BIOGRAPHY
The Story
Peter Metro, born Peter Clarke, first performed under the name Peter Ranking. His early sound-system development included Stats Sound, where Dicky Ranking — later known as Snagga Puss — was an important figure in his apprenticeship.
Metro later joined Jimmy “Daddy Metro” James’s Metromedia sound system around the beginning of the 1980s. Because another performer was already using the Peter Ranking name, his association with the sound supplied the identity that endured: Peter Metro.
Metromedia became central to his development as a live deejay. The sound’s personnel changed across periods, but Peter became one of its defining microphone voices while selectors including Snap Jack and later Skyjuice helped shape its presentation.
One of Metro’s trademarks was the use of Spanish alongside Jamaican patois and English. That multilingual style distinguished him within the dancehall field and later helped his music travel in Spanish-speaking markets.
His recording career crossed several important production camps. He recorded combination material with Yellowman and other artists, worked with George Phang’s Power House operation, and recorded albums including No Problem and The D.J. Don.
The No Problem sleeve credits George Phang as producer, Michael Riley with recording/mixing, Dynamic Sounds as the studio, and Sly & Robbie among the musicians. The D.J. Don sleeve credits Ossie Thomas and Phillip Morgan as producers and Tuff Gong Studio in Kingston.
Metro remained associated with Metromedia through later periods and continued performing internationally, linking the early live-microphone sound-system tradition to later dancehall audiences.
