singer known for being the first female dancehall DJ and for her 1982 song "Bam Bam" which became one of the most influential and heavily sampled reggae songs of all time. She is also known for her songs "One Two," "Transport Connection," and "Papa Dean" and for sharing content on Instagram with over 150,000 followers.
Before fame
She began performing in Jamaican sound-system culture in 1976 and worked with sound systems including Chalice, Blackstar, and Stereophonic before recording her first single "Papa Dean" around 1980. She released her debut album One, Two in 1982.
Trivia
Her signature song "Bam Bam" was improvised in the studio as the final song needed to complete her debut album. She was the subject of the documentary Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story which premiered at the Tribeca Festival in June 2024.
Family life
Her birth name is Ophlin Russell, and she was born in Kingston, Jamaica, as one of 15 children. Her older brother is reggae deejay Brigadier Jerry. She moved to New Jersey with her daughter in 1996.
Associated with
Her song "Bam Bam" was sampled by Kanye West on his 2016 song "Famous."
