There’s a certain magic to dancehall/event flyers in Jamaica. Long before the age of Instagram stories and digital promos, these hand-drawn posters weren’t just marketing tools—they were cultural markers. They captured the dance’s mood, movement, and madness.

So when I opened my inbox recently and saw the headline “Walshy Fire set to release a book about the Art of Dancehall”, I knew this was special for me. As a graphic designer and lifelong reggae documentarian, I had to know more.

So I called up Walshy…

In our reasoning, he shares the story behind his new book The Art of Dancehall, a stunning collection of flyers that trace the visual language of dancehall from its early street art roots to its global influence. The book, published by Rizzoli, features pieces from Jamaica, Brooklyn, Toronto, England, Japan—and beyond.

“Each flyer brought back nostalgia, memories, moments,” Walshy says. “And I felt like if I felt that way, maybe others would too.”

The journey to making the book started with a box of old flyers Walshy had collected over 30 years. But the spark came from a conversation backstage with Shepard Fairey (of OBEY fame), who helped push the project into the publishing world.

The book also holds a special dedication to the late legendary artist Denzil “Sassafrass” Naar, one of Jamaica’s most iconic flyer/poster designers. Walshy revealed for the first time that he had hoped Sassafrass would do the cover of the book—but sadly, he was too unwell in his final days.

“He was the greatest. Still is,” Walshy says. “He and Lemonius are in that conversation of the greatest Jamaican artists ever.”

But The Art of Dancehall isn’t just a nostalgic throwback. It’s a reflection of how deeply Jamaican music—and its imagery—has reached around the world.

Walshy is possibly the only selector who has played reggae and dancehall in over 164 countries, cutting dubs for local crowds, and adapting to the unique reggae tastes in places like Brazil, Kenya, France, and Japan.

“What gets forwards in Kenya are completely different songs than in Europe or Jamaica. That kind of cultural exchange is rare—and beautiful.”

He also speaks about his upcoming album with the same title, The Art of Dancehall. Unlike the wild-ish energy often expected from dancehall, this album leans into a calmer, rootsy, beat-driven sound.

“It’s not trap hall. It’s dancehall,” he clarifies. “Some beats will have no vocals—just raw riddim energy.”

As our conversation wraps, we both share a sentiment that rings loud in today’s digital world: So much of our culture—flyers, fashion, photographs—is disappearing without being archived. This book is a start.

“Someone will just throw it away,” Walshy says. “But these were handmade. These are part of the story.”

So here’s to the visual side of reggae and dancehall.
To the artists who painted plywood flyers by hand.
To the selectors who carried the sound to corners of the earth.
And to the people still keeping the culture alive.

By Danny Creatah

The Art of Dancehall is available now via Rizzoli.com or directly from @walshyfire on Instagram.