Selecta
/ seh-LEK-ta /Quick answer: Selecta (pronounced seh-LEK-ta) is the DJ who picks the records at a sound system.
What does Selecta mean?
A selecta is the DJ who chooses and plays the records at a sound system or party. (In Jamaica, a ‘deejay’ is the artist who chants over the riddim — a different role.)
Where does Selecta come from?
From ‘selector’. Jamaica’s sound-system culture from the 1950s onward made the selector a star, judged on the ability to read a crowd and ‘juggle’ tunes.
How to use Selecta
Crowds shout ‘Selecta! Pull up!’ when they want a song restarted.
| Jamaican Patois | English |
|---|---|
| Selecta, pull it up! | DJ, play it again from the start! |
| Di selecta a juggle. | The DJ is mixing tunes. |
| Big up di selecta! | Shout-out to the DJ! |
Other spellings
Because Patois is mostly spoken, spellings vary. You may also see: selector, selecta mi seh.
Related Patois words
Sound system · Pull up · Deejay · Juggling
Frequently asked
What is a selecta?
The DJ who plays records at a sound system.
What’s the difference between a selecta and a deejay?
The selecta plays records; the deejay chants or raps over them.
Look up more words in the Jamaican Patois Dictionary, or see Selecta in the dictionary.