Corporal Billy

Orville Higgins, known by many as 'Corporal Billy Spice' (Image: Shimarla Higgins)

Hundreds packed out Birmingham's H Suite to celebrate the life of Handsworth music legend Orville Higgins.

Loving tributes have poured in for 58-year-old Orville, known by many as 'Corporal Billy Spice', who died suddenly of pneumonia in October.

Corporal Billy was well-known in the community for his time in reggae group Luv Injection - and as a long-standing presenter for New Style Radio, Birmingham's first-ever black station.

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He is praised for bringing Jamaican sound system to the UK, with Luv Injection considered one of the genre's top acts.

Sound systems are groups made up of disc jockeys, engineers and MCs playing either ska, rocksteady or reggae music and are an important part of Jamaican pop culture.


A hearse taking Corporal Billy on his final journey (Image: New Style Radio/YouTube)
Orville's eldest daughter, Shimarla Higgins, told BirminghamLive he was her "best friend" and will be remembered for "solidifying himself in music".

"He helped pave the way for reggae music in the UK - he was an icon," she said.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/hundreds-pack-out-orville-higgins-22266505

Father Blackka

MICHAEL ANTHONY BLACKWOOD "AKA" FARDA BLACKA was one of our resident Saturday night DJ’s and a key driver along with Jah Messiah Esq to establish the centre as a top venue for reggae vinyl revival sessions across the country. He was a keen supporter of the centre following in the footsteps of his father Mike. Always respectful and bringing positive ideas for improvement he was an innovator and motivator. We are thankful for all that he has done to support us and he will be a huge loss.

https://www.wbacrc.org.uk/content.asp?id=81