Radio deejay and long time champion of reggae, David "Ram Jam" Rodigan, received the prestigious Member of the Most Excellent Oder of the British Empire (MBE), on February 14. The fifth highest honor in the UK, the award honors the famous deejay's decades of work celebrating Jamaican music through radio broadcasting. The award was presented by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles.

Rodigan fell in love with Jamaican music as a young mod teenager in Oxfordshire, sneaking out to go to clubs to hear the latest ska and rocksteady recordings. He began his reggae broadcasting career at BBC Radio London in 1978. He then moved on to Capital Radio in 1979, where he led the legendary Roots Rocker show for 11 years. There Rodigan became celebrated for his endless encyclopedia knowledge of reggae, his unique, customized dub plate specials and especially for his epic on-air sound clashes with Jamaican radio presenter, Barry "Barry G" Gordon of JBC Radio. Their lively face-offs, among the most memorable in reggae's history, united reggae lovers in Jamaica, UK and throughout North America.

Rodigan can now be heard every Sunday night at 11 p.m. on London's Kiss FM. He will also be hosting this summer a weekly program dedicated to reggae music, from May 23 to August 13 on BBC Radio 2. In the U.S., Rodigan can also be heard on Irie Jam Radio, WVIP 93.5 FM, on his popular reggae news and vintage review show, London Calling, every Saturday.