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Leslie Kong

Leslie Kong (20 December 1933 – 9 August 1971) was an influential Chinese-Jamaican reggae producer.

Leslie and his two older brothers Cecil and Lloyd ran a restaurant, ice cream parlour and record shop called Beverley’s in Orange Street, Kingston. In 1961, he encountered a young Jimmy Cliff outside of his shop singing a song he had written called “Dearest Beverley”, in the hopes that the mention of the establishment would convince Kong to record him. This encounter led Kong to launch his own record label, Beverley’s, and to record Cliff’s song, launching Cliff’s career in the process.

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