Winston Foster OD (born 1956[citation needed]), better known by the stage name Yellowman, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay, also known as King Yellowman. He was popular in Jamaica in the 1980s, rising to prominence with a series of singles that established his reputation.
Winston Foster was abandoned by his parents and grew up in the Maxfield Children’s Home and the Catholic orphanage Alpha Boys School in Kingston, the latter known for its musical alumni. He was shunned due to having albinism, which was not typically socially accepted in Jamaica. In the late 1970s Yellowman first gained wide attention when he finished second to Nadine Sutherland in the 1978 Tastee Talent Contest. Like many Jamaican deejays, he honed his talents by frequently performing at outdoor sound-system dances, prominently with Aces International. He had success as a recording artist, working with producer Henry “Junjo” Lawes. In 1981, after becoming popular throughout Jamaica, Yellowman became the first dancehall artist to be signed to a major American label (Columbia Records).
