Deejay
Also spelled: dj, dee-jay
Meaning
In Jamaica, the performer who chats or toasts rhythmically over a riddim — closer to what the rest of the world calls a rapper or MC. This reverses the usual meaning: the person who selects and plays the records is the 'selector', not the deejay.
Examples
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“Di deejay chat pon di riddim all night.”
The deejay toasted over the beat all night.
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“Him a one a di baddest deejay inna dancehall.”
He is one of the best deejays in dancehall.
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“Di selecta play, di deejay chat.”
The selector plays the music, the deejay chats.
Spells out the Jamaican division of roles.
Origin
From English 'DJ' (disc jockey), but Jamaican usage shifted it to mean the vocal toaster rather than the record spinner — a lineage that runs directly into hip-hop's MCs.
How it's used
A frequent point of confusion for outsiders: in Jamaica the 'selector' plays the tunes and the 'deejay' performs on the mic.